Islamic finance RM Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Islamic finance RM - Coursework Example The unique consideration concerning credit risk in Islamic banking are current account is considered as more stable source of credit financing since it constitutes largest percentages of the finances. The five years maturity period of ijarah Sukuk is considered as the unstable fund since it takes long time for its maturity. Mudarabah, Musharakah, Qard and Ijarah are working together in the Islamic banks. Musharakah cannot perform its function without Mudarabah and it cannot work in the absence of Qard, therefore they are expected to work together. Oversight by board and management: IIFS is expected to possess a comprehensive risk management process which includes the senior management oversight for controlling the different types of credit risks. 3. Credit risk weighting for the Islamic finance institution can be explained as 400% risk weighted is applied in case of all commercial and private enterprises and 300% of risk weighted funds on Mudarabah basis for withdrawal by the investor during the short notice period. It is useful since it acts as a pledge of assets as collateral, it provides guarantee to the third party and leased assets. 1. The Rate of Return Risk mainly manages the maturities and re- pricing opportunities of the assets and liabilities of the banks. IIFS are mainly exposed to Rate of Return Risk associated with overall balance sheet exposures. It ensures that it can understand the characteristics of their balance sheet position and different currencies jurisdictions. IIFS adopts balance sheet techniques for minimizing the exposures using the strategy which includes determining the future profit ratio, developing new Shariah instrument, expectation for fulfilling the market condition and issuing securitization. Rate of Return Risk focuses on sensitive gap management for reducing the risk and minimizing the gap between maturities of

Should smartphones be bsnned in classrooms Research Paper

Should smartphones be bsnned in classrooms - Research Paper Example 1). In addition, the same discourse has identified that the smartphone owners by age group revealed that 23.8% are owned by young people, specifically within the 13 to 24 years range (Alexander, 2012), or those who are considered within the school-age bracket. In this regard, the current study aims to determine the effects of smartphone use in academic performance. Despite the academic benefits that have been published associated with smartphone use; apparently, there are more costs or disadvantages linked to its usage within the classroom setting. As such, one argues that smartphones should be banned in classrooms due to the greater disadvantages associated to its use and its negative impact on academic performance. Impact of Smartphone Use in the Classroom Setting One of the more prominent reasons for arguing that smartphones should be banned is its being used to promote maladjusted behavior, including cheating and posting inappropriate information about teachers (Gutnicki, 2010; ( Barkham & Moss, 2012). As emphasized by Gutnicki (2010), â€Å"smart phones are being utilized to cheat in the classroom and to record/post inappropriate information about teachers. ... Concurrently, smartphones should be banned in classrooms for being a distraction and taking crucial time from focusing on the instructions. From among the schools that have confirmed the distractive effect of smartphones, instituting banning or prohibitive policies of their use within the classroom setting were noted to have gained benefits in terms of improvements of academic behavior. As noted from a spokesperson for Cockshut Hill Technology College in Yardley, Birmingham, â€Å"we introduced a complete ban on mobile phones two years ago because of the disruption they were causing†¦and it has improved behaviour† (Barkham & Moss, 2012, par. 14). If the collective time spent of viewing and attending to applications in the smartphones are removed, these time would completely be focused on academic endeavors and instructors would enhance students’ awareness of subject matters that would benefit them most. Thus, the banning of smartphones has evidently proven that stu dents’ behavior and academic performance significantly improved. Finally, smartphone use were clearly linked to cyberbullying. Banning smartphones within the classroom setting and within the campus would therefore minimize time spent to send distructive messages that aim to ridicule, discriminate, or victimize unsuspecting students. As emphasized, â€Å"a recent survey conducted by the National Crime Prevention Council reported that 43% of middle school students: received an e-mail or an instant message that made them upset had something posted on a social networking site that made them upset had been made fun of in a chat room; had something posted on a Web site that made them upset; had something posted online that they did not want others to see; and were afraid to go on the computer†

Small Dog Hotel In Guangzhou China Tourism Essay

Small Dog Hotel In Guangzhou China Tourism Essay Guangzhou is the largest city in south China. The wealth gap in the city is significant. Therefore, there is inexpensive labour available while high-end customers are willing to pay a profitable price for the services offered. The pet industry is booming. The dog population in the city has increased by 15% each year  [1]  . This makes dog boarding one of the most lucrative industries in the city Financially, it takes three months to reach positive net cash flow, and ROCE is negative in the first year, since the profit is negative, however, in the second year, the company will have substantial increase in profits, the profit will reach  ¥183,100. Description of Business Services Provided Dog Overnight Boarding: Providing overnight stay to dogs along with a complimentary dinner in the evening. Dog Day Play Group: Dogs are cared for during the day with play sessions in the morning and afternoon. Dog Taxi Service: Drivers pick-up dogs at 7 a.m., and brings them home in the evenings. This saves pet owners from the inconvenience of the hectic rush hour traffic. Special taxi booking is available at an additional fee. In-house shop offers dog products for long-term boarders. Owners can order dog treats over the phone using prepaid cards. Dogs will follow a structured daily schedule. Following each dogs stay, a complimentary report of the dog is provided to owners. Business Ownership The business will be a Limited Liability Company, as this can reduce tax liability in the long term. Company location Guangzhou city is in one of the wealthiest cities in south China. There is a increasing number of middle-class residents, and it is also close to the manufacturing towns where kennel equipment can be manufactured at a low cost. Woof Hotel is located in the northwest suburb of Guangzhou, near G105 motorway with good transport links. G105 is also linked to tourist resorts in the province where people take their pets on holiday. So, the company can advertise along the motorway to attract potential customers. The northwest suburb is a mountainous region away from residential areas, as this minimises noise from dogs barking. This particular location is surrounded by farmlands and allows for future expansion. The approximate commute time is 40 minutes from the city centre. Facilities and Staffing The maximum capacity is 100 dogs; each kennel measures 2 x 4m. There is a large fenced, grassed outdoor exercise area. There is a small kitchen for preparing dog foods. There reception area sells dog products, and there is also a customer lounge. Staff to dog ratio is 1:10. There are 24 hour surveillance cameras operating on-site to ensure the safety of dogs and staff. A burglar alarm will be installed to prevent dog thefts. Expansion Plan 2nd Year Increase kennel capacity by 50; Purchase agility equipment, a paddling pool and a sand pit for dogs to play in. 3rd Year Differentiate the kennels by building luxury suites as well as offer budget stays. Provide dog grooming service. 5th Year Introduce dog training and socialisation classes. Franchise opportunities become available. Build more Woof Hotels in other areas of the province. Marketing Market Needs The number of dogs in the city is growing by 15% each year; however, the pet service industry cannot keep up with the growth. People are unable to find satisfactory pet boarding kennels at reasonable rates. More professionals have pets. However, most people dont have time to adequately care for their dogs for 365 days a year. Finally, dogs arent allowed on any public transport anywhere in China, which makes it difficult for people to travel with their pets. SWOT Analysis Strength Weakness Management team has expertise in starting a small business Director has seen many successful pet boarding business overseas Being the first dog kennel can make the company the industry leader The idea of boarding kennel has not been tried and tested in the country Team leaders have no previous experience in pet industry Lack of skilled workers Opportunities Threats The pet industry is booming There is increasing demand for boarding kennel The satisfaction rate for the service offered by competitors is low Competitors may enter this lucrative market in a few years, this may decrease the market share of the company Competition At the moment, there are very few direct competitors boarding kennels. The indirect competitors are: Private Veterinary Surgery: These surgeries are small and the housing is in poor condition. As sick dogs are coming in to see the vet and boarders are placed in a cage along with sick dogs. The vet is not responsible if a healthy dog boarder falls ill. The risk being the cost for treatment in case the pet contracts a virus is extremely high. The vet charges a high rate for boarding fees. Home boarding: There are currently a small number of people offering home boarding. However, they are not regulated; Customers do not know their backgrounds therefore difficult to establish reliability. It is predicted there will be an increase in the number of both domestic and overseas competitors in the future which will invest in this lucrative market. Differential advantage Woof house is aimed toward middle class dog owners, since positioning the company in the middle class makes it easier to move up or down the market. The industry is new; demand from each segment of the consumer market is unknown. In the expansion plan, the company will introduce luxury and budget stays to accommodate customers needs. Promotional Plan A lot will be invested in advertising during the first year, including: Sign posts along the motorways G105. Leaflet distribution: either by hiring commissioned people wearing company tee-shirts to distribute the leaflets in streets, Discounts offered during low seasons Advertising in partnerships with pet shops, with free taster boarding vouchers available The van transporting dogs with the company logo on will be self-marketing when driving in the city Market Research The director has conducted desk research on www.goumin.com , a popular networking site for dog owners. The main issues facing them include lack of boarding kennel in the city; no transport which allows pets on hence restricts their movement, and expensive vet fees. The demand for boarding kennel is very high, yet there isnt any available at the moment. Since response rate on forums is high. The director has posted a survey on the website (see appendix), in order to find out the monthly spending by dog owners and decide the pricing structure of Woof Hotel. Also, Woof Hotel will also use questionnaire to get feedbacks from owners after their dogs have stayed in the hotel, in return they are given discount towards their next stay. Customers and Pricing Woof Hotel is targeted toward middle income people; the rate is set to be low at  ¥50 per stay in the first year in order to attract customers. However, the vets charge the same rate  ¥50 at a monopolized price with poor service standards dogs in cages all day with no exercises at all. The consumer is predicted to be price insensitive, they can accept price increase if it matches the service provided. Moreover Woof Hotels rates are at a reasonable level. Service Operations Premises and Vehicles The cost of purchasing land is high, and some land isnt available for purchase by the government. Therefore, Woof Hotel will rent the site. Since the company is located in the suburbs and rural areas, the cost of renting land for agricultural purposes is low; the rent per m2 is estimated to be 95% less than in the city centre. IT The Woof Hotels personalised webpage needs to be set-up; there is a cost to purchase the domain. The Internet is increasingly popular today. It also serves as an advertisement of Woof Hotel. The receptionist will be trained to answer all the queries regarding to staying in Woof hotel. Insurance Currently, there is few insurance providers for pets in China. The insurance cover for business start-up is expensive; Therefore, Woof Hotel will not purchase any insurance during its first two years. However it may decide to do so in the future, depending on the circumstances. Local Regulations Currently there are no laws aimed specifically at dogs. Although a compulsory Dog ID tag was introduced in 2009  [2]  , many dogs still remain unregistered. Some unregistered dogs dont have vaccination certificate even they have been vaccinated. This is the main issue facing Woof Hotel, there is a risk of other dogs contracting the virus, however these owners represent a large proportion of potential clients. Management and organisation Team Leaders Lin Zhang Financial Director A Mathematics graduate at University of Warwick, also pursuing a MSc in Finance A life- long dog lover, having raised puppies and have first-hand experience with caring for dogs, good knowledge on basic dog care Very business- minded and passionate about starting a pet care business Multilingual, able to travel abroad to visit and study from other partner boarding establishments. David Zhang Managing Director Experienced as the facility manager at a multinational company for over 10 years Several years of experience starting and running small businesses Have excellent local knowledge and business networks in the area. Team Members Staff A Receptionist Customer Service: answering customers enquiries Staff B and C Dog Carer Responsible for looking after dogs and supervising their plays Staff D Driver Responsible for transporting dogs to and from Woof Hotel Responsible for transporting dog foods and other necessities for Woof Hotel Staff E Gardener and Cleaner Maintaining the landscape and garden of the Woof hotel Clean dog kennels daily Remuneration In the beginning, Woof Hotel will hire low cost labour workers. The market price for an unskilled worker is approximately  ¥2000 per month. In the future, Woof Hotel may recruit skilled workers such as graduates from the local veterinary college. The wage cost will increase to approximately  ¥3000 per month, but Woof Hotel hope to retain these skilled workers to increase customer satisfaction. Recruitment The recruitment will be advertised. As there are many migrant workers in the city, unskilled labours are easy to recruit. Unfortunately, there is a loophole in Chinas laws. People with a history of animal abuse do not have criminal records. There is a risk that staff recruited may abuse animals. In such cases, the person will be dismissed immediately. The presence of surveillance cameras ensures the welfare of all our dogs. Financial Reports PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT for Woof Hotel Unit:  ¥ ( ¥1 =  £0.1 ) Year 1 Price per Dog per day 50 Average No. of Dogs 35 Gross Sales Daily 1750 Gross Sales Annually (365 Days) 638,750 Sales Tax (6%) 38325 Gross Profit 600,425 OVERHEADS Wages 200,000 Rents 60,000 Utility Bills 70,000 Insurances 0 Dog food 150,000 Staff Vaccination and expenses 1,500 Telephone 2,400 Professional fees and recruitment 24,000 Transport 60,000 Advertising 200,000 Gardening and Cleaning 25,000 Sundries 50,000 TOTAL OVERHEADS 842,900 Net Profit(Loss) Before Tax -242,475 Corporation Tax (20%) 0 Profit for the year -242,475 PASTE CASH FLOW STATEMENT HERE BALANCE SHEET Unit:  ¥ ( ¥1 =  £0.1 ) Year 1 ASSETS Fixed Assets Property-kennels and exercise area 100,000 Property- office staff accommodation 80,000 EM 50,000 Equipment 50,000 Vehicle 120,000 TOTAL FIXED ASSETS 400,000 Current Assets Cash 843,100 Debtors 0 TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 843,100 TOTAL ASSETS 1,243,100 LIABILITIES Loans 0 Current Liabilities 0 Tax Payable 0 Overdraft 0 Creditors 0 TOTAL LIABILITIES 0 CAPITAL ACCOUNT Capital 1,485,575 Reserves (PL from Yr 1) -242,475 TOTAL CAPITAL 1,243,100 Analysis Gross Profit Margin = Gross Profit / Revenue x100 Year 1: 600,425/638,750 = 94.4% Year 2: 1,441,020/1,533,000 = 94% Break Even Units = Total Overheads / (Price of Product Direct Cost of Product) Year 1:  ¥842,900 / 50 = 16,858 units Year 2:  ¥1,212,000 / 60 = 20,200 units Break Even Sales = Total Overheads /Gross Profit Margin x 100 Year 1:  ¥842,900/94.5 =  ¥891,957 Year 2:  ¥ 1,212,000/94 =  ¥12,893 ROCE = Profit before tax/(Capital Reserve+ long term loans) x 100 Year 1: -242,475/1,243,100 = -19.5% Year 2: 183,216/ 6,700,037= 2.7% Assumptions The utility bill and rents are paid every month There is no depreciation in the first two years Dog pays on arrival; the company has no borrowings. Therefore no debtors or creditors. Utility bill: air-conditioner is used in summer; no heater is needed in winter Commentary The number of holidays each month is likely to coincide with the income (see appendix for more details). Since this industry is relative new, the financial reports cannot give a reliable estimate, how people will respond to the business is uncertain, the actual number of dogs may vary. This will affect many figures in the financial reports. It takes approximately three weeks to reach positive cash flow. There is no gearing ratio since the company doesnt have any loans. ROCE is negative in the first year since the company is making a loss; however, the company has substantial increase in profit in the second year. Appendices Currency In the business plan, the local currency Chinese Yuan is used, its exchange rate to British Pound is  [3]  :  ¥1 =  £0.096 or  £1 =  ¥10.4 Proposed location of Woof Hotel on Google map Indicated by the arrow is the proposed location of Woof Hotel, it is close to motorways G105; The label A is the city centre., Woof Hotel has good transport links, the driving time is 30 minutes to city centre. Dog ownership Statistics in Guangzhou City The number of pet dogs in Guangzhou has increased rapidly since 1995 by official statistics  [4]  ; it is going to increase by 15% each year, which coincides with the economy boom, as peoples income increases, they are more willing to invest in their pets. Monthly Spending by Dog owners A survey was conducted on http://bbs.goumin.com/forum-24-1.html, 32 people have responded, their average spending is calculated to be:  ¥1,159; with a standard deviation of  ¥ 563. However, this sample is biased; also the spending is likely to double or even triple if the animal needs to veterinary attention, which has not been taken into account. Statistics of Holidays in China  [5]   The chart shows the statistics of the number of bank holidays per month in China, which is likely to coincide with the profitability of Woof Hotel, however, school holidays in February, July and September which are also high seasons have not been included when families are most likely to travel. Thus the high season will be from January to February and from May to August. The low seasons will be March, April and from September to December. What the paper says Extract from financial express http://www.financialexpress.com/news/pet-industry-has-never-had-it-so-good-in-china/201045/, titled pet industry has never had it so good in China: In some parts of the country, ownership is seen as a must-have accessory for the well-off The country has 100 million dogs in 2007 and is expected to reach 150 million by 2010. The market potential is expected to reach $5 billion by 2010. The recent pet-boom has given birth to a new economics sector in its own right the pet economy sector. In pet food industry alone, the compounded growth rate is averaging 30% per year.

Freeport, Bahamas :: essays research papers

For those who like to relax, fish, water sports like snorkeling and jet skiing, I have the perfect place- Freeport, Bahamas is divided into sections that represent different parts of the world, each with its own collection of shops and restaurants. Blessed with the perfect location, less than 100 miles off the coast of Florida; the perfect climate, averaging a little over 75 degrees; and the perfect environment, with crystal clear turquoise blue waters and pearly white sandy beaches. Because the weather is warm all year, makes Freeport a great spot for tourism. I went there for spring break to get away from the cold weather of Chicago. I could not imagine at the time how relaxing a place could be. I received an invitation to go from my girlfriend, she told me that her cousin family had a time share there and invited her along and told her she could invite someone of her own. The Florida natives call these tourists "Snowbird" or "blue-hairs." Th ese tourists really do earn these unsavory titles because they all drive five miles an hour. This makes the locals crazy. After the snowbirds leave, all of the summer tourists arrive. These are usually families driving mini-vans with ten bratty kids wh o are all out of school for the summer. Just imagine that you are sitting on the beach, smelling the salt air, and feeling the cool breeze. The sun is slowly melting into the ocean and the sky is the shade of bright purple that can only be seen at dusk. It has been a long, hot day in the sun, and it feels nice to finally let it end. This is what living in Freeport, Bahamas is all about. The resort has only two chalets, each one situated on one side of the lake. There are many tow-days contests taking place here. The participants are from many different countries and they come here to have fun and do what they like and know best: extreme ski and snowboard. Snowboard is relatively a new extreme sport in Romania, but there already are many kids who practice it. Parties where everyone is having a good time and creating a friendly atmosphere, one would say specific to this place follow the contests. The party lasts till late in the night, when a peaceful silence covers the mountains.

The Sexual Content in Angela Carter?S the Bloody Chamber

The Sexual Content in Angela Carter? s â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories, is a selection of fairytales which have been re-written by Angela Carter to place them in the modern day. Carter has taken seven fairytales whose â€Å"latent content† she says were â€Å"violently sexual†, (qtd by Robin Sheets, â€Å"Pornography Fairy Tales and Feminism† 642). The stories include a variation of classics fairytales such as â€Å"Bluebeard†, â€Å"Beauty and the Beast† and â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood† with sometimes more than one version of the same original tale, for example â€Å"Wolf-Alice† and â€Å"The Company of Wolves†. In re-writing these fairy tales Carter has given the new versions a specifically sexual content and focuses on the female protagonist, which as a result, has become the issue of much debate and criticism. In particular, the sometimes explicit sexual content of the stories has raised questions among some feminist writers regarding Carter? s stance on the issue of the role of women and pornography. Focusing mainly on the main story of the collection, â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, this essay will aim to highlight Carter? s intentions for the sexual content of her stories. In doing so, whilst commenting from some critical essays regarding Carter? s stance on pornography, this essay will also address â€Å"Lovely Linda†, a review of Inside Linda Lovelace, by Linda Lovelace a porn actress, which was written by Angela Carter. In her essay, Robin Sheets compares â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† to another of Carter? s books The Sadiean Woman and the Ideology of Pornography. Sheets takes one of ten short stories in the collection and using only this story tries to define Carter as either one of â€Å"Sade? new Juliettes† or a â€Å"new Justine†, (qtd. by Sheets pp636-637). These titles, which make reference to characters from works by the Marquis de Sade, were created by Robin Morgan in her criticism of feminist activists who opposed or supported the antipornography movement, those who support pornography being the â€Å"new Juliettes† as they align themselves with sex based on domination, where the â€Å"new Justines† are said to always portray themselves of the victims of male brutality. Antipornography activists described pornography as a â€Å"cause of women? oppression†, (Sheets 637), and Sheets focuses on this in â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† as a means to decide which flag Carter is flying. Like all fairy tales the original story of Bluebeard contained a moral. Sheets comments that although over time there have been variations made to the story in order to change the moral the one that has prevailed has been that which advises women against curiosity, (Sheets 643). Whilst comparing the Marquis of the story to the Marquis de Sade, Sheets links the sadistic acts of the Marquis in â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† to that of de Sade. When one takes into consideration Carter? s review of Linda Lovelace? s book, Inside Linda Lovelace, when addressing the sexual content of â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, it is easy to understand Carter? s opinion of pornography and as result her reasons for using it in her stories. At the start of the review Carter describes Lovelace? s fame as a result of the â€Å"demands of a society that uses libidinal gratification as a soporific in a time of potential social disruption†. From the outset of this review Carter? negativity towards â€Å"our Lady of Hard-Core Porn†, is evident, so what is different about Linda Lovelace and the content of her own works that attracts so much argument regarding its pornographic nature? In her review she goes on to remark that â€Å"libidinal gratification† is now unlimited but that this has changed as a result of society changing as in short that although we are sexually free now it is only because society says so, which means that if we have to wait for society? s permission we still are not free, (Angela Carter, Shaking a Leg 54). This oppression of women is one of the most commonly debated aspects of pornography. The debate develops into deciding what pornography is and what is erotica, the difference being (if one uses Gloria Steinem? s definition as example), that erotica is â€Å"mutually pleasurable, sexual expression between people who have enough power to be there by positive choice†, (qtd. by Sheets 637). Although Linda Lovelace claims sexual freedom and wants to be equal in bed, Carter makes sure to point out that the sexual acts that Lovelace boasts about being able to do with her mouth and her vagina she has learned from a man, Chuck, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 54). In turn when one compares this oppression to â€Å"The Bloody Chamber† one can see that indeed there are some obvious examples of masochism, one of which being when the narrator describes having sex as being â€Å"impaled†, (Angela Carter, Burning Your Boats, 121) by her husband. Indeed the whole story up until the point where she goes to the forbidden room is one of subjugation. When one takes into consideration the remarks that Carter makes in her article of Lovelace about society, it can be argued that the initial argument regarding the intentions of the sexual content in Carter? s works also stem from the boundaries which society sets. Where some only see the oppression of the protagonist, others look beyond this to see an alternative to the protagonist’s actions. As Merja Makinen points out in â€Å"Angela Carter? s The Bloody Chamber and the Decolonisation of the Feminine Sexuality†, there is an alternative argument to that of the narrator of â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†. Here, Makinen argues that to an extent the narrator does in fact consent to the â€Å"sado-masochistic transaction†, (Makinen 32). This can be seen in the narrator? brief descriptions of the desire that is lurking within her, â€Å"I was aghast to feel myself stirring†, (Carter, Burning Your Boats 119). Therefore, it can be argued that rather than being subjected to this act, the presence of consent transforms this into an act of erotica. This could be an example of which Makinen describes as Carter re-writing the old tales by playing with the earli er misogynistic version, (Makinen 24). As mentioned earlier Sheets attempts to brand Carter as a â€Å"new Juliette† or â€Å"new Justine†, but in the end her argument is inconclusive and cannot decide on one particular side of the fence for the writer. In comparison, Carter refers to Lovelace as someone who has been â€Å"sexually exploited by men†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 55). Carter makes it blatantly clear in this article that she is against pornography, not because of the acts that take place but because of the oppression of women. She describes Lovelace as someone who lives in a world dictated by men, she has learned her technique from men and although it is a world of sex, the sex itself has been reduced to what Carter calls a â€Å"geometric intersection of parts†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 56). Carter compares what Lovelace is doing to that of what takes place in a Brothel. She comments that â€Å"our society generally denies the prostitute both appreciation and the opportunity to exercise particular sexual virtuosity†, and ironically confirms that â€Å"Lovelace is no prostitute†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 55). Carter portrays Lovelace as what this writer believes is what every anti-pornography activist has in mind when they are condemning pornography, â€Å"she is a shaven prisoner in a cage whose bars are composed of cocks†, (Carter, Shaking a Leg 56). From this review it is a wonder that there would be any debate as to whether or not the sexual content of Carter? s works support pornography, and it is clear that she uses sexual practice based on domination for other means, in her writing. The other stories in The Bloody Chamber approach a different aspect of female sexuality and desire and Makinen implies that it is necessary to read all the stories to understand the intentions of Carter. For example, the story of â€Å"The Lady of the House of Love† shows the inversion of the Bluebeard character. Who can mistake the gothic tropes used to portray the female vampire as a male. The teeth of the vampire which would penetrate the virgin boy, but yet there is still an element of desire for the vampire and in order to obtain that she must pay a price. Makinen argues that rather than being against or for pornography, Carter aims to portray a wider incorporation of female sexuality, and use â€Å"feminism to challenge sexist constructions†, (Makinen 25). This, it could be argued, is why the book starts with an obvious description of female oppression. At the same time however, one also has to keep in mind the variations to the original Bluebeard story that Carter has included. The mother who saves the day, the second husband who is gentle and kind and also the protagonist being the narrator herself, are what Sheets describes as Carter â€Å"writing against the interpretive tradition that emphasizes the wife? s sexual curiosity†, (Sheets 644). As we have seen in the review of Lovelace? s book, Angela Carter sees pornography as the oppression of women by men and that she does not look too highly upon this factor. When one takes this into consideration whilst reading her books, it can be seen then that although she uses material which can be argued to be that of a pornographic nature, she does so not as a means to approve of the oppression of women. Rather she uses this material to â€Å"critique phallocentrism† and as a means to demonstrate female sexuality and the representation of femininity, (Makinen p34). Bibliography Carter, Angela, â€Å"The Bloody Chamber†, Burning Your Boats, London: Chatto & Windus, 1995. Carter, Angela, â€Å"Lovely Linda†, Shaking a Leg, London: Chatto & Windus, 1997. Makinen, Merja, â€Å"Angela Carter? s The Bloody Chamber and the Decolonisation of Feminine Sexuality†, New Casebooks: Angela Carter, Ed. Alison Easton, Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000, pp20-36. Sheets, Robin Ann, â€Å"Pornography, Fairy Tales, and Feminism: Angela Carter’s â€Å"TheBloody Chamber†Ã¢â‚¬ , Journal of the History of Sexuality, Vol. 1, No. 4, (April,1997), pp 633- 657 08/04/2011

“Archetypes for a Contemporary Audience” Essay

Myths are an important cultural aspect that were, and are to this day, used commonly to help teach morals and life lessons. Strength, courage, and fortitude are just a few characteristics addressed in mythology. The archetypal layout of an exemplary story is composed of the Twelve Stages. The Twelve Stages of a hero’s journey are the steps every person must take in order to prove one’s self as a hero. Mythical heroes such as Theseus, Sigurd, and Beowulf clearly demonstrate the archetypal qualities of a hero. A typical hero is seen as a morally just individual, with a noticeably ethical intent. An archetypal quality of a hero is moral goodness. The hero is always opposing evil and wrong-doing, while attempting his best to halt it. The hero is selfless always willing to give his life in place of another. A villain, or monster, is the opposed force of the hero, whose intent is solely based around a malicious and self-centered motive. The shadow-self of a character is often portrayed as the villain, or monster, but it has a much greater importance. The shadow-self illustrates the two extremes of a personality. Since the shadow-self is the complete opposite of a character, the good and bad qualities of that character are shown, the shadow self of a character can have both good and bad aspects. When someone is able to control the good aspects of both characters, the individual is able to grow and learn from themselves. The shadow-self is often used in literature, because it is seen as the perfect challenge for the protagonist. An example in literature would be Beowulf and Grendel. Beowulf is a great hero driven by good morals and intentions, while Grendel is a soulless monster living only to cause pain and death. Another example would be Sigurd and Regin. Sigurd is somewhat naive and physically strong, Regin, being the opposite, is extremely intelligent and persuasive, but not physically robust. Monsters are often confused with the shadow-self, but the monster can share similar qualities, values, and goals with the protagonist. Most monsters are shown as creatures, or people, who are not bound by the conforming laws set in place for the average person. In many cases with monsters in literature, there is a figurative veil drawn over them; shrouding them in mystery and uncertainty. These aspects draw people’s fascination by providing the reader with a form of escapism. Thus, allowing the reader to break away from the dull, constant, day-to-day routine of  their lives, and discover a new unfamiliar world. By providing this new reality for the reader the monster’s role in the narrative is greatly enhanced. When combining heroic qualities with villainous attributes, a perfect balance is formed. Most literature contains some manner of conflict between heroes and villains. Without conflict, the story would have no distinguishable design or purpose. Without the purpose or design the story would ramble aimlessly, until a much desired conclusion is reached. This leads back into the balance between hero and villain, because the existence of a hero or villain depends greatly upon the existence of the other. The reason for this is simple, because there is no need for a hero if there is no villain, and the same applies to a villain, who has no hero to rise up against. The voyage and quest of a hero is often riddled with hardship and treachery: Then an old harrower of the dark happened to find the hoard open, the burning one who hunts out barrows, the slick-skinned dragon, threatening the night sky with streamers of fire. People on the farms are in dread of him. He is driven to hunt out hoards under ground, to guard heathen gold†¦ When the dragon awoke, trouble flared again. He rippled down the rock, writhing with anger when he saw the footprints of the prowler who had stolen too close to his dreaming head. So may a man not marked by fate easily escape exile and woe by the grace of God. (Heaney-155) This quote from Beowulf shows that quest for treasure is always challenging. The road to the treasure is filled with tests and confrontations that are put in place to challenge the hero’s skills and knowledge. When the location of the treasure is finally reached, there is always a final obstacle blocking the way of the treasure. A common example of this is a dragon in its lair, sleeping soundly, guarding its treasure from unwanted thieves. Beowulf’s final fight with the dragon is an obvious example. In the story, â€Å"Theseus and the Ariadne Thread† Theseus uses a thread given to him by Ariadne. â€Å"As may be imagined, he made no difficulty about that, and she gave him the clue she had got from Daedalus, a ball of thread which he was to fasten at one end to the inside of the door and unwind as he went on. This he did and, certain that he could retrace his steps whenever he chose, he walked boldly into the maze, looking for the Minotaur.†(â€Å"Theseus† 776) The thread was used to help Theseus remember where he had already been,  and to lead him back to his original starting position, and keep him from getting lost in the maze. A valuable lesson can be learned from this thread, as it symbolizes connection to a person, place, or thing that brings us back to reality, when we are in need of direction. The slaying of the dragon is seen as the overcoming of an obstacle: After what seemed minutes, he thought, I must risk it now. With that he straightened his knees and drove the sword upward with all his force. It tore up through the cloak, through the loose earth, and on with the force of his arm until it buried itself to the hilt. A great cry came from the monster. (Who Are You Quoting Here?) Being able to overcome an obstacle is important, because it allows the person to undergo change and growth. As a contemporary audience we are able to read this, and be able to apply the knowledge gained from reading, in our own lives. The heroic epic poem Beowulf is a remarkable example of archetypes in a story. Beowulf is centered on a Scandinavian hero who is both strong and cunning. Beowulf is the classic hero everyone envisions when they think of a hero. Grendel, Beowulf’s shadow-self, is an obvious archetypal villain. Beowulf’s many quests represent the typical hunt for treasure. Beowulf’s final adventure, which would lead to his death, was by far the most archetypal of all of his endeavors, completing the last few stages of the Hero’s Journey. The poem Beowulf has a lot of psychological depth contained within the story. In preparation for the battle with Grendel’s mother, Beowulf must sink to the bottom of a lake, to get to the underwater lair. Beowulf must sink for hours to get to the bottom, and in doing so, this event displays that Beowulf’s mental strength is just as robust as his physical strength. Once Beowulf reached Grendel’s mother’s lair, Hrunting, a sword that had never failed in battle, was broken when it attempted to pierce the monster’s skin. Beowulf was quick to disarm the sword and reequip with a giant’s  sword, which happened to be conveniently placed in the lair. The significance of this in the story demonstrates the idea that un-useful things should be quickly discarded, as they are only weighing you down. Letting go of things that only slow you down, or hold you back from your true potential, will free you to move forward in your life’s quest. Once an obstacle, or hindrance, in your life is gone, you are able to look for another alternative or way out. The last important archetypal piece in Beowulf is Beowulf’s final fight with the dragon. This fulfills two of the 12 stages: The Resurrection and the Return with the Elixir. When Beowulf defeats the dragon, but is also killed in the process, the resurrection is displayed when Beowulf comes to release his death. When Beowulf realizes his death is upon him he reminisces about his old heroic deeds, and comprehends the valor of his actions. The twelfth stage is exemplified when Wiglaf, the only one of Beowulf’s men who didn’t desert him, retrieves some of the treasure, won by Beowulf, and shows Beowulf the spoils. Finally, when Wiglaf returns to the people and tells them of Beowulf’s death, along with a prediction of the upcoming days, the people fully realize what their leader has done for them, and they feel sorrow and remorse. The works of literature Beowulf, â€Å"Sigurd the Dragon Slayer†, and â€Å"Theseus† still maintain relevance in today’s society. The heroic qualities of these heroes are still admired and sought after by the people of today. Reading these stories will provide the reader with a greater knowledge of how our society bases its morals. The morals of any society are based on the archetype of whom ever that society deems to be the ultimate â€Å"good† example. The age old battle between good and evil is still being fought out in everyday life, and each one of us is a character in the drama of human history. We all need heroes, because we all feel the threat of evil, or villains, in our lives.

Basic Geography of Rivers

Basic Geography of Rivers Rivers provide us with food, energy, recreation, transportation routes, and of course water for irrigation and for drinking. But where do they start and where do they end? Basic Geography of Rivers Rivers begin in mountains or hills, where rain water or snowmelt collects and forms tiny streams called gullies. Gullies either grow larger when they collect more water and become streams themselves or meet streams and add to the water already in the stream. When one stream meets another and they merge together, the smaller stream is known as a tributary. The two streams meet at a confluence. It takes many tributary streams to form a river. A river grows larger as it collects water from more tributaries. Streams usually form rivers in the higher elevations of mountains and hills. The areas of depression between hills or mountains are known as valleys. A river in the mountains or hills will usually have a deep and steep V-shaped valley as the fast moving water cuts away at the rock as it flows downhill. The fast moving river picks up pieces of rock and carries them downstream, breaking them into smaller and smaller pieces of sediment. By carving and moving rocks, running water changes the earths surface even more than catastrophic events such as earthquakes or volcanoes. Leaving the high elevations of the mountains and hills and entering the flat plains, the river slows down. Once the river slows down, the pieces of sediment have a chance to fall to the river bottom and be deposited. These rocks and pebbles are worn smooth and get smaller as the water continues flowing. Most of the sediment deposition occurs in the plains. The wide and flat valley of the plains takes thousands of years to create. Here, the river flows slowly, making S-shaped curves which are known as meanders. When the river floods, the river will spread out over many miles on either side of its banks. During floods, the valley is smoothed and tiny pieces of sediment are deposited, sculpting the valley and making it even smoother and more flat. An example of a very flat and smooth river valley is the Mississippi River valley in the United States. Eventually, a river flows into another large body of water, such as an ocean, bay, or lake. The transition between river and ocean, bay or lake is known as a delta. Most rivers have a delta, an area where the river divides into many channels and river water mixes with sea or lake water as the river water reaches the end of its journey. A famous example of a delta is where the Nile River meets the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt, called the Nile Delta. From the mountains to the delta, a river does not just flow - it changes the surface of the earth. It cuts rocks, moves boulders, and deposits sediments, constantly attempting to carve away all of the mountains in its path. The goal of the river is to create a wide, flat valley where it can flow smoothly towards the ocean.

Leontyne Price, New York Met Opera Star

Leontyne Price, New York Met Opera Star Known for:  New York Metropolitan Opera soprano 1960 – 1985; one of the most popular opera sopranos of recent history, known as the first black American-born prima donna; she was the first black opera singer on televisionOccupation:  opera singerDates:  February 10, 1927 -Also known as: Mary Violet Leontyne Price Background, Family Mother: Kate Baker Price, a midwife, and singer in the church choirFather: James Price, a carpenter who also sang in the church choirHusband: William C. Warfield (married August 31, 1952, divorced 1973; opera singer) Education Central State College (formerly the College of Education and Industrial Arts), Wilberforce, Ohio.  BA, 1949Juilliard School of Music, 1949 - 1952Voice with Florence Page Kimball Leontyne Price Biography A native of Laurel, Mississippi, Mary Violet Leontyne Price pursued a singing career after graduation from college with a B.A. in 1948, where she had studied to be a music teacher. She had been inspired first to pursue singing  upon hearing a Marian Anderson concert when she was nine years old. Her parents encouraged her to learn piano and to sing in the church choir. So after graduating from college, Leontyne Price went to New York, where she studied at the Juilliard School of Music, with Florence Page Kimball guiding her as she would continue to do. Her full scholarship at Juilliard was supplemented by a generous family friend, Elizabeth Chisholm, who covered most of the living expenses. After Juilliard, she had her 1952 debut on Broadway in Virgil Thomson’s revival of Four Saints in Three Acts. Ira Gershwin, based on that performance, chose Price as Bess in a revival of  Porgy and Bess  that played New York City 1952-54 and then toured both nationally and internationally.  She married her co-star, William Warfield who played Porgy to her Bess on the tour, but they separated and later divorced. In 1955, Leontyne Price was chosen to sing the title role in a television production of  Tosca, becoming the first black singer on a television opera production. NBC invited her back for more telecasts of operas in 1956, 1957 and 1960. In 1957, she debuted in her first stage opera, the American premiere of  Dialogues of the Carmelites  by Poulenc. She performed primarily in San Francisco until 1960, appearing in Vienna in 1958 and Milan in 1960.  It was in San Francisco that she first performed in Aida which was to become a signature role; she also played that role in her second Viennese performance.  She also performed with the Chicago Lyric Opera and the American Opera Theater. Returning from a successful international tour, her debut at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in January 1961, was as Leonora in  Il Trovatore.  The standing ovation lasted 42 minutes. Quickly becoming a leading soprano there, Leontyne Price made the Met her primary base until her retirement in 1985.  She was the fifth black singer in the Met’s opera company, and the first to really achieve stardom there. Associated especially with Verdi and Barber, Leontyne Price sang the role of  Cleopatra, which Barber created for her, at the opening of the new Lincoln Center home for the Met. Between 1961 and 1969, she appeared in 118 productions at the Metropolitan. After that, she began to say â€Å"no† to many appearances at the Metropolitan and elsewhere, her selectivity earning her a reputation as arrogant, though she said she did it to avoid overexposure. She also performed at recitals, especially in the 1970s, and was prolific in her recordings. Many of her recordings were with RCA, with whom she had an exclusive contract for two decades. After her retirement from the Met, she continued to give recitals. Books About Leontyne Price Aida: Leontyne Price, illustrated by Diane and Leo Dillon. Trade Paperback, 1997. Price retells the story of the Ethiopian princess who is sold into slavery in Egypt.Leontyne Price: Opera Superstar  (Library of Famous Women): Richard Steins, Library Binding, 1993.

Commonly Misspelled Words Quiz

Commonly Misspelled Words Quiz In each of the following pairs, only one is a word; the other is a common misspelling of that word. Guided by the brief definition, see if you can identify the correctly spelled word in each set. Then compare your answers to those on the bottom of the page. Commonly Misspelled Words The act or process of absorbing something; occupying the full attention or interest.(a)  absorbtion  (b)  absorptionHappening unexpectedly or by chance. (a)  accidentally  (b)  accidentlyLying beyond what is evident; deliberately and deceptively concealed.  (a)  alterior  (b)  ulteriorRelating to the North Pole or the region near it. (a)  Arctic  (b)  ArticThe character * used as a reference mark in printing. (a)  asterick  (b)  asterisk  At a basic level or in a basic manner. (a)  basically  (b)  basiclyAcknowledging someones achievements or good fortune.  (a)  congradulations  (b)  congratulationsCertain, clearly defined, having distinct limits.  (a)  definate  (b)  definiteTerrible, calamitous. (a)  disasterous  (b)  disastrousTo cause someone to feel self-conscious or ill at ease.  (a)  embarass  (b)  embarrassA perfect example of a class or type.  (a)  epitome  (b)  epitomyThe systematic study and desc ription of a language.  (a)  grammar  (b)  grammerSerious, grave, causing pain or anguish.  (a)  grievious  (b)  grievousA sweet white confection.  (a)  marshmallow  (b)  marshmellow The science of numbers and their operations.  (a)  mathematics  (b)  mathmaticsA low indistinct sound; an abnormal sound of the heart.  (a)  murmer  (b)  murmurA legislative body or a formal conference for the discussion of public affairs.  (a)  parliament  (b)  parlimentA right or privilege held by a person or group.  (a)  perogative  (b)  prerogativeWithin the limits of ability.  (a)  possible  (b)  possableA right or immunity granted as a benefit or favor.  (a)  priviledge  (b)  privilegeEndorse as fit or worthy.  (a)  recommend  (b)  recomendIrreverence toward a hallowed person, place, or thing.  (a)  sacreligious  (b)  sacrilegiousNot fully worked out or agreed on.  (a)  tenative  (b)  tentativeA disastrous event.  (a)  tradegy  (b)  tragedyWordiness.  (a)  verbage  (b)  verbiage Here are the  correct answers  to the Quiz on 25 Commonly Misspelled Words. (b) absorption(a) accidentally(b) ulterior(a) Arctic(b) asterisk(a) basically(b) congratulations(b) definite(b) disastrous(b) embarrass(a) epitome(a) grammar(b) grievous(a) marshmallow(a) mathematics(b) murmur(a) parliament(b) prerogative(a) possible(b) privilege(a) recommend(b) sacrilegious(b) tentative(b) tragedy(b) verbiage Next:Only One Is a Word: Another Quiz on Commonly Misspelled Words

How did teddy roosevelts life prepare him to build panama canal Essay

How did teddy roosevelts life prepare him to build panama canal - Essay Example The Panama Canal was a project by the French that would save the long journey from the Atlantic to Pacific via South America and which took months to get across from. Just as the Suez Canal had attracted investors, the Panama Canal was believed to be a viable project for future investors as well. Due to the bad weather and wild animals including snakes and insects that caused malaria, thousands of workers died and millions were used without any much work being completed and the canal was left unfinished by the French. Once he became president, Roosevelt picked up the project in 1902 and they reached an agreement of $40 million to buy the rights from the French and agreement reached with Panama of $10 million which secured the Canal Zone rights to build. This was not so smooth a deal as US had to go to war with Columbia over Panama and US won amid bribery of soldiers to surrender the war and it made Panama a country with its own sovereign rights from Columbia and hence accepting the deal from the US of the rights in exchange for the money to build their country (Vander Hook,

Proposal for Organizational Learning Issues Essay

Proposal for Organizational Learning Issues - Essay Example All these analysis will enable in determining the appropriate solution to the organizational learning. A detailed analysis and research about the various mystifications and the alternative OLM is subject to make. It is essential to determine the talent management strategies for the organization before any decision-making process. It will ensure that organization being transmitted to learning organization. After the action, the review is discussed to ensure that organizational learning is successful and in identifying the area of improvement. Technology based training is the most suitable form of training in achieving the learning organization objective. Mystification in the organizational learning is created mainly by the diversity or multiplicity in the viewpoints. It is difficult in obtaining conceptual clarity. It clearly indicates the complexities and multidimensional phenomenon. Treating organization like people (anthropomorphizing) that is to treat the organization as a human in learning and it is creating more trouble (Lipshitz, Friedman, & Popper, 2006, p.7). Accordingly, it is subject to assume that the organization is capable of learning from them. However, no clear details exist about the transition from individual learning to organizational learning, and it carries more complexities. Chic and Mystique includes various concepts like the double loop system, mental models, system thinking, dialog, reflection, absorptive capacity, etc. (Lipshitz, Friedman, & Popper, 2006, p.12). It has created a reified in the organizational learning. There false refrains in distinguishing the organization that learn and that does not. Next is the active mystification accordingly organizations are considered to be more spiritual rather than being instrumental (Lipshitz, Friedman, & Popper, 2006, p.13). Mystification plays the significant role that creates some glimpse by which organizational learning was not subject to accomplish

Short Answer Responses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Short Answer Responses - Essay Example speech, privacy and the right to a fair hearing and the opportunity to counter the allegations of incompetence and inappropriate remarks are the substantive rights that require protection. 2. Due process under the 5th and 14th Amendment apply in Situation B because the teacher is tenured and property rights are at stake. To this end the dismissal essential deprives the teacher of his property rights and to do so requires that the authorities take certain fair procedural steps as provided for under the US Constitution. The mode of action taken must commensurate with the interest the interest protected. To this end, deprivation of job security should entail an opportunity to respond to the allegations giving rise to the action plan and the dismissal, an opportunity to be heard on the issues and right to appeal any decision. These procedural rights are measured against the school’s interest and the welfare of the students and will only be protected to such an extent that they do not compromise school policy and the welfare of the students. 3. Virginia Code SS 63.2-1503, 63.2-1505 and 63.2-1516.1 apply to situation B. Virginia Code SS 63.2.1503 requires investigation by School officials of suspected incidents of child neglect and abuse. In this case the teacher has been accused of Child neglect with respect to his method of teaching and making inappropriate comments to the children. This invokes Virginia Code SS 63.2.1502. Virginia Code 63.2-1505 requires that the person/teacher investigated be notified of the complaint investigation. In other words a fair protocol regarding employment greivances is required to be followed. If the matter goes to court, the codes may be invoked by the plaintiff to counter any claims by the defendant that he was denied procedural due process. 4. Title VI and IX of the Civil Rights Act 1964 as amended does not arise in the case in Situation B. Title VI arises in instances where the application of public funds is

Event this week Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Event this week - Assignment Example Greece financial crisis has been marked by high budget deficits and unsuccessful bailouts. Although the problem seems to span for more than a decade, the real financial crisis picture became evident beginning 2007. IMF and Eurozone members have been giving bailouts to Greece by demanding austerity measures from Greece. However, the bailouts have only worsened the financial situation in both Greece and Eurozone as well. Greece may be only one member of Eurozone. However, the financial problems seem to drag the entire economic Zone down a financial recession. It seems that Greece financial problems cannot be solved by giving them money but by helping them to put into place strong money generating structures. Giving bailouts to Greece is like giving fish to a hungry man instead of showing a man how to fish. The rest of the world is watching how Eurozone mends its financial affairs. The strong Euro currency has been dropping with time and has actually recorded a 12-year low as of today. The Greece financial crisis ties very closely to this course. The situation shows how global economics are interrelated. A financial problem in one part of the global economy can have a large implication in other aspects of global economy. Therefore, the situation is relevant to the course learning about local and international economics. Traynor, I. (2015). Eurozone calls on Greece to come up with credible reforms. The Guardian. 9 March 2015. Retrieved from

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System Essay

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System - Essay Example In the 1990s the VHA had a series of problems that prompted a need for reform. The challenges were with substandard care for older veterans and many of the hospitals were run down and poorly managed. Many doctors lacked the experience to run the hospitals properly and patient needs were not being satisfied (Cannon, 2006). The problem was so great that Congress considered shutting down the hospitals and giving veterans a voucher to go to outside private hospitals (Waller, 2006, p. 1). A restructuring took place in the mid-1990s to focus on taking care of outpatients rather than in keeping them in lengthy hospital stays. Larger hospitals that were not effective were closed in favor of clinics that would concentrate on meeting the needs of the aging veterans. After this time many newspaper reported that the VHA was particularly good for a variety of conditions. The greatest part of the reform was to update their technology and create better systems for managed care. As an example, they created software that would track their patients so they would have access to them as needed instead of having to scramble to find patients information. These measures gave doctors the ability to improve patient care because their records were easily accessible on a laptop computer. The reason this is easy is because the VHA has a system wide database where they keep a total history of each veteran. Within this reform a barcode system was also adopted for prescriptions so that when f illing them a nurse can scan the barcode on the patient and then scan it on the prescription to make sure that there is a match. These changes prompted many veterans to leave private insurance and go back to the VHA which also created more problems for the VHA because the influx of patients created challenges financially that Congress did not provide for in the revamping (Waller, p. 2). In order to deal with the influx they had to limit the amount of people who could take

Athenian democratic system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Athenian democratic system - Essay Example In the 5th century, BC Athens experimented direct democracy, this type of democracy system has two preconditions, a small community that is capable of attending debates and voting on issues, secondly, the economy of the community must give its citizens leisure to engage in politics and this type of democracy has rarely been attempted anywhere. The population of Athens conducted a census on the number of slaves and metrics, during the 4th century BC, the population of Athens comprised of some 300,000 people and city families amounted to 100,000 people 30,000 were male citizens, this increased in the 5th century BC which comprised of as high as 60,000 of male citizens. This is not in line with the preconditions for the set system of democracy that require a small community. In the 5th century, there were no limits on the power exercised by the assembly, if the assembly broke the law the only thing that would happen is to punish those who had agreed to the proposal. In the voting exerci se in this century voting required that one be physically present and voting was usually by show of hand, and due to a large number of people attending the people were divided into Quorum of 6000 people and given colored balls, this would increase irregularities in the voting process.In the same century, 10 fixed assemblies were introduced per year but later more meetings that were not fixed were introduced, political trials were introduced which were conducted in assemblies rather than in court.... In the voting exercise in this century voting required that one be physically present and voting was usually by show of hand, and due to the large umber of people attending the people were divided into Quorum of 6000 people and given colored balls, this would increase irregularities in the voting process. In the same century 10 fixed assemblies were introduced per year but later more meetings that were not fixed were introduced, political trials were introduced which were conducted in assemblies rather than in court. Attendance into assemblies was allowing only the first 6000 people to arrive and they had to pay. There was also the introduction of the law that excluded citizens who had property close to the city wall on the basis that they had influences on the outcomes of debates; this was because the practice of an invading army was at this time. This is evident in the attempt to name those who were did not participate in politics as 'idiots' meaning a person who is not interested in politics. In 406 BC an invasion of Sicily was carried out and although they won a group of generals refused to collect survivors, they were tried and sentenced together instead of one by one; they repented later and made up this by executing those who had executed the generals. Two coups interrupted the democratic rule and they are named by numbers in control and this was the four hundred in 411BC and the thirty in 404 BC. The new democracy established in 403 BC was less capable of rapid response to issues; the new democratic system involved responsibility was shifting from the assembly to the court, law being made by jurors and the decisions of

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System Essay

Quality Transformation of the Veterans Healthcare System - Essay Example In the 1990s the VHA had a series of problems that prompted a need for reform. The challenges were with substandard care for older veterans and many of the hospitals were run down and poorly managed. Many doctors lacked the experience to run the hospitals properly and patient needs were not being satisfied (Cannon, 2006). The problem was so great that Congress considered shutting down the hospitals and giving veterans a voucher to go to outside private hospitals (Waller, 2006, p. 1). A restructuring took place in the mid-1990s to focus on taking care of outpatients rather than in keeping them in lengthy hospital stays. Larger hospitals that were not effective were closed in favor of clinics that would concentrate on meeting the needs of the aging veterans. After this time many newspaper reported that the VHA was particularly good for a variety of conditions. The greatest part of the reform was to update their technology and create better systems for managed care. As an example, they created software that would track their patients so they would have access to them as needed instead of having to scramble to find patients information. These measures gave doctors the ability to improve patient care because their records were easily accessible on a laptop computer. The reason this is easy is because the VHA has a system wide database where they keep a total history of each veteran. Within this reform a barcode system was also adopted for prescriptions so that when f illing them a nurse can scan the barcode on the patient and then scan it on the prescription to make sure that there is a match. These changes prompted many veterans to leave private insurance and go back to the VHA which also created more problems for the VHA because the influx of patients created challenges financially that Congress did not provide for in the revamping (Waller, p. 2). In order to deal with the influx they had to limit the amount of people who could take

Anti Gun-Control Essay Example for Free

Anti Gun-Control Essay Generally speaking, gun control is recognized as the effort to restrict or limit the production, shipment and ownership of certain guns. Over time, the issue of gun ownership has become a staple of controversy and one of the most hotly contested social issues facing Americans. More often than not, where one falls on gun control depends largely on their political affiliation, their moral standards and their past experiences with firearms. According to some estimates, approximately 80 million homes in the U.  S. own 223 million guns. As is the case with most issues, gun control comes with a list of pros and cons. The people who staunchly support gun control believe their argument would protect society and save lives, while those opposing gun control believe the opposite. Here are some of the most well-known arguments against gun control: Potential for more crime – It’s long been suggested that having a gun allows would-be victims to protect themselves against crimes. Proponents of gun control often point to crime statistics as a sign that gun control would be a positive for society. However, people against gun control firmly believe that by having a gun, people could prevent many of those crimes from happening in the first place. Second amendment – The second amendment from The Bill of Rights grants private citizens the right to bear arms. Thus, people who stand firmly against gun control insist that no legislation, technically, should have the right to take away a citizens guns without first repealing the amendment in question. Bad history – History appears to support the pro-gun crowd. Throughout various political regimes, the one constant of a tyrannical government has been the disarming of citizens. Thomas Jefferson once famously said: â€Å"No man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against the tyranny in government. †

Globalization And Global Warming

Globalization And Global Warming The Earth Hour launched by World Wildlife Fund since 2007 has entered its fourth year. This activity led the charge at first in Sydney, later the lineup expanded to countries around the world. However, after turning off the lights for one hour, what kind of awakening did people get? The symbolism of participating in this event is that despite the power of a few countries alone, people throughout the world must work together to solve the global warming problem. We live in a globalized world in which we obtain the prosperity and development. In this stunning development, however, the global warming or climate change problem hidden behind has seriously threatened the existence of the human environment. We must rely on the forces of globalization and the global joint efforts of people to tackle such a crisis and to safeguard the benefits of our next generations. Along with economic globalization, industrial production and free trade among countries in the world have developed to a very advanced stage; however, the damage to the environment, as well as the tremendous impact of climate change, makes us have to retake the great crisis of human existence lurking behind of the globalization into account. Nowadays, the atmosphere is gradually warming with the accumulation of the greenhouse gases (GHG), all kinds of climate change phenomenon such as droughts, floods, increasing temperatures and rising sea-levels bring impacts to the entire globe (Hallman, 2002). Chanda (2007) claimed that the connection between carbon-emitting economic growth and increasing trade and industrialization brought by globalization is unmistakable. In his article, he also pointed out that though globalization does not account for deforestation alone, it does become the conduit and accelerator for the forces which reduce the forest area. The news titled Globalization Is F ueling Global warming reported by Les Leopold (2007) also claimed that our world would continue to be chemically poisoned and globally warmed if the accelerating global trade was not limited sensibly. It also censured that the pro-globalization forces disregarded climate change and kept inculcating the advantages of free trade: falling prices, increased efficiency, shaking the country off poverty and achieving global wealth (Leopold, 2007). It is undeniable that commercial trade develops to enhance the peoples living standard, it is easier and more convenient to access to needed goods. However, if we do not take measures to protect the Earth, then, one day, we have no chance to enjoy the wealth because this land which we step on will perish. Climate change is not only closely linked with peoples daily routines, but also affect the production of peoples food, particularly the most common crops, rice and wheat food. If the bad weather causes crop failures, the worlds growing population will very likely suffers from famine. A news (December, 2009) from UN News centre reported that as Asias agriculture has been damaged by the climate change, 10 countries, held an UN-sponsored meeting in December 2009 in Hanoi, Vietnam to discuss how to maintain sustainable farming practices to meet the demand of the current population. According to the news, the World Meteorological Organization (MWO) recommended these countries to enhance indoor and urban agriculture to deal with the need of growing populations in Asian cities. While facing the increasingly severe climate change, this would certainly be a way to meet the needs of the population, but such a proposal is obviously a solution which demands substantial human and material resourc es. Moreover, among these countries, such as Vietnam, Afghanistan, Thailand are developing countries. Depending on their economic abilities may not be able to afford to set indoor and urban agriculture. In this case, if the rich countries can play the spirit of international mutual-assistance, funds will be injected into these developing countries to help them raise the level of agriculture and to save the threat of climate change to agriculture. Furthermore, a fact stated by Chanda (2007) is that the ozone hole has been partially mended by the effort of the Montreal Protocol in combating ozone depletion. This shows that if the states are willing to cooperate and contribute a force, it is possible to save the earth crisis. Nevertheless, the most critical work should be to reverse the phenomenon of climate change. The most important job to avoid the tragedy of the destruction of Earth is reducing GHG emissions to slow global warming rate. David G. Hallman (2007) argued that the global problem should not be equal responsibility of all people and a distinction between the luxury emissions of the rich and the survival emissions of the poor should be made. This is because the industrialized nations covering less than one-fifth of the worlds population were actually the main culprits for most of the GHG emission over the twentieth century. As he mentioned, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change had been adopted in the Rio Earth Summit 1992 and the negotiations had furthered another agreement requiring the industrialized countries to afford more precise aim of emission reduction. Although some campaigns which intended to convince the public and government of the downsides of gases reduction were mounte d in the western countries, dependable studies proved that enhancing energy efficiency brings advantages to ecological and economical aspects (Hallman, 2002). Besides, according to the negotiations, the industrialized nations could assist the developing countries in raising their manufacturing conditions, by increasing the energy-efficiency, to reduce emissions (Hallman, 2002). Therefore, those industrialized countries should make the best of their science and technology achievement to facilitate the emission reductions of other developing countries. Apart from this, when the communication and transportation are developed to promote links between people and increase access to information or goods, a potential consumption of resource and energy is caused. The suffering one is eventually the Earths ecological environment. An example taken from New York Times is China, which obtains an enormous economic growth, consequently consumes a large amount of fuel and power (Leopold, 2007). An ironic fact pointed out by Leopold (2007) is that while we import the high-efficiency light bulbs to save energy, the transportation results in the gain of carbon. Leopold hence proposed the next wave of green products to be made near to the product-using place; this not only creates homemade and green jobs, but also reduces global warming. It is worth noting while we think of using high-tech products to protect the environment, the transport strategy, manufacturing sites and other objective factors, to a certain extent, influence the green-environment al programs. Hence, we can deduce that not merely the national attitudes to environmental issues and their policy implementation are critical in dealing the global warming issue, but the consciousness of the entrepreneurs, business groups and individuals is also significant. Besides governments have leading powers on this issue of globalization while playing a role in international decision-making, the business groups and individuals also have to respond positively to the governmental policies on this global subject which has close relationship with the general public. Although many non-governmental organizations serve and contribute in this area, no power is more significant than those of the governments to fight against the problems (Chanda, 2007). Dahl (1998) also claimed that there is problem of values implanted in the institutional structures and the problem is aggravated by phenomena of rapid economic globalization, while the counterbalancing political structures have not kept pace and are losing their power over a globalizing world. Like he mentioned, the idea is that the social and environmental problems are the responsibilities of the government while businesses only account for businesses. This is incorrect because the Earth belongs to everyone . To protect it is not just of the countries and the government but the common task of all people. Actually, there is also an issue of global justice. Joseph E. Stiglitz (2006) indicated that the United States as the worlds biggest polluter had refused to sign the Kyoto agreement while the other developing countries had no commitments of reducing environmental pollution. He refuted some U.S. politicians opinion about reduction of emissions compromises the quality of American life, but also pointed out the inadequate point in the Kyoto Protocol, which is in line with national emission reductions relative to each nations level in 1990 (Stiglitz, 2006). There was conflict between the U.S and the developing countries. The U.S. refused to sign the protocol if the developing countries did not reduce emissions, while the developing countries consider unreasonable to allow them to pollute as much per capita as the U.S. (Stiglitz, 2006). Stiglitz (2006) hence put forward a proposal suggesting a global environmental tax on emissions, which requires the reduction level to equal the Kyoto tar get. This is an approach of everyone pays the social cost of their emissions. Actually, it is fair for those people who caused more damage to the Earth should contribute more forces in this case. They gain more benefits than others from business and industry, thus they should take greater responsibility to the environment. On the other hand, educating the public about the awareness to protect the earth and slow down the speed of climate change also becomes an important issue. We often say that a trend of the globalization is in the message transmission has reached the same speed of light for all around the world to receive messages. Therefore, we should use this advantage of globalization. In this era of information explosion, it is an easy task for a concept to spread around the world, so, the power of media to be should be made full use to spread the knowledge of protecting the earth and awake all people to show concern to the threat of global warming. In conclusion, under globalization, developed transport and communications are great achievements that they promote the trade prosperity and the exchange of the world, so there is large population mobility resulting in shrinking space and time. However, the climate change and global environmental issues have been serious threats to human survival. Climate change not only has implication on peoples daily life, but also affects one of the most basic needs of human life, the food production. Therefore, countries should help each other ride out the storm together. Many developing countries need the help of developed countries to achieve rapid economic development, so that they have enough technology to reduce emissions and help slow global warming problem. Developed countries with enormous wealth have become the biggest emissions culprits, so they should pay more efforts than the other developing countries to reduce emissions. In addition, global warming is not just the responsibility of the government, but all walks of life, all individuals should be concerned about it. Transport and communications should be developed as the benefits of globalization and provide a good channel to awaken people to care for the Earth. .

Love Of Life :: essays research papers

Summary for Love of Life:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Love of life started out on a trail with two men being the characters. In the beginning they started out as tired and weak. Each man had a rifle. They came upon a some boulders and the man in back slipped over one and sprained his ankle. Bill staggered on through the milky waters. Bill was gone now. He looked at his watch and could not tell if it was in the end of July or beginning of August. He was still laying in the stream that lead to the Coppermine River. The man got up and started to proceed towards his destiny. He winced with pain and through the pack over his left shoulder to take the pressure off his injured ankle. He picked his way through muskeg to muskeg, and followed the other footsteps along and across the rocky ledges. He thought he was hilucinating when he saw a ship, and the ocean. Every once and a while he would stop. On his journey he came across some bones, bones that looked as if they were chewed up. His hunger pangs did seem as exquisite anym ore. He saw four newly hatched chicks, and he ate them ravenously, thrusting them alive in his mouth. The chase led him across a swampy ground in the bottom valley and he came across some footsteps, they must be Bill's he thought. He began to feel the hallucinations again when he thought he saw a horse, but what was really a bear. He thought to himself here is meat in front of me, I will throw my knife and kill it. But he went on with a new type of fear, not a fear that he would die from starvation but be violently destroyed. Now and again wolves passed along his path, but sheered clear of him. He came across some bones, the wolves had must of made a kill. Next thing he was squatting in moss, sucking at the shreds of life. In the afternoon of the next couple days he found a track of a man not walkin but dragging on all fours.

Science Run Amuck in Brave New World :: essays papers

Science Run Amuck in Brave New World Brave New World is a novel set hundreds of years into our own future. On Earth, the Nine Years War tore the planet apart in the year A.F 178. Eerily, anthrax bombs dropped from the sky killed scores of people, what we in the post 9/11 world fear the most. When the dust settled, mankind banded together to create a new world called the â€Å"World State.† Their motto is â€Å"Community, Identity, Stability,† and it is all too much present as you will see. This future is a severely different place. To stabilize the populace, mankind has cloned each other by the thousands. Babies are conditioned by a caste system, and everyone grows up to do a specific job. Cold and sterile science replaces religion, individuality, and risk. Everyone is encouraged to pleasure themselves (through promiscuity, recreation and drugs... soma,) but not to have a bad day. This is reminiscent of the â€Å"Roaring 20’s† and the â€Å"free love† movement of the 1960’s. In this future, to be monogamous, bond, or soul-search would single you out as a loner. Here, â€Å"everyone belongs to everyone else.† The years once noted by A.D (Anno Domini, or After Christ) are replaced by A.F (After Ford.) Ford’s philosophy became a religion, wiping out over two thousand years of Christianity from world history. Now there is no history, except that which existed After Ford, it was outlawed. As we all know, Henry Ford introduced the assembly line into modern society. In A.D, The assembly line was a more proficient way to produce the automobile. In the brave new world, however, the assembly line mass-produced human beings themselves. The brave new scientists discovered a way to progress the cloning process. They clone up to 96 embryos from a female ovum by Bokanovsky’s process. Embryos were then â€Å"bottled† and put on an assembly line that moved 33 centimeters a day. On the line, the fetuses were tampered with and they received early conditioning to be part of one of the five castes. â€Å"Alpha† was the highest class (think rocket scientist,) and Elipson was the l owest class (think gas station attendant.) These babies are not born of a mother’s womb, but â€Å"decanted† (unbottled.) They receive more conditioning and undergo â€Å"hypnopaedia† – a sleep teaching process where beliefs are inserted into their thoughts. Young children as young as seven years old are encouraged to be promiscuous and experiment with sex.

Devil in a Blue Dress Rhetorical Analysis Novel vs Film Essay

The hardboiled mystery novel, Devil in a Blue Dress, by Walter Mosley was first published in 1990 and was acknowledged by former U. S. President, Bill Clinton, as one of his many favorite novelists (Easy Writer). Taking place in post-war Los Angeles, the story is narrated by an African American laborer, Easy Rawlins, who is transformed into an L. A. detective after being pulled in to the affairs of local townspeople. The successful novel continued onto screen adaptation in 1995 and was directed by Carl Franklin and starred Denzel Washington, who also financed and produced the film (Easy Writer). From a well-liked hardboiled detective novel to a contemporary film, viewers and readers are restricted from several rhetorical devices and techniques displayed in either mediums such as point of view, tone and imagery. In both works we see how this transition of mediums affects viewer’s appreciation and understanding of the plot, characters, and historical context. When comparing the film adaptation and hardboiled novel, we see how Easy conveys the story with his point of view through first person narration. Since the film had a time limitation of 102 minutes (imbd) it held back the benefits of incorporating all of Easy’s narrations from the book. According to his article, Devil in a Blue Dress, Jeff Stafford states, â€Å"Universal first acquired the rights to Devil in a Blue Dress and hired Walter Mosley to adapt his own novel for the screen but the author soon realized it was not his forte†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . His statement shows how difficult it was to transform the novel into a 102-minute film without excluding its great literary aspects. In the novel, Easy conveys the story through his perspective and, consequently, we have access to his opinions, insights and visuals. For example, in the book, readers have access to Easy’s intentions and motives when looking for Frank Green. He admits, â€Å"I never brought up Frank’s name though. Frank was skitterish, like all gangsters, and if he felt that people were talking about him he got nervous; if Frank was nervous he might have killed me before I had time to make my pitch† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 61). In the movie viewers don’t get to see the fear that Easy hides. He describes Frank in the book as a fearing man that has the capability to kill him; but we don’t see this in the movie. Instead, the movie shows multiple scenes where Easy bombards stores and threatens people to find Frank Green. He angrily yells Frank’s name out loud and makes a scene wherever he goes (Devil in a Blue Dress Movie 1995). This portrays him as a courageous and unemotional detective, which is different from how readers perceived him in the book. Unlike the movie, the book characterizes Easy as a selfless man who initially engages in the case for money to pay his rent. He finds himself falling deeper and deeper into the investigation and faces many dangerous confrontations where he is violently beaten and threatened. When being interrogated by the two police officers, Easy says, â€Å"†¦before I could turn toward him I felt the hard knot of his fist explode against the side of my head† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 33). Easy’s character has flaws and often experiences difficult situations that requires him to plan out his actions in order to survive. In the movie; however, Easy has a heroic representation and appears unharmed throughout much of the plot. Lead actor Denzel Washington is known in most of his movies for playing the â€Å"good guy† role that fends off the bad (25 Best Denzel Washington Films of All Time). Throughout the movie, directors appeal to viewers liking by shooting Denzel Washington with unharmed physical features. The movie utilizes Easy’s voiceover narration to tell the story from his point of view and the book written in the form of a diary where Easy can express all of his emotions and thoughts. The movie also fails to include Easy’s third conscience, which was so useful in the book. Although both mediums do consider the case from Easy’s perspective, it is clear that the movie lacks essential details that Easy mentions in the book. In addition to the differences seen through Easy’s point of view, there are also several differences in how the author and director utilize certain effects to obtain a dark tone. The screen adaptation paid homage to the dark tone perceived in the novel through lighting and a voiceover narration from Easy. Several scenes in the movie appear to have darker lighting than others. This effect allows viewers to feel the mysterious and secretive mood that is intended. In the scene where Easy visits John’s nightclub the lighting in the movie portrays the room as very dark and musty. The room itself is very enclosed and secretive since the owner, John, was into the speakeasy business before Prohibition was repealed. The nightclub itself is for the black community and has a very low-key reputation. To show the secretive, mysterious reputation of the nightclub, Franklin shoots the scene with little to no lighting (Devil in a Blue Dress Movie 1995). Throughout the film the audience is led through Easy’s point of view, which is heard through his voiceover narration. According to a movie review by Edwin Jahiel, â€Å"Washington’s voice is rather too sweet, lacks the tough staccato†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Again, we see actors blocking take effect as Washington attempts to live up to his typical role as the â€Å"good guy†. The movie takes a much different approach towards Easy’s character, which results in a smooth, legato narration. His short, flowing sentences give off a professional feel and results in an overall darker tone. In the book readers get a feel for the same dark tone through Mosley’s structured syntax, imagery and facts that are included and omitted. Most of the dialogue contains slang words and short forceful sentences that make the characters intimidating. When Easy refuses Mouse’s offer he responds, â€Å"Nigger cain’t pull his way out the swamp wit’out no help†¦You wanna hole on t’this house and git some money and have you some white girls callin’ on the phone† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 73). Mouse’s response is daring and bold when he gives Easy these alternatives to live a leisure life. Mosley’s word choices in the dialogue and Easy’s narration causes a dark tone that allows readers to grasp the mystery and danger being incorporated in the investigation. Most of Easy’s narration is straightforward because he gets straight to the point. For example, after visiting the bar he states, â€Å"I never got bored or frustrated. I wasn’t even afraid of DeWitt Albright during those days. I felt, foolishly, safe from even his crazy violence† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 61). Easy gets straight to the point and does not beat around the bush when it comes to admitting any information or thoughts. This allows the book to be dense in information and causes a fast pace suspenseful experience. Imagery is also utilized differently in both mediums since the film takes advantage of visuals through acting and scene production while the book takes advantage of description through texts. While sitting in Joppy’s bar, Easy thinks to himself, â€Å"Joppy’s windows were so dingy†¦ if you sat at a small cherry table next to them, at least you had the benefit of the dull glow of daylight† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 2). His description of Joppy’s bar and use of comparison, illustrates the bar vividly. Later on in the book, Easy notices Daphne Monet’s accent, ‘â€Å"Allo? Thees is Mr. Rawlins? Yes? †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ and afterwards Easy thinks to himself, â€Å"The accent was mild, like French, but it wasn’t French exactly† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 102). His specific description of her accent raises reader’s superstition and reminds us of each character’s mysterious secrets. The director’s decision to cut this from the movie is unknown, but surely it did cause more of a surprise when she revealed her mulatto origins. The directors also changed Albright’s physical appearance in his first scene. The book describes him wearing, â€Å"†¦an off-white linen suit and shirt with a Panama straw hat and bone shoes over flashing white silk socks†¦ I felt a thrill of fear† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 1). This first impression of Albright symbolizes white supremacy during the late 1940s. His decision to appear in a black community dressed in all white seems daring and ruthless. Again, this adds to Mosley’s intention to illustrate a dark tone by incorporating racial aspects that differentiate blacks and whites. Also, the book clearly exposes Daphne and Easy’s relationship outside of the case. This sexual relationship that isn’t seen in the movie gives the book an advantage on grasps the dirty depths of the investigation. These additions or deductions, nonetheless, also affect viewer’s understanding of the story. In the film, Daphne Monet plans to blackmail Matthew Teran with photos that evidenced his pedophilia, â€Å"†¦ I paid seven thousand dollars for those pictures they belong to me†(Devil in a Blue Dress film). Although this isn’t seen in the novel, viewers who watch the movie can understand the conflict between Daphne and Teran much easier than in the book. While standing in Carter’s office, Easy reveals to us, â€Å"Talking with Mr. Todd Carter was a strange experience. I mean, there I was, a Negro in a rich white man’s office, talking to him like we were best friends—even closer†(Devil in a Blue Dress page 57). His conversed narration allows readers to connect with his character and also understand racial ideologies during that time period. The novel was published in 1990 and the movie in 1995, however, both convey an investigation set in 1948 when black and white association was uncommon (Peter Travers). The investigation takes place during the Second Great Migration where large-scale shift of African American from the South migrated upwards into Northern cities such as Los Angeles. The aftereffects of WWII also caused many minorities to search for skilled jobs to make more money (The Great Migration: Creating a New Black Identity in Los Angeles). This is seen in both mediums as Easy is haunted by his past in the war and explains his reasons for moving to L. A. , â€Å"I ran away from Mouse and Texas to go to the army and then later to L. A†¦. igned up to fight in the war to prove to myself that I was a man†¦But I had dreams that didn’t have me running in the streets anymore; I was a man of property and I wanted to leave my wild days behind† (Devil in a Blue Dress page 22-23). His ambitions to leave behind his past life in the South and move onto the war and later into the city represent many young African American in the late 1940s. The aftereffects of the wa r led many minorities to travel and work towards their dreams and life goals (The Civil Rights Movement:? 1919-1960s). The text exemplifies African American struggles in the late 1940s during times of racism and segregation. In the movie, however, viewers did not fully recognize the racial ideologies at the time since many prejudice statements and actions were cut from the film. The movie showed Easy’s neighborhood to be a close-knit black community. In the movie we see children playing in the yards and riding bicycles along the sidewalks, homeowners tending their gardens and watering plants, and even a local lunatic who tries to steal everyone’s trees (Devil in a Blue Dress Movie 1995). Having been produced in 1995, the movie lacked most racial ideologies set in the 1940s. Due to Denzel Washington’s lead role as Easy Rawlins, there wasn’t a significantly amount of racism portrayed in the film since directors wanted to keep the screenplay in viewer’s favor. Transitioning from the well-liked hardboiled novel in 1990 to the a big screen adaptation five years later, the two mediums compare and contrast in several rhetorical devices such as point of view, tone and imagery. We see how the film’s adaptation from the book’s point of view through Easy’s perspective can leave out information that readers get from the book. The sense of tone that is darkly portrayed in both mediums allows the audience to focus on certain issues while sensing the mysterious dangerous mood. The imagery illustrated in the novel seems to be more informative and descriptive for readers, unlike the movie. Although both mediums work their best to portray the hardboiled L. A. detective theme, they do distinguish their own techniques, which affects the audience’s appreciation and understanding of the plot, characters and historical context.

Transition from Early Years

This assignment is based upon my understanding of child development and children’s learning, considering the curriculum for the Early Years and the curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage/Key Stage One. I propose to outline a rationale for effectively continuing children’s learning, from the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage into Year One and include strategies to support transitions, effective curriculum delivery and links between the EYFS and the National Curriculum. Throughout the assignment I will refer not only in general but also to how my research has help me as a practitioner help my setting to effectively continue children’s learning. Looking at Government reports about transition from the Foundation Stage to Key Stage One, Ofsted nationally identified issues between reception and Key stage One practice. In 2004 they produced a report entitled Transition from the Reception Year to Year 1 (Ofsted 2004). Findings suggested that there was not enough consideration relating to the Foundation Stage and Year One curriculum. Ofsted recommended the following ‘point for action’ â€Å"Schools which admit pupils to the Foundation Stage should ensure that learning experiences in Year One build upon practical approaches and structured play in Year R (Reception) (Ofsted 2004:3) The Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) and research from the National Foundation for Education Research (NFER) identified the biggest challenge to transition, as the EYFS curriculum is play based, Key Stage One is a more structured curriculum. They found that some children were worried about moving into Year One because of the amount of work expected and the length of time they were expected to sit and listen to the teacher. The government decided to produce a guidance document entitled Continuing the Learning Journey (NAA 2005) which is attended to support schools and Local Authorities in working towards improving transitions between the Foundation Stage and Key Stage One. The Foundation Co-ordinator and Year One teacher from school attended this course about two yeas ago and have tried to improve the transitions between our unit and Key Stage One. More recently the Head and Deputy Head teachers have attended several courses relating to the Proposal of the New Primary Curriculum. Sir Jim Rose has proposed a number of changes to the New Curriculum which will impact on transition and include moving away from Primary subjects and towards new ‘areas of learning’ that are intended to be linked to the EYFS. A number of staff meetings have taken place within our school discussing the review of the New Primary curriculum with all Teachers and hopefully will be implemented across the whole school as soon as possible this depending upon the forthcoming election. Unit meetings have started to take place enabling Foundation Staff and Year One staff to look at how the EYFS and the New Primary Curriculum objectives overlap/link enabling Year One teachers to continue each individual child’s learning journey. All teachers know that children are different, each one having their own ‘Unique’ individual needs. When a child leaves the Foundation Stage and enters Key stage one, they have not necessarily achieved all the objectives in their profile and therefore are not ready to access the Year one National Curriculum. I can see little benefit to any child beginning Year One Numeracy and Literacy objectives, in particular, with children who are not ready in terms of ability and maturity. It makes far better sense to begin Year One with the children’s profiles and to allow time for each child to achieve all the profile objectives before launching into the more demanding Year One objectives. If you look at the PSRN and CLL objectives for the latter part of the Early Years Foundation Stage and Numeracy and Literacy for Year One term one, there is an overlap, with the Early Years Foundation Stage goals including some of the National Curriculum level One. Similarly, there are objectives in the Early Years Foundation Stage profiles in other areas of learning which overlap with the Year one objectives in Science, History and Geography, ICT, Design technology and RE – KUW. PSHE and citizenship – PSED. Music, art, drama and creativity – CD and Physical development-PD. In addition, simply because a child moves from the Foundation Stage into Key Stage One shouldn’t mean that the curriculum ceases being active. Young children learn best when they are engaged in worthwhile, hands on experiences. On the same premise, play does not have to end but it needs to be teacher initiated and led in order to be of much educational value, for instance, children are unlikely to spell words correctly, if there isn’t a teacher to help sound out the letters in the word. Ros Bayley and Sally Featherstone are writers on teaching and learning have written a book entitled Smooth Transitions. In it they state ‘a three year olds brain is twice as active as an adult brain and this level of activity continues to the age of 9 or 10. Children develop 50% of their eventual ability to learn before the age of 4 and another 30% before they are 8. Adult interaction and physical activity continue to make a massive difference to learning during childhood’ When measuring the difference between boys and girls they found that ‘most girls have made sufficient links to their brains to begin the complex skills of reading and writing by the time they are four and a half while in most boys it is nearer to six’ They also say that research from all over the world tells us that children learn best from doing and that boys are â€Å"doers†. If we want boys to succeed in the Foundation Stage and into Key Stage One we must allow them to develop through an active curriculum. Bayley and Featherstone conclude that everything we know about the brain is consistent with the guidance for the Foundation Stage. We must use that knowledge in Key Stage One and use it to shape how we teach rather than what we teach. There will also be children in Foundation Stage who by the end of the year are already accessing aspects of Year One curriculum. This is sometimes of particular significance for the summer-born Foundation Stage children, who may turn five right at the end of the Foundation Stage year therefore close liaison between staff regarding the academic and personal aspects of each child’s development is absolutely vital. The detailed knowledge that support staff have of the children as people and learners should be shared. Time and effort invested in this will help with differentiation, as well as children’s wellbeing, on entry into Year One. As part of my research, I visited the Year One class teacher in our school to establish how she plans for the transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage into Year One and to get her views about whether the transition process the school has in place is a ‘seamless journey’ or if there was more staff could do to improve this. One of the Year One teacher’s worries as I am sure is the same with most Year One teachers is the pressure she feels under to achieve outcomes to get children ready for Year Two Standard Assessment Tests (SATS). But as from this year our school has abolished not only Year two but Year Six SATS as well. This will ease the pressure enabling her to concentrate more on the transition period and continuing each child’s learning journey. The transition process we have in place for starting Nursery and reception is, I believe a ‘seamless journey ’ The Early Years Foundation Unit recognise that the transition from the home to Nursery and Nursery to Reception class is an important step in a child’s school life and it is our intention to make this a positive experience for every child. We endeavour to provide our children with a smooth transition from home to Nursery and Nursery to Reception Class. Yewdale Early Years Foundation Unit brochure 2009/10) however my opinion is that the transition from The Early Years Foundation Unit to Year One has not been successful, perhaps this is because that since I have been working in the Unit, big changes have taken place; The Foundation co coordinator leaves, an NQT takes over reception class and the role of EYFS coordinator (who has made a huge impact to the unit and who has become a great team Leader and friend), a new head teacher takes over the school and the Nursery and Reception classes merge to become a Early Years Foundation Unit and the Year One teacher is on maternity leave. This module I believe has helped me to make a positive contribution to the whole school approach about how we are going to help the children leaving the Early Years Foundation Unit have a smooth transition into Year one. Meetings have taken place between the Early Years coordinator and foundation staff and the Year One teacher and teaching assistant to discuss as a team, strategies to support transitions and to imply them during the summer term. Taking into consideration, the aim of the EYFS, is to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes therefore by looking at the Every Child Matters document focusing on the five outcomes be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being I believe that by ensuring that children grow up to lead a safe, happy, healthy and successful life the transition strategy process should be; Be Healthy: Guidelines in place to ensure pupils physical and emotional health. Children are supported through the transition period by ensuring that Year One Staff have a full and accurate picture of each child’s needs prior to teaching them. During the Summer Term children have an opportunity to visit their new classes and meet their new teachers and stay for short visits and for the Year One teacher to visit in the reception class where the children are in familiar secure surroundings. Year One children have timetabled sessions in the Reception Outdoor area, the Year One class does not have access to their own outdoor area, and this enables hysical activity to take place in familiar surroundings. Stay Safe: The school to provide a safe environment and ensures that pupils know the school’s expectations for conduct and behaviour. Foundation Stage Unit Classes use the Key Stage One playground at lunch times throughout the school year and at playtimes during the Summer Term. This enables the children to become familiar with the rules and routines of Year One rules. From the Spring Term children in the Foundation Stage, reception age children only have access to morning playtimes and dinnertime playtimes. Enjoy and Achieve: The school provides an environment and atmosphere in which pupils feel safe and happy, and therefore can enjoy and achieve within the school environment. Children should see similar areas of provision in the Year One classroom e. g. role play, construction, sand/water, writing materials, well organised and accessible resources, staff working together, children should experience a similar environment. Learning through first hand experiences and being able to learn outside. The Year One class has got similar continuous provision areas to the Early Years Foundation Unit, which includes role play, sand/water, creative, construction, small world, reading area and access to laptops. They do not have access to their own outdoor area, this is the case in many schools, but do have three outdoor ‘playtimes’ a day two with Reception and Key stage one and one at lunch time with the whole school. Resources in Year One should be built up to reflect the Reception classes and more kinaesthetic experiences have been woven into the curriculum. The Foundation Unit and Year One class conduct PSHE and Circle Time Sessions using the SEAL/SEAD Programme and provide opportunities to share children’s thoughts and feelings regarding transition into Year One and to incorporate a variety of learning styles into Foundation Stage and Year One planning to engage all children, I think it is very important as a practitioner to take time to find out how the children in your care feel, therefore by giving them opportunities to express their feelings through drawing, painting or writing will help us to make their journey as seamless as possible. Make a Positive Contribution: Pupils are supported and helped to develop socially and emotionally through Circle Time (SEAL), classroom rules and routines and the schools’ Behaviour Policy. From Reception children are able to represent their class through the forum of the School Council so that pupils’ voices are heard. These meetings are held weekly and discussed with the rest of the school during assembly times. Achieve Economic Well-Being: Aim to provide good quality education and to prepare pupils for the future. Looking at the continuity of teaching and learning an effective curriculum delivery, in the Summer Term Reception Classes should begin to take on some elements of the more formal aspects of learning, whilst still engaging in active learning experiences. This continues in the Autumn Term of Year One and beyond. Reception and Year One staff liaise closely during the Autumn Term to ensure that the needs of individual children are fully understood in context and therefore met, within the educational setting of the classroom and the school. The new primary curriculum builds on the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage and promotes play-based learning. In the early stage the content of the curriculum is generic to the area of learning therefore the curriculum is now more reflective of the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and builds on and extends the experiences children have had during the Foundation Stage by planning for a variety of learning styles, such as role play, and imaginative play, visits and visitors, practical activities. Children’s personal and independent learning should be encouraged through opportunity to choose activities and resources, so encouraging their ability to make decisions and own their own work. This is already happening in the Foundation Unit and so supports the transition process. Data from the Foundation Stage Profiles is used to inform planning and assessment processes in Year One. The Year one teacher will look at the Foundation Stage profiles and start by ‘filling in the gaps’ as stated where children have not attained the Early Learning Goals by the end of the Reception years, Year 1 teachers should ensure gradual and smooth transition from the foundation ethos to the more structures, teacher-directed ethos of Key Stage,(Lesley Staggs, 2004) this can only be done if their learning journeys including foundation profile data are forwarded to her and that each child’s learning and personal needs are fully discussed with the Year One teacher. The teacher can then start to find out as much as she can about the child as a learner and to use the information to plan the next steps. Children in the Reception class with Special Educational Needs who receive one to one support or are part of our morning Nurture group, the transition will be handled sensitively to ensure support continues in Year One if appropriate. It is equally important that parents/carers are informed and asked about how they feel about the transition not only for their children but how they feel themselves. All families are important and should be welcomed and valued in all settings (EYFS 2. 2, 2008) Schools should have a very strong ethos of volunteer parental help within the classroom and in the school as a whole. This is well established in our Foundation Stage Unit and continues throughout Key Stage One and beyond. This tradition supports children in their transition between Key Stages. Parents/carers in the Early Years Foundation Unit and Key Stage One are offered the opportunity to attend a Family Learning free 14 hour course to help them to recognise how children develop number skills through play. It is designed to support parents in helping their child to achieve their full potential at school. During the Autumn term there will be a literacy based course held. Parents/carers will from this year receive a Key Stage One Booklet produced by the school at the beginning of the Autumn Term that supports parents in understanding the changes their child will experience, and so be able to support them during and after the summer school holidays in making the transition. Parent’s Evenings are held three times a year given opportunities for staff parents/carers to discuss child’s development and any concerns. In addition to this the Foundation Unit encourages an ‘Open Door’ policy where parents are welcome to come and discuss their concerns and their child’s needs at any time during the school year. This applies in Year One too. It is also important to remember that after the transition has taken place, Foundation Stage and Key Stage One Co-ordinators work with their teams to ensure that the transition Policy is implemented effectively and Foundation Stage and Key Stage One staff meet regularly throughout the year to discuss the progress of both groups and individual children in both Key Stages. In conclusion, I feel that by carrying out research before and during this module has helped me to understand the great importance of a smooth transition for children in the Foundation Unit moving to Key stage One and not only does it involve the children but also various staff members and parents/carers. It involves time, thought and commitment to ensure that it is a positive experience for all children and can only be a success by Foundation Staff and Year One staff working closely together. We are still in the early stages in our school at introducing new ways of working together as a team to produce a seam-free transition for every child, I think so far so good! We are coming to the end of Summer term one and strategies are in place for Summer Term Two including a draft copy of a Transition Policy. Unless the transition is well managed children may become disengaged, learning could be impeded and there may be a consequent rise in poor behaviour as children struggle to adapt to a different and more formal approach. (DFES 2004)