Histoy Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Histoy Final - Essay Example He was known as one of the â€Å"Fathers of the Church† his writings are the secondary foundation of the Christian faith. St. Augustine has been especially influential in molding belief in Christianity. His â€Å"Confessions and The e City of God† has been the most important repositories of Christian teaching (134). The Treaty of Verdun in 843 during the Holy Roman Empire is the treaty that established peace and is one of the most important treaties in world history because its general linguistic and cultural borders it established still exist today (746). Charlemagne was the greatest of German kings and was also known as Charles the Great (768–800) and the first Holy Roman Emperor (800–814) of the empire. He was also the first German ruler to accept Roman Christianity. He was rewarded with the establishment of the largest territory under one ruler since Roman times and by Pope Leo III’s granting him the title of Emperor (138). The Crusades during the medieval era contributed to peace in Europe by allowing young nobles to exercise their warlike impulses in a church-approved arena. Starting with the First Crusade in 1096, thousands of aggressive sons of the nobility went to Palestine or Eastern Europe to fight the nonbelievers thus recovering the long-lost Holy Land-Jerusalem (251). The Bourgeoisie during the Economic Revival-11th century are people in the upper middle class: doctors, lawyers, royal and clerical officeholders, and the merchants. They were educated, status-conscious people who lived within the bourg which a walled settlement was meant to protect life and property. The One Hundred Years War dealt a heavy blow to the French monarchy during the European Middle Ages, which was rescued from disintegration through Joan of Arc. The war also ended the domination of the field of battle by noble horsemen and started the coming of modern gunpowder warfare (252). The Great Schism during the European Middle Ages (1378–1417) marked

Organizational Behavior Concerning Change within the Workplace Term Paper

Organizational Behavior Concerning Change within the Workplace - Term Paper Example ABC Merchandise, a U.S-based manufacturer of sports products, is facing a pronounced downturn in business. Top management has decided to reduce its workforce. This managerial action is expected to improve the efficiency of the firm and, subsequently, to enhance its competitiveness. Their management is facing the question of how to go about downsizing and which downsizing strategy or strategies to adopt? A downsizing strategy directly, or indirectly, impacts stakeholders such as management and non-management employees, communities, suppliers, and customers. At issue is whether the savings from employee reductions may, under certain conditions, be more than offset by rising agency costs and other stakeholder costs. Studies conducted by Amundson, Borgen, Jordan, & Erlebach (2004) and Armstrong-Stassen (2004) have highlighted negative effects of firing and layoffs on surviving employees, which include high degrees of stress due to increased workloads and job insecurity, reduction in orga nizational commitment, and lack of trust in management. Therefore it is important that downsizing process must entail long term thinking and it should b done in the context of coherent plan. Downsizing: Impact on Stakeholders Not all downsizing outcomes are positive. The evidence continues to prove that downsizing is risky business, often leaving a legacy of inhumane management which targets only symptoms and in the long run destroys the future health of the organization. About half of the organizations never see the benefits expected from downsizing. Long-term decreases in labor costs are achieved by fewer than two-thirds of the organizations that downsize and less than half of the organizations realize any lasting improvements in profitability (Hopkins & Weathington, 2006). The simple fact is downsizing doesn't guarantee increased profits. Organization begins internal and external actions to reduce costs. If downsizing is selected, four steps follow: (a) planning for downsizing, ( b) communication of the workforce reduction, (c) implementation of the reduction, and (d) managing the new workforce (Mondy & Noe, 1993). Each of these steps has associated human resource issues. During the planning stage, rumors and unintended organizational messages are a problem, because the anticipation of reductions interferes with communication. During the actual reductions, coping with the reduction activity is the chief concern. Finally, when managing the new workforce, survivor issues emerge. All of these lead to reduced organizational effectiveness indicated by increased turnover and decreased productivity (Mondy & Noe, 1993). Companies often manage to eliminate the right numbers of people in the wrong areas or lose some of the best minds, especially if cost cutting is the driving force (Mondy & Noe, 1993). New employees must be recruited and trained, contractors hired, or ex ­-employees brought back as contractors. All of these situations create problems. Unfortunately, the increased costs for training the workforce, working necessary overtime, contributing to retiree health benefits, and making severance payments catch organizations unprepared for the total expense. Prospective employees are likely to avoid a

Anabolic Steroids: Types, Applications and Implications

Anabolic Steroids: Types, Applications and Implications THE SCOPE AND HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF DOPING IN SPORTS: ANABOLIC STEROID USE IN WEIGHTLIFTERS AND TEENS AND THEIR EFFECTS. KOJO O. KUNTU-BLANKSON INTRODUCTION There have been many definitions for doping. The current official definition of doping is given based on the World Anti-Doping Code as follows: â€Å"Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the anti-doping rule violations set forth in Article 2.1 through article 2.8 of the World Anti-Doping Code.† Doping can also be defined as the deliberate or inadvertent use by an athlete of a substance or method banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other related organisations, to gain unfair advantage or to enhance performance. Performance-enhancing substances have been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine by societies around the world, with the aim of promoting vitality and strength.[1]. The use of gonadal hormones pre-dates their identification and isolation. Medical use of testicle extract began in the late 19th century, while its effects on strength were still being studied.[2] Testosterone, the most active anabolic-androgenic steroid produced by Leydig cells in the testes, was first isolated in 1935 and chemically synthesized later in the same year. Synthetic derivatives of testosterone quickly followed. By the end of the following decade, both testosterone and its derivatives were applied with varying degrees of success for a number of medical conditions. It was not until the 1950s, however, that athletes began to discover that anabolic steroids could increase their muscle mass. According to sports physician John Ziegler, the first confirmed use of an anabolic steroid in an international athletic competition was at the weightlifting championships in Vienna in 1954, when the Russians weightlifters used testosterone.[5] Sport goes beyond a measure of athletic excellence and the winning of trophies and medals. Sport is an integral thread in the fabric of society and enriches our daily lives. Most of us have a favourite sport we play or follow with a passion be it soccer, rugby, swimming, cycling, athletics, winter sports or our national games of hurling, football and handball. The most honourable among us are perhaps those who have competed in sport and hold true its finest principles. True winners are those who achieve their goals through talent, skill, training, motivation and rising to all the challenges their sports present. Increasingly, however, a win at all costs ethos that undermines the very integrity of sport has entered the arena and a new game is at stake, the dangerous and sometimes deadly game of doping. Some ergogenic drugs used by athletes are categorized into blood boosters, diuretics, lean mass building, masking drugs, painkillers, sedatives and stimulants. Blood boosters e.g. erythropoietin, increase the athlete’s blood oxygen-carrying capacity, above its natural capacity, giving the athlete unfair advantage over his/her non-doping colleague in endurance games like marathons, swimming, cycling etc. Diuretics help eliminate fluid from the body. Athletes who need to maintain a certain weight level for competition could use these to decrease their weight. They can also be used as masking agents because they dilute urine and decrease the likelihood of detecting the presence of other drugs. Lean mass builders increase the growth of the body’s muscle. This category includes several different classes of drugs, particularly, the more popularly known anabolic steroids which’s the focus of this review and human growth hormone. These are used in strength games like weightlifting, shot put, discus throwing etc. Methods of doping include blood doping and gene doping. Blood doping can be either autologous or homologous transfusi ons, to help to improve their blood-oxygen carrying capacity. Advancements in gene therapy for medical reasons mean potential cheats might seek to undergo procedures to modify their genes to enhance their physical capabilities. Doping in sports is a huge societal problem. No longer limited to elite athletes, it is increasingly found in amateur and school sports that teens or adolescents in their early or mid-puberty are engaged in. The use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AS) is perceived by the media, by segments of the sports medicine and athletic communities, and by the public to have grown to epidemic proportions. Unfortunately, the incidence and prevalence of AS use among elite, amateur, and recreational athletes is poorly documented. BODY STEROIDS Steroids are any of numerous naturally occurring or synthetic fat-soluble organic compounds having as a basis seventeen carbon atoms arranged in four rings. Steroids are important in body chemistry and include steroid hormones such as the gonadal or sex steroids (which include androgens e.g., estrogens and progesterone), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids, and mineralocorticoids); vitamins of the D group; and the sterols, including cholesterol, the main building block of the steroid hormones in the body. ANABOLIC STEROIDS Anabolic androgenic steroids commonly called roids, juice, hype or pump, are synthetic derivatives of testosterone, which is the primary male sex hormone, but is also present in the female. They are a class of drugs that are legally available only by prescription and are prescribed to treat a variety of conditions that cause a loss of lean muscle mass. They produce anabolic activity by increasing protein synthesis, epiphyses closure of long bones during puberty, enlargement of larynx and vocal cords, improvement of red cells number, reduce body fat and androgenic activity (enhanced secondary sexual characteristics). These compounds can produce a significant increase in muscular size and physical strength in both males and females and therefore used in sports and bodybuilding (weightlifting) to enhance strength or physique. They can be either oral or injectable. The oral ones include: Anadrol (oxymetholone), Oxandrin (oxandrolone), Dianabol (methandrostenolone) and Winstrol (stanozolo l). The injectable ones include: Deca-Durabolin (nandrolone decanoate),Durabolin (nandrolone phenpropionate), Depo-Testosterone (testosterone cypionate) and Equipoise (boldenone undecylenate). HOW ANABOLIC STEROIDS ARE TAKEN Anabolic steroids are either taken by mouth or injected into a muscle. The orals, as they are called, are ingested tablets or capsules. These forms are reportedly more toxic to the liver. Often the orals are taken in conjunction with injectable forms. The injectable forms are known as oils or waters. The oils refer to the long-acting types. They are injected into a muscle, usually the buttocks, and the steroid is released slowly over time. Typically, these drugs are injected only a couple of times a week. The waters are short-acting forms. Again, these are injected, usually in the buttocks, but they work much faster and are eliminated much more quickly. There are two ways for anabolic steroids administration. Oral steroids are highly potent and are excreted fairly rapidly from the body due to short metabolic half-lives, (usually within weeks). So, oral steroids are the first choice for athletes who want to rapidly improve their performance and try to escape showing positive results o n drug tests. These drugs, however, are the most toxic and have more side effects. Injectable steroids are less potent and generally exhibit delayed uptake into the body, especially if they are oil-based diluents. They have less liver toxicity than oral steroids, but they are being less used by athletes because of having detectability in drug tests for long periods. It should be noted that doses used by athletes often greatly exceed doses recommended for legitimate medical reasons, causing the potential for even greater negative consequences. Moreover, many athletes will use more than one anabolic steroid simultaneously. There are three common regimens practiced by anabolic steroid abusers: cycling, stacking and pyramiding. In cycling, the athletes take the steroid for six to twelve weeks and then stops for ten to twelve weeks. The steroid can be oral or injectable and doses are often ten to hundred times higher than standard therapeutic dose. Stacking is the use of more than one anabolic steroid at a time to break through response plateaus that often occurs. About forty percent of steroid abusers use this kind of regimen, presenting a high risk for central nervous system. Athletes can sometimes start with low dose of anabolic steroids, increasing the dose over a period of weeks, and then gradually tapering off before ending the regimen. This is known as pyramiding. MECHANISM OF ACTION OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS The ergogenic effects of anabolic steroids use are valued for three main mechanisms of action: They shift the nitrogen equilibrium to the positive side for better utilization of ingested protein and the increased retention of nitrogen. Although temporary and needing a high-protein complementary diet, this effect helps the body to build muscles. The formation of a steroid-receptor complex in skeletal muscle stimulates the RNA-polymerase system which, in turn, increases protein synthesis in the cell. Anabolic steroids compete for glucocorticoides receptors, resulting in an anti-catabolic effect by blocking the protein synthesis inhibition which physiologically occurs after exercises due to glucocorticoides liberation. Frequently, an euphoric and more aggressive behavior are experienced by anabolic steroids users, stimulating them to practice more and without fatigue for longer periods. ANABOLIC STEROID AND SPORTS: WINNING AT ANY COST. To excel in athletic competition is admirable. Most high school, college, amateur and professional athletes participate in sports for the opportunity to pit their abilities against those of their peers, and to experience the satisfaction that comes from playing to their potential. Others do so to satisfy a desire for recognition and fame. Unfortunately, that creates some atheletes who are determined to win at any cost. And, they may use that determination to justify the use of anabolic steroids, despite evidence that these drugs can inflict irreversible physical harm and have significant side effects. Dietary supplements and ergogenic agents, including anabolic steroids, are common components of present-day bodybuilder and weightlifter training regimens. Prior reports of anabolic steroid use suggest polypharmacy and high doses of injectable agents. Anabolic steroid use among weightlifters and bodybuilders continues till date. For almost three decades, athletes have been supplementing their strength program with anabolic steroids to enhance their performance. To be sure, anabolic steroids are effective supplements to strength training programs, but there is no doubt that the consequences can be deleterious. The number of athletes who abuse anabolic steroids is unknown. Many athletic associations ban their use, including the National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Olympics, so few athletes are willing to admit that they use these drugs. The NFL tests its athletes for illicit use. Players who test positive face suspension and, upon testing positive a second time, are expelled from the League. MLB players are tested once a year, and if they test positive they can be suspended for up to ten days. If a player tests positive after the first test, they can be suspended without pay for up to one year. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Sports Medicine condemn the use of anabolic steroids for enhancement of sports performance or body building. WHY SOME ATHLETES ABUSE ANABOLIC STEROIDS Believing that anabolic steroids can improve competitiveness and performance, uninformed or misguided athletes, sometimes encouraged by coaches or parents, abuse these drugs to build lean muscle mass, promote aggressiveness, increase body weight, to improve ones physical appearance and as self-medication to recover from injury. HOW ATHLETES OBTAIN ANABOLIC STEROIDS Athletes may obtain banned medicines from physicians, pharmacists, retail outlets, health and lifestyle magazines, gymnasiums, coaches, family members, fellow athletes, the internet and the black market. Many doctors may prescribe unwittingly for what they trust is a genuine complaint, 10, 14 16 and there are no controls on mail order and internet sales. TESTING PROCEDURES The advent of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry in the early 1980s transformed the success of drug testing.Moreover the new age of gene transfer technology (GTT) will gradually render dope testing control systems obsolete; GTT will increase muscle growth by as much as 28%.4 Doping is a major ethical, educational, financial, health and management problem and governments have a poor track record in controlling its spread.25 TEEN/ADOLESCENT USE OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS Increasing numbers of adolescents are turning to steroids for cosmetic reasons. The common link among them is the desire to look, perform and feel better at almost any cost. Users-and especially the young-are apt to ignore or deny warnings about health risks. If they see friends growing taller and stronger on steroids, they want the same benefits. They want to believe in the power of the drug. EFFECTS OF ANABOLIC STEROID USE IN WEIGHTLIFTERS AND TEENS Although anabolic steroids can boost physical performance, promote aggressiveness on the field, increase body weight, improve ones physical appearance and as self-medication to recover from injury, they have side effects that can impair athletic performance and also affect the quality of life abusers. Many athletes take anabolic steroids at doses that are much higher than those prescribed for medical reasons, and most of what is known about the drugs effects on athletes comes from observing users. While the total impact of anabolic steroid abuse is not known, health care providers have observed the following problems in the blood, liver, heart, skeleton, skin and immune systems of users especially weightlifters. Cholesterol patterns associated with coronary heart disease, obstructed blood vessels, or stroke are some of the problems associated with the blood. In the heart, increased cholesterol eventually leads to high blood pressure. Impaired liver function, Peliosis hepatitis (blood -filled cysts that can rupture and cause liver failure) and tumours are observed in livers of weightlifters (both men and women) who abuse anabolic steroids. Bone growth is among the body processes that can shut down with steroid use. Adolescents/teens on anabolic steroids may find their muscles bulking up, but bone growth stops with premature fusion of the epiphysis (growth centre) of long bones. The result is permanently stunted growth. There is risk until bones stop growing. Appearance of, or increasing acne and other skin rashes or ailments, male pattern baldness, edema (water retention/swelling), striae (stretch marks) are also observed on the skin. The immune system is also compromised when abusers share hypodermic needles infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and hepatitis B virus to administer these steroids. By sharing needles, syringes or other equipment, a person becomes a high risk for HIV transmission. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Aquired Immunodeficien cy Syndrome). Abusers also experience psychological problems like Mood swings, aggressive (even violent behaviour), depression, psychotic episodes, mania and addiction. Since anabolic steroids are derived from testosterone, they can have profound effects on the hormone levels of both male and female abusers. In men, these problems can cause any of the following problems: Temporary infertility or sterility (reversible), altered sex drive, prostate enlargement, and increased prostate cancer risk, gynecomastia, priapism, shrinkage of the testicles,reduced levels of testosterone, abnormal sperm production. Health care providers have reported the following problems in women: Increased risk of cervical and endometrial cancer, increased risk of osteoporosis, temporary infertility or sterility (reversible), altered sex drive, birth defects in future children, changes in fat distribution, growth of facial and body hair, deepening of the voice, shrinkage of the breasts and uterus, clitoral enlargement, menstrual irregularity. Changes in the male reproductive system are often reversible, if anabolic steroids have not been abused for a long period of time. Unfortunately, some of the changes in women are not reversible. Prolonged abuse of anabolic steroids very often results in physical addiction. Abusers must undergo a strict, medically-supervised withdrawal program. There are social consequences of committing anti-doping rule violations (ADRV). Sanction may include: loss of sponsorship deals, loss of income, wiping out of previous achievements, damaged relationships with friends and family, i solation from peers and sports and damage to future career prospects. ENDING THE ABUSE OF ANABOLIC STEROIDS Athletes who are really serious about their health and sports and aim to improve their physical strength, performance and appearance can keep the following tips in mind: Train safely, without using drugs, eat a healthy diet, get plenty of rest, set realistic goals and be proud of themselves when they reach them, seek out training supervision, coaching and advice from a reliable professional, avoid injuries by playing safely and using protective gear.

Psychology :: essays research papers

Psyc 3331 Psychology of Gender Notes  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  02.02.05 Chapter 1 Key Terms †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Androcentric bias: discipline of psychology that is largely focused on men and describes men as superior and women as inferior. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bias in Research Methods: bias occurs in every part of the research process-from question formulation and research design to data analysis and interpretation †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Blatant sexism: occurs when women are treated in a transparently harmful and unequal way. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Covert sexism: form of sexism that’s intentional, hidden, and often hostile. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cultural approach: origins of gender stereotyping from a sociocultural perspective where children are socialized to act according to their culture. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cultural feminism: emphasizes characteristics and qualities of women that are devolved and ignored in society. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Division 35: APA’s division of the psychology of women (est.1973) †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Engendering psychology: a psychology which gender considerations are mainstreamed throughout the discipline. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Evolutionary psychology: developed by Wilson; psychological traits are selected through evolution †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism: belief that women and men are equal and should be equally valued and have equal rights. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1st wave feminism: began in 1903 with the founding of women’s social and political union †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  gender: different between boys and girls and women and men are averaged in society’s social interact; based on a composed set of traits, interests, and behaviors. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gender schema: structures that allow a person to organize information related to gender by linking gender labels to objects, traits, and behaviors. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gender stereotypes: cognitive representation of males and females; organized set of beliefs of psychological traits and characteristics as well as activities appropriate to men or women. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liberal feminism: focuses on equality of women and men †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Men’s movement: includes military, political, religion, and economic events that have benefited men †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Radical feminism: focuses on control of women by men; based on belief that men’s oppression of women is primary and serves as a model for all other oppression †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Science: knowledge based activity that depends on facts accumulated through systematic and objective questioning, hypothesis testing, methodological study, analysis, and presentation. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sex: biological difference in the genetic composition and reproductive structures and functions of men and women †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sex discrimination: harmful and unequal treatment of individuals due to their sex. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sexism: differential treatment of individuals based on their sex; subordination of women and assumption of the superiority of men solely on the basis of sex or gender †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Social constructionism: view by Foucault that human behavior determined by historical, cultural, and social conditions †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Socialist feminism: focuses on social relations and how social institutions preserve and promote male dominance. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sociobiology (Evolutionary Psychology): theory by Wilson that holds that psychological traits are selected through an evolutionary process; adaptive traits are selected because they serve to perpetuate the species.

Han and Greek Dbq Essay

The ancient societies of Greece and China each produced a civilization remarkable for its time. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, their philosophies were completely different, had various forms of governance, and had unique economic classes. First, the thoughts of the numerous Greek philosophers were absolutely different from those of the Chinese philosophers. Chinese philosophers believed that the individual was not as important as the kingdom was as a whole, whereas Greek philosophers consider the individuals as a crucial part of society. As shown in Document 12, the human is miniscule to the landscape around him, showing that the human is only a tiny piece in the civilization. The Greek Discus Thrower portrayed in Document 11, is depicting the view that the individual is the main focus of the society in which one resides. These two documents display how Han China and Classical Greece are different in their philosophies. Classical Greece looks at an individual as a key component in their daily life. Han China however does not look at an individual like the Greeks, but instead as a small piece in the vast kingdom. Confucius believes that by being a good person you are taking part in the government because one does not have take part in the government to be part of society, one must simply do what is right (Document 10). Confucius believes this because he has his own ideals that are separate from the government and as long as people are doing the right thing they are a part of the government. There is no document that portrays the take of a Greek philosopher simply on where an individual stands in the Greek state. This would allow one to know exactly the thoughts of a Greek philosopher and not only a Chinese philosopher. Second, the form of governance displayed by the Chinese civilization varied from that of the Greek civilization. The Greek civilization had developed a new form of government; democracy that contrasted from the bureaucracy in Han China. As shown in Document 7, the Han dynasty stresses a strong central government with many appointed governors to each district its dynasty possesses. However, the Athenian government was based on the people, so they basically governed themselves (Document 5). Also displayed in Document 8, they way the government is set up, anyone who has his own business has business in the government. That way if that person does not have any affairs at all is not involved in the government. Although in Document 6, the way anyone is in government is chosen by the heavens. This directly relates to how these civilization’s forms of governance are completely different. Pericles believes that democracy is the best government system because he displays an array of ways in which the government is of the people, such as â€Å"in settling of private disputes, everyone is equal before law† (Document 4). The Ancient Greece map in Document 1 displays an inaccurate proportion of size to the Han empire map that makes it seem that the Athenians controlled as much territory as the Han, where in reality they only controlled about a twelfth of the land that the Han did. There is no document that portrays a Chinese philosopher that may have his life in danger for the ideas he has. This would allow the reader to know what a Chinese philosopher would think about his place in society if he was questioned in what he believes in (Document 9). Third, the Han and Greek civilizations displayed numerous and unique economic classes that were different from each other. The Chinese economic classes consisted of six divisions whereas the Athenian economic classes consisted of four divisions. As shown in Document 2, there were as many free male citizens as free male non-citizens and about as many free females as slaves. The population distribution of Han China portrayed in Document 3 shows that there were only a few appointed officials along with the emperor, around thirteen times more educated bureaucrats, ten times as many aristocracies as bureaucrats, around 58,500,000 farmers, only 50,000 merchants, and 5,000,000 mean people. This shows how opposite the social classes of Classical Greece and Han Chin are. Aristotle believes that the class and job that a person has must keep that and try to learn that of another because there will be no more distinction between the master and the slave. Aristotle believes this because he is a high class citizen and he does not want to change his class. There is no document that accurately portrays the feelings of a slave on class distinctions. This would allow one to know the desires that a slave would have and why it would be better if he were able to move up in society. In conclusion, the ancient civilizations of Han China and Greece each created a society influential to the time period it flourished in. Although these civilizations emerged nearly one thousand years apart, they had unique economic classes, had various forms of governance, and their philosophies were completely different.

Exercise during pregnancy Essay

Pregnancy brings along a number of physiological, emotional and psychological changes for expectant mothers. Researchers, though they usually disagree on the intensity and type of physical activity or exercise that pregnant women should be involved in, agree that some form of exercise is useful for pregnant women. Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) discuss several research which highlight the psychological problems that some pregnant women face and the challenges in dealing with them (4). Smith and Michel (2006) sought to determine the effect an aquatic exercise program would have on the pregnant mother. The researchers wanted to find out if participant’s would be more willing to participate in health-promoting activities and if there would be any improvement to physical discomfort and mobility problems (5) as a result of the aquatic exercise program. Forty non-exercising pregnant women who were at least 19 weeks pregnant were recruited. Participants opted to be in either the experimental or control group with each having 20 members. Over a six-week period the 20 members of the experimental group were involved in three weekly 60 minute sessions of aquatic exercise. The members of the control group were instructed to continue their usual non-exercising routine (5). The researchers did pre-and post-test comparisons as well as comparisons between the results of both control and experimental group. The results from these comparisons supported the researchers’ hypotheses that exposure to the exercise program would have a positive impact on participants’ involvement in other health-promoting activities. Similarly it was found that those involved in the exercise program experienced less physical discomfort and demonstrated improvements in their mobility and perceptions of their body image (5). I believe the findings reported by Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) are quite useful for pregnant mothers who want to exercise but are worried about the type of exercises to perform. It appears that the aquatic exercises would be a welcome alternative to women than regular gym-type and strenuous exercises. It would be good if future research compared the effectiveness of these two types of exercises. Some researchers are not convinced that exercise alone can accomplish physical improvements for mothers, particularly during the advanced pregnancy stage. Depledge, McNair, Keal-Smith and Williams (2005) hypothesized that exercise with other supports could improve physical conditions. The research objective was to see if the conditions of pregnant women with symphysis pubis dysfunction, or pelvic joint pain, would improve with exercise and interventions such as advice and pelvic support belts. The researchers felt this study was essential given the increase in the number of pregnant women experiencing this condition. Methods that would diminish pelvic discomfort in pregnant women would therefore be quite useful in improving how well this condition is dealt with both by clinicians and the expectant mothers themselves (1). The participants in the research were randomly assigned to one of three groups. There was an exercise only group along with advice, a group that combined exercise with wearing a non-rigid support belt and the third group combined exercise with a rigid support belt. Participants were divided into each group relatively evenly – 30, 28 and 29 respectively. The intervention program lasted for a week and pre- and post- test analysis of level of discomfort and intensity of pelvic pain were recorded (1). The results of the research revealed that all three groups reported some amount of improvement in their pelvic pain over the period. However the variation between groups was not very significant (1). I found the results of this research to be particularly interesting since it suggests that the use of support belts does not result in any additional improvements over exercise. This demonstrates the extent to which exercise can improve the conditions of pregnant women, even those with considerable levels of pelvic pain due to symphsis pubis dysfunction. Often some mothers desiring to participate in exercise are confused by physician’s reports which suggest that exercise is unsafe for the expectant mothers because of the risk of maternal hypothermia (2) and an untimely or late delivery (3). In fact Poudevigne and O’Connor (2006) did a comprehensive review of research on the subject and discovered that a significant number of women, who were physically active before their pregnancy, demonstrated a decrease in these activities throughout their pregnancy (4). Larsson & Lindqvist (2005) tested the merits of this position in a study of 37 pregnant women participating in low-impact exercises (2). They discovered little risk to the pregnant women who revealed comparable core temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation as compared to a control of 11. This suggests therefore, that the participants and, by extension, pregnant mothers at whatever stage of pregnancy, are at little risk of maternal hypothermia doing low-impact exercises (2). Similarly Leiferman and Evenson (2003) report in their study of close to 10, 000 mothers, that there was little or no risk that mothers would deliver their babies either pre- or post- term as the skeptics of exercise during pregnancy usually suggest (3). This information I find relieving for mothers who are concerned about the welfare of the fetus during exercise. Since there is little risk with low-impact exercises pregnant mothers should no longer have significant objections to exercise. Evidently research supports the view that exercise during pregnancy is harmful neither to the mother nor the unborn fetus. Exercise seems to be beneficial in relieving some of the discomforts faced by expecting mothers both of the physical and psychological nature. While there is no suggestion that exercise offers much further benefits over other interventions or a sedentary lifestyle, it has not been shown to be harmful.

Reflection on Hamlet Essays

Reflection on Hamlet Essays Reflection on Hamlet Essay Reflection on Hamlet Essay Essay Topic: Hamlet In regards to the Shakespearean play Hamlet, over the years as interpretations of a variety of elements have changed the structures, features and the timeless issues have remained similar in content. These timeless issues are untouched by context as the human condition and the quest for satisfaction has remained unfaltering. In relation to context there are two major differing contexts in which the play can be viewed. These are the Elizabethan viewpoint and that of todays society. To the Elizabethan audience the play of Hamlet was a text of moral instruction whilst the context of todays society is that Hamlet is the study of the individual. This essay will outline what has been learnt throughout the course of Hamlet with references to the two main differing contexts. The Elizabethan context conveys a theme of Christian Redemptive message where Gods plan always prevails no matter what obstacles were presented. Therefore sin was punished and virtue rewarded. My understanding of this is in Hamlet it is that of rationalizing of behavior before impulsive action that affirms the values of the era. This is apparent through a variety of quotes such as to be or not to be, Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust. This shows Hamlets journey through the Christian message. Although the character of Hamlet procrastinates it is justified by his duty to God and religion. Through the quotes of or that the everlasting shows his devotion to God and fails to commit suicide. Another example is whilst Claudius is praying; although he fails to repent Hamlet is unable to murder him (whilst seeking vengeance) because Claudius appears to be repenting his sins. Hamlet is the study of the individual and how they attempt to balance internal desires and external pressures. Regardless of time/place the individual will always struggle with the balance of internal vs. external pressures. This is also apparent in Hamlet as the character Hamlet is unable to commit suicide as he has a duty to God. gainst self-slaughter. And thus he fails to suppress his internal desires too end it right now. Through humanity it is clear that there are many issues the individual face, these include suicide, duty, death and individuality/reality. These pressures provide the characters with a mean to express their viewpoints. In regards to the play, the characters of Polonius has suppressed his internal desires and replaced it with that of external pressures. He tells everybody what they want to hear as thus enables his own desires to be satisfied in an obscure manner. The quote very much like a whale, shows this and enables the audience to see the contrast in his character. The play has remained relevant over the years as the elements of human nature have remained constant. These elements include, quest for individuality, quest to understand death, quest for balance in life, pressures exerted on us both by internal and external forces. As human beings develop there is always a pursuit for satisfaction in life, the belief that there is something more to life than our selves. This is also apparent in the play Hamlet. When an audience member dwells upon the ideas that are present within the play, such as suicide, duty, illusion, death/heaven/hell, love, faith/religion it is clear that your personal understanding will make you question and re-think you ideas about them. To conclude it is clear that throughout time the themes, structure and relevance of the play has remained constant. The ever-changing values of the audience have changed, shifting the ideas that they bring forth thus creating new meanings. Although the play Hamlet can be seen in a variety of manners it is apparent that through the exploration of the characters/themes many new understandings of things in your own day to day life such as death/duty/reality enable us to perceive them in a more in-depth manner.

A Trip With Great Friends †English Composition Informal Essay

A Trip With Great Friends – English Composition Informal Essay Free Online Research Papers A Trip With Great Friends English Composition Informal Essay Last December I went to Taichung with three of my friends, William, Joe, and Timothy. It was the first time I took a short, one-day trip only with my friends. When I was a child my family always took a trip on weekends. We went to almost every famous tourist attraction in Taiwan; therefore, I got annoyed and tired of such trips while other children always envied my travel experiences. But, if I went to those places with my friends, not my family, maybe it would be more interesting. So I decided that one day in the future I would went on a trip with my friends. And last December on a weekend I made it. My friends and I had been looking forward to the trip so we didn’t want to waste any time at all. On the day we departed we woke up as the first light could be seen so that we could get to our destination earlier. We fell asleep as soon as we got on the train, and we arrived at Taichung Train Station at about eight o’clock. We walked out of the station and stopped at a map of Taichung city hanged on a pillar to point out the spots we would go to on these two days. Later on, we decided to go to Tunghai University first. We took a bus and watched the morning view of a city. In the city were lots of high buildings, which windows reflected the white clouds and the blue sky. It was really a pretty view which a city could have. After half an hour we got to Tunghai University. It had a large campus and many plants on it. But what impressed me most were the buildings. All the buildings there such as post office, library, activity center, restaurants, etc, looked like the ones i n old days. Between these quaint buildings were many narrow paths; beside these paths lay green trees swaying in the breeze. I took a deep breath, relaxing myself, and enjoyed the serene, peaceful moment. After visiting Tunghai University, it was the time for lunch. We went to a famous street, Ching Ming 1st Street, where many young people in Taichung like to go windows shopping such as Si Men Ting in Taipei. But the tables and chairs beside the street made a difference from other streets. We chose a table, seating ourselves, and ordered for tea and cakes instead of our lunch. Sunlight shinning on us through leaves was not flashing but mild. We stayed there till the night darkened the sky. On the street was a dairy cake shop called a special name, â€Å"The Dairy Cake Of A Convent At Sunrise.† It was a weird shop which was decorated as if a convent. The clerks there also wore deliberately in black like nuns. They said they were the nuns who studied dairy cakes in a convent and they sold dairy cakes only. I bought a dairy cake and sent it to my parents as a Christmas gift, though the shop was really strange as well as the clerks there. After that we took a taxi to Train Station and went on our return journey. The trip is short but it is a very good one than any other trips I have ever took. Traveling with my friends, I have different feelings about everything, though I have experienced it before. But what’s different is that I can share these feelings with my friends, so do they. With different people, you have different feelings. And this is also why the trip with friends can be so interesting and fascinating to me. Research Papers on A Trip With Great Friends - English Composition Informal EssayThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsThe Spring and AutumnUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoMind TravelTwilight of the UAWLifes What IfsPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyTrailblazing by Eric Anderson

Forced, Reluctant, and Voluntary Migration

Forced, Reluctant, and Voluntary Migration Human migration is the permanent or semi-permanent relocation of people from one location to another. This movement may occur domestically or internationally and can affect economic structures, population densities, culture, and politics. People either are made to move involuntarily (forced), are put in situations that encourage relocation (reluctant), or choose to migrate (voluntary). Forced Migration Forced migration is a negative form of migration, often the result of persecution, development, or exploitation. The largest and most devastating forced migration in human history was the African slave trade, which carried 12 to 30 million Africans from their homes and transported them to various parts of North America, Latin America, and the Middle East. Those Africans were taken against their will and forced to relocate. The Trail of Tears is another pernicious example of forced migration. Following the Indian Removal Act of 1830, tens of thousands of Native Americans living in the Southeast were forced to migrate to parts of contemporary Oklahoma (Land of the Red People in Choctaw). Tribes traversed up to nine states on foot, with many dying along the way. Forced migration is not always violent. One of the largest involuntary migrations in history was caused by development. The construction of Chinas Three Gorges Dam displaced nearly 1.5 million people and put 13 cities, 140 towns, and 1,350 villages underwater. Although new housing was provided for those forced to move, many people were not compensated fairly. Some of the newly designated areas were also less ideal geographically, not foundationally secure, or lacked agriculturally productive soil. Reluctant Migration Reluctant migration is a form of migration in which individuals are not forced to move, but do so because of an unfavorable situation at their current location. The large wave of Cubans who legally and illegally immigrated to the United States following the 1959 Cuban revolution is considered a form of reluctant migration. Fearing a communist government and leader Fidel Castro, many Cubans sought asylum overseas. With the exception of Castros political opponents, most of the Cuban exiles were not forced to leave but decided it was in their best interest to do so. As of the 2010 census, over 1.7 million Cubans resided in the United States, with the majority living in Florida and New Jersey. Another form of reluctant migration involved the internal relocation of many Louisiana residents following  Hurricane Katrina. After the calamity caused by the hurricane, many people decided to either move farther from the coast or out of state. With their homes destroyed, the states economy in ruin, and sea levels continuing to rise, they reluctantly left. At the local level, a change in ethnic or socioeconomic conditions usually brought on by invasion-succession or gentrification can also cause individuals to reluctantly relocate. A white neighborhood that has turned predominately black or a poor neighborhood turned gentrified can have a personal, social, and economic impact on longtime residents. Voluntary Migration Voluntary migration is migration based on ones free will and initiative. People move for a variety of reasons, and it involves weighing options and choices. Individuals who are interested in moving often analyze the push and pull factors of two locations before making their decision. The strongest factors influencing people to voluntarily move are the desire to live in a better home and employment opportunities. Other factors contributing to voluntary migration include: Change in lifes course (getting married, empty-nest, retirement)Politics (from a conservative state to one that recognizes gay marriage, for example)Individual personality (suburban life to city life) Americans on the Move With their intricate transportation infrastructure and high per-capita income, Americans have become some of the most mobile people on earth. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010 37.5 million people (or 12.5 percent of the population) changed residences. Of those, 69.3 percent stayed within the same county, 16.7 percent moved to a different county in the same state, and 11.5 percent moved to a different state. Unlike many underdeveloped countries where a family might live in the same home their entire lives, it is not uncommon for Americans to move multiple times within their life. Parents might choose to relocate to a better school district or neighborhood following the birth of a child. Many teenagers choose to leave for college in another area. Recent graduates go where their career is. Marriage might lead to the purchase of a new home, and retirement may take the couple elsewhere, yet again. When it comes to mobility by region, people in the Northeast were the least likely to move, with a move rate of just 8.3 percent in 2010. The Midwest had a move rate of 11.8 percent, the South- 13.6 percent, and the West - 14.7 percent. Principal cities within metropolitan areas experienced a population drop of 2.3 million people, while the suburbs experienced a net increase of 2.5 million. Young adults in their 20s are the most likely age group to move, while African Americans are the most likely race to move in America.

Mixed- Methods Research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mixed- Methods Research - Assignment Example The researcher is in a position to cover a wide scope because of a wide range of research questions since there is no confinement in a single approach. The method has its weakness such as increased costs of carrying out the research and more time is likely to be consumed before ones completes a given study (Creswell and Clark, 2007). The researcher has no choice but to learn how to integrate the different methods for a coherent study. I will use mixed methods design strategy because it will add more insights and understanding that is not achievable when using one approach. For instance, evaluating the features of childcare services will need one research method while understanding how the parents choose the particular methods of caregiving will require another research method. The on the number of mothers working outside their homes uses mixed methods approach. The quantitative method in this study was used to evaluate how parents check on different characteristics of childcare services given to their children. The researcher used qualitative method through questionnaires to establish the experiences of the mothers from their caregiving services. The researcher used mixed methods design in order to broaden the research questions and get more insights into caregiving services to the rural parents. I would have chosen the mixed methods approach in order to provide a strong proof for a deduction through corroboration of

Managing Communication Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managing Communication - Coursework Example SOK – Fitness is not an exception when it comes to appropriate management of information as it is the verge of remaining competitive and relevant in the market2. Members of the marketing team in SOK – Fitness come across a wide range of date in their daily operations most of which are significant for effective decision making in areas of improving the image and publicity of the Fitness Center. The information that gets at the disposal of the marketing team is highly concerned with the financial and sales aspects of the Fitness Center. Information and knowledge is collected from the both internal and external sources. Internal data is collected through everyday interaction with the customers. For instance, the marketing team derives a wide range of information from the visit reports by the sales personnel, received and delivered orders, return inwards, customer enquiries, sales invoices, and recorded costs3. Marketers’ interaction with the clients provides a vital source of secondary information which can be used for marketing research. A wide range of information is also collected from the external sources which include but not limited to Government statistics, Trade associations, Commercial services, National and international institutions. Most of the information gathered from external sources does not directly reflect the affairs and business processes of the organizations4. However, they portray an aggregate data about the affairs of the entire industry. Such information is considered relevant because it is gathered from various operators in the fitness center and as such they are highly valuable market research purposes5. Before information is formatted in SOK – Fitness it is first categorized into whether it should be structured or unstructured. Structured information refers to information which should formatted using specified rules and guidelines for precision and formality while unstructured information does not require rule s and guidelines when being formatted. Unstructured data will be used for unstructured decisions while the structured information shall be used for structured decisions6. Another important point to consider when formatting information in the Fitness Center is the scope and frequency of use. Computer system will be used for formatting the information gathered from various sources that is both internal and external sources. Management information systems, Expert Systems and Decision Support Systems will be used for formatting and procession of the data gathered from internal and external sources for a highly intelligible information that would ease decision making process. Already formatted information will be stored in secondary storage devices such as computer hard disks and the compact disks for future utilization7. Marketing team in the SOK – Fitness are relying on the easiest way of storing information gathered from various sources as well as the already formatted informat ion in computer hard disk and compact disks as this does not involve exorbitant spending on storage of information. The choice of a storage facility will have an impact on the effectiveness on the data in future. A wrong choice will translate to significant damages on data stored8. The stored information

Sexual Exploitation of Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sexual Exploitation of Women - Essay Example Moreover, the nuisance in the society can be regulated but not at the expense of the safety, health and lives of individuals. Sale of sex for cash is not hampered by the constitution. However, the harm on the laws should not exceed the objectives of the federal government adopting it. When the court advised the government through the parliament to revise the laws on sex trade, the federal government argued that sex workers chose to affirmatively embrace risks that emanate from the dangerous trade (John, 2014). One of the dangers is violence on women by their clients. On the screens of reality, most prostitutes who resort to the trade are not usually driven by their own accord but other factors. Therefore, this paper seeks to elaborate conceptions about prostitutions by incorporating feminism (Native Women’s Association of Canada, 2015).Prostitution has become a social challenge due to the dynamics of the society despite its negative implication especially on women. Some of the prohibited activities are: prostitutes are not allowed to offer their services outdoors or even outside their homes; living on avails of prostitution aimed at another individual benefiting from another’s prostitution; and offering of services in public. The prohibition of not offering services outdoors is aimed at deterring the community from disruption and that concerning living on avails of sex trade is aimed at the eradication of pimps. On the other hand, prohibiting prostitutes from offering services publicly is channeled towards eradicating sex work out of the public view hence minimizing nuisance. However, there are several feminists with varied opinions on the issue in discussion (John, 2014). Other feminists perceive prostitution to be bad and retrogressive towards the steps taken towards female equality while some have a contrary opinion. They vindicate their views that prostitution is illegal

Concept Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Concept Paper - Assignment Example This results in a gap in their performance as they attempt to perform their role as a leader. (Boak, 2001) The context of my study is to evaluate the need for the restructuring of leadership training in retail management. The need for competent leaders is a bare necessity in the modern retail industry and an essential pre-requisite for its sustenance and growth. The need for able leadership in the retail sector was upheld in the ‘Retail Davos’- the Retail Leadership Forum held on the 13th and14th of September 2011. This event hosted by the global business advisory giants like Goldman Sachs, Korn/Ferry International and OC&C Strategy Consultants, discussed the role of leadership in the modern era of retailing. According to the speakers at the forum, the retail leaders in future will require â€Å"a new set of leadership skills in order to adapt to the changing dynamics in the fact paced industry.† (Harrison, 2011) This has become a pressing issue on the regional as well as global level. And this is what makes this research problem a matter of substantial business interest. In the present business era marked by fierce competition, many global and local retailers are awakening to realize their most critical survival challenge in the forthcoming years. Already caught in the cobweb of competition, pricing, consumer preferences and global extension, the new challenge that has baffled the retail industry is the need for competent leaders. (Florida, 2006; Higgs, 2001; Stalk, 1992) The retail heads across the world have understood that in order to achieve successful organizational growth, it is vital to find and engage the right leadership. (Lengnick-Hall, 2003; Shim, 2002) Studies in retail leadership conducted by Korn/Ferry in collaboration with the World Retail Congress have shown that the lack of right leadership talent can severely affect the development and expansion of retailers, thereby hampering their business growth. (Morel-Curran, 2008) My study

Working with children from birth to age 5 years Assignment

Working with children from birth to age 5 years - Assignment Example They need a safe environment along with proper care to lead a healthy life. This paper aims to provide the basic understanding about the environment which should be arranged for their active learning and safety. This paper is a guideline for the setting for young children from birth to age 5 years. Safety and Health Requirements Safety is one of the main concerns when dealing with children up to 5 years of age. The babies and young children should be prevented from cot death. They must be properly put down for sleep i.e. preferably ‘feet to foo’ position. The temperature of the environment should be normal for the safety of children and the prevention of illness and other issues. Babies should not be left alone at any instance especially for longer periods. Smoky environment is particularly harmful for babies and hence, adults should never smoke in front of them. Children tend to climb furniture, stairs and other surfaces higher than the floor and for a safe environment it is necessary that the baby is kept away from all surfaces which may lead to a fall. A person who can watch the baby all the time can ensure that the baby does not fall. Avoid any objects which the children may put into their mouths. Keep such objects away from the reach of children as they are dangerous for them. Choking and swallowing incidents may be avoided by careful consideration given to tiny objects which a child may spot. The electric cords and outlets should be out of reach of the children. They may get electric shocks either by touching, biting or playing with those electric cords and outlets or by poking metal material in them. The preventions against electrocution are hence, necessary. Placing heavy furniture in front of the outlets, keeping cords way higher than their reach and cover the electric outlets tightly are some of measures to prevent electrocution accidents. All these preventions are necessary to ensure that the children get a safe and sound environment (He berle & Scutella p 44-48). The children from a very tender age have certain physical and health requirements which need to be fulfilled. Parents are advised to send lunch with children so that they are able to study with a healthy mind. The children of a young age need to have their breakfast daily so they can be healthy. Children need an environment in which they can get toys to play with and hence to promote a better learning environment it is necessary some sort of toys are given to them (Tassoni 2007 p.516). Setting needed for an educational environment All over the world it is seen that education has become a primary necessity for every individual. Today the class or race does not matter much but rather the education one achieves has a greater importance. Special students have also been given preference when it comes to studies. Classroom Management Plans are designed to help students to achieve a better grade and better environment to study (Khalsa 2007). Young children have s pecific requirements of these classroom management plans which revolve around the visual environment and the physical arrangement in the class. Visual learning is a way through which the children can be encouraged to study as they are attracted towards the colors and drawings. Similarly walls are also decorated in such a way that the students are attracted to the charts on the walls. Different posters about the classrooms are put on the walls which are there to attract students. These visuals are quite important for the children who are studying these days as this would promote better understanding in the class (Tassoni 2007 p 27-30) Physical arrangement of the chairs on which the children sit are also considered important because it would allow more room to the children. Children at a

'How far do you agree that poverty has a direct link to health' Essay

'How far do you agree that poverty has a direct link to health' - Essay Example Karl Marx, a great philosopher, believed that societies progress through a coherence of class struggle between the rich who controls societal systems and underprivileged members of society who act as their subjects. According to Marx, the scenery of societal systems could be improved through the idea of socialism where all members of the society enjoy a fair and equal share. The essay will examine how the societal systems contribute to poverty whose impacts are felt in access to health care. This essay offers valuable and elaborate guidance for health service providers. The assessment of the aspects poverty in relation to access to health care shows a close link both abstractly and operationally. Link between Health and Poverty Access to good health care is dependent on the financial status of an individual. Poor people have limited access to health care facilities as compared to the rich people. It is worth noting that material deficiency and the numerous social disadvantages associ ated with poverty makes it impossible for poor people to access health care (Pieratt-Seeley, 2002, p. 232). Due to the strong connection between poverty and health, there have been deliberate efforts to reduce poverty as one of the ways to make it possible for all people to access health care. ... These mechanisms can help clarify why the impacts of poverty on health may continue to hit if poverty is considered in relation provisions rather than as an absolute deficiency (Saunders, 1998, p. 13). Assessing the links between poverty and health is significant for policy makers since it draws consideration to the likelihood that poverty can be associated with adverse health outcomes. It also helps in examining the distribution of income and health inequalities. Moreover, social aspects of health and social environment give rise to the values and practices that control health conditions and costs (Saunders, 1998, p. 17). Since the health sector has minimal authority over most powerful influences on health, such as education, food, shelter, environmental risks, and work conditions, it meets the practical difficulties of recognizing how it can successfully work to disrupt the brutal cycle of poverty to access to health care (Pieratt-Seeley, 2002, p. 234). Marx criticized capitalism s ystem arguing that it resulted in class struggle where some enjoyed prime services at the expense of the underprivileged (Pieratt-Seeley, 2002, p. 234). The basic principle of human rights, which include health, upholds all people equally. The issue of the guidelines to be adopted in human rights has been controversial due to differing policies, culture and beliefs in the society (Young, 1999, p. 269). Marx stipulated that the human dignity should be respected including other necessities of life. He argued that capitalism results in discrimination, which may cause high poverty levels in a country due to poor policies and implementation of the government policies, high incidences of impunity, skewed

Working with children from birth to age 5 years Assignment

Working with children from birth to age 5 years - Assignment Example They need a safe environment along with proper care to lead a healthy life. This paper aims to provide the basic understanding about the environment which should be arranged for their active learning and safety. This paper is a guideline for the setting for young children from birth to age 5 years. Safety and Health Requirements Safety is one of the main concerns when dealing with children up to 5 years of age. The babies and young children should be prevented from cot death. They must be properly put down for sleep i.e. preferably ‘feet to foo’ position. The temperature of the environment should be normal for the safety of children and the prevention of illness and other issues. Babies should not be left alone at any instance especially for longer periods. Smoky environment is particularly harmful for babies and hence, adults should never smoke in front of them. Children tend to climb furniture, stairs and other surfaces higher than the floor and for a safe environment it is necessary that the baby is kept away from all surfaces which may lead to a fall. A person who can watch the baby all the time can ensure that the baby does not fall. Avoid any objects which the children may put into their mouths. Keep such objects away from the reach of children as they are dangerous for them. Choking and swallowing incidents may be avoided by careful consideration given to tiny objects which a child may spot. The electric cords and outlets should be out of reach of the children. They may get electric shocks either by touching, biting or playing with those electric cords and outlets or by poking metal material in them. The preventions against electrocution are hence, necessary. Placing heavy furniture in front of the outlets, keeping cords way higher than their reach and cover the electric outlets tightly are some of measures to prevent electrocution accidents. All these preventions are necessary to ensure that the children get a safe and sound environment (He berle & Scutella p 44-48). The children from a very tender age have certain physical and health requirements which need to be fulfilled. Parents are advised to send lunch with children so that they are able to study with a healthy mind. The children of a young age need to have their breakfast daily so they can be healthy. Children need an environment in which they can get toys to play with and hence to promote a better learning environment it is necessary some sort of toys are given to them (Tassoni 2007 p.516). Setting needed for an educational environment All over the world it is seen that education has become a primary necessity for every individual. Today the class or race does not matter much but rather the education one achieves has a greater importance. Special students have also been given preference when it comes to studies. Classroom Management Plans are designed to help students to achieve a better grade and better environment to study (Khalsa 2007). Young children have s pecific requirements of these classroom management plans which revolve around the visual environment and the physical arrangement in the class. Visual learning is a way through which the children can be encouraged to study as they are attracted towards the colors and drawings. Similarly walls are also decorated in such a way that the students are attracted to the charts on the walls. Different posters about the classrooms are put on the walls which are there to attract students. These visuals are quite important for the children who are studying these days as this would promote better understanding in the class (Tassoni 2007 p 27-30) Physical arrangement of the chairs on which the children sit are also considered important because it would allow more room to the children. Children at a

Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Race and Ethnicity Essay The ongoing struggle to fight the skin color prejudice in the contemporary American society is portrayed in Michael Jackson’s song â€Å"Black or White. † Whereas the racism is defined as a superior behavior against other race-thus making it inferior, the singer refers to this term as â€Å"See, it’s not about races, just places, faces, where your blood comes from is where your space is. † Michael Jackson, one of the most influential artists in the music industry, calls for equality in how people view and behave towards each other. The question, which this master thesis investigates, does it matter if you’re black or white, is clearly answered by the singer: â€Å"It don’t matter if you’re black or white. † Jackson was trying to influence his society to act in a similar way and he calls for them to live their lives by Dr. Luther’s dream â€Å"†¦. judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. † However, almost thirty years later, it still seemed only as a dream because he sang: â€Å"I’m tired of this Devil†, where the bad is being represented by the prejudice. At the same time, he clearly states: â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color† – this is where he makes his conclusion. This can imply that even though he doesn’t discriminate and would like to see color prejudice gone, he is still being discriminated against. While being the most prominent artist in the music industry, he still calls himself â€Å"a color† and he rebuts against it and wants to be seen for the person he is and not the pigmentation of his skin. It is widely known that Michael Jackson had many facial plastic surgeries and it is controversial whether or not he altered his skin color by chemical peels or was it the disease called vitiligio that changed his face color to white. Therefore, it can be speculated that he modified skin to appear white, which ultimately is his vision. It can be further questioned – since Michael Jackon can’t win his struggle for racial equality, did he give up and go white – just to end his inner battle? Will all his suffering come to closure since now he looks white? Is this the true answer? It may be deemed as so since the skin color is the guide of one’s position in the society where being white claims supremacy-control and power. It should be noted that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest musicians of all times, having sold over 750 million records worldwide. He has accomplished so much in his life, yet still feels inferior and calls for racial equality in the world. His vision for a better world to live in, free of racism, ends on a sad note: â€Å"It’s black, it’s white†. To summarize, through decades, the blacks have fought to be equal, as the American nation shall guarantee those rights, yet, the society is still divided into the superior, the whites, and inferior- the blacks (and other people of color). Blacks have always been portrayed as the dirty, the poor, the lesser-of-a human type whereas the whites are seen as the dominant, the good type. Again, Jackson does not agree with this stereotype in saying: â€Å"I ain’t second to none. † Moreover, he claims that he will no longer be scared and mentions historical symbol of a KKK group: â€Å"I ain’t scared of your brother, I ain’t scared of no sheets. † With his passing in 2009, many of his inner struggles come to the end, but will the next generation start working on being color-free as the king of pop envisioned? America has always struggled with racial issues, especially those of black and white. Some them included racial segregation, education, workforce, banking and even seating on the bus. Black people continuously tried to â€Å"break thru† into community, but were always pushed aside as dirty, poor and unwelcome. We, in modern times, see the United States of America as a country that treats everyone equal. Americans should all be all equal, no matter what race, color, religion or any other characteristics they have. After all, we all remember year 2009, which is when Americans elected their first African American President. Question that comes to mind – why â€Å"first African American President,† not just simply their 44th President? So – the race and color of your skin does matter in modern times. My analyses of selected books, academic journals, films and music video will concentrate and argue if Americans indeed discriminate against race or if it is history and no longer exists in American life. First, I would like to take into consideration the iconic Michael Jackson, one of the greatest, perhaps the greatest singer and performer of the 21st century. Not only his songs deserve a closer look, but also his lifestyle – ideas, fears and the public opinion. â€Å"Black or White† by Michael Jackson and Bill Bottrell is a one of the greatest singles in Michael’s career. It was released on November 11, 1991. What inspired Michael to particularly select these two topics? Black or white – as implied in the song, he sings about skin color. Songs starts in Africa, possibly showing Jackson’s â€Å"beginning† – he is black. In one of the scenes, Michael sings â€Å"I ain’t scared of no sheets; I ain’t scared of nobody† while he is walking through fire images – which is being compared to KKK and its torch ceremonies. Here, he is portraying his painful vision of KKK and its vision. Later, the performers sing â€Å"I’m not gonna spend my life being a color. † What a great statement. Michael, throughout his whole life and his career, shows us his inner and constant fight for a non-racial America. Being black himself, he had struggled and finally came to the top, but still did not achieve the level of happiness – which is â€Å"no color† in his country. Later, Jackson sings on Statue of Liberty’s torch, again possibly reminding us about the KKK, and at the same time – the Statue symbolizes liberty, which for him will be color-free, no discrimination America. We shouldn’t forget about Michael’s actions in this video. In the original version, he is smashing the car, windows and the inn exploded. However, later he had to edit this version to minimize his violent behavior, however. He altered it by adding four racial graffiti messages onto the windows that he was smashing. As I suggested earlier, Michael Jackson is portrayed as an angry black man who simply hates the discrimination against black people and shows his feelings by destroyed his surroundings, as he was being destroyed himself –just for being of black color. In is interesting to observe, the Jackson, when asked to change his destructive aggressive music video, he indeed did change it, but didn’t forget about this hostility towards discrimination. He had just portrayed it differently (graffiti). First message reads: â€Å"Hitler Lives,† then â€Å"Nigger Go Home,† â€Å"No More Wetbacks,† and finally â€Å"KKK Rules. † It can be argued if Michael Jackson is simply smashing windows with those painful ideas – is destroying them – to make a better world? Finally, the song comes from the album â€Å"Dangerous. † What did the author have in mind? Are all of those issues, painful experiences and the fight for non-colored America dangerous? It can be argued that yes. Jackson showed us the dangerous side of being black, where he was always forced to fight and that causes different sorts of trouble. In â€Å"Black or White,† Michael brilliantly portrayed two core problems people were facing daily: black or white. As we look at his lifestyle and constant metamorphoses, Michael Jackson had numerous surgeries that altered the color of his skin and make him â€Å"white. † It is very controversial as many sources quote that Jackson had a condition where one looses a pigment of his skin, called vitiligo. However, Michael Jackson public image is seen as a person who constantly tried to be white, therefore, sought surgeries to help him attain this goal. Michael Jackson shows us that it could have probably been easier to make himself white and not struggle for color-free America, where everyone is equal, no matter of who there are or what they look like. It would also be important to analyze some of the lyrics from Jackson’s music video. He sings: â€Å"I had to tell them I ain’t second to none. † It can be understood that he no longer is accepting the fact that black is â€Å"second,† which is worse, just because of the color. He continues: â€Å"And I told about equality† – he tells us he wants to be considered equal, despite his skin color. Next verse, he has really had enough of being pushed around because he is black â€Å"I am tired of this devil, I am tired of this stuff, I am tired of this business. † Finally, he talks about racism in: â€Å"See, it’s not about races, Just places, Faces, Where your blood, Comes from, Is where your space is, I’ve seen the bright, Get duller, I’m not going to spend, My life being a color. † Here Michael Jackson compares himself to simply being a â€Å"color. † He is less than a human being only because he is not white. He is â€Å"black. † Again, he accents his refusal of living his life being black. He wants to be equal, equal to white. It should be also noted that throughout video, Michael Jackson is wearing black and white clothing (white shirt, black blazer, white accents on his right arm and nails, black shoes, white socks). He seems to be a person caught in a black-and-white world and struggles to change it, showing his pain. However, at the very end, he turns into a black panther. This transformation may symbolize him as a black man who will fight for his rights, yet, still remain black. In book â€Å"The Color of Credit: Mortgage Discrimination, Research Methodology, and Fair-Lending Enforcement† Stephen L. Ross and John Yinger present racial issues and argue the importance of skin color in banking. It should be noted that this book was published in 2002, year where we all think that American people are equal, especially on racial basis. Therefore, why and how does the skin color come into play in banking? First, the American lenders take many factors into consideration when disbursing the mortgage. Such factors include many details such as the creditor’s ability to repay the loan – where the lender accesses the potential risk of losing the loan. There are many different lenders and they base their information on statistics, demographics and make final decision based on the risk factors. Research showed that mainly blacks would seek loans, which are not favorable to all lenders. Therefore such bank does take race into consideration when reviewing for application for credit. It is also shown that blacks will most likely work with subprime lenders (44%) with comparison to whites (only 4%). Blacks generally cannot use the prime mortgage market due to their poor qualifications, thus creating the black to white ratio of getting the mortgage with figures of 2. 28 denial for prime market and 1. 27 for subprime. At the same time, limited research shows that blacks-even though have some qualifications as white – would remain in the subprime market and thus be charged higher fees. Equal Credit Opportunity Act says: It shall be unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant, with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction—on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status, or age (provided the applicant has the capacity to contract). (U. S. Code Title 15, Chapter 41, Section 1691) This would mean that all people should be treated equally in banks, when doing business in banks, no discrimination in credit transaction. However, authors argue that the bank may take a different look at the person and who they are in â€Å"business necessity† can be proved. Therefore, even while it is regulated by law, certain discriminatory practices can and do exist. Later, it would be rather hard to prove that the lender discriminated based for example on race. All regulations are not very clear and courts find it hard to find such a connection of discrimination. It is implied that blacks, with poorer ability to repay, living in lower income communities, must face subprime, expensive mortgages – to possibly make as much money as possible in the shortest time-so if the black borrower defaults on his payments, the lender wouldn’t lose its investment. This is to compare with the white borrower who lives in the richer-type setting, is more likely to meet his payments, therefore, he is offered a prime mortgage rate, without the necessity to further secure the loan. It can be argued if blacks and whites are treated equally, despite many regulations. On one hand, the lender must adhere to all necessary regulations, but on the other hand, such institution can make necessary decisions to make that mortgage profitable – thus, taking all factors into consideration in the application process. We can further analyze that race and color of skin does matter when one is being evaluated for such an application. It is believed that whites pose a lower risk to a financial institution than blacks. This also means, as authors point out, that black are less likely to be approved for a higher-priced home than a white person, which causes the real estate agents to discriminate and not show the more expensive houses to blacks. Maybe they don’t discriminate, they just know that lender is not likely to approve a black person in comparison to the same application of a white person? It is particularly important to note that authors point out that ‘‘on average, black mortgage applications have higher loan-to value and debt-to-income ratios than do white applications. ’’ In closing, it should be noted that while many regulations exist, there is no proof that racial discrimination has gone away and some research suggests that blacks still have lower approval rate in comparison to the whites. It is said that race does play a key role when the lender looks at your mortgage application.

Capital Structure Effect on Performance in Renewable Energy

Capital Structure Effect on Performance in Renewable Energy Sarah Sophia Hamdi â€Å"Capital Structure Effects on Firm Performance in the Renewable Energy Sector: Evidence from Germany† 1. Explanation of your dissertation topic (about 800 words) Overall motivation and objectives: The Kyoto Protocol induced a growing number of countries to establish targets for renewable energy supplies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as to increase energy security. These targets are either expressed in terms of installed capacity or as a percentage of energy consumption. These targets have served as important catalysts for increasing the share of renewable energy throughout the world. As a result of the growing share of energy generated from renewable sources such as wind, water and biomass Germany’s energy supply is becoming â€Å"greener† from year to year. As shown in graph 1 in 2014 renewables already accounted for 25.8 per cent of the gross power production in Germany. On 1 April 2000 the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) went into force and lead to a massive increase of the renewable energy production in the electricity sector, from under 40 to over 140 billion of kilowatt per hours (see graph 2). Graph 1: Gross power production in Germany in 2014 Source: AG Energiebilanzen, as of: December 2014 Graph 2: Gross electricity generation in billions of kilowatt-hours Source: BMWi based on Working Group on Renewable Energies Statistics (AGEE-Stat, August 2014; Preliminary figures) The German government wants to further expand this share by the year 2025, the aim is to produce 40 to 45 per cent of electricity from renewable sources and 55 to 60 per cent by the year 2035. These numbers indicate that renewable energy companies increasingly need to compete efficiently against existing companies generating energy through other power sources such as oil, nuclear and hard coal energy etc. As investments in renewable energy plants grow, so do the risks inherent in owning, building and operating such plants. Excluding debt, business risk is the basic risk of firms operations and one of the factors that influence a companys capital-structure decision making. The level of business risk is shaped not only by the companies’ decisions but by whats happening to the industry and the economy. The renewable energy industry is effected by numerous sector specific risks such as building and testing risk, business, environmental, financial, market, operational, political/regulatory and weather related volume risk. In such a risky industry, what otherwise would be an appropriate and safe amount of debt becomes more dangerous and unstable, so that normally equity financing is safer than through debt. However firms that are in the growth stage of their cycle typically finance that process through debt and borrow money to enable their growth. The conflict that arises with this m ethod is that the revenues of growth firms are typically unstable and unproven. Meaning that a high debt load is usually not appropriate due to the danger of financial embarrassments. Hence as companies expand their investments in renewable energy projects, funding is a particular challenge and questions about firms’ capital structure decisions are not easily answered. Theoretical background: Over the last few decades much research has been done on whether a relationship between capital structure and a firms financial performance exists. At this point I would like to include a detailed literature review. Franco Modigliani and Merton Miller formed with their theorem the foundation for modern thinking on capital structure. They developed the Capital Structure Irrelevance Proposition where they hypothesized that in perfect markets the capital structure of a firm does not influence its performance. Nevertheless the theorem is generally viewed as a highly theoretical hypothesis, since it disregards important factors such as transaction costs and uncertainty, it was often used as the basis for further research in the last decades. The pecking-order theory, the agency theory and the trade-off theory are the three main theories discussing the optimal capital structure of a firm. All of them follow different approaches which I will summarise and contrast with each other. The different theories and findings raise key questions such as whether it is possible to identify an optimal capital structure for firms operating in the important and future-oriented industry of renewable energies. Research analysis and methodology: Following to the introduction of the key theories and the literature review on this topic I would like to carry out my own quantitative study and run a regression analysis with financial data of 20 companies operating in the renewable energy sector, including wind, solar, bio and water energy in Germany. Due to the fact that non-listed firms are not required to disclose their financial accounts my data will be gained from listed companies that are obligated to share the relevant information. I would like to examine whether there exists a relationship between the implemented capital structure and the firms performance measured in return on equity and share price. Equations: (1) (2) Where: return on equity for firm i in year t. : price of a share for firm i at year t. : financial leverage for firm i at year t .: tangible assets for firm i at year t. : size of the firm i at year t. : growth of the firm i at year t. Tangible assets, size and growth serve as control variables whereas financial leverage of the firm is considered as the main variable to express the capital structure. My aim is to be able to match one of the three theories and to identify an optimal capital structure for renewable energy firms. In order to interpret the findings of the quantitative analysis I would also like to include a complementary qualitative research analysis for example through directors’ statements on their financing decisions. 2. List of References (no minimum number required, but as acceptable by your supervisor) Agnihotri, A. (2014): Impact of Strategy Capital Structure on Firms overall Financial Performance, Strategic Change, Vol. 23, No. 1-2, pp. 15-20. Ben Ayed, W. H., and Zouari, S. G. (2014): Capital Structure and Financing of SMEs: The Tunisian Case. International Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 96-111. Bouraoui, T., and Li, T. (2014): The Impact of Adjustment in Capital Structure in Mergers Acquisitions on us Acquirers’ Business Performance. The Journal of Applied Business Research, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 27-41. Economist Intelligence Unit (2011): Managing the risk in renewable energy. A report from the Economist Intelligence Unit Sponsored by Swiss Re. file:///C:/Users/Sarah/Downloads/Managing-The-Risk-In-Renewable-Energy.pdf Gill, A. and Biger, N. and Mathur, N. (2011): The Effect of Capital Structure on Profitability: Evidence from the United States. International Journal of Management, Vol. 28, No.4, pp. 3-. Green, J. (2010): Renewable energy projects: Risk and insurance elements. Technical feature – Construction Engineering, www.meinsurancereview.com, pp. 41-42. Hatfield, G. B. and Louis, T. W. and Davidson, W. N. (1994): The determination of optimal capital structure: The effect of firm and industry debt ratios on market value. Journal of Financial and Strategic Decisions, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 1-14. Holz, C. A. (2002): The Impact of the Liability-Asset Ratio on Profitability in Chinas Industrial State-Owned Enterprises. China Economic Review, Vol. 13, pp. 1-26. Majumdar, S. K. and Chhibber, P. (1999): Capital Structure and Performance: Evidence from a Transition Economy on an Aspect of Corporate Governance. Public Choice, Vol. 98, pp. 287-305. Margaritis, D., and Psillaki, M. (2007): Capital structure and firm efficiency, Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Vol. 34, No. 9, pp. 1447-1469. Modigliani, F. and Miller, M. (1958): The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and The Theory of Investment, The American Economic Review, Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 261-97. Modigliani, F. and Miller, M. (1963): Corporate Income Taxes and the Cost of Capital: a Correction. The American Economic Review, Vol. 53, pp. 443-53. Myers, S. (1984): Capital structure puzzle, The Journal of Finance, Vol. 39, Issue 3, pp. 574–592. Omondi, M. M., and Muturi, W. (2013): Factors Affecting the Financial Performance of Listed Companies at the Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya. Research Journal of Finance and Accounting, Vol. 4, No. 15, pp. 99-105. Onaolapo, A. and Kajola,O. (2010): Capital Structure and Firm Performance: Evidence from Nigeria. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences, Vol. 25, pp. 70-82. Pathirawasam, C. (2013): Internal Factors which Determine Financial Performance of firms: With Special Reference to Ownership Concentration. pp. 62-72. Rajan, R. G., and Zingales, L. (1995): What Do We Know about Capital Structure? Some Evidence from International Data. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 50, No. 5, pp. 1421–1460. Shyam-Sunder, L. and Myers, C. (1999): Testing static trade off against pecking order models of capital structure. Journal of Financial Economics, Vol. 51, No. 2, pp. 219–244. Soumadi, M. and Hayajneh, O. (2012): Capital structure and corporate performance, Empirical study on the public Jordanian shareholding firms listed in the Amman stock market. European Scientific Journal, Vol. 8, No. 22, pp. 173-189. Stiglitz, J. E. (1969): A Re-Examination of the Modigliani-Miller Theorem. American Economic Review, Vol. 59, No. 5, pp. 784-794. Tailab, M. M. K. (2014): The Effect of Capital Structure on Profitability of Energy American Firms. Journal of Business and Management Invention, Vol. 3, No. 12, pp. 54-61. Titman, S. (1988): The Determinants of Capital Structure Choice. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 1-19. Umer, U. M. (2014): Determinants of Capital Structure: Empirical Evidence from Large Taxpayer Share Companies in Ethiopia. International Journal of Economics and Finance, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 53-65. Wippern, R. (1966): Financial Structure and the Value of the Firm. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 21; No. 4, pp. 615-633. Links: Bundesministerium fà ¼r Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi): http://www.bmwi.de/EN/Topics/Energy/Renewable-Energy/renewable-energy-at-a-glance.html

The Criminal Justice System Essay -- Papers crime statistics punishmen

The Criminal Justice System The Criminal Justice System is one of the most important tools available to society for the control of anti-social behavior. The criminal justice system needs to prove a balance between punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent being found guilty; however it is not as easy to convict those who are guilty of committing crimes. There have been many miscarriages to justice where innocent people were sent to prison. Many people have been affected by crime, this is due to statistics, which show the various number of crimes committed in particular areas. Crime statistics are compiled differently by different forces which is notoriously unreliable. There are two ways of measuring crime, through police figures, which reflect recorded crimes and through British Crime Survey (BCS) figures, which questions people in England and Wales about their experiences as victims. Neither system is entirely reliable. The Home Office research, for example, show that out of every 100 crimes, only 50 will be reported and around 33 recorded. The Observer poll (2003) shows that 19% of those mugged and 14% of those violently assaulted failed to report the crime, in comparison to the BCS who offers a more reliable measurement of some crimes, such as theft. A person may not report a theft of an old, cheap car but would talk to a researcher about it. As crime statistics are compiled in two ways, or maybe more, the public do get affected, as they do not know what figures to accept or believe. It is obvious that people would like to believe that the statistics, which show the least amount of crime, is true in comparison... ...ft of an insured mobile phone is not a major crime to be reported, one may believe that it is necessary to report this crime so police can record it, which means that statistics will be more accurate. Official crime statistics may not be entirely reliable however, it does keep the public aware of crime either increasing or decreasing in particular areas. Crime will probably never stop, so it will be very difficult to believe what statistics are true. If the Government change the existing ways of calculating figures, then hopefully statistics will become reliable, however, it also depends on the police, as they need to record all crime. Matters can be improved if more victims have the confidence to report crime and of all crime is recorded by the police; this should hopefully give accurate, reliable statistics.

The Extraordinary Olive Essay -- Botany

The Extraordinary Olive The several uses of the olive tree, Olea europaea L., have long been recognized and celebrated by human civilization. Olive trees have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Asia Minor, and introduced with human migration and trade throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, into Africa, and eventually into New Zealand and North America. Thomas (1995) lists the beginning of olive cultivation as aproximately 3000 B.C. Olives appear in one of the first cookbooks ever discovered. As long ago as the 17th century B.C., the olive was considered sacred. In Greek mythology, Athena is said to have placed an olive tree on the Acropolis in order to win over the denizens of Attica, a favor for which the city became her namesake, Athens (Anonymous 1997). The champion at the Olympic Games was crowned with its leaves. "Offering an olive branch" is synonymous with peaceful intentions. The oil was burned in the lamps of sacred temples, as well as being the "eternal flame" of the Olympic games. There are many references to the olive in the Bible. One of the most significant is in the tale of Noah and the Flood. The dove, sent out to search for a sign of land and life, returned with none other than an olive branch. Moses proclaimed that all men who worked to cultivate olives were exempt from military service (Grieve 1995). The olive is often referred to as a symbol of goodness, purity, and life. The miracle of Hanukkah was the olive oil which burned for eight nights when there was only enough to last for one day (Prero 1996). It is clear that the olive was an important part of life in the Mediterranean, as is the world over today. Description Olive trees are graceful in appearance, with elegant lanceolate silv... ... shallow. The "mission olive" of California derives its name from the Franciscan missionaries who originally planted them near San Diego around 1759 (Anonymous 1997). Olive production has also recently spread to New Zealand and Australia, but these continue to be incidental yields in comparison to the Mediterranean region. References Anonymous. 1997. Olives. Grieve, M. 1995. Botanical.com; A Modern Herbal. Olive. Electric Newt. Neff, R. and D. ResSeguie. 1995. Oil of Olives, An Ancient Wonder. Sundance Natural Foods. Prero, Y. 1996. Chanukah and Olive Oil: Lessons in Devotion. YomTov, vol.II#22. Thomas, J. Dec, 1995. Olive Fact Sheet. Tous, J. and L. Ferguson. 1996. Mediterranean Fruits. From J. Janick (ed.) Progress in New Crops. ASHS Press, Arlington, VA. p.416-430. U.S.D.A. 1995. An Economic Assessment of Olives. (Executive Summary).