Academic Qualification Cannot Ensure Life Sucess

Do you have iphone or ipad? I believe that even you don’t have one you also know Steve Jobs, the father or the symbol of Apple, the computer firm, he founded, lost, and then regained. Do you think he is a successful person? I do. Do you think your parent who raise you to be who you are today are successful person? I do. Actually, the definition of success differs from person to person and field to field. For some people it is having a lot of money, for others it may be having the time freedom to play golf once a week, and for others it may be raising their children to be â€Å"good people† or having a large group of close friends. For every one of us, there is a different definition of what success is for others. However, for many people, academic qualification is essential for life success . How many times did your parents tell you that make sure you worked hard in high school so you could go to college and get a good career job as the first step in the success stair? I heard it million times. You might not sure about it but you saw a good portion of adult did. But whether school and college grades and examination results provide a way of predicting or ensuring future success. As I do a simple searching in Google, I found that there are about 200 million results for the term â€Å"got degree but no job†. It means there are many people out there who struggle to find a job even they have academic qualification. Moreover, according to Australia bureau statistics, there was 7. 2% of unemployed people who have degree or certificate. The reality has been shown that academic qualification cannot guarantee life success but other factors. Back to the story of Steve Jobs, he dropped out of Reed College in Portland, Oregon after only one semester to earn money for food but later on, he said â€Å"If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. † It is similar to Bill Gates and Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, lets image that they was waiting until they got college degree to start their career, maybe we couldn’t never see one of the biggest computer firm as Microsoft today. Therefore, academic qualification is not the key thing to ensure future success but personalities, characteristics, experiences, willingness to learn, EQ and opportunities. Chasing degree or academic qualification, in general , can make people distract from others important things that contribute to life success as network, relationship, experiences, etc. Moreover, many young people just randomly choose the courses similar to their friends, families’ advices, or something â€Å"hot† but ignore what they are truly like. Finally, college with assignment, exams would make people follow the old road, think inside rather outside the box or limit the creation which is together combined with inspiration, passionate are the key factors of success. In conclusion, academic qualification can be a ticket for you to enter the life with knowledge and shelf-confidence, but there is no guarantee for life success with academic qualification only. So it is importance to define what is what it to be successful and then set our hearts and minds on achieving it.

The Arab Spring

The Arab Spring – Can It Avoid Death? A high degree of pessimism continues to hold a strong grip over the enthusiasts of democracy in the Arab world. In the last one year or so, the popular uprisings for social and political change have stalled in Bahrain, Syria and Yemen. In Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, where the populace succeeded in toppling the authoritarian rulers, things did not change that much. Violence, conflicts, and killings of political opponents disturbingly characterize all the Arab countries affected by the popular uprisings.On the whole, the success rate of democratization is so far disappointing. That begs the question whether the Arab popular uprisings for democratic change, what the media conveniently dubbed the ‘Arab Spring’, are dead or still alive. Certainly, the Arab Spring is not dead; prevailing political and economic realities do, however, indicate that it is inching towards the death bed. Though it is too early to make such an assertion, th e insurmountable political and economic challenges facing the post-revolutionary governments portend less hope for its success.There exist huge gaps between what the pro-democracy forces expected from the revolutions, that is, the expectations of transforming their societies away from authoritarian to democratic order, and what has been achieved or what is achievable on the ground. Neither national conditions nor global developments appear propitious to favor the goals and expectations of the pro-democracy forces. The Arab Spring, in stark contrast to other great historical revolutions, is marked by a series of distinctive features, and many of its weaknesses largely originate from these distinctive features.This is probably the first time in history that popular uprisings for social and political change kicked off without a particular ideology to promote. The Arab youths who organized the uprisings and shaped its course come from different political persuasions; they had no common political platform, no common political thread to tie them together. Neither in the post-uprisings period did they galvanize their political spirit by floating a common political party to consolidate their victories against the anti-democratic, counter-revolutionary forces.Equally noticeable was the absence of able leaders to guide the uprisings to successful conclusions. True, there existed some timid political parties in Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen but no revolutionary or visionary leaders in the likes of George Washington, V. I. Lenin, Mahatma Gandhi, Ayatollah Khomeini or Nelson Mandela. These political parties were hesitant to join the pro-democracy popular movements but tried to catch up once protesters defied the security forces and went out of control of the autocratic regimes.The leadership vacuum has put the army initially and then the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, the Ennahda Party in Tunisia, a conglomerate of anti-Gaddafi forces in Libya, and elements of the old guards in Yemen in power. The beginning rather sounded inauspicious. Worse of all, the uprisings have fostered close collaboration between democratic and counter-revolutionary camps. The conservative Gulf monarchies, except Kuwait to a large extent, are the most fortified anti-democratic fort of the Middle East.In order to preserve hereditary rules and oil money-supported patronage systems, the Saudi King Abdullah sent troops on 14 March 2011 to suppress the popular demands for political and economic reforms in the island kingdom of Bahrain. The US, which has its Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain and a welter of strategic and business interests throughout the Gulf, acquiesced to Saudi intervention. Iran was projected as the enemy out there to take advantage.The Saudis, the Qataris and the Americans also found themselves onboard to oust Muammar Gaddafi through NATO-led military assault on Libya – a wonderful episode of cooperation between democracy and authoritarianism history will preserve in its archive for good. The young Egyptians, Libyans, Tunisians and Yemenis have defied all authoritarian hurdles to set their homelands on the track to democracy. They did not dream of becoming European liberals or American conservatives overnight but were motivated by the need to bury their authoritarian past and build their countries anew.There is a minimum expectation that propels every great revolution. In 1917 the Russian proletariat and the unpaid armed forces supported V. I. Lenin’s socialist revolution in the hope of securing a guaranteed future for bread and butter; the French revolutionaries of 1789 mobilized the common Frenchmen by promising an end to monarchical absolutism and the promulgation of inalienable rights, citizenships for all and good governance.In 2011, the Arab youths and mass people started their uprisings believing that they would be better off in a post-authoritarian system. Their expectations focused on achieving three principal goals – f reedom from want, freedom from fear, and the freedom to live in dignity what together make up human security, a concept the UNDP first popularized in 1994. Human security is widely defined as ‘safety from the constant threats from hunger, disease, crime and repression’.The achievement of human security in the post-revolutionary Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen requires, at a minimum, enough employment creations for the Arab youth bulge (15 – 29 age brackets) who constitute one-third of the total population, elimination of mass poverty (that ranges from 25 per cent in Egypt to 54. 5 per cent in Yemen) and economic inequalities, the elimination of conflicts, crimes and violence, and an end to intimidations, illegal tortures, and discriminations.In a nutshell, in order for the Arab Spring to stay alive, the post-uprisings Arab governments must achieve a minimum level of economic development to satisfy the basic needs of their people, and reorient the political order to secure good governance and social justice for all. The big question is: can they do it? Both insiders and outsiders easily comprehend that much of the violence and conflicts that keep battering Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Yemen originate from the lack of adequate economic provisions for the common people.The initial euphoria for democracy, it seems, may not last long unless the economy picks up dynamism with job promises for the young people. A 2012 Pew Research Center poll has found that the common Arabs prefer a strong economy to a democratic government. One does not need to be a genius like Karl Marx to grasp the simple idea that economics shapes the patterns of politics. The Egyptians are particularly frustrated that their post-revolution economic condition is worse than it was under Hosni Mubarak.Fiscal crisis and current account imbalances are more than threatening to the goals of pro-democracy movements. Egypt’s foreign currency reserves dropped from $36 billion in 2 010 to $24 billion by July 2011 and by January 2013 it shriveled to $13. 6 billion; foreign investors pulled $5. 5 billion by the end of 2011 and foreign direct investment declined sharply; GDP growth rate slid to 1. 8 per cent in 2011 to 1. 5 per cent in 2012 creating many economic woes for the Egyptians.The same picture is visible in Tunisia and Yemen. The dictators vanished leaving behind their economies in shambles. Under Hosni Mubarak, Egypt strongly pursued a pro-market private sector-led development strategy till his fall in February 2011. Late Anwar El-Sadat introduced this strategy in the mid-1970s that marked a cut-off point from Gamal Abdel Nasser’s social contract that guaranteed employments for the educated youths and free social services for the common Egyptians in exchange for political loyalty.Mubarak’s son Gamal Mubarak, groomed as the next in succession line, pursued a rapid privatization program and sold most state corporations to private Egyptian bu sinessmen and investors from Brazil, China, Russia, the US, and the Gulf Arab states. The program spread elite corruption and sharply widened the gaps between the rich and the poor effectively turning Egypt into a two-tier society. In Tunisia, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali established a family fiefdom where his family members and relatives came to firmly control the economic and commercial activities of the country.The common Tunisians suffered so much so that their patience broke down once the college graduate Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire on 17 December 2010. In Yemen, Ali Abdullah Saleh dispensed power and patronage through biased tribal and regional systems that bred discontents nationally and ignited rebellion in some parts of the country. Al-Qaeda fighters stepped in to take advantage of domestic political and economic grievances created by Saleh’s misrule. A quick improvement in post-revolutionary economies requires nothing less than economic miracles but this is very unlikely to happen.A few steps that seem urgent include a bold transition to market economy, introduction of sound fiscal and economic growth strategies to create employment opportunities for the youth bulge, policies to reduce social and economic gaps between the rich and the poor and simultaneous democratization of the political order at a pace people find acceptable. Libya may find the transition relatively easy since money coming from the oil sector gives it substantial leverage to navigate through financial and economic difficulties.The Libyan government earned a total of $54. 9 billion in 2012 in oil and gas revenues with a state budget of approximately the same amount for the same year to finance (50 billion Libyan dinars budget). For resource-poor Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen there is no easy solution. Their limited capacities to deal with post-revolution social and economic problems are chipped away by the continuing global economic recession, particularly the economic decline in the European Union (EU) member states.The economies of Egypt and Tunisia are more integrated with the EU; Tunisia, in particular, is sensitive to the ripple effects of what happens in the big EU economies. The economic and social problems are complicated more by the evolving patterns of politics. Except in Yemen, the Islamists are in control in all the post-revolutionary Arab states. Long repressed by the Arab autocrats, the Islamists rose to power by capitalizing on the weaknesses of the secular political forces and by dint of their organizational strength.The electoral victories of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt or the Ennahda Party in Tunisia did not bring with them a wealth of democratic state and nation-building experiences. While in the opposition they found too many faults with the now toppled dictators but once in power they started wavering in action, sometimes making the politically counterproductive decisions. The violent popular reactions to power grab by Egyptian Presi dent Mohammed Morsi is just a case at hand.In the absence of governance experiences and a development plan to stimulate economic growth to steer clear of political discontents, many Islamists turned to Turkey under the AKP (Justice and Development Party) rule since 2002 as a possible model to emulate. Soon after the Tunisian revolution, the Ennahda Party leader Rachid Ghannouchi told a press conference that his party would follow the Turkish model. A 2011 TESEV (Turkish Economic and Social Studies Center) public opinion survey in the Arab world found that 66 per cent of Arabs preferred Turkey as a model for their respective countries.Though opinions on what the Turkish model exactly means are divided, a simple articulation of the model points to the coexistence of democracy, political Islam, and successful economic liberalization. The Islamic AKP coexists with secular political parties in a secular democratic state structure without Islamizing the face and identity of Turkey but sup ervising rapid economic development with an average 8 per cent growth rate in 2010 and 2011. That marks a fundamental shift from the pre-2002 Kemalists-led state-imposed, elitist, and military supervised economic and political modernization of Turkey.Turkey, as a Muslim country and also because of its geographic proximity, appeals to the Arab world but it is doubtful whether Egypt, Libya or Tunisia can follow the footsteps of AKP. There is limited prospect for these countries at best to score big on issues like Turkish-style successful transition to market economy and integration into the global markets, a sufficient level of economic development to cope with the pressures of population growth, and efficient governance systems.Turkey itself is also experiencing economic contraction as its economy grew only by 1. 6 per cent in the third quarter of 2012. What hopes the economically less developed, less modernized Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen hold out for their people? While the AKP, being an Islamic party, has not really attempted to bring about Islamic transformation of Turkey, the Arab Islamic political parties and groups seek to promote Islamic laws and identities of their societies.Post-uprisings Egyptian, Libyan and Tunisian constitutions prioritize Islamic religion as the principal source of law and values. Extra pressures for Islamization are created by the salafi groups, such as the Libyan Islamic Movement for Change or the Al-Nour Party in Egypt. This is what destabilizes the post-revolution political order by unleashing diverse and conflicting political forces who constantly jockey for power and influence.No less damaging has been external interference in the spontaneous course of Arab pro-democracy movements. Great and regional powers have got dangerously enmeshed in the movements, either supporting or opposing the movements. UN Security Council Resolution 1973 legitimized NATO-led military intervention in Libya to promote democracy; it succeeded in bringi ng down the Gaddafi regime on 20 October 2011 but raised new serious questions about the application of force to promote democracy in the name of ‘the responsibility to protect’.The French arms delivery to the rebel fighters in violation of Security Council Resolution 1970 that imposed arms embargos on all Libyan parties, and regime change through force, according to many observers, overstepped the powers and jurisdictions of the two Resolutions. The Russians and the Chinese subsequently used it to justify their decisions to veto similar resolutions on Syria to stifle the pro-democracy forces. The Arab Spring, in fact, created a new geopolitical arena for the great powers either to promote or preserve their national interests, real as well as perceived.France became eager to spearhead the NATO military strikes on the Gaddafi regime once it secretly concluded coveted oil deals with the rebel National Transitional Council; the Russians would leave no stone untouched to sa feguard their naval base in Syria’s sea port Tartus and continue arms supplies to the Bashar Al-Assad government; and the Americans would support no action against their allies – the Bahraini Al-Khalifa rulers and Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh though they warranted Security Council interventions.One notices with painful sadness that Arab democracy promotions did not genuinely figure in their interests calculations. Distressing internal developments and encumbering external environment together have retarded the normal course of the Arab Spring. It is beyond the imagination of many people that the Arab Spring is getting dried out so soon. The fates of past great historical revolutions constantly remind us not to be too much optimistic about the glorious Arab pro-democracy movements.The 1917 Russian socialist revolution lasted some seventy years what prompted the Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm to label the 20th century as ‘the short twentieth century’, the French Revolution soon unleashed a ‘Reign of Terror’ though normalcy returned after massive killings and bloodshed, and the 1979 Iranian Revolution soon found itself entangled in a long war with Iraq and then in shackles of sanctions imposed by the West. The Arab Spring is tied up by irresolvable internal politico-economic problems and unwelcome external involvements.This is what is cutting short the life of the Arab Spring. The young Arab democratic forces are angry with post-uprisings developments, they lack the capacities to define and determine the course of their countries but are spirited enough to safeguard what they have achieved by overthrowing the dictators in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. That promises no return to the authoritarian past but, at the same time, guarantees no progressive actions to materialize the objectives of the pro-democracy revolutions to keep the Arab Spring alive for years or decades to come.

Automobile Essay

Experimental Question: What are the effects of different types of antifreeze on the physical appearance on pansy plants? Most people could not imagine there lives without some sort of motor vehicle transportation. Although motor vehicles are great for getting around and getting around quickly, they take a lot of maintenance and also have a permanent effect on the environment. Motor vehicles take a lot of different products to assure smooth travels. One of these products that help your motor vehicle run smoothly is antifreeze. Antifreeze is made of substance called ethylene glycol. Although antifreeze is a very helpful product for humans there is a lack of its overall effects upon the environment. This is defiantly a problem, due to its lack of research we decided to conduct an experiment; what are the effects of different types of antifreeze on the physical appearance on a pansy plant? Ethylene glycol is actually metabolized in plants and plants have a hormone inside of them called ethylene. Inside of plant cells this substance is turned into ethylene glycol and broken down again. Most people believe that this substance cannot harm plants since it is already present within plants, but this belief is false. In large substance this substance can become deadly. One of the reasons why we decided to conduct this experiment is to show people the immediate effects there motor vehicle products can have upon the environment. Our goal is to inform vehicle owners of the harmful effects there products can have on the environment and what you can do to help improve our environment.

P.Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

P.Management - Essay Example We note that most of these costs are estimations; thus, some are more accurate compared to others. Director General Costs These are costs incurred in running a project and can be traced back to the said project. Such costs are charged on the project on an item-to-item basis. These include costs such as salaries and wages for personnel tasked with managing the student record management system. Moreover, costs such as fringe benefits for the project managers and other personnel should be incorporated in budgeting for direct costs. Fringe benefits refer to the benefits payable for insurance, retirement or group health policies taken on part time employees, temporary research professionals engaged in the development of the project and its implementation or any selected student employees who may be enlisted in the project management. Such benefits are, however, not payable to full time employees as they already enjoy the benefits associated with fringes. Purchase of additional computers, printers and scanners, which are essential in the project, is also classified as a direct cost to the project. While ordinary purchase of these devices may not be considered a direct cost, this project calls for purchase of highly updated models that are resistant to crashes and other device problems deemed normal. Costs involved in training staff who will be using the system on a regular basis, such as employees in the finance, administration and accounts departments, should be included when computing the project’s direct costs. It is also paramount to include transportation costs to the training centers and meals for trainees in computation of direct costs. Other direct costs for this project include costs of maintaining the system routers, computers, scanners and printers. Moreover, direct costs include costs incurred in maintaining high standards of security such as installation of security devices and security guards to man the project sites (Milosevic, 2001). Administra tive Overhead or Project Overhead Costs These are costs of activities which are beneficial to more than one project. Such costs are quite difficult to approximate, for instance, it is difficult to estimate how activities of the head of the finance department benefit the student records management system. Some of the administrative overhead costs involved in the running of the learning institutions include rent and utilities such as electricity and water payable by the institution, legal and audit fees to relevant persons or institutions, general college or university security, general telephone expenses incurred by the institution and salaries and wages of the institution’s administrative staff (Milosevic, 2001). However, there are certain costs that can be classified as either direct costs or administrative overhead costs. These include postage and telephone charges incurred by the project and other miscellaneous office expenses involved in the project, but which cannot be e asily differentiated from ordinary, miscellaneous expenses. Both direct and certain administrative overhead costs are summed up when formulating the budget for this project (Suhanic, 1999).  . Developing a Time-Phased Budget A time-phased budget such as the cost baseline budget is most suited for budgeting in such a project. The baseline budget involves the summation of estimates of costs of the project. A time-phased budget is the process of determining when funds need to be availed to support the performance of the project; thus, it requires information

Describe the various ways of learning about ancient diets and how it Essay

Describe the various ways of learning about ancient diets and how it relates to people's lifestyles - Essay Example Studies of skeletal remains and mummies may be used to show what kind of food the ancients ate. One such study is the research conducted on ‘nutcracker man’, the skull of a Paranthopus Boisei, a relative of humans, who was noted to have a strong jaw and large, flat teeth. For years, it was believed because of the structure and size of its jaw and huge molars that the Paranthopus Boisei at nuts, seeds and other hard items. Further study had revealed, however that the famed ‘nutcracker’ did not crack nuts after all. It appears that despite its large jaw, the Paranthopus Boisei more likely munched on grass, and that the structure of their jaw was more inclined to chewing tough grasses (Choi, â€Å"Nutcracker Man Ate Like a Cow (Or Pig) â€Å". 2011). In the same way, science and modern technology continue to bridge the gap between the past and the present. We know through much research the kinds of food our ancestors ate through the research and study of foss ils, particularly noting the jaw structures, teeth, and stomach contents (if possible) of fossilized and mummified individuals. Geography One of the major indicators of Ancient cuisine can be seen of course, by observing and studying ancient ruins. Expeditions have uncovered skeletal remains, fossils and mummies which have been further studied and analyzed to determine the diet of these individuals before they died. The expedition sites in themselves reveal telling clues about a people’s culture and society, including what they could have possibly eaten, and how they prepared their food. The geography of an area, their climate and type of land, all suggest the kind of food that is grown in an area, and determines if a people are hunters, food gatherers, or fishers. Egypt for example, with their close proximity of the Nile River, proposes that they had access to water supply and fish. Because of their rich soil and lush vegetation, it would make sense that Egypt prospered most of the year, even during times of drought (Philips, â€Å"The Diet of Ancient Egyptians†). A study of ancient Egyptian homes revealed bread ovens, used to cook bread, and cellars, used to keep wine and other food products. Paintings Artworks such as paintings, pottery, and sculptures can be used as evidence as to determining what ancient people ate. Paintings on ancient walls show the fruits, vegetables, and meats that were present and being eaten during the time it was painted. Processes and methods of cooking can also be seen in these artworks. There are paintings of servants making bread, stirring batter, and collecting fruits and vegetables. Other illustrations include men carrying what appear to be pots of milk and cream, or of slaves milking cows and harvesting crops (Philips, â€Å"The Diet of Ancient Egyptians†). Even the early cave men would paint animals, fruits and vegetables on their cave walls. These are telling signs of their diet, as they would only pai nt the things that they could see in their environment. Sometimes, these paintings are of feasts, and involve the killing of certain significant animals, and in some cases, the entire process of how they would prepare their meats. Artifacts Ancient Egyptians also brought food to their graves. They were known to be buried with their earthly possessions as they wished to take their riches and belongings with them to the afterlife. Sometimes, food was even found to be buried in mummy tombs (â€Å"

Auditing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Auditing - Assignment Example The research delves on five of the major areas of heightened audit risk of Havelock Europa Plc (Havelock Europa, 2013). The basis for including the accounts as heightened risk involves two factors. The two factors are internal control and inherent risk (Messier, 2011). Certain financial report accounts have higher probabilities of errors or frauds. The current research centres on five such financial report accounts. The accounts are sales, receivables, payables, cash, and inventory. There is an audit risk that there is error or fraud in the  £ 100,778 thousand Revenue amount during 2012. There is a probability that sales completed during January of 2013 were included in the 2012 sales figure. This can be fraudulently done in order to present a falsely higher sales figure, improving the company’s financial report image (Lyn, 2011). Similarly, there is a probability that uncompleted sales transactions were included in the 2012 financial reports (Dauber, 2009). The uncompleted sales amount includes customer’s promise to purchase the company’s products and services that were never completed. Another possibility is that products returned by customers were not recorded as sales revenue reductions (sales returns). Similarly, discounts given to customers who pay early or pay in case are not reflected as deductions from the gross revenue amounts. Further, sales allowances given to customers to satisfy their complaints concerning poor product and service quality may not be deduction from the gross revenue amount. Further, another possibility is recording a Revenue transaction when there is actually no sales transaction started, processed, or completed (Dauber, 2009). Likewise, there is a possibility that the sales amounts were erroneous recorded or fraudulently recorded. In addition, the financial reports may erroneously or fraudulently not include some realized

Immigration Analysis To Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Immigration Analysis To Society - Essay Example In the early seventeenth century, the first immigrants consisting of English, French, Spanish, and Dutch people arrived here. Later on, thousands of people coming from all over the world immigrated to America and formed the country of the United States of America, known later as the U.S.A. In the year 1776, â€Å"fifty-six men signed their names to the Declaration of Independence establishing the United States as one of the separate national entities in the world† (Chatterjee, pp. 23-25). America truly is a country of immigration, among different ages, genders, colors, and nations, unnumbered people who hold dreams contribute to this country. Therefore, America is a place of opportunity, prosperity, and happiness. In particular, it is an opinion of this paper that immigration is a beneficial notion that results in advantages for the American society and thus, the discussion will be an attempt to justify such thesis of the researcher. Negative Impact of Immigration It is an obs ervation that increased rate of illegal activities by the immigrants has resulted in a negative impact of immigration on minds of the local citizens, and thus, there has been a negative perspective about all the immigrants in the USA. In particular, illegal immigration is the foremost factor that has caused negative impact in the minds of local citizens. Studies have indicated that a major part of the illegal immigrants living in the United States is originally from Mexico, and approximately, 13.2 million illegal immigrants are Mexican-Americans. This number is almost one-fifth of the total population of all immigrants, many people are either uneducated or less educated, and they do not have any skills, abilities, or qualification to get jobs. About such immigrants, writer of ‘Illegal Immigration’, Karen Kenney, states, â€Å"these people either do not have enough money or are not aware of the US legal process, both of which are necessary to get legal immigration to th e United States† (pp. 12). This indicates the reason of huge number of immigrants entering into the United States illegally. One of the second most common factors of such a negative impact is drug trafficking that has been causing illegal immigration of thousands of people for the sake of their business and profits. The link between illegal immigration and drug trafficking has become almost indisputable that have created crime-related issues for the law enforcement officials (Bailey, pp. 97). As many of the illegal immigrants do not either have financial support from their employment or from the government, drug trafficking is a short way to make money. However, experts have indicated that drug trafficking does not only harm the immigrants indirectly but also results in harmful impact on roots of the society. According to an online writer, Pauline Go, she asserts, â€Å"drug use and its consequences threaten and affect the nation and its people from every socio-economic backg round, geographic region, and people with any level of education† (Go, 2008). Constructive Aspect of Immigration Apart from increase in the rate of illegal immigration and drug trafficking, immigration allows a country to benefit significantly from it, and thus, people should not acquire a negative perspective about every immigrant. In particular, reports have indicated that only a small percentage of immigrants consist of individuals that are involved in illegal activities. In the

Case Study for HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7000 words

Case Study for HR - Essay Example Quality in Human Resource Management: Effective Recruitment: Frameworks: Considering the issue of effective recruitment in quality of human resource management, one of the frameworks that are significantly associated is the legal framework. With the need for high quality employees in an organization, employment contracts are essential that binds the relation of the employees with the company and its objectives. Contracts clearly define the tenure and responsibilities of the employees and hence are an essential part of the process of recruitment. The rights and laws related to employees are important for recruitment that includes laws for anti-discrimination, legislations for protection of data, as well as rights of privacy and dignity. The five major components of the legal framework or contract of employment are: offer of employment; acceptance of the offer; payment or fees; certainty; and legality (Leighton and Proctor 2006). Another framework associated with effective recruitment as part of quality in human resource management is the systems framework. ... Outside the meso system, the macro and exo systems are present where the local economy is included, along with the communal facilities, and systems of learning, the mass media, and the administration (Krysik and Finn 2013). Training framework is known in the world of business since long ago and is still considered as one of the best methods for achieving quality in human resource management. This involves training and education of the human resource managers that are essential for the achievement of business goals. Training plans are the fundamental of any organization considering the human resource management where the modules involved include: total quality awareness; team building; meeting skills; TQM tools and techniques; presentation skills; facilitator training; project management; and quality planning (Harrison 1997). A model framework for evaluation of recruiters also has been found to be effective in maintaining quality of human resource management. This framework clears cer tain steps for an effective process of recruitment. According to this model, truthful information needs to be gathered about the candidates for interview, in effect with the moral and ethical standards as essential for an organization. The interviewers should be such chosen that they match with the candidates and proper collection of information from the candidates during the interview needs to be done. The emotional state of mind of the candidates should also be kept in focus and studied. Recruiter evaluation can effectively be done with the collected information that they collect during and after the interviews (Jones, Steffy and Bray 1991). Methodologies: In order to achieve effective recruitment of candidates for enhancing the quality of human resource

Project Management Unit 7 - Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Project Management Unit 7 - Assignment - Essay Example In the transportation stage, he will need information on the status of the transportation of the machines. The freighters will give this information. They will use phones and emails to communicate between them. The vendor will also communicate to the company on his progress on acquiring the machines the company requires for the installation of the system. This will be done by use of emails and personal communication with the head of the installation project with back up documents in hard copy. The engineers will need to keep in touch with the technicians in London and Baumholder. They will require information on the progress on the installations the technicians make on an hourly basis. The engineers and technicians will use teleconferencing to communicate. This will enable the engineers to communicate on small details that would not be possible with other methods of communication. They will also require the feedbacks from the testers on a daily basis during the testing stage. The engineers will provide questioners to the testers to complete. This will be done online through the use of electronic mails and phone calls. The engineers should also report on the progress of the installments to the company management through presentations and reports. They should make updates to the implementation team on a weekly basis to give the company enough time to address any emerging issue. The engineers should make the updates in hardcopy as well as in person with the head of the company’s department in charge. They will require instructions from the engineers. The technicians will also provide a detailed report on the system they assemble. The report should include all the information necessary to addressing future breakdowns or changes in the system. The report should be in hard copy, and they should deliver it to the company’s data department for storage. The department shall ensure that the purchases the vendor makes are in line with the specifications the

Describe Romeo and Juliets love Essay Example for Free

Describe Romeo and Juliets love Essay Describe Romeo and Juliets love and the way it develops in the course of the play. (Look carefully at the language used and use short quotations to illustrate your answer. ) Shakespeare meant for his plays to be performed on a stage and not to be read, he was a very skilled play write and he made his audiences believe things that in reality could not happen in such a short space of time. Romeo and Juliets love for one another shows their disobedience towards their parents. The houses that the pair of star crossd lovers belong to are involved in an ancient feud. We are made aware of the feud before we even meet the lovers; it is the very first thing that the Chorus, who is a single person on the stage which Shakespeare and many other play writes used to calm down a disorderly audience and give background information on the play, says: Two households both alike in dignity In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. Their love is ill-fated from the moment they first meet, at Capulets party, because of the dispute that has been going on for generations. When we first meet Romeo, his father Lord Montague describes Romeos melancholic mood, this fits exactly the contemporary ideas of lovesickness in Shakespeares time. Lord Montague and Benvolio contrast Romeos feelings for Rosaline and how they have changed his personality. We can see that Romeo is not himself as he says: Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, hes some other where. The many oxymorons, Romeo uses in his speech are meant to suggest his confused state of mind: Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health, Still-waking sleep,Romeo sees Rosaline as the most beautiful woman on earth he matches her beauty to those of saints: When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire! It seems that Romeo is only in love with the idea of being in love. On our first meeting with Juliet her mother is calling her. She replies to her mother in a formal way: Madam, I am here. What is your will? She is modest, quiet and beautiful. Since she is from a powerful Verona family she is well dressed. When Lady Capulet suggests that the County Paris would make a good husband, Juliet responds:Ill look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent gives strength to make it fly. In the times when the play was written it was normal for parents to arrange who their daughter would marry. When Romeo sees Juliet for the first time his extravagant declarations of love for Rosaline vanish in a second. He now speaks with tenderness and plainness: Beauty to rich for use, for earth to dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, As yonder lady oer her fellows shows. In the last line of his speech, Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I neer saw true beauty till this night. What Romeo says, is that what he said earlier in the play was silly and wrong. Ironically, when Benvolio was persuading Romeo to go to the party he told him he would soon forget Rosaline and this is just what happened. Romeo anticipates the line of approach he will take during the dance by saying that her touch will bless his hand. It was believed at this time that true love always struck at first sight; love that grew gradually was no love at all. This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. This is a quick-witted bout of flirtation in which both sides are equally smitten, as is made clear by what follows, but in which Juliet plays the proper young girls role of cutting up Romeos lines as fast as he can think them up. Saints do not move, but grant for prayers sake. Then have my lips the sin that they have took. and You kiss by the book. This shows Juliet to be much wittier than a typical 13 year old girl. This flirtatious fourteen-line passage is actually a sonnet; it was popular in the sixteenth century and generally regarded as the proper means for love poetry. Juliet manages to tease Romeo slightly in the earnest gesture of the devotion that they declare: For saints have hands that pilgrims hands do touch, and Ay, pilgrim, lips that they use in prayer. Juliet is encouraging Romeo to kiss her in a subtle way. She takes early charge of the relationship. Romeos love for Juliet is unmistakably passionate, which an Elizabethan audience would have loved. He uses a lot of effective imagery. For example the image of the sun: It is the east, and Juliet the sun! Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Romeo is putting Juliet on a higher pedestal, saying she is a higher being, he is also referring to the brightness of her beauty, and that she brings light into his world of darkness. In calling for the triumph of the sun over the moon, Romeo is hoping she will not remain a virgin much longer. Women who prolonged their virginity excessively were thought to suffer from green-sickness, a problem that could only be cured by healthy lovemaking. The entire opening soliloquy to this scene is devoted to Romeos fevered desire that Juliet will make love with him. Despite his passion, he is shy enough, and polite enough, not to simply burst in upon her. It is the tension between his overwhelming desire and his reserve that shows how much he truly loves her. The comparison of a womans eyes to bright stars was a usual thing, but Romeo elaborates it in a dazzling series of lines dwelling on the brightness of Juliets beauty: The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars As daylight doth a lamp. Her eyes in heaven Romeo is impetuous, impulsive and has his head in the clouds; he uses phrases of elaborate description. Whereas Juliet is down-to-earth, practical, natural and spontaneous by her speech we can tell that it is her first experience of love and that she is young and because of the language she uses that Romeo excites her. It is Juliet who is thinking through the consequences of their love more systematically and practically than is Romeo. She almost immediately speaks of the death that threatens him: And the place of death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here Romeo replies that love cannot be held out by stony limits. Romeo believes that love has directed him to Juliet. From the beginning their dialogue is riddled with reference to death. This is dramatically ironic because the chorus already told the audience that they will die because of their love. When Romeo says: Alack, there lies more peril in thine eyes; And thou but love me, let them find me here He is using conventional and courtly language, which goes back centuries. Juliets long speech makes clear that she is still an honourable young woman who wishes her love had not been so promptly revealed; but now that it has been, she does not intend to look backward. She indirectly refers that Jove laughs at the oaths of lovers. Just as Romeo had scorned the moon for its virginity, Juliet rejects it as too variable: O swear not by the moon, th inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Juliet is honest. She feels that she has been too easily won by Romeo: Or if thou thinkst I am too quickly won, Ill frown and be perverse and say thee nay, So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world. Again Juliet allows herself to flirt with oath in calling Romeo her God. Romeo insists that he will love Juliet faithfully. Having proclaimed her love once, the basis of Juliets expression is unstopped, and she becomes the dominant figure in the rest of the scene. This young pair know very little about each other except that they are extremely attractive and witty. Juliets has split moods in this scene one is lead by her head and one by her heart. Her head is her practical side; her heart is spontaneous and excited. Falconry was a popular sport in Elizabethan England. Juliet is comparing Romeo to a falcon, and what she would like is for Romeo to be her falcon, she likes the idea of being able to call him back to her hand whenever she needs him: Hist! Romeo, hist! O for a falconers voice, To lure this tassel-gentle back again! When Romeo asked the Friar to marry Juliet and himself, the Friar agreed only because he is hoping that the marriage of Romeo and Juliet will put an end to feud between the houses of Montague and Capulet. From the text we can tell that Friar Laurence is Romeos confident, a father-figure. Children in the 14th/15th Centuries who had important parents didnt have the same relationship as children today have with their parents. This is why Juliet confides in her nurse and Romeo in Friar Laurence. The last line in Act two Scene one, Friar Laurence is saying to Romeo that he should take it slow because those that go to fast will stumble later on: Wisely and slow: they stumble that run fast. In the marriage scene it is Friar Laurence who is thinking ahead, he says: So smile the heavens upon this holy act, That after hours with sorrow chide us not! Romeo, lives only in the present, and says so: Amen, amen! But come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy That one short minute gives me in her sight. In his view, the joy of a minute with Juliet will be greater than all the possible sorrow of any later hours. Romeo adds that he is ready to face the greatest sorrow of all: Do thou but close our hands with holy words, Then love-devouring death do what he dare; It is enough I may but call her mine. These exulting words foreshadow what actually happens; love-devouring death makes its first appearance shortly after the wedding. The Friar understands that Romeo thinks love will make him bullet-proof, and tries to talk some sense into him: These violent delights have violent ends And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume. On their wedding night Friar Laurence anticipates that they will consume each other (consummate their marriage). Just like the nurse anticipates for Juliet. The Friar says that the ecstasies of love cant last forever. The sweetest honey Is loathsome in his own deliciousness, And in the taste confounds the appetite: In other words, too much honey can ruin its taste. The Friar concludes his little talk by advising Romeo to love moderately as, Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. Juliet reveals her innermost feelings in her soliloquy. She is apprehensive and excited: she makes a reference to the classical god Phoebus Apollo: Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Towards Phoebus lodging; such a waggoner. Juliet uses a lot of phrases that make her seem impatient like, Gallop, leap and fiery-footed steeds. Juliet is nervous about what is going to happen when Romeo arrives. She extends the falcon image: Hood my unmannd blood, bating in my cheeks, With thy black mantle; till strange love, grown bold, She gives the impression that she is worried about her body and that she will not fulfil Romeos needs. The repetitive use of the word come refers to her impatience for Romeo to arrive quickly to her. Most of the soliloquy is of a sexual nature but some of it is not, for example: Give me my Romeo. And when I shall die Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the faces of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night, This is extremely romantic. It also refers to death. When the nurse tells Juliet that Romeo has killed Tybalt, Juliet uses oxymorons, these show that she is confused, beautiful tyrant and fiend angelical. However, when the nurse starts to criticise Romeo, Juliet cuts off the nurse and defends him, Blisterd be thy tongue. Juliet implies that banishment is worse than death. She seems more mature and her practical side is seen especially when she says: My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain; And Tybalts dead, that would have slain my husband: Romeo uses direct and romantic speech that shows his sincere and loving feelings; It was the lark, the herald of the morn, No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east. Nights candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. I must be gone and live, or stay and die. This shows that he is mature; much more than Juliet earlier in the play. Their mature dreamy roles are swapped. Romeo reassures Juliet that they will be together again: I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve For sweet discourses in our time to come. Juliets reply to this phrase is: O God! I have an ill-divining soul: Methinks I see thee, now art so low, As one dead in the bottom of a tomb: Either my eyesight fails, or thou lookst pale. This is dramatic irony because when Juliet wakes up from the potion she does see Romeo on the floor of the tomb. Juliet seeks the help of Friar Laurence because she has been abandoned by her parents and her nurse, the one person she is closest to, except for Romeo but it seems that he too has deserted her. She feels suicidal when she talks to Friar Laurence; she would rather die than marry the County Paris. When Friar Laurence suggests that she takes the potion she appears to be relieved. Though out the scene she is very courageous. The soliloquy dwells on her fear of the vault; it enlarges what she had already said to Friar Laurence. The speech confirms that the vault is connected with the catastrophic climax of the play. She is determined to kill her self in the potion does not put her in a slight coma: What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married than tomorrow morning? No, no; this shall forbid it: lie thou there. She fears it could be poison and she then contradicts that statement in the next one. She feels that she may go mad in the tomb if Romeo is not there when she wakes, the horror of these images make her go mad. In the end she takes the potion for Romeos sake: Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Heres drink I drink to thee! Romeos speech before taking the poison is direct and simple poetry. He is still referring to Juliet as light. In the speech Romeo personifies death and accuses death of trying to keep Juliet beautiful so that death can use her for his pleasure: That unsubstantial death is amorous, And that the lean abhorred monster keeps Thee here in the dark to be his paramour? He uses grotesque metaphors and similes. He appears to be preparing himself for death. A dateless bargain to engrossing death! He is trying to prolong the moment. His love for Juliet is obvious at this point in the play; he drinks the poison for Juliet, Heres to my love! all he wants is to be with Juliet and if they cant be together in life then the must be in death. As a result of the lovers deaths the families are brought together. Prince Escalus makes sure that the blame is shared; he makes that very clear: Where be these enemies? Capulet! Montague! See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love; And I, for winking at your discords too, Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished. The prince is also blaming himself; he knows that all had a part to play is Romeo and Juliets deaths, and this is why it is such a tragic ending which is written in a very expert way.

Under Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code(Chapter

Under Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code(Chapter Under Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code(Chapter III, Section 3)..'anyone who wilfully fails to render to a person in danger any assistance which, without risk to himself or to third parties, he could render him either by his own action, or by initiating rescue operations..' is punishable by imprisonment and fine. Essay Question: What is the criminal law in England and Wales on liability for omissions to act? Having regard to the above extract from the French Penal Code, critically discuss whether the current English Law on this issue should be changed. The criminal law in England and Wales on liability for omissions to act: Unlike the French Penal code, which provides a general duty on all persons to assist others in peril according to their abilities, breach of which is a specific offence in its own right, English criminal law does not impose a general duty to act to save other people or property from harm, even if this could be done without any risk or inconvenience. For example, a man who simply stands and observes a child drowning in a shallow pool when he is in a position to easily rescue it should he choose to do so, commits no offence under English law, because he is not under a duty to rescue it. A duty to act may however arise under a contract, the most obvious example being where the failure to fulfil a contractual obligation is likely to endanger the lives of others. Liability is not necessarily precluded by the injured person not being a party to the contract; in the case of Pittwood[1], the defendant, who was a level-crossing keeper, in breach of his contract of employment, failed to close the gate when a train was approaching, resulting in someone dying on the crossing. Wright J confirmed that criminal liability can be incurred from a person’s failure to perform their contractual duty and held that, in this case, a duty was owed to the road users even though, prima facie, the contractual obligation was owed only to the railway company. A person who holds a public office, such as a police officer, may also be under a duty to care for others. For example, in the case of Dytham[2], a uniformed police officer failed to act when he saw a man being kicked to death a few yards away and was convicted on charges of ‘misconduct in a public office’. Likewise, a parent is under a duty to save his/her young child from harm; a parent who has allowed his/her baby child to starve to death may, depending upon his/her state of mind, be convicted of murder or manslaughter[3]. Other close relationships may also involve a similar duty[4], such as between a husband and wife, although this particular example might be more akin to a contractual duty arising from the contract of marriage than to the duty in the above example. The voluntary carer of a person unable to look after him/herself is also bound by a duty of care towards that person under English criminal law. In Nicholls[5], the defendant received a young child into her care, on the death of that child’s mother. Brett J directed the jury that if a person chooses to take on the care of someone who is helpless, either from infancy, infirmity or mental illness, he is bound to execute that responsibility and, if he allows him/her to die, he may be guilty of manslaughter. In Stone[6], this principle was extended to include situations where a person does not overtly accept the responsibility of carer, but where the situation has lead to such; for example, in a situation where two people have lived together for some time, and the health of one of those people deteriorates to a state where they become dependent upon the other for care, then the court may be prepared to imply a voluntary undertaking of care from the very fact that the healthy party did in fact oblige[7]. Such a duty will of course be extinguished if the relationship between these two parties should end, or if the ill party orally releases the other from his/her responsibilities [providing of course that the party is in a state capable of making a rational decision]. An example of this latter situation might be a patient releasing her doctor from his duty of care towards her by instructing him that should she become ill, she does not wish to be treated. Such an advance refusal will only be effective if the patient is fully compos mentis, has not been unduly influenced in respect of her decision and has contemplated the actual situation which will arise, understanding all the consequences of refusing treatment in such a situation[8]. A duty of care can also arise from an accident; where the accused inadvertently and without the appropriate mens rea performs an act which places a person or property in danger, but before the resulting harm is complete, becomes aware of the train of events caused by his inadvertent act, then that party is, by virtue of the English criminal law, under a duty to take such steps as lie within his power to try to prevent or reduce the risk of harm; if he does not, then he may be criminally liable for the consequences. The case authority for this special duty situation is the case of Miller[9], in which the defendant had, quite by accident, fallen asleep in the plaintiff’s house with a lit cigarette in his fingertips. He awoke to find that he had set the mattress of the bed, in which he was sleeping, alight, but rather than raising alarm or trying to extinguish the fire, he simply went into the adjacent room and fell asleep in there. The House of Lords affirmed his conviction for arson, contrary to s1(1) and (3) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971, as he was in breach of his duty to take reasonable care to extinguish the fire which he had accidentally caused, being in a position to do so. As yet there is no clear authority on how much of a risk a person under such a duty to act might be expected to run in order to perform that duty, but the common law duty requires ‘reasonable’ steps to be taken, a criterion which will be assessed in light of all the circumstances of the particular case in question. So far we have focussed our discussion around the duties of ordinary citizen’s in daily life as developed by the English common law. It should be noted that there are also in place many statutory schemes of regulation in regard to industry and commerce, such as the offence of failing to comply with a limitation, condition or notice contrary to the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. There are also statutory schemes for the distribution of public money, such as the failure to notify a change of circumstances under the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997, and schemes for other licensed regulated activity such as failing to report a road accident. These statutory schemes are simple rules which must be followed as a condition of engaging in these activities, and are relatively non-contentious in their lack of general application to the ‘ordinary citizen’. Critical discussion regarding the issue of whether the current English Law, as described above, should be changed so as to be more like the law contained in Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code(Chapter III, Section 3): As we have seen from the above description, English criminal law does not generally criminalize the failure to render assistance to another citizen who is in peril, even where such assistance would be easy and cause no harm to ourselves. In contrast, the law under Article 223-6 of the French Penal Code (Chapter III, Section3), as quoted within the question of this essay, does create a general duty to rescue, and does criminalise such omissions. The position of the English criminal law in not generally criminalising such omissions might be defended on grounds that the vagueness of the terms involved with criminalizing such omissions [such as ‘reasonable steps’] would leave citizens with no clear warning of what they must do and when [the principle of ‘fair warning’]. It may also be defended on grounds that this resulting uncertainty would have a weakening effect on the rule of law and would also lead to too great a reliance on prosecutorial discretion in defining the effective scope of such omission criminalisation. The English position might be best defended however by adherence to the principle of autonomy; â€Å"the imposition of a duty to act restricts one’s liberty to pursue one’s own ends and desires by requiring one to do a particular thing at a particular time.† The position of the French Penal Code in generally criminalising such omissions might be defended on grounds that more important than the principles of fair warning, rule of law and individual autonomy is the protection of human life and human safety. A. Ashworth and E. Steiner[10] argue that Article 223(2) is a deliberate attempt to set the protection of one citizen’s life or safety above the protection of the maximum liberty of other citizens. The position might also be defended by the fact that since its introduction in 1941, this French Penal Code, responsible for generally criminalising a failure to rescue, has not been considered oppressive[11] in the way that vehement advocates of the English approach might lead one to believe such a law would. The truth is that both the English and the French approach in regards to liability for omissions to act have their respective shortcomings. The English approach does not afford enough weight to the worthy protection of the fundamental interest in human life and safety; the French approach does not afford sufficient attention to the worthy principles of autonomy, fair warning and the rule of law. Perhaps the solution therefore would be a compromise? I believe that the lesson English criminal law should learn from the Penal Code of our Continental comrades is the importance in recognising the harms involved with not helping a person who is in peril; English law must retain its firm stance with regards autonomy, fair warning and rule of law, but simultaneously afford a greater degree of attention to the protection of the fundamental interest in human life. As M. A. Menlowe[12] writes: â€Å"†¦when fundamental interests are involved (life, physical integrity), we should pause before accepting that an individual’s freedom of action is more valuable than a requirement to carry out a non-burdensome rescue.† In conclusion therefore, I would argue that perhaps a compromise should be employed by the English criminal law; a ‘duty of easy rescue’. The law should criminalise omissions to rescue those in peril where such a rescue is a simple and harmless task, but should not punish someone for not engaging in a rescue attempt when the risks associated with such a rescue are uncertain and complicated. Pessimists might argue that it would be too difficult to create a law which attempted a balance between on the one hand the respect for autonomy, adherence to the principle of fair warning and adequate protection of the rule of law, and on the other, a respect for protection of the fundamental interest in human life, but such critics should bear in mind that these three former principles are often found balanced with other interests throughout English law. As Feinberg remarks: â€Å"similar line-drawing problems exist throughout the law, and most have been found manageable.[13]† Bibliography A. Ashworth and E. Steiner ‘Criminal Ommissions and Public Duties (1990) 10 Legal Studies 153 A. Ashworth, ‘Principles of Criminal Law’, 3d. Oxford University Press 1999 p50 M. A. Menlowe. ‘The Philosophical Foundations of a Duty to Rescue,’ in M. A. Menlowe and A. McCall Smith (eds), The Duty to Rescue (1993) Feinberg, Harmless Wrongdoing, xii, summarising his argument in ‘Harm to Others’ 150-9 (1984) Cases cited: Pittwood (1902) 19 TLR 37 Dytham [1979] 3 All ER 641 Gibbins (1918) 82 JP 287 Smith [1979] Crim LR 251 Nicholls (1874) 13 Cox CC 75 Stone [1977] QB 354 Re T [1993] Fam 95 Miller [1983] 2 AC 161 Footnotes [1] Pittwood (1902) 19 TLR 37 [2] Dytham [1979] 3 All ER 641 [3] Gibbins (1918) 82 JP 287 [4] Smith [1979] Crim LR 251 [5] Nicholls (1874) 13 Cox CC 75 [6] Stone [1977] QB 354 [7] Stone [1977] QB 354 [8] These criteria were first set out in the case of Re T [1993] Fam 95 [9] Miller [1983] 2 AC 161 [10] A. Ashworth and E. Steiner ‘Criminal Ommissions and Public Duties (1990) 10 Legal Studies 153 [11] A. Ashworth, ‘Principles of Criminal Law’, 3d. Oxford University Press 1999 p50 [12] M. A. Menlowe. ‘The Philosophical Foundations of a Duty to Rescue,’ in M. A. Menlowe and A. McCall Smith (eds), The Duty to Rescue (1993) [13] Feinberg, Harmless Wrongdoing, xii, summarising his argument in ‘Harm to Others’ 150-9

Child Friendly School Policies In Kenya Education Essay

Child Friendly School Policies In Kenya Education Essay The purpose of this essay is to explore what Child Friendly School policies could learn from Comparative and International Research. Reference to CFSs in Kenya will be made with emphasis on the background of CFSs, current practices and emerging critics, success stories, problems and pitfalls and what CIR can do to subjugate some of these challenges. I will start by examining the rationale for exploring CFSs, based on literature and my professional experience. Following this background will be literature surrounding the concepts of CIR and CFSs in relation to global agendas, exploring how CFSs came into existence and the driving forces behind it. I then go on to focus on a case study of CFS in Kenya, discussing the role of CIR in the Kenyas CFS, arguing that CIR is used as a political tool in creating educational policy, rather than a research method or an intellectual inquiry. I will further critically analyze challenges facing CFSs and how knowledge on CIR can contribute more effect ively to successful implementation of CFS policies. A conclusion based on the literature and authors experience will then be drawn. Throughout the essay, I build a case in favour of CIR arguing that CIR stimulates critical reflections about our educational systems by investigating commonalities and differences across national borders. Background and Rationale Comparative and international education is one of the main fields of education with many benefits, judged by the volume of studies reported in the literature. Central to this is that many countries around the world have formulated some of their educational policies based on knowledge and research from CIR. With the current wave of globalization, researchers and experts, especially in the field of education, are always trying to find ways of streamlining their educational policies with the global trends. According to Giddens (1990:64), globalization is the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distance localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. Global forces therefore have an impact on shaping local practices at grass root levels. In order to do this tactically and critically, comparative and internal research remains cutting edge in informing people about the realities, the challenges and the possible effects of uncritical transfer of ideas. One of the key developments in education has been the prioritisation of basic education as opposed to adult education or higher education. In Africa, this would be probably because, as Oketch (2004) points out, basic education yields higher rates of returns compared to higher education. This has subsequently influenced government and non-governmental organizations to focus more on improving the quality of basic education. Child-friendly schools (CFSs) in Kenya is an example of a initiative sponsored by UNICEF with the aim of not just providing children right to education but the right to the right education. In other words, CFSs are more concerned with the quality of basic education in addition to its access. The emergence of CFSs in Kenya was catapulted by the forces of agendas 1 and 2 of Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which emphasizes on the provision of basic education. The World Education Forum (2000) agreed on six Education For All (EFA) goals. The sixth goal concerned Educa tion quality, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognised and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The term quality in education is dynamic because of the social, political and economic context at which it is used. Milligan (2011:276) adds that quality has, thus, been placed as an integral cog in the educational development machine although how educational quality is defined is a matter of great contention. Because of differences in contexts, it is imperative that knowledge of comparative and international research be used in designing policies and pedagogy in CFSs that fit that particular context. Furthermore, with the fear that some countries may lag behind as others move forward, countries from sub-Sahara Africa are now engaging in various practices in order to achieve these educational goals, a race against the 2015 set deadline for attainment of EFA goals. As the clock ticks towards the year 2015, priority goals in education may change for post-2015 and the worry is further elevated. One of the efforts the government of Kenya is doing to improve the quality of education is by integrating CFS model into the basic education system. Two major questions arise here: First, how is CFS realistic considering myriad challenges facing the FPE policy in Kenya? Secondly, if integrating CFS model into basic education will help in improving the quality of education, what lessons can CFS policies learn from CIR? It is against this background that the purpose of this essay hinges. Literature Review In this section, I will look at the concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) based on the literature and merge them with the global forces that influenced the emergence of CFS with an attempt to unveil the voices behind the introduction of CFS in Kenya. In addition, I will use an example of PRISM experience in Kenya to reinforce the understanding of the role of international bodies in promoting quality through well strategized and executed projects, arguing that lessons from PRISM experience can be used as insights to successful implementation of CFS policies. Concepts of Comparative and International Research (CIR) and Child Friendly School (CFS) CIR is a fusion of two broad areas of research: Comparative Research and International Research. To understand its full meaning, it is important we define the two areas of research separately. In his definition of comparative research, Mills et al (year) argue that: Comparative research is a broad term that includes both quantitative and qualitative comparison of social entities. Social entities may be based on many lines, such as geographical or political ones in the form of cross-national or regional comparisons. (p. 621) A similar perception was echoed by Noah and Eckstein (1969:127), who described comparative education as an intersection of the social sciences, education and cross-national study [which] attempts to use cross-national data to test propositions about the relationship between education and society and between teaching practices and learning outcomes. In light of this definition, comparative research in the context of education can be defined as a study of two or more entities or events (Crossley Watson, 2003) with the underlying goal of searching for similarity and variance. Cross-national or regional comparisons may include comparing educational policies, pedagogy, educational leadership and so on. According to Mills et al (2006: 621), the search for variance places more emphasis on context and difference in order to understand specificities. International education, on the other hand, can be defined as the application of descriptions, analyses and insights learned in one or more nations to the problems of developing educational systems and institutions in other countries (Wilson 2000a: 116). Thus, international research is concerned with research carried out across two or more countries, often with the purpose of comparing responses between them. This might be done in order to devise strategies that work well across both or all these cultures or to suggest local adjustments to a global strategy There is a close relationship between comparative and international education. Epstein (1994: 918) points out, that international educators use findings derived from comparative education to understand better the processes they examine, and thus, to enhance their ability to make policy. We can therefore draw from the above two definitions that CIR in education as a method of comparing both qualitative and quantitative entities in education across different countries, societies or cultures with the aim of identifying similarities and differences. It is however important to note that not all international research is comparative, and not all comparative research is international or cross-national. According to UNICEF (2007), a child-friendly school is both a child seeking school and a child-centred school: It is child seeking because it actively identifying excluded children to get them enrolled in school. It is a child-centred school because it acts in the best interests of the child leading to the realization of the childs full potential, is concerned about the whole child: her health, nutritional status, and well-being and concerned about what happens to children before they enter school and after they leave school. A CFS system recognizes and respects childrens right and responsibilities; it provides the enabling environment to realize childrens right not only in schools, but also in childrens home and their communities. These include children from conflict zones, street children and children with disabilities. The Child-Friendly Schools model (see fig 1) is based on simple, rights-based concepts that would have all schools be: Rights Based School: CFS proactively seeks out-of-school children and encourages them to enrol, irrespective of gender, race, ability, social status, etc. Gender Sensitive School: CFS promotes equality and equity in enrolment and achievement among girls and boys. Safe and Protective School: CFS ensures that all children can learn in a safe and inclusive environment. Community Engaged School: CFS encourages partnership among schools, communities, parents and children in all aspects of the education process. Academically Effective School: CFS provides children with relevant knowledge and skills for surviving and thriving in life. Health Promoting School: CFS promotes the physical and emotional health of children by meeting key nutritional and health care needs within schools. (UNICEF, 2007) Fig 1: Model of the Child-Friendly School Source: UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007 The CFS model provides a framework for planning (and monitoring the effectiveness of) strategies for increasing access to quality basic education with the specific focus on the development of strategies to include those children hitherto excluded from education (UNICEF, Global Education Strategy, 2007). It is important to note that there is no one-way to make a school child-friendly. The model may differ from country to country depending on the context. International and Local Pressures and their influences to formation of CFS in Kenya Education in sub-Sahara Africa, and indeed in Kenya, is crafted from both influences by global trends in education and the legacies of colonialism. Chisholm and Leyenderker (2008) observe that: Since 1990, the goals and purpose of education in sub-Sahara Africa has been reshaped by four interconnected developments: globalisation, the changed focus of international aid agencies towards development assistance, the adaptation of sub-Sahara African countries to the new world order with its new political emphases, and the spilling over of new pedagogical ideas from the USA and Europe into sub-Sahara Africa. (p 198) Kenya is a signatory to a number of conventions in education, including the Convention to the Rights of the Child (1989), the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien, 1990), the Dakar accord and the Millenium Development Goals (2000). In achievement of education development goals, Kenya is bound to, among other things, quality education by MDGs. The Jomtien call for access for access, equity, quality and democracy in education appeared to promise both social and economic development (Chisholm and Leyenderker, 2008). Social and economic development, and continues to be believed, requires educational change and educational change is necessary for social and economic development (ibid:). Educational change, in turn, is perceived to depend on, amongst other things, the input from relevant development assistance projects. These projects, in the arena of education, are typically formulated with reference to internationally negotiated development agendas (like the MDGs) and priority (Crossley Watson, 2003). An example of these projects in Kenya is CFSs which are supported by United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). The Education Section of UNICEFs Programme Division introduced the Child Friendly Schools (CFS) framework for schools that serve the whole child in 1999 (Chabbott, 2004). Rationale for introducing CFS framework in Kenya The increased reliance of foreign aid to support education reform in Kenya has been accompanied by a transition, from understanding education as a human right and the general good to viewing it primarily in terms of its contribution to national growth and well-being through the development of the knowledge and skills societies are deemed to need (Arnove Torres 2007:359). Occasional voices continue insisting that education is liberating, that learning is inherently developmental (ibid: 359). With the global concern that Sub-sahara Africa countries may not achieve Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 unless the progress is accelerated (Carceles et al., 2001; Bennel, 2002), Kenya responded by introducing Free Primary Education (FPE) policy in 2003 with both local and global pressure. The rationale behind introducing FPE was (apart from the pressure from global and international agendas) to alleviate poverty attributed to lack of literacy skills. The success story behind implementation of FPE policy is the increased enrolment at primary schools by nearly 50%, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 9.38 million pupils according to the Kenya Economic Survey 2011. However, there are myriad challenges facing the implementation of FPE policy: there are not enough textbooks, classrooms are overcrowded and the infrastructure in many schools is inadequate for the numbers of pupils attending. Many of the schools do not have sanitation facilities. The teacher-pupil ratio is quite high: acc ording to UNESCO there are more than 40 pupils per teacher, on average. All of these factors militate against the provision of quality teaching. There is no magic wand for fixing this problem of quality in education. In response to this CFS were introduced in Kenya. According to UNICEF (2006:1): The challenge in education is not simply to get children into school, but also to improve the overall quality of schooling and address threats to participation. If both quality and access are tackled, children who are enrolled in primary school are likely to continue, complete the full cycle, and achieve expected learning outcomes and successfully transition to secondary school. The CFS framework (see appendix 3) aims at promoting child-seeking, child-centred, gender-sensitive, inclusive, community-involved, protective and healthy approaches to schooling and out-of-school education with a general goal of improving the quality of learning. Since CFSs are concerned with the quality of learning, it is important we look at the meaning of quality. The national examinations to obtain the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of primary cycle and the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at the end of secondary cycle are designed to evaluate the extent to which the primary and secondary graduates master the curriculum content. In other words, the national test scores are used as the indicators of quality. The limitation of this indicator is that it does not take into account the context at which learning takes place i.e. the learning environment, learners unique characteristics etc. There are many definitions of quality but one of the descriptions of quality which emphasizes on the context was by Tikly (2011:10) who argued that: A good quality education is one that enables all learners to realise the capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods, contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance wellbeing. The learning outcomes that are required vary according to context but at the end of the basic education cycle must include threshold levels of literacy and numeracy and life skills including awareness and prevention of disease. In his description, Tikly believes that a good quality education arises from interactions between three overlapping environments, namely the policy, the school and the home/community environments. In his perception of quality education, Tikly puts context into consideration i.e. needs of the learner, cultural and political contexts. In addition, he emphasizes on the relevance of what is taught and learned and how it fits the nature of particular learners in question. This encourages policy makers to take cognisance of changing national development needs, the kinds of schools that different learners attend and the forms of educational disadvantage faced by different groups of learners when considering policy options'(ibid:11). The fact that CFS emphasizes on learner-centered pedagogy and puts the child at the centre or focal point in the learning process raises the idea of what is regarded as valuable knowledge and how this knowledge is acquired in this particular context. This leads us to the inquiry on the school of thought or paradigm behind introducing a contextualized CFS framework. CFS as an approach to education is premised on constructivism, a theory of knowledge arguing that humans generate knowledge and meaning from interaction between ideas and real experiences. According to constructivists, the notions of reality and truth are socially constructed and in different context with the understanding that knowledge is subjective and embedded in multiple realities. Thus, quality of learning should be viewed in the context in which it is occurs. Towards Quality Basic Education In Kenya: Developing Research Capacity and Evaluation Before we acknowledge the contribution of CFS in providing quality education to the children at Primary school level, it will be prudent to review some of other contributions that has been made by international organizations in collaborations with the local government in promoting quality of education at grassroot levels in building research capacity. Kenya has had a history of benefiting from international assistance in its education sector. One of the programmes is the Primary Schools Management (PRISM), an initiative of DfID through the Ministry of Education, which places a lot of emphasis on participatory approaches and emphasis on mobilising community support, resource management and utilisation, supporting learning of pupils and developing action plans. It targeted teacher training and management and the impact of this is overall effectiveness of an education system which has a direct bearing on quality of education. According to Otieno Colclough (2009:26), PRISM is regarded as one of donor-funded programmes which had most positive impact on quality of basic education and CFS can learn from it. As Crossley et al ()notes, the main objective of PRISM was to improve the quality of primary education through the training and support of head teachers in practical management skills. Borrowing from the PRISM experience it is worthy learning that well planned and organized CFSs policies involving community participation at grass root level could help amplify local voices and lead to successful implementation of educational policies not only in Kenya but also other parts of African contexts. Challenges in implementing CFS in Kenya In this section I will explore common challenges associated with the CFSs with an aim of illuminating and critiquing the gap between policy and practice in CFSs. Access and Quality Dilemma: Which one should be first priority? As I mentioned earlier, one of the role of CFS in Kenya is to improve the quality of learning. But the access to education is still a challenge in Kenya and there is fear that Kenya will not have achieved EFA goals 1 and 2 by the year 2015. As we near the 2015 set deadline for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, at a time when hopes should be high, universal access to primary education in Kenya seems to be slipping away. Many comparative researchers argue that different countries have different educational problems and it is the countrys obligation to identify what should be the priority and why. Aksoy (2008: 218) observes that: While developed countries are mainly engaged in activities to increase the quality of education, or they practice and seek new techniques and methods of learning and teaching, developing countries struggle to provide equal opportunities for education, trying to increase the rate of participation of all citizens in basic education, which is actually compulsory. To deal with its educational problems, each country works out countrywide or local solutions, depending on the nature of the problem. The tone of such statement is more closely allied to the question of priority. Priority in one country may not be a priority in another. In Kenya, the major problem basic education is facing is of access while higher education is facing the problem of quality. CFS focus more on quality, but in the Kenyan context, access to education is still a problem in basic education even after the introduction of FPE. The CFS concept of quality can however suit very well in some small state commonwealth countries which have almost universal access to basic education. It has been noted that small sates have now shifted education priorities towards focus in school effectiveness, quality and inclusion (Crossley, 2002) after ensuring that all children have accessed basic education and CFSs in Kenya should learn from small states that the priority should now be on access to basic education before shifting to quality. Atomizing the child: is child-centred the solution to quality CFS? A key feature of a right-based, CFS system is that it is linked tightly to the child-centred learning process. CFS advocates for child-centred learning where a child is treated as a single entity or an atom in learning processes. The idea of atomizing a child has its drawbacks derived from child-centred learning. First, there is an oversight on early year development behaviour of the child. Psychologists believe children undergo various levels of development and their learning behaviours are different at each level. For instant, Vygotskys (1978) concept of the zone of proximal development (ZPD) implies that a child cannot ordinary create ZPD by himself; he needs the more expert individual to bridge the gap between his current development level and his proximal level of development. Secondly, a child-friendly, democratic learning environment may not work successful in overcrowded classrooms and school with limited resources like it is the case in Kenya. Thirdly, child-centred learning weakens the role of the teacher. The idea that a child must be active in construction of knowledge is often understood to imply a diminishing role for the teacher in learning process who now becomes a coach or a facilitator. A call for paradigm renovation, from an exclusively child-centred learning to a combination of both child-centred learning and teacher-centred learning approach is important so that the weakness of one method is complemented by the other method. What Lessons can Kenya learn from other Countries in Implementing CFS? A Review on the Contribution of Comparative Research King (2007) emphasizes the need to explore the tension between the national and the international policy agendas in Kenya in order to make informed decisions when crafting educational policies. Clearly, this is a view that acknowledges the contribution of CIR researchers in bridging theories, policies and practices with both local and global minds (Crossley, 2000) in trying to identify betters grounds to critically reflect and determine appropriate course of action. Apparently, the term that is commonly used in Kenya and indeed many Africa countries in the initial processes of designing an educational policy is benchmarking. Essentially, this is usually a comparative study which is carried out locally and/or internationally in trying to compare different models of policy framework with the aim of critical adaption or adoption. Lessons are well learnt when a comparisons are made, and this underscores the strength and significance of comparative research. Moreover, since problems transcend national borders, it is prudent to seek possible solutions from a similar experience in another country, and this explains why international research is important. Kenya can learn from other countries that are either progressing or failing to implement CFS policies because lessons can either identify opportunities or gaps, based on comparative analysis. In these respect therefore, I have identified two key elements of CIR which could help implementation of CFS. The first element is on identification of the gap between policy and practice. Documenting the emerging good practices and lessons learned within the regions is useful in informing evidence based programming and advocacy to enable us to achieve better results. For example, a Global Evaluation Report published by UNICEF in 2009 on comparative studies of how to six countries (Guyana, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand) with different experiences implementing CFS, demonstrated the following: CFSs in varying contexts successfully apply the three key principles of CFS models-inclusiveness, child-centredness and democratic participation. Schools operating in very different national contexts, with different levels of resources and serving populations with different needs have succeeded in being child-centred, promoting democratic participation, and being inclusive. Schools that had high levels of family and community participation and use of child-centred pedagogical approaches had stronger conditions for learning, that is, students felt safer, supported and engaged, and believed that the adults in the school supported the inclusion and success of each student. (UNESCO, 2009) Kenya can use this success report to assist in providing a broader perspective on the ways in which CFSs can contribute to quality in the countrys unique context. The caution should however be that any steps taken should have hindsight of the current context in the country to avoid uncritical transfer of practice which may end up opening a Pandoras box. Secondly, through CIR, studies of educational systems that share similar problems can provide information for learning possible consequences. A recent comparative evaluation research conducted by UNESCO in Nigeria, Gunaya, Thailand and the Philippines on CFS pedagogy gave different findings. While teachers in Nigeria and Guyana mainly focused on meeting basic instructional material needs (textbooks, paper), many teachers in Thailand and the Philippines focused on having greater access to information and communication technology (UNESCO 2009). Kenya experiences the same challenge as Nigeria and Gunaya, and data from these countries can be used to learn how they coping with inadequate basic instructional material. The caution here should be, that common problems may prevail in different countries, but common model cannot be applied because each country has different culture/context (Crossley Watson, 2003:39). This provides invaluable information of what to adopt, modify or avoid. Conclusion It is worthy reiterating Crossley'(2003) emphasis that context matters and different countries have different needs and priorities even if they are faced with the same challenges. The value of CIR is studying foreign systems of education in order to become better fitted to study and understand our own (Sadler 1900, reprinted 1964:310) and CIR can be used as a lense to focus on adaptable or adoptable practices. UNICEF repeatedly emphasises that CFS is a pathway to educational quality rather than a blueprint and that it is counterproductive to regard the CFS model as rigid, with a present number of defining characteristics or key components (2009c, Ch. 1, p. 9). Thus, the essay sought to present an overview in favour of the contribution of CIR by highlighting what CFS policies in the Kenyan context could learn from CIR. As such, the essay acknowledges the role of CIR in stimulating critical thinking and reflections about CFSs system by evaluating its success and failures, strengths and weaknesses. This critical reflection facilitates self evaluation in our own context and the basis for determining appropriate courses of action. The essay also hints that CIR helps us understand global agendas and how they shape educational development projects from organizations and development agencies.

Virtual Reality :: essays research papers

When a sound source is visible and auditory cues conflict with visual cues, vision always predominates over audition. When a sound source presents no visible cues, the most important role of vision is in the monitoring of head movements. The visual field provides important feedback about the nature and degree of head movement so that deliberate disturbance to the visual field causes significant disruption in the ability to localize and invisible sound source. This is essential in ensuring the success of virtual reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All the applications of the technology of television have been dominated by entertainment. Because of this, the vast majority of televised scenes have been of familiar landscapes; domestic rooms; churches; courtrooms and even the open prairie. In each case, the viewer is able to bring a vast amount of his or her experience to bear in interpreting the missing third dimension.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, as applications of television broaden to include displays for molecular modeling programs for surgery for instance, the televised scenes become unfamiliar and interpretation of the depth cues become more difficult.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just as in the cinema, the human eye’s persistence of vision means that we experience consecutive still images as a continuously flowing moving image. But, despite constant development in video display technology (better colour, higher definition images etc.), all television systems present a completely ‘flat’ 2-D image. Therefore, it is essential to understand various techniques used by virtual reality engineers to ensure a realistic visual stimulation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Depth Enhancement Techniques   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many applications of television technology, which would benefit from conventional 2-D display to 3-D systems, are deprived of this transformation due to other considerations. Nature has solved the lack of binocular vision in animals not equipped with two forward-facing eyes by furnishing them with a mechanism for extracting depth information from motion parallax cues. Humans cannot do this without artificial aid and so require the assistance of video depth enhancement systems like the Pulfrich Effect and Depth Enhanced Vision (DEV).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pulfrich Effect is named after a nineteenth century discoverer who noticed that if a neutral density filter is placed over one eye, a swinging pendulum appears to swing in an ellipse. Depending on the direction of motion, objects on a video screen also appear to recede into the screen or advance out of the screen. This effect is due to the filter that causes the brain to process two identical retinal images at different speeds, which results in motion parallax being misinterpreted by the nervous system.