Tuesday, December 24, 2019

The Role of Women in Society - Things Fall Apart Compared...

The Role of Women in Society Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, demonstrates the original and traditional cultures of African, predominantly the Igbo culture. In traditional Igbo culture, men are perceived as the dominant and most powerful sex, while women are perceived as weak lesser people. Although women seem to play an inferior role in society, there are many traditions that exemplify the value and importance of women to males in society. Although women are mistreated, the Igbo society assigns important roles to the women. Women are the ones who paint the egwugwu house, the house to the most powerful and most secret cult in the clan. â€Å"Many colored patterns and drawings done by specially chosen women at regular intervals† (88).†¦show more content†¦People are sent to their motherland because only a mother is capable of making a child feel better. Because the saying is â€Å"mother is supreme† and not â€Å"father is supreme† it is clear that women actually do have a lot of respect in the Igbo culture. Mother was a Great Man had very visible examples of the respect for women as well. Oyidiya is an aging woman in the Igbo tribe with two daughters who have married into veryShow MoreRelated Gender Relations in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesGender Relations in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart      Ã‚   In Chinua Achebes novel Things Fall Apart, the Ibo peoples patriarchal society has a strict system of behavioral customs according to gender. These customs strongly restrict the freedom of Ibo women and help to reinforce generation after generation the notion that Ibo men are superior to the women of their tribe.    Among the people of this society, the condition of weakness is strongly associated with the state of being femaleRead MoreMost Of Society Views Food In A Singular Manner, That Is,1312 Words   |  6 PagesMost of society views food in a singular manner, that is, they see food and they think of it as no more than just something to shove in their mouths. However, food has been around forever, and certainly, something that is a necessary part of everyday life must play a part in our personal identities and how we view others around the world. When I first read the prompt for this paper, I admit I had to look up the meaning of gastronomy, so this acquainted me with the idea that food can be much moreRead MoreAchebes Portrayal of Women in Igbo Society2679 Words   |  11 PagesAchebes first novel Things Fall Apart is a story about an Igbo village in the late 1800s. In the story, Achebe depicts women in Igbo society as a sadly oppressed group with no power. Women of the Igbo tribe were terribly mistreated, and had no respect outside their role as being a mother or a wife. In the novel, the author analyzes the destruction of African culture by the appearance of the white man in terms of the destruction of the bonds between individuals and their society(Chun, par1). I noticedRead MoreGender Equality And Gender Discrimination Essay1211 Words   |  5 Pagesreally a time in modern day age when women are considered to be equal to men or do women still have a long way to go? Throughout history men have been the dominant gender and women have been thought to be less than the man. Men have held positions of power and authority while women have hidden in the shadows of men. In the 21st century, women have made great strides in attempts to be treated equally as men but are still treated differently. This modern day society believes gender equality exists butRead MoreThe Rise Of The Spartan Empire And Its Women1602 Words   |  7 PagesEmpire and Its Women A Spartan mother handed her son his shield as he prepared to march off to battle. She said, â€Å"Come back with this or on it.† Beginning around 490 BC when civilization was ruled largely by men; every man was proven their preeminence within their society based highly on their woman. As stated in the book, â€Å"Warrior Ethos,† Leonidas picked the men he did not for their â€Å"warrior prowess† but he instead picked them for the courage of their women. Women in the Spartan society were knownRead MoreThings Fall Apart Women Essay1558 Words   |  7 PagesvvIn the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe presents a true reflection the conventional view of women and their roles in the many societies in Africa and across the world. Achebe uses a combination of various writing techniques and literary devices to effectively bring out the theme of the role of women in the novel. The author goes a mile ahead to highlight contextual issues surrounding the usual discussion of the role of women in the society. Inasmuch as most scholars focus on the presentationRead MoreThe History Of Colonization Of Africa Dates Back To 1800’S1838 Words   |  8 Pagesdesire to expand territory. Religion played a huge role in African history since some missionaries who came to African countries to spread Christianity were working together with colonialists. The article, â€Å"Role of Missionaries in Colonization of Africans† explains how the missionaries perceived Africans and the African culture. It states, â€Å"Missionaries came with the attitude that all things European were superior to all things African†¦. It was their mission to do anything necessary to convert AfricansRead MoreWomen Roles in My Big Fat Greek Wedding and Sir Gawain1370 Words   |  6 Pagesare said to be the head of the household and are usually the breadwinners with their main role consisting of providing for their families. On the other hand, as stated in the comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding, women act as the neck of the household, therefore they have the ability to turn the â€Å"head†, or their husbands, in any direction they choose. Women had no ways of expressing their feelings directly in society, but instead expressed them through manipulation of their husbands. The ladies in Sir GawainRead More Euripides was accused by his contempories of being a woman hater. Why1711 Words   |  7 PagesEuripides was accused by his contempories of being a woman hater. Why do you think this was so, and how justified do you think the accusation was? Question -------- Euripides was accused by his contempories of being a woman hater. Why do you think this was so, and how justified do you think the accusation was? In your answer you should consider not only how Euripides portrays his female characters, but also the sentiments expressed in the plays and the contempory view of women. Answer Read MoreEssay on Family Structure and Juvenile Delinquency1612 Words   |  7 Pages Traditional families are becoming a thing of the past. Women are no longer staying at home and assuming their womanly roles that society once expected from them. Due to their choices and living environment, they have to do what they can to raise the children that being into this world. Women nowadays are becoming mothers at an early age and often have to the raise the child on their own. Due to this hardship, they must improvise when it comes to adjusting to the change of now raising a child and

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Fight Against Essay Writing Topics for University Students

The Fight Against Essay Writing Topics for University Students By itself, essay it's not hard, and together with lectures, laboratory work, and control merely a disaster. On our site you'll find far more useful special information that will certainly be helpful for junior and higher school kids from, like common home task essay about Hamlet, together with, for instance, application essays for college for future students. Our Custom essay writing service means your paper is going to be written from scratch by a specialist writer that specializes in that area. If you're looking for unique, reasonable and topnotch graduate essay writing assistance then you're in luck. Essay Writing Topics for University Students Books should not be banned. Students ought to be permitted to pray in school. School tests aren't powerful. Textbooks ought to be free. Curriculum proposal topics is a means to try. A lot of students put on a uniform. The Upside to Essay Writing Topics for University Students Once you receive an idea, the practice of writing will be much simpler. The ability to spell out something doesn't come easily for a whole lot of individuals. Such a part of work should have some emotional effect on your readers. A student might need a topic about something not far-fetched because the sensory details ought to be vividly portrayed. The reader ought to take the author's side by the close of the reading. With fantastic arguments, it is going to be simple to create your viewpoint. Very often it becomes tough to choose 1 topic either due to the many ideas in the student's head, or due to their complete absence. Characteristics of Essay Writing Topics for University Students Academic writing has ever played a big and central role for students all around the world. Colleges are more inclined to admit students who can articulate certain explanations for why the school is a great fit about them beyond its reputation or ranking on any list. The ways students ought to be taught about their well-being. Many students think that it is a waste of time. So you believe some type of English essay writing help might arrive in handy. Understanding how to compose a strong argumentative paper will help you advance your very own argumentative thinking. In choosing your topic, it's frequently a good concept to start with a subject which you already have some familiarity with. Another reason is to observe how well students argue on distinct views and demonstrate understanding of the studied subject. How people will act if there will not be any rules in any respect. Many brilliant individuals who achieved success in life proved actually academic drop-outs. Writing about nuclear weapons is always an excellent idea. The best strategies to accept the society and ensure it is accept you. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Essay Writing Topics for University Students Recent argumentative essay topics that are related to society is going to do. Remember your essay is about solving problems, thus a solution ought to be a highlight of the essay. Thanks to the correct selection of presentation style and a thorough understanding of the goals you wish to attain in your essay, there are many categories essay themes may be broken into. Your principal essay question forms an essential part of the paper requirements. A proposal essay is quite straightforward to comprehend. An argumentative paper is part of the persuasion. You're able to define a notion in your short essay. The top rated argumentative essay ideas are broken up into various categories. Who Else Wants to Learn About Essay Writing Topics for University Students? There may be a total lot of people who need assistance with authorities essay writing. Before students select their topics, they ought to know about the essential length. A great case in point is cyber unlawful activity where individuals can commit unique felonies on the internet. It is cyber criminal activity where individuals can commit various felonies on the net. If you are searching for tips about how to compose a descriptive essay, you've come to the correct spot. Numerous on-line posts and videos can be utilized in work. Since you can see, several of the topics listed are new and handle the present issues happening in the World today. Superior news is that we've got a solution.

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Operating In Great Barrier Reef Management-Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Operating In Great Barrier Reef Management? Answer: Introducation Whitsundays offers the delights of the adventures of Great Barrier Reef and plenty of diverse lifestyle experience for the tourists from all over the world. The islands of Whitsundays are situated on the north of Brisbane, near the central coast of Queensland and near the central area of the Great Barrier Reef. Maximum number of islands has earned the National Park status. An excellent climate and natural wonders of the 74 islands provide the tourists a pampered experience of relaxation (Authority, G.B.R.M.P. 2016). On the Queensland coast, Whitsundays offers the perfect holiday destination. It also offers tourism services to the Great Barrier Reef through cruises, which has helped in the development of this region economically and culturally. The Great Barrier Reef is the most highlighted tourist attraction of Australia. It is natural wonder and has become the national symbol. The report will focus on the tourism of the Whitsundays islands, which revolves around the Great Barrier Reef and various effects of the tourism activities on the economy and society. This online travel blog focuses on the impact of the tourism on the society, economy, political environment, legal aspects and technological development of the Whitsundays islands. The group of islands is a small part of the whole nation. The economy of the islands is solely dependent on the tourism industry, and the tourism revolves around the white sand beaches and the Great Barrier Reef. Every year more than 7million tourists visit the islands for the attraction of Great Barrier Reef. The Ngaro Sea Trail Great Walk offers a great view and adventures. The seaways and the shortwalks of this region are explored through cruise, yacht, kayaks, powerboats etc. (Hughes, Day and Brodie 2015). The area has developed economically after the tourism flourished. The islands are rich in assets and the tourism industry capitalized those. The local hotel industry has developed, along with the restaurants, rental businesses of cars, kayaks, yacht, boats etc., insurance business etc. Many new jobs have been created, new shopping centers have developed and the contribution of the region in the total GDP has increased. The region has more than $36 billion invested in many proje cts for the development of many sectors including tourism. The islands have well-planned and well-developed infrastructure, which is a major point for drawing the tourists from across the globe (Ainsworth et al. 2016). Due to the huge importance of the Great Barrier Reef, it is important to conserve the natural wonder. This has not only improved the natural resources of Australia, but has contributed in developing the tourism and economy around it. Hence, the conservation of the reef is crucial for sustainability (Authority, G.B.R.M.P. 2014). The political scenario is quite favorable in Whitsundays for the tourism on the Great Barrier Reef, provided the regulations are maintained. The government of Queensland and Whitsundays Regional Council work together to fulfill this mission. The rules and regulations regarding protection of the reef are the legal factors that promote the sustainable development of the reef (Haward et al. 2016). The societies in those regions and the aboriginal people have contributed in the development of the tourism businesses. They have helped to set up the businesses and attract tourists by offering excellent services. All the above factors work together to have a positive impact on the tourism business of Whitsundays (Authority, G.B.R.M.P. 2014). Technological improvement, such as, improvement in the adventure and water sports equipment and other devices has promoted tourism growth. It has been found that, the tourism industry in Whitsundays has developed very rapidly in the past few years. Number of international tourists has increased, due to availability of services, such as, accommodation, food, safety, comfort, leisure sports. As the inflow of money has increased, the region is getting more developed. All types of big and small businesses follow the legal norms for protecting the reef and the level of damage has reduced. The local tourism units have taken the initiatives to educate people and increase awareness. It has been found, that the visitors in Whitsundays have contributed in the protection of the environment by spreading the awareness. In March 2016, global coral bleaching event was the result of rising sea temperature, however, the Whitsundays region is least affected by the bleaching. As the technology has improved and infrastructure developed, the footfall in Whitsundays has increased, leading to development of the region (Thompson et al. 2014). The tourism operators can help in reef protection through programs, such as, Eye on the Reef. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority manages the monitoring and protection of the reef. To promote the growth in tourism in Whitsundays and at the same time, protect the Great Barrier Reef, the local government can make improvements in the rules and regulation, so that further damage can be controlled. Full time work opportunity should be increased to develop the region. As the job opportunity increases, the economy gets developed too. Thus, the operations in Great Barrier Reef are subject to many economic, social, political, technological and environmental factors, and have an immense potential to push the growth in Whitsundays. References Ainsworth, T.D., Heron, S.F., Ortiz, J.C., Mumby, P.J., Grech, A., Ogawa, D., Eakin, C.M. and Leggat, W., 2016. Climate change disables coral bleaching protection on the Great Barrier Reef.Science,352(6283), pp.338-342. Authority, G.B.R.M.P., 2014. Great barrier reef outlook report 2014. Authority, G.B.R.M.P., 2016. Tourism Reef Advisory Committee communique: Meeting 5, 14 and 15 September 2016-Whitsundays. Haward, M., Davidson, J., Lockwood, M., Hockings, M., Kriwoken, L. and Allchin, R., 2013. Climate change, scenarios and marine biodiversity conservation.Marine Policy,38, pp.438-446. Hughes, T.P., Day, J.C. and Brodie, J., 2015. Securing the future of the Great Barrier Reef.Nature Climate Change,5(6), p.508. Thompson, A., Schroeder, T., Brando, V.E. and Schaffelke, B., 2014. Coral community responses to declining water quality: whitsunday Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Australia.Coral Reefs,33(4), pp.923-938.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Trabajo Practico De Estudos Essays - Contramaestre, Cuba

Trabajo Practico De Estudos Trabajo practico de Estudos Socciales Tema Brasil Introducci?n Brasil, rep?blica de Sudam?rica que constituye el pa?s m?s grande del subcontinente, pues ocupa casi la mitad de su superficie. Est? limitada al norte por Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, Guayana Francesa y el oc?ano Atl?ntico; al este por el oc?ano Atl?ntico; al sur por Uruguay; al oeste por Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia y Per? y al noroeste por Colombia. La rep?blica tiene frontera com?n con todos los pa?ses de Sudam?rica excepto Chile y Ecuador. Brasil es el quinto pa?s m?s grande del mundo (despu?s de Rusia, China, Canad? y Estados Unidos). La superficie total de Brasil es de 8.547.403 km2, su distancia m?xima de norte a sur es de 4.345 km y de este a oeste de 4.330 km. La mayor?a de los habitantes de Brasil viven junto al oc?ano Atl?ntico, especialmente en las grandes ciudades de S?o Paulo y R?o de Janeiro. La capital, situada en el interior, es Brasilia con una poblaci?n (1996) estimada de 1.817.000 habitantes. El pa?s, que fue una posesi?n portuguesa, es el mayor productor de caf? en el mundo y posee grandes recursos minerales; la explotaci?n de muchos de ellos se intensific? durante la d?cada de 1980. Desde mediados del siglo XX se inici? un importante proceso de industrializaci?n que llev? al pa?s a convertirse en la d?cima potencia econ?mica mundial. Situaci?n Brasil es el pa?s mayor de Am?rica del Sur; ocupa casi la mitad de la superficie del subcontinente y tiene frontera con todos los pa?ses sudamericanos, excepto Chile y Ecuador. Al norte limita con Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam, Guayana Francesa y el Oc?ano Atl?ntico; al este con el Oc?ano Atl?ntico; al sur con Uruguay; al oeste con Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia y Per?; y al noroeste con Colombia. Brasil es el quinto pa?s m?s grande del mundo, con una superficie de 8.511.970 km?, superando con creces a Australia. Existen dos peque?as zonas en la frontera con Uruguay: la del Arroyo Invernada del Rio Quara? y las islas situadas en la confluencia del Rio Quara? con el Uruguay que aun se encuentran sin resolver. Datos Generales Nombre oficial Rep?blica Federal de Brasil Capital Brasilia Superficie 8.511.970 km? Unidad monetaria: Real Poblaci?n 161,8 millones (1995) Idioma Portugu?s (oficial) Forma de gobierno Rep?blica Federal Poblaci?n De acuerdo con estimaciones realizadas para 1990, la poblaci?n de Brasil se compon?a de un 54% de blancos, un 39% de mestizos (mulatos, caboclos y cafuzos), un 6% de negros, un 0,8% de asi?ticos y un 0,2% de ind?genas americanos. A la composici?n de esta poblaci?n contribuyeron originariamente ind?genas, portugueses y negros, a los que se sumaron, a trav?s del flujo inmigratorio, italianos, espa?oles, alemanes, eslavos y japoneses. Caracter?sticas de la poblaci?n La poblaci?n de Brasil (seg?n estimaciones para 1994) es de 162.161.707 habitantes. La densidad de poblaci?n media es de 19 hab/km2. Alrededor del 75% de la poblaci?n de Brasil es urbana. Principales ciudades (poblaci?n) S?o Paulo 16,4 millones Rio de Janeiro 9,9 millones Salvador 2,8 millones Belo Horizonte 3,9 millones Bras?lia 1,8 millones Recife 3,2 millones Curitiba 2,3 millones Porto Alegre 3,3 millones Bel?m 1,6 millones Man?os 1,2 millones Lenguas oficiales y habladas El portugu?s es la lengua oficial de Brasil. Muchos brasile?os hablan el alem?n y el italiano, especialmente en las ciudades del sur. Religi?n Casi el 88% de los habitantes de Brasil son cat?licos. No obstante, alrededor de veinte millones de cat?licos tambi?n practican alg?n tipo de culto ritual de origen africano. Tambi?n hay al menos cinco millones de protestantes, entre los que se incluyen un n?mero importante de luteranos, metodistas y episcopalianos, y una peque?a comunidad de jud?os. La mayor?a de los ind?genas americanos profesan religiones tradicionales. La separaci?n de Iglesia y Estado es formal y completa. Cat?licos 73% Otras iglesias cristianas 20% Religiones afro-brasile?as, como candombl?, macumba y umbanda 7% Educaci?n La educaci?n primaria en Brasil es gratuita y obligatoria para los ni?os entre los 7 y 14 a?os de edad. Aproximadamente el 80% de la poblaci?n mayor de 15 a?os est? alfabetizada. Primaria y secundaria M?s de 30,5 millones de alumnos al a?o asistieron a la ense?anza primaria brasile?a a comienzos de la d?cada de 1990 y unos 4,2 millones de estudiantes estuvieron matriculados en las escuela secundaria. Los centros de ense?anza primaria y secundaria son fundamentalmente propiedad de los estados y los municipios, pero tambi?n existen muchos centros cat?licos de ense?anza secundaria, entre otros centros privados. Superior o universitaria El gobierno federal de

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Mike Myers essays

Mike Myers essays You know him as the top secret 60s spy Austin Powers, and as the hilarious Wayne in Waynes World, but who is Mike Myers? Mike was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada on May 25, 1963 and is currently 40 years old. Mike graduated from high school in 1982. Almost immediately after that he was accepted into Torontos Second City Comedy Ensemble but his career really started to take off in 1988 when he joined Saturday Night Live. He worked there for six seasons while he played Dieter and Wayne Campell. Mike is now one of our most beloved Canadian actors. He has done numerous movies, which keep us laughing for hours. Mike has done Waynes World (starring as Wayne), which he received $1,000,000 for and also did the sequel for $3,500,000. He starred in Austin Powers for $3,000,000 and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me for $7,000,000. His newest movie Shrek also paid him $3,000,000 (take in mind this is all in US funds). Now that you know about his career, lets get personal. Mike is the youngest of three sons. He appeared in a TV commercial when he was nine, and on the last day of shooting he cried, so his brothers gave him the nickname sucky baby. Mike met his wife at a hockey game, when she got hit by a puck. It is said he immediately fell for her. He also has three dogs named after famous hockey players. Mike carries a British passport and regards himself as British, due to the fact both his parents; Eric and Alice were British citizens. He took dancing lessons in Toronto. Mike is also a Toronto Maple Leafs fan. I believe Michael Myers is important to Canadian history/culture for many reasons. For one there doesnt happen to be many famous Canadian actors, we have always been second to the US in this field. Mike is also very funny and excellent at what he does and breaks the classic impression of what Canadians act like, say and do. With more people like Mike, it shows ...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers Review

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers Review Since its publication in 1988, Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers continues to be a book both beloved and banned in school libraries across the country. A realistic novel about the Vietnam War, the day to day struggles of young soldiers and a soldiers view about Vietnam, this book is bound to be offensive to some and embraced by others. Read this review to learn more details about this high-profile book by an established and award-winning author. Fallen Angels: The Story It’s 1967 and American boys are enlisting to fight in Vietnam. Young Richie Perry just graduated from high school, but he feels lost and unsure about what to do with his life. Thinking the military will keep him out of trouble, he enlists. Richie and his group of soldiers are deployed immediately to the jungles of Vietnam. They believe the war will be over very soon and don’t plan to see much action; however, they are dropped down in the middle of a war zone and discover the war is nowhere near being finished. Richie discovers the horrors of war: landmines, the enemy lurking in spider holes and murky swamps, the accidental shooting of soldiers in your own platoon, burned out villages full of old people and toddlers and the children who are strapped with bombs and sent amongst the American soldiers. What began as an exciting adventure for Richie is turning into a nightmare. Fear and death are tangible in Vietnam and soon Richie begins to question why he is fighting.  After surviving two encounters with death, Richie is honorably discharged from the service. Disillusioned about the glory of war, Richie returns home with a renewed desire to live and an appreciation for the family he left behind. About Walter Dean Myers Author Walter Dean Myers is a war veteran who first enlisted in the military when he was 17. Like the main character, Richie, he saw the military as a way to get out of his neighborhood and away from trouble. For three years, Myers stayed in the military and recalls his time served as â€Å"numbing.† In 2008 Myers wrote a companion novel to Fallen Angels called Sunrise Over Fallujah. Robin Perry, the nephew of Richie, decides to enlist and fight the war in Iraq. Awards and Challenges Fallen Angels  won the prestigious American Library Association’s 1989 Coretta Scott King Award, but it also ranks 11 on its most challenged and banned book list between the years 2000 and 2009. Depicting the reality of war, Walter Dean Myers, who is a veteran himself, is faithful to the way soldiers talk and act. The newly enlisted soldiers are depicted as boastful, idealistic and fearless. After the first exchange of fire with the enemy, the illusion is shattered and the reality of death and dying changes these young boys into tired old men. The details of combat can be as gruesome as the description of a soldier’s final breathing moments. Due to the graphic nature of the language and fighting, Fallen Angels has been challenged by many groups.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Sustainable Development in Iran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Sustainable Development in Iran - Essay Example Renewable energy (RE) and related technologies are popularly viewed as solutions to the growing issues of pollution, global warming and climate change. The development of new technologies in this domain is thus viewed across the world as a way to diversify the range of energy sources available and secure the growing needs in the coming decades. RE is also a key driver for sustainable development and to reduce our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels (Magoha, 2009). Despite the importance of developing RE technologies and encouraging their use through sustainable strategies, various technological and economic constraints have impeded its development in the Islamic republic of Iran. Given that the country is home to over a tenth of the world’s crude oil reserves and a fifth of the global natural gas reserves, the Iranian government has been quite negligent towards promoting alternate sources of energy (Kelly, 2009). Apart from government assistance in RE, the nation has been affected by decades of international economic sanctions, which has restricted access to some of the most efficient technologies in the RE domain. Thus, the technological infrastructure used for exploiting the fossil fuels within the nation remains inefficient and there is a need to devise ways to address these issues through favorable energy policies, technological research and efficient management. Other issues such as stagnation of social development and poverty are also preventing the government from giving any long-term thought to RE (Kelly, 2009). Iran is one of the largest emitters of carbon dioxide which has nearly doubled since 1990 to over 400 MMT in 2009. Kelly (2009) identifies numerous factors including low efficiency and utilization rates of energy among various industrial sectors, rising wealth and an increase in the consumption of fossil fuels as primary contributors to this alarming trend, which is also aided by the relatively cheap energy prices. Magoba (2009) further adds to these concerns by stating that the major polluters in this context are the country’s biggest cities. Migration of the rural population to bigger cities in search of employment and livelihood has led to rapid urbanization resulting in a surge in the number of vehicles, consumption of fuels, inefficient public transportation networks and the use of old vehicles that are incapable of burning the fuel efficiently. Studies by Chaturvedi (2008) have established that Iran is currently underdeveloped in harnessing energy from wind turbines. In fact, the country has a huge potential of up to 15000 Megawatts of electricity generation by tapping vast amounts of energy from wind. Given the fact large parts of Iran are categorized as windy regions, harnessing energy from this medium is not only an elaborate possibility, but can also prove financially profitable in the long run. The region also enjoys a long period of sunshine on an annual basis. The average annual exposure to sunshine in Iran has been estimated at about 3000 hours per year (Chaturvedi, 2008). However, most solar energy projects are currently in a research phase and are yet to be commercialized. Thus, there is a need for the government to hasten the process of development and research in these areas. Iran primarily lacks any sound policy frameworks that can aid in the sustainable development of renewable energy technologies. Policies are required not just to support any research initiatives in this area, but are also necessary to facilitate a successful and wid espread adoption of RE sources across the country. Any few directives that have been framed in this context have not been helpful in guiding stakeholders towards implementing RE in specific areas. Thus, Iran currently lacks a consistent approach in implementing any longstanding RE framework. Currently, a mere 9% of Iran’s energy needs are met by RE sources primarily due to lack of policies and supporting infrastructure (Magoha, 2009). Companies that operate in the RE sector in Iran are facing

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

U06d1 Intelligence & u06d2 Interview Summary 2 part Essay

U06d1 Intelligence & u06d2 Interview Summary 2 part - Essay Example Both of these are completely different and they possess different neural as well as mental systems (Horn & Cattell, 1967). The two as has been understood are quite different from each other and have different impact on people throughout their lives. It is essential to understand that both these form of intelligence tend to grow during childhood and adolescence. However post this period it is noted that the crystallized intelligence continues to grow into adulthood, while the Fluid intelligences grows until the age of 30 – 40 years post which there is a clear and progressive decline that is seen among the individuals (Kirkwood, 1999). With old age, it is common for people to face number of changes in their bodies as well mentally. These changes of mental and physical that the individuals got through lead them to be react differently to different situations and also lead to mood swings and inability to adjust to their surroundings. In the case of Richard, as discussed earlier, he might be facing the issue of lesser fluid intelligence, which in turn leads to a situation where he is unable to create a link to the changing environment and the changing style of living and the newer generation (Kirkwood, 1999). Hence there are clashes between the grandchildren and him. Richard is unable to understand certain perspectives of life and the changes that need to be adopted to live in the current world and this leads him to be unable to respect the decisions of his grandchildren and to doubt their judgements, hence creating an issue among them. Denise and Tom, it is essential for you to understand that your father has been going through tremendous changes in life with the loss of your mum and the retirement as well. At this age elders tend to loos a lot of their rational behaviour and the ability to change and adapt to the new times. The confusion and chaos that they faced internally

Saturday, November 16, 2019

NEBOSH International Diploma Essay Example for Free

NEBOSH International Diploma Essay I INTRODUCTION Nalanda Associates is committed to achieving Health, Safety, and Security and Environmental management for all its activities as an integral part of our business. The purpose of Nalanda Associates HSSE Management System (HSSE-MS) is to provide the framework and structure for the delivery of the highest level of HSSE Performance in accordance with best industry practice. I.1 Aim Individual Health, Safety, Security and Environment systems, management tools and techniques have evolved over years. They just needed to be integrated into the business in a structured manner. In order to manage HSSE effectively, we need a sound management system to provide managers with the assurance that they are discharging their responsibilities effectively and as a basis for continuous HSSE performance improvement. The Nalanda Associates HSSE Management System has been developed to meet these needs; it provides a set of arrangements to ensure that we control our HSSE risks in a practical, effective and efficient manner. It builds on experience gained in the application of earlier systems and arrangements and also draws on external developments such as Quality Management standards (ISO 9000), Health and Safety Management (HS(G)65),Environmental Management (ISO 14000) and HSSE Management (EP Forum). The aim of the HSSE Management System is to provide an assurance to all of us at Nalanda Associates, as well as regulators, partners, licensing authorities and insurers that we are able to comply with Company Policy and Legislation through a process of self-regulation and control. The emphasis is placed on an approach which is both objective setting (establishing what to do and then doing it) as well as proactive (taking action before and not after the event). Plan → Do →Check → Act The focus is on a systems model approach as applied in quality and other business Management systems. This self-regulatory approach is risk based, not at any cost, but on the premise that necessary and cost effective measures applied, should reduce risk to a level that is As Low As Reasonably  Practicable (ALARP*). The management system combines Health, Safety, Security and Environment, and is based on the following key points: †¢ Prominence being given by both industry and the regulators world-wide to the need for self regulation based on internal control; †¢ Managers setting their own objectives, monitoring their achievement and demonstrating that the organisation is self regulating – thus minimising external regulatory burdens; †¢ Synergy to be obtained from managing HSSE together; †¢ Need for sustained effort to improve HSSE performance; †¢ Integration of HSSE into our businesses for efficient use of management resources. * ALARP a point at which the cost of further risk reduction is grossly dis-proportionate to the benefit gained. It is to be recognized that Nalanda Associates is going through a phase of continuous growth. Hence, the HSSE-MS will need to continually evolve to respond to changing needs of business environment. HSSE Management System cuts across the functional boundaries of different departments/installations/facilities in Nalanda Associates and is a system to manage HSSE in an Integrated and co-ordinated way. I.2 Objective Management Demonstrate Leadership and commitment at all levels of management chain †¢ Establishing performance contracts key performance indicators related to HSSE deliverables across all levels in the organisation for successful delivery of HSSE Targets plans for the year †¢ To develop and implement strategies to improve Contractors’ HSSE performance through visible leadership and increased facilitation to contract partners. Environment Reduce levels of environmentally harmful emissions, discharge and waste operations and activities. †¢ Develop implement targets to reduce GHG emission †¢ To apply best practices for minimising emissions in new projects Safety Ensure ‘zero injury’ operation †¢ To ensure that staff and contractors managing their activities understand implement Life Savers associated standards procedures. †¢ Focus on safety during execution of new projects †¢ Ensure lessons learnt are implemented Health – Zero Occupational Illness †¢ Improve upon current Health Assurance Framework (HAF) score of 85% to 100% Security – Zero Security Incident †¢ Review and effectively monitor security risks and implementation of associated control Measures I.3 Methodology Used for this report This includes observation 1. When ,where, with whom PU foam factory †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 2. Consultation with whom 3. Inspection when,where,how 4. Document verification which documents you verified.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Auschwitz Essay -- essays research papers

Imagine leaving your family, your house, your possessions, and your life behind. You do not know where you’re going, or how long it will take to get there. You are cramped into a small space with around a hundred other people; some dead, some dying, some hoping for death to come. It’s hard to stay positive in a situation like this. You are on your way to the most famous – and most deadly – Nazi concentration camp. Its name is Auschwitz, and you are a Jew in Nazi Germany during World War II. Your future is beginning to look bleak. The thought of ever leaving this place is the only hope that you and those around you really have, and the chance of that is slim. As you finally arrive at your destination after two full days of travelling without food or water, you and the other people in the car are herded into two lines. One line consists of women and children, while the other is for the men. Women and men cry and take their last embraces, never knowing when they will see one another again. Mothers clutch their children close to them, whispering to them to behave, and trying to no avail to shield them from this place. Everyone is thirsty, hungry and tired, but most of all, afraid. A deep seeded fear begins to plant itself inside of everyone present at the sight of tall smokestacks billowing a putrid, indescribable smoke that seems to hang over everything around you. Upon walking a short distance, you are confronted by a large iron gate, with the words â€Å"Arbeit macht frei† or â€Å"Work makes you free† on it. Little does anyone know, what awaits them here will do anything but that. Auschwitz, or Auschwitz-Birkenau, is the best known of all Nazi death camps, though Auschwitz was just one of six extermination camps. It was also a labor camp, extracting prisoners’ value from them in the form of hard labor. This camp was the end of the line for millions of Jews, gypsies, Jehovah’s witnesses, homosexuals, and other innocents. Since I was young, World War II, and the stories surrounding it have fascinated me. I have read innumerable books on the subject, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Although, throughout all my research and broad understanding I have gained from this reading, I am still interested to know more about Auschwitz and the people that were imprisoned there. For example, what was daily life like for the prisoners? How d... ...e size of the bodies, up to three corpses could be put into one oven at the same time. The time required for cremation...took twenty minutes" (Freidman, 32). Zyklon B became a favorite of the Nazis because of its potential to kill so many in so little time. It was an efficient mechanism for murder, and thus became the most famous method of concentration camp extermination. Writing this paper has really taught me a lot about Auschwitz (and World War II in general) that I did not already know. I got some valuable information that I had never even thought of beforehand. Although this is a very sobering and even depressing subject, I have always found it very interesting. A few questions that I have though, will never be answered. Like, How? and Why? The entire Holocaust is often something that people don’t want to think about, because of its depressing nature, but I believe that it is important to be educated on this subject to avoid something like this ever happening again. As Yoda says in Episode One of â€Å"Star Wars†, â€Å"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to death.† I hope that the fear that the Nazis felt never returns. Auschwitz Essay -- essays research papers Imagine leaving your family, your house, your possessions, and your life behind. You do not know where you’re going, or how long it will take to get there. You are cramped into a small space with around a hundred other people; some dead, some dying, some hoping for death to come. It’s hard to stay positive in a situation like this. You are on your way to the most famous – and most deadly – Nazi concentration camp. Its name is Auschwitz, and you are a Jew in Nazi Germany during World War II. Your future is beginning to look bleak. The thought of ever leaving this place is the only hope that you and those around you really have, and the chance of that is slim. As you finally arrive at your destination after two full days of travelling without food or water, you and the other people in the car are herded into two lines. One line consists of women and children, while the other is for the men. Women and men cry and take their last embraces, never knowing when they will see one another again. Mothers clutch their children close to them, whispering to them to behave, and trying to no avail to shield them from this place. Everyone is thirsty, hungry and tired, but most of all, afraid. A deep seeded fear begins to plant itself inside of everyone present at the sight of tall smokestacks billowing a putrid, indescribable smoke that seems to hang over everything around you. Upon walking a short distance, you are confronted by a large iron gate, with the words â€Å"Arbeit macht frei† or â€Å"Work makes you free† on it. Little does anyone know, what awaits them here will do anything but that. Auschwitz, or Auschwitz-Birkenau, is the best known of all Nazi death camps, though Auschwitz was just one of six extermination camps. It was also a labor camp, extracting prisoners’ value from them in the form of hard labor. This camp was the end of the line for millions of Jews, gypsies, Jehovah’s witnesses, homosexuals, and other innocents. Since I was young, World War II, and the stories surrounding it have fascinated me. I have read innumerable books on the subject, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Although, throughout all my research and broad understanding I have gained from this reading, I am still interested to know more about Auschwitz and the people that were imprisoned there. For example, what was daily life like for the prisoners? How d... ...e size of the bodies, up to three corpses could be put into one oven at the same time. The time required for cremation...took twenty minutes" (Freidman, 32). Zyklon B became a favorite of the Nazis because of its potential to kill so many in so little time. It was an efficient mechanism for murder, and thus became the most famous method of concentration camp extermination. Writing this paper has really taught me a lot about Auschwitz (and World War II in general) that I did not already know. I got some valuable information that I had never even thought of beforehand. Although this is a very sobering and even depressing subject, I have always found it very interesting. A few questions that I have though, will never be answered. Like, How? and Why? The entire Holocaust is often something that people don’t want to think about, because of its depressing nature, but I believe that it is important to be educated on this subject to avoid something like this ever happening again. As Yoda says in Episode One of â€Å"Star Wars†, â€Å"Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to death.† I hope that the fear that the Nazis felt never returns.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Ethical Considerations for Teachers Essay

Ethics and its essential considerations are fundamentals of human nature. Just like in any field of profession, the principles behind ethics are of undeniable significance to the educational setting. This is basically due to the concept that the teachers and the rest of teaching professionals are the ones who influence the thoughts, values and even conducts of the young ones. Such condition creates an enormous responsibility for teachers to ideally shape the future members of the society hence it is expected of them to correctly practice what they teach or preach. Beyond the theories, ethical considerations are of utmost importance in the performance of the teaching profession. It is essential to carry out ethical ideas in manners that are practically acceptable to human attributes. Teachers are required to impart moral principles to their students. However, it will always be the educators’ innate characters and individual behavior which spell the difference in eventually producing respected or morally upright persons. In order to come up with an ideal educational system, therefore, it is vital not to just adhere but also live up to necessary ethical considerations. In an educational setting, members of the learning organization particularly teachers are supposed follow or exercise specific ethical considerations. This is because there is a constant struggle between a teacher’s personal interest and professional commitment. Citing May (1990), this situation was emphasized by Smith (1996) who said that teachers are always susceptible to their respective concern as well as dedication to live up and maintain the dignity of the academic field. In effect, such conflicts have resulted into relevant ethical dilemmas that have inevitable implications to other learning professionals, the students and one’s mandate to the teaching career (Smith, 1996). In order to address, if not resolve the issue, Smith mentioned the suggestions made by May. That is, there is a need to recognize and even reiterate significant ethical considerations which teachers are responsible of. These include the sincere manifestation of respect for any colleague or student as an individual. Truthful communication and encouraging others’ confidence are also the needed ethical considerations. Most importantly, it is fundamental for teachers to help create just and caring cultural and social structures that uphold the benefit of all people within the educational organization (Smith, 1996). To carry out such ethical considerations, teachers are also required to perform several standards of professional communication. It is required for teachers to help their respective organizations to achieve their academic goals. Educators also need to exert additional efforts for the respective professional and individual enhancements of their colleagues and students. The ethical consideration of professional interaction likewise calls for teachers’ kindness as well as comprehensive and reasonable evaluation of functions of students and co-teachers. Lastly, teachers need to perform their roles in manners that support and even exceed the principles of ethical considerations (Smith, 1996). When the said ethical considerations are incorporated on existing educational policies, students will be completely empowered and provided with ideal instructional materials thus preventing teachers from providing documents outside the required curriculum. Students will also be assured of a teacher’s presence resulting to better education. The carrying out of examinations and making of grades will happen in ways beneficial both to teachers and students. In doing all these considerations, the educational setting is sure to exemplify a successful professional condition and effective relationship between teachers and students (Smith, 1996). Similar to any other professions, ethical considerations are of extreme relevance to the educational environment. Therefore, it is empirical to realize the individual behavior of teachers. This is due to the underlying principle that what teachers do and how such activities are performed are sure to ultimately affect all the people within the educational setting. Reference Smith, R. M. (1996). Essential ethical considerations in education. Retrieved February 6, 2009, from http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_qa3673/is_n1_v117/ai_n28677142/pg_4? tag=content;col1

Saturday, November 9, 2019

The Leap

Francisco Mata Mrs. Harschlip Eng 102 â€Å"The Leap† In James Dickey’s poem â€Å"The Leap,† he tells about his memory of a â€Å"thin/and muscular, wide-mouthed, eager to prove† (21-22) girl, Jane MacNaughton. He talks about how she goes from being, â€Å"the fastest runner in the seventh grade†, (3) to a â€Å"Mother of four. † (28) Jane who spurned the earth, as a seventh grade runner, left behind the â€Å"slow-footed yokels† (44) in her cloud of dust. The playground champion is finally overcome by reality. She returns to dust as a victim of the â€Å"eternal process†. During a school dance, Jane â€Å"with a light/Grave Leap†, touches the end of a paper ring.Dickey sees this as a farewell to childhood and a new beginning into adulthood. She is well respected by others and has self-respect, at least enough to leap to touch the paper chain in front of her classmates. She is a young, strong girl and has a world of oppo rtunities at this time in her life. He describes her as the, â€Å"the fastest runner in seventh grade. † (3) This implies that she is a girl who capable of accomplishing any dreams she wishes. Dickey knew and admired Jane, he was â€Å"nailed to the ground†, unable to escape his feelings for her ever since the seventh grade.He feels a connection to her when she touches the paper ring hanging from the ceiling. He says that she â€Å"touched the end of something I began. † (47) He does not make it sound as if he had a personal relationship with her; however he says that she should hold on, â€Å"to that ring I made for you. † (51) He wants the Jane of his school age memory to hang on to the paper ring so that he will always remember her as a young, â€Å"muscular, wide-mouthed, eager to prove,† (22) girl that is capable of doing anything. He uses the ring as a symbol in his memory, as a way to keep her alive so that he does not have to cope with her eath. The ring can also be a symbol of marriage or companionship. He uses this first leap to represent Jane in all of her brilliance, as he remembers, so that he will not have to face the fact that she is not who she used to be and to honor her as the outgoing seventh grader who was willing to live life to the fullest. He does not go into detail to describe the second leap. This may be because he knows more about her in her childhood, or it may be because he does not want to know about her death at length. When she commits suicide, he knows she is not the same person that he once knew; she is now a, â€Å"mother of four. (28) She has changed, but it has not been for the better because she may have had a hard life. One day she was unable to handle the pressures of her life any longer and committed suicide. He says, as he holds the newspaper containing the article of her suicide, â€Å"that I held / without trembling a picture of her lying cradled / in the papery steel as though ly ing in the grass. † (30-32) It is not that he does not care about her death; he just cannot face her death and this is why he does not tremble. She is hardly the same person to him, and so he is able to save the image of her first leap.He will always use this one image as her identity, full and alive, to him. These two leaps are different, but are used to represent the same idea. Jane leapt in order to express her sense of freedom in the first leap. She leapt with strength; she showed to everyone around her that she was very alive, free and capable. Yet, the second leap was a cry for help, a searching for freedom. By taking this second leap she was able to become free by death. Her life was hard by, â€Å"some boy who did not depend/On the speed of foot, caught and betrayed her,† (40-41) and the heartache was too much for her to handle, so she took the leap so she can be free.The two instances are so different that he is able to separate them in his mind and supplement his memory for childhood Jane, who he saw gracefully leaping with a sense of ambition to touch the paper ring and the Jane of modern reality, who leapt to her death from a hotel window to rest in the, â€Å"papery still† (32) of a taxi cab, still graceful as â€Å"though lying in the grass. † (32) Work Cited Dickey, James. â€Å"The Leap†. Literature and the Writing Process. Ed. Elizabeth McMahan, Susan X Day, Robert Funk, and Linda S. Coleman. 9th ed. 2011. pg 630. Print.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

The Flute essays

The Flute essays The Flute is a high- pitched reedless woodwind instrument made up of a slender tube (usually metal) which is closed at one end with keys and finger holes on the side. Flute players hold the instrument to the mouth and produce sound by blowing across the mouthpiece, much like blowing across the top of a bottle. Its smaller cousin the piccolo, which sounds an octave higher than the standard flute, is so piercing that it can be heard over an entire orchestra playing at full volume. Between 1830 and 1850, Theobald Boehm developed the modern flute system of fingering for producing notes still known today as the Boehm system. I think that the flute itself adds a soft and yet personal touch to the orchestra and no orchestra is complete without it. ...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Discussing Hobbies Lesson Plan

Discussing Hobbies Lesson Plan This lesson focuses on one of the most common topics of discussion in class: Hobbies. Unfortunately, the topic of hobbies is often introduced without a lot of follow-up beyond a superficial discussion. This is most likely due to the fact that students lack the vocabulary needed to discuss hobbies in any meaningful detail. Use this lesson to first teach students the names of various hobbies, and then to delve more deeply into the individual hobbies. Use the linked resources in class by printing out the referenced pages by clicking on the printer icon in the upper right-hand corner of each page. They key to a successful discussion of hobbies is to make sure that students are allowed to explore the various steps involved in participating in a hobby. One of the best ways to do this is to develop a group project focusing on teaching other students about a new hobby. To do this well, students will need to learn new vocabulary, choose a new hobby - perhaps by exploring a hobby quiz online - break up the hobby into various phrases or tasks, and provide instructions for a slideshow that will be presented as a group to the class. Aim: Encourage deeper discussions of the specifics of a wide range of hobbies Activity: Hobby vocabulary expansion, review of imperative forms, written instructions, development of a slide show Level: Intermediate to advanced level classes Outline Choose one of your favorite hobbies and provide the instructions on how to participate in a specific phase of the hobby. Make sure to not mention the name of the hobby as students should guess which hobby you are describing.On the whiteboard, write down categories of hobbies. Solicit as many names of specific activities/hobbies that belong to each category.In order to help students learn specific names of hobbies, use this hobby vocabulary resource to help students expand their list of hobbies.Ask students to choose one new hobby from the list. Its a good idea to use an online quiz to help students choose a hobby they will find interesting, as well as learn related vocabulary that they will find useful in the future. Search on the phrase choosing a hobby quiz and youll find a wide variety of quizzes.Once students have selected a hobby, encourage them to visit a site dedicated to the hobby they have chosen. About.com has a wide selection of excellent hobby guides.Ask students to colle ct the following information for they hobby the have chosen:Skills RequiredEquipment RequiredEstimated Cost Review the imperative form as used for giving instructions. Provide an example of your own such as playing volleyball, writing a poem, building a model, etc. Its best to choose one phase of the hobby, rather than trying to provide instructions to the hobby in general (people write entire books on that!). Make sure to use the imperative form in your description.Ask students to describe the various phases in their chosen hobby. For example for building a model:Choosing a Model To BuildSetting up Your WorkspaceGluing Pieces TogetherPainting Your ModelTools to UseEach student of each group then provides steps to achieving the specific task/phase using the imperative form.Once each phase description has been described, ask students to find photos/pictures using a Creative Commons resources such as Flikr, Free Clip Art site, etc.Create a PowerPoint or other slideshow with just one slide for each phrase/task of the hobby.Have students present their chosen hobby to the rest of the class usin g the slideshow theyve created with each student using the instructions theyve developed for their respective slides.

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Final Organizational QI Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Final Organizational QI Plan - Essay Example The first and foremost step includes the measures which are taken in order to prevent known infections throughout the hospital. This job is carried out in a hospital by means of not only awareness programs but there is also a need for utmost cleanliness within a hospital. For this reason, hospitals should aptly adhere to the guidelines that are provided by their supervisory committees, for example, hospitals in America have to follow the guidelines of CDC in order to conduct research on different diseases and also to follow protocols in case a rare infectious disease breaks out (Health.vic.gov.au, 2013; CDC, 2013). The second thing that involves the plan is the monitoring of the infection, in case someone has it and to find proper ways to eliminate threats that promote the spread of such infections. For this reason a hospital has to be advanced and equipped with proper technology in order to prevent the infections from spreading, especially within the health care facility, in this ca se a hospital. What follows after it are different surveillance regimens where the hospital has to monitor the status of diseases in order to keep them from becoming an epidemic. Another part where hospitals need to focus upon is how they would collect different data about the disease and how to compile it in order to use it for the prevention of new cases from happening. Different tools are to be identified that the hospital needs in order to check the problems that have immediate effect and conduct studies to not only cure the diseases but also make efforts in coming up with a plan to completely eradicate them. It shouldn't always be about finding the cure because there are thousands of diseases with known cure but they still exist alive and kicking. It should be about finding the roots of the diseases; what areas it stems from and its effects, precautions and then devising a plan about nipping these diseases in the bud. This not only provides service to humanity by finding elimin ation methods for diseases but also improves the quality of service of a hospital where it strives to provide information to WHO about the methods that can prevent and eliminate infectious diseases around the globe. Introduction In order to devise a successful plan for the prevention and control of diseases within a hospital, we have to find out what is the core mission of a hospital and what it sees in itself to provide to the humanity as well as its own development. A hospital’s major mission is to provide health care to people who are sick and to also provide them with cures and treatments depending upon the disease they have while providing quality service for the patients. In order to achieve this mission, a hospital that is big in its stature and reputation, not only tries to cure people through doctors but also through research on different diseases and also providing medical training in the form of med school. A hospital also provides ER services which is one of its m ain department because you would never know what emergency might pop up. Apart from that, clinical duties are also a part of major services that hospital adheres to because it is its responsibility to treat even everyday sickness and diseases. Goals and Objectives Like any other profit seeking organization, a hospital has different goals and objectives that it

Thursday, October 31, 2019

John D. Ashcroft, Petitioner, V. Abdullah Al-Kidd Case Study

John D. Ashcroft, Petitioner, V. Abdullah Al-Kidd - Case Study Example Al-Kidd further alleges that during the trial of Al-Hussayen, he has never been called as a witness and also that the authorities have â€Å"never meant to do so† (p.1). Therefore, the petitioner challenges the constitutional validity of Attorney General’s â€Å"alleged policy† in authorizing his detention on the pretext that he is a material witness in the trial against Sami Omar (p.1). Initially, the case has been heard by the Ninth Circuit Court, which held that the action of the Attorney General has violated the individual’s rights under the Fourth Amendment which disallows â€Å"pretextual arrests† in the absence of a possible cause of a criminal activity (p.1). John Ashcroft, the Attorney General, challenging the decision of Ninth Circuit Court, has filed the suit to Supreme Court appealing for a review. On a petition by Al-Kidd, the Ninth Circuit Court has heard the case and ordered that the Attorney General’s action of securing a warrant under the pretext that the petitioner is a material witness in another case and hence he cannot leave the country, and his detention for this reason, is a violation of his constitutional rights. Therefore, the court has denied Ashcroft’s motion to dismiss the petition on â€Å"qualified immunity grounds† (p.1). The main issue present in the case is the question of the validity of the detention of Al-Kidd from a legal perspective, under the prevailing threat to national security of the US. The Attorney General has allegedly secured a warrant under the federal statutes relating to â€Å"material witness† for the detention of the former (Abrams, 2011, p.1). It becomes relevant here that the action of the Attorney General in securing the warrant for the detention of the petitioner is well within the relevant laws and thus it is purely legal. Under the prevailing circumstances in the country, when terrorist activities have been rampant in the nation, the petitioner has been detained because of his relevance

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Critically analyze the major HRM systems of HP Essay

Critically analyze the major HRM systems of HP - Essay Example HP, is used strategically to shape and reinforce a certain type of culture by reinforcing certain ideas, norms, and behavior and by discouraging others. Strong values are passed down by the management and then reinforced by procedures and rituals that emphasize and reward desired behaviors in tandem with a cultural network that is consisted of a system of communication that is used as a tool to disseminate values and create corporate heroes. (Barry 2000, p. 107) This paper will explore the processes involved behind the HP HRM strategy, particularly the organizations rigorous selection and recruitment methods and the emphasis on employee training, compensation and performance evaluation. It is important to underscore that HP, along with IBM, initiated the antecedents of HRM in its studies of non-unionized employee management. For HP, HRM has always been associated with the kind of people management that placed a great deal of emphasis on gaining the commitment of individual employees to organizational goals. Confidence in and respect for our people as opposed to depending upon extensive rules, procedures and so on; which depends upon people to do their job right (individual freedom) without constant directives. (Gratton 1999, p. 109) One needs to remember that HP is now known worldwide as a company that continually creates innovative products and processes. That is why HP wants to recruit not just the best people but those skilled and committed to work in an entrepreneurial team-based environment that breeds innovation. According to Dexter Dunphy (2002), the core approach that drives HP’s way in developing its human capital lie in the following strategies: The above-mentioned strategies supposedly make it possible for HP to be able to quickly respond to the requirements of the market and the customers’ expectations. Such strategies are anchored on the development of enabling departmental structures like the utilization of smaller departments and

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Gender Equality In Politics

Gender Equality In Politics The initiation of women into influential politics has the potential to greatly benefit society. There are a number of theoretical reasons women would be doing the world a favour by entering into politics. Basic statistics demonstrate that equality would benefit the economy. In the West, the perception towards women is positive: they are mostly on equal ground with men regarding capabilities (Pew Research Center [PRC, 2008]. Moreover, because most female politicians have to juggle professional, private, and sometimes family lives, their resulting ability to multi-task should allow them better management skills and more sensible political priorities. Now, these theories regarding womens abilities and inclinations do have some factual basis. There are already successful females in high positions of power within government (e.g. Angela Merkel; Scandinavian Parliament). A survey carried out in India had results illustrating that where women were in charge, villagers were much better off ( Beaman, 2007). Surprisingly, Southeast Asia is where the most women have reached the highest governmental positions (Fleschenberg, 2008). One can argue that, whether there is a positive or ineffectual upshot to womens involvement in politics, merely achieving equality and effectively rendering most prejudices null would be a tremendous benefit to society. However, while the women of the West have far more opportunity and are reluctant to take advantage of it, there are still the women of developing countries, where bias against women is still quite distinct (Beaman, 2007). In the meantime, there is the Middle East, where progress in gender equality is practically nonexistent (Akande, 2007). But despite the emphasis given to creating equality for women, there are still very few females in high-level decision making positions. (McDermott, 2009). If gender inequality can be overcome, it can open the doorway to alleviating a significant amount of the dilemmas the world faces. Opening the Doorway: Gender Equality in Politics If liberty and equality, as is thought by some, are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in government to the utmost. Whether or not Aristotle meant to include females in his definition of persons, this quote of his basically supports the idea that there is no real equality until individuals of every possible variance are not only involved in government, but have the same say in proceedings. Equality is an abstract term; it has evaded human beings since the time we came into existence, and remains indomitably out of reach due to our own inherent prejudices. It is only very recently that real attempts have been successful in overcoming these imbalances in social order; but naturally, those at the top want to stay that way-and with their power comes the ability to maintain their position. Therefore, we still have a long way to go before humans can declare themselves a race of egalitarianism. Gender inequality is probably the most prevalent form of discrimination, due to the fact that it exists, unfailingly-not only in all societies-but within the classes and castes within those societies (Jamal, 2009/2010). The superiority of men has been a given through the ages, both through formal laws and unwritten, shared understandings (Jamal, 2009/2010). These days, women have come far along the road to equality, but-as modern feminists complain-women still have to work twice as hard to get half as far as men in their careers. There is no argument that, thanks to or despite this, women are underrepresented in many areas, most notably those of power. But politics, which has the most potential to influence culture and civilization, is the most notable area of all. Whether or not women are better than men is not the question here-the question is, would gender equality in politics have a substantial effect on global affairs? And would this effect be favourable or detrimental? Because gender is the key to the organization of product and reproduction, women are at the crossroads between economic growth and human development. (Jamal, 2009/2010, p. 5) The initiation of women into influential politics has the potential to greatly benefit society. There are a number of theoretical reasons women would be doing the world a favour by entering into politics. According to Akande, women are the worlds most under-utilised resource; getting more of them into work is part of the solution to many economic woes, including shrinking populations and poverty. (2007, p. 10) Basic statistics even demonstrate that equality would benefit the economy- women put in 67% of the hours of work done on Earth, yet they earn 10% of salaries and possess 1% of all goods (Career Womens Forum, 2006). So women have already proven themselves diligent, and take up around 50% of a population-on this note, Akande reasons that their lack of active participation (2007) in all influential fields, including the workforce, intellectual or academic spheres, or politics, basically deprives a country of valuable human resources. This applies more directly to developing countries where gender discrimination completely obstructs womens chances to achieve anything, let alo ne politics; however, it bolsters equality in general. Perception is the basis of social context, and negative social context is womans biggest obstacle towards achieving anything, let alone a career in politics. In the West, the universal perception towards female leaders is changing for the better. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center reveals the proletarian opinion on why women are still underrepresented in politics: gender discrimination, resistance to change, and a self-serving old boys club' (PRC, 2008). The public also believes that women are held back by the pressure of juggling family (which, as women, they are still meant to take care of) or personal life, and professional life; lack of the necessary skill is cited by few as a potential cause (PRC, 2008). In the same survey, women were rated higher than men on the majority of traits considered important to leadership (e.g. honesty, intelligence, compassion) (PRC, 2008). Women are believed by the populace to be more inclined towards dealing with civic issues such as health care and education (PRC, 2008); men, however, are more disposed towards eradicating crime, public safety, defence, and national security (PRC, 2008). This has been backed up by actual studies, though they put mens priorities in a less favourable light: Studies show that women are more likely to spend money on improving health, education, infrastructure and poverty and less likely to waste it on tanks and bombs. (Akande, 2007) The results of the survey continued by rating women higher than men in other areas believed to be important for a leader: holding firm to their principles even in the face of political strain; in negotiation and compromise; in instilling honesty in the government; and relating to the general public (PRC, 2008). Despite all this, only 6% actually claim women make better political leaders than men, which would be the natural progression (PRC, 2008). However, 69% rate men and women as equal, so this is probably, essentially, an even bigger step towards equality than if the reverse imbalance was presented (PRC, 2008). Even more theoretical reasoning can back up this claim: because most female politicians have to juggle professional, private, and sometimes family lives, their ability to multi-task is forcibly but finely honed (Career Womens Forum [CWF], 2006). This in turn allows them better management skills and more sensible political priorities. Now, these theories regarding womens abilities and inclinations do have factual basis. There are already successful females in high positions of power within government, such as Angela Merkel, Germanys first female Chancellor. Scandinavian countries, according to Career Womens Forum, are of the better-managed countries of the world, the most imaginative and prosperous (2008); the article goes on to correlate this fact with one stating their Parliaments are made up of 40% women, the highest percentage in the world. A Millenial Survey was carried out by a non-governmental organization in India in the year 2000 (Beaman, Duflo, Pande Topalova, 2007). It focused on subjective and objective measures of both the quantity and quality of five basic public services: drinking water and sanitation, health, education and child care, road transport and the public distribution system (Beaman, 2007). Though the survey was not undertaken for the express purpose of comparing male and female leadership performances, this-in accordance with the simultaneously subjective and objective nature of the survey-afforded the surveyors a lack of predetermined bias towards the results (Beaman, 2007). The results illustrated that where women were in charge, there was a higher investment in clean drinking water, leading to the avoidance of water-borne diseases and overall improvement of health (Beaman, 2007). Also, children were more likely to be immunized, and where women were in charge the gender gap in schooling was less by almost 13%; women were also less likely to accept bribes (Beaman, 2007). Despite all this, villagers reported dissatisfaction with their female leaders; Beaman found this rational, though, due to the inherent bias of the society (2007). Though the Nordic area can claim the highest percentage of women in Parliament, it is, surprisingly, Asia where the most women have reached the highest governmental positions (Fleschenberg, 2008). The first female Prime Minister in history was Sirimavo Bandaranaike, of Sri Lanka; she had power three times, beginning in 1960, and when she died in office in the year 2000, she was succeeded by her daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga (Fleschenberg, 2008). Indira Gandhi, India, is possibly the most famous female politician, with the most influence and positive impact thanks to her campaign for progress in India-a recent BBC poll named her the greatest woman of the last 1,000 years (Fleschenberg, 2008). Aung San Suu Kyi is the accepted leader of democratic Burma despite her continuing house arrest (Fleschenberg, 2008). In Malaysia, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail freed her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, and has headed the parliamentary opposition party in Malaysia since the late 1990s (Fleschenberg, 2008). The re are more notable names, from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines; though all of these cultures are undoubtedly patriarchal and paternalistic in political and ideological terms, women have achieved the position of prime minister or president in all of them (Fleschenberg, 2008). These countries have little in common in terms of economic development, culture, religion, and political systems (Fleschenberg, 2008). The one defining commonality between these women involves their education: no different from influential politicians in general, but exceptional for their own locale, where often education cannot proceed past the secondary or tertiary level (Fleschenberg, 2008). In addition, many of them gained reputations and political experience against backdrops of political turmoil and/or transition (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 33) as leaders of opposition movements, effectively classifying them as transformational leaders, (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 33) valuable to their country from day one. As for their terms in office, analysis proves that none of these countries deteriorated [. . .] as a direct consequence of female governance (Fleschenberg, 2008, p. 5). In fact, any declines were caused by male-led interventions (Fleschenberg, 2008). These leaderships are made even more interesting by the fact that these women came into power by proving themselves worthy, rather than just to promote equality, are recognized as capable, self-reliant leaders with no limits on their power due to their gender (Fleschenberg, 2008). On the other hand, their governments are still not gender balanced; Fleschenberg admits that they are the exception, and their rise to power should not be confused with increased womens participation in politics (2008). One can argue that, whether there is a positive or ineffectual upshot to womens involvement in politics, merely achieving equality and effectively rendering most prejudices null would be a tremendous benefit to society. Women are generally fighting an uphill battle in this respect-or, at least, some of them are. Interestingly, a report comparing the victory rates of male and female candidates yielded the result that when women run for office, they win just as often as men do. (Bowman, 2008) Since this included mostly small-time political positions in already developed countries, it is not as provocative as it may appear; it basically only reveals that, at least in the West, there is less interest in politics. The surveyed women were not enthusiastic about running for office, or the process required, such as raising campaign cash or balancing familial responsibilities (Bowman, 2008). Still, Akande says, Women are more likely to organize in other politics, such as social movements, and in non-governmental organizations. (2007, p. 16) So, while the women of the West have far more opportunity and are reluctant to take advantage of it, there are still the women of developing countries, where bias against women is still quite distinct (Beaman, 2007). Because women are generally assumed, not to lack leadership skills so much as have less than men-even those with similar personality traits-if a woman is fulfilling a normally male role, she will be judged more ruthlessly (Beaman, 2007). For example, a bad decision, or merely an unpopular one despite advantageous ends, would gain them a harsher level of criticism than if they were male (Beaman, 2007). This social backlash for violating stereotypes dissuades all but the most determined women; indeed, where the Western woman shuns politics for the stress it promises, or mere lack of interest (Bowman, 2008), a woman in a developing country shuns it to avoid the extra controversy that would top that stress (Beaman, 2007). In the meantime, there is the Middle East, where progress in gender equality is practically nonexistent (Akande, 2007). Akande attributes this to the ongoing political upheaval, citing the near civil-war situation in Iraq, the murky future of the Palestinians, Irans nuclear ambitions, or the future of democracy in the region. (2007, p. 10) The female in the Middle East is generally far worse off than those of other developing countries, due to being in a society that is either indifferent (Akande, 2007, p. 17) to them, or downright hostile. (Akande, 2007, p. 17). The principles of the predominant religion of Islam cannot directly take the blame for this (Akande, 2007), as women have gained political prominence in every Islamic country of South-eastern Asia apart from Brunei (Fleschenberg, 2008). However, the combination of religion and culture do play a big part in the viewpoints that support this maltreatment of women (Akande, 2007). This goes not just for the Muslim women of the Arab world, but for other religions that undermine the weaker sex, such as Sikhs, Hindus, and Native Americans (Akande, 2007). He stresses the Middle East, however, because the predicament of the regions women essentially has a direct effect on world affairs; he believes that much of the strife in the Middle East (i.e. underdevelopment, domestic and regional instability [. . .], ethnic frictions (Akande, 2007, p. 9)) could be mitigated, if not outright halted, if women had more of a voice in government (2007). If the results of the studies referenced by Akande earlier on, as well as the beliefs presented by the Pew Research Center survey are any indication, even a gradual move towards gender equality-in politics and otherwise-would be a big step towards eventual stability. At any rate, gender equality is a worldwide goal, and there are measures in place meant to promote womens involvement in Parliaments, etc (McDermott, 2009). In India, one third of parliamentary seats are reserved for women (Atkins, 2008). Though some see these enactments as a step backwards merely because they appear as a chauvinistic inability to allow women a true sense of accomplishment (Atkins, 2008), there is a much more considerable reason they can be seen as such. Despite the emphasis given to creating equality for women, there are still very few females in high-level decision making positions. (McDermott, 2009) This even goes for the previously-praised Nordic countries where there is an almost-balanced level of genders within the government (McDermott, 2009). Still, when it comes to decision-making, the women have limited say. Gwaze points out that in Zimbabwe, women appointed to seemingly important positions only have real significance at voting time; otherwise, they are little more than puppets for the males with real power (2007). What we see now is a faà §ade of equality that prevents women from making the change that they are capable of. With all the previously described obstacles that women have to overcome, only for women to be rendered utterly inconsequential by males who continue to wield more power, it is no wonder that gender inequality prevails in government. Successful female politicians often take pride in not only their achievements in public service, but the fact that they are positive role models for younger girls (Campbell Wolbrecht, 2005). Males do not bother to see themselves as role models, reflecting the fact that men and boys need little additional evidence that the halls of power are open to them. (Campbell, 2005) The only way to change points-of-view on female politicians is for them to continue in this vein-its a snowball effect. Women already proven the positive impact they are capable of; as more gradually get into politics and gradually become more successful at it, the window of politics as a career is opened to more and more women. And as these women prove their value within government proceedings, attitudes towards them will change for the better, the way they already are (Beaman, 2007). Gender equality is not the biggest problem face by society, and it is not the only discrimination human beings must cope with. However, if this most profound and prevailing prejudice can be overcome, it can open the doorway to alleviating a significant amount of the dilemmas faced by the world.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Personal Narrative - Finding Truth in Prayer :: Personal Narrative

Personal Narrative- Finding Truth in Prayer Glory, God stared me in the face. A man, my savior stood at the curtain. â€Å"Are you planning to pray?† he inquired. I blinked twice, â€Å"Um... yes?† Praying isn’t my ‘thing,’ but I figured â€Å"When in Vatican City...† I stepped past the man and into Enlightenment. Behind the curtain a room heavy with relics awaited. People stood, sat in the corners; heads down and hands clasped the room was immobile. Satan himself could not stir a soul. I took my place in the pew furthest from the front in a dark corner. Mindlessly I closed my eyes, hands and tilted my head. â€Å"Ask God for three things† my stepmother whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes. The room was remarkably bright. Angels flew above my head. How could I have never noticed before? And the altar before me rang with a holy, resonant sound. And this sound, this deep hum filled my mind, almost deafening any insecurities that I could ever find. This projection left me feeling whole, left me feeling safe and secure. I was ready, I closed my eyes. Just like Robert Frost’s â€Å"Mending Wall.† It occurred to me that when you wall something out (God), you’re also walling something in (the very glimmer that one day I’d have faith). I chose to break down that wall. But what to ask for? Here I am in what has to be one of the holiest places I will ever encounter and I’m gearing to pray. I don’t pray. What do I want? â€Å"Truth.† I heard myself whisper. Yes, the word flowed right out of me. An eternal flame had been lit, and I felt remarkably warm. I could not contain myself, I continued to whisper â€Å"I want to find the truth. Any and all truth, and somehow find its’ beauty.† Sure it wasn’t exactly three things that I had asked from him, but I figured if I put this one on hold, he’d be sure to listen another day. Bombarded, my mind filled with a million thoughts and ideas. I felt like I could see through any problem solely because I’m meant to. I knew what I wanted - the mere idea swallowed me. There is truth, and a faith that will liberate me. And my job, my mission is find it’s beauty. To chisel away the inconsistencies and fallacies of life until I’m left with nothing polished or refined, only the raw truth.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Haier Group: A Chinese Company That Created A Global Brand Essay

Haier Group (â€Å"HG†) is a leading Chinese international manufacturer of large and small appliances, including refrigerators, freezers, conditioners, dishwashers and laundry products to cell phones and televisions. HG is not only known around the world for quality and innovation but as an early mover outside of the Chinese marketplace; it was able to implement a market strategy to take away market share from large manufacturers on their own home-front. I. Haier Group’s Global Brand Strategy A. Haier Group’s Expansion Strategy – It Was Time to Expand China joined the World Trade Organization (â€Å"WTO†) in December 2001 and became part of the international appliance marketplace. HG had a choice to maintain its current position as the leading manufacturer in China or to expand its operations into global markets. HG faced stiff competition from domestic manufactures and multinational companies (â€Å"MNCs†) that were penetrating the Chinese market. Although HG maintained a market advantage based upon its innovative and rapid market response to customer needs, superior after-sales servicing and efficient distribution centers, it would be only a matter of time before MNCs acquired similar resources through third-parties and adapted to local market needs (Palepu pp. 7-9). 1 HG could face overcapacity within the Chinese market – i.e., too many manufactures and not enough market share – and lose the opportunity to support its global expansion to capture market share overseas. If HG have had kept the status quo, it may never have another opportunity to use profits generated from its domestic sales to go head-to-head with large manufactures and develop its own brand. As early as 1997, HG had developed a formal global expansion strategy (Id. at 10). It manufactured products for MNCs overseas and entered into joint ventures (â€Å"JVs†) to explore foreign markets (Id.). HG had acquired access to the latest technology from the U.S. and Europe and was able to leverage its knowledge to manufacturer a better product at a higher profit per unit. Its  competitive advantage was two-fold: (1) product differentiation; and (2) response speed (Id. at 15). HG was successful in China, because it focused on organizing itself to understand what customers want and to satisfy those needs as quickly as possible. It also was able to   introduce brand new products or features that could be added to existing products to meet customers’ needs. While most Chinese manufacturers marketed and sold products under an original equipment manufacturer (â€Å"OEM†) client brand, HG was willing to endure the earlier costs of developing its own brand (Id. at 10). HG adopted an expansion strategy to first build its market share in developed markets and then go after emerging markets. It opined that many Chinese manufacturers would first export to South East Asia where they had no strong dominate competitors; HG would instead focus on the difficult and larger markets of the U.S. and Europe (Id. at 11). If HG could succeed in these markets it would have raised its competitive edge and could easily thrive in emerging markets (Id.). This logic makes sense since, because if the HG brand was widely accepted in the U.S. and Europe, it would become widely accepted as a high quality product in emerging markets. With the support and encouragement of the Chinese government, HG sought the benefits of being an early-mover and manufactured niche products in developed markets neglected by large manufacturers. HG focused on compact refrigerators for college students and offices and wine coolers (Id. at 11-12). When others began to imitate, HG was equipped to add new features, such as mini-fridges that doubled as a computer desk (Id. at 12). HG did not directly compete with the large manufactures in the U.S. and European markets because it had to â€Å"bridge the trust gap† and shed the low-quality  reputation attached to Chinese manufactured goods. After establishing the quality of the niche products, HG was able to gain the attention of major retail chains and introduce standard products to the U.S. HG learned from the mistakes made by MNCs in China and entered into new markets by hiring the right people with knowledge of local markets. HG developed JVs on five different continents, thus spreading the risk, and its strategy allowing HG to leverage knowledge from its local partners. It gained competitive advantage by product differentiation and response speed. HG’s large competitors were inflexible, slow moving and did not focus on the minor details of the customers’ needs. Customers felt as if HG’s products were local brands rather than imported Chinese brands. Haier Group Faced Risks with Global Expansion HG’s decision to globalize in developed markets faced risks if MNCs quickly learned from their mistakes in the Chinese market and started eating into HG’s domestic market share, depriving HG of the profits necessary to expand globally. If MNCs did not underestimate HG, they could have tracked movement and competed directly against the niches that HG sought to fulfill before introducing its standard products to major retailers. HG’s critical vulnerability was the Chinese reputation of manufacturing cheap quality goods, its harsh labor conditions and environmental practices. HG faced the risks that U.S. and European markets would reject out-of-hand the HG brand despite its innovation and high quality. China was fortunate to have HG lead the way in global expansion; another early-moving Chinese manufacturer with lower quality standards and poor market strategy could have resulted in failure and further setbacks for the Chinese government’s â€Å"going outâ⠂¬  policy. II.  Conclusion If HG chose to remain in its domestic market or sell its products under an OEM client  brand, it may have never been afforded an opportunity to develop its own global brand. MNCs invested millions into factories and distribution in China in hopes to prevent HG from using its profits in the domestic market to support its advancement overseas (Id. at 15). HG’s market strategy capitalized on MNCs failures in China and its knowledge of western technology. It was too risky for HG not to make its move into the global community. HG exploited MNC’s slow response to customer needs, inattention to minor details and inflexibility to become a leading player in the global market. The risk of not expanding globally when faced with MNC competition in China outweighed the risks of being complacent with its domestic market share.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Reaction to Dante’s Inferno Essay

Reading Dante’s Inferno has been a challenge for me, especially at first when I didn’t understand some of the main themes Dante was trying to get across. My values are so different than those of Dante when it comes to the afterlife, it can be hard to read something that is so contradictory of my own beliefs. Once I understood that Dante was not being literal about the things he wrote in the Inferno it became a lot clearer to me that his main theme was that of controlling our own fate based on the choice we make to do the right thing or wrong thing. After I knew this, I realized that we really weren’t that different after all, because that idea appeals to me greatly. I first had to struggle to get past some of the obvious differences I feel about the afterlife, like the fact that I don’t believe in hell, in order for me to really appreciate the Inferno. Probably the main thing that happened to me that shaped my views about Christianity in general was when my cousin tried to scare me into becoming a Christian when I was about 8 years old. He convinced me that unless I started being an obedient Christian who prayed and went to church and read the bible regulary, I was going to be sentenced to a existence of burning in hell for eternity by God. That’s a lot to try deal with as a kid, especially if the person telling you this is someone that you look up to and have love and respect for. The older I got the more I resented not only my cousin for this, but that spread to all Christians in general. His approach was to make me believe in God as a sort of insurance policy so that I wouldn’t go to hell. After this experience I decided for myself that hell was quite possibly something that was made up by people to scare other people into believing what they wanted them to believe. I could not imagine that God would really want people to practice a religion out of fear, the idea just seemed a little out there for me. All my cousin accomplished in the end with me was to make me suspicious of any person who is Christian and anything that has to do with hell, and I don’t think that was his intention at all. I have since learned that not all Christians are like my cousin in their views and I’m generally quite accepting of anyone and their faith, as long  as they don’t try to pressure me into believing what they do. But to this day I still feel a little uneasy about anything that has to do with being punished by hell, so you can perhaps understand why it may have been a little hard for me to look past that in the Inferno. At first glance, the Inferno can just look like its just about people being punished cruely for the sins they have commited. But after a deeper look, it can be said that there is much more to it than just that. What really helped me be able to understand the Inferno a lot better was to understand that what Dante wrote about was not meant to be a literal interpretation of how he felt the afterlife was. He understood that it would be quite presumptuous of him to think that he could really know that. Whats important is to realize that Dante uses hell in this poem as a vehicle for expressing his views about the choices people make to either do good or do bad, and being liable for those choices. I definitely feel it is healthy to read things that vary from one’s own personal beliefs because it may bring up issues and ideas you hadn’t thought of before, possibly expanding your understanding of what you know thought you knew. It can help you learn and grow and not be stuck with certain views. Even if your values are not some how changed, I think it is still important to beable to go into something with an open mind and respect the difference of opinion. I do feel that after reading Dante’s Inferno that I have been given a new way to look at the decisions we make for ourselves in this life. Whether I believe in hell or not, I can completely appreciate this new perspective, and it makes me grateful that I was given the opportunity to read Dante’s Inferno.