Food Security Essay

As the effort to alleviate poverty and increase food security takes on new dimensions on the backdrop of increasing challenges, asset-based community development has become a key strategy. There has been a shift of focus to individual, communal and institutional asset and the capacity or potential they have in building the capacity of achieving locally defined development (Social Design, 2010). The asset-based community development strategy is based on the principle that including as many people as is possible in a development project increases the probability of the project remaining sustainable even after the experts implementing it leave it under the management of the community. The asset-based community development strategy begins by first acknowledging that the existent poverty and insufficiency in a community cannot be solved by the human, physical and intellectual assets at the disposal of the community (Social Design, 2010). It involves the mobilization of members of the community so that these assets, coupled with external investment, can be effectively utilized to improve the community’s capacity of meeting the developmental challenges that face it. In addition, there needs to be creation of awareness about alternative means of acquiring additional assets and resources. Secondly, asset-based community development should be viewed as complementary to developmental work already in progress within the community; and must be based on the traditions rooted within the community with regard to organization, community development and developmental planning (Social Design, 2010). It should be noted that not a single entity (government, the business community, civil society and the community itself) can bring meaningful development on its own, so the essence of asset-based community is to forge a working partnership between all the stakeholders to bring about improvement in sufficiency, democracy and respect to human rights (Social Design, 2010). The process must therefore be based on transparency and accountability, justice and participation. Having established this operational framework, attention is shifted on ways of mobilizing the community and the assets it has towards a clearly defined vision. The first step is mapping all the assets within the community and its local institutions (Social Design, 2010). Full mobilization in this context is only achieved after the community can address its agenda and challenges with an awareness of the resources that it has to counter the developmental challenges it faces. Second, elaborate plans should be put in place to build strong relationships within the community so that these resources can be aggregated and given a common focus towards progress. Strength and self-reliance are attributes bolstered when all members of the community are linked and actively involved in finding solutions to the challenges that face them (Social Design, 2010). The community realizes that it has a great potential than it had realized and there is a rejuvenation of hope, motivation and renewal. After relationships have been established, the assets owned within the community are mobilized towards economic development and for the purpose of sharing information. This includes the assets relegated due to lack of information on how to harness them or lack of the applicable technology. The community is then convened as a unit to participate in the development of a vision and the plan to achieve it. As said earlier, the assets and resources within poor communities are not sufficient. Asset-based development strategies need therefore to leverage outside resources to support them; and after all these steps have been taken, the community is on its way to self-sufficiency (Social Design, 2010). Sustainable livelihoods frameworks (SLF) Sustainable Livelihoods frameworks provide a basis for poverty analysis so that policies, programs and projects designed to reduce poverty can be specifically tailored to meet developmental challenges facing a community (Ludy & Slater, 2008). Through SLFs, a coherent approach to the analysis of economic challenges can be performed, leading to the identification of suitable intervention and the timetable for these interventions. SLF implementation are founded on analyzing livelihoods, risks and vulnerabilities of individuals, households and the community so that key drivers of poverty and their remedies can be established (Ludy & Slater, 2008). Sustainable livelihoods frameworks are centered on people and their capacity to mobilize the natural, human, social and financial assets at their disposal in response to opportunities and risks so that the quality of life can be improved. An emphasis is laid on strengths rather than weaknesses, and the strategy is to make targeted people have the awareness that they have the assets and the potential to utilize them in pursuit of livelihood goals (Ludy & Slater, 2008). SLF implementation is multidimensional and aims at first identifying the constrictions standing in the way of individuals and households and analyzing the same to yield the opportunities that may arise therein; developing specific but diverse strategies to empower the people to pursue paths towards securing their livelihoods. SLFs focus on each target’s individual strategy for socio-economic development and therefore favor full participation and multidisciplinary approach at different levels (Ludy & Slater, 2008). They thus are flexible to organizations planning specific interventions to poverty and allow focus to be on the elements within a society most likely to face developmental challenges. Entrepreneurial ideology in rural project Entrepreneurship has been identified as a very strategic intervention for accelerating development in rural areas. It creates employment, prevents rural unrest and leads to the creation of wealth at the local level reducing dependency especially for women and other marginalized people (FAO, 1997). There is acceptance that entrepreneurship in rural areas by itself cannot achieve development; so the emphasis of this ideology is the creation of an environment that makes entrepreneurship in rural areas a viable venture. The premise of the rural entrepreneurship ideology is that diversification from subsistence agriculture holds the key to economic development (FAO, 1997). Attention is therefore paid to alternatives like the promotion of tourism and other trades like carpentry, training, retailing and sports. The genesis of rural entrepreneurship is the creation of a supporting environment through policies that establish macro-economic stability, property rights and an international outlook (FAO, 1997). The necessary inputs to the entrepreneurship process like capital, infrastructure and management training can therefore be dispatched to the rural areas as a base for establishing a vibrant economy, consequently increasing sufficiency and reducing dependency. ? References Food and Agricultural Organization, FAO. (1997). â€Å"Rural development through entrepreneurship† Retrieved on 20/5/2010 from http://www. fao. org/docrep/W6882E/w6882e02. htm#P359_61606 Ludy, E. & Slater, R. (2008). Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework to understand and tackle poverty. Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Social Design. â€Å"Asset-Based Community Development† Retrieved on 19/05/2010 from http://www. socialdesign. org/assets/development. html

Philosophy Exam Essay

I believe that the quote â€Å"Education makes music out of the noise that fills life† has a broader meaning to it than it first appears. People would first think of simply the context of it and conclude that it makes no sense, however, to me I think it means that through everyday life, knowing and really  understanding  what’s going on and knowing how to do things really makes everything flow and brings joy to yours and possibly others lives. Education puts together the pieces of life, if you didn’t life wouldn’t seem quite; It’s like music having no notes, having no certain rythm or pattern. It just wouldn’t make sense, but someone who knows music could come along and make the song flow smoothly, which was learnt through education and the will to understand and learn. 2. Philosophy is the love of wisdom. The need to learn and really understand what is going on around you and in your life. It’s knowing who you are and realizing what’s really important. There is no way of avoiding philosophy, it’s in peoples everyday lives. Everyday, even if you don’t notice it you are making an ethical decision or spotting someone else doing something morally wrong and stepping in; or you could be thinking about your life and making some changes and thinking of what’s really important. Without philosophy, you would never truly know yourself. 3. In â€Å"The Apology† written by Plato, Socrates really embodies the definition philosophy as â€Å"philo-sophia†. The term â€Å"philo-sophia† literally means the love of wisdom; and in â€Å"The Apology† Socrates is sacrificing himself for wisdom. He is being true to himself even when put on a death sentence and speaking for his life, he says the honest truth. As quoted by Socrates â€Å"and he only gives you the appearance of happiness, and I give you the reality. †. He always spoke what was right and even when people accused him of being crazy, he never was shaken by these comments. Even when he knew by saying such things may lose him votes, he said what was knowledgable and true. Quote by Socrates â€Å"I shall never alter my ways, not even if I have to die many times†¦ †. He gave wisdom to those around him in with his last breaths, and had no regrets. 4. Making an assertion, is much different from making an argument. When you make an assertion you are stating something and automatically saying there is no way you’re wrong. You’re saying your opinion without evidence or reasoning to back it up and prove you’re right. While making an argument is suggesting at the same time as stating your opinion  with  evidence and reason to back it up. One argument I remember in class is is if love is the only rational act. Many people believed it wasn’t the only rational act, but in my opinion it is. Real love is feeling the same way about another person endlessly and unconditionally. You see their flaws and still love them, waiting for them and spending time with them isn’t a burden to you. You enjoy time in the  now  when you are with them and you care for them as much as you care about yourself. Love is the only thing that seperates us from all other living things. 5. Knowledge is something all philosophers seek. It is a properly justified true belief. There are two components to knowledge; The first is belief. This is an important component to knowledge because beliefs make up who are, they chart our everyday lives and if we didn’t believe something, we wouldn’t do it and it wouldn’t be knowledge. The second component is truth. If the thing you believe isn’t true, than it is not knowledgable nor is it a proper belief. that is why, knowledge is a  properly justified  belief. 6. It is impossible to be an absolute skeptic because skeptics doubt everything and question everything. So, how can a skeptic be sure of his words? Without believing that his words are truer than others, he can’t even formulate his questions or challenges. If they didn’t believe anything, wouldn’t they have to believe that? Believe that nothing is true and that they themselves don’t believe anything? Therefore, it is impossible. Belief is inevitable in life. 7. I believe the quote â€Å"When you want to believe in something you also have to believe in everything that’s necessary for believing it† means that to truly believe something, you have to believe everything that comes along with it. Every detail and reason to why that belief is true, you also have to believe it. It relates to world view because a worldview is all of   your beliefs all compiled into one big belief of everything. In order to truly believe in your worldview, you have to believe everything else about it. A personal belief I have that illustrates this is my belief that Heaven is real. In order for me to truly believe it’s real I also have to believe in God, and in order to believe in god I have to believe that Satan is real, which would also require I believe there is a Hell. Which would also lead to believing that when you die you truly are judged for your life. One belief comes with many others. 8. â€Å"Is it correct? †, â€Å"Is it complete†, and â€Å"Is it coherent† are the three tests to measure a persons worldview. If you omit any of these tests, your worldview wouldn’t be true. You would damage your worldview or end up making it completely destroyed. 9. The Principle of Belief and Conservation are reasons why you should and/or shouldn’t believe something/ a proposition. Taking a stand towards a belief would require you doubting a lot of your current beliefs; you have no good reason or doubt all these beliefs; and no compelling reason to take a stand on the new proposition. When they beliefs pass their own test, everyone believes it to be true because there isn’t a way anyone can prove different. The Principle of Belief and Conservation cannot be used when trying to prove that Sense experience, Memory, or Testimony is true. It can only prove Basic Beliefs. 10. What William James meant by â€Å"Precursive Faith† is not just sitting back and waiting for the world to show us what is really true. You have to believe before you have evidence that is is really true, you must embrace all the truth you can. Taking this more positive approach will open you up to new things and experiences and discovering more beliefs. A time I had to use precursive faith was when I was little, even though now it doesn’t seem like a big deal, to me it was then. I had a pet fish I loved a lot and it got sick, and to cure it we had to give it this medicine that could either save its life or make the death come faster. I had to believe it would work, because if I didn’t do it my fish would die; and even though it could cause its death, it could also save it. So we gave the medicine to it and thankfully it cured the sickness. If I didn’t take this leap of faith, I would have lost something important to me. 11. The Virtue Theory relates to the idea of teleology for the human life because the virtue theory is if you are interested in true happiness, you must aim for all the virtues, which are certain charasteristics all human beings have. Encouraging and having these qualaties lead to human flourishing and a truly good and happy person. it relates too teleology because it is when you do something good and you hit the target and you fufilled your purpose, which in the end would make you happy. Therefore, when portraying one of the virtues that are necessary into being happy, and something good coming out of it you are â€Å"Hitting the target† and you are a good person. 12. A truly virtuous action must consider the motive, the action, and the context because in order for it to be truly good you must be aiming for something good and expecting something good. If you are being kind, only to get something you want is not virtuous. If you are being Loving someone just for there money, or you are saving a cat from a tree just so people can see you as a good person; it is not truly virtuous and doesn’t make you a good person. 13. â€Å"Money buys Happiness†   is not true in my opinion. Although money may buy you expensive things you want, food you love, the newest trend that â€Å"you must have† because everyone has it, it won’t make you truly happy. You may be happy when you get it, but does it really make you a happier person? You can’t buy your way through life, you can’t buy things and expect people to love you and really want to be with you. They may act like it, but not for you, for your money. When you are lonely and need someone to talk to, can you really buy someone who truly wants to listen and be there for you? Can you buy a wife or husband who will truly love you? No, and without affection and care from others, you cannot live a truly happy life. 14. I think the three most important characteristics of a philosopher are Openness, Truthfulness, and Boldness. A philosopher has many beliefs and has any of his or her own reasons to believe them, but if another person says something which makes more sense than what they believed, they must have  openness  and listen and possibly believe this new idea. The things philosophers believe must be true and have a good reason behind it, and when asked philosophers must state their true belief and have true reason behind it; that is why Philos ophers must havetruthfulness. Lastly, Philosophers must have  boldness  because if everyone else goes against his or her opinion, he musn’t back down just because the majority disagrees. He has to be bold and confident and stand for his ideas if he has better reason to believe so. 15. Plato stated that â€Å"Philosophy begins with Wonder†. I think he stated this because without wonder, nobody would have questions. And without questions, nobody would have anything to have an opinion; which would result in nobody striving for truth. And philosophy without truth isn’t complete. Two things I wonder about which spark philosophical reflection are, what is truly good, and what is my purpose in life.

Capital Budgeting Process and Decision

For any company, success is determined by capital budgeting decisions. This is one of the decisive factors for the failure or success of a company. Financial managers are tasked with perhaps some of the most important decisions that affect the business (Capital Budgeting Valuation, 2013). However, it is important to note that there are several factors that combine to make decisions in capital budgeting these decisions continue for a number of years, thus, the decision makers or the managers are part of this flexible process. Since capital assets must be used when needed, then this makes opportunity a very important consideration in the capital budget. Capital budgeting process is important because expansion of assets implies very large expenditure.   Before a company uses a very large amount of money on a project the managers should ensure that the company has sufficient available funds to finance the entire project. Two examples of capital budget decisions (Donovan, 2006). Information required within the firm may vary in accordance to the level of organizational structure.   Senior executives or CEOs decisions are structured less in the sense that there are no situations that are repetitive and subsequently no single solution can be applied; On the other hand, evaluation and assessment criteria and points of view should be known for each situation where the data is accurate and must come from subjective and external in uncertain and risky environments. Since it is not possible to determine and control all the variables or factors that affect a situation, it is that models are sought to represent reality for their analysis in the hope that those decisions made are satisfactory and not optimal decisions within the context of rationality of who They must make decisions (Kalyebara, & Islam, n.d.) . Specific and concrete at each level to the lowest levels. The information required in all these decisions represents the point of departure for carrying out a ctions that will ultimately affect the performance of the organization Capital Structure of the Company The optimal capital structure is that for which the cost of capital is minimal: if the company is financed with this debt / equity ratio, the market value of the company will be maximum. Optimal financing structure e = Debt / Own Resources in practice is difficult to determine. Generally speaking, financing projects whose economic profitability exceeds the cost of the project itself will increase the shareholder's profitability in that difference (depending on the margin between the investment return and the cost of the debt). : It is necessary to see the project independently of the rest of the projects of the company. This approach, however, considers only the explicit cost of debt, that is to say, the derivative of comparing the revenues and disbursements originated by indebtedness. There are other costs apart from the explicit so that it diminishes the profitability of that project or even that it is negative. But the ability to borrow is not unlimited because if we borrow now, we will have to opt for more expensive debt or own financing in the future (Rasmussen, 2003).   Therefore, the debt has an implicit cost: to finance itself today with debt, may mean having to give it up in the future. This is related to the formulation of the capital budget according to which the financing of a project has to be studied within the framework of the general and future situation of the company. That is why we speak of the weighted average cost of capital at the time of comparing with the profitability of a project: the project has to be taken into account as integrated into the company and not in isolation. You have to collect all the debts of the company and find the weighted average cost to match. Capital Budget is a tool used to carry out certain cost planning processes for companies, families, businesses, among others, which would produce certain economic benefits with terms stipulated within a year. The capital budget can also be defined as a valued list of projects which may be feasible for the acquisition of new economic benefits, that is to say, for example, when a company makes a capital investment it incurs the current cash outflow and this Expected future benefits, the benefits usually extend for more than a year (Vogt, 2004). Within the Capital budget we can find the following advantages: It supports the development of the procedure and / or purpose.   It promotes interaction, communication and help between the areas of the company. They give common sense when making investment proposals. They serve to evaluate and choose a referential point of view. Within the capital budget we can also find the following disadvantages: It does not recognize the value of money over time. Your money recovery process is much slower than agreed. The way the parameter is set against which the recovery period of each project is compared to arrive at a decision (Shah, 2007).The fact that this method has these disadvantages does not mean that one should avoid its use in any circumstance that requires it, this means that they must be taken into account in order to make the best decision. The budget brings a number of advantages to the organization, being a planning tool. They include; The working capital of a company is what allows it to develop its social object, and of the administration that is made of it, it depends that the company grows at a greater or lesser speed, or in the worst case, that its assets are diminished or it leads to the definitive bankruptcy of the company(Nice, 2002). In such a way that the working capital is the basis on which the operation of a company is supported, which is why the importance of its administration will be exposed in this essay, the decisive and definitive one that can be in a business to manage and Budget correctly. Most capital budget studies focus on the problems of calculation, analysis and interpretation of risk. One of the most important tasks in preparing a capital budget is to estimate the future cash flows for a project. The forecasts for these are based on estimates of incremental revenues and costs associated with the project (Hornstein, & Yeung, 2005). In each investment proposal it is necessary to provide information on the expected future cash flows after taxes. For example, if a company is considering launching a new product that will compete with existing ones, it is not appropriate to express their cash flows based on their estimated sales. It is necessary to take into account the possible "affectation" of existing products; therefore, the estimation of cash flows should be made based on incremental sales. The key is to analyze the situation with the new investment and without it.The most important are incremental cash flows(Nice, 2002). The "sunk" costs should be omitted, the focus is on incremental costs and benefits; the recovery of past costs is of no importance to the project.. It is also important to note that certain costs do not necessarily mean a disbursement of money; it will be necessary to include the opportunity cost in the valuation of the project. The most important application of the cost of capital is the capital budget, in addition to serving to determine the decision or to buy or lease, for the repayment of bonds and in decisions to use debts or stockholders' equity. It is possible to fully fund a company with equity funds, which must be equal to the required return on the stockholders' equity of the company, and must consider their cost of capital from various sources of long-term funds (preferred shares or debt In the long term) and not only the stockholders' equity of the company.. The weighted average cost of capital is calculated as a compound value, made up of the various types of funds you will use, regardless of the specific financing for a project. Capital components are the type of capital companies use to raise funds (debts, preferred shares and common stockholders' equity), any increase in assets is reflected in any of these capital components. The cost of post-tax debt is the interest rate on new debt and is used to calculate the weighted average cost of capital (Baker, & English, 2011). Costs components of debt after tax = interest rate - tax savings (interest is deductible), is used because the value of the shares depends on the cash flows after tax. The component cost of preferred shares is also used to calculate the weighted average cost of capital; it is the rate of return that investors require and is equal to dividing the preferred dividend. Baker, H., & English, P. (2011).  Capital Budgeting Valuation  (1st ed.). Somerset: Wiley. Bierman, H., & Smidt, S. (2007).  The capital budgeting decision  (1st ed.). New York: Routledge. Blackstone, William, and Edward Christian.  Commentaries On The Laws Of England. [Place of publication not identified]: [Nabu Press], 2010. Print. Capital Budgeting Valuation. (2013) (1st ed.). Hoboken, N.J. Donovan, S. (2006).  Budgeting  (1st ed.). Minneapolis: Lerner Publications Co. Hornstein, A., & Yeung, B. (2005).  Essays on the corporate capital budgeting decisions of multinational enterprises  (1st ed.). Jacobs, Davina F.  A Review Of Capital Budgeting Practices. Washington: International Monetary Fund, 2008. Print. Kalyebara, B., & Islam, S.  Corporate Governance, Capital Markets, and Capital Budgeting  (1st ed.). Nice, D. (2002).  Public budgeting  (1st ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/ Thomson Learning. Rasmussen, N. (2003).  Process improvement for effective budgeting and financial reporting  (1st ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Shah, A. (2007).  Local budgeting  (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: World Bank. Vogt, A. (2004).  Capital budgeting and finance  (1st ed.). Washington, D.C.: International City/County Management Association.

Reimagining Detroit by John Gallagher Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reimagining Detroit by John Gallagher - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to summarize Gallagher’s arguments about what has gone wrong with Detroit, what made it go wrong, and the corrective actions that need to be taken to rectify the situation. A comparison of Detroit’s situation will be made with Dubai city. An analysis of the solutions given by the author to the problems facing Detroit will be also e evaluated. The solutions will be assessed to see if they are applicable to the current problems facing Dubai. One thing that is wrong with Detroit according to Gallagher is that the city is shrinking and losing its former glory. The city is getting depopulated, thus creating a lot of empty spaces (2). Gallagher notes that, at its peak, Detroit was ranked fourth largest city in the U.S. It had numerous factories which were doing so well and its many streets were lined with people and shopping malls. During this time, Detroit was densely populated, segregated, and enjoyed a lot of prosperity. However, all these disa ppeared as many shops and factories have closed down with many people moving to places with conducive environments for investment and job opportunities. Gallagher attributes this mass migration to many factors such as insecurity, poor governance, and lack of good infrastructural facilities among others. In order to overcome these wrongs and bring back Detroit to its former glory, Gallagher proposes adjusting expectations. In this case, he argues that Detroit residents should stop looking back and accept the situation and work with the city as it is now. To inspire Detroit, Gallagher uses a host of other cities in the U.S. and other countries that have made use of empty space and rebuilt their infrastructures. For instance, he notes that in Seoul, London, and Zurich, streams that were once covered in the sewer system have been harnessed and brought back to the surface, thus improving the environment as well as establishing new parts and developments alongside the water. In San Franci sco and Portland, highways that were not needed were removed from the city center, creating room for the neighborhood to reconnect with the waterfront. He also notes that, in Havana, a good network of urban farms initially developed during extreme food shortages, but is now acting as the food basket for Havana, supplying a variety of vegetables and fruits (Neill 648). Gallagher suggests simple interventions for Detroit at the local level. For instance, he notes that one of the wrongs that have scared people and investors away from the city is the fact that the city is dirty and stinky. This is because the city is full of weeds and has poor sewerage system. Therefore, to beautify the city, Gallagher recommends the removal of the weed-choked vacant lots that make the city untidy (28). He recommends the use of Philadelphia Green model: reseed the lots with ground cover or grass, install picket fences and plant trees. His suggestions also include building a good sewerage system to remov e the wastes as this will help keep the city clean and attractive to both the people and the investors. Gallagher sees a problem with the roads within the city of Detroit. He notes that the roads are dilapidated and pathetic. Some of the roads in good condition no longer carry the traffic that they used to carry due to the mass exodus of people from the town. He cites the eight-to-ten-lane that longer serves the purpose for

Discussion Board Question for criminal justice Assignment - 3

Discussion Board Question for criminal justice - Assignment Example . (Saferstein, 2011). The assessment of bloodstain pattern also limits the need to collect a lot of redundant blood sample for DNA testing, emphasizing importance of blood patter observation. (Ramsland, n.d). Shape of blood stain can help predict the tool used. For example, it may be deduced that it was a blunt instrument used just by shape and distribution of blood patterns.(Dave, 2014).Features of the pattern can hint to the kind of object that formed it and the least number of blows delivered by the object. For instance, the characteristic spurts present in an arterial spray spatter are created by the ongoing pumping of blood from an arterial injury. ( Saferstein, 2011) Surface texture can significantly affect the outline of bloodstain. The texture of the surface is related with the disruption of a blood drop on contact with the surface. .( Saferstein 2011).Smooth surface for instance glass, will provide a stain with clean edges and shapes of proper geometric ratio.  A rough surface on the other hand, say concrete, will break the surface tension irregularly and hence produce a star burst. .( Saferstein, 2011) Nevertheless, circular blood drops imply that the murder was moving way at a slow speed, but spiny edges imply the murderer might have took off running.( Dave,2014) Various types of bloodstains show how the blood was projected from the body and information like type of injury, order in which the wounds were received, and how far the blood drops fell before hitting the surface where they were found could be obtained. (Ramsland,n.d ) Flow pattern of the blood stains can also give information. For instance, if the pattern suggests the flow was interrupted, it may be helpful in assessing the sequence and time past between the flow and its interruption. . ( Saferstein ,2011) Moreover, because the direction of flows is caused by

Acids and bases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Acids and bases - Essay Example Acids and bases exhibit different sets of properties that classify them along the pH scale. Concentration of hydrogen ions in aqueous acidic solutions classifies the substances bellow pH value of seven, neutral state, while hydroxide ions concentration classifies alkaline solutions above seven in the pH scale. Presence of cat ions and anions in the basic and acidic solutions, as chemical properties, allows for reaction between acids and bases to form ionic salts and covalently bonded water molecules. Acids also react with metals and carbonates to form salts together with hydrogen gas and water and carbon (IV) oxide respectively (Moore, p. 171; CK-12, p. n.p.). Hydrochloric acid for example reacts with sodium hydroxide to yield sodium chloride and water. Similarly, zinc reacts with hydrochloric acid to form zinc chloride and hydrogen gas (Moore, p. 171; CK-12, p. n.p.). Acids and bases have different sets of properties that can be used to investigate them. Effects of the properties such as the corrosive nature of acids can physically indicate their presence. Acids also have a characteristic sourness and turn a litmus paper to red, a feature that used to test for acidity (Files, p. 1). Moore explains that acids have a corrosive effect that burns the skin. The chemicals also react with metals to form salt and hydrogen as shown bellow. Similarly, acids react with carbonates to form salt, water, and carbon (IV) oxide and with bases to form salt and water. Sodium hydroxide for example react with hydrochloric acid forming sodium chloride and water while hydrochloric acid reacts with calcium carbonate to form calcium chloride, carbon (IV) oxide and water as shown bellow. Bases however, â€Å"taste bitter, feel slippery on the skin, react with oil and greases, react with litmus paper and turn it blue† and form salt and water upon reaction with

Clan of the Cave Bear Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Clan of the Cave Bear - Term Paper Example The woman’s name is Iza and she requests the clans leader,’Brun’ since the girl belonged to a distrusted antagonists of the clan and as such they had been nicknamed, â€Å"the others†. With the help of her brother who happens to be the â€Å"Mog-ur† of the group in spite of him being disabled. It happens that immediately the group adopts Ayla they are lucky and find another cave. Therefore she is adored and is seen as a good omen to the clan. In fact better thing come their way from that time. She is even given the role of becoming the next Mog-ur of the new cave. However, the young man who is expected to that over the clans leadership is angered by the way she is being envied by most people plans to avenge (Auel 1-211). Paleoenvironment Flora refers to the plants while fauna refers to the wildlife and they are distinct from place to place. In the case of this book the environment hosts a lot of animals and plant. In fact, it is evident from the boo k that the caves are in a forest. This has made the lives of the Neandertal to be easily since they are hunters and gathers as well as farmers. The farming aspect can be seen though the readily available green vegetables and plants like cinnamon. More so they have horses which are tamed (Auel 14).The fact also that there is a Mug-ur and a sister medicine woman revels the presence of many indigenous trees (Auel 94). Another example is revealed when Durc is heard telling Vorn how his hunt had favored him and he caught a deer that was being cooked by his mate (Auel 19). Further there are many fruits and this is revealed by Ura when he says, that cinnamon tastes good with apples. Moreover, the presence of foods like bread and cakes demonstrates that wheat was being cultivated (Auel 208). In addition, there are many birds in this setting as defined in this text of songbirds and squirrels fly (Auel 18). Lastly the book demonstrates that there are a lot of greens most of which was used by the clan as food (Auel 100). Neandertals v. Moderns There are very many anatomical, behavioral, and mental differences between the Neandertals and the current world people. For example their mode of survival in the Neandertals is totally different they have demonstrated to be almost supernatural if they can live in cave under ice and harsh cold conditions (Auel 19). Moreover, their eating habits are not what a modern day person would prefer. They survived on mainly wild meat and fruits and even used herbs as their only medication. Consequently, these people have been portrayed as being illiterate a thing that is almost inexistent in the modern would. However they have proved that literacy I not wisdom because they have demonstrated that even with the lack of basic education they were able to survive under hardships and they even had leaders and a medicine woman (Auel 23). Lastly but not the least their adaptation to harsh cold weather is seen as having a big start at an early age. T his is seen through the many children that the Neandertals bore and raised. The Neandertals also have a difference with the modern people through their neighborliness and harmonious way of living. They mind and watched each other closely and yet they were able to maintain respect for each other.

Niagara-Mohawk - Art Deco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Niagara-Mohawk - Art Deco - Essay Example This essay discusses that there are various distinctive characteristics that differentiate this building from the rest. First, the building is constructed with a central tower that protrudes upwards compared to the rest of the building, giving it the characteristic Mohawk structure. The other distinguishing characteristic of this building is the figurative winged sculpture, which is embedded on one face of the building and installed with decorated lighting systems, which allows the sculptor to beam the lights and give a very attractive glow of mixed-color electric lighting1. The building is 112 feet tall and comprises of 7 floors, with its outward surface completed with an element of fine dà ©cor, which makes the building stand very attractive even from the outside2. From the essay it is clear that the building is installed with an electric system that gives it an outward flood light glory especially at night, with the stainless steel material that is used to construct the building adding to the glow of the building electric lighting, due to its shiny appearance. The building comprises of a set of gray stones and bricks, with an additional matching aluminum and black glass, which combines to give this building one of the finest dà ©cor1. The statue/winged sculptor has fashioned in a manner that it is the region where the electric lights emanate and then spread to form a winged lighting system. The combination of aluminum and stainless steel, as well as gray stones and bricks, allows the building to gleam in day light.... The combination of aluminum and stainless steel, as well as grey stones and bricks allows the building to gleam in day light, while glittering at night when the material combination is added the lighting element 2. The building is installed with extensive interior lighting, which allows people to notice it from very far, while also possessing powerful floodlight illumination at night, the characteristic of a powerful source of lighting. Compared to other art decor buildings such as The Fisher Building, The Niagara-Mohawk building stands out, since it is constructed using stainless steel, aluminum, black glass and grey stones and bricks, while The Fisher Building is a skyscraper that is constructed using limestone, granite, and several types of marble1. In terms of height, The Fisher Building is 30-stories, compared to The Niagara-Mohawk building, which has only 7-storries and is 112 feet tall2. Nevertheless, both buildings are embedded with sculptors, with The Niagara-Mohawk having a winged statue that is supplied with lighting systems that seems to emanate the light from the base of the wings and spread it upwards to the rest of the wing surface. The lighting systems for both art decor buildings are different, with The Niagara-Mohawk having an extensive interior and exterior lighting system, characteristic of a lighting source2. The motifs on The Niagara-Mohawk building relate to represent an electric company, since it is characterized by gleaming during the day and glittering at night, owing to the combination of the extensive interior and exterior lighting system, with the materials used for construction, which include stainless steel, aluminum, black glass

Adopt Intelligence Community analytic, sourcing, and evaluation Essay

Adopt Intelligence Community analytic, sourcing, and evaluation standards - Essay Example The September 9/11 attacks on America served as an impetus for the inclusion of this initiative in the 100 day action plan. This is because the American intelligence system was unable to communicate effectively in piecing up clues and leads that could prove crucial in stopping the hijacking of the planes, and hence stopping the attacks1.The reason of this failure by the intelligence community emanated from inefficient mechanism put in place for sharing intelligence information collected by different security organizations. There was also a gap in the domestic intelligence community of the state, and this ignited a debate on the need and importance of changing and improving the intelligence capabilities of the nation. There was a call from various stakeholders of the country’s security system, and members of the US senate and congress on the need to reform the way security organizations of the state shared information. On this basis, the attacks of the September 11 contributed significantly to the re-organization of the American intelligence community, and the development of Initiative 2 is part of the re-organization. The main purpose of this re-organization was to reduce the gaps in collecting domestic intelligence. The Federal government did this by creating several security organizations such as the Directorate of National Intelligence, and the Department of Homeland Security. By creating these organizations, the main aim of the reforms was to improve the manner in which intelligence information was gathered, and shared amongst American security organizations2. In initiative 2, its main objective is to develop strategies that will strengthen the collection of intelligent information, analyze it, and there after disseminate information to the relevant stakeholders for action. By doing this, the Federal government hoped that it will reduce the domestic

Go Ahead in Recession Essay Example for Free

Go Ahead in Recession Essay Recession The transport group behind nearly a third of UK rail journeys suffered a profits fall as the double-dip recession hit demand for one of its key commuter lines. Go-Ahead said operating profits at its rail arm fell 17 per cent to  £40 million in the year to June 30, with its Southern franchise, which connects Brighton and much of Sussex with London, seeing revenues at the end of the period 2 per cent weaker than it forecast when it bid for the franchise in 2009. The Newcastle-based firm, which also runs Southeastern and London Midland, said group pre-tax profits fell 3.4 per cent to £94.2 million. Pressure groups: Environmental impacts Another main issue for transport is the control of environmental impact. Go-Ahead takes its responsibility to this very seriously. Because more people already travel by car, this has had a poor impact on our surroundings. Public transport must therefore provide a viable and convenient alternative. Go-Ahead has produced environmental and social responsibility reports on all its operations. The Group came top of the public transport companies that took part in the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index. 66% of public transport journeys are made by bus. Go-Ahead prides itself on operating fleets of buses that are well ahead of European environmental standards. They use ultra-low sulphur diesel as well as particulate traps, which cut exhaust emission levels and improve air quality in cities. http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/go-ahead/meeting-needs-in-a-competitive-sector/planning-for-the-future.html#ixzz2EJCEuy2A Follow us: @Thetimes100 on Twitter | thetimes100casestudies on Facebook David Brown, Go-Ahead Group Chief Executive said: We are delighted to be supporting the Footprinting Gallery. Go-Ahead has worked with the Carbon Trust since 2008, when we became the first UK transport operator to receive Carbon Trust accreditation after taking action to cut our emissions. Reducing our carbon footprint is integral to our business strategy, and we continually seek ways to further reduce our footprint and use fuel more efficiently. We aim to achieve a 20 per cent per passenger journey reduction by 2015 – a target we are well on course to meet. The brands exhibiting recognise that everything we buy, produce and use has a carbon impact, and that helping customers to make more environmentally friendly choices when they shop is becoming increasingly important. Some brands such as Go-Ahead are also working to reduce the carbon footprint at an organisational level by implementing energy-saving measures such as intelligent lighting controls and staff engagement programmes. Govermment policy The government is also looking at ways of charging people who use roads, including motorways and roads in city centres. This is in order to reduce congestion and pollution. The integration of transport systems is a key issue for the government and transport companies. Read more: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/go-ahead/meeting-needs-in-a-competitive-sector/planning-for-the-future.html#ixzz2EJC7sTFy http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/business-news/uk-coventry-business-news/2012/09/07/business-news-go-ahead-hit-by-recession-squeeze-92746-31786637/#ixzz2EJ3jJmKU Competetion Go-Ahead is looking at more ways of forming convenient public transport systems involving the mixing of bus, rail, aviation and car parking links to meet government policy and improve its service to passengers. Go-Aheads other operations already create some of these but car parking for example, is a vital part of integrated transport. Go-Ahead is responsible for 156 rail station car parks and a number of Park Ride sites. Additionally it purchased Meteor (the third-largest operator of off-street parking in the UK in 2002) which has around 60,000 car-parking spaces across 20 sites. The largest part of the business is airport parking. Services include: * managing car parks * car park security * transporting people to and from terminal buildings. Meteor operates under a number of brands, including Pink Elephant and e-parking. The business is growing to provide services at hospitals and shopping centres. Another part of Go-Ahead, aviance, provides a range of airport facilities. The business loads and unloads commercial cargo from freight flights and provides baggage handling and check-in services for passenger airlines. It also operates executive lounges and information desks, and manages aircraft slots and customs clearance. These services are offered at airports like Manchester, Birmingham and the main London airports. : http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/go-ahead/meeting-needs-in-a-competitive-sector/planning-for-the-future.html#ixzz2EJDQ3Fg7

The Punk Rock Movement | Essay

The Punk Rock Movement | Essay More than a quarter century ago the punk, hippie, mod and skinhead movement had an enormous impact and played an integral part of popular music along with the social messages and persuasive tactics that they used to gain popularity of their movement. This has been an attempt to gain attention of our society to engage in the issues at hand on a global scale. The strategies that were implemented played a vital role in the punk rock movement and gained legitimacy through its use of coactive and extremely confrontational tactics. These extreme tactics ultimately gained attention to bring about social change and to resist the status quo. It has been said that the punk rock movement is an association of people that serve to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature. (Graffin, 2010) Greg Graffin considers himself the poster boy for the punk rock movement that started in the 1970s. Graffin is the lead singer of the world famous punk bank Bad Religion, one of the most influential bands connected to the punk rock movement. The punk rock movement started between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, The United Kingdom and Australia as a youth movement through music against mainstream society. They created fast hard-edged music and the songs were usually short and very often politically motivated with an anti-establishment theme. The punk rock movements ethic was DIY (do it yourself).The punk rock movements in these countries had varying histories and cultures of their own but their messages held a similar goal; that of freedom to express their discontent and concerns. The punk rock movement spread quickly around the world and became a major cultural phenomenon which characterized anti-authoritarian ideologies, youthful rebellion and were characterized by a very distinctive style of clothing. When our ancestors first migrated to cities and started very distinctive societies which were basically from the dawn of human history, certain issues have inevitably plagued all civilizations. Many predicaments such as war, famine and disease have all been an integral part in changing the ebb and flow of history. As VanDorston (2001) explains, many of the most significant movements and revolutions in our history have occurred because the less fortunate, poor and downtrodden masses were forced to tolerate, bear and deal with unreasonable and cruel measures as a result of the corrupt establishment which played a major part in the punk rock movement as well and this will be pointed out in my analysis. The British punk rock movement was very different and distinctive than the American punk rock movement and came about because of the social environment at the time. After the end of World War II Britain was in economic despair and the people were extremely dissatisfied. There were many immigrants, a huge unemployment rate and an overall declining economy which also led to racial tensions and ultimately race riots. This background created an atmosphere of discontent and along with restlessness the emergence of the punk rock movement evolved. The Sex Pistols flourished in this new scene and they had huge following of fans and inspired members of future bands such as the Clash. The Sex Pistols with their style of dress and performance set the tone for the entire punk rock movement in Britain and they became an overnight sensation. The most important contribution to the punk rock movement was their condemnation of society and their anti-establishment views such as their anthem Anarchy in the U.K. This was very different than the American punk rock movement which began with The Ramones who sang mostly about the issues of the youth. In the dark era of the United States, the Ramones came of age. The Vietnam War was ending after more than a decade of fighting a vicious war that the punk rock movement detested. As a result, there were many demonstrations one of the worst which was when race riots erupted on a college campus. Kent State and the National Guardsmen shot and killed four protesting students. Along with the Watergate scandal during President Nixons reign he was forced to resign which left our nation disgraced. The violence and social unrest at home just inspired a stronger punk rock movement and it confirmed their feelings that it was a time of change as the government was certainly not working on behalf of the people. Very early in the twentieth century i.e. 1905, a mass media developed and began to expend, punk rock music became an increasingly admired and popular mode of influence and communication. In an effort to make the punk rock movement heard, the confrontational tactics and strategies used brought about social change but not without resistance. Taking into account that even trough social movements were separated by geography, time and style of music, the next to the last messages sounded across these boundaries to establish and enact change and reform by using these persuasive tactics. During this time, labor disputes were coming to a boiling point which was predicated by low wages, despicable working conditions and extremely oppressive management. Some working class Americans lacked their own means of production and was thus turning to radical groups like the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). By 1908 the IWW was also commonly referred to as the Wobblies and their message was to spread the message through the contents of their songs e.g. Little Red Song Book and they wrote intense ballads of revolt and then would print the words and music. They would then get them out to the public for a small fee by spreading the words and raising much needed funds to continue to influence their movement in order to make an impact. The Wobblies strongly encouraged and advocated a massive class war that would then end with the entire overthrow of the petty bourgeois or better known as the middle class. The IWWs ideas, objective and goals were to encourage radical revolution suggesting that the working folk of all countries gain solidarity and unite against their oppressors and be together as one for the world and its wealth. Political and economic issues were not enough for punk rockers to revolt against therefore they revolted against anything and everything. They even rebelled against their very name punk which implied that the movement was worthy only of ridicule. All of culture, all of living, all of reality was complete garbage in their eyes. Punk rock music was a reckless, atonal beat with in comprehendible monotone vocals that the sad and misunderstood youth of America and Europe could voice their troubles. Their style of dance pogo now moshing was merely jumping straight up and down like a stick. It was basically a non-dance. One thing is certain; punk rockers were and still are staunch non conformists. They didnt just embrace convention instead they turned it upside down as well as inside out. For instance, instead of dying their hair unusual but safe shades, they went for absurd, bizarre and unnatural colors like pink or green. Their out of the ordinary haircuts, many tattoos and piercings, and excessive use of leather all collaborate to make one interesting and controversial combination. In reality, punk rockers were amongst the original to truly acquire the modern Primitive idea. All in all, the punk rock movement has aged quite well. While it saw its peak of success in the late 70s as well as early 80s, just as the hippie movement, it got displaced, but has never really gone away. Today, punk rock bands are still there who continue making music in the original style, and its not awfully strange to see somebody walking around with a spiked Mohawk haircut. The more modern Gothic movement, with its own visual ethic of pale white skin and dark black hair and clothing, has taken the terrible desperation to another, even more fatalistic level. Goths are more concerned in calmer nihilistic poetry than the gratuitous anarchy of Punk Rock, although they share countless ideals. Even though the IWWs goals and their militant messages ultimately led to their decline because of troubles with the government the struggle for economic and social equality has continued to this day through its absence. The history of the United States and Europe has certainly been an account of social movements striving for emancipation, fairness, non conformism, and a less biased social system. Institutions and movements address and sometimes repress the discontent to sustain the system already in place. Social movements such as the punk rock form to tackle a variety of causes: to end military battles, to conserve the environment, to acquire human rights, to question abortion, and to regulate the power of commercial, legislative, spiritual, and educational bureaucracies. Disagreements over ethical, religious, social, political, and economic ideals stimulate social movements and counter movements (Haenfler, 2004). Globalization and the constantly increasing availability of technological means of communication have assisted social movements to counter perceived threats to identity, principles, and culture. A variety of theories have tried to elaborate on the emergence, climax and decline of the Punk rock movement. They often try to explain the ways in which they attempted to bring about or resist social change, how the protagonists believed they were advocating for positive social change and how they gained legitimacy through their movement strategies. The punk rock movement as discussed came about due to political and general societal differences within the Caucasian societies. During the post war period, it is apparent that the government sought to take control of the entire system with strict bureaucratic legislations to all citizens. The youth mostly were hardly hit with harsh laws placed upon the education system. Many affected youth and activists in general were unhappy and coalesced to form the Punk rock movement and change the status quo. This community hit the ground running with demonstrations and strikes against the government and most of the issues they raised were felt by many. This connection caused the movement to increase its fan base and therefore grew to become a force to be reckoned with. Haenfler (2004) argues that the movement used various ways to deliver their messages, these include; bombs, vandalism, theft, kidnappings not to mention their striking mode of dressing. The government rejected violence as a way of communication, but sought co-operation with protagonists and other activists who preferred aggressive and violent protests. To thousands of hippies around the United States, they personified revolution. They were able to appeal to thousands of youth and to understand the disappointment and frustration many of them felt. Above all, they signified unyielding defiance and resistance in the face of prejudice, discrimination and repression. The groups believed that they were doing more good than wrong. This is true in a sense that they actively conveyed their issues but the mode in which they did was somewhat questionable with violent killings and processions around America and Europe. Charles (2001) reveals how these punks used dangerous drugs to symbolize life in the moment and their self destructive, narcissistic attitudes. Straight edge emerged relatively early in the punk scene and has shared certain values and styles with punks, hippies, and skins ever since. While some punks today are similar, the two scenes have become relatively distinct, and the movement has replaced many of the original antisocial punk values with pro social ideals. With the decline of the movement, the punk lifestyle lived on to date with many youth around the globe still imitating the dressing and attitude without the violence. Cooper (2010) confirms that the punk music and lifestyle has led to the birth of numerous rock bands like Blink 182 and Sum41 which adapted much of their essence and style from the likes of Ramones (Charles, 2002). These bands have adopted the softer nature of these earlier bands contrary to other bands which have adopted a harder more grunge genre e.g. Avenged sevenfold (VanDorston,2001) It would have been thought that the movement would lead to a literary historical account but on the contrary led to a lifestyle many today follow. This movement cannot be compared to those such as the Civil rights movement, the Feminist movement, and the Environment movement because it was in particular a more romanticized movement as compared to most. It did not seek redress and change like the others but simply was an avenue for yout h to vent out their anger and in turn be themselves. The Punk movement to date has successfully provided a hypothetical structure which challenges the organization of Western capitalism and completely inverts all logic as the conventional understands. But not only did the Punk movement challenge all forms of traditional institutions such as government and religion they also had their own culture, values, structure and attitudes (Cooper, 2010). They sought to unearth the world in its natural state without the fraud and ideology of the parent culture. Punk culture and technique was highly arranged and consistent. Rock music provided the opportunity to reinforce Punk ideologies and clubs provided a place to come together. The music translates the clothing style; it is raucous, untidy and focuses on the underlying message and rhythm rather than the obvious chords. The music demonstrates a longing for change, it demands not to live as an entity in the conformist world but rather to live as a subject of history and yet feel that DIY ideology can make a difference. On the contrary, the punk culture has still been largely accused of conforming to the conventional with bands such as Sex pistol and Clash reaching the top of contemporary billboard charts. Punks do not bluntly reject capitalism, they particularly how its become mass culture and lost its sense of skill and hard work. They want to go back to character, authenticity and truth. Thus their focus on authenticity both places the individual front and centre and yet negates any individual manifestations of punk identity outside hardcore punk values. From a neutral perspective, there is a contradiction where as Punks pursue authenticity they are setting a criteria for belonging to their subculture and thus discriminating against poseur or inauthentic Punks who have style of dressing but not the cultural sentiment (Charles, 2001). Thus their focus on authenticity both places the individual front and centre and yet negates any individual manifestations of punk identity outside hardcore punk val ues. But from a Punk perspective this makes sense. In true DIY norm, Punk culture successfully inverts mainstream hierarchies by placing Punk culture as better than the individual which are in turn both greater than civilization. As soon as any form of Punk culture is taken up by the mainstream the Punks alter themselves and make the mainstream version anti-fashion (VanDorston, 2001). They constantly work to maintain their own unique style. This creates a constant source of legitimacy for the mainstream and at the same time a constant insertion of Punk culture and values into mainstream culture. Staunch Punks argue that being a Punk has allowed them to move past the conventional and experience utter freedom. Punks foster what mainstream civilization rejects. The pursuit for realness is maintained within the movement through internal policing and dialogues. These mechanisms of observation are enacted through the continual monitoring of dedication of younger and older members by the subculture itself. This is further adopted within individual members as they all believe the movement to symbolize a kind of essence of nature, and yet practice drug abuse, self-mutilation and loathing exhibiting their mortality From the 2001 book, Persuasion and social movements, Charles explains that the Punk subculture has in fact emulated a subset of the conventional ethics of normal society. The Punk subculture views itself as being outer society while theory informs us that it is rather inside society right at the very epicenter. In this sense, the Punk movement has created a kind of shell maintaining modern capitalist systems but without the general cultural aspects of post modern world. This can be confirmed by the levels of power that exist within the punk movement through gender inequality and patriarchy which exists also in the mainstream society for example, female Punks tend to reside only on the periphery of the culture by still living at home with their parents and performing nursing or housekeeping duties for the male Punks who are at the epicenter of the movement (Banshee, 2008). The Punk subculture has cleverly offered a speculative framework which challenges the system of Western capitalis m and completely transforms all forms of logic as the society understands it. It is clear that the society profit from an objective approach to studies and that the inclusion of the social order is essential to gain a more complete picture of the community. Such an approach utilizes a broader scale of available information. It is clear that the punk rock movement has made an impact not only in US and European society but around the globe. The Punk culture contribution to the scholarly community is absolute and they have done it their way because in order to analyze various phenomena we cannot help but become involved in it. The Punk movement informs us, from an objective perspective, that the wealthier the data the more we lose our purpose. The Punk subculture is evidence of the numerous assets of data available which can inform theory through an unbiased approach to research. Conclusion The punk rock movement is a notable event in our society that has withstood the changes of society. The very ideologies that conceived the entire movement is what still stand to date. Despite the internal mayhem in the punk movement and entire body, punk rock made several things clear to mainstream audiences and observers; punk Rock, in essence successfully managed to break down many barriers of appearance and language. It furthermore has left a mark in the commercial music industry. It provided a fresh substitute to a boring, dormant music industry. Punk rock is inadvertently the mainstream genre of music in America, Europe, Australia and notable parts of Asia and Africa. The look and style together with the doctrines and philosophies of this sub culture have been widely embraced and it has proven to be a tall order to erase it. The punk rock movement is no doubt a force to be reckoned with, not only that but a lifestyle indeed.

Communications Decency Act: Regulation In Cyberspace :: essays research papers

Communications Decency Act: Regulation In Cyberspace Being one of millions of surfers throughout the Internet, I see that fundamental civil liberties are as important in cyberspace as they are in traditional contexts. Cyberspace defined in Webster's Tenth Edition dictionary is the on-line worlds of networks. The right to speak and publish using a virtual pen has its roots in a long tradition dating back to the very founding of democracy in this country. With the passage of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, Congress has prepared to turn the Internet from one of the greatest resources of cultural, social, and scientific information into the online equivalent of a children's reading room. By invoking the overboard and vague term â€Å"indecent† as the standard by which electronic communication should be censored, Congress has insured that information providers seeking to avoid criminal prosecution will close the gates on anything but the most tame information and discussions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Communications Decency Act calls for two years of jail time for anyone caught using â€Å"indecent† language over the net; as if reading profanities online affects us more dramatically than reading them on paper. Our First Amendment states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press....† The Act takes away this right. The Constitution- defying traitors creating these useless laws do not they understand the medium they're trying to control. What they â€Å"claim† is that they are trying to protect our children from moral threatening content.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This â€Å"protect our helpless children† ideology is bogus. If more government officials were more knowledgeable about online information they would realize the huge flaw the Communication Decency Act contains. We don't need the government to patrol fruitlessly on the Internet when parents can simply install software like Net Nanny or Surf Watch. These programs block all â€Å"sensitive† material from entering one's modem line. What's more, legislators have already passed effective laws against obscenity and child pornography. We don't need a redundant Act to accomplish what has already been written.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over 17 million Web pages float throughout cyberspace. Never before has information been so instant, and so global. And never before has our government been so spooked by the potential power â€Å"little people† have at their fingertips.

Survivor :: Personal Narrative Judaism Papers

Survivor I walk. I wake. I work, when I want to. I create uneven labyrinths of letters, I word. He worded and He created what He called earth, water, and swamp. I sink as I drown in that swamp, the same slick color as my patent green boots. I stomp on my existence. My father called them Nazi boots. He wasn’t trying to be provocative; that’s how boots look to him. That’s how I look at a pile of shoes, a serial number, even a bar of soap. That’s how I look at an Aleph, the first of Hebrew letters, the sound that precedes speech; its arms grow rigid revealing the swastika tattooed upon my memory. When they teach us what it means to be a Jew, they coat the letters in honey, and coax us to lick it off. A sticky, suffocating sweetness clings to us as we learn to read and later still as we try to escape who we are, but can’t. My education is not tied to those books, but to my self, myself as I march up narrow staircases of apartments atop stores atop Brooklyn cellars, numbers on my grandmother’s arm as she washes the dishes and uses her own thumb as a pincushion. She can’t distinguish pain from life. She used to urge my aunts to keep on sewing. â€Å"Arbeit Macht Frei,† she said. Work frees. Iron gates and barbed wire. I stick myself with a safety pin and I bleed. My grandmother chuckles generously at my soft, suburban, spoiled hands. She would get me a Band-Aid but doesn’t know where she keeps them. The pressure stops the bleeding, and I get into my father’s car. Go home. Sometimes I can’t tell whether persecution is an interruption of freedom, or if freedom is just how oppression looks from the perspective of the oppressor. The massah experiences subjugation as luxury. I scrub my own arms, trying to wash off the stain of white privilege, to find the Negro slave underneath. I breathe. I bathe. I believe. Sometimes I wonder what I believe. I wonder if I’m that homeless guy that I saw clutching his Bible. Inheriting the earth. Do I truly believe that God rewards the faithful and punishes the blind? Does this anonymous man deserve only 17 cents in a cup, while I have merited my $38,564 a year?

Eminem :: essays research papers

For my research paper, I chose to write about Marshall Mathers. I chose to write about him because he is the best young rapper, and I like how he doesn’t care what happens, he just goes with it. He isn’t a very good role model, but he is funny, and couldn’t care less what anybody says about him. He had a rough childhood that reflects to now, and makes great records and songs that describe his life and what has happened during it. Marshall Bruce Mathers III was born on October 17, 1974 in Kansas City, Missouri. He created his own nickname, Eminem, which is pronounced M&M, from his initials, M.M. Marshall had a harsh and cruel childhood, where he constantly moved between Kansas City and Metro Detroit. When he was a child, he lived with his mother. His mother’s name is Debbie Mathers-Briggs. Eminem has never even seen a picture of his father in his life. Eminem and his mother continued moving and never stayed in one place longer than six months. His mothe r worked very hard and many jobs to provide for herself and Marshall. When Eminem was in school, he used to get beat up every day. There wasn’t one day when he didn’t get beat up by the same group of kids, just for being himself. One day those kids almost killed him, and Eminem went into a coma. The day after he got out of the hospital, they moved again. Eminem continued to move back and forth from his mothers to his grandmothers, until the age of 11, when he and his mother settled in Detroit for good. Marshall first started to get into rap when he was 14. Some of his musical influences growing up were the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, and Run DMC. As Eminem persued his rapping career, he would often hustle radio stations into playing his self-made tapes, to get some publicity over the radio waves. Marshall felt that his rapping career was starting to take off. He was getting some big calls to rap in major places and he thought everyone has started to love him. Soon, he fou nd the love of his life, Kim. They had a baby girl together, named Hailie Jade, on December 25, 1995. Eminem decided to release his first full-length album in 1996 called Infinite. It was somewhat of an experimental thing, but the record did not sell any copies.

Attachment theory Essay

Attachment is an important factor in a childs life. It makes them feel safe and secure.  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe infant’s tendency to seek the closeness to particular people and to feel more secure in their presence.’ (Erikson 1976)  I think that when Erikson made this statement, what he was actually saying was that an attachment is when a child is more comfortable in a setting if they are with the people they are closest to and the people that they like to be with and seek attention of these people more than others. ‘Attachment is like a piece of invisible string that binds individuals in a way that allows a healthy development’ (psychology for AS level).  This statement in my opinion states that an attachment which forms a bond between the people involved is important for good development for the child.  What happens if there isn’t a bond or an attachment in the child’s life? I am going to look into three different psychologists theories on attachment and see what their opinions on the subject are. The first psychologist I am looking into is Bowlby. Bowlby had very strong opinions on attachment and the long term affects a lack of a bond or attachment can have on a child’s life. Bowlby believed that a child should form one and only one strong attachment which should be with the mother of the child. This is known as monotrophy. The father in Bowlby’s eyes was there for the making of the baby only and would show no input or importance in the child’s upbringing. Bowlby came to the conclusion that children who failed to form this bond with their mother in the first three years of the child’s life would have problems in later life bonding with people and trusting people. He also described a child with a lack of bonding to be an affectionless psychopath, which he described to be someone who shows lack of guilt when done something wrong has difficulties showing emotion to things around them or someone with behaviour problems. Another affect of not having an attachment in this critical period as it was also known in Bowlby’s eyes was development retardation which meant the child may grow up with learning difficulties or slower intellectual skills. The next psychologist I am going to discuss is Mary Ainsworth. Ainsworth investigated bonding and broke it down into different sections. She broke it down it to three different types of attachment. These were secure attachments, anxious – avoidant attachments and anxious – resistant attachments.  Secure attachments were described as the strongest of the three. This is where the children know they are loved and cared for and they feel secure with the person they have bonded to. When they are left without their attachment figure for the first time they will show lots of distress and upset. However after time they will get used to being left and they will not be as distressed as time go’s on. Anxious – avoidant attachment is not as strong as the secure attachment and the bond it weaker. These children seem more independent and can manage small tasks on their own. This may be due to a change in the attachment figures attitude or behaviour towards the child which may be caused by death or separation from a partner. This can also be caused by separation from child and attachment figure due to illness or separation at birth. This attachment is usually weaker because of the lack of full trust from either party.  Anxious – resistant attachment is similar to anxious – avoidant attachment but the child often is more clingy and seeks more attention to people as well as the attachment figure but when people tries to comfort them they will often not accept the comfort. The last psychologists I am going to look at are Shaffer and Emerson. Shaffer and Emerson’s theory is the one Ainsworth used to conclude her investigations. They looked more at children with multiple attachments which contradicts Bowlby’s theory which said only one strong attachment can be made. They broke their findings down in to four sections. These sections are Asocial stage which is children of 0-2, the indiscriminate stage, children of 2-7 months, specific stage which is children of 7 months plus and then finally multiple attachment. Asocial stage is described to be where the children aged 0-2 months will respond to human faces but will not show any main distress towards whom it is they are with. This means that if you placed a 0-2 month baby in a day care setting then they will not really kick much of a fuss when their mother leaves them they will usually be happy and content as long as they are getting some attention. On my placement while I was working in the 0-2 room the youngest child there at the time was only 6 weeks old she would come to nursery with no hassle every day after her nap she would sometimes cry a little bit until she got some attention. She was happy when her mum came to get her but she didn’t cry for her when she wasn’t there. Where as one of the oldest children who was nearly 18 months used to cry for her mum nearly all day, she only seemed happy when she was eating. The indiscriminate stage is for children from 2 month up until 7 month. These children are more aware of what is happening and they know who they prefer to spend time with usually in most cases it is the main care giver, but they will still be ok and not too worried around strangers and unknown faces.  The specific stage is where one strong attachment is clear and the child becomes very weary and anxious around unknown people. This is usually why when a child over 7 months is brought into a child care setting, they take a while to settle and cry for their carer. Multiple attachments are where the child is close to or has an attachment with more than one person. This is often when they spend a lot of time with these people as well as their care givers. These people can include grand parents, extended family, neighbours and realistically people who they spend a lot of time with and they feel safe around.  As some of the theorists mentioned above said they would be distress when a child was left or was separated from their attachment figure its is important that children get used to a setting before being brought and left alone. In some child care setting they hold visits for the children where they can come with their attachment figure and see the setting and play with the other children to see what it is like and to get to know the care workers faces first. In my placement they do this over a period of 6 visits(longer if child is very unsettled) to avoid too much stress and upset for the new children coming to nursery each time a visit takes place the attachment figure will stay a little bit less than the time before leaving the child with the other children and care givers. This way they feel that the child gets used to not having their mother there all the time and also gets to know the other people in the setting and environment.  Another way the children help settle in the nurseries or child care setting is they are allowed to bring with them a transitional object with them to comfort them when they get upset. One child in my placement had a pink cushion which she has all the time when she is upset. When she settles down she often puts it down a leaves it on the floor, at this point the care worker picks it up discreetly and puts it in her box. They do this because they feel if she is playing nice and contently then she see’s the cushion she will pick it up and carry it round again where as if it is out of the way the child will hopefully play for a longer amount of time. The child gets it back if she asks for it or if she becomes distressed on upset in anyway. In my placement to avoid too much stress and upset for the new children coming to nursery, they have an induction period. This is where the child will come in to the nursery with their parent to have a look around, meet the staff and the other children in the setting. The child gets to play with the toys and will start to get used to the setting so when its time for their parent to leave then it won’t be so distressing. When a child is in the setting some of the parents come and visit the child during lunch time or if they get a break at work. This was good for some children as it reassured the children that their parents were coming back for them and they hadn’t just left them forever. For some children however this was not beneficial and the situation was more distressing for them having to say bye to their carer all over again.

Huck Finn Character Analysis Essay

Is â€Å"Huck† in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain, a good literary character for young readers today? He is seen at the outset of the novel as a troublesome young child who needs to be taught how to act in a civilized manner and Widow Douglas and Miss Watson, models of conventional society take him in, attempting to educate him. His father however kidnaps him, and Huck is no longer trapped by the conformity of society, but rather by the harsh treatment of his abusive father. Still seen as a misfit child, his character gains some respect from the reader when he is able to fake his own death and escape from his father’s jail. When Huck and Jim, Miss Watson’s runaway slave, first encounter one another after both of them have escaped from society, Huck views Jim as property, but decides to help him anyway. At this point Huck’s character is developing along with the reader’s respect for him as a young adult. His important decision to help Jim escape from slavery foreshadows Huck’s moral change that will eventually occur in the novel. As the story progresses, Huck and Jim spend significant time together traveling down the Mississippi River, where Jim’s individual character begins to develop along with the two fugitives’ personal relationship. By the end of the novel Huck sees Jim as an equal, believing deep down in his heart that Jim is a free man. Due to his departure from conventional society as well as his personal relationship with Jim, Huck is able to undergo extensive moral development as the novel progresses. Although by the end of the novel Huck has become an individual with his own opinions and morals, throughout the first section of the story he is still a radical young boy being trapped by the conformity of conventional society. Prior to being taken in by Miss Watson and Widow Douglas, Huck lived a rugged life with his abusive, alcoholic â€Å"Pap†. Huck was happy with this lifestyle of not going to school, and stealing to get by day to day. His introduction to society and the normal lifestyle it brings with it, strangles the adventurous nature of Huck’s character and he becomes unhappy. After getting used to attending school regularly, using table manners, and being taught to believe in God, Huck makes an important observation by saying, â€Å"I liked the old ways best, but I was getting so I liked the new ones too, a little bit. The widow said I was coming along slow but sure, and doing satisfactory. She said she warn’t ashamed of me† (Twain 15). At this  point it is apparent that Huck has not yet developed a mind of his own. He is letting society influence the way he acts and thinks, not showing any of his true character. By conforming and adopting the ideals of conventional society, Huck is not thinking or living to his full potential. The reader does, however, see a slight change when Huck and Jim meet at Jackson’s Island where Huck admits that â€Å"people could call me a low-down Abolitionist and despise me for keeping mum- but that don’t make no difference† (Twain 36). Even though he knows society would not agree with his decision, Huck has agreed to help Jim escape. Huck’s personal choices, as well as morally challenging decisions made while traveling the Mississippi with Jim, are crucial to the development of his character. Although Huck did decide to help Jim escape from Miss Watson, he was originally only in it for the adventure and planned on turning Jim in further down the river. However, Jim turns out to be a caring man who treats Huck with immense respect and attention. Had Huck still been under the influence of conventional society, his decision probably would have been different, because slaves were considered nothing more than property and Huck had been taught to believe that fallacy. The two runaways form a relationship while traveling down the Mississippi River in which they help and protect each other. Huck begins to think of Jim as a friend and the father he never had. This change is made when Huck admits that â€Å"it was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger; but I done it, and I warn’t ever sorry for it afterward, neither† (Twain 86). Along with Huck’s feelings of some form of racial equality came feelings of guilt. Huck is still feeling guilty for stealing another person’s property, someone who had never done anything to harm him. One literary critic says that, â€Å"No more devastating comment has ever been made on the fraudulent pretensions of civilization then the great scene in which Huck struggles with himself over the question of whether to turn Jim back to Miss Watson† (Podhoretz 2). At this crucial point in the story it can be noticed that the influence of society is still hovering over Huck in some way, but he is attempting to create his own moral opinion on the subject. In his struggle, Huck writes a letter to Miss Watson telling her where she can find and recapture her runaway slave, but before sending the letter, he  thinks about his relationship with him and the positive influence Jim has had on him, thinking, â€Å"all right, then, I’ll go to hell’- and tore it up. It was thoughts and awful words but they was said. And I let them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming† (Twain 214). Here Huck has reached his greatest self accomplishment; he figures out the morally correct thing to do, without the influence of society. No sooner did Huck reach his paramount decision, than his convictions are challenged when Jim is sold to the Phelps’s plantation and he comes into contact with his old friend Tom Sawyer. The plantation belongs to Tom’s Aunt and Uncle, who are expecting a visit from Tom. Huck arrives at the plantation with the intent of finding Jim and setting him free once again, but the couple mistakes him for Tom, he goes along with it. Tom arrives at the plantation and Huck living there with him, begins to regress from his newly found moral achievement. The introduction of Tom into the story is symbolic of the introduction of conventional society back into Huck’s life. He has always seen Tom as being the more intelligent half of the twosome, and when they team up to free Jim, Huck returns to the lower position. Huck allows Tom’s elaborate escape plan and foolish games to influence his actions. He is focused on achieving freedom for his friend, and is willing to do anyth ing to accomplish that goal. Huck passionately proclaims his true feelings to Tom when he states that, â€Å"What I want is my nigger; and if a pick’s the handiest thing, that’s the thing I’m a-going to dig that nigger out with; and I don’t give a dead rat what the authorities thinks about it nuther† (Twain 246). Seeing Jim being held captive on the plantation reminds Huck to stay true to his self-proclaimed values, and not lose sight of a promise to Jim to gain him his freedom. Achieving this goal and freeing Jim from slavery would enable Huck to remain an individual and overcome the influence of society that had entered back into his life. At the end of the story Huck is able to talk to Jim with a feeling of accomplishment as he tells him that he’s, â€Å"a free man again, and you won’t ever be a slave no more† (Twain 275). How is Huck able to achieve this accomplishment? It is his departure from conventional society as well as his relationship with Jim that allows Huck  to develop considerable moral character. At the start of the story Huck is restricted by society and forced to believe what they tell him to believe, so he does not feel any personal connection with Jim. Once Huck leaves society he starts to form his own opinions and moral values based upon the way Jim acts towards him. His relationship with Jim makes Huck realize the equality of blacks and he thinks of Jim as a trusted and respected person and friend. On the Phelps Plantation the introduction of Tom acts as the entrance of society back into Huck’s life, and causes him to regress, but he is able to overcome its influence by the constant reminder of Jim’s captivity. Huck, in the end, demonstrates the importance of establishing a mind of your own, outside that of conventional society.

Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay

There is a dramatic change in the earning, spending and saving pattern of the people of India in the post reform (economic) period that is post 1991. During this period, income generating mechanism in this country underwent massive changes. With a sustained economic growth, rising per capita income along with an ever increasing population, the dietary pattern in India is also changing very fast. The Indian food basket is diversifying in favour of high value food commodities like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry products and fish products from staple food such as rice, wheat and coarse cereals. This raises a challenge to Indian agriculture. On the other hand the modern agriculture dominated by chemical and irrigation intensive farming system has not only raised productivity but simultaneously has also resulted in soil erosion, water contamination, pesticides poisoning, land degradation through water logging and soil salinity, depletion of bio-diversity, etc., forcing farmer s to apply ever-increasing doses of fertilisers and to make water supply available on a continuous basis, in order to maintain the productivity levels. This again raises another challenge to Indian agriculture. It may not be wondering if we assume that organic farming system may generate such situation to address both the challenges mentioned above. This paper is concerned with an analysis of crop diversification under organic and inorganic farming in West Bengal. Crop diversification is different from the concept of multiple cropping or succession planting over the growing seasons. Moreover, it implies the use of environmental and human resources to grow a mix of crops with complementary marketing opportunities. Thus, it implies a shifting of resources from low value crops to high value crops such as fruits, vegetables, etc. The concept of crop diversification in globalized market of agricultural produce refers to increase the total crop productivity in terms of quality, quantity and monetary value under different specific agro-climatic situations across the world. There are two approaches to crop diversification in agriculture. First is horizontal diversification, which is the primary approach to crop diversification in production agriculture. The approach takes place through crop intensification by adding new high-value crops to existing cropping systems. Thus, the approach facilitates the improvement of overall productivity of a farm or farming economy of a region. The second approach is the vertical diversification. Under this approach, farmers and others add value to products through processing, regional branding, packaging, merchandising or other efforts to enhance the farm-product. The opportunities for crop diversification may vary depending on risks, opportunities and the feasibility of proposed changes within a socio-economic and agro-economic context. However, crop diversification through substitution of one crop or mixed cropping / inter-cropping may be a useful tool to mitigate problems associated with aberrant weather to some extent, especially in the arid and semi-arid drought-prone / dry land areas. Impact of crop diversification Crop diversification is intended to practice of growing more than one crop (or enterprise) in any year to increase financial and biological stability of the farm. In the agricultural context, diversification can be regarded as the re-allocation of some of a farm’s productive resources, such as land, capital, farm equipment and paid labour, into new activities. These can be new crops or livestock products, value-adding activities, provision of services to other farmers, etc. On the other hand, diversification of agriculture refers to the shift from the regional dominance of one crop to regional production of a number of crops, to meet ever increasing demand for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, etc. It aims to improve soil health and a dynamic equilibrium of the agro-ecosystem. Crop diversification takes into account the economic returns from different value-added crops. Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in the market value of farm produ cts and may ensure economic stability for farming families of the state. The adverse effects of aberrant weather, such as erratic and scanty rainfall and drought are very common in a vast area in agricultural production of the state. Incidents of flood in one part and drought in the other part are a very frequent phenomenon in the state. Under these aberrant weather situations, dependence on one or two major cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) is always risky. Diversification in agriculture has tremendous impact on the agro-socio-economic condition and uplifting resource-poor farming communities. It generates income and employment for rural youth year round for the ultimate benefits of the farmers in the state. It implies the use of local resources in a larger mix of diverse cropping systems and livestock, aquaculture and other non-farm sectors in the rural areas. Problem statement The yield as well as farm income is the essential part for crop diversification for the farmer of an agricultural based economy like West Bengal. Normally, the farmers diversify farm enterprises to meet the cash requirements of the family and to mitigate risk associated with mono-cropping, depending on conventional wisdom over the years. The crop diversification in the state is also considered with greater emphasis from the view point to price response, market infrastructure, availability of resources and public interventions (price and credit policies of farming business, research and development in farming activities, etc.) in agriculture. The judicious crop mix has facilitated increased farm incomes. It has also contribution towards the utilization of under employed resources to mitigate seasonal and under unemployment of rural labour force. The crop diversification has also helped to reduce risks and uncertainties in crops yields due to climatic and biological vagaries. Thus the study was conducted to analyze the extent of crop diversification at different levels of farm size as well as crop growing seasons in West Bengal for both inorganic and organic farming systems, commonly followed by the farmers in the state.

The Scope and Limitations of the Fraud Examination

On October 5th, 2010, the fraud examination unit received an assignment from the owner of school regarding to the possibility of fraud disbursements occurred in his school. He suspected that someone is illegally and intentionally stealing money from his school. Based on his suspicion, a fraud examination was conducted by collecting information, reviewing & analyzing relevant records, and applying detecting methods. The objective of my examination was to determine the possibility of misappropriation of school’s fund, identify the fraudulent schemes, and help the school to figure out who was behind the fraud. I reviewed school’s bank accounts, checkbooks, and personnel files. After obtaining sufficient documentation, I found that the school funds were intercepted and converted to Mr Bob Daniel, who is the supervisor in school. He was authorized to control financial and the process of check’s preparation and issuance. Since none of financial supervisor reviewed his works, he misappropriated checks and fraudulently affixes the signature of an authorized maker. His forged maker scheme was executed through following steps: – Start scheme with 2 shell companies Prepare fraud checks and forge the signature of school’s owner – Deliver checks to the bank – Fraud checks were payable to his shell companies and his account. He concealed his theft by using high activity accounts. Since tracking records on the high active accounts would not expose the fraud easily, he successfully embezzled approximately $400,000 from school’s funds. I applied detection methods to support my investigation as follows: – Tracking on the vendor expenditures: it would increase compared to prior expenses. Detect on the process of check’s preparation and issuance: Bob Daniel was an important part in the entire process. Also, none of supervisor checked his works. – Examine the personnel records: a review of Bob Daniel showed that rationalization would be a major motivation for his theft – Obtaining confession: he confessed his theft as the result of feeling guilty. In conclusion, this report reflects that Bob Daniel, the school financial supervisor, committed a check tampering to misappropriate approximately $400,000. A full review of internal controls should be conducted to detect and prevent more fraudulent schemes.