Book of E.H. Carr on ‘Twenty Years Crisis.’

This paper seeks to make a review the book of E.H. Carr on ‘Twenty Years Crisis.’ The book is about international relations (IR) hence discussion dwells mainly on related different IR concepts including utopianism and â€Å"extreme† realism.  The book was written by Edward Hallett Carr in 1939 and is believed to be one of the classics in international relations (IR).   I see two reasons why Carr’s book makes a special place in the field of IR. Firstly, since the book was first printed in 1939, it is believed that it greatly contributed to the establishment of international as an autonomous discipline; secondly, it has a quite good amount of texts in understanding classical realism.An observant mind would think that the book was written shortly before the outbreak of World War II – as the author himself has put in the preface to the first edition. The book is believed to have grown out of the author’s disappointment with utopianism and â₠¬Å"extreme† realism that appeared to him to belong to opposite poles that have developed in the study and practice of international politics after the Great War. Utopianism is believed to have its roots from the philosophical liberalism and gained popularity in the first decade after WWI which included the view that there is goodness in man and of humankind as united by a substantial harmony of interests; the existence of natural law; and a reliance on the constructive consequence of public opinion on politics.Using the doctrine of utopianism, one could see the creation of the League of Nations and the liberal international economic system. But for author Carr, he saw the opposite, arguing that these two liberal institutions were weak which actually uncovered the weaknesses of the utopian approach.   It was Carr’s view, that the political and economic events in Europe occurring before the World II proved that principles like the universal interest in peace or the bene fits of open markets were not really true in the real sense since these developments were dependent on a distribution of power favouring the status quo countries which included Great Britain and the United States at the time.Carr’s emphasis on power in international politics, however, does not preclude him from disagreeing with those who take this realist principle to its extremes. He looks at politics as a constant quest for power in which imagination does not play any role, and making an allowance for morality as always relative and functional to interests. Thus he argued that the kind of realism developed in the decade before World War II, made utopianism’s opposite mistake that is analysis made makes purpose lacking in meaning.   Carr’s contemporaries including â€Å"heirs of Machiavelli† were proposing a completely pragmatic approach to politics, which had detached any emotional appeal, finite goal, or ground for ethical judgment, which Carr readil y found to have no basis.This would leave any one then reading this book wander the way one then should look at world politics.   The author then made his theory of international relations clearer in the second half of the book.   What he theorized as is that power or drive for supremacy is the main driving force of international politics. He denied not the fact that every state has selfish interest and that no interaction in the international arena can be well explained without making an assumption to the selfish nature of states. These countries according to Carr lust for influence and to the conflictual character of politics. He defined power to be referring to military as the most important, because of the possibility of war that was always present then.Power could also be economic, or ideological. He thus believed that power is not the only force at work in the international arena. As to how can this be, Carr, as distinguished from the â€Å"extreme† realists, believ es that morality plays a role in politics.   His conception of ethics, however, is not embodied as part of one he is opposing, the theory of the utopian philosopher. Instead what Carr theorized on is a â€Å"realistic† morality, found and felt in the actual behaviour of the states that recognize each other as belonging to the same community. Commonality for membership in the same community lies with similar goals and â€Å"feelings† of said members.There is basis to look at the authors position on ethics in international relations as having significant limitations which should include the need and concern for self-preservation) so that denying not to have   any function in politics may sound to be baseless since man must not be forgotten that he can be sociable as well as egoistic. Thus in trying to find the middle ground or the so called â€Å"golden mean† that is between complete power and purely morality based on utopianism, Carr’s analysis of inte rnational law did show his plausible view in international relation. It may be just logical to understand his argument not to obey the law because it is â€Å"good† or out of pure imposition.He believes then powerful countries then do so make decisions because law gives certainty and regularity to an order and such situations do show both the systemic distribution of power and the consent of its participants. What can be inferred from Carr’s position is that, the main challenge for a system undergoing a redistribution of power via peaceful transformations of its legal order moral principles should be maintained as still important part of the process.To conclude, it may be said that the Carr’s book on The Twenty Years’ Crisis is a classic of International Relations and it’s a complex although others believe that has its simple structure.   Beyond the complexity it must be noted the author’s arguments revealed his concern the method of Inter national Relations as well as its substance. Carr’s attacking utopianism and â€Å"extreme† realism limits not only views of the human nature and of the essence of politics, but his good grasp of the relationships of thing like those between pragmatism and ethics in the study of politics making a reader to fill in some interpretation for the solution.   What must be remembered also is not his narration of the history of the inter-war international system, nor pure theoretical discussion as show in his refusal to transform arguments into universally models as he seemed to argue on case to case basis.Reference:Carr, E. (2001) The Twenty Years' Crisis 1919 -1939: An Introduction to the Study of   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   International Relations (Paperback), as updated by Michael Cox

Digestive system disease

PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE Ulcer generally is defined as a breach in the mucosa lining of the alimentary canal extending from the muscularis mucosa down into the sub-mucosa or deeper structures. An ulcer is said to be acute when it is limited to the muscularis mucosa while it is said to be chronic when it involve the sub-mucosa layers of the digestive system. Peptic ulcer disease is usually about 4 cm in diameter occurring in the following part of the digestive system: lower esophagus, stomach, 1st part of duodenum, sometimes it can occur in some ectopic sites like jejunum, and meckel diverticulumAETIOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY. Many factors has been attributed to this disease, the most common cause is an organism called Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped motile flagellated bacterial which resides in the stomach. Its presence induced an intense inflammatory and immunogenic response. It also secrete many substances that affect the normal function of the stomach which include urease producti on, which breaks down urea to toxic compounds that affect the mucosa the organism also secrete enzymes like peptidase, lipase, mucinase that digest the protective surface of the stomach and duodenum.Moreover, when the mucosa of the duodenum are exposed to the acid been produced in the stomach then they may be breached. Also, prostaglandin produced by the stomach must be in balanced form i. e. equal amount of PGE2 and PGE1. Any increase in one without increase in the other will result in ulceration of the stomach mucosa. Some drugs have also been indicated in the development of the diseases, drugs like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), they cause this disease by blocking the production of the protective prostaglandin, and a good example of such drugs is aspirin.Many predisposing factors have also been recognized some of which are cigarette smoking which has been taught to inhibit bicarbonate formation, it also inhibit the prostaglandin formation. Secondly, stress also pr edisposes an individual to the disease. Whenever an individual is suffering from the disease they always present with dyspepsia (commonly called upset stomach characterized by epigastric pain) there is nocturnal pain, nausea, sometimes heart burn. These symptoms are always on and off and long standing.Sometimes some patients presents with the complication of the disease which include perforation: the stomach or the duodenum might be perforated so that the content will pour into the peritoneum causing acute abdomen, heamatemesis (vomiting of blood), haematochezia ( passing of bloody stools) other complication include peritonitis, cancer development. Hemorrhagic complication developed as a result of erosion of the blood vessels by the acid or the secretion from the causative organism. DiagnosisThis is done by proper investigation of the cause of the disease. Upper gastro intestinal endoscopy is usually carried out, barium meal is needed. For detection of the bacteria fecal antigen tes t of urea breath test is always carried out. Treatment The disease is usually treated with anti ulcer drugs which are acid neutralizing drugs, acid reducing agents, cytoprotective agents, and anti H. pylori agents. Examples of commonly used drugs are antacids, cimetidine, omeprazole and sucrafate

Native Americans in the United States Essay

Based on the ethnic groups (Table 1: Appendix), several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described (Holland, 2006). In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years (Holland, 2006). In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over (Holland, 2006). Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades (Holland, 2006). Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner (Kenyon, 2005). In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Table 1: Multicultural Matrix and Analysis Worksheet. Part I: Matrix What is the group’s history in the United States? What is the group’s population in the United States? What are some attitudes and customs people of this group may practice? What is something you admire about this group’s people, lifestyle, or society? 1. The African American Several African American people are linked to a history of slavery since their ancestors were brought in the United States as slaves. This happened first during the 1600s-1700s, and where they assisted English colonialists to get American independence. Later, prominent leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to change discrimination against Blacks. As a result, a breakthrough into the rampant segregation between the whites and blacks reduced. The African American has an approximate population of about 37 million forming about 13 percent of the total population of the United States. The African Americans are characterized by the practice of several cultural activities depicted in their music, art, and lifestyle. As such, they form a significant part of the USA as their culture substantially influenced the American culture. I appreciate the African American lifestyle and their music such as Hip-hop and reggae music. Additionally, I love their celebrations such as the Black history celebrations in which they remember their historic past. 2. The Hispanic and Latino American The Spanish became among the first settlers, before Europeans, to settle in some areas of America such as Florida and California. Several people of this group speak the English language only and have adopted the European-American Culture. On average, the Latino and Hispanic population in the United States is approximately 16 percent of the whole population. This accounts to almost 50 million people. The Hispanics are depicted as religious people who believe in helping one another. Families may be nuclear or extended, and the father is the final decision maker in the family setting, while the mother is the home care taker. However, all family members are expected to assist in the effective functioning of the setting. I love Hispanic music and their musicians such as Ricky Martin and Jenifer Lopez. Additionally, their Mexican foods are an excellent appetizer that I always cannot ignore. 3. The Indian American The Indian American officially became legal citizen in the United States in 1946. The Indians immigrated into the United States via other countries such as Jamaica, South Africa, and United Kingdom among other countries. The Indian population in America is reasonably low at approximately 0. 89 percent of the whole population. As such, this reflects to about 2. 5 million people. The Indian Americans have a strict cultural background and adhere to strict rule on religion, culture, and food among several other practices. Their religions are diverse and may include Hinduism, Islamism, Christianity, and Buddhism. I value the cultural practices of Indians especially those practicing Hinduism as they have fascinating ideas. One example is the caste system, where once in a low or high case system; one is destined to remain right there. 4. The American Asian Asians of the Chinese background came into the United States due to mainly conflicts from their countries. One situation was the Vietnam War, which led to massive migration of the affected into the USA. In the 1970s and 1980s, therefore, was time for the largest Asian migration into the United States. The Americans Asian account for about 5 percent of the United States’ population. As a result of cultural diversity, the American Asians are exposed to several challenges. I admire the Chinese way of life that comprises of fun in the form of art and craft. Additionally, I find pleasure watching some of their movies and appreciate the Yoga. 5. The Native Americans The Native Americans were the original settlers of the United States of America. Relevant sources indicate that they enabled undetectable communication during the World War II using their native language. As pertains to name, the Native Americans are recognized as the first settlers of the United States. However, they account for a small population percentage of about 1 percent. The Native Americans culture show dissimilar practices in all other nations. In particular, those living on reservations show dissimilar cultures from the ones not living on reservations; however, some similarities may exist in their heritage and traditions. The Native Americans fascinate me with their incredible lifestyle such as them living in tepees and their spiritualism. 6. The Bahamian American The Bahamian American migrated into the United States from the Caribbean during the late 19th century in search for job offers in the agricultural sector. The Bahamian American has an extremely low population of about 40,000 people. Hence, it accounts for approximately 0. 01 percent of the whole population. Bahamian Americans preserved their cultural heritage; hence, have a distinguished way of living and culture. The Bahamian way of living and cultural heritage provides an excellent measure of modern living from historical setting. Their cultural practices are engaging. Part II: Analysis Basing on the above listed ethnic groups, several beneficial values that helped to shape the United States lifestyle can be described. In particular, the brief summaries have given the clear picture of Multiculturalism in the United States in relation to the origin. The United States, for that matter, is captured as a multicultural society that is open to all people with different backgrounds. From an early time, several groups started moving into the region due to various reasons, which allowed for the development of a culturally diverse society. Hence, the United States substantially benefited from the cultural diversity as improved workforce was available for the various work scenarios. Despite the obvious benefits of multiculturalism in the society, some negative forms such as racism, stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination flourished over several years. In the recent past, for example, several ethnic groups such as the African American, Hispanic, and Indian Americans have continually suffered racism, discrimination, and being depicted in certain stereotypes. Firstly, segregation between the Whites and Blacks was a key characteristic of the population before the rise of the civil rights during the 1950s and over. Workplaces, schools, commuter busses, and residential areas were segregated between the two groups until in 1954 when segregation in schools was banned. As a result, people started integrating on a multicultural perspective, which led to the realization of better performances and solutions for the workplaces. Besides the significant leap ahead, other factors such as prejudice and stereotyping still exist at the current date. For instance, the African American and Hispanic groups have been stereotyped in the villainous characters such as gangsters, robbers and the like for several decades. Such beliefs have existed for several years and are even a common occurrence in media the same way. Hand in hand, prejudice has also resulted from the occurrences. Therefore, prejudice and stereotypes are a normal situation in the culturally diverse environment of the United States. However, the multicultural nature of the country’s population resulted in some positive factors such as creation of a multicultural workforce that can meet the requirements of the target population in an effective manner. In connection to that, all the ethnic groups in the American landscape are subject to some positive, as well as, negative aspects of the cultural diversity. As a result, prejudice, stereotypes, racism, and discrimination that were once extremely high have considerably low effects on the modern and socially active populations. In conclusion, the United States still leads with regards to the benefits of cultural diversity among its people. Part III: Sources Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective. Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace. Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html Reference List Holland, C. (2006). Ethnic and Religious Diversity in Central America: An Historical Perspective Retrieved November 12, 2011 from the Prolades Website: http://www. prolades. com/Ethnic_Religious_Diversity_CAM-Holland. pdf Kenyon, A. (2005). The Importance of Diversity in the Workplace Retrieved November 11, 2011 from the Leading Today Website: http://www. leading today. org/Onmag/2005%20Archives/may05/ak-may05. html

Final Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Final - Case Study Example Such situation may arise in the transient cardiac arrest that can be managed with resuscitation and the cardio-respiratory systems kicks back to function. In addition, a patient should be confirmed dead when an extensive attempt of cardio-respiratory arrest reversal has been attempted for more than five minutes  has  failed.  In addition,  there is no central pulse on palpation, heart sounds on auscultation as well as lack of blood pressure. It can be concluded that Ms. Robaczynski did not follow all these criteria; therefore, she did active killing. If at all, Mr. Gessner had asked to be disconnected from his respirator then Ms. Robaczynski could not have committed a crime. This is because the patients have a right to refuse treatment and would wish to have a peaceful death rather than battle with the disease. In such cases, the patient sign a legal document of â€Å"Do not resuscitate† in which a patient states that in case their heart stop, then they should not be resuscitated. Even though, DNR has several ethical debates but it is legally accepted and no healthcare provider can be convicted of a crime in following the patient instruction (Sanders, Schepp, & Baird,

Report on CEDPA Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report on CEDPA Training - Essay Example She made us aware of our differences and in doing so helped us develop a greater appreciation for one another. By understanding our cultural diversities, we found that as female leaders we had many common bonds. Xiaoping was able to direct us into our personal learning style and demonstrated how our style could be flexible enough to work across culture lines and develop a team concept. We were challenged to see ourselves as women and understand our gender role. By understanding our selves as a unified team we could begin to mainstream our philosophies. At the heart of GWM's agenda is leadership. GWM stresses that leadership is not supervision and it is not management. The purpose of leadership is to establish a direction and create a vision that can be shared by others. By executing a visionary agenda, the leader inspires and motivates others into action. Instructor Sheila Ramsey instilled in us the idea that only a leader can effect change. In the changing face of the role of women, leadership is our most important quality whether it's in government, business, or the family. We were challenged to create a vision and an environment for that vision to take hold. The new directions envisioned by leadership cost money to adequately pursue. Management and senior staff will need to be creative in their approach to finance the needed projects. The fund raising presentation was given by Sue Richiedei who highlighted the need to have a well-directed fund raising strategy. A determination on the nature, purpose, and extent of the fund raising goals will lay the foundation for the fund raising plan. The course gave additional information on forming a proposal team, criteria for a good proposal, and managing the proposal process. In building an organization or program to aid women it is vital that the group has the ability to sustain itself over time. Xiaoping held a presentation on sustaining an institution through a careful analysis of finance and costs. She pointed to the need to understand where the money was coming from and place a value on its reliability. Will it be there in the future Is it independent of political pressure The importance of the expenditures is as important as the funding. Are the fixed costs really fixed Have we allowed for the fluctuation in variable costs By pinpointing the answers to these questions we can see the long-term outlook and measure the trend into the future. This understanding will give us a measure of sustainability. The care and work that goes into funding mandates that the money be spent with great control. Monitoring and constant evaluation of the project will give us the yardstick we need to measure the program's value. This requires setting baselines and endpoints. It calls for evaluation at pre-set intervals to validate data. The method of collecting and checking data is as important as the overall project. Instructor Jill Posner related the various ways in which an objective may be measured. The information may be totally objective numerical data, or a subjective and qualitative evaluation. These goals and endpoints will be used to form a project management framework. This will be the roadmap for the project's success. Throughout the process of fundraising to implementing a project, communication will be vital to keep the public informed as well as to maintain a

Methods section Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Methods section - Essay Example The real motivation behind this research project was to figure out if a particular research subject that was chosen could work in an available or accessible setting. Any impacts or findings apparent in this study can be summed up to the population that have similar characteristics as the sample selected. To compensate them for their time as well as participation, the participants were compensated $10 per hour. All participants were assured of confidentiality to ensure that they give truthful answers. The data has been accumulated from both primary and secondary sources. Cameron (2009) determined that while primary data is original by nature and collected from the chosen sample; the secondary details are basically past studies on the current topic. Both primary and secondary details have been included in order to meet the research objectives. The secondary data detail has collected from: books, journals, articles, website, blogs and past publications. So the researcher does not have to devote money, time, energy, and other resources to this phase of research. Moreover, uses of texts and images will be looked at for data collection, and also documentaries and online surveys. Further, meta-analysis was used for the research investigation; Meta-analysis combines the results of several studies that address a set of related research hypotheses. Hand searching of key journals and checking of the reference lists of papers obtained is also vital. The key terms used to search the database – needs to be developed with care. The strategy is written as a sequence of requirements: include papers with specified terms, excluding papers that do not meet certain criteria. The instructional equipments and materials that were used in the research consisted of first hand information as well as experiences of the participants regarding the chosen

The Primary Function of Human Resource Management Term Paper

The Primary Function of Human Resource Management - Term Paper Example Programs such as those that rotate employees between different kinds of units within the organization and those that encourage directed learning as well as promoting inter-agency communication across the entire company are being increasingly viewed as having paramount importance. Furthermore, Human Resource department must develop a system of recognition and reward for the staff in regards to their contributions to the agency. While there is still some truth to the image of the HR department as keeping track of birthdays and other events for the betterment of the morale of the staff, HR is now developing into a much more sophisticated part of the overall business network. In fact there is bound to eventually be a complete split between the duties of the â€Å"file clerk† aspect and the duties of the director of the department. †¦the Society for HR Management (SHRM) Global Forum report on "The Maturing Profession of Human Resources Worldwide" (2004) showed that over half ( 54.8%) of HR professionals say the most frequently encountered obstacle to career advancement is HR's not being held in high esteem by the organization. One thing is certain, HR is evolving and the profession will either be driven reactively by external changes or will more proactively define its own future. (Vosburgh, 2007, p. Talent, for lack of a better term, is one of the most strategic parts that HR is playing in the current business model. â€Å"Talentship† is a term being used to describe this new paradigm in the creation.... One of the first steps in bringing HR into a more productive and strategic part of the business model is to make the same type of paradigm shift in separation of functions. While many HR professionals today still struggle to get a seat at the business table, the HR profession in the future should continue to evolve and take more responsibility for overall organizational effectiveness. To do this the HR professional will need to become better at utilizing systems thinking and systems measurement. (Jamrog, and Overholt, 2004, p. 54) Talent, for lack of a better term, is one of the most strategic parts that HR is playing in the current business model. â€Å"Talentship† is a term being used to describe this new paradigm in the creation of a more far-reaching strategy for Human Resource Planning. Similar to the roles between finance and marketing, HR is now also being asked to help companies’ research and locate another critical component, the market for talent. Using the sa me analogy, a company cannot succeed if their finance and accounting team is not successfully pared with their sales and marketing team. In fact over time there have been regulatory and best practice applications that have helped to further cement this finance-marketing relationship. However, in HR the guidelines are a little fuzzier, and in fact are usually only to be found in individual policies and procedures and certainly in some academic and business journals. â€Å"Organizational decision processes and tools employed in the talent market are far less mature and refined than those used in finance or marketing† (Boudreau, 2005, p. 18). Now more than ever companies need professional practices in place in order to align their business needs with greater

Religion in the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Religion in the Workplace - Essay Example Utilitarianism is a teleological moral theory, which states that a sign of the correctness of our actions is a manifestation of the greatest good for the greatest number of people. So the person making the moral choice should look not only for own welfare but also for the welfare of the others.He believed that the anonymous social forces are the decisive factors of how people live. He explained people’s lifestyle not only by an appeal of the atomized individuals and government regulation but also by the functioning of society as an additional factor. However, he considered public opinion to be ambiguous. On the one hand, it can inhibit and limit the weaker groups’ viewpoint expressing, as it was described in Vickers’ â€Å"Religious discrimination in the workplace† (2010). At the same time, Mill believes that public opinion can be formed and improved during the ongoing free discussion, which involves intelligent individuals. On the other hand, as public de bates are open and free, they lead to prejudice and error correction, though it does not lead us in the direction of a single truth. Free discussion at least allows expressing different perspectives and points of view to their supporters and opponents more clearly.Utilitarianism considers personal freedom, dignity, honesty, and social well-being among the central and most important values. It protects freedom of speech, freedom of the press because considers them to be socially desirable qualities.

Why Study Logic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why Study Logic - Essay Example Reasoning is the ability to seek out a conclusion. (Morsanvi, Handley 2011) Reasoning is used to understand how something is and why it is. After understanding facts about something, one is then able to use reason to conclude. Sometimes this reasoning is done without being consciously aware. This has an effect on whether or not one is able to reason well decisions or reason bad decisions. When an individual is not aware of the proper way of reason this can prevent them from achieving an important lifelong skill. This skill is the ability to understand the theory behind reasoning. Understanding the theory behind reasoning will help with so many different aspects in life. Understanding the theory behind reasoning allows for better problem solving and the ability to communicate better with others. Without the study of logic one may have difficulties communicating and understanding others and why others make certain decisions. Morsanyi, K., & Handley, S. J. (2011). Logic feels so good—I like it! Evidence for intuitive detection of logicality in syllogistic reasoning. Journal Of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, And Cognition,

Continuation of Design principles 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Continuation of Design principles 3 - Essay Example The detailed architectural model is used to achieve the level of security in the system, the performance of the system as well as the effectiveness and efficiency (Coulouris, Dooimore, and Kindberg, 2001). There are three (3) forms of the system architecture include: the client based, server based and the client-server architecture. As the proposed system for ‘Electronic Credit Checking and Mortgage Approval’ is online, therefore, I have chosen the client server architecture. Architecture Design The client-server architecture for the proposed system that presents the client has to place a request to the web server by utilizing the web browser (Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, etc.). The web browser takes the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request, Files Transfer Protocol (FTP), data, etc. to the web server of the Mortgage Company; the web server would interact with the database server for the relevant information. The database server would send a SQL query to the da tabase and the database returns the information against the query. The database server would reply to the web server with the information received from the database. The web server would display the information on the web browser of the client. The web application would be deployed on the web server or application server; the database server would contain the database as shown in the following diagram (Kambalyal, n.d). The system architecture that has been used for deploying the web application is 3-tier architecture that provides higher flexibility; high security can be implemented at each level of the service, and high performance due to sharing of tasks between servers, moreover, it can be extended (scalable) with the requirements of the Mortgage Company (Kioskea, 2012). Design Notes The client has to use the web browser to access the web application over the internet, in order to provide security the client’s request has to be passed through the firewall deployed in the c omputer network. The firewalls not only filter the outbound traffic (the clients outside of the Mortgage Company) but also filter the inbound traffic (the clients / employees of the company) (Vicomsoft, 2012). The servers would process the request of the client and returns the required information in the form of HTML, JavaScript, PHP / ASP.Net etc. The same process would be followed whenever the client requests the information from the servers. USER INTERFACE DESIGN Process In order to design the user interface, I have chosen the first use case (process) – the online application for registration with the bank (Mortgage Company). This selected process would be initiated by the client when he / she want to register him / her with the company by providing the requisite information. Upon successful completion of the registration process, an acknowledgement would be issued by the company containing user name and password of the client. The client has to provide information / data, the system / web application would perform the validations to check whether the format of the entered data is correct for the respective field. If the format of the

Sustainable Talent Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Sustainable Talent Management - Essay Example A good work environment, proper relationships and effective compensation are among the preferred and effective motivational strategies which are commonly used by managers and organizational leaders to enhance performance (Seiden & Sowa, 2011). The contemporary work environment is characterized by diversity and influence by the forces of globalization, the two factors which are argued to be justification for effective performance management processes. This paper presents the concept of performance management with a critical review, analysis and discussion of the process of managing employee performance, the review of talent, the global aspects of talent management and recommendations for a sustainable process of talent management. Performance Management Process In the measurement of employee talent, the process of performance management is often employed. Performance management process is described as a specific methodology through which the design of an organizational management is e xecuted with a purpose of ensuring that all elements within the organization are working with a common focus of meeting organizational objectives and goals (Moczydlowska, 2012). Performance management process also plays an important role of ensuring optimization of the strategic goals of an organization (Agbola, Hemans & Abena, 2011). The elements or component of the organization which are involved in performance management process include the departments within the organization, talent or human resource, work processes and activities and groups and teams (Ahmadi, Ahmadi & Abbaspalangi, 2012). Therefore the most effective design of performance management process that is recommended for measurement of employee talent is that which is designed with a view of incorporating all organizational components with a sole purpose of optimizing the overall performance of the organization. Employee talent is normally measured in terms of current performance and potential for future performance ( Seiden & Sowa, 2011). This process involves several activities which are aimed at measuring the propensity of an employee or talent to become productive and beneficial for the organization (Glykas, 2011). Firstly, the goals of performance management and measurement of talent are set. The goals of talent measurement relates to the expected outcomes that are expected to emanate from the process of determining the performance of talent. Secondly, standards are set by the management which is used to measure the results and work outcomes or outputs of organizational talent. These standards act as a guideline or framework within which the work activities of the employees are measured (Moczydlowska, 2012). This means that failure to meet the standards reflects that the performance of talent is below the expectations of the organization. Thirdly, the progress of talent towards the achievement of the preset goals is done. This process represents the role of organizational leadership or manag ement team (Durovic, 2012). Fourthly, feedback is presented to the talent on their performance including the decisions that are reached by the management as motivated by the talent measurement outcomes. In the contemporary business environment, performance management software applications are used to enhance the process of talent measurement to ensure effectiveness and accuracy. Talent Pools and Review In the management of talent, the leadership and management team within an

The Importance of Being Earnest Criticizes the Victorian Society Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Being Earnest Criticizes the Victorian Society Essay In The Importance of Being Earnest, author Oscar Wilde criticizes the Victorian society. His characters represent the Victorian era and have twisted views on issues regarding intense emotions such as love and marriage. They do not fully appreciate these concepts and either disregard them or confuse them with emotions that lack depth. Wilde depicts his Victorian society as superficial and incapable of love that is not shallow. In his comedy, both women, Gwendolyn and Cecily, believe to be head over heels in love with a man named Ernest. The reason for their love is simply that the name Ernest is appealing to them. In fact, Cecily has achieved her lifetime goal. She states, â€Å"†¦It had always been a girlish dream of mine to love someone whose name was Ernest† (Wilde 159). Loving a caring or intelligent man was not a priority. The basis of her love was a name. Wilde illustrates the ridiculous nature of his Victorian characters and their ludicrous perceptions of love. Wilde’s characters do not seem to connect intimate emotions with the word â€Å"love. Though Cecily had never met Ernest, she developed a relationship between them entirely in her head. Upon meeting him for the first time, she begins to talk about the letters she received from him. When he tells her he has never written to her, since they have never met, she says, â€Å"†¦ I was forced to write letters for you I wrote always three times a week and sometimes oftener† (158) Cecily and Ernest are supposedly in love but the only thing they share are the letters Cecily wrote to herself in Ernest’s name. There is no real affection between them and the only thing holding their â€Å"relationship† together is her attraction to his name. In Wilde’s comedy, the concept of marriage is not seen as something to cherish but rather as inconvenient and bothersome. In an exchange between Algernon and his servant, Lane, Lane mentions that married couples often have an inferior quality of wine compared to bachelors. Algernon answers, â€Å"Is marriage so demoralizing as that? † (116). To Algernon, marriage is not at all important if it means sacrificing the quality of wine. Wilde is criticizing the priorities of the Victorian era as being irrational and impractical. Rather than being in a loving, satisfying marriage, the Victorian bachelor prefers to sip fancy wine. When Jack tells Algernon about his plans to propose to Gwendolyn, Algernon states that proposing is not romantic whatsoever and that nothing is romantic about a â€Å"definite proposal† (118). He even says, â€Å"Divorces are made in heaven† (118). Algernon’s contempt for marriage is obvious and feels that divorce is an excellent solution to the terribleness of marriage much like most of society today. Wilde depicts the Victorian society as superficial and hypocritical. His observations relate to modern society. People in this age look for certain qualities in their ideal partner, most of which are based on image. Instead of learning to love, one pushes aside his potential love of his life if they do not meet these shallow qualifications. The public is taught to toss aside anyone with any minor imperfection instead of seeing any amazing characteristics they may have. Celebrities are seen with their gorgeous partners and the public uses them as models of a perfect relationship. This is done without fully realizing that most of these â€Å"power couples† were matched up by publicists and do not share tender emotions for one another. Society is not taught how to love. This explains the 50 percent divorce rate. To Modern society, like Wilde’s Victorian society, divorce is holy.

Rain Water Harvesting As Water Scarcity Solution Environmental Sciences Essay

Rain Water Harvesting As Water Scarcity Solution Environmental Sciences Essay Availability of water is critical for ecosystem health and productivity, ensuring supply of a range of products and services, to benefit human well-being (e.g., GEO4, 2007; MA, 2005). Future pressures from climate change, growing population, rapid land use changes and already degraded water resource quality, may intensify water shortages in specific communities and exacerbate existing environmental and economic concerns (5). Population around the world today depends on the renewable resources of water for their water needs in industrial, agricultural and domestic sectors. But when these are withdrawals are greater than 20% of total renewable resources, water stress often is a limiting factor on development; withdrawals of 40% or more represents high stress. Similarly, water stress may be a problem if a country or region has less than 1,700 m3 yr-1 of water per capita (4). In 1990, approximately one-third of the worlds population lived in countries using more than 20% of their water r esources, and by 2025 about 60% of a larger total would be living in such stressed countries, in the absence of climate change largely because of population growth (6).IPCC in its Third Assessment Report predicts that increase of temperature between 1-2 °C would lead to decrease in water supply in regions already suffering from water scarcity such as the Mediterranean, southern Africa, and arid parts of central and south Asia affecting half a billion people. These areas will be further affected if the temperature increases 2-3  °C (1). With growing number of population belonging to the water stress areas of the world, it has become crucial for humans to find out alternative sources of water, proper management of the given resources and bring in technological changes to improve water use. Though centralized water management systems has a huge impact on our lives today, societies, government and citizens around the world are looking out of alternative resources to augment the available water resources. Rainwater harvesting, as one of such methods, is the accumulating and storing, of rainwater. Depending on local environmental conditions, water harvesting may provide a supplementary supply, an alternative supply or the only feasible improved supply. The current centralized water supply paradigm which is followed in all the cities of the world seems unsustainable and extremely high on energy consumption. In United States, about 4% of the U.S power generation is used for water supply to the population and electricity re presents approximately 75 percent of the cost of municipal water processing and distribution (19) (20). As an alternative paradigm for more sustainable water availability, harvesting rainwater, storing it in tanks, and recharging groundwater may be used to provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation or to refill aquifers. In rural areas, rainwater can be used to even supplement agricultural income through small horticultural projects and maintaining improved amount of livestock apart from developing the quality of life of rural women in many parts of the world who spends a considerable portion of their day- to- day life in collecting water for drinking and house hold purposes. In just one day, more than 200 million hours of womens time is consumed for the most basic of human needs collecting water for domestic use (21)( I still remember, the distance I used to travel to collect water from nearby reservoirs as kid visiting my village during holidays back in Ind ia). As the civil society is becoming more aware and sensitized regarding its potential, rainwater harvesting can also be scaled up to neighborhood and micro-watershed levels. More than one out of six people lack access to safe drinking water, namely 1.1 billion people, and more than two out of six lack adequate sanitation, namely 2.6 billion people (Estimation for 2002, by the WHO/UNICEF JMP, 2004). Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses, tents and local institutions, or from specially prepared areas of ground, can make an important contribution to drinking water. Rainwater systems are simple to construct from inexpensive local materials, and are potentially successful in most habitable locations. Roof rainwater can be of good quality and may not require treatment before consumption. Although some rooftop materials may produce rainwater that is harmful to human health, it can be useful in flushing toilets, washing clothes, watering the garden and washing cars; these uses amount to a significant amount of water used by a typical home. In many parts of the world, households and communities have augmented or substituted their household supplies with ra inwater for reasons of scarcity, salinity, quality of service and for risk substitution. While rainwater may not always provide a full-year round of supply, it enhances water security in the house and generally provides a good quality water. Historical development of rainwater harvesting Water has been important for the development of cultural complexity in human society during the Holocene and earlier (16). Human ancestors have always used aquatic resources to their benefit (18), as we see the earliest association of hominid ancestors with lakes and pools dating back to 6 and 7 m.y. ago (Upper Miocene) from northern Chad, Central Africa(19).Rainwater collection is one of the oldest means of collecting water for domestic purposes. Archaeological excavations document ancient rainwater harvesting in Mesoamerica, the Mediterranean, and the Orient (10). Historically, in Baluchistan (erstwhile India and now in Pakistan), evidence of simple stone-rubble structures for impounding rainwater dates back to the third millennium BC (8). Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, rainwater collection were already a common technique throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East, used by Egyptians, Palestinians, Iranians, Iraqis, Yemenis, Greeks and Romans(9). In the Negev desert in Israel, tanks for storing runoff from hillsides for both domestic and agricultural purposes have allowed habitation and cultivation in areas with as little as 100mm of rain per year.. Water was collected from roofs and other hard surfaces and stored in underground tanks, or excavated reservoirs (cisterns) with masonry domes (9). In some parts of the Middle East, rainwater was collected from hard surface areas and channeled through vertical shafts to horizontal tunnels (qanars) that in turn led the water to underground reservoirs (22). In addition to the traditional rainwater harvesting techniques found in India, North Africa and the western Mediterranean, there are also examples from Thailand, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the small islands in the Pacific. In sub-Saharan Africa, the collection of rainwater was (and is) practiced using small containers, in among others, most of Southern Africa, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. The earliest known evidence of the use of the technology in Africa comes from northern Egypt, where tanks ranging from 200-2000m3 have been used for at least 2000 years many are still operational today (7). Even in Western Europe, historical records show that in many places rainwater was the primary drinking water source for drinking water, the same applies to the Americas and Australia. In all three continents rainwater continues to be an important source for isolated homesteads and farms (11). Rainwater harvesting for domestic water use in modern day Though there is significant evidence of rainwater harvesting in the world historically, it was lost to peoples memory for sometime due to extensive water supply systems which came in place with the urbanization of the world. Potential for rainwater use is wide and there are many ways of capturing the rainwater runoff. In this paper, I would however like to focus more on the domestic usage of rainwater. Alternative sources of domestic water are becoming particularly important in urban areas of the world as urban population is rapidly increasing. Since 1950, the number of people living in urban areas has jumped from 750 million to more than 2.5 billion people. Currently, some 61 million people are added to cities each year through rural to urban migration, natural increase within cities, and the transformation of villages into urban areas(7). Due to the severe challenges of water stress and scarcity issues in the world today, these small stand alone techniques of water supply is becomi ng popular. Urbanization of the world has also changed the way houses are built worldwide and concrete roofing is providing good catchment areas closer to the domestic water users. Plastic and Ferro-cement tanks has also become a good alternative to earthen tanks as reliable, economic and durable means of water cisterns. Rapid urbanization of the cities around the world has also brought forward the faults of the water distribution systems in many parts of the world, especially in the developing countries where people have felt the need to become self sufficient in water supply within their means. As the quality and quantity of ground water is decreasing, rainwater is becoming an alternative source. Urbanization also is bringing together large number of people within smaller areas to live such has flats, apartments, residential complexes etc where rainwater harvesting is becoming a community based approach where the cost of implementation and the benefits are getting shared within th e members of the communities. Rainwater harvesting can be categorized in a number of different ways according to the type of catchment surface used and by implication the scale of activity. Essentially these are either rooftop, ground, or rock with rooftop being most suited to individual household or community water supply, while ground and rock being more geared towards agricultural irrigation. Conceptually, rainwater harvesting catchments can vary in size from the individual house to a river basin Figure Source -http://buildandrebuild.com/rainwater-harvesting-and-you/ Rooftop rainwater harvesting however is a very small percentage of the total rainwater run-off. But as a small scale and domestic activity, this is significant as the production; control and use of these sources are maintained and controlled by domestic users. For arid and semi arid countries, rain-water is often the most readily accessible water source at the community and household level, although distribution of rainfall during the year, and storage necessary for the dry months can provide a problem. Rainwater collected using existing structures has few negative environmental impacts compared to other technologies for water resources development. Rainwater is relatively clean and the quality is usually acceptable for many purposes with little or even no treatment. The physical and chemical properties of rainwater are usually superior to sources of groundwater that may have been subjected to contamination. Rainwater harvesting can co-exist with and provide a good supplement to othe r water sources and utility systems, thus relieving pressure on other water sources. Rainwater harvesting provides a water supply buffer for use in times of emergency or breakdown of the public water supply systems, particularly during natural disasters. Rainwater harvesting can reduce storm drainage load and flooding in city streets. Users of rainwater are usually the owners who operate and manage the catchment system, hence, they are more likely to exercise water conservation because they know how much water is in storage and they will try to prevent the storage tank from drying up.Rainwater harvesting technologies are flexible and can be built to meet almost any requirements. Construction, operation, and maintenance are not labour intensive (7).Rainwater harvesting system also produce beneficial externalities in reducing peak storm water runoff and associated processing cost. Rainwater harvesting as a sustainable water strategy Access of water according to the UN is officially defined as 20 lpd within a 1 km distance from ones dwelling. The UN considers this a minimal standard to which all countries, even low income ones, can aspire. This definition has been critiqued on two counts: (1) 1 km is a considerable distance, especially when carrying water, which is heavy. For many women and girls, who make up the great proportion of water carriers, fetching the family minimum could require several 1 km trips each way a significant barrier to actual access. (2) Climatic variations are not accounted for in the universal definition of access (15). Rainwater harvesting can significantly address this issue and become a sustainable water source across the climatic condition if the management systems are robust and the water collected can be channelized to recharge groundwater. For example, Jordan faces a huge water crisis. Results of a study show that a maximum of 15.5 Mm3/y of rainwater can be collected from roofs of residential buildings provided that all surfaces are used and all rain falling on the surfaces is collected. This is equivalent to 5.6% of the total domestic water supply of the year 2005. The potential for water harvesting varies among the governorates, ranging from 0.023ÃÆ'-106 m3 for the Aqaba governorate to 6.45ÃÆ'-106 m3 for the Amman governorate. The potential for potable water savings was estimated for the 12 governorates, and it ranged from 0.27% to 19.7% (13). Rainwater harvesting can also reduce the dependence on the centralized water supply systems. Mega-Cites worldwide are facing similar challenges of water scarcity and water stress like polluted freshwater resources, overexploited groundwater resources, insufficient or poorly maintained water supply infrastructure systems and insufficient technical and water management capacities (14).Small pockets of water resources within a city are more resilient and can draw on rainwater and groundwater, providing the city with greater flexibility in the face of water shortages, operational failures and natural disasters. History tells us that cultures do not give up until they have exhausted options for survival over the area they occupied for longer period. The Mayan civilization is a case in point, which developed around 3000 years ago in Mesoamerica, and faced recurrent droughts due to solar forcing before it collapsed due to climate deterioration towards the end of the Classic Period. Ancient reservoir technology developed by the Mayan people in the seasonally dry tropics of southern Maya lowlands reveals that rainwater storage was a major source of water supply during the dry season. Reservoirs were constructed, for example, in Tikal to cope with seasonal scarcity of water (16). Rainwater harvesting can also improve the situations of urban flooding. More land area around the world today is getting covered by asphalt and concrete as new roads are laid down to support increasing amount of transport use of urban population. This has lead to the lower seepage of surface water to replenish ground water resources. In the United States alone, pavements and other impervious surfaces cover more than 43,000 square miles-an area nearly the size of Ohio-according to research published in the 15 June 2004 issue of Eos, the newsletter of the American Geophysical Union. Collection of rainwater significantly reduces this stormwater to flow down the sewerage systems of a city. At times, this is effective in controlling urban flooding which happens when too much of water due to precipitation flows down the sewerage system which are not capable of handling the amount does not function properly. Evidences and policies of successful rainwater harvesting around the world- As the world tries out new methods to address the newer problems it face in solving natural resources scarcity issues and which in fact has been a significant factor for human civilization from time immemorial, rainwater harvesting experiments as a source of water is also happening worldwide. Currently there is no US agency that has focus on Rainwater Harvesting and states are rapidly doing their own thing. The H.R. 3598: Energy and Water Research Integration Act which has been passed by the House of Representative in December 2009 which is formulated to to ensure consideration of water intensity in the Department of Energys energy research, development, and demonstration programs to help guarantee efficient, reliable, and sustainable delivery of energy and water resources(32) may promote federal support in rainwater harvesting. Some states of Usa have significantly worked in promoting rainwater harvesting. In October of 2008, the city of Tucson, Arizona became the first municipality in the country to require developers of commercial properties to harvest rainwater for landscaping.   The new measure approved by a unanimous vote by the City Council requires that new developments meet 50% of their landscaping water requirements by capturing rainwater. The new rule went into effect on June 1, 2010. Arizona taxpayers who install a water conservation system after January 1, 2007, and before January 1, 2012, may take a one-time tax credit of 25% of the cost of the system (up to a maximum of $1,000). This can be claimed over multiple tax years, but no taxpayer can receive more than a total of $1000 in credits through this program. Builders are eligible for an income tax credit of up to $200 per residence unit constructed with a water conservation system installed (17). Some government grants in Arizona also have given the scope of funding rainwater harvesting projects within an amount of $5000 (25). The Cincinnati EPA office has instituted a program to give incent ives to homeowners for rain gardens or rain barrels to improve quality/timing of stormwater runoff, rather than promoting a central engineering solution. The City of Austin Water Conservation Program distributes over 250 rain barrels per month to homeowners at a subsidized cost, and provides rebates for the installation of approved cistern systems. Commercial/industrial properties can receive rebates up to $40,000 for the installation of rainwater harvesting and greywater systems. New commercial facilities must install a separate irrigation meter costing between $5,000 and $25,000 unless they can provide 100% of all outdoor water needs from alternate water sources such as rain, grey-water, and air conditioning condensate (26). With Clean River Rewards which is the storm-water utilitys discount program of Portland, helps ratepayers save money and work for clean rivers and healthy watersheds at the same time through storm-water management in individual properties. There is an 100perce nt discount on the onsite storm-water management charges because these actions helps protect the rivers, streams and the groundwater(27).Rainwater harvesting methods are used as sources of water supply in other parts in USA and more and more state governments are coming out to give this method a try. In California, the California Rainwater Capture Act of 2010, would authorize a landowner to install, maintain, and operate, on the landowners property, a rainwater capture system meeting specified requirements. The bill is also known as AB 1834 (35).In California however there is no tax credit given to the people in order to install rainwater harvesting equipments. In New Mexico however there is no mandatory law to install rainwater harvesting in individual houses, but there is a tax credit for NEW Green Buildings, which could include rainwater harvesting. For Build Green New Mexico Gold level, the maximum possible credit is $11,000.00 per house. The North Carolina Department of Environ ment and Natural Resources, Division of Soil and Water has implement Community Conservation Assistance Program has created a voluntary incentive based program for promoting rainwater harvesting and awareness generation educational programmes are in place, yet there is no tax incentives in place. Under this program the landowner may be reimbursed up to 75 percent of the pre-established average cost of the BMP (best management practices). Included in this program are Rainwater Harvesting Systems (36) (37) (38). Around the world, rain water harvesting has many success stories. In Singapore, rainwater harvesting is growing as rapid urbanization is inducing rapid water demand. In Changi Airport, rainwater is collected from the runways which are used primarily for non-potable functions such fire-fighting drills and toilet flushing. Such collected and treated water accounts for 28 to 33% of the total water used, resulting in savings of approximately S$ 390,000 per annum. In India, direct recharge of rainwater into the ground (40) resulted in groundwater level increases of up to 5 to 10 metres in just two years. Water scarcity problems in Indonesia, has made government introduce a regulation requiring that all buildings have an infiltration well. The regulation applies to two-thirds of the territory, including the Special Province of Yogyakarta, the Capital Special Province of Jakarta, West Java and Central Java Province. It was estimated that if each house in Java and Madura had its own infiltra tion well, the water deficit of 53% by the year of 2000 would be reduced to 37%, which translates into a net savings of 16% through conservation. UNICEF is working with communities in Alor in Indonesia and the communities has a very positive response towards this effort (39).In Tokyo, Japan rainwater and reclaimed waste water is used to address water demand in emergency cases. There are 850 facilities for rainwater use in Tokyo. Since reclaimed wastewater use has several benefits, a huge water volume has been utilized for various purposes such as washing; water-cooling, toilet flushing, waterway restoration and creation of recreational waterfront (30).There are many case studies and success stories, feasibility studies on rainwater harvesting methods and uses in the world today. An exhaustive list of all of them is beyond the scope of this paper. International organization for promoting sustainable environmental strategies like UNEP are growingly focusing on this method as to cater water needs of communities to attain the objectives of Millennium Development Goals. Poorer countries in Africa and Asia are experimenting on harvesting rainwater for various human uses for a long time now in order to answer some of the persistent water problems plaguing human lives in these continents. Evaluation of rainwater harvesting as a water resource- As rainwater harvesting is emerging in many regions of the world as a sustainable means of addressing short term and long term water scarcity, it is critical to understand the robustness of the system. Purity of rain water is in question when there are instances of acid rain all around the world. Growing air pollution in urban areas also pollute the rain before it falls and therefore rainwater harvesting requires treatment mechanism to make the water fit for human consumption. Rainfall intensity and the number of dry days preceding a rainfall event significantly affects the quality of run-off water from the catchment systems. Presence of fecal coli form and other microbiological contaminants, zinc concentration due to the material used in roofing are some of the shortfalls of rainwater harvesting (41). Household water management practices where rainwater is used as non-potable household use and the limited water supplied by the central water service system as potable water source can be a good alternative. Newer technological developments can easily solve these problems of contaminants in rainwater though it may significantly increase the cost of the water. Household level water catchment areas are often small and it is increasingly smaller when we think of urban areas. Moreover, as people around the world prefer to stay apartments, access to individual roofs for each water consumer is impossible. But this also gives the scope of community involvement and shares the cost. Small involvements like managing a rainwater catchment in a building can bring in greater differences in how people think about the water availability. It becomes educational and it brings in awareness which translates in how we look towards the way we use water in our daily lives. People understands solutions of the problems they face better than analysis of their problem, when solutions are within their reach, they implement them. In the evolution of human civilization, it can be studied tha t humans have addressed their needs in small measures which together as brought in changes in they we live out life today. Popularizing rainwater harvesting requires significant push by the governmental institution. Water till date is used as a free good in many parts of the world and people generally do not have the mental set up to invest for water services and thinks that it is the responsibility of the government. Interestingly in some states of USA like Utah, Colorado and Washington, catching rain water was against the law as it reduces the water catchment area for downstream users if water is taken in up stream. Rainwater harvesting was possible in these states if the individual user goes through the process of gaining a state water right. With the growing problems of water scarcity in these regions, governments are slowly taken small yet bold steps in legalizing rain water harvesting by domestic users. Colorado is taking baby steps towards legalizing rainwater collection. Senate Bill 80 was signed by the Governor on 4/22/09 and becomes law on July 1, 2009. It allows rural catchment (Senate Bill 80 ), but still has some hurdles for those that want to move forward (42). The Department of Ecology of the State of Washington, on October 12, 2009 issued an Interpretive Policy Statement clarifying that a water right is not required for rooftop rainwater harvesting (43).  In Utah, the state passed Senate Bill 32 in 2010 which permits rainwater catchment for maximum capacity of no more than 2,500 gallons. There are several other restrictions, but the state engineer must grant the permit if all the conditions are met. In countries, around the world especially India and China which are experiencing rapid industrial developments, rainwater harvesting is also becoming a feasible policy advice. In the 11 Five Year Plan of the Government of India, rainwater harvesting is taken into consideration where sources of groundwater are limited. The plan stress that restoration and building of tanks and other water bodies along with rainwater harvesting structures for recharge and for direct colle ction at community and household levels constitute an attractive option. The Central Government should support the states for tapping the maximum external assistance for this purpose, a part of the assistance could be shared by the Centre as decided in the case of the external assisted Water Bodies Restoration Programme wherein 25% grant of the project cost is passed on to the states (45). The Water law of the Peoples Republic of China was promulgated on Oct.1 2002, This is the law concerning the water resources in a national scope, which pointed out definitely: the national government encourages citizens to use rainwater and tiny salt water for the purposes of harvesting, exploitation and utilization in regions short of water resources.(46) For promoting the development of rainwater utilization, the National Construction Department announced the Chinese ecosystem residence technique valuation manual in 2001 and updated it three times in the following three years, each edition formu lating content about rain water utilization (47).

Effect of Low Income School on Parent Involvement Article

Effect of Low Income School on Parent Involvement Article (Smith 2006, p. 43) in her article has tried to measure the impact of strategies undertaken to involve parent in child education at a low income school using qualitative research methods. Aims of Article The main aims of this article are to: Define how a low-income school defines intentional parental involvement strategies Define effects of those strategies The Methodology The above article is done as a qualitative research. Qualitative research is done to gain a deep understanding of a specific event, rather than a description of a large sample of a population. It is also called ethnomethodology or field research. It helps create information about human groups in social settings. Qualitative research aims to provide a better understanding of a phenomenon through experience, correct reporting, and quotations of actual conversations. It aims to provide an understanding about how participants tend to interpret their surroundings, and how their interpretations influence their behaviors. The main methodology for conducting this research was conducting a study at a low income school whose new structure was replacing an outdated structure in 2002. During the planning stage of the school community members, parents and agency professionals were involved in development of the new school structure to cater for the needs of low income families and of programs to involve parents in students education at the school. The efforts were then measured using qualitative data collection methods such as participant observation, interviews and document reviews. Participant observation is a period of intensive social interaction between the researcher and the subjects, in the latter's environment. It becomes the full-time occupation of the researcher. Participant observers are trained in techniques of observation, which distinguishes them from regular participants. Interviewing is one of the most commonly used methods for gathering data in qualitative research. Qualitative interviewing is usually different from quantitative interviewing in a number of ways. Interviewing tends to be much less structured in qualitative research. In quantitative research, interviews are usually kept much more structured in order to provide a valid measurement of key concepts that can answer some specific research questions. In qualitative interviewing, deviating is encouraged to give insight into what the interviewee sees as important. This is however discouraged in quantitative research. In qualitative interviewing, interviewers can significantly change the schedule and guide of the interview. In qualitative interviewing, The questions of interview get detailed answers; in quantitative research the interview generates answers that can be processed and statistically analyzed quickly. Researchers supplement qualitative research methods such as interviewing and observation with gathering and analyzing documents produced specifically for the research at hand . As such, the review of documents is an unobtrusive method, rich in portraying the values and beliefs of participants in the setting. Sampling was done using snowball sampling technique. A snowball sample is anon-probability sampling techniquethat is appropriate to use in research when the members of a population are difficult to locate. A snowball sample is a sample in which the researcher collects data from the few members of the target population they can find, then they ask those members from whom the data is collected to provide information on the location of other members of that population whom they know. Snowball sampling hardly leads to a representative sample, but sometimes it may be the best option available. For instance, if you are studying people smoking cannabis, you are not likely to find a list of all the people smoking cannabis in your city. However, if you identify one or two people smoking cannabis that are willing to participate in your study, it is likely that they know other cannabis smoking people in their area. However snowball sampling can be avoided if data about something is readily available. Source: http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/static/images/schoolimages/ar_images/cetl/gilldavisondiagram1.jpg The Setting The setting for this research was Clark Elementary School which was situated beside a city park in a small community surrounded by large industrial complexes. Most of the residents in neighborhood were low income. During the 2003-2004 school year, 5% of the students were American Indian, 3% of the students were Asian, 7% were Black, 19% were Hispanic, and 67% were White. According to the Clark Elementary School website, as of October 1, 2003, the languages spoken were 79% English, 11% Spanish, 6% Russian, 3% Ukrainian, 1% Vietnamese, and 2% other. In 1998 the district began to build a new school in order to replace the old one. A advisory group was formed consisting of members from community organizations, government agencies, the local church, the neighborhood association, the Clark Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), educators from Elementary School, and school district personnel to provide input for development of new school. The school was finally completed in 2002. Data Collection This research was qualitative in nature. Data was collected from the participants in three ways: Observation Interviews Document Reviews Observation:The author acted like a participant observer for before and after school programs, Read and play programs and awards assembly to which all families had been invited. Interviews: Semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted with educators, family workers, and parents from Clark Elementary School. 4 administrators were interviewed including the principal, the district consultant, The family Liaison coordinator and the Family Services coordinator. 6 teachers were interviewed, 6 parents were interviewed. For interviews snowball sampling was used. Source:http://www.featurepics.com/FI/Thumb300/20090704/Interview-1236952.jpg Document Reviews: Documents reviewed pertained mostly to the development process for the new school. All materials collected during the design process were examined and all references to the school in the local paper were reviewed. In addition, the school website and monthly newsletters were reviewed. source:http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/files/2011/01/00_quick_review_illustration.png Findings A Foundation of Understanding: Since the school architecture and its programs were developed keeping the opinions of the communities, parents and members of community associations. After the school opened teachers and staff were made to understand the life circumstances of school families. This helped teachers understand parents more and reduced the probability of teachers blaming parents when their children faced academic difficulties and instead has increased the desire for teachers to assist the children. A Broad Definition: A definition of parental involvement emerged at the school which recognized a wide array of behaviors of involvement such as receipt of social services or picking up food or clothing at Family Resource centre. These behaviors also included the learning activities families engaged in while at home. Creating Intentional Parental Involvement Strategies: The intentional parental involvement strategies were designed in two distinct ways: Strategies to Provide Services: During initial meetings after considering the needs of neighborhood families it was decided to make the school in a community center style so as to provide services for low income families. The family resource center in the school helped connect parents with the various activities in school and also provide them with many facilities including computers, free food and clothing provided by government agencies. Strategies to Enhance Parental Involvement: The Clark Committee had designed parental involvement plans based on broad definition of parent involvement and on foundation of understanding. These strategies included inviting parents to school conferences, family nights and access resources offered by Family Resource Centers. All these services were found to have a positive impact of parent involvement and hence positively impacted Clark Elementary School. Benefits of Parental Involvement: Interviewers described better parent involvement leading to academic success. Teachers found that students were more motivated and had better self confidence as a result of parent involvement. Parents also were found to have other benefits of involvement other than academic ones and they could feel themselves part of a community. Recommendations Following things are recommended in this study: In order to develop strategies for parent involvement in low income schools it would be better to input the advice of neighbors and interested agency representatives in order to understand the lives of people the school shall serve. If we can get a clear understanding of the lives of their school families, we ought to encourage definition of parental involvement which would acknowledge a wide list of parental behaviors that lead to academic success. Educators serving low-income populations must consider offering services to the families of their students, thereby bringing parents into the school buildings. Full-service schools can provide services based on the understanding of the needs of the neighborhood, intended to meet the needs of low-income school families. Educators should invite the input and participation of community agencies, businesses, and faith-based groups in any efforts to meet the needs of school families. Offering the opportunity to provide input can encourage them to own the process and make them have a long term participation in the process Educators need to accept that parents may not choose to be involved in education in commonly accepted ways. Conclusion The main point of the article is that a better understanding of the community needs is a must for forming a better definition of parent involvement for the community. Hence, Educators working in low-income communities need a willingness to learn about their student populations and a high degree of commitment to school families in order to better formulate parent involvement strategies in schools. The author has used qualitative research methods to show a relationship between better understanding of the community by the school for introducing steps to increase parent involvement at the college. However, the main problem lies here in the sampling for interviews. Here snowball sampling is being used. This should have been avoided as snowball samples are hardly representatives of target populations and are just used for exploratory purposes. Since data for teachers and parents could have been made available by the school I this case, Using that data could have lead to a better sample cou ld have been prepared that would have been more representative of the population at hand. As it stands the study can be considered a good starting point of research for introducing steps for parent involvement in low income schools. Bibliography Smith, J. G. (2006). Parental Involvement in Education Among Low-Income Families: A Case Study. School Community Journal , 43.

Innocence in Daisy Miller Essay -- Henry James, Daisy Miller

James' manipulation of appearances in Daisy Miller as well as other character's notions of these appearances provides us with a novella of enigmatic and fascinating characters. Daisy, the most complicated of these ambiguities, is as mysterious as she is flirtatious. James gives her a carefully constructed enigmatic quality that leaves the reader wondering what her motivations were and who she truly was. He structures the novella in such a way as to stress the insights that the supporting characters provide into Daisy's character, weather accurate or erroneous. Despite their questionable reliability, they allow James to make commentary on both European and American cultures and social class. In Daisy Miller the protagonist, Daisy, rebels against convention and runs from any stereotype that could be applied to her. She seems determined to defy convention and to never be completely understood. Daisy's flat-out rejection of her time's ideas of feminine modesty and appropriateness paired with her portrayal as naive and innocent, create a character with contradictory, and thus evidently enigmatic, qualities. Daisy "flirts" with men upon every whim, repeating a cycle of infatuation with each just before she moves on to the next. Daisy, often surrounded by "half a dozen wonderful moustaches..." (80) often goes out alone in public with them, even late at night, which is considered in Europe, in her time and social class, to be highly unconventional and dangerous. Despite much shaming by local women, she pursues these men with unfailing determination and abandon. Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Costello both believe that Daisy is merely a flirt and are equally appalled by Daisy's escapades. Mrs. Costello noted that she believed th... ...lace in Europe, the only true European is Giovanelli. Giovanelli's name means "young-man" (123); a "type" (123), and his modest dialogue and flat characteristics defer attention from him back to where James wants it to lie- with Daisy. The author diverts focus to Daisy primarily by constructing the novel around her appearances and the other characters' lives around her mystery. Despite this focus, no one character seems to be able to grasp the true motives and nature of Ms. Daisy Miller. Her innocence is justified by James, despite commentary to the contrary by much of the supporting characters, through subtle symbolism and direct description. Using Daisy's character as a striking symbol of a misunderstood American, James makes an observation about American culture and social class. Works Cited James, Henry. Daisy Miller. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2006.

Band :: essays research papers

MILES DAVIS This is my report on Miles Davis that I have written for band class. When I first started I didn't even have a clue who Miles Davis was. But for the past week I have been working on this report I have began to realize the amazing life that this famous musician has lived. So I hope you learn as much as I did on this wonderful trumpeter. Even in the beginning he was already miles ahead. It's very evident that Miles knew and lived by that old axiom if it's named, then it's outmoded. Miles Dewey Davis was born May 25, 1926 in Alton, Illinois and grew up in East St. Louis. Miles collected records and for his 13th birthday was given his first trumpet. By age 16, Miles was playing professionally and received his first real taste of what playing jazz was like when Billy Eckstine's band was traveling through and needed to replace a sick horn player. At that time, the band employed Diz and Bird and for two weeks Miles soaked it up! Undoubtedly, the fire had been ignited. After high school, Miles was off to study music and enrolled in Juilliard in September 1944. Practicing his ass off every day and feeding his mind every night Miles' sound was taking shape. As a sideman, Miles recorded his first recording in New York with singer "Rubberleggs" Williams and later recorded "Now,s The Time" & "Ko-Ko" in Parker's quintet. Miles Davis was known to the general public primarily as a trumpet player. However, in the world of music he had a great deal of influence not only as a innovative bandleader but also as a composer. His music and style was important in the development of improvisational techniques incorporating modes rather than standard chord changes. Miles experiments with modal playing reached its apotheosis in 1959 with his recording of Kind Of Blue. Brought up in the Bebop tradition and taught under the auspice of Bird and others, Miles was now ready to lead. After a few solo records, Miles transformed jazz into it's next phase with his BIRTH OF THE COOL sessions, which were recorded 1949-50. These sessions took Bebop, with it's fast running styled chords, which changed on every beat, to a more modal concept and chords that changed every other measure, like in the tune "Dig". As a experiment, Miles formed a nine piece band, with Mulligan, Evans and Lewis as arrangers and incorporating Gunther Schuller on French Horn.

Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast :: Ancient Greece Greek History

Sparta and Athens - Explain and Contrast Both Sparta and Athens were Greek city-states. Sparta was a strict military ruled city-state where the people established themselves as a military power early. However Athens was more of a political city-state that was more involved with their economical stature than their military forces. Still changes from the Persian wars would change the powers of the city-state and somewhat unite them. Sparta was a strict military city-state. The people were Dorians who conquered Laconia. This region lies in the Peloponnesus, which lied in southern Greece. The invaders turned the conquered people into state owned slaves, called helots. Since the helots greatly outnumbered their rulers, Spartans established a strict and brutal system of control. The Spartan government had two kings and a council of elders who advised the monarchs. An assembly made up of all citizens approved all major decisions. From child-hood, a Spartan prepared to be part of the military. All newborn were examined and the healthy lived and the sickly were left to die. Spartans wanted future soldiers or mothers of soldiers to be healthy. At the age of seven, boys trained for a lifetime in the Spartan military. They moved to the barracks and endured brutal and extensive training. Athens was located in Attica, just north of the Peloponnesus. As in many Greek city-states, Athenian government evolved from a monarchy into an aristocracy. Around 700 B.C., noble landowners chose the chief officials. Nobles judged major cases in court and dominated the assembly. Athenian wealth and power grew under the aristocracy. Yet discontent spread over the commoners. Merchants and soldiers resented the power of the nobles and argued that their services to Athens entitled them to more rights. As discontent spread the government slowly moved towards a democracy. Solon, one of Athens greatest leaders, made many reforms such as outlawing debt slavery. And freed those who had already been sod into slavery due to debt. Solon encouraged the export of olive oil and other such products, aiding to the economy. The Persian war brought massive change to the people of both Sparta and Athens. The Persians were great conquerors who crushed rebel cities with ease. King Darius sent a large force to punish Athens with its interference. The Persian army landed at Marathon where Athenian forces attacked. Though they were outnumbered 2 to 1 they emerged victorious. Athens had convinced Sparta and other city-states to join them in their battles.

Introduction to Education Essay

1. Diagram 1: Factors contributing to a great lesson  Discuss the above diagram using the learning theory/theories.  (20 marks) Answer:  A great lesson is very important for students and teachers. How to make a  lesson perfect? Maybe different people keep different viewpoints. Here are some  criteria for a great lesson from my opinions. First of all, the quality of learning is exceptional. Students demonstrate excellent concentration and are rarely off task even for extended periods without adult direction. They have developed a resilience when tackling challenging activities. Their keenness and commitment to succeed in all aspects of school life and ability to grasp opportunities to extend and improve their learning are exceptional. Moreover, Progress is at least good for different groups of students and exemplary for some students. See more: how to start an essay Secondly, Teaching is at least good and often outstanding as students are making exceptional progress. Students are enthused which ensures they learn really well. Excellent subject knowledge is applied to challenge and inspire students. Resources, including new technology make a marked contribution to learning as does the targeted support from other adults. Teachers are aware of students’ capabilities and their prior learning and understanding and plan effectively to build on these. Marking and dialogue between teachers and other adults and students are of consistently high quality. Besides, The following factors are some of the other essential ingredients required for a great lesson: †¢ Differentiating for various groups of learners †¢ Engaging and motivating students †¢ Developing independent and resilient learners †¢ Delivering skills and content essential for passing exams †¢ Assessment as part of developing progress in learning †¢ Challenging the most able learners †¢ Using technology and tools to make an impact on learning †¢ Effective collaborative learning and peer review †¢ Effective classroom management †¢ Sharing the criteria for success In summary, To be an great lesson teaching is at least good in all or nearly all respects and is exemplary in significant elements. As a result, learners thrive and make exceptionally good progress. 2. Compare and contrast the Islamic and western perspectives of education. (20 marks) Answer: There are some fundamental differences between the Western worldview and the Islamic worldview. The Western concept of value is adopted from study of knowledge, in particular philosophy and social sciences, Islam puts the revelation as a primary source of values which make education in Islam means the value of education itself. Firstly, The difference in worldview in conceptualizing human, knowledge, religion and God, have made Islam and Western education fundamentally different. Western secular education that is valuefree results in the disattachment of knowledge and science from ethics, morality and spirituality. And as such the corruption of knowledge due to the Western materialistic educational concept impacts the Islamic world which has long adopted such concepts due to western colonialization. Secondly, The Western concept of value is adopted from study of knowledge, in particular philosophy and social sciences, which then was developed in the world of education with all its relative variants. Nevertheless it is a whole different issue in Islamic perspective. The virtue of value in Islam means a belief of choice in behavior and actions under normative guidance prescribed by the revelation (wahy) of Allah and the sayings of His Messenger. In addition, education emerged as a response to moral and existential crisis caused by the Western worldview which is value-free. Value in Western conception is relative, created by human ratio and neglects the revelation. Values and morals evolve and change from time to time as a response to the social and political situation in Western civilization. Islamic conceptions of value and moral are different from Western conceptions. The value and morality in Islam comes from the revelation which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad and written in the Qur’an. Education in Islam is not value free and could not be separated by the metaphysical elements, but includes both the physical and metaphysical reality, and contains the principles of Islam which is useful as a guide for man to find true happiness in the world and the Hereafter. In conclusion, Value education developed by the West, should not be accepted by Muslims without adequate criticism, because there are some fundamental differences between the Western worldview and the Islamic worldview, especially in the concept of truth and knowledge. 3. Secularization and modernization of education give a huge impact on the lifestyles of Muslims. From your perspective, discuss how the concept of education can be Islamized in the Muslim majority countries? (20 marks) Answer: In the Muslim majority countries, Islamization of knowledge as a methodological foundation for cultural and social reform brings the Muslim world and Muslim intellectuals and political leaders to the step of second-stage of effective and comprehensive reforms to rebuild the Ummah’s life and institutions. At this stage, the central question is where to begin rebuilding — in the economic, political, scientific, or military sectors? Indeed education lies the answer. Firstly, Education is an important factor in the development of any society. The level of development of any nation is usually determined by its level of education. Therefore, Muslims should coordinate their efforts and establish their priorities, where education comes at the top. The more Muslims give to the cause of education and development at this stage to create sound Muslim mentality and psychology, the more Muslims acquire higher capabilities in all other fields. Besides, education can be seen from three aspects: a) Individual: Human is seen to have a bunch of potentials and abilities that are unknown either to the individual themselves or to others in general. Therefore, through the education process, all these potentials and abilities will be discovered and developed to benefit the individuals as well as the societies. b) Society: Education is seen to play its role as an instrument to internalize and transmit the culture from one generation to another. c) Interaction between individual and society: Education as a process of transaction between the individual and the society that is the development of potentials of the individuals will contribute to the betterment and improvement of the societies. Finally, Islamization of education, is the Islamization of the Muslim child and the coming Muslim generation. It is the process of liberating them from a culture of fear and superstition to recapture and reestablish the Muslim spirit. In short, it should be noted that the Islamization of education or the reformation of Islamic principles in education must be pursued rigorously, and the Islamic notion that man is Allah’s vicegerent on this earth and that he should carry on his shoulders certain duties and responsibilities should also be emphasized. That being said, the whole Muslim community should support the move of the Islamization of education. 4. â€Å"Students’ academic achievement is the yardstick of the school leadership’s successes†. Discuss whether you agree with this statement or not. Answer: Effective education leadership makes a difference in improving learning. There’s nothing new or especially controversial about that idea. What’s far less clear, even after several decades of school renewal efforts, is just how leadership matters, how important those effects are in promoting the learning of all children, and what the essential ingredients of successful leadership are. First of all, All current school reform efforts aim to improve teaching and learning. But there are huge differences in how they go about it. Some reforms, for example, attempt to improve all schools in a district, state or country at the same time. Other reforms attempt to influence the overall approach to teaching and learning within a school, but do so one school at a time. Still others, focused on innovative curricula (in science and mathematics, for example), typically address one part of a school’s program and aim for widespread implementation, while innovative approaches to instruction, such as cooperative learning, hope to change teachers’ practices one teacher at a time. Secondly, There seems little doubt that both district and school leadership provides a critical bridge between most educational-reform initiatives, and having those reforms make a genuine difference for all students. Such leadership comes from many sources, not just superintendents and principals. But those in formal positions of authority in school systems are likely still the most influential. Efforts to improve their recruitment, training, evaluation and ongoing development should be considered highly cost-effective approaches to successful school improvement. Finally, Our purpose was to summarize the starting points for a major new effort to better understand the links between leadership and student learning. There seems little doubt that both district and school leadership provides a critical bridge between most educational reform initiatives and their consequences for students.