Monday, September 30, 2019

Agriculture Industry Linkages in the Economy of Jammu and Kashmir Essay

Agriculture plays an important role in contributing to socio-economic development in many countries. It is the primary source for employment, livelihood, and food security for the majority of rural people. The success of this continuation depends largely on the direct impact it has on the national economy as well as how the agricultural sector stimulates the growth of other sectors in the economy. Consequently, understanding the role of agriculture and its linkages to the rest of the economy is important. The inter-relationship between agriculture and industry has been a long debated issue in the development literature. In the Indian context the issue has acquired interest since industrial stagnation in the mid 1960s. Over the years the Indian economy has undergone a structural change in its sectoral composition: from a primary agro-based economy during the 1970s, the economy has emerged as predominant in industry. This has triggered an interest in readdressing the analytical and methodological aspects of the interlinkages between the two sectors the service sector since the 1990s. This structural changes and the uneven pattern of growth of agriculture, industry and service sector economy in the post reforms period is likely to appear substantial changes in the production and demand linkages among various the economy. At the same time the growing integration with the rest of the world in the post-reform period (post 1991 period) and the recent spurt of service sector led growth are also likely to have significant impact on the linkages between the agriculture and industry. This has triggered an interest in read dressing the analytical and methodological aspects of the interlinkages between the two sectors. That agriculture and industry being integral component of development process due to their mutual interdependence and symbiotic relationship, the contribution of agriculture to the economy in general and to industry in particular is well known in almost all the developing countries. However, the degree of interdependence may vary and also change over time. In the theory and empirical literature, the inter-relationship between agriculture and industry has been discussed from different channels. First, agriculture supplies food grains to industry to facilitate absorption of labour in the industry sector. Secondly, agriculture supplies the inputs like raw cotton, jute, tea, coffee etc. needed by the agro-based industries. Thirdly, industry supplies industrial inputs, such as fertilizer, pesticides, machinery etc. to the agriculture sector. Fourthly, agriculture influences the output of industrial consumer goods through demand. Fifthly, agriculture generates surpluses of savings, which can be mobilized for investment in industry, and other sectors of the economy. Sixthly, fluctuations in agricultural production may affect private corporate investment decisions through the impact of the terms of trade on profitability, whereas some of these channels emphasize the â€Å"agriculture-industry‟ linkage on the supply side or production side, others stress the linkages through the demand side. The production linkages basically arise from the interdependence of the sectors for meeting the needs of their productive inputs, whereas the demand linkage arises from the interdependence of the sectors for meeting final consumption. Further, the linkages between the two sectors can also be categorized into two groups based on the direction of interdependence. One is the backward linkage, which identifies how a sector depends on others for their input supplies and the other is the forward linkage, which identifies how the sector distributes its outputs to the remaining economy. More importantly, these two linkages can indicate a sector’s economic pull and push, because the direction and level of such linkages present the potential capacity of each sector to stimulate other sectors and then reflect the role of this sector accordingly. As far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned Agriculture is the predominant sector of the economy. Directly and indirectly, it supports about 80 per cent of the population besides contributing nearly 60 per cent of the state revenue, which adequately explains the over-dependency of the population on agriculture. The overall economic growth of the state depends largely on the progress of the agricultural sector, the development of which becomes even more important in the context of the very nominal progress it has made in the secondary sectors. With the introduction of planned development in the state during 1951-56, production of foodgrains and fruits has increased considerably. During 1998-99, the state produced 15.50 lakh quintals of food grains against 4.53 lakh quintal in 1950-51. Of this, Kashmir region contributed 27.20 per cent, Jammu region 72.14 per cent and Ladakh and Kargil region 0.66 per cent Industries play a vital role in the development of an economy. In this regard unfortunately, J&K has not been able to attract investments in industries and remained as an industrially backward state. The state does not have a strong industrial base, because geographical location of the state is such that the setting up of large industries with a large Capital base is not feasible, besides adverse environmental consequences. Nevertheless, many small and medium-scale industries have come up basically in the traditional sectors along with areas like food processing, agro-based units and metallic and non metallic products. Thus in such an sectoral environment were industrial sector has low opportunity, Agriculture provide basic linkages in its development . Thus the state of Jammu and Kashmir were main source of income is agriculture for masses of people, the linkages between Agriculture and Industry is very important to study in order to know the potential of Agriculture to develop an industrial environment in the state. In mean while it is important to study the dependence of agriculture on industry, so that both sectors will flourish the development in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The macroeconomic linkage between the agricultural sector and industrial growth has been one of the most widely investigated in the development literature. In the early stages, researchers paid great attention in studying the relationship between the agricultural and industrial sectors, and how these sectors were inter-related. They argued that agriculture only plays a passive role; which is to be the most important source of resources (food, fiber, and raw material) for the development of industry and other nonagricultural sectors (Rosenstein-Rodan, 1943; Lewis, 1954; Ranis and Fei, 1961). Many of these analysts highlighted agriculture for its resource abundance, and its ability to transfer surpluses to the more important industrial sector. India being a predominantly agrarian economy and an agro-based industrial structure, the interrelationship between agriculture and industry has been one of the major issues for the researchers and policy makers since the beginning of the planning period. In the pre and early post-independence period, the industry sector had a close relationship with agriculture due to the agro-based industrial structure (Satyasai and Baidyanathan, 1997). Satyasai and Viswanathan (1999) found that the output elasticity of industry with respect to agriculture was 0.13 during 1950-51 to 1965-66. Rangarajan (1982) has found that a 1.0 percent growth in agricultural production increases industrial production by 0.5 percent, and thus, GDP by 0.7 percent during 1961-1972. However, the industrial sector witnessed a slow growth, stagnation since the mid 1960s, which was largely attributed to the stunnedagricultural growth and favourable agricultural TOT, among other factors (Patnaik, 1972; Nayyar, 1978 and Bhatla, 2003).10 In fact the interdependence between the two sectors has found to be weakened during the 1980s and 1990s (Bhattacharya and Mitra, 1989; Satyasai and Viswanathan, 1997). For instance, Bhattacharya and Rao (1986) have found that the partial output elasticity of industry with respect to agriculture has declined from 0.15 during 1951/52 – 1965/66 to 0.03 during 1966/67-1983/84. Contradictorily, Satyasai and Viswanathan (1999) found that the output elasticity of industry with respect to agriculture has increased from 0.13 during 1950/51-1965/66 to 0.18 during 1966/67–1983/84, and then remained at the same level 0.18 during 1984/85-1996/97. The deteriorating linkages between agriculture and industry have been primarily credited to the deficiency in demand for agricultural products, decline in share of agro-based industries coupled with slow employment growth (Rangarajan, 1982; Bhattacharya and Rao, 1986; and Chowdhury and Chowdhury, 1995). Sastry et al. (2003), for the period 1981-82 to 1999-2000, found that the forward production linkage between agriculture and industry has declined, whereas backward production linkage has increased. They also found significant impact of agricultural output on industrial output, and that agriculture’s demand linkage to industry has declined, while that of from industry to agriculture has increased. Economic and Political Weekly August 26, 1989 1963 wean agriculture and merely the set of industrial consumption goods like clothing, footwear, sugar and edible oils, it may be concluded that the overall intersectoral linkages appear quite modest. The early writers, for example Rosestein-Rodan (1943), Lewis (1954), Scitovosky (1954), Hirchman (1958), Jorgeson (1961), Fei and Ranis (1961) and others emphasized the role of agriculture only as a primary supplier of wage goods and raw materials and abundant labour supply to industry (Johnston and Mellor, 1961 and Vogel, 1994). The role of agriculture in the transformation of a developing economy was seen as ancillary to the central strategy of accelerating the pace of industrialization (Vogel, 1994). Kalecki (1976) also pointed out the importance of investment and technological advances in agriculture for the rapid development of industry. The traditional literature on inter-sectoral linkages in the growth process generally emphasises the role of agriculture as a primary supplier of wage goods and raw materials to industry (supply-linkage on the one hand and as a provider of major output for in- dustrial goods (demand linkage) on the other [Johnston and Mellor, 1961 and tertiary sector in a modern economy. Further, it may be noted that with growing mechanization of agriculture it becomes dependent on industry for basic inputs, like, fertiliser, power, pesticides, etc. Incidentally the agriculture-industry relationship becomes more complicated in this process. A slow growth of net availability of food- grains or alternatively the movement of inter-sectoral terms of trade in favor of the agricultural sector is believed to cause deceleration of the industrial sector. However, empirically speaking there was no slow down in the growth of production of food- grains after the mid-sixties [Ahluwalia: 1985]. Nor was there any fall in the marketed surplus of agriculture [rhamarajakshi: 1977] so as to be related to the industrial decelera- tion. But, so far as the agriculture vis-à  -vis industry terms of trade is concerned, one en- counters a series of mixed evidence. Whe Thamarajakshi [1977], and Mitra [1977] visualised a favouralJe terms of trade for the agricultural sector during the mid-sixties andearly seventies, Khalon and lyagi [1983] obtained evidence that stand quite contrary to others’ view. Mundle [1977], however main- tains that in terms of intersectoral resource flow-of which terms of trade is just a single component-the industrial sector has been undergoing loss since the mid-sixties. Prior to that it was agriculture which was experiencing an outflow of resources. Rangarajan [1982a] in his macro econometric model makes an attempt to capture the demand linkage between agriculture and industry. He identifies a positive impact that agricultural output has on the demand for industrial consumption goods. The effect of foodgrain terms of trade on industrial products has been negative but elasticity is negligible. Both agricultural output and terms of trade had a positive influence on household saving and investment. Keeping in view such segmented impact of agriculture on industry zplaining the behaviour of indugtrial produc- tion purely in terms of agricultural performance .Bhattacharya and Rao [1986] emphasisesthe sluggishness that continued in the per-formance of industry even after the relative relaxation of the wage goods constraint that occurred during the green revolution period. Thus, the theoretical literature in the â€Å"agriculture-industry linkages † has broadly highlighted the place of agriculture and non-agriculture sector, especially industry in the development process and contribution of each in augmenting growth of output and employment. Most of the theoretical literature has largely focused only on one side of the â€Å"agriculture-industry linkages ’’ i.e. either the supply side linkages or demand side linkages. However it is both the demand side and supply side linkages that work together in an inter-sectoral framework, which determines the interlinkages between the two sectors. In this respect Bhaduri (2003) and Bhaduri (2007) are two important contributions in the literature. Bhaduri (2003) extends Kaldor’s model by considering the role of the agricultural surplus from the supply side as well as the importance of the demand side effect for industrial goods. In this set up, both the sectors grow in tandem, reinforcing and reinvigorating each other’s growth impulse, by resolving each other’s potential realization problem (Jha, 2010). Further, Bhaduri et al. (2007) have extended the Kaldor’s model by contrasting between the supply side and demand side linkages of the two sectors from the TOT point of view. Thus there has been lot of researches, publication and models on the topic â€Å"Agriculture industry linkages in the economy† given by many renowned economists, and peoples associated with this field. Everyone concluded that there is an unlimited linkage between two sectors which not only develop one other but also give birth to other sectors as well. Thus to conclude it can be said that in an economy mostly there is a l arge number of linkages originated from a primary level and put economy to those sectors which keep it in the level of developed ones.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Cruelty in Animals Essay

As human beings, we cannot live without other people. In order to survive, we need each other and should help each other. However, we need not only people but also other creatures, such as animals. Their presence is essential in human life as well. They can provide food, help us to earn money, be our companion and many more. Therefore, it is important to treat them with respect as we treat other human beings. In Indonesia, however, many people seem to not fully aware about the importance of appropriate treatment for animals. Many animals are being mistreated by some heartless Indonesians. As the proof of the existence of cruelty in animals, some issues are given. Mistreatment of animals in the zoo is one of the underlying issues today. Many zoos in Indonesia are neglecting and being cruel to animals. Recently, the news about Surabaya City Zoo shockingly showed us how poor some people treat animals. Many animals were starving and didn’t have enough water. The cages are dirty and too small for their needs. Those cages were also littered with plastic rubbish thrown by some visitors; starving animals eat them sometimes. Moreover, many animals were chained and couldn’t move properly. As the result, many animals died unnaturally because of those terrible conditions. Another issue that has been discussed long since is cruelty to monkey as the part of _Topeng Monyet_ or Masked Monkey show. In this street performance, the monkeys are forced to entertain crowds for money by wearing masks and other outfits to imitate humans. They are also forced to ride mini bicycles, sit on tiny stools and even play dead. Perhaps, it seems okay for some people because this is part of traditional culture. However, the cruelty to those monkeys actually happens worse behind the shows. Besides exploiting, many handlers also treat them so badly. The monkeys often live in pitiful conditions, are riddled with disease and forced to live in small cages. Furthermore, metal chains fastened to their neck and eventually infect their skin. Cattle mistreatment is another controversial issue of cruelty in animals. We  need to highlight a topical issue of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia which are abused. Upon arrival in Indonesia, the cows shipped from Australia are lifted by a crane using a cruel technique. Workers usually unload the cows from a boat with ropes hanging around their necks. Moreover, another torturous method is employed in some Indonesian abattoirs. In order to make more money, some butchers force cows to drink a huge amount of water to increase their weight just before slaughtering them. These cows are called _sapi gelonggongan_. Many cattle are often slaughtered with blunt knives afterwards. A lot of people might feel some serious concern about the fact that many animals are often abused and exploited in Indonesia. Therefore, those controversial issues should be resolved immediately. We should not let those creatures end up suffering in this way. We should repay for what those animals have given to us by taking care of them properly.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Concepts and principles of emergency management Essay

Concepts and principles of emergency management - Essay Example In Australia, latest statistics on car accidents seem to indicate that road accidents are increasing in frequency; road deaths associated to such car accidents are also increasing. In 2005, Australia already ranked 7th out of 15 developed nations for road deaths per 100 million vehicle kilometres travelled (Fallah, 2007). Emergencies -- are â€Å"incidents that threaten public safety, health and welfare (Department of Environmental Management, n.d, p. 1). Emergencies may also vary in size, location, causes, and effects; but regardless of differences in such elements, they all register with various environmental effects. They are also defined by the Emergency Management Institute (n.d) as unexpected incidents or events which endanger lives or property, consequently requiring urgent and routine responses through community resources and procedures. Examples include: road-blocking landslides, long power outages, forest fires, outbreaks of diseases, and heat waves (Central Coast Center Independent Living, n.d). There were two slides in Australia from 1939 to 2007; 28 were killed and about 101 individuals were affected (CRED, 2007). There were 28 wild fires from 1939 to 2007 and this caused the death of about 300 individuals and damages up to 1.2 million US dollars (CRED, 2007). There was one epidemic fro m 1939 to 2007. No deaths and no damages were reported but 6 people were affected (CRED, 2007). Disasters are defined by Emergency Management Australia (2004, p. ix) as â€Å"a condition or situation of significant destruction, disruption and/or distress to a community†. The United Nations (1992) define a disaster as â€Å"a serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing widespread human, material, or environmental losses which exceed the ability of affected society to cope using its own resources† (UN Glossary, 1992).

Friday, September 27, 2019

Statement of purpose Personal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Of purpose - Personal Statement Example This was a tremendous opportunity to expand on my knowledge of contemporary teaching techniques and better engage students with the modern curriculum. Throughout my academic career, I was exposed to a wide range of theoretical principles and assumptions regarding teaching methodology and child development. Through my experiences at Ibn Khuzaymah, I was able to gain a very practical and sophisticated experience in applying theoretical knowledge to tangible educational practice which solidified and, in some instances, challenged a variety of hypotheses about what constitutes effective teaching and learning strategy development. This professional understanding has strengthened not only my commitment to becoming a first-class educator but also improved my ability to experiment and test traditional teaching standards, which has created a more efficient and productive instructor. This position at the local high school was also very satisfactory at a personal level as I was able to assist s tudents in building trust with the instructor, helping them to concentrate and focus their minds more productively to solve problems associated with the curriculum. Utilizing contemporary theory and best practice models that focused on socio-psychological strategies to gain students’ attention and interest, I was able to establish a learning environment that was highly conducive to laying the foundation of reciprocal respect that genuinely engaged students and provided more effective learning outcomes. My academic education did not necessarily provide me with the knowledge and understanding of the importance of addressing and considering students’ emotions. This experience at Ibn Khuzaymah legitimately opened my eyes to the necessity to balance metacognition with psychological models relevant to this age bracket in order to produce triumphant student learning outcomes that maintained long-lasting appreciation and student esteem for the instructor. My primary goal today is to begin studies in the Master’s Program in Statistics at your university. All my aforementioned professional experience has given me a new appreciation for the social and educational value of conducting primary research studies. Being able to appreciate, understand and evaluate quantitative data maintains significant benefits to society and the educational system across the world, and I am realizing that statistics provides the foundation for a legitimized understanding of science and society. As a person who genuinely enjoys statistics, coupled with a newfound respect for the global relevance of scientific research, I sincerely believe that study in this program is well-suited for my talents and posture regarding this important dimension of modern society. Hence, all aforesaid experiences and understandings considered, I legitimately believe that I can offer substantial and diverse benefits to the university. I have a rather balanced approach to learning, being able to work both independently and cooperatively with culturally and professionally different individuals to produce positive team outcomes and establish new best practice behaviors in the

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Otherness and the Nature of Jealousy in Othello Research Paper

Otherness and the Nature of Jealousy in Othello - Research Paper Example There is a reason it is called a monster. Jealousy transforms love into a rage that can have deadly consequences. The monster that Othello becomes destroys the love that he held for Desdemona and eventually destroyed the vessel of that love, Desdemona herself. From the perspective of a clinical discussion of the emotion of jealousy, the nature of jealousy is a complex system of emotional programs that have evolved as responses in reference to threats to procreative responsibilities (Lewis 122). This response is intended to protect the line of male succession, thus it is seen more often and more dangerously in men. In addition, it has only been in recent history that women have had a right to demand fidelity in their mates. While men have guarded fidelity in women with lethal prejudice, women have only been allowed to express jealousy in regard to their mates through cultural norms in the last few centuries of human history. In discussing the nature of the jealousy expressed by Othell o, it is necessary to understand the cultural position on the relationships between men and women during the period of the play and the period in which it was written. According to Lewis, â€Å"cues of a situation trigger an emotion mode, but embedded in that emotion mode is a way of seeing the world and feeling about the world related to the ancestral cluster of associated elements (122). The way in which an emotion is perceived and is reacted to is dependent upon both the visual cues that suggest the appropriateness of that emotion and the historical cultural values that define that emotion. One might believe that an emotion is experienced in the same way no matter the cultural location, but this is not true. The emotion develops upon the beliefs on how a culture has framed its expression and appropriateness. As an example, love is an emotion that seems relatively similar in all cultures. However, that can be argued. Love is a feeling that can be tied to desire, that can be tied to mutual experiences, or that can be tied to dependency. In cultures where people marry through arrangement, love can develop between two people who are put together and learn to feel for one another. In other cultures, love is something that develops once the physical attraction has been established. Therefore, it must be understood that an emotional exploration is going to be relevant to the culture through which the emotion is expressed. Jealousy, in Othello, is defined by two cultures, the culture that Shakespeare writes about and his own culture. The gender relations during the time of Shakespeare were defined by a wide variety of dynamics. In literature, the idea of romantic love was highly visible, but literary love is influenced by the realities of the dynamics of the time period. The possession of the female gender was also highly important in calculating the reaction of jealousy. The patriarchal society designates the female as an object, rather than the subject of her li fe. While it is true that the realities of the gender relationships were more complicated than the patriarchal ideals defined, it is the ideology of the patriarchal society that allows for the extremes in jealousy that can be defined when a woman is a possession rather than an individual. The 17th century philosopher John Locke stated that men had no more control over the lives of women than they did over men. However, he also later

Gender and Mentoring Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Gender and Mentoring - Research Paper Example Female are more in to talking things out and expressing their feeling to maintain a healthy mentor and student relationship. Even when they have conversation with student of same gender they always try to build a new relation. Mentor-selection process is whether to be mentored by a man or a woman, The research on gender and mentoring has found that there are consistent differences in mentoring relationships between males and females but I don’t think gender is really matter because I’ve had mentors in different fields of different genders, It’s about shared values more than anything, I haven’t found gender to matter at all cause what’s mattered to me is someone’s perspective—how able are they to see the big picture and their performance. Ensher, E.A., & Murphy, S.E., The Mentoring Relationship Challenges Scale: The impact of mentoring stage, type, and gender, Journal of Vocational Behavior (2010),

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

The children of King Tutankhamun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The children of King Tutankhamun - Essay Example The two mummies are suspected to be his still born children of Tutankhamun, DNA testing is currently being undertaken by the Supreme Council of Antiquities in collaboration with the Cairo University‘s Faculty of Medicine. In ancient Egypt, a pharaoh’s family was buried in a tomb, which essential was similar as Pharaoh’s tomb (David 60). The mummified bodies discovered in the tomb were accorded the respect that the ancient Egyptian had on the dead. The Egyptians respected the gods and worshiped then sometimes even praying to the m for children. They thus saw children as pure and blessings from the gods. They were buried alongside their belongings with the belief that they would require them in their next life. Some people also believe that the pharaoh was buried, alongside these children for him, to start life as a newborn in the new life where they believed that he was headed (Fleming & Alan 57). The objects symbolize the children of the pharaoh; they tell us much about the Egyptian history. The way people lived and related with one another in that community. By the study of these mummies, then the scientists have been able top uncover much about the pharaoh’s life (Fleming & Alan 56). The two mummified bodies do not represent any gods; the gods could be represented by something else found in the tomb. It is believed that the ancient Egyptian did not use people as symbols to represent their gods. However, they did use certain objects like images of the gods casted in gold (David 67). In ancient Egypt, if the pharaoh’s children died at a tender age, then they were supposed to be buried beside their father in his tomb. This is what is suspected to have happened to the children of Tutankhamun. Studies by the archaeologists show that the two children might have been twins who died at a birth. They had several defects that might have caused their deaths (Zaki 67). The children were buried with the pharaoh in

Monday, September 23, 2019

The Background of the May Fourth Movement in China Essay

The Background of the May Fourth Movement in China - Essay Example Indeed, in the WWI China had joined the allies against Germany, and after the war demanded that allies end the occupation of the Chinese territories, but such demands were ignored in the Versailles Treaty. Frustration and indignation of the Chinese escalated and lead to student demonstrations on May 4, 1919 in Beijing, which quickly expanded to other main cities. The disappointment over the West instigated many Chinese to search elsewhere for help. Still, while the May Fourth Movement grew on the base of the student protests, it had a deeper historic background that contributed to it. In fact, the roots of the May Fourth Movement, also called the New Cultural Movement, can be found in China already around 1916, when Chinese intellectuals began to spread disdain for the traditional Chinese culture, blaming it for turning China into a secondary international player. So, it is no wonder that the controversy over the Versailles Treaty lead to the explosion of popular outrage, and amplifi ed appeals to much needed "new culture" and the need to return to China its due international role. Moreover, at the same time the government of the Northern Warlords, the militant sovereigns and ruling groups, submitted to the foreign powers and significantly increased taxation, which made the population suffer.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Great Ideas Reading Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Great Ideas Reading - Assignment Example However, the son successfully kills his mother and is put on trial. Goddess Athena is making a ruling. On the plaintiff, side is the ancient Furies who are seeking asylum for the murderer son. Athena, after a long time of deliberations and discussion in which the Furies are demanding asylum or revenge, rules in favor of the son. The judges votes tie and Athena’s ruling is withheld. To appease the Furies, the goddess grant them the power to give of deny consent to any person seeking success. Although the decision maintains peace and breaks the chain of revenge bloodshed, Athena’s decision is in part misguided. This is because she describes the murder of the mother by the son as a lesser crime than the mother avenging her daughter. This is not true. However, what is true from the verdict and the discussion is that there must be a willingness to bring to an end bloodshed which requires compromise by one of the warring parties. Therefore, there must be a way that people should seek to end violence and bloodshed related to revenge (Rodney,

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Remembering the Alamo Essay Example for Free

Remembering the Alamo Essay This article is of course about the Alamo. It gives a very brief history of the battle at the Alamo and the characters that participated there. It momentarily mentions that there are now facts and history of the Alamo being disputed among many historians today. This article also makes comments concerning the great influence The Alamo has had in today’s culture, referring to the many productions based off this historic happening. Each time I remember the Alamo inspiration fills my chest. I love to remember the great heroes that fought so brave and valiantly in the face of the opposition; a cruel dictator (Santa Anna) and the oppression he could inflict. Many of the people that inhabited 2nd Chance Texas migrated there for primarily one reason and one reason only†¦ a second chance. Most of them, having endured hard lives and relocating to a new country, terrain and lifestyle were not about to give up their God-given rights to a Mexican dictator. While many had the chance and opportunity to get the heck out of Dodge, they chose to stay and defend what was rightfully theirs and so they did. These brave men, led by Travis, Bowie and Crockett, took a stand at the Alamo that will be remembered forever. They gave their lives not for greatness, though they earned that and more in the end, they gave their lives for what they lived for and that was to be free. We shouldn’t argue or dispute over the noble and honorable history of these great men, doing so we taint there story with our ignorance. Not all of these men may have lived great, but all of them died great in the sight of ALL AMERICANS. REMEMBER THE ALAMO.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Discussing Teens Drug Abuse Problems Social Work Essay

Discussing Teens Drug Abuse Problems Social Work Essay There are various drugs which are abused by teenagers and adults. Most of these are addictive and have adverse health effects to users. The common drugs of choice are alcohol, cigarettes, speed, prescription drugs, heroin, cocaine and marijuana. Alcohol is the most abused drug, and it inhibits judgment among users (Stimson 34-48). Long term use leads to liver and kidney failure. Tobacco, or cigarettes are one of the most addictive drugs and their long term use leads to development of cancer, impotency, lung collapse and others. Cocaine and heroine are drugs which are injected, smoked or taken orally. They are very addictive and they distort reality among users. Long term use may lead to heart problems, mental disorders and high blood pressure. Sharing of needles may transmit STDs while drug overdose may be fatal. Marijuana is another common drug abused and it distorts reality among users. Long term use may lead to mental damage, and some researchers have linked it to development of s chizophrenia. Prescription drugs are also commonly abused by the old and young alike. Although done innocently, these drugs may cause sudden death due to overdose or fatal combination of drugs, as has been witnessed among many celebrities who have died early due to use of prescription drugs (Isralowitz 122-123). Causes of drug abuse There are various causes of drug abuse. Drug abuse can be blamed on parents, friends, individuals and society at large. These causes will be briefly discussed to show how everyone is responsible for the problem of drug abuse. Lack of parental supervision Parents have an important role in their childs upbringing. They serve an important purpose of instilling values in their children through socialization at early age. Parents should ensure that their children are morally upright and that they do not engage in social vices. However, in the modern world, parents have put professional lives ahead of their families and delegated the role of raising children to nannies and teachers. As a result, the children do not acquire much needed guidance on lifes issues, and many end up taking drugs through peer influence. Lack of supervision from parents, who pursue their careers at the expense of their families, can therefore be blamed for the high number of drug abuse cases among teenagers. Parents should supervise their children at all times to avoid negative influence from peers. Poor communication between parents and teens Lack of communication between children and parents, especially during teenage years is also another causality of drug use. Many teenagers are unable to effectively communicate with their parents since neither group understands the others needs. Parents appear too harsh to teenagers while teenagers appear to demanding to parents. When parents and teenagers are unable to effectively communicate about issues teenagers face, teenagers are left to seek advice from peers, who may influence them to take drugs. Parents should understand childrens needs and vice verse, if drug abuse is to be eliminated. Mental Physical abuse Domestic violence and abuse has been one of the most common triggers of drug abuse. When people are emotionally or physically abused, and they do not seek help, they may engage in drugs to forget their problems. Since most abuse cases are perpetrated by close family members, this makes it harder for victims to overcome, and many opt to try out drugs, which they perceive will distort reality and make them forget their concerns (United States Department of Justice Website 2000). Drugs of choice in such circumstances include alcohol, tobacco and marijuana. However, victims are unaware that use of drugs increases their problems since it leads to addiction, which needs to be treated. Publicizing abuse, passing tough laws and offering free help to victims will help reduce abuse cases and thereby reduce drug use cases. Media influence Media influence is a major causality of drug abuse, especially regarding drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. The media makes it appear cool to use such drugs through flashy advertisements in the media. However, less emphasis is placed on adverse effects of such drugs; hence teenagers are influenced to use them without enough information on repercussions faced due to drug use. This leads to addiction, and by the time victims realize, they cannot do without drugs. This influence from media can be stemmed through use of warning labels and bans on certain forms of drug advertising which targets the youth. Warning signs There are various symptoms and warning signs which are associated with drug use. These symptoms vary according to drugs used, genetic make up of users, quantity used, personality and other aspects. It is important to note that presence of a particular symptom does not automatically means that the individual abuses drugs, rather that it shows that further investigation should be done to ascertain drug use by the individual. Some of these signs are discussed below; Dropping Grades Sudden drop of grades without clear reasons may indicate drug use. This may be linked to missing of classes when taking drugs, or harmful effects of drugs which affect the brain and cause poor academic performance. This behavior is usually accompanied by disrespect for school authorities and fellow students. Missing Curfew Missing curfews without adequate explanation of ones whereabouts may also indicate drug use. When teenagers are unable to explain their movements, this shows that they are secretive, and drug use may explain this situation. However, teenagers movements should be established before accusing them of drug use. Disrespectful to parents Drug users are usually disrespectful to other people. This is due to the label which society gives them of drug addicts, which makes them harbor hatred towards society. Teenagers who use drugs are unable to explain their odd behavior to parents and much resort to disrespect as a means of covering up drug use (Giannini 69-73). Others are influenced by drugs to make irrational choices leading to disrespect of family, friends and the community. Stealing lying Stealing is a common trait amongst drug users and it emanates from the need to purchase drugs. Drugs are expensive to purchase and drug users may be forced to steal from family and friends to maintain the vice. When questioned about it, they are likely to lie about it. This makes it a symptom of drug abuse, and parents should be careful to note such behavior from their children. Who to blame Various discussions have centered on who is to blame for the problem of drug abuse. However, there is consensus that everyone is to blame for the problem. Parents have neglected their children and left nannies and teachers to raise them, as they pursue professional goals. Teachers have also neglected students since they focus on academic curriculum at the expense of social development. The society has tolerated drug abuse and perceived it as normal behavior without taking action against drug users (Roleff 39-44). This has left adolescents to seek advice from peers, who may influence them to abuse drugs. Teachers and parents ought to give attention to teenagers and advice them on harmful effects of drug use. The society should also condemn and punish drug users, since this will deter them from practicing the same. Risks involved There are many risks which are involved in drug use. These risks affect the health of the user, their relationships with family, society and friends, and their ability to achieve full potential in later life. In addition to this, some risks may be potentially fatal to users. Risks associated with drug abuse include addiction, health problems, transmission of STDs, accidents, mental disorders and problems with law enforcers. These risks will be discussed below in more detail; Addiction Most drugs are addictive to users. The degree of addiction varies according to several factors including specific drug used, genetic make up of user, quantities used and other factors. However, since most drugs are addictive, users become dependent on the drugs for performance of everyday activities. Drug addiction is the most harmful effect of drugs since it ensures that users are unable to quit drugs, and instead use more quantities of drugs to achieve the state of intoxication over time. Some of the most addictive drugs include cocaine, heroine and tobacco. However, other drugs such as alcohol, prescription drugs and marijuana are also addictive and may make users dependent on them. This makes it expensive to sustain abuse, and users may use illegal means of getting money to satisfy the addiction. Drug manufacturers use the aspect of addiction to ensure they have a steady supply of cash from addicts. STDS Many drugs affect the ability to make reasonable judgments by users. Some drugs, especially alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and other hard drugs interfere with decision making abilities of users and may allow them to engage in irresponsible sexual behavior. This behavior may lead to transmission of STDs among people who engage in this behavior after drug abuse. In addiction, users who share needles when injecting themselves may acquire STDs as a result. Some STDs such as HIV are incurable and developing them leads to fatalities after a period of time. Others which are curable are expensive to treat, which leads to financial burdens on families of such drug users. Health problems Several health problems are linked to drug use. In fact, all drugs have a side effect or health problem associated with it. Drugs such as alcohol lead to kidney and liver failure while others such as tobacco may lead to development of cancer or lung damage (Learn about alcoholism website 2009). Hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin may lead to high blood pressure and heart problems. As earlier stated, sharing of needles may transmit STDs. It is clear that all drugs have adverse health repercussions. This leads to high medical costs to victims, and these problems may also lead to fatalities. This is an economic cost to families and governments around the world. Drug overdose may lead to instant death to users. Mental disorders There are various drugs which may lead to the development of mental disorders amongst users. These drugs adversely affect the brain leading to distortion of reality, leading to mental disorders. Drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin and others have been known to cause psychosis and illusions, which may develop into mental disorders. People with such disorders may perform unreasonable acts as they perceive themselves as normal and the rest as abnormal. These disorders are expensive to treat, and may at times be incurable to victims. Accidents Many accidents are caused by drivers or pedestrians who have taken drugs. Alcohol is the most common drug linked to accidents, although others also lead to accidents in our roads. In the US, over 37,000 people died as a result of accidents caused by drink-driving, while this figure exceeded 41,000 in the previous year. These figures show the severity of the matter. This is a matter of great concern especially when sober drivers are exposed to accidents caused by drunk drivers, which end up taking their lives. There are also other accidents at the workplace which are caused by working while intoxicated, especially in industrial plants where there is dangerous machinery. Accidents cause serious injuries or fatalities to victims. Trouble with the law Many drug users are arrested at some point in their lives due to drug use. Drug use causes addiction, which forces users to seek more. Since most drugs are illegal, law enforcers arrest drug users through elaborate schemes and plans put in place to deter drug use. Arrests over drug use have adverse repercussions including heavy fines and prison sentences. It also leaves a record which may affect future employment opportunities. Families suffer when breadwinners are arrested, and one loses employment when arrest over drugs is publicized. This creates a large population of social deviants who are a liability to society. Solutions In order to solve the problem of drug abuse, each society stakeholder should join efforts to fight the vice. The problem of drug abuse needs to be publicized and help given to drug users. In addition, stiffer punishment should be given to traffickers. These and more interventions will be discussed below; Family Counseling Counseling is the first step in solving the drug abuse problem. Users need to accept that they face a problem and counseling will enable them see the effects of drugs to themselves and their families. Family counseling also teaches families to be supportive of drug users in attempts to stop drugs (Evans Sullivan 75-76). This is important as drug users have families as primary socialization units. Family counseling should also address problems such as domestic violence which are causalities of drug abuse. Community and youth programs Community and youth programs educate youth on harmful effects of drugs. These programs also offer youth alternative activities to do with leisure time such as sports activities. When youth are aware of harmful effects of drugs, they are likely to avoid using them, thereby reducing the problem of drug abuse. Harsher punishment In order to deter trafficking and sale of drugs, laws which heavily punish drug use and trafficking ought to be passed. These should involve heavy fines and long prison sentences. When such laws are passed, they will deter drug traffickers, and when drugs are unavailable, the problem of drug abuse will reduce, if not completely eradicated. Harsh laws are very effective in deterring commission of crime. Communication In order to solve the drug problem, better communication between teenagers, teachers and parents should be developed. This will enable teenagers to share their concerns with parents and guardians, who will advice them on choices to make as opposed to peers, who may give wrong guidance and direction. Communication will also provide opportunities to teenagers to be aware of adverse effects of drug use. Summary The problem of drug use has been discussed in detail. Common drugs abused have also been discussed. Drugs have been seen to be harmful not only to users but also to their friends and families. Their harmful effects include health complications, fatalities, loss of employment, and economic burdens amongst other effects. Every member of the society is responsible for the problem of drug abuse and appropriate interventions should be implemented to discourage the vice. These include communication with teenagers, stricter laws against drug trafficking, family counseling and community programs which publicize the problem of drug use. This will ensure that teenagers are safe and free from drug abuse.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Horror Versus Terror in Gothic Literature Essay -- Gothic Literature

Horror Versus Terror in Gothic Literature  Ã‚   Gothic literature can be described as literature that is used to terrify people by portraying situations that border between reality and unreality. The purpose of Gothic literature is to terrify people, not to horrify them. The definition of horror and terror is often misunderstood, many people think they have the same meaning. Devendra Varma, in the Gothic Flame described the difference between these words as "an awful apprehension and sickening realization." A situation that is horrifying is usually described very distinctly. It usually deals with something that is grotesque and may be so appalling that is it unrealistic. It gives an exact portrayal of what is being described, usually by physical characteristics. Its intention is to appall and scare the reader. A situation that is terrifying is also used to frighten the reader, but it instead suggests something that will happen instead of describing it exactly. It allows the readers imagination to determine the story so that there is a sense of uncertainty. It seems to give a feeling of dread instead of an alarming feeling as with horror. William Faulkner, in "That Evening Sun", uses the distinction between the words terror and horror to portray Jason's, the child, feelings of terror concerning racial differences by creating a situation that would be terrifying to the reader. The feeling of terror, similar to the terror that Jason feels about race, is exemplified several times throughout the story. Faulkner wants the reader to understand the meaning of terror so that they understand Jason's terror. He especially utilizes sound to terrify the reader. "One night we waked up, hearing the sound. It was not singing and it was... ... the possibility of being put in their position. The difference between the words terror and horror is essential to the understanding of "That Evening Sun" as Gothic literature. Varma further explains this distinction by saying, "Terror thus creates an intangible atmosphere of spiritual psychic dread, a certain superstitious shudder at the other world. Horror resorts to a cruder presentation of the macabre: by an exact portrayal of the physically horrible and revolting, against a far more terrible background of spiritual gloom and despair." Faulkner uses the definitions of these words to communicate that people who are prejudice are not scared of people from other backgrounds because of what they look or act like. They are instead terrified of being treated like they are treated. They are also terrified because they are uncertain of what makes them so different.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Comparison of To His Coy Mistress and The Ruined Maid Essay -- Andrew

Comparison of To His Coy Mistress and The Ruined Maid 'To His Coy Mistress' is written by Andrew Marvell in the 17th Century. Marvell was one of the so-called metaphysical poets - a term of mild literary abuse coined by Dr. Johnson. 'The Ruined Maid' was written by Thomas Hardy in 1866. It is important to analyse the theme, language, tone, characters and style of both poems in order to compare and contrast them. 'To His Coy Mistress' is a lyric of seduction. It is about a young man who tries to persuade a young girl to have sex with him. It seems that he has made an attempt but fails, because the girl is unwilling to yield her virginity. The poem is an example of a carpe diem poem - 'carpe diem' is Latin for 'seize the day'. The man expresses his sadness at the thought of swiftly passing time and the shortness of life. He wants to persuade the girl to grab the time that they have. The poem splits up into three sections with different moods. The first section contains lots of flatteries. Marvell has already expressed the main point of this poem at the first two lines, 'Had we but world enough and time, this coyness, Lady, were no crime.' He is saying that if there is time, he can wait. He understands the young girl's modesty and she wants to keep her virginity. The poem is lustful as the man keeps on flattering the girl; he says that he could operate within the confines of conventional courtship and devote appropriate time to worship of her. 'Two hundred to adore each breast'. He assured her that she deserves the most elaborate courtship imaginable - 'For lady, you deserve this state'. He will spend lots of time waiting for her; if there is 'time'. However, the second section begins with a huge ... ...coy mistress. However, the mistress might be a rich woman and she might be happy with her present life while she keeps her virginity. In general, the man is the one who is disappointed if he cannot have sex with her. In the ruined maid, Hardy is quite successful in teasing society's hypocrisy in condemning prostitution. One may have a better life and better position as a prostitute. However, in my opinion, I think reputation is an important thing for women. I would tease the ruined maid as well. I would rather be a poor country girl than a prostitute. Even if she has a better life and is rich, she is totally shameful and condemned by the public. Losing her virginity is an indignity, as is being as 'ruined'. Not only should the prostitutes be blamed, but also the men who pay them for sex should be humiliated. The men's reputation should also be ruined.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Bad Tires Create Safety Problems :: essays papers

Bad Tires Create Safety Problems Bad Tires Create Safety Problem for the Public Firestone produced a line of tires that have been responsible for deaths and injuries throughout the United States. The faulty tires are known to experience tread separation, which causes the tire to blow out. Evan though there is an ongoing recall, the number of accidents continues to rise. Since the recalled tires are most commonly found on Ford vehicles, there is an attempt to draw Ford into the blame. The problem at hand is that there are faulty tires on the roadways, and innocent people are dying. The Firestone tire recall is perhaps the most deadly auto safety crisis in American History. As of September 20, 2000 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported 103 deaths due to crashes. Also they included more than 400 injuries, and 2,226 complaints from consumers. Most of the fatalities are linked to accidents caused when 15-inch ATX and Wilderness tires mounted on Ford Explorers experienced tread separation, usually in hot weather. Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. has recalled 6.5 million of those tires, and the NHTSA has issued a consumer advisory covering an additional 1.4 million Firestone tires. On August 9 of this year, Firestone, owned by Japan’s Bridgestone Corporation, began recalling 6.5 million tires made up of a certain 15-inch models of its ATX and Wilderness AT tires in response to a federal probe that began in May. The majority of the recalled tires were fitted over a decade to Ford motor company’s best selling sport utility vehicle, the Explorer. Firestone claims that the unique design of the 235/75R15 Wilderness AT tire, in combination with variations in the manufacturing process at its Deatur, Illinois, plant may have produced some of the problems. At the Senate hearing, Ford and Firestone again blamed each other for the problem, which has strained an automotive partnership that goes back 100 years. A Reuters Zogby poll released last week showed that three out of five people surveyed in the United States blamed Firestone for the controversy, while only one in fifteen blamed Ford. Ford President Jaques Nasser said, â€Å" Every time Ford went to Firestone with problems that foreign customers reported, the tiremaker insisted there were no tire defects either overseas or in the United States.

Breaking a social norms

What Is your paper about? What will you say? Theory: Discuss in detail the theoretical issues that are related to social norms in general and to the one you chose to break in particular. Where do social norms come from? What Is the social norm that you chose and how and why did It evolve? How does your behavior break the social norm? Why is the social norm you broke a social norm? How might normative and Informational social Influence relate to obedience to this arm?Is it a descriptive or an injunctive norm (what are those and why)? What predictions did you have about how you would feel or how people would react? Tell everything you know about social norms and why It relates to the theory. Make sure to address each of these questions at some point in your paper or you will lose Your experience: Describe how your behavior breaks the social norm. What did you do? Describe the reactions of the people when you broke the social norm. Did they get angry?Did they give you weird looks? Did a nyone say anything? Did different types of people react in different ways? Why did they react this way? Did they react how you predicted? You will also want to talk about how you felt. Did you feel embarrassed? Sick to your stomach? Liberated from society? Discuss any reactions or feelings in terms of the relevant theories and studies. It might be also fun to speculate about how someone else might have felt if they were in your position. Integration:How does your experience relate to the theories? Do different theories of conformity predict the reactions you got when you broke the There are many other interesting questions and issues that you might choose to raise when thinking theoretically about the experience of breaking a norm. Conclusion: Take a step back to look at the big picture of social norms. Evaluate your feelings and the behavior you observed in the context of the theories. What does your experience have to add to the theory?

Monday, September 16, 2019

Exchange Rates Volatility and Risks Essay

There are a number of factors that could change the value of a currency with respect to another. If the inflation rate in a country is low with respect to the inflation rate in other countries, the prices of goods and services in the country with the low inflation rate become attractive for foreigners. However, increases in demand for the goods and services in the country with a low inflation rate are expected to appreciate the value of the country’s currency (Ana, FS 2004). Changes in interest rates tend to have a similar affect on exchange rates. Foreigners would like to invest in countries where the rates of return on investment are high. As the demand for investment in a particular country increases – because it enjoys a high interest rate in comparison with other countries – the value of its currency is expected to appreciate (Ana, FS). The exchange rates at a given time are also dependent on differences between the current account balances of countries. If a country is running a current account deficit, it generally means that the country is importing more than it is exporting, so therefore investments in the country may not be considered lucrative. A country with a current account surplus, on the other hand, is considered attractive for investment. As a matter of fact, the currency of this country is as attractive to foreigners as its products and services. By increasing their demand for the country’s products and services, foreigners are expected to appreciate its currency’s value. As its currency’s value appreciates, however, investing in the country becomes less affordable (Ana, FS). When a country is experiencing a current deficit, its government may decide to borrow money to finance the self same deficit. Inflation may ensue. Moreover, if the lenders believe that there is a default risk, they may decide to sell off the debt on the open market. In the United States, treasury securities may be used for this reason. In any case, the selling of the debt on the open market is expected to exert downward pressure on the foreign exchange rate (Ana, FS). Exchange rates are also affected by the political climate of a country at any given time. Political disturbance in a country may result in a loss of investor confidence in its currency. Conversely, countries that enjoy relatively stable political climates are able to attract investment and experience appreciations in the values of their currencies (Bergen, JA 2007). Undoubtedly, a firm must be able to manage the different kinds of political risks that it may have to face by investing in a particular country. There are three main types of political risks: firm-specific risks, country-specific risks, and global-specific risks. Of the three types of political risks, firm-specific risks include the volatility of exchange rates. These risks are expected to affect the multinational enterprise at the corporate and/or project level (Frenkel, M, Karman, A, & Scholtens, B 2004). For this reason, an exchange rate risk or currency risk – from the perspective of an American investor – is defined as follows: The risk that a business’ operations or an investment’s value will be affected by changes in exchange rates. For example, if money must be converted into a different currency to make a certain investment, changes in the value of the currency relative to the American dollar will affect the total loss or gain on the investment when the money is converted back. This risk usually affects businesses, but it can also affect individual investors who make international investments (Exchange Rate Risk 2007). There are three types of exposure to exchange rate volatility that an investor may have to confront. The firm faces translation exposure when its reported accounting profits must be adjusted as a result of foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Transaction exposure is the result of the firm’s agreement to undertake certain â€Å"foreign exchange transactions during the current period (Bolster, P 2006). † As an example, an importer may sign an agreement to purchase a specific quantity of goods from Country A and pay a certain amount of money to the country in ninety days. Through this agreement the importer is obligated to pay Country A by purchasing the units of Country A’s currency in ninety days. Seeing that the exchange rate may change in ninety days, the importer is exposed to currency risk (Bolster, P). Lastly, investors may have to face economic exposure to exchange rate volatility. This type of exposure to exchange rates volatility results from the need of the firm to conduct business activities in another country in future. Bolster, P describes economic exposure as â€Å"the need for foreign exchange transactions and exposure to exchange rate fluctuations that results from future business activities. † The experience of Toyota in the U. S. utomobile market helps to explain this type of exposure to exchange rate volatility. The company had managed to attain a sizeable market share in the United States. But, when the Japanese yen started to appreciate in relation to the U. S. dollar, the revenues of the company dropped significantly (Bolster, P). The good news is that it is possible for investors to manage the political risks, including the firm-specific risks that they may be exposed to. â€Å"Limiting, diversifying, and hedging† are all viable methods of managing political risks (Frenkel, M, Karman, A, & Scholtens, B p. 20). †

Sunday, September 15, 2019

My Heroes Essay

â€Å"My Heroes† was written by Elizabeth Berg, who has published many popular books since 1993. In the article, Berg told us that real heroes were ordinary people around us. Because Berg’s daughter chose her friend as a hero who saved her from drowning in a creek, Berg realized a hero wouldn’t have to be a famous person. When Mrs. Zinz, an eighth-grade English teacher, was harassed by Berg and her friend, she wasn’t angry. Mrs. Zinz didn’t lower herself and become mean. Another hero in Berg’s mind was her grandfather who was kind, warm and friendly. He liked to make his grandchild laugh. Sylvia, Berg’s mother-in-law, could enjoy her retirement life but instead, she went back to school to get a college diploma. Berg admired her because of her love of learning. Moreover, there were the people that Berg admired because of their jobs, such as mail carriers, nurses, stay-at-home mothers, and working mothers. Many people are around us every day, but you may not realize that they are heroes. However, Berg believes that if you look at them in a different way, you would know that they are heroes. After I read Berg’s essay, I think she was right. Heroes are not only the greatest people in history but also the ordinary people in our lives. They teach us small lessons and touch us in a quiet way. My heroes are people who inspire confidence in me since I was a child, who are brave enough to fight for things which are unfair and unconscionable, and who help and protect the weak groups in our community. My mother is one of my heroes, who always tells me I must be a self-confident person. Worrying about unknown things, fearing failures, and having a negative attitude were part of my character when I was a child. One day, my mother took me to the ice-skating center. She wanted me to build up my confidence during the process of learning ice-skating. When we were ready to skate, she said, â€Å"I won’t hold your hand. You should learn it by yourself. † At that moment, I thought my mother was a devil. I buttressed the handrail and moved slowly. I looked like a baby who was learning to walk. After I got used to it, I took off my hand from the handrail. Within a minute, I slid on the ice, lost my balance, and fell down. I asked for help by informing my mother with eye contact. â€Å"Get up! I know you can do it,† she encouraged me with supportive words. Finally, I got up but fell down again a few minutes later. I cried and yelled madly, â€Å"I don’t want to skate anymore. It’s so painful. I want to leave! † â€Å"Don’t give up, my sweetheart. Take out your confidence. After you learn it by yourself, you will realize all the pain that you overcome is worth it. † My mother said it tenderly. I saw a devil that became an angel. These words have been engraved in my heart deeply. I should not have doubted and looked down on my ability. After countless failures, I could fly on the ice. The happiness of success was the best feeling that I have ever had. My mother let me understand learning from failure was a way to build up confidence. My aunt, Jodie Li, who is a normal housewife in China, is also a hero of mine. I admire her because she is brave enough to fight for any unfair and unconscionable acts. When Jodie was on the bus, she saw a man who was taking advantage of a teenage girl who was too afraid to yell. Jodie stopped and grabbed the pervert, pulled the girls to hide behind her, and called the police. She did not think too much. At that time, she just wanted the pervert to get caught. If I were her, I wouldn’t have had enough courage to rescue the girl. In addition, Jodie fought with a company because they charged her extra money on her bill. The company didn’t notify Jodie that they had charged her many unknown fees. Jodie was furious. She kept investigating the reason. Finally, the company made a compromise and apologized to her. Besides that, Jodie found out that someone cheated while she was taking the paper driving test. She thought it was really unfair because she studied hard on the test. She told the examiner immediately. Sometimes, we would overlook something since it’s not related to us. However, Jodie couldn’t pretend that didn’t happen. Her attitude affected me. I cannot stay quiet when some unfair and unconscionable things happen to me. I have to fight for myself. Beyond that, there are people who are my heroes because they help and protect the weak groups in our community. Social workers work with people who are homeless, sick or have family problems and try their best to help people overcome problems and make people lives better. Police officers who have responsibility of protecting the residents risk their lives to arrest criminals. Ambulance staff who stand-by, rushes to the scene of the ccident, and rescues many people. Volunteers with animals who defend the animals selflessly look after the stray dogs or cats as pets. Heroes are everywhere. It depends on how you look at them. Have you ever thought about who were your heroes around you? Berg figured out her heroes, and so did I. My heroes are people who give confidence to me since I was a child, who are courageous enough to fight against unfair and unconscionable actions, and who help and shield the weak groups in our community. These people inspired me in a different way, in a different city, and in a different moment.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Organisational Performance and Customer Satisfaction Equation.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Lighthouse Hotel Freetown, I’ve been provided with an Organisational Performance and Customer Satisfaction equation: Consumer Expected Quality – Organisational Actual Quality = Customer Perceived Quality EQ > AQ => Dissatisfaction EQ = AQ => Mere Satisfaction AQ > EQ => Delighted Customer An Organization Performance includes multiple activities, that help in establishing the goals of the organization, and monitor the progress towards the target. It is used to make adjustments to accomplish goals more efficiently and effectively. Organization Performance is what business executives and owners are usually frustrated about. This is so because, even though the employees of the company are hard-working, and are busy doing their tasks, their companies are unable to achieve the planned results. Results are achieved more due to unexpected events and good fortune rather than the efforts made by the employees. Customer satisfaction, a business term, is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is part of the four of a Balanced Scorecard. The balanced scorecard (BSC) is a strategic performance management tool – a semi-standard structured report supported by proven design methods and automation tools that can be used by managers to keep track of the execution of activities by staff within their control and monitor the consequences arising from these actions. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy. Organizations need to retain existing customers while targeting non-customers. Measuring customer satisfaction provides an indication of how successful the organization is at providing products and/or services to the marketplace. Customer satisfaction is an abstract concept and the actual manifestation of the state of satisfaction will vary from person to person and product/service to product/service. The state of satisfaction depends on a number of both psychological and physical variables which correlate with satisfaction behaviors such as return and recommend rate. The level of satisfaction can also vary depending on other factors the customer, such as other products against which the customer can compare the organization's products. Consumer Expected Quality – Organisational Actual Quality = Customer Perceived Quality Analyzing the equation showing how it could lead to all the possible customer perception outcomes: EQ ; AQ =; Dissatisfaction EQ = AQ =; Mere Satisfaction AQ ; EQ =; Delighted Customer The above figure provides a view of the process in which customers needs and expectations are translated into output during the design, production and delivery process. True consumer needs and expectations are called Expected Quality ( EQ ). EQ is what the customer assumes will be received from the product. The producer identifies these needs and expectations and translates them into specification for products and services. Actual Quality ( AQ ) is the outcome of the production process and what is delivered to the customer. AQ may differ considerably from EQ. This difference happens when information gets lost or misinterpreted from one step to the next. Perceived Quality ( PQ ) is the customer's perception of the overall quality or superiority of a product or service with respect to its intended purpose, relative to alternatives. The quality of the product may considerably differ form what the customer actual receives. Because PQ derives customer behavior, this area is where producers should really concentrate. Any difference between the EQ and AQ can cause either a delighted customer ( AQ > EQ ) or dissatisfied customer ( EQ> AQ ), but when EQ = AQ results in merely satisfied customer. EQ > AQ = Dissatisfaction This is were in the actual quality of a product or service is greater than what the customer expected I. e. the expected quality. Example, a person may have heard only good things about the food at Sierra Lighthouse restaurant and decides to eat there. The food is expensive since it’s a five star hotel. Upon arrival he orders a dish and instead of being served within 20 minutes like it’s suppose to be the dish comes after 45 minutes. The customer tastes the food and it’s tasteless, the customer would be dissatisfied and would never visit Sierra Lighthouse. The customer would also tell his friends and family about his/her bad experience and they too would never visit Sierra Lighthouse. EQ = AQ = Mere satisfaction This is were in the what a customer expects ( EQ ) is exactly what the customer gets ( AQ ). Example, a person is used to eating grilled shrimps at Kimbima’s Restaurant then a friend comes along and offer to take him/her to Sierra Lighthouse for Dinner. The customer orders grilled shrimps at the Sierra Lighthouse and when customer taste the food it’s tastes the same as Kimbima’s. The customer would have a mere satisfaction because that’s the taste he/she has been used to already. All the customer would have is another place to eat his/her favourite dish in case Kimbima runs out of shrimps. AQ > EQ = Delighted Customer This is were in what a customer gets from a product or service ( AQ ) is more than what the customer expected ( EQ ). Example, a person is used to eating Pizza at King David’s restaurant and one day a friend tells him the pizza at Sierra Lighthouse is better. The person decides to visit Sierra Lighthouse with already high perception of the pizza prepared there. The customer orders a large pizza and was told that by ordering a large pizza he/she gets 1 small pizza free. When the pizza arrived and the customer tasted it, it was more delicious than he/she imagined. The customer was delighted because he/she not only at a very delicious pizza but he had an extra one to go home. As the CEO of Sierra Lighthouse Hotel I would like to show in details how I can create dissatisfaction, mere satisfaction and Delight in my customers using my hotel. A Japanese professor Noriaki Kano, suggests three classes of customer requirements: Dissatisfiers Satisfiers Exciters/Delighters Dissatisfiers- These are linked to customer dissatisfaction. These are requirements that are expected by customers in a product or service which are generally not stated by a customer but assumed to be there. If these features are not present the customer would be dissatisfied. Example, a customer takes a room at Sierra Lighthouse hotel for a week, he/she knows that it is a five star hotel and it should have certain standards. Five star hotels most have a hair drier, hot water, air condition, towels ( both bath and hand towels ), 24 hour electricity, internet connection and cable TV. The customer who is a woman after unpacking and going for a shower and washing her hair realizes there is no hair drier. The customer would be dissatisfied because it is a most for a five star hotel to have a hair drier in their bathrooms. Satisfiers- These are linked to mere customer satisfaction. These are requirements that customers say they want. Although these requirements are generally not expected fulfilling them creates satisfaction. Example, a customer calls and books a room at Sierra Lighthouse and tell us if possible he/she would like a room with a bath tub and a balcony with sea view if possible. When the customer is show his/her room it’s exactly what he/she asked for, the customer would be merely satisfied because he/she know that my hotel would always meet customer wants. Exciters/Delighters- These are linked to delighted customer. These are requirements that a customer doesn’t ask for or expect. These requirements are generally not asked for or expected but are offer to create delight. Example, a customer calls from over seas and books a room with Sierra Lighthouse hotel and gives us the date and time of his arrival. The hotel sends a car to the airport to pick up the customer, the customer would be delighted. This is because he/she didn’t ask or expected to be picked up but was delighted to see that the hotel offered an extra service. The effects of the three possible performance outcomes on the profitability or other wise of the organisation: Dissatisfaction When a customer’s expectation about a product or service is greater than the actual quality of the product or service, the customer will be dissatisfied. When a customer is not satisfied he/she would simple stop requiring the product or service I. . stop buying them. When a customer stops buying a product or service that mean the organisation looses that customer because the customer would go and look for a better replacement. If customers of an organisation are not satisfied with the product or service that, that organisation produces, then the organisation is not only loosing it customers but also looses it money. An unsatis fied customer is a customer who’d give bad publicity to the business, and as long as the word is out the business would start losing money because there would be no customers to buy their products or services. Dissatisfaction has a negative impact on the profitability of the organisation, which would eventually turn into loses and the collapse of the business. Mere Satisfaction When a customer is merely satisfied, it means that customer expectation is equal to the actual quality of the product or service. Merely satisfied customers are not enough for an organisation to become very profitable, instead the organisation maybe on the edge of collapsing. Customers may patronize the organisation out of loyalty, but for most customers, they’d be looking for somewhere to get extra value for their money’s worth. An organisation which offers products or services that merely satisfy it customer wouldn’t be very profitable. Either the organisation works on their quality to get delighted customers or shut down for good because in the long run the organisation would collapse. It will collapse because at the end of the day all the customers would leave to look for an organisation that will offer them better products or services. Delighted customer When a customer is delighted, it means that the actual quality of the product or services exceeds the customers expectation. A delighted customer has little incentive to even consider other brands. On the contrary, by changing brands they risk loosing some of their current delight. The organisation which delights it customers would become very profitable and have a great publicity. Old customer will keep on buying from that organisation and bringing new customer to the organisation.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Modify the essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Modify the - Essay Example source of labor for outsourced products, which may as well mean that we are advocating for child labor by promoting companies that outsource indiscriminately. Because Child labor and death of children in factory fires abroad is directly linked to outsourcing, which promotes employment of cheap labor for reduced costs. The morality behind having child labor laws enforced in our nation while giving a blind eye to plight of children in our business partners’ nations is questionable as well as illogical. The author’s claim is very effective in that the laws against child labor in the country do not touch on imports allegedly produced through child labor in countries. Weber’s article is evidence of illegal employment of child labor in textile manufacturing companies to warrant the issue of outsourcing as unethical even bordering on illegal. The first fact is the fire of 1911 that engulfed the Asch Building, which housed the Triangle Waist Company. The author records that fresh immigrant teenage girls were employed in the company to manufacture shirtwaists for women. In the May 10, 1993 fire that razed down Kader Industrial Toy Company in Thailand, most of the dead workers were described as being teenage girls. She uses this evidence and support to highlight the plight of children especially in third world countries who usually go unaccounted for in the event of fires at the factories. The precarious working conditions make the situations worse especially for underage workers who are most likely to die in the event of such fires. Weber’s claim is quite effective as she brings factual evidence by citing previous incidents where childr en formed the majority of workers who succumbed to fire break outs in various companies in developing nations. Using real examples brings the author’s claims in touch with reality, thus drilling some sense into the minds of readers. Weber still give evidence that the children working in textile factories are kept as a secret and

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Answer three essay questions from the text Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer three questions from the text - Essay Example of labor, and systems of distribution; in order to prove these theses, let us cite specific examples to illustrate the most relevant points of the paper. Thus, technology in the Euro-American world is a crucial concept, because it signifies a set of instruments for classifying things. Furthermore, division of labor could be applied properly in terms of technology, as a main factor of its developing, according to Marx (Lenkeit, p. 96). Moreover, systems of distribution differ from West to East, because in the West market goods are widely produced and distributed, whereas in the East only some religious and moral ideas and principle are reproduced predominantly. Unlikely, subsistence is the ground for both division of labor and systems of distribution in the scientific philosophy and cultural anthropology. Illustrating the most relevant points of the sub-chapter, it can be said that technology, subsistence, division of labor, and systems of distribution are extremely vital regarding compare and contrast foragers in two different parts of the world. In this sub-chapter we will critically discuss the problems associated with using Euro-American constructs about sexual orientation to describe the behaviors and attitudes of the other cultures; accordingly, we will point out areas where problems could arise, offering solutions towards understanding. Thus, there are some Euro-American constructs about sexual orientation, especially in psychoanalysis: drive; passion, and compensation (Lenkeit, p. 95). Initially, Freudian theory of sexual drives is extremely important in terms of sexual orientation, because it is relevant for describing why sexes are so significant for each other. Then, passion is a way of how drives realize each other. Moreover, compensation or sublimation is a most vital scientific method in psychoanalysis which suggests why sexual orientation occurred and why sometimes it is converted into creative activities (Lenkeit, p. 38). In this sub-chapter we

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

The Role of the World Bank in a Global Economy Essay

The Role of the World Bank in a Global Economy - Essay Example d its operations on 25 June 1946 and its first loan was approved on 9 May 1947 for the postwar rehabilitation and reconstruction ventures as concerns to France. It was at the time the largest loans to have been issued by the World Bank. The five parts (agencies) of the World Bank comprise of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Development Association (IDA), International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and lastly the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The activities of the World Bank emphasize more on its role towards the developing nations, ones which are doing their best to catch on to the bandwagon of the developed nations. The fields that the World Bank focuses upon in these developed nations include human development which can take into concern the subjects related with education and health. Then there is the field of agriculture and rural areas development emp hasizing more towards the irrigation activities and steps and the rural services. Environmental protection is also a related field coming under the focus discussion of the World Bank. This field takes a look at the areas which discuss the reduction of pollution as well as the manners in which regulations could not only be established but also enforced as a result. Infrastructure is a significant area that is seen courtesy the World Bank whereby the main point of emphasis is on the construction of roads, electricity provision and urban regeneration. Governance is the last pivotal area that World Bank takes into account and this speaks about the anti-corruption laws and measures in place and if the same are missing, then the manner in which these can be had in the first place. Also governance entails of the development of the legal institutions and other relevant corporations coming under this banner. World Bank tries its best to provide loans and other related incentives at preferent ial

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Essay

Urban Planning and Sustainable Development - Essay Example Urban Planning and Sustainable Development Venice is also known as queen of Adriatic and is the capital of Veneto. Later many people like Huns, Lombards had their fair share of occupancy of the region. This led to new development of ports and shift of political administration to these places. During this time seat of governor was located in Malamocco. Later seat of Olivolo was created. Some time later the high seat of Malamocco was shifted to Rialto Island., This marked a historic change in the political administration of the Venice as the Rialto Island paved its way to form what we call the modern day location of Venice. This was subsequently bolstered by the fact that construction of monastery of St Zachary and basilica of St Mark. This formed the major defining moment of the futuristic idea of sustainable development of the city. In the year 828 the patriarchal seat was also moved to rialto and at the same time city of Venice started to grow in autonomous mode due to decline of Byzantine power. These events formed the development of city of Venice and from here started the great revolution of medieval world. After the decline of Byzantine power till 12th century Venice transformed from its dependency region into a city state. It shared its status along with Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi. No sooner than its transformation took place .everyone soon realized the importance of the location of place where Venice stood. Venice being at the mouth of Adriatic Sea made it a strategically important place .It soon became a naval and commercial power and became one of the most prominent chain links between the European or the western world to the other parts of the world. Soon the power of Venice was confirmed with the construction of Venetian arsenal. Venetian Arsenal was one of the most important areas of the city of Venice .Lying in the castello sestiere; it was a shipyard and naval depot. It was started around 1104 and was believed to play active role in the control affairs of the city by 12th century. The Arsenal became an important centre for rope manufacture.The people and the staff present in the shipyard also developed new firearms, during the later part of fourteenth century and numerous small arms against the Genoese a few years later.Later administaration extended its location scope till Adda river and lake garda. Similarly to develop its already advantegous location into a potential martime super power of the medieval world it started to aquire neighboring areas like aegean areas of crete. The city later was governed by Great Council .It appoints public offcials and elects a senate. The senate in turn chose a ten member team who looked after the administration of the city . and head of this team group was called as duke.. Now if we look at this whole picture of the government structure ,we can sense some similarity between the structure of the government present in venice and that present in rome in its ancient era.. The reason we have explained about its history and the government present in the city region is that we have to understand these events which were laid out in the timelines of history and the people who have governed this great city have also changed the way the city looks through its administrative planning and practices and thus the concept of urban planning and

Monday, September 9, 2019

A Study on the Effect of De-Selection on Elite Youth Footballers Essay

A Study on the Effect of De-Selection on Elite Youth Footballers - Essay Example The entrants to the scholarship program were from the best players between age 16 and 19. Each of the participants performed two interviews. Each interview averaged a time of sixty minutes. The interviews were conducted in locations of their choice. The interviews did not follow a tight schedule; instead, they were reflexive with provisional themes prepared moments before the interviews. The role of the interviewer was to enable the interviewee to narrate his tale in his own manner. Thus, the interviewer was an active listener. The interviewer stored each interview in an audiotape and transcribed before another interview took place. The interviewer pursued emerging issues in the next interview. After the accumulation of the data, the researchers analyzed it by reading the transcripts with the view of identifying narrative segments and themes in the transcripts. They then followed this with writing analytical memos to provide links to common themes. The researchers followed these iden tical concepts in the next meeting. From the data obtained, the researchers were able to reconstruct the lives of the correspondents before and after their de-selection. The methodology used and justification for its use. ... 572). In the interpretive biography, researchers begin by finding written documents and other records. Some may be of a quantitative nature, but it is relevant if it helps describe a person’s life. Nevertheless, the main material in this research emanates from the numerous interviews the researcher has with the respondent. Of most interest, are events that led to a remarkable change in the respondent’s life. The researcher may want to visit the actual place where the event occurred. After this, the researcher tries to decipher the meaning of those events in the respondent’s life. The researcher may rely on his impression about the event. The interpretive biography method involves the use and acquisition of documents pertaining to a subject’s; personal life, accounts and narratives that elucidate on significant milestones in a person’s life. The central focus of the interpretive biography method is a person’s life experiences (Lewiss-Beck & Br yman 2004, p. 507). The use of the biographical method has its basis on the argument that, those who lived are the only ones who can know their lives. Alternatively, through their representations, which include stories and personal narratives among others. The meaning of these events is only visible in the performances of those who lived those lives. According to Thomas Murray 2003, researchers design biographies to serve several functions. One of the purposes is to preserve a record of a prominent person’s development and contributions. Another purpose is to correct mistaken identities. It can also serve to teach readers lessons through another person’s life or to trace public and private actions of the subject in view of finding

Sunday, September 8, 2019

A Footwear Manufacturing Company - New Balance Research Paper - 1

A Footwear Manufacturing Company - New Balance - Research Paper Example Today, the company is tasked with shifting line of corporate social responsibility from just doing what is right into an integrated business strategy and this is what the present case seeks to find means of getting done in a very resounding manner. Â  Over the years, the history, values, and integrity of New Balance have been the company’s major governance strength. This is because, with an early mission to holding on to responsible management practices, the company has not turned its back on such practices to date (Tyssen, 2001). In the midst of this major strength of unshaken organizational culture for integrity and values, the company has failed to pay particular attention to issues of transparency and accountability and this poses a major weakness to the company’ overall governance. This missing link of transparency and accountability has resulted in a situation whereby the company has not been able to identify its business risk and opportunities (Mustapha, 2008). Invariably, the company has not taken advantages of opportunities that could make it larger and more popular than it is today. Â  Consistency is always a term that customers cherish because it keeps them in line with what is happening within the company and avoids the need to change their ways of dealing with the company (Mustapha, 2008). As far as products and services are concerned, this has thus been a major strength of the company, where it has been able to be consistent with its line of sports brand of production.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Financial Reporting Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Reporting Research - Essay Example When making this decision, IAS 8.11 requires the management to show the definitions, recognition procedures, and dimension concepts for assets, incomes, liabilities, expenses and liabilities in the accounting Framework. A good financial statement is one that is understandable to every stakeholder of the company with minimum difficulties, thus financial statements should be simple and easy to understand. Two it should be reliable in that potential investors can rely on it to make decisions. Three it should be easy to compare with other financial statements in the market. Last but not least financial statement should be relevant. The information used in the financial statement should be relevant and material for decision making. Therefore, ambiguous information should be avoided when preparing financial information. This will eliminate any essence of misguide to the stakeholders of the company. Financial reporting standards have been revised severally over years to capture the dynamics in accounting sector. They have reviewed severally to incorporate the emerging trends in global business such as mergers, foreign acquisition among others. Before 2001 the world used to prepare financial statements using international accounting standards (IAS) and any revision on international accounting standards after 2001 is referred to as international financial reporting standard. ( IFRS). According international accounting standard 10 financial statement includes a statement of financial position which shows the total assets of the company, long-term and short term liabilities and the companies equity. Second is the statement of comprehensive income which shows the total revenue and expenditures of the company. Third is the statement of changes in equity, statement of cash flow which shows the ability of the company to pay short term debts and notes to the financial position this provides explanations to the financial statement items. International Accounting Standards Board is charged with mandate of reviewing and revising accounting standards. It comprises of fifteen members drawn across the world. It was formed in 2001 as successor of International Accounting standard committee. It has the responsibility of developing international financial reporting standard and revision of international accounting standard to IFRS. (Wood & Sangster, 2005) According to international financial standards a statement of financial position should have a section of noncurrent assets at cost, their accumulated depreciation and the net book value all shown separately. A section of current asset and current liabilities on separate column and then the working capital of the company are calculated as the difference of current assets and current liabilities. Current assets are those assets that can be converted into cash easily while noncurrent assets are those that are expected to remain in the business for a long period. In this statement there is a section of financing ac tivities which show how the company is financed. The total of noncurrent assets and working capital should always equal to finances of the company. This statement shows the total assets of the company, liabilities of the company both short term and long term

Character & story Essay Example for Free

Character story Essay Character do counts. It is the foundation of our personality; hence, it portrays our inner self, and represents our whole identity. We are judged according to what we represent and what we shows. We are respected based on what we intend to be seen by others. Character do counts; because it is the basis of how we decide and how we pursue life. 2. Being ethical is important because it is a moral obligation which is important not only for ourselves, but for the entire population. We are bound to do things that will not harm every life, therefore, being ethical, is also being a person that is morally respected. 3. First in the â€Å"Six Pillar of Character† of Josephson is trustworthiness. (8) This pertains to one’s credibility through honesty. It is not just important to be honest with the other people, but also to be honest with yourself. To acquire trust form others, trust within oneself should be first recognized by himself. Holding and keeping promises creates a higher level of being trusted and credible. Trustworthiness is a character that summarizes your being as a person. Second is respect. (10) One of the most important character one should have is respect. Respect is usually is not earned but learned rather. â€Å"Learn to respect yourself before someone respects you†, which is true at all times. People will judge you according to what you intend to show them of who and what you are. It is not the question of who will respect you, but it’s how you respect yourself. Third is responsibility. (5) As a person bounded in the realm of the society, we are born with different kinds of responsibility attached to us. Therefore, we have responsibility to our family, in the society and in the country, and into every aspect that we live for. We are also accountable for our actions. It should be remembered that every steps and actions we make, are part of our responsibilities as a person. Fourth is fairness. (7) In a world full of inequality and injustice, we are expected to correct all these mistakes. Fairness in every action reflects what kind of person we are and how we are brought up. Fifth and sixth is caring (10) and citizenship (8). These two pertains to our attitude to a bigger context. It involves the practice of mentioned characters, as this is the application of what we have learned. Responsibility and being fair needs improvement in my part. Learning by internalizing will help improve myself. 4. Decision making is crucial when we do not understand the consequences that would result from a simple action. It is important to recognize the core foundations of a good decision; first is that we have the will and power what we do and what we say, and second is that we have are aware for the responsibility in such actions. To have an ethical and effective decision, there are several components in good choices. By looking in the options seriously, which means analyzing and evaluating first the options, we are close to a good decision. Recognizing important decisions from minor decisions should also be noticed to avoid mixing the level of importance. Good decision also requires discipline. To be able to make right decisions, we have to control ourselves to what we want and to what is right and just for all. Everyone in the cycle should be considered in taking decisions so that to lessen unlikely outcomes. 5. For example, Jake is a self-supporting student ever since he entered college. He survived for the last three and a half of his years in school through scholarships and doing part time jobs. But unfortunately, at his last semester in the school, he was not able to renew his scholarship due to his failing grade in a subject. Without having a scholarship, it will be difficult for him to pursue his studies, but he still has his part time job. Given these facts, he has to work double or trice to fully support his self; therefore, he needs to decrease the units that he will register on the coming semester to give way to his job. BUT, he is a graduating student on that semester. In doing so, he will be delayed in his graduation. The question is whether he should work full time or to register but to suffer the consequences, since he is financially unstable. Applying the Seven-Step Path to Better Decisions, Jake should first a lot several days for himself to think and make realizations. This will prevent rash decisions and late regrets. Then after that, Jake has to clarify what are his primary goals and objectives. Through this, it will be clear to what path he should be. After that, he should be able to recognize the facts that exist, like the fact of his financial instability. Right after that, he should think another ways and options depending on his primary goal. If it’s his graduation, then, he should think for another scholarship. Fifth, is to consider options. This should be filtered according to six pillars of characters. He has to do what he think is right for himself and for everybody. Sixth is to choose the best possible option. He should can for the advice of his friends or family so that the decision would not be bias to his self. Last is to monitor and modify, which means, still, evaluate the decision he have made. 6. Its all for a good cause. Good example of this is cheating in a basketball game; hurting opponents to win the championship for the benefit of the school. At the end, its still for the â€Å"goodness of everyone† as stated. It’s just part of the job. Basketballintentionally pushing an opponent to get the ball. If its necessary, its ethical! Volleyball. Just to gain the fame and fund of the school, they have to win the game. On its last serve, its against your side; the opponent has successfully reached your court, but you’re the only one to see if its in! And since it’s necessary, you just claimed that it is out! 7. Its when I chose not to speak when my teacher in my grade school subject about the cheating arrangement of my classmates during our exam. It so happen that they are also my friends that’s why I didn’t mentioned a single thing. As a result, my name became involved that resulted to suspension for three days. 8. It’s when I decided to join a volunteer group before to deliver goods in an area affected by a calamity, and that the same day, I have a class to attend to, which I didn’t. As a result, I was overwhelmed by the response of the people on that particular area, and became one of my most treasured moments. 9. Happiness is simply doing what you most wanted, not only on a single benefit, but for all you love. It is achieving the core of wants and what you love. Happiness for your self is incomparable to the happiness that you will feel when you can see that this happiness is not just meant for your self, but rather being happy for someone. I want to be a person that sees happiness as the primary objective in the cycle of human emotions; a person that will be happy for someone in no matter what.