Presentation Of The Greek Society Essay

One of the prolific poets that ever emerged from Greece is Homer. Not only was he known for his poetic exploits, his works are one of the works that gave an idea of what life was like in Ancient Greece. Early philosophers of the Ionian school found his work intriguing and His work was criticized by Thales. For the purpose of this essay, focus will be drawn on one of his works, Iliad. It is impossible to speak of Greek literature without considering Iliad. Iliad is not just a literary piece; it gives an account of the wars and conquests in Ancient Greece. It informs us about of the various doctrines held by the Greeks and how they conceive of a lot of things. The work is written in a prose form and is divided into Books from I to XXIV. As seen from Iliad, the ancient Greek society was characterized with conquests and battles. There is the innate desire of men to engage other nations in war. It shows the lust of men for power and their thirst for fame and glory. There was also the belief in gods and spirits. The Greeks are depicted as set of people who believes and explains everything that happens to the as an act of the gods. When good things happen, it is so because the gods are happy with you. Hoverer, when things are going out of hand, it is conceived that the gods are angry. The poem also depicts the ancient society as a society that lives of men were not regarded. There was no room for pity because if a man was considered to be a coward if he allows feelings of compassion. Men are motivated by a sense of duty to their nation and they fight for the case they believe in. these people fought, shed their blood and gave their lives for what they believe in. it was a time that was characterized with battles and for a man to be honored, you have to be a soldier or someone who has gone to battle.

Sociology: Notes on Social Dimensions of Crime

SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CRIME 1. AGE 2. SEX 3. ETHNICITY 4. SOCIAL CLASS Since the recession of the 1980s, employment rates for adolescents increase yearly and have an impact on the diminishment of youth crime The younger you are, the more prone you are to be a victim of victimization The older you get, the more you are prone for property crimes and less for physical crimes SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CRIME 1. AGE 2. SEX 3. ETHNICITY 4. SOCIAL CLASS MALES: Offenders are most likely to be male. They account for 80% of all criminal offences. 90% of all homicides, sexual assaults, and robbery crimes.And 78% of all property crimes (breaking & entering, theft). Since the 1960’s, we see an increase in female criminality. However, the specific crimes they engage in are different than the ones males engage in. (Credit card fraud, shoplifting) The feminization of poverty: we are seeing the high rise of poor, single mothers Men & Women have equal tendencies to be victimized by crimes†¦ the d ifference between the two is that they are more likely to be victimized by different crimes. They are not equally victimized to the same crimes. MEN: Assault, theftWOMEN: Sexual Assault SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CRIME 1. AGE 2. SEX 3. ETHNICITY 4. SOCIAL CLASS Big over presentation of aboriginal peoples in federal & provincial prisons. In general, aboriginals only make up 3% of Canada’s population, but 16% of Canada’s inmates. Howard Sapers noted that aboriginal people are mistreated (receive harsher treatment) by workers, prison guards, psychologists, and are more likely to be denied parole. They are also more likely to be sent to maximum security prisons. SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CRIME 1. AGE 2. SEX 3. ETHNICITY 4. SOCIAL CLASSToday’s social class, it doesn’t matter if youre rich or poor, all have equal tendencies to commit crimes. The difference is the type of crimes that the poor commit and the rich commit. Rich commit more sophisticated/organized crimes Poor commit more survival crimes (theft, If you make less than 15 thousand dollars a year, research shows that you’re more likely to be a target of a violent crime because youre probably living in the ghetto If you make more than 60 thousand dollars a year, research shows that youre more likely to get robbed, because you have more to rob.

Reading Lolita in Tehran: Themes †Women in Iran Essay

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi is very symbolic of the women in Iran, as the ideas of resisting to accept the government, finding a sense of belonging and wanting to live in a fantasy world illustrates their thoughts during a very rough period of time. Nafisi, who represents the women of Iran, displays this via her progression throughout the novel, as it summarizes the struggles that women went through to endure a happy life in Iran. A theme that is repeatedly presented to us in this book is resistance. To be more specific, resistance by women against the new government that has been inaugurated. The new government taking over, making Iran an Islamic Republic results in the installment of numerous rules and regulations that oppress the female population. Nafisi’s thoughts are displayed when one her students says, â€Å"She resented the fact that her veil, which to her was a symbol of a sacred relationship to god had now become an instrument of power, turning the women who wore them into political signs and symbols† (Nafisi 103). The downgrading of women by the new regime makes Nafisi question her loyalty to her religion and results in her resisting by not wearing her veil. Not only this, but the regime preventing literature to be taught in Iran, especially work from the Western world causes Nafisi and her students to rebel by meeting in secrecy, despite the severe consequences that they would face if they got caught. When referring to meeting in secrecy, Nafisi says, â€Å"That room, for all of us, became a place of transgression† (Nafisi 8). For Nafisi and her female students, the room that they meet in had become an oasis for them as they are able to zone out from what was going on outside and spend quality time working on the one thing that they all enjoyed†¦ literature. Iran in the 1970s and 80s consisted of a population of women that were very well-educated. When facing oppression, these women did not shy down from protesting and taking part in demonstrations to get their point through. They had all built up this sense of courage and started using the motto, â€Å"it takes courage to die for a cause but also to live for one† (Nafisi 249). This statement made by Nafisi shows their confidence, as it propelled them forward to put up a fight to regain the rights that were lost. As the government tried to demolish their spirits, these women rose up and opposed by displaying their rebelliousness. Resisting to accept the new government is one of many themes that represents the thoughts and actions of women in Iran. Acceptance is another theme in the novel that can be tied to the symbolism of women during the revolution and war. To begin with, many women had trouble accepting the new Islamic based regime that had taken over. This can be seen by the actions of Nafisi, as she says, â€Å"We are not with the regime in our hearts and minds† (Nafisi 313). Even after saying this, Nafisi is compelled by the idea of not being able to teach and pass on her knowledge about literature. Women like Nafisi realized how helping the youth prosper would lead to a successful country in the future, and did not want to miss out on the opportunity to help, despite their feelings about the new rules. Not only this, but Nafisi is unable to understand how people around her are able to accept the new rules and regulations of the government so easily, as she struggles to cope with the fact that women were being demoralized. Nafisi, along with numerous women in Iran began to feel like outcasts within their own country and battled within themselves to identify the image that they wanted to portray. This can be seen when Nafisi questions herself, â€Å"When I walked down the streets, I asked myself, are these my people, is this my hometown, am I who I am† (Nafisi 74)? Finding a sense of acceptance regarding the revolution and war was their biggest goal but for many, not being able to speak their mind was unimaginable. After struggling to accept the new government, many Iranians decided to make the move to the western world. Nafisi decided that this was the best way to escape her problem of not being able to fit in. Soon after, Nafisi realized that leaving may not have been the best option for her. She says, â€Å"You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place, because you’ll never be this way again† (Nafisi 336). Once again, she starts questioning herself and comes to the conclusion that Iran will always be where she hails from, regardless of the circumstances. Wanting to be accepted was something that women seeked in Iran, but as they fought with the idea of giving in to the regime, many of them were unable to find a way of fitting in and left Tehran for a better opportunity. The setting in Tehran had become unbearable for women, as the oppression had taken a huge toll on many of them. A way of getting away from this was by comparing the real world to a fantasy world that they could only dream of living in. One comparison that is made, is to an author by the name of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nafisi and her book club see how their dreams for a better Iran are similar to the ideas that Fitzgerald incorporated in his book. Whilst discussing the book, a students says, â€Å"What we had in common with Fitzgerald was this dream† (Nafisi 144). Not only this, but Nafisi compares her life to Gatsby and sees this fantasy world that he lives in as being the place that they ultimately want to end up in. For the female population of Iran, these dreams had to be fulfilled, as the ideas of freedom and peace in the rest of the world were constantly being displayed. As the novel progresses, Nafisi interprets that dreaming is extremely valuable as she sees opportunity and hope in picturing a better outcome to the troubled times in Iran as seen in this quote, â€Å"It teaches you to value your dreams but to be wary of them too, to look for integrity in unusual places† (Nafisi 135). It is her dreams that strive her forward and keep her fighting for the freedom that she deserves. This novel by Azar Nafisi displays the life of Iranian women as they fought to win back the rights that were wrongfully taken away from them. The females rebelled with great integrity instead of accepting the regime and tried to place themselves in a fantasy world to make things better, but for many, the oppression was too much to handle causing them to flee the country for the sake of giving themselves an opportunity to live a happy life.

Shaping Ethical Contexts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shaping Ethical Contexts - Essay Example oped to explain and give insight into how leaders ought to conduct business in a multicultural environment and the perceptions their employees have towards them. One of the theories is the implicit leadership theory which postulates that people’s beliefs, assumptions, and stereotypes tend to influence their perception on the qualities of good leadership. The other one is the culturally endorsed implicit leadership theory which advanced some leadership dimensions that include power distance, gender egalitarianism, societal and group collectivism, humane orientation, performance orientation, assertiveness and uncertainty avoidance (Murrell, Crosby & Ely, 1999). Ethical leadership styles across cultures include transformational, transactional, and paternalistic leadership. Paternalistic is a leadership style that incorporates a hierarchical relationship between the leader and the workers. The leader expresses personal interest in the personal and professional lives of employees and in return expects respect and loyalty from them. The three defining elements are moral leadership, benevolence, and authoritarianism. This type of leadership has been found to yield positive organizational commitment and exchange between leaders and the employees in a multicultural environment (Brown, Trevià ±o & Harrison, 2005). Transformational leadership is one that emphasizes on a common goal and therefore, it is a charismatic form of leadership style that mobilizes employees around a common goal. Transactional leadership on the other hand is one that emphasizes on incentives and rewards between leaders and their employees (Brown & Trevià ±o, 2006). This form of leadership styles have been shown to yield trust and performance at the workplace in various populations but not all of them. It has further been noted that collectivists are more responsive and conform to transformational leadership because they unite individuals. On the other hand transactional leadership most welcomed in

Poof Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poof - Essay Example First, it is evident that the play depicts men as traditionally violent and dictatorial especially against their wives and members of the female gender. Nottage depicts this from the first scene of the play with the violent shouting from Samuel commanding his wife to disappear. In this case, it is evident that the play depicts Samuel as a traditional man who abuses his wife all through despite the seriousness of what he identifies as mistakes. The traditional role of women doing everything for their men is evident whereby Samuel expects his wife to do all her chores and he cannot even engage in simple tasks such as picking up the shirts he will wear the following day (Nottage, n.d.). in doing this, Nottage appears to advance the traditional role of women as being ‘helpers’ to their husbands with their husbands playing a superior role than women, even in a society whereby women are increasingly competing with their male counterparts in various fields that were previously deemed as a forte for their male counterparts. Revisiting Loureen’s reaction following the disappearance of Samuel, it is evident that the play associates women with the traditional roles of child caring and housekeeping as the primary functions that women should play in a relationship, and most importantly in a marriage. Loureen tells her husband that he promised to be good once he came back and asks him to come back so that the two could sit down and iron out their issues. She thinks that she is responsible for the disappearance of her husband despite cursing him at the beginning of the play, which is indication that she has accepted her traditional female role, which is a theme that Nottage advances throughout the play. To some extent, the play appears to support the traditional aspect of women accepting to undergo abuse by their husband while accepting blame for situations that they did not have control over the outcome. In this case, women appear to be submissive to their husbands. The character of Florence, who is Loureen’s upstairs neighbor, further advances the traditional role of women as being dutiful to their husbands and being subordinates to their husbands. Her first expression after hearing of the purported murder was a feeling of pure illusion since she could not imagine that a woman had the capacity to confront their husband leave alone committing murder and killing their husbands. In this case, Nottage identifies women as traditionally powerless to their male counterparts with wives not given a chance to confront their husbands and express their emotions while disagreeing with the behavior of their husbands. In

Problems with Social Network Services Research Paper

Problems with Social Network Services - Research Paper Example , fast, and simple way to communicate jokes, photographs, it can help families and friends separated by great distances to keep in-touch in ways that was not always possible in the past; unfortunately, the effects of social media are not entirely positive. In fact, there are some negative side-effects of our modern social media obsessed society today, which includes, issues of privacy, hacking and â€Å"witch-hunting,† as well as, other societal effects and concerns, However ,the predominant issue caused that has evolved on social media is cyberbullying. This unpleasant phenomenon is affecting 1000s upon 1000s of children in the United States and all over the world. The nature and trends in today’s social media facilitates cyberbullying and effective changes must be made. Social media was intended to be entertainment and was established as an opportunity to communicate with friends and family far away, make new friends in other states, and all over the world. Unfortunately while many may approach social media sites with reserve and responsibility as an entertainment form, that behavior is not universal. However, the side effects of social media’s potential positives are becoming more and more serious. People are becoming too involved with the â€Å"cyber† life and less involved in their actual lives. Addiction to technology and social media is being acknowledged and those instances appear to be increasing. The excessive or overuse of technology, like social media, can have some serious psychological, social, and even physical repercussions. However, as cyberbullying began to manifest all too often on internet sites the dangers of social media began to effect the youth in horrific ways (The Movement Against Bullying). Cyber bullying is the direct offspring of social media. Bullying, unfortunately, is a long-lived reality of children, tweens, and teens throughout their years of schooling. These instances can be horrific for the victims, embarrassing, hurtful,

Family In Later Life Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Family In Later Life Research Paper - Essay Example Widowhood in the later life leaves the surviving spouse to undergo a normal process from grief to acceptance; the challenges associated with widowhood are likely to open new opportunities for increasing and maintaining social relationships. Widows/Widowers and the Efforts of Overcoming Grief Widows are generally associated with â€Å"isolation, loss and vulnerability† (Walker, 1993, p. 34), especially the post feminism era. With the women almost completely dependent on men, widowhood seems to be the worst thing that can happen to a woman, especially in the presence of young children. However, the changing views of women’s roles in the contemporary society made widowhood less burdensome for the surviving spouse, but contemporary views do not spare widows in the process to acceptance. The first challenge for a widow is coping with grief, where older people are seen to cope better than their younger counterparts (Bryant, 2003). According to Balkwell (1981), there seems to have a reaction pattern following a spouse’s death where initially, surviving partners undergo â€Å"shock or bewilderment...and may refuse to believe that the spouse is dead† (p. 120). ... Bureau of Census (1993) indicated that 80% of women between the ages 65 and 75 are already widowed compared to 39% of widowers in the same age bracket (as cited in Bryant, 2003). The issue of sex or gender related to acceptance of death seems to receive contradictory comments from psychologist through the years. Kail and Cavanaugh (2008) stated that men generally have problems with social relationships after the death of the spouse. Moreover, they were seen to be â€Å"more vulnerable† than women because (1) they are the ones who would initiate dating, â€Å"which is awkward after being married;† (2) retirement and the loss of contact from workmates; (3) there are less widowers in whom they can relate to; and (4) they lack familiarity with the things women do such as house hold chores (Balkwell, 1989, p. 120). On the other hand, women are perceived to be more efficient in coping with widowhood, but it depends on the kind of coping mechanism she uses. Lopata (1973) label ed three types of widows: the modern woman, the lower class urbanite, and the social isolate (as cited in Chambers, 2005). Each of the three types possesses unique qualities in which Lopata (1973) based their names. The modern woman would have to be the most familiar, where the widow is generally passive but is â€Å"willing to re-engage.† Such characteristic is also evident for women who belong to the lower class urbanite only that they generally seek emotional counsel to family and friends, and not from outside peers such as at work. These qualities are the opposite to what â€Å"social isolates† have. As the term suggests, women belonging to this category do not engage with socialization and basically are withdrawn even to people whom they have closer connections (Chambers, 2005, pp. 27-28). In contrast

Corporate Social Responsibility in Financial Services Dissertation

Corporate Social Responsibility in Financial Services - Dissertation Example The primary aim of the financial services companies is to provide better service to the depositors and their investors by taking appropriate steps to increase the wealth of the shareholders. In order to provide short-term gains to the shareholders by giving more priority to the short-term interests, the increase in foul play has increased in the operations of the financial services firm thereby compromising on the security of the money deposited or invested. The investors apart from seeking higher returns through efficient pieces of advice of the fund managers are also interested for safekeeping of their shareholder value. This means that the seekers of financial services would not be ready to incur a loss at the cost of expected higher returns. The investors and stakeholders have become more and more aware of the social, ethical and environmental aspects of their investments for which the corporate social responsibility in financial services has attained more and more significance d ay by day. The daily operations of financial services firm are supported with the help of resources available from the societies in which they operate. The manpower and client base available from the societies are the major resources that are used by the financial services firms to run and sustain their businesses. ... ary aim of the financial services companies is to provide better service to the depositors and their investors by taking appropriate steps to increase the wealth of the shareholders. In order to provide short term gains to the shareholders by giving more priority to the short term interests, the increase in foul play has increased in the operations of the financial services firm thereby compromising on the security of the money deposited or invested. The investors apart from seeking higher returns through efficient advices of the fund managers are also interested for safekeeping of their shareholder value (Elangovan and Mohan, 2008, p.34). This means that the seekers of financial services would not be ready to incur a loss at the cost of expected higher returns. The investors and stakeholders have become more and more aware of the social, ethical and environmental aspects of their investments for which the corporate social responsibility in financial services has attained more and mo re significance day by day. The daily operations of financial services firma are supported with the help of resources available from the societies in which they operate. The manpower and client base available from the societies are the major resources that are used by the financial services firms to run and sustain their businesses. It is thus important for the financial services companies to return the benefits to the societies in which they operate. For this reason, the financial services organizations develop their strategies on corporate social responsibility mainly looking into four major areas like manpower sustenance, business integrity, community and the environment. The adoption of corporate social responsibility provides confidence to the investors on the long term sustenance of

Professional vs training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional vs training - Essay Example Retrieved from http://tomakeaprairie.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/learning-vs-training-the-power-of-real- professional-development/ Many people go through several challenges in their professions and most likely in the times of gaining experience. This occurs mostly when an individual gets some job in a firm with less or different machineries from the ones he or she has learned leading to poor orientation. Poor training and monitoring of the work force during the orientation period is unprofessional. Companies should implement policies and procedures that expose all their employees to enough experience because much of the learned information or knowledge is lost if not put into practice. In the process of gaining experience, the interns should have mentors who are very knowledgeable in the same field to take them through the required procedures besides monitoring them. In gaining experience, interns go through a few practices whereby they gain the required knowledge in their professions. However, not all interns get the required or enough exposure in their fields of study. This is because the involved instructors or tutors may not be willing to take them through the process of gaining experience as required. Mostly, many interns get exposure to less than what they learned or to other things or machines besides their career. As a result, most of them feel demoralized besides this affects their learning process through losing interest in their profession and as well making them change their minds of furthering their studies in the same field. Professionalism In The Workplace. (2013). 2013 Professionalism In The Workplace. Retrieved 19 April 2014, from

MSN Nurse Interview Essay Example for Free

MSN Nurse Interview Essay Introduction A face-to-face interview was performed of a Masters prepared nurse, Mrs. H., to seek new knowledge about a role desired from the interviewer. Taking information from a practicing Masters prepared nurse will help the interviewer develop an understanding of opportunities, career advancement and the practice of someone in the Master in Science of Nursing (MSN) role. Review of the educational preparation, personal experience, and accomplishments of a Masters prepared nurse will be discussed. Mrs. H, describes her journey from Associates Degree in Nursing through obtaining her Master’s degree in education, and her post masters certificate as a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The interview will develop an understanding of the MSN in practice. Interview Selection The interview chosen was the role of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Critical Care. The interviewer’s knowledge of this role is very limited. However, this role is viewed as an educator for a specific unit. The person interviewed holds a MSN in education and a post graduate certificate as a CNS. This interview was conducted due to not only the MSN in education, but excitement of the CNS post graduate certificate. These positions are held by respected members of the nursing profession and hold endless possibilities. Career Overview The interviewed, Mrs. H., has held a variety of jobs/careers in her life. Upon high school graduation, Mrs. H. obtained a job in retail as a sales associate. Through hard work and dedication, Mrs. H. worked her way up to management in retail. However, Mrs. H. quickly discovered that retail held long hours and no room for growth without an education. Upon self reflection, Mrs. H. made a decision to go to school and make a career  change. Her decision was she wanted to help people and make a difference. Mrs. H. obtained her Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) in 1997. During this time, she continued to work part-time in retail on evenings and weekends to earn money. Upon completion of her ADN, she got a job at the local hospital on the medical-surgical unit. She quickly discovered her love of nursing and wanted to do more. Thus Mrs. H. continued to work in nursing and went back to school and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) in 2002. Upon completion of her BSN, she transferred within the hospital to a Surgical ICU unit where she worked for a couple of years before deciding to pursue her Master’s Degree in Nursing (MSN). However, prior to pursuing her MSN, Mrs. H. was required to take the GRE and get a good score to qualify for her MSN program. She spent months studying for her GRE. Eventually, when Mrs. H. felt she was ready, she sat for the GRE and was pleased to discover she received the number on the GRE she needed to get into her MSN program. While continuing to work as much as possible, Mrs. H. went back to school and obtained her MSN in education in 2008. She recalls school, papers, maintaining a family life and balancing work being very difficult, but states it makes the reward of graduating even better. Her MSN has opened up many doors and opportunities for her, as her career responsibilities continue to grow. Mrs. H. became a leader on her unit and held the title of supervisor/educator for the Surgical ICU. The desire to continue to learn and grow and make a difference in healthcare continued to weigh on Mrs. H’s mind, thus she obtained her Post Masters CNS in Critical Care board certification in 2013. Present Position Mrs. H. has a variety of experiences as a nurse. Presently, Mrs. H. is in charge of all patient, staff and student education on one of the critical care units. Furthermore, Mrs. H. helps change, write and build policies for her institution. In addition, she participates in several hospital wide committees aimed at patient safety, performance improvement and nursing engagement. Mrs. H. describes her position as one that has changed from supporting nursing practice and interpreting information, to one that conducts research and develops pathways for care. She states she uses nursing theory,  evidenced based practice (EBP), and critical thinking skills to change nursing care provided throughout the hospital. In addition to her full time role at the hospital, Mrs. H. teaches BSN classes at a local university. Mrs. H. admits all of this would not be possible without her education, commitment and determination in life. Her career opportunities â€Å"fell into her lap† as she describes it. However, Mrs. H. will also humbly admit that through her leadership skills and her educational background, she proved herself to be worthy of her opportunities. On more than one occasion, Mrs. H. stated to never give up. When asked what exactly was meant by that, Mrs. H. stated to remember that no one is ever too old to continue their education. Furthermore, Mrs. H. encourages nurses to be the best they can be. Follow our hearts and don’t be afraid to speak out on patients behalf. Many words Mrs. H. said were interesting, but most importantly always seek to be the best at whatever it is in life. Conclusion Inspiring others and leading change are attributes of effective leaders that are crucial in preparing nursing students for professional practice (Adelman-Mullally, 2013, p. 30). Another important aspect of leadership is challenging the system to bring about desired change. Both healthcare and nursing education are experiencing change that creates unpredictability. Leaders recognize these challenges and have the confidence and courage to propose new ideas. (Adelman-Mullally, 2013, p. 32). The profession of nursing and the advancement of healthcare are directly related to effective leaders in nursing who hold higher levels of nursing education, pursue excellence in nursing practice, and motivate others to perform to a higher standard. All of this is in line with Grand Canyon Universities mission of providing role models through education in order to be effective communicators, critical thinkers and responsible leaders (GCU, p. 1). References Adelman-Mullally, T. (2013). The Clinical Nurse Educator as Leader. Nurse Education Practice. 13(1):29-34. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22854312 Grand Canyon University (GCU). Mission and Vision at Grand Canyon University. Retrieved from www.gcu.ed

The influence of politics on economics

The influence of politics on economics Political Economy is a term that preceded that science that we fondly call Economics. The term, as its name implied, originated because of the belief that the economy and politics could not be separated from each other. As time went by, it was evident that the both sciences were separated; economics and politics both were sciences in their own rights. In the recent past, there have been increases in the research of the influence of politics on economics. Such research though old, appears to be ageless as the findings are quite applicable to modern age as much as to the earlier era. The difference in the modern findings lies mainly with the methods employed, and many critics have viewed the outcome as being too broad as researchers try to embrace a large amount of variables that may have affected the final conclusions one way or another. The fact that politics has a great influence on economics can be demonstrated by the example of inflation. If there is inflation in a country, then one of the procedures that could be used is cutting the budget deficit of a country. The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)  [1]  has recognised that pure economics alone is unable to explain complex phenomena such as different degrees of economic development, quality and types of economic policies, income distribution, and quality of government organization such as corruption, protection of property right, among other things. Professor Alesina believed that political institutions are important determinants of economic outcomes. In turn, the state of the economy affects political outcomes, both in the long run and in the short. Economic development affects the evolution of institutions and short run economic conditions affect political change and elections. This then explicitly implies that there is an intrinsic interrelation between politics and the economy. Dr.David Caploe, Chief Political Economist of EconomyWatch.com  [2]  noted that the renowned English Theorist and historian E.H. Carr described Political Economy as two things that are similar but not identical. He stressed that when talking about political economy we talk about two things that are very different but must always be examined together. Politics and Economics are intrinsically and inextricably linked, and one connot be studied or talked about without studying or talking about the other. Political Economy according to Alonzo Potter  [3]  teaches one how to increase production by teaching us to distinguish between true and false economy. Since, he explained, that there was a time that theorists thought that in order to increase wealth individuals must hoard their property. Today we understand that in order to maximize wealth we must keep it working for us; even so, the idea of productive and unproductive expenditure is still not totally clear to many practicing e conomists. William Stanley Jevons  [4]  view of Political Economy is that of a science that looks at the wealth of nations; it looks at the causes that make one nation more prosperous than another. It has as its main goal the education of society in order that poor people should be as few as possible and everybody should be well compensated for work done. Professor Jevons went on further to show the difference between Political Science and the other sciences. This he believes is because the science treats wealth itself, how it treats wealth itself, what is the best way to consume it and how to take advantage of the other sciences to get it. The main adversaries of Political Economy are those people who think that one should not concentrate on wealth alone but focus on greater thing such as virtue, generousity, and affection. Professor Jevons notably explains that most of the poverty and crimes committed have been either directly or indirectly caused by mistaken charity in the pa st which has unwittingly caused a large cross section of people to grow up careless, improvident and idle. Therefore, instead of giving out alms we should educate people, in order that they earn their own living and have a saving as well. The main focus of political economists was that of finding out or at least foreseeing with some level of certainty what contributed to the wealth of individuals that could be extended to societies; and could further even be extended to countries. That labour and economy made up the wealth of economies was not easily seen by great thinkers such as Adam Smith and others before his era. John Stuart Mill in his discourse regarded Mr David Ricardo  [5]  as one of the few thinkers who had seen the true nature of the wealth creation by nations by means of application of scientific methods. He showed that Mr Ricardo demonstrated that a country which produced a commodity at a high cost would benefit by importing such a commodity from another country which produced the same item at a lower cost, while at the same time, the former country could export another commodity to the reciprocating country at a lower cost than the other country could product it. Mr Mill agreed that this was essentially the true nature of wealth creation for nations. He lamented the fact that previous economists and some even at his time looked at wealth creation simply as the disposal of surplus goods by a country. The salient point though, was the fact that Mr. Ricardo clearly pointed out in his work The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation the exact science that measured the amounts and concepts to arrive at those amounts, as compared to the inexact and highly unscientific if not totally false ways in which theorists attempted to show the advantages of trade. Mr Ricardo proposed that it is not the difference in the absolute cost of production that drives the interchange of goods between countries but the difference in comparative costs. POLITICAL ECONOMIST HISTORICAL VIEWS Before the new theorists voiced their opinions on the causes of national wealth, the general concencus held by the society was one that modern economist hold now to be totally erroneous. The view held of the influence of consumption, is one such view that heads the table. These theorist and practical thinkers believed that in increasing consumption the wealth of nations inevitably increased as well. Most countries looked to encourage fast consumption, vast demands and rapid circulation. It became ever so clearer to the new political thinkers that consumers were always available. The governments of the day encouraged consumption, hence they frowned on saving and unproductive consumption was promoted. The national wealth was diminished by the very means by which it was expected to increase. Mill  [6]  and others came to realise that the focus on consumption was unwarranted. What the national economies needed was a boost in production at all level, since consumption needed no encouragement. The prevelance of erroneous concepts that were accepted by a great portion of society was borne out of the appearance of some semblance of evidence. When this evidence was tested and found to be wanted it is the duty of the researchers to find out what exactly does it prove. THE SCIENCE THAT IS POLITICAL ECONOMY John Stuart Mill used the analogy of building housing to explain the origin of the political economists science. He explained that the setting up of walls around a city usually follows the erection of building and not the other way around; that of walls first, then buildings. The definition of the science of Political Economy, and by extension most sciences, nearly always not preceeded but followed the creation of the science itself. Everything from the foundation was done in a less systematic way. Man by nature was a learning creature and as bits and pieces came to the forefront they were added to give structure to poorly defined models. When atempting to give a broad defininition of what science is, Dugald Stewart, according to Mr. Mill, stated that the first principles of all science belonged to the human mind. In other words, the foundational principles were shrouded in cloudiness and unclear definitions, as contrasted with the final conclusions and proof of theories. In looking at the contrasting nature between an art and a science Mill noted that while science deals with facts, art is based on precepts; science is a collections of truths, art constitutes a body of rules of conduct. Science recognises a phenomenon and tries to discover its law; art proposes an end in itself, and looks for means to affect it. Rules to make a nation rich are not a science, but they are derived from science. Vilfredo Pareto  [7]  stated that economic science would not hesitate to use philosophy, physiology or even mathematics, whereas art would hesitate before using them since they may confuse the audience that they attempt to persuade. Most moral science accepts and uses physical science, but physical science uses moral science for support. Political Economy on the other hand, uses both sciences to build its concepts. It continues where physical science leaves moral science which embraces complex phenomena. To illustrate this further, we see that which produces wealth are both the subject of Political Economy and physical sciences, as well as various laws that govern human behaviour; belonging to that of moral sciences. Political Economics is based on the foundations of all physical sciences; it also asks what phenomena of mind and human behaviour are involved in the production and distribution of wealth, all in concordance with the physical sciences. In his writings on Political Economy, J.C.L. Simonde de Sismondi noted that political economy was the name given to the science of government. The object of government is that of bringing about the ultimate happiness of men. Man by nature is a complex being, so that both moral and physical nature has to be satisfied before he could be totally satisfied. He saw the physical well-being of man as the object of political economy, and all the physical wants of man could be abtained by accumulation of wealth. The main duty of government was that of providing for its citizenry, and to discourage the repopulation of the state faster than it could provide the means of sustaining it. He added though, that wealth and population are not the only true indicators of prosperity of a state since they are only so in relation to each other. However, he believed that wealth is a blessing when it is evenly distributed; population an advantage when every man is sure of gaining an honest subsistence by hi s labour. But a country may be wretched, though some individuals in it are amassing colossal fortunes; and if its population, like that of China and India, are always superior to their means of subsistence. These writings were made in the nineteenth century so it is not surprising that many of the strategies; hence the fortunes of some of these nations would have changed. CONCLUSION Because of the application of Political Economy, many of the great economists knew like Mr. William Stanley Jevons that wealth could be increased by the nations that could produce it more easily and plentifully and each trade, town, nation must furnish what it can yield most cheaply, and other goods can be bought from the places where they can be raised more easily. Economists of today use the world as their experimental field and while social scientists have the luxury of correcting errors in labotaries economists whose predictions goes array would find themselves criticized or even ostracized by their colleagues, since inaccurate analyses can break nations.

Environmental Toxicology and Human Health

Environmental Toxicology and Human Health Environmental Toxicology and Human Health Environmental Toxicology is a field of science with various disciplines involved in the study of the adverse effects of various physical, chemical and biological agents on living organisms particularly animals, birds and fishes (Philp, 2001, pp. 10-11). Physical agents. They are sources of energy that may have negative effects on human health and that of biological organisms such as fish, birds and animals (Philp, 2001, pp. 20-25). One such agent is noise which can be defined as unwanted sound. Noise has both permanent and temporary damage to the ears rendering one incapable of hearing or resulting to tinnitus both of which are irreparable (McCally, 2002, pp. 58-67). Noise in the workplace also poses a threat to the workers in that they may fail to hear sounds indicating threats. Vibration, also a physical agent is categorized into two: hand-arm vibration (HAV) and whole body vibration (WBV). Continuous exposure to HAV has been proven to lead to hand-arm vibration syndrome a permanent and incapacitating health effect such as musculoskeletal disorders of the hand (McCally, 2002). On the other hand, continued exposure to WBV is associated with severe pain on the lower posterior. Optical radiation also has some grim effects on the health of people. Ult raviolet radiation emanated by the sun presents the utmost danger to our health. When exposed to the eyes it may lead to spoiled cornea and severe pain while exposure on the skin may vary from burning, redness and hastened ageing through skin cancer of different types. Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) generated due to electrical energy used may also be detrimental (Philp, 2001). Though they seldom occur, constant exposure to the EMFs can result to severe effects depending on the frequency of the radiation. Electricity can also be viewed as a threat since it may lead to death or severe injuries such as electric burns, thermal burns and electric burns to people. Last but not least we have ionizing radiation. Contact with low-level ionizing radiations may lead to cancer and DNA mutations while high-level exposures cause radiation sicknesses and burns (Philp, 2001). Biological agents. These include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and toxins associated with them. While some of these agents have no harmful implication on the human health, others have the potential to affect the human health in various ways ranging from moderately mild, allergic reactions to serious medical illnesses even demise. These agents occur widely in the environment (Environmental Toxicology And Human Health, n.d.). Biological agents have the capacity to reproduce rapidly, require little resources to live and can poison at very small doses thus they are a probable danger in a widely in our environment. Biological agents can be categorized into four sets according to their severity of infection and likelihood of prevention and treatment (McCally, 2002, pp. 150-200). Group 1 agents are those with low chances of causing ill effects to the organisms. Group two consists those toxicities that are unsafe for the workers but chances of spreading to the community are very minimal. Group 3 agents are those that can cause severe human disease, pose a serious threat to the workers and are likely to spread to the community. However, these toxicities can be treated. Group 4 agents are similar to group 3 agents except for the fact that there is no effective management for them. These are some of the most contagious and extensive biological agents: anthrax, botulism, avian flu, and Ebola (Environmental Toxicology And Human Health, n.d.). Chemical agents. These are as a result of the products we use in our day to day doings. Pesticides are a perfect instance of chemical toxins (Lakind). Pesticides persist in the environment long after their use which can result in bioaccumulation of chemicals in various organisms along with biomagnification within a group of organisms that depend on each other for food. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) is another agent that was banned due to its negative effects on living organisms (Lakind). The reactions chemical toxicities is dependent on several factors that I will briefly discuss. Age is a significant aspect in establishing the response to a toxic chemical (Lakind). For example, parathion is more lethal to young animals. Although very rare, sex can determine the response to a toxicant. For instance, when exposed to parathion the female rat is twice as affected as the male rat. The responses to a toxic chemical also depends on the species (Safe). For example, insecticides are lethal to insects but relatively non-toxic to animals. Toxicity of a chemical is determined by factors such as: the dosage-it is the most critical factor if a substance will be acute or a chronic toxicant (Lakind). The form that a chemical agent is in also defines its toxicity. For instance, the poisonousness of mercury in gas form is very different from methyl mercury. The entry point of a toxin is also a measure of its toxicity. One other factor is the rate of removal from an organism’s system. According to Paracelsus all substances are poisons only the dose differentiates whether it is a poison or a remedy (Safe). Exposure assessment is the process of establishing the regularity, period and expansiveness of exposure to toxicities together with the traits and number of the population exposed. Methods of exposure assessment include direct and indirect approach (Philp, 2001, pp. 100-108). In direct approach exposure to the agents is determined by monitoring the pollutant concentrations reaching the person while in indirect approach the toxicant concentration is measured during specific human activities to predict the exposure distributions within a population (McCally, 2002). Epidemiology is important to research studies of environmental health since many environmental exposures can be addressed only by comparing populations instead of individuals and the interruption of both local and universal environments require us to come up with new methods of study design that is epidemiology. The epidemiologic approach to studying environmental health problems has its limitations. One of such constraint i s the quick changes in the health and nutritional status of many populations that have been affected majorly which may lead to inconclusive results (Safe). Another limitation is the fact that data collected through epidemiology is often ignored and limited by factors such as limited resources, personal priorities, political concerns and public relations (Philp, 2001). Since epidemiology depends on valid data, restriction on the gathering of data can be considered a constraint. This may be due to insecurity or lack of resources preventing the researchers from submitting surveillance data (Safe). References. Environmental Toxicology And Human Health. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://docsfiles.com/pdf_environmental_toxicology_and_human_health.html Lakind, J. S. (n.d.). Workshop on Human Milk Surveillance and Research on Environmental Chemicals in the United States. journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A. McCally, M. (2002). Life support the environment and human health. MIT Press. Philp, R. B. (2001). Ecosystems and human health: toxicology and environmental hazards. Lewis Publishers. Safe, S. (n.d.). Toxicology, Structure-Function Relationship, and Human and Environmental Health Impacts of Polychlorinated Biphenyls: Progress and Problems. Environmental Health Perspectives.

Fashsion Statement :: essays research papers

Fashion Statement There are many reasons why we choose to wear a particular article or style of clothing. Many of us consider our choice in clothing as an extension of our identity; while many others pick items from their wardrobe that reflect their current mood. There are also many times when we choose to dress a certain way in anticipation of being in a particular social setting. When someone decides what to wear they need to keep in mind what messages will they be sending to the gazing eyes. Sometimes we forget or don’t realize, that we are sending both true and false message through our clothes. I am a calm, casual, musician however my clothes do not reflect this. To start, I am wearing skateboard shoes, fat toe-end and fat tongue, rather bulky. They are black except for the gum sole, and the logo on the tongue is golden. The golden logo is hidden by the cuffs of my black, neatly creased Dickies work pants. My pants fit nicely, not tight and not baggy. Holding my pants up is a black casual clamp belt, about an inch tall, with a small rectangular silver buckle. My belt is occasionally being revealed by my un-tucked, youth large, blue, button-up, collared t-shirt. The shirt is a basic plaid design, with a thin vertical line for every thick horizontal line and visa versa. Resting on parts of my shoulders and back is my surfer, guitarist length (about 8 inches long), brown, wavy hair parted down the center. Lastly, sitting backwards on my head, are my sleek, solid black Spy sunglasses. Spy is a company that makes sunglasses for the surfer, coastal alike. These clothes were not acquired in any special way, nothing more or less ordinary than anyone else. I tend to shop at stores that sell surf and skate brand clothing. These brands include Billabong, Quicksilver, Split, Osiris, Dickies, and many similar brands. Stores that sell these brands are found almost everywhere, but I tend to spend most of money at Tilly’s and Chick’s. When others decide what outfit to wear, they are making a statement on how they feel or how they would like to feel. For example, they may wear clothes that make them feel sexy, strong, smart, professional, relaxed, or powerful. The ways I feel in my clothes are relaxed and casual. I don’t feel either over or under dressed for any particular occasion.

Hacking Truths Manual :: Hacking Hackers Computers Software Essays

Hacking Truths Manual Welcome to another Hacking Truths Manual. This time I have a collection of Tips and Tricks which no body normally knows, the secrets which Microsoft is afraid to tell the people, the information which you will seldom find all gathered up and arranged in a single file. To fully reap this Manual you need to have a basic understanding of the Windows Registry, as almost all the Tricks and Tips involve this file. Important Note: **************** Before you read on, you need to keep one thing in mind. Whenever you make changes to the Windows Registry you need to Refresh it before the changes take place. Simply press F5 to refresh the registry and enable the changes. If this does not work Restart your system **************** Exiting Windows the Cool and Quick Way::::::::::::: Normally it takes a hell lot of time just Shutting down Windows, you have to move your mouse to the Start Button, click on it, move it again over Shut Down, click, then move it over the necessary option and click, then move the cursor over the OK button and once again (you guessed it) click.This whole process can be shortened by creating shortcuts on the Desktop which will shut down Windows at the click of a button. Start by creating a new shortcut( right click and select New> Shortcut). Then in the command line box, type (without the quotes.) 'C:windowsrundll.exe user.exe,exitwindowsexec' This Shortcut on clicking will restart Windows immediately without any Warning. To create a Shortcut to Restarting Windows, type the following in the Command Line box: 'c:windowsrundll.exe user.exe,exitwindows' This Shortcut on clicking will shut down Windows immediately without any Warning. ::::::::::::: Ban Shutdowns : A trick to Play on Lamers::::::::::::: ::::::::::::: This is a neat trick you can play on that lamer that has a huge ego, in this section I teach you, how to disable the Shut Down option in the Shut Down Dialog Box. This trick involves editing the registry, so please make backups. Launch regedit.exe and go to : HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer In the right pane look for the NoClose Key. If it is not already there then create it by right clicking in the right pane and selecting New > String Value.(Name it NoCloseKey ) Now once you see the NoCloseKey in the right pane, right click on it and select Modify. Then Type 1 in the Value Data Box. Doing the above on a Win98 system disables the Shut Down option in the Shut Down

Generous Generosity

Generous is an adjective frequently adopted by poets; generosity is a virtue greatly valued by nobilities; generous generosity is a depiction historically inherited by generations. I am always wondering that how does ‘generosity’ develop its personal charisma to attract so much attention? Is it possible to decode its mystery by tracing the origin of ‘generous’?Browsing through books, I discovered that some clues keep emerging. From a historic perspective, tracing word’s development back in time shows that in many cases what are now separate lexical items were formerly identical words. The deep prehistory of language has nurtured little word-seeds that over the millennia have proliferated into widely differentiated families of vocabulary. ‘Generous’ is a word of no exception.Originally, it was a derivative of genus in the sense â€Å"birth, stock, race,† and harks back semantically to its ultimate source in the Indo-European base â €˜gen’ denoting ‘produce’. Its Germanic offshoots include kin, kind, and probably king, but for sheer numbers it is the Latin descendant genus â€Å"race, type†. It probably entered the language in the 16th century coming via Old French genereux from Latin generosus, which originally meant â€Å"of noble birth† (a sense which survived in English into the late 17th century – Richard Knolles, for instance, in his General history of the Turks 1603, wrote of â€Å"many knights of generous extraction’).Years of evolution witness the moderate changes in the meaning of â€Å"generous†, and its semantic progression from ‘nobly born’ through ‘noble-minded, magnanimous’ to ‘liberal in giving’ impresses me while reading classics. In the field of literature, ‘generous’ enjoys a great rate of exposure. Let alone other authors, solely William Shakespeare used it for at least dozen times. Its first appearance was in Love’s Labour’s Lost, a work of Shakespeare’s early comedy.For instance, in scene one the fifth Actï ¼Å'a humorous dialogue conducted between the egg-headed Holofernes and Armado: Armado: Sir, it is the King’s most sweet pleasure and affection to congratulate the Princess at her pavilion, in the posteriors of this day; which the rude multitude call the afternoon. Holofernes: The posterior of the day, most generous sir, is liable, congruent, and measurable, for the afternoon. The word is well cull’d, chose, sweet, and apt, I do assure you, sir, I do assure. Under this circumstance, generous is an expression of nobility. As for a noble man, soul of innate generosity, every task is gracious and magnificent as well as every utterance.However, when this word was spoken by the bookish Hologernes, it sounded like a cheap flattery rather than a sincere approbation. In Love’s Labour’s Lost, generous was endowed wi th a new meaning, namely, kind giving. In scene two the fifth Act, Holofernes shouted that â€Å"This is not generous, not gentle, not humble† when he was roughly treated by courtiers. The above context reflects that generous stresses warm hearted readiness to give and demonstrates kindness to others in want of helps. Through Shakespeare’s interpretation, a generous sir can be defined as a well born person characterized by a noble spirit; generosity means the quality of being liberal and magnanimous.In addition, according to Alexander Pope 1, many people are capable of doing a wise thing, more a cunning thing, but very few a generous thing. What Pope intended to convey was that doing generous things demands lofty characters and unconditional dedication. Hovering in my mind, generous incorporates kind, wise and noble. Sometimes, the generous giving of ourselves can produce the generous harvest. Sometimes, barely detectable as it is, generosity can change someone elseâ⠂¬â„¢s life forever. Generous generosity is the most enchanting expression in English language, and the greatest wisdom cherished by civilized society, which urges people to do the generous deed, and to carry on the virtue of generosity.

About My Childhood Essay

My name is Rouda Mohammed Al-Suaidi. I started kindergarten at the age of 4 in one of the finest schools in Abu Dhabi, which is Al-Worood Private School. I felt so scared on my first day of school and I didn’t go to school alone. My mother used to stay with me in class which made some of my classmates laugh at me. I remember they used to call me â€Å"A baby† and â€Å"Mommy’s little girl†. I used to cry a lot when they call me this. I spent my whole childhood there from kindergarten until High School. Throughout my childhood, I faced several successes and challenges. One of my successes in my childhood is being a famous basketball player in school. It first started at home, where I used to have a small basketball hall to practice and play with my family and friends especially in the weekends. At first, I didn’t have any idea on how to play this sport, but with the help of my precious father and uncle, they taught me all the ways and techniques to be an excellent basketball player. After being taught by my father and uncle, I started implementing the techniques and ways in mini basketball competitions, which were just amongst the students from grade 6-12. Although I was a fat, chubby young basketball player in school, my P.E teacher wanted me to compete with other international schools in Dubai and Sharjah. In the beginning, I was anxious and worried to compete with the schools in Dubai and Sharjah. Moreover, I was terrified because I had an image in my mind that the students their will make fun of me and laugh because I was fat. See more: Social process essay My P.E teacher motivated me and started training me after school time. After a lot of training and support from both my P.E teacher and family, I competed with the other schools and our school was ranked the 2nd best school in playing basketball. I was so happy about it but I wished to be ranked the first, but it never de-motivated me in practicing more and more. My father always told me: â€Å"be optimistic and never be pessimistic† and since then, I’ve been following my father’s quote until my recent life. Another success in my life was helping my cousin in raising two of her only children, a boy (Ali) and a girl (Sarah). At that time, Ali was just 18 months and Sarah was only 3 months. Ali and Sarah were everything to me. They were staying with me most of the time from the afternoon after I directly come back home from school till the evening around 10. However, in the weekends, they used to sleepover in our house. When I come back home, I used to eat lunch quickly and finish my school work quickly just to spend time with them. After I finished all my studies, I used to play with them, feed them lunch and dinner, bathe them at night before they leave in the weekdays and create a time for their naps during the day. The reason behind me helping my cousin in doing the mother duties is because my cousin was going through a process of having a divorce. After the divorce, my cousin went through depression and when I saw her like that, I offered to help her in her duties towards her children. So, she showed me how to do several things like: changing their diapers, play gently with them and taking turns while playing, share toys with each other, how to make them sleep, feed them and many other things. Although it is a very hard job raising a child, it didn’t prevent me from learning to be a successful mother in the future when I have my own children. Also, it didn’t stop my studies in sch ool. Moreover, it made me more focused in class and become a better student. Being a make-up artist is my third success through my childhood. In order to reach that success, I had to watch a lot of people putting make-up, ask them to teach me the techniques on how to put make-up and arrange the colors of the make-up when drawing the eyes, understanding and knowing the differences of all skin types for the make-up. Also, I used to watch people putting make up through T.V programs, watch the whole program and write down my questions on a piece of paper and send them an email in order to ask my questions and wait for their reply. Being a make-up artist was my childhood dream and after learning the basics and imitating it on the people, I became more confident and would want to expand my dream into opening my new make-up beauty center in the short term time. Although there were some successes in my childhood, I also faced many challenges. One of my greatest challenges was feeling embarrassed and lonely. During my childhood, I was always embarrassed of myself because I was very fat. The students in school used to make fun of me and call me different names: like â€Å"you look like pumba†, â€Å"you look like an old cow†, and many other names. I used to cry a lot to my mother when I go back home. Because I stood quiet and listen to students for years making fun of me, I turned to be a lonely person in my childhood. I used to be alone in the music lessons, art lessons and in the break times. I used to like walking alone, not playing with other children like all other normal children do. The reason behind this was my worry of the children making more fun of me because I was fat. This issue affected me a lot as a child but as I grew up, I started to be more sociable with the people. Another challenge is to know and understand the quality of time. As a child, I always wanted to play and have fun. I never organized my time and never valued the quality of time. I always wanted to lose time when I was assigned for any job for my mother or finish my school work very quickly and not caring about my work at all. All I wanted is time for playing only. As I grew older, I had many commitments to do in life like studying to become an excellent student and get high grades that would allow me to enroll in one of the best universities in Abu Dhabi, being with my family by visiting them, living my personal and social life and others. Unfortunately, I realized that I couldn’t mange my time at all and I was eager for help. My family was very supportive. They got me books on time management and I started reading those books, learning the techniques on how to organize your time. After a period of time, I started organizing my time, appreciate and value the quality of time. Finally, meeting my family’s expectation was also one of my challenges in life. The reason behind it is that parents expect a lot from their children. They expect to be successful, talented, hard working, enthusiastic and many other things. You wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your parents, because they always think that they’ve raised a perfect child whereas no one is perfect and everyone has negative and positive side effects. In my childhood, my parents expectations to me was being an excellent students, getting high grades in my exams and quizzes. I felt overwhelmed, pressured and exhausted because I didn’t want embarrass myself with my parents and I didn’t want them to get angry and mad at me for not at least trying to reach their expectation. I was trying very hard to meet their expectations in any of the issues and expectations and eventually I did.

Baba and Nyonya Culture

HISTORY OF BABA & NYONYA Peranakan and Baba Nyonya in chinese ( / baba niang re) are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese  immigrants to the Nusantara region during the Colonial era. In both  Malay and  Indonesian, ‘Peranakan’ is defined as ‘descendant’ with no connotation of the ethnicity of descent unless followed by a subsequent qualifying noun, such as for example  Cina  (Chinese),  Belanda(Dutch) or  Jepang/Jepun  (Japanese). Baba  is a Persian loan-word borrowed by  Malaysian as an honorific solely for grandparents; it was used to refer to the Straits-Chinese males.Female Straits-Chinese descendants were either called or styled themselves  Nyonyas. The word  nyonya  (also commonly misspelled  nonya) is a  Javanese  loan honorific word from Italian  Nona  (grandma) meaning: foreign married Madam. Language The language of the Peranakans,  Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a  creole dialect of the  Malay language (Bahasa Melayu), which contains many  Hokkien words. It is a dying language, and its contemporary use is mainly limited to members of the older generation. Culture 1. ClothingThe Nyonya’s clothing was identical to that of the native Malay’s: baju panjang (long dress), batik sarung (batik wrap-around skirt) and kerongsang (brooch). Beaded slippers called  Kasut Manek  were a hand-made made with much skill and patience: strung, beaded and sewn onto canvas with tiny faceted glass beads from  Bohemia (present-day  Czech Republic). 2. Religion Baba Nyonya subscribed to Chinese beliefs: Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism, celebrated the  Lunar New Year and the  Lantern Festival, while adopting the customs of the land they settled in, as well as those of their colonial rulers.There are traces of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Malay and Indonesian influences in Baba culture. A certain number of Baba Nonya families were and st ill are, Catholic. 3. Food From the Malay influence a unique  Ã¢â‚¬ Nyonya† cuisine has developed using typical Malay spices. Examples are Chicken Kapitan, a dry chicken  curry, and Inchi Kabin, a Nyonya version of fried chicken.. Swikee Purwodadi is a peranakan dish from  Purwodadi, it is a frog soup dish. INTRODUCTION TO BABA & NYONYA WEDDING The wedding ceremony of the Peranakan is largely based on Chinese tradition, and is one of the most colourful wedding ceremonies in Malaysia and Singapore.The traditional Peranakan wedding is a 12-day affair which is usually carried out in the bride's house, where ceremonies like the Lap Chai (exchange of gifts) and Cheo Thau (coming of age) are carried out. The Cheo Thau ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies and marks the first occasion when the bride and bridegroom will wear their authentic wedding robes. The actual wedding ceremony will only take place before noon that day, after the Cheo Thau ceremony. Next, follow s the Chim Pang ceremony which marks the first meeting between the couple where the bride would lead the groom into the bridal chamber where he would unveil her.Together they would be served tea and a bowl of kueh ee – small white and red dumplings in a sweet broth. The third ceremony takes place in the bridal chamber. This is called Chia Sia. This ceremony is amusing and unique because friends and guests of the bridegroom would gather in the room and tease the bride with the hope of inducing laughter from the bride. The finale of the wedding ceremony, would be the â€Å"dua belas hari† or Twelfth Day ceremony, where the marriage would be confirmed and approved by proof of the bride's virginity.Firstly, the bride's parents would invite the bridegroom's mother to inspect a handkerchief (known as aBim Poh) collected from the wedding bed. The handkerchief will be placed on a tray and presented to the bridegroom's mother for inspection, where she would be invited to perfor m a test by squeezing lime juice on the handkerchief in hope of ascertaining the authencity of the stain. Exchanging of gifts between both the family. Gorgeous hand embroidered beaded shoes (kasut manik)

Examples Of Nonverbal Communication Essay

There are several types of nonverbal communication that may be evaluated on the basis of certain examples, that will help you understand the nuances of this complicated form of communication. Facial Expressions When reading facial expressions, some of these examples may help: While maintaining eye contact is a sign of confidence and positivity, avoiding eye contact is one of the most clear negative nonverbal communication examples. This implies that the person may be lying, or fears confrontation. The smile is another give-away when it comes to facial expressions. While a soft smile is a soft expression that is encouraging, a rigid smile or a smirk may be a sign of contempt. Raised eyebrows are not only a sign of surprise, they can also suggest mockery or sarcasm. It may be a natural physical trait of some people, and they may do it without realizing. However, it is important to know the kind of effect it is having on others. Frowning is another facial expression that we tend to assume when under stress. This gives out the message that we are unapproachable and cold. Posture and other Movements Postures are included in nonverbal communication and may be explained with a few of these examples: Standing erect shows confidence, but if you are slouching it is a sign of low self-esteem and a stance that you have given up. Keeping shoulders rigid again give a sign that you may be unapproachable, and may affect the kind of people you attract towards you. Constant fiddling with everything in sight is a sign of anxiety, frustration, boredom and lack of interest. Standing with your hands crossed behind you, combined with your facial expressions may be a clear sign of anger or frustration that you are trying to hold back. Gestures Gestures animate the conversations we have with others. We point, we wave and use all sorts of body language gestures while we are talking. For instance, you may constantly be rubbing your neck, or your the back of your ear. This is a sign of discomfort and lack of confidence. If you are angry, you may be clenching your fists to control your anger, or in preparation for a physical  attack! Rubbing hands together indicates excitement and indicates readiness to engage in an activity. Shrugging may show a lack of interest. Touch Even touch plays an important role in nonverbal communication. For instance: When your boss is praising you, and pats you on the back, it is a sign of genuine liking for you and your work. A firm handshake is the sign of confidence. We all know the reassuring effect of a warm bear hug. Someone who holds your arms while talking is either trying to make a statement, or to portray that he/she is in control. Space We all have a physical space around us. Sometimes we find people invading that personal space. It may be to portray any of the following: Intimacy Affection Dominance Aggression

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick Essay

The Russian Revolution, 2nd ed., by Sheila Fitzpatrick - Essay Example To prove this statement, firs of all, I need to define the term revolution. Secondly, I need to trace and compare the features of Stalin’s and Lenin’s dictatorships in economic policy, social policy and party policy. So, the first task to be done is to understand how Sheila Fitzpatrick defined the revolution. According to her, revolution â€Å"is coterminous with the period of upheaval and instability between the fall of an old regime and the firm consolidation of a new one† (3). Russian Revolution began with the February 1917 and ended with the Great Purges in 1938. Author distinguished five stages of the revolution: the February and October Revolutions in 1917, Civil War, the interlude of NEP, Stalin’s â€Å"revolution form above† and the Great Purges (4). Each of these stages had its own features and was continuation of the previous one. So, the Russian Revolution lasted about 20 years that had not only changed the regime but also formed the new one. Lenin was a great organizer, ideologist and the inspirer for many Bolsheviks. Bolsheviks seized power during the October revolution only thanks to the Lenin’s strategy. Stalin was the one who deeply consolidated the new regime in the USSR with Lenin’s ideas and radically changed economy, society and party. Russia’s economy in the interwar period went through many extreme things like War Communism, NEP and Five Year Plans (with Collectivization and Industrialization). Each of them had its own aims. The main aim of the War Communism (1918-21) was to save the power, to feed soldiers and workers – it was â€Å"radical policy as answer to desperate situation† (79). But the nationalization of large-scale and small-scale industry, pressure on peasants and merchants, high level of internal resistance, instability at the front – all these forced Lenin and Bolsheviks to calm down the situation and introduce NEP. According to the author, NEP †Å"purpose was to restore the shattered economy and to calm the fears of the non-proletariat population† (96). Bolsheviks needed to consolidate the victories of the revolution. Lenin didn’t want to stop the reforms and the process of building the communism. But, his illness disturbed him and after 1921 he wasn’t actually the one who had real influence in the state. I think NEP was some kind of strategy â€Å"step back - two forward†. And, indeed, less than a decade later, Stalin abandoned most of the NEP policies and initiated a new phase of revolutionary change with the First Five Year Plan (1929-32) Industrialization drive and the Collectivization of peasant agriculture (116). He believed that this was a true Leninist course. War Communism and First Five Year Plan had the same aims: to make communism closer. Both Lenin and Stalin wanted to industrialize the state, because, according to Marx, communism was possible only in developed industrialized countrie s. But Bolsheviks didn’t have enough administrative power in the beginning of 1920s to start Industrialization. In the end of 1920s they had power and plan. The First Five Year Plan was planned to industrialize the USSR by building giant new construction projects (f.e. - Magnitogorsk) focused on iron and steel. But industrialization needed money that could be taken from peasants. That’s why Stalin began Collectivization. Collectivization was undoubtedly a real â€Å"revolution from above†

John Dewey Significane to Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

John Dewey Significane to Education - Essay Example Adhering to the belief that education should be practical and relevant to the needs of society, Dewey argued for the reformation of the educational system. In Experience and Education, Dewey (1925) stated that in many cases, schooling stands in the way of learning. In order to make intellectual progress, he noted, "we mostly have to unlearn what we learned in school" (p. 7). As revolutionary as they were several decades ago, Dewey's philosophical theories in the field of education have stood the test of time and have tremendous relevance to education in the 21st century. Dewey's theory of experiential learning focused on learning within a social environment (Semel & Sadovnik, 1999). He asserted that knowledge was based on prior experiences and constructed in social settings. He argued that knowledge needs to be organized in real-life experiences that provide a context for the information being presented. The role of teachers is to help students organize content and facilitate real-life experiences to reinforce the information included in the lessons. Dewey suggested that experiences in education should reflect the capabilities and readiness of the learner, and the quality of the experience is a critical component of his theory on experience and education. If the experience is appropriate, learners can develop the knowledge needed to apply their experiences to other situations. As a result, they have created new knowledge, have advanced to a different level of readiness, and are prepared to acquire and construct additional knowledge. Dewey was frustrated when philosophers did not view education with sufficient seriousness. He maintained that learning by participation in the ways of their communities, allowed children to achieve and grow cognitively and become productive adults. Rather than teaching isolated bits of information in a given lesson, Dewey perceived education as an interactive process with schools providing opportunities for students to engage in activities that require the exercise of a complete set of reflective thoughts and experiences (Tanner, 1997). This is quite a contrast from the traditional model of the classroom where the teacher transmits the knowledge to the students and the students are passive recipients of knowledge. At the present moment, as schools face challenges in providing students with adequate education to become productive citizens in a global economy, stakeholders in education are searching for ways to provide effective educational experiences for the students (Davis, 2005). Everyone is looking for results. With the government requiring greater accountability and academic outcomes from students through the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 educators must assume accountability for the intellectual development of their students. This has once again focused the teaching profession on creating classroom experiences for students that produce more lasting learning. As a result, many educators are beginning to revisit Dewey's educational philosophies and theories (Semel & Sandovik, 1999). They recognize that education that builds on the prior experiences of children contributes to development of new knowledge. This use of experiential education also can help children become act ive learners who take more responsibility for their academic outcomes. Thus, Dewey believed that building on prior experience as an instructional strategy should be primary in all educational

Olympic sponsorship Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Olympic sponsorship - Assignment Example Nations come together under the umbrella of Olympic Games to compete against each other while time enhancing cultural corporation and peace. Over the past years, all organization that manages Olympic Games has been depending on corporate sponsors to meet their budget. Apart from providing financial support, the corporate sponsors also provide technologies, personnel, expertise, products and services to help organize the games. For example, corporate sponsors provided more than 40% of funds used to host 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. Marketing methods used by the organizers of Olympic Games have faced numerous challenges. One of the witnessed challenges is withdrawal of various corporate sponsors. Companies such as Kodak and Xerox that have been major sponsors of the games for a long period have decided to channel their resources in methods that increase their number of customers rather than using Olympic Games for advertisement. Apart from these, other corporate sponsors are reluctant to sign new deals with the IOC. In the event that the remaining sponsors refuse to sign new deals, then the games will suffer a major blow. Critique Olympic Games and the financing process assume a distinct relationship since their inauguration in 776 BC.

DQ1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

DQ1 - Essay Example Consumers decide about the goods and services they prefer to purchase while the objective of business firms is to decide on how to produce products and the variety of products to be produced. Government entities aim to provide public services and decide on the methods to finance them. The behavior of these varying sections of the society may be termed as purposeful behavior in terms of managing resources and finance, though it may be noted that institutions and people are not free from faulty decision making because decisions are influenced by emotions and by people around the decision maker. Economists consider the marginal analysis while decision making; a comparison of marginal costs and marginal benefits. In this context, marginal means additional, extra or a change in. For example, economists analyze whether a business should reduce or expand or whether the government should increase or decrease funds for a particular cause. A rational decision maker must compare both marginal costs and benefits while making a choice. Economics gives significance to scientific methods to observe consumption behaviors and outcomes and derives hypothesis (cause and effect), tests and modifies the hypotheses using facts and finally evolves it into economic theories or principles that predicts the outcomes of specific actions. Therefore, it is important to study economics, because economics concerns with theories and methods that support facts about how institutions and individuals essentially behave in producing, consuming and exchanging goods and services and thereby find a logical balance while consuming the available resources in this world (McConnell 2005 p.4-6). The sacrifice made by the society to acquire more of one product and when the society forgoes the chance of availing the next best thing, the sacrifice is called the opportunity cost of choice. Every option includes marginal benefits because of marginal costs (scarce resources). While making a reasonable

Dinler v. City of New York, 607 F.3d. 923 (2d. Cir. 2010) Case Study

Dinler v. City of New York, 607 F.3d. 923 (2d. Cir. 2010) - Case Study Example Thus, it was ordered that reports by covert operatives are of confidential nature and, therefore, cannot be revealed to the defendants on the grounds of safeguarding public interest. The court further added that the plaintiffs did not have sufficient reasons to warrant the production of the police reports, which are confidential in nature. Thus, the writ was granted and the orders of the lower court were vacated. The case was previously heard by the court for the Southern District of New York where the plaintiffs had petitioned and during the trials they requested for the production of undercover police reports. The court directed the city to produce the documents for verification by plaintiffs during the trial. The plaintiffs alleged that the mass arrest of the demonstrators constituted the violation of their â€Å"state and federal constitutional rights† (United States District Court Southern District of New York, 2012, p.1). During the trial, they requested the production of police reports by covert operatives and the city filed writ for mandamus on the grounds that such documents cannot be divulged before the public. However, the district court ordered that the documents be produced and as an alternative suggested that it be done â€Å"attorney’s eyes only basis† (Adams, n.d., p.1). In this scenario, the city had to resort to seeking a writ for mandamus as producing the documents for the scrutiny of the attorney would also have compromised the confidentiality of the reports. The Court of Appeal granted the writ on the grounds that the petition of the city qualifies for a mandamus as it raised â€Å"novel and significant† questions of law (p.1). The court also agreed to the fact that police reports are entitled for â€Å"law enforcement privilege† and thus the these are not to be divulged to either the plaintiff or their attorneys (p.1). The main

People's History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

People's History - Essay Example In this specific book, Zinn unfurls the early times when Christopher Columbus stumbled across the lands of current America while searching for the riches of Asia. Assuming to have reached the prosperous lands of Asia, Columbus tried in vain to uncover the non-existent riches from the barren lands. His failure to do so brought the unjustified wrath of the investors and Columbus himself befalling on the innocent and naive natives of the region. The bloodshed and series of wars that followed resulted in the loss of innumerable lives. According to a report, by 1650, none of the natives remained alive. (Zinn). The book holds elaborate accounts of how Columbus, revered as a discoverer of America, and other colonists waged wars against the natives, eliminating their existence from their very own lands. Zinn does not excuse the manslaughter and â€Å"genocide† that occurred; instead he focuses on all historical aspects to relieve the history of the distortions that have now been embed ded in it. Furthermore, the book talks about the mass imports of slaves from Africa which ranged from 10 to 15 million people. This brought about the establishment and acceptance of slavery. Racial and complexion biases were practiced ruthlessly. The resisting masses of â€Å"blacks† were forced into their places as slaves, not allowed to mix with the white people. This marked the â€Å"Drawing (of) the color line† (Zinn) as the title of the second chapter suggests. Moreover, the book develops the idea of social classes with extreme rapidity. Social classes were formed almost immediately thereof, establishing distinct living standards for all. The residents of England enjoyed the top-most tier of the social classes, followed by the elites in United States of America, then the frontiersmen who mainly consisted of white rebels against the tyranny of slavery, and

Engineering Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Engineering Management - Coursework Example Management style has an important role to play as appropriate management style can help employees perform their tasks efficiently and achieve their targets, meet organizational goals, keep the employees motivated and help organization make efficient decisions (Bryman, 1993). Not only this, management style has a major part to play in creating the organizational culture. This report highlights about the management style of one of the most renowned companies of the world, Apple Inc. The management style of the previous Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Apple has been analyzed and advantages and disadvantages of his leadership style have been discussed. Also the report provides different types of recommendation to the management of Ili Electronics Inc. to implement some of the characteristics in the company that could be helpful in increasing the morale and motivation of the employees and at the same time improve the productivity and profitability of the company. ... In an autocratic management style, the decision making authority and power lies with the top management of the organization and employees are not allowed to make their decisions. In such a management style, the employees of the organization are supposed to follow the instructions and orders given to them by the manager. Apple operates in an industry where innovation and creativity are very important factors, and other firms in the same industry encourage employees to think and be innovative and come up with different ideas (Silicon Beach Training News, 2011). In Apple the decisions are imposed, whereas in Google the management has given employees to the option to select the project they would like to work on and with whom they would like to work with thus these two management styles have been contrasting but both have been successful. 20% of the employees working time have been allocated by Google to come up with their own software concepts and ideas whereas all kinds of thinking and planning is done at the top level at Apple (McInerney, 2011). ADVANTAGES OF MANAGEMENT STYLE OF STEVE JOBS There are several advantages of the autocratic style of leadership which was adopted by Steve Jobs and these advantages are described below Standards Pre-defined In an autocratic management style, there are standards that are to be followed by the employees therefore they know what is expected of them and thus they can perform their tasks accordingly which would lead to the organizational objectives. Supervision In such a management style, the supervisors are present to guide the employees wherever they get stuck or faces problems and generally supervisors or managers are experienced and they have the

International finance Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

International finance - Assignment Example Further, their customers in Thailand have committed themselves to purchase a fixed amount of Blade’s products hence ensuring that the sales volume is fixed and does not therefore fluctuate. Finally, the country has a high potential of stabilizing in future hence promises high returns to the company due to the high growth potential in the whole of Asia. Due to the unpredicted nature of economic performances, the company should take the investment now and not wait until next year. Further, it will more expensive to take the investment by next year in case the Thailand’s economic conditions improve by next year due to the eminent appreciation of baht and the increase in value of the firms to be acquired. In addition, many of the Blade’s competitors shall have also moved to Thailand thus reducing the returns to the company. The company will therefore get more returns if the economic conditions subsided or will face great losses in case the condition worsens. Blades should renew the contract with the Thai retailer so that it can increase its market share and hence sales volume. This is because the retailer purchases a fixed amount of its products regardless of the economic condition. Renewing the product has a potential of increasing the company’s market share while not renewing g it reduces its market share. Contract renewal will increase profit margins for the company because the retailer has already attracted and commands a substantial market The establishment of the subsidiary will be greatly supported by the government because it has a potential of providing employment opportunities in the country thereby increasing the living standards of the employees which in turn increases economic growth of the country as a

Backward Design Essay Example for Free

Backward Design Essay Deliberate and focused instructional design requires us as teachers and curriculum writers to make an important shift in our thinking about the nature of our job. The shift involves thinking a great deal, first, about the specific learnings sought, and the evidence of such learnings, before thinking about what we, as the teacher, will do or provide in teaching and learning activities. Though considerations about what to teach and how to teach it may dominate our thinking as a matter of habit, the challenge is to focus first on the desired learnings from which appropriate teaching will logically follow. Our lessons, units, and courses should be logically inferred from the results sought, not derived from the methods, books, and activities with which we are most comfortable. Curriculum should lay out the most effective ways of achieving specific results. It is analogous to travel planning. Our frameworks should provide a set of itineraries deliberately designed to meet cultural goals rather than a purposeless tour of all the major sites in a foreign country. In short, the best designs derive backward from the learnings sought. The appropriateness of this approach becomes clearer when we consider the educational purpose that is the focus of this book: understanding. We cannot say how to teach for understanding or which material and activities to use until we are quite clear about which specific understandings we are after and what such understandings look like in practice. We can best decide, as guides, what â€Å"sites† to have our student â€Å"tourists† visit and what specific â€Å"culture† they should experience in their brief time there only if we are clear about the particular understandings about the culture we want them to take home. Only by having specified the desired results can we focus on the content, methods, and activities most likely to achieve those results. But many teachers begin with and remain focused on textbooks, favored lessons, and time-honored activities—the inputs—rather than deriving those means from what is implied in the desired resultsâ€⠀the output. To put it in an odd way, too many teachers focus on the teaching and not the learning. They spend most of their time thinking, first, about what they will do, what materials they will use, and what they will ask students to do rather than first considering what the learner will need in order to accomplish the learning goals. Consider a typical episode of what might be called content-focused design instead of results-focused design. The teacher might base a lesson on a particular topic (e.g., racial prejudice), select a resource (e.g., To Kill a Mockingbird), choose specific instructional methods based on the resource and topic (e.g., Socratic seminar to discuss the book and cooperative groups to analyze stereotypical images in films and on television), and hope thereby to cause learning (and meet a few English/language arts standards). Finally, the teacher might think up a few essay questions and quizzes for assessing student understanding of the book. This approach is so common that we may well be tempted to reply, What could be wrong with such an approach? The short answer lies in the basic questions of purpose: Why are we asking students to read this particular novel—in other words, what learnings will we seek from their having read it? Do the students grasp why and how the purpose should influence their studying? What should students be expected to understand and do upon reading the book, related to our goals beyond the book? Unless we begin our design work with a clear insight into larger purposes—whereby the book is properly thought of as a means to an educational end, not an end unto itself—it is unlikely that all students will understand the book (and their performance obligations). Without being self-conscious of the specific understandings about prejudice we seek, and how reading and discussing the book will help develop such insights, the goal is far too vague: The approach is more â€Å"by hope† than â€Å"by design.† Such an approach ends up unwittingly being one that could be described like this: Throw some content and activities against the wall and hope some of it sticks. Answering the â€Å"why?† and â€Å"so what?† questions that older students always ask (or want to), and doing so in concrete terms as the focus of curriculum planning, is thus the essence of understanding by design. What is difficult for many teachers to see (but easier for students to feel!) is that, without such explicit and transparent priorities, many students find day-to-day work confusing and frustrating. The twin sins of traditional design More generally, weak educational design involves two kinds of purposelessness, visible throughout the educational world from kindergarten through graduate school. We call these the â€Å"twin sins† of traditional design. The error of activity-oriented design might be called â€Å"hands-on without being minds-on†Ã¢â‚¬â€engaging experiences that lead only accidentally, if at all, to insight or achievement. The activities, though fun and interesting, do not lead anywhere intellectually. Such activity-oriented curricula lack an explicit focus on important ideas and appropriate evidence of learning, especially in the minds of the learners. A second form of aimlessness goes by the name of â€Å"coverage,† an approach in which students march through a textbook, page by page (or teachers through lecture notes) in a valiant attempt to traverse all the factual material within a prescribed time. Coverage is thus like a whirlwind tour of Europe, perfectly summarized by the old movie title If Its Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, which properly suggests that no overarching goals inform the tour. As a broad generalization, the activity focus is more typical at the elementary and lower middle school levels, whereas coverage is a prevalent secondary school and college problem. No guiding intellectual purpose or clear priorities frame the learning experience. In neither case can students see and answer such questions as these: Whats the point? Whats the big idea here? What does this help us understand or be able to do? To what does this relate? Why should we learn this? Hence, the students try to engage and follow as best they can, hoping that meaning will emerge. The three stages of backward design Stage 1: Identify desired results What should students know, understand, and be able to do? What content is worthy of understanding? What enduring understandings are desired? In Stage 1 we consider our goals, examine established content standards (national, state, district), and review curriculum expectations. Because typically we have more content than we can reasonably address within the available time, we must make choices. This first stage in the design process calls for clarity about priorities. Stage 2: Determine acceptable evidence How will we know if students have achieved the desired results? What will we accept as evidence of student understanding and proficiency? The backward design orientation suggests that we think about a unit or course in terms of the collected assessment evidence needed to document and validate that the desired learning has been achieved, not simply as content to be covered or as a series of learning activities. This approach encourages teachers and curriculum planners to first â€Å"think like an assessor† before designing specific units and lessons, and thus to consider up front how they will determine if students have attained the desired understandings. Stage 3: Plan learning experiences and instruction With clearly identified results and appropriate evidence of understanding in mind, it is now the time to fully think through the most appropriate instructional activities. Several key questions must be considered at this stage of backward design: What enabling knowledge (facts, concepts, principles) and skills (processes, procedures, strategies) will students need in order to perform effectively and achieve desired results? What activities will equip students with the needed knowledge and skills? What will need to be taught and coached, and how should it best be taught, in light of performance goals? What materials and resources are best suited to accomplish these goals? Note that the specifics of instructional planning—choices about teaching methods, sequence of lessons, and resource materials—can be successfully completed only after we identify desired results and assessments and consider what they imply. Teaching is a means to an end. Having a clear goal helps to foc us our planning and guide purposeful action toward the intended results. Conclusion Backward design may be thought of, in other words, as purposeful task analysis: Given a worthy task to be accomplished, how do we best get everyone equipped? Or we might think of it as building a wise itinerary, using a map: Given a destination, whats the most effective and efficient route? Or we might think of it as planning for coaching: What must learners master if they are to effectively perform? What will count as evidence on the field, not merely in drills, that they really get it and are ready to perform with understanding, knowledge, and skill on their own? How will the learning be designed so that learners capacities are developed through use and feedback? This is all quite logical when you come to understand it, but â€Å"backward† from the perspective of much habit and tradition in our field. A major change from common practice occurs as designers must begin to think about assessment before deciding what and how they will teach. Rather than creating assessments near the conclusion of a unit of study (or relying on the tests provided by textbook publishers, which may not completely or appropriately assess our standards and goals), backward design calls for us to make our goals or standards specific and concrete, in terms of assessment evidence, as we begin to plan a unit or course. The rubber meets the road with assessment. Three different teachers may all be working toward the same content standards, but if their assessments vary considerably, how are we to know which students have achieved what? Agreement on needed evidence of learning leads to greater curricular coherence and more reliable evaluation by teachers. Equally important is the long-term gain in teacher, student, and parent insight about what does and does not count as evidence of meeting complex standards.