Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 111

Summary - Essay Example The movie is persuasive in indicating the way powdered milk originating from America destroyed the Jamaican fresh milk industry. Moreover, the documentary shows the way the existing market for Jamaican bananas, which is England is under threat from Chiquita-Dole-Del Monte forces who consider a single Jamaican banana not under their control to be too many. The documentary shows that subsidized Idaho potatoes to be bankrupting Jamaican potato farmers; moreover, McDonald’s is reluctant in purchasing local meat; as well, the documentary shows sweet onions from Jamaica to be underpriced as American onions are sold at a loss (Life and Debt: Documentary). The documentary goes ahead to show that one scheme aimed at helping the Jamaican economy was the establishment of â€Å"free zones† within fenced manufacturing areas where workers are paid meager $30 a week to assemble goods that only arrive and leave by container ship out of the country. The documentary indicates that labor unions are banned while the working conditions are subhuman and when people strike, they are forced to go back to work at gunpoint; moreover, the worker’s paychecks are taxed for services that do not seem to exist such as health and retirement schemes. The documentary shows that once the peasants were ruined they turned up in Kingston and became a cheap source of labor. A scene in the documentary shows a Jamaican hotel guide warning vacationers to watch out for thieves when strolling around in the streets. Most likely, the thieves were young people who were forced to flee to the city in search of the nonexistent jobs. The only job the portrayed by the documentary to be expanding during this time is the security guard business because young men without other job opportunities are trained to be guards (Life and Debt: Documentary). Life and Debt: Documentary look at the effects of globalization on Jamaican industry and agriculture.Dir Stephanie Black. Perf

British Political Structure Essay Example for Free

British Political Structure Essay The british political system is made up of houses of parliament and regional assemblies in Scotland, wales and northern Ireland. where members of parliament (MP’s) discuss four main issues legislation, representation, investigation and financing. The houses of commons The houses of commons is part of the process of british politics. The house of commons currently holds 647 mp’s in parliament which act as a political forum for Britain. Where MP’s can scrutinise, examine and react to the government polices and actions. After having a debate on a certain issue the commons will vote on how to deal with the issue. MP’s are voted in from 647 consituencys in the general election which takes place every five years. the biggest party majority of mps currently labour will form a government. MP’s are seen as having constituency intrests and responsibilities. Which means they ask questions and raise matter in debate concerning the problems of their consistency. The issues from MP’s constituencys are often raised in local meetings and letters from their consituants. Although the political impact of this nationally will be limited locally it be significant in addressing problems. The commons also deals with public petitions, which are debated over if urgent. Petitions are increasingly popular way of getting an issue public attention and is the only way voter can address issues to parliament. The house of lords T The house of lords currently consists of two parts, the Lords Temporal and Lords Spiritual. Lords Temporal include life peers and hereditary peers. However due to on going reforms of the role of herditary peers in the house of lords. The Lords Spiritual represent the established Church of England and consists of 26 members, the Archbishops of York and Canterbury and the 24 most senior Bishops of the church. It currently acts to review legislation formed by the House of Commons, with the power to propose amendments, and exercises a suspensive veto. This allows it to delay legislation if it does not approve for twelve months. The House of Lords is currently also the final court of appeal on civil cases within the United Kingdom although cases can then go on to the European high court for appeal. National assemblies Though the UK parliament remains the main parliament, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have assemblies. All three assembies are elected by proportional representation instead of the traditional system first past the post. The devolved governments have some legislative powers to deal with issues in their country however issues involving the whole united kingdom are still controled by the houses of parliament. they can also have their powers changed by an Act of the UK Parliament. How laws are passed The government is responsible for the majority of new laws. Individual MPs and opposition parties can suggest laws but do not have the time or the support to put laws through parliament. parties usually announce new laws and amedments in there manifestoes for the general elections. The government firstly publishes a Green Paper, A Green Paper is a period of consultation where the government seeks feedback and ideas from specialists, senior members of government and the general public. After the consultation is over, the government will then publish a White Paper. The white paper is how the government states its intention to introduce the new legislation. When the government has decided on the white paper and if it should become legislation they will introduce a parliamently bill . As the bill progresses through parliament, amendments are made which affect what the final law will be. After being debated in the commons the bill is then passed on to the house of lords. the house of lords considers the law in detail and will either pass the bill on for royal assent or denial the bill and send it back to the house of commons to be debated further. The current voting system in local and general elections is called the first past the post system. There are 659 separate areas across the UK each electing one MP. In order to vote you must be eighteen although there is on going debate to bring it down to sixteen so that their be a bigger percentage of voters. Uk citizens who are currently in prison have there right to vote suspended. The general election takes place every five years and can be called at anytime by the current government within the five years. www. Voting takes place in voting stations in each constituency, to vote you must place an ‘x’ next to candidate you like to elect and place it in the ballot box. this process is also a secret ballot to make the voting system more democratic because it doesn’t give any party candidate an advantage and stops any votes being influenced. The candidate with the most votes regardless if the candidate has more than 50% of the vote will become the MP of that constituency. the party with the most MP’s is then elected into government. For example here are three main national parties. Candidate A (labour): 22,000 votes Candidate B (Conservative): 17,00 votes Candidate C (Lib Dems): 13,000 votes In this example, the clear winner is Candidate A with a majority over candidate B of 5000. In the example above, 22 000 voted for the candidate that won that election howver 30 000 voted against the winner therefore the party doesnot have to support of the majority. (www.gaurdian.co.uk) Positives of the first past the post The first past the post is a cheap and simple way to hold an election, as each voter has to place one cross on the ballot paper. Counting of the ballot papers is usually fast and result of a british election is usually known the very next day after polling. The first past the post system creates clear majorities for one party this prevents coalitions for forming which could give extremist minority partys influence on how the countrys run. (www.bbc.co.uk) Negatives of the first past the post there is only one MP elected per area so the people who did not vote for that candidate there views do not get represented. The voting system can put the public off voting because if they vote for smaller parties its seen as a wasted vote and will not make a difference, however if we adopted propostional representation smaller parties will have more of a chance of gaining more seats. The first past the post system works very well if there are only two parties running for an election. but if there is more than two parties running for an election the system becomes unfair on the smaller parties, due to the fact the system works on most votes gained. If we adopted a proportional representation system this would create a fairer voting system for all political parties. (www.bbc.co.uk) Political theorists Charles kenedy commented on the current voting system in may 2005 stating, â€Å"The door is open as far as we are concerned on voting reform.† The Prime Minister could pick up the phone tomorrow if he wishes. Clearly we would be interested in creating a fair voting system. â€Å"The strains on the first-past-the-post system are getting too much, Labour got 130 more seats than their votes entitled them to. The Liberal and other parties received half as many seats as they should have got. One and a half million votes were cast for parties who didnt win a seat, including the Greens and UKIP. (www.independant.co.uk) Nick Herbert, the Conservative constitutional affairs spokesman recently commented on the voting system in august 2007, â€Å"This leaked copy of the review blows out of the water the case for changing Britain’s tried and tested electoral system. The Government’s own report admits that proportional representation has caused voter confusion and not increased turnout. And it says that Alternative Vote would produce even more disproportionate results than any other system. I fear the real reason for the delay in publishing this review is Labour trying to fiddle the dossier. This Government has repeatedly meddled with the electoral system for partisan advantage, undermining public confidence in the integrity of the ballot.†

The Vietnam War: Defeating the US

The Vietnam War: Defeating the US Why did the Vietnam war happen? Why didnt we just back down?. I think that he United States could have won this war, with a mixture of better weapons usage, better moves, and better support from their home country, this could also have even been prevented. Before the war, Vietnam was a disputed territory. Many countries countrys in the past had taken Vietnam over, and after World War II, Vietnam was in the hands of France. Clearly, the Vietnamese wanted their own country, and their long history of being a colony prompted the oppressed people to fight for their independence in the French Indochina war. Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the Communist party, organized the Vietnamese independence movement, Viet Minh. Asked for support from America first, since that leader didnt want to use communism to free his people. The United States looked helping Ho Chi Minh gain his independence from France as a move against their own allies, they declined. It was only after Russia and China offered to help that Ho Chi Minh adopted communist ideals and wanted to make all of Vietnam communist. The Vietnam war started because communism was going to expand into Korea and eventually into other countrys. America didnt want that. If the United States had looked past its alliances and not helped another country gain its independence like we had gained ours so many years ago, this war would have been completely avoided. Unfortunately for the families of over 58, 000 soldiers, it wasnt. this began as early as 1954, the United States started sending financial and military aid to South Vietnam, hoping to stop the spread of communism. The flow of military advisors from 700 to over 14,000 built up steadily through John F Kennedys presidency, and after he was assassinated, Johnson escalated the war to the point of no return. American people were so scared of communism that they were willing to do anything to stop communism where it started. The people of the United States let Johnson build up a huge force in Vietnam, and he was also almost unanimously backed by congress. By the end of the war, Johnson was so ashamed that he didnt even try to run for reelection. If the Americans would have stopped and thought about wh at they were getting themselves into and not jumping right into it, we would be ok. In 1964, the event that all war hawks wanted happened. In the Gulf of Ton kin, several Viet Cong torpedo boats reportedly fired on a U.S. vessel. Even though the American ship sustained no damages, Johnson drafted the Gulf of Ton kin Resolution, which authorized him to use any force necessary to beat back the North Vietnamese. Congress never declared war or even directly authorized troops, but Johnson somehow got to declare it. Early in the War At first, Johnson didnt let the problem go into the air, because he was hoping to destroy Viet Cong. He used planes such as the B-52 bomber and the F-4 Phantom to try to win the war as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the United States air power had many shortcomings. The F-4 Phantom was the latest and best technology out there during Vietnam War. Manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, this plane was capable of multiple roles, as a dogfighter, bomber, recon, and support aircraft. But, the F-4 had its some problems. First, the engineers who desi gned it did not mount any type of gun on the F-4A through the F-4D, thinking that the Phantoms frightening compliment of missiles could take out any enemy threat. This wasnt the smarted move. Not having a gun made the dog-fighting role of the Phantom extremely hard, because the AIM-9 and AIM-7 missiles were not as effective at closer ranges against the enemy MIGs. Only after almost 2 years was the F-4E Phantom fitted with a 6-barrell gatling gun. Also, many pilots were not trained very well, only having 6 weeks of training as opposed to the normal 1-year. The B-52 Stratofortress was the largest bomber ever made at that time. We should have used it wisely There were also negative sides to the use of the B-52. During World War II, the allies could depend on destroying the industry of their enemy, eventually destroying its fighting power. The VC did not count on industry and big guns, but guerrilla tactics and small arms weapons. The U.S. also thought by using a lot of bombs and by using napalm, the enemy would be scared and finally give up. Both of tactics proved to be wrong. The bombings got the enemy angry and brought the North Vietnamese closer together, instead of its actual goal. Napalm was also bad mistake. By using a flammable jelly which consisted of gasoline and some other chemical to make it think, they burned up all of North Vietnam, the United States not only killed more people than enemies, but also made people think was this the right thing to do? Anything that Napalm touched burned for up to a week. Another type of bomb was dropped by the B-52s, this one containing a large amount of the deadly gas, Agent Orange. Millions of acres of jungle were destroyed and even more fields and paddies were poisoned. South Vietnamese farmers complained about the effect Agent Orange had on their rice paddies. Agent Orange was supposed to eliminate the Viet Cong s advantages of there hiding places, but it only turned the people we were fighting for against us even more. Agent Orange also hurt us to, many of the Veterans ended up getting sick, like cancer and other deadly sicknesses. The use of Agent Orange was perhaps one of the worst mistakes made in Vietnam. If we just thought ahead, and figuring out the consequences of using weapons such as napalm and Agent Orange, the U.S. could have won the Vietnam War, mostly through the use of air power. During the Vietnam War we dropped more bombs than in any other war, this would make you think that we should win because its easy. Sadly, ethical problems and lack of planning made it impossible to settle the war in the air, making the U.S. invade with ground forces. President Johnson chose General William C. Westmoreland to command the land forces. Westmoreland commanded over 500,300 troops at the high point of the war, and was still unable to defeat the Viet Cong. But there were many factors that contributed to our shocking defeat on the ground in Vietnam. The first and foremost was the difference in tactics. The Viet Cong was ruthless soldiers, who, even though sometimes poorly trained, fought with a lot of drive and pride. The Viet Cong used something called guerrilla tactics. They would get children, to join use babys as bait for booby traps, and other unethical things. These were a few deaths that the U.S. soldiers had. Also on the tactics side, the entire U.S. consisted of sea rch and destroy missions. Search and destroy missions involved a group patrol, (usually 15-30 soldiers), going out of the home territory and finding and killing the enemy. Unfortunately, the booby traps placed by the Viet Cong and the fact that they knew the land meant that they could hide well. They took advantage of that and so U.S. soldiers died a lot from that. If the United States only thought about what they were getting them selves into and realized the consequences then they would have probably not gotten involved. Either way I do believe that if we didnt help out the other country that, they would try to get back at us in a some way. But the amount of people that died, and the amount that got sick was really just unnecessary. But since we did get involved we should have just stuck with fighting in the air. That was our strength at the time and we should have taken advantage of it. Compassion in Medicine | Reflective Essay Compassion in Medicine | Reflective Essay Advancements in medical technology have given rise to medicalization, a process where ‘non-medical’ problems have become understood and treated as ‘medical’ issues.1 This potentially objectifies humans, leading to â€Å"deindividuation†2, where doctors identify patients by their disease or procedure. The distancing of doctor-patient relationships have been worsened by limited doctor-patient interactions.3 Humanization of medicine is critical to ensure patients receive adequate care because they are reliant on the doctors competence and good will.4 This is where the BH1002 module contributes to my development as a good doctor. It increases my awareness of patients’ needs and the complexities of the healthcare system. The essence of this module is encapsulated in three learning points: a) Professionalism; b) Communication in Doctor-patient relationships; and c) Patient safety. My role as a future doctor is to heal. Professionalism exemplifies the contract between society and medicine as it is the foundation of doctor-patient trust.5 In the BH1002 tutorials, I was exposed to three fundamental principles of professionalism, namely, the primacy of patient welfare, patient autonomy and social justice. Professionalism requires honesty with patients, empowering them to make informed medical decisions; it requires trust and having patients’ interests at heart; it involves equal distribution of healthcare resources to all patients.5 In my opinion, medical professionalism involves demonstrating humility and compassion. Modern medicine has established a culture defined by entitlement and conceit, and humility indicates weakness or false modesty.6 Having the confidence to tackle my insecurities is paramount to my development as a doctor. However, I am aware that self-confidence can develop into overconfidence as my level of clinical knowledge and skills increases. It can cause me to overestimate my capabilities, breeding incompetency and arrogance. As a future doctor, I strive to remain grounded and be accountable for my blunders. I will avoid finger-pointing when mistakes occur. Being humble makes me mindful of the limits of my knowledge, allowing me to recognize opportunities for improvement. I will consider things from my patient’s perspective, prioritizing the well-being of my patients. Humility and confidence are not mutually exclusive.7 To strike a balance, I will constantly evaluate myself in clinical encounters. Through introspection, I can work towards being a more gracious person. I understand that when I am tired, I may have a temporary lapse in humility and be rude to someone. In response, I will take time to apologize sincerely, fostering better work dynamics in the medical setting. Compassion is an important aspect of medical professionalism. It involves both empathy and the desire to improve the current situation. The Society for General Internal Medicine describes empathy as â€Å"the act of correctly acknowledging the emotional state of another without experiencing that state oneself.†8 In this module, I was taught to strive for detachment with my patients to ensure that my feelings do not hinder the quality of care I provide.8 Nonetheless, it is essential to be sufficiently vulnerable to my patient’s suffering. When my attention is focused on my patients, they will be able to feel that I care. In contrast, being emotionally-detached could be interpreted as being indifferent, increasing their suffering due to the lack of understanding. A study on the effect of forty seconds of compassion on patient anxiety noted, â€Å"The enhanced compassion segment was †¦ effective in decreasing viewers anxiety†9. Compassion builds trust between the doctor and patients, encouraging them to recall and disclose significant details about their conditions.8 Increased awareness of the patient’s situation allows for more accurate diagnosis and effective personalization of treatments, improving the quality of care.8 Patient satisfaction is increased, enhancing the doctor-patient relationship. I strive to exhibit medical professionalism by being compassionate. As a future doctor, I am responsible for the welfare of my patients. Having compassion will make me attentive to their needs. I can understand the situation from their perspective, and think about how I can ease their suffering. Consequently, my patients will not have to face their difficulties alone. The doctor-patient relationship is a keystone of care. Built on trust and compliance, it exists when a doctor serves a patient’s medical needs, providing support and healing.10 There were two key reasons taught on why effective communication is crucial: a) provision of quality care; and b) medicine adherence. I believe patients benefit most when there is mutual trust and respect – doctors set aside time to listen to their patients; patients provide information about their medical condition to the best of their ability and comply with prescriptions. This can only be achieved with effective communication. In the provision of better healthcare, it is important to focus on the medical interview between the doctor and patient. This is the main medium through which doctors gather information about the patient, make diagnoses and develop the doctor-patient relationship.3 During the tutorials, I was introduced to a famous painting, The Doctor by Fildes. The painting exemplifies the qualities of an ideal doctor. Despite the inadequacy of medical technology, and thus inability to save the patient, he remains by the patient’s bedside, providing reassurance through his presence. This is a huge contrast with the modern physician, who, because of the large number of patients to see every day11, is often unable to set aside time to stay by the patient’s side. In his book, Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End, Gawande laments the deterioration of care in the medical setting. He attributes it to the shift in focus to curing diseases quickly using modern technology, highlighting that â€Å"fast, solution-oriented care accounts for approximately one-quarter of Medicare expenditures†11. Moreover, the time spent on write-ups is threefold the time spent in direct contact with the patient12. This means that little time is spent on communication with the patient. For this reason, patients feel neglected and even more miserable when doctors are unable to listen to their emotional needs and address their concerns. What I wanted †¦ was a doctor †¦ who understood that a conversation was as important as a prescription; a doctor to whom healing mattered as much as state-of-the-art surgery did. What I was looking for †¦ was a doctor who is able to slow down, aware of the dividends not just for patients but for herself and for the system.11 In the introduction to the course, I was taught that doctors have an ethical obligation to prioritize the best interests of the patient. This means alleviating their suffering and minimizing patient dissatisfaction. When doctors take the time to listen carefully, the quality of information obtained increases, enabling a more accurate diagnosis to be made.3 In mastering communication skills, I can clearly explain my patient’s situation, preventing misunderstandings that may occur due to the lack of understanding of â€Å"basic health ideas, medical terms or medical information†13. I can provide emotional reassurance to those involved, facilitating the process of healing and enhancing the doctor-patient relationship. Medicine adherence refers to whether patients follow the agreed recommendations and whether they take their medication for the entire duration.14 Effective communication is the major determinant of compliance.15 Doctors struggle with communicating information effectively, as seen in a study that reported, â€Å"40-80 percent of the medical information patients receive is forgotten immediately and nearly half of the information retained is incorrect†15. In this module, I was taught the teach-back method to improve medicine adherence, which relies heavily on communicating information to patients in a way that is easily understood. In teach-back, patients are asked to describe the information taught. This involves them in prescription decisions and serves as confirmation that they understand what has been explained, such as the prescribed dosage of their medication. Patients can then make informed decisions regarding their use of medicines. By engaging patients in their care, they are more likely to comply with the prescriptions, leading to a higher quality of life and higher satisfaction.14 As a future doctor, I strongly believe that patients have a right to make decisions in regard to their health. This means that if patients refuse to take the prescribed treatment, that choice must be an informed one; if they accept the recommendation, I am responsible for facilitating the appropriate adherence to optimize the efficacy of treatment and reduce risk of side effects. Using what I learnt, as well as the â€Å"SPIKES† model detailed in WHO Multi-professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide16, I will provide uninterrupted time for patients to share their concerns and ask questions about their conditions. This will help me understand my patients’ beliefs and assure them that I am listening. After which, I will provide the necessary information, in a comprehensive manner, using the teach-back method to check their understanding. This will facilitate shared-decision making, where patients can effectively voice concerns about aspects of the treatment they disagree with. This allows me to tackle the issue of limited health literacy of patients and negotiate a treatment they are agreeable with. A large proportion of the BH1002 module was spent discussing patient safety. I was exposed to the idea of human limits and reasons why healthcare systems fail. My greatest takeaway was being constantly reminded that doctors are not infallible. In fact, great doctors are people who expect errors to occur and take measures to prevent them before these errors can happen. Humans have limitations that can predispose them to error. Through the lectures, I learnt about memory constraints, confirmation bias in perception and selective vision. The recalled memory is reconstructed, changing according to what we perceive; we tend to seek evidence to support our decisions, even if the decision may not be correct; we do not notice when something unexpected enters our field of vision, especially when we are focused on something else. These cause difficulty multi-tasking and recalling detailed information quickly15, creating room for error. Now that I am aware of these limits, I will put in greater effort to reduce the impact human limits have on my patients’ health. I will use writing aids, noting important information immediately, reducing the reliance on human memory. This also removes the uncertainty that I could have remembered the wrong details. I believe this habit needs to be cultivated while I am a medical student. Therefore, I have begun with the lectures I attend, jotting down points raised by lecturers and reviewing them for greater understanding of the content taught. To reduce the risk of confirmation bias, I will make sure to gather information from reliable sources, analyze the data carefully before reaching a conclusion, instead of drawing a conclusion before finding evidence that tally with my opinion. In a medical practice study conducted in 2000, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System, it is emphasized that to assure patients that they are safe from accidental injury, concerted effort by all professionals is required to â€Å"break down traditional clinical boundaries, the culture of blame, and systematically design safety into processes of care†.17 There are several reasons why healthcare systems fail. First would be the traditional intolerance for error in the medical setting. Doctors are held personally accountable even if the error was systems-based and beyond their control. The medical culture of blaming encourages doctors to underreport errors out of fear of disciplinary measures.18 The BH1002 module taught the importance of sharing the burden of guilt. If a doctor makes a mistake, sharing creates opportunities for everyone to review the problem objectively. Improvements can then be made to existing systems to prevent a repeat of the same mistake. I learnt about the â€Å"Swiss cheese model of system accidents†. This model compares the different levels on which mistakes occur with slices of cheese. Each slice represents a layer of defense against potential errors. In the real world, each slice has holes in different places, each representing a loophole. A catastrophe will occur when the holes align to permit an opportunity for accidents, directly bringing patients in contact with hazards.19 These lapses in defense arise from two types of errors. Active errors are unsafe behaviors committed by people that lead directly to a given error. Latent errors are errors that remain dormant in the system until ‘triggered’ by other events. These occur further away from the action itself, such as flaws in the healthcare organization or faults in the equipment used. Active errors are often unpredictable whereas latent errors can be prevented. The persons-approach, which focuses solely on active errors and individual blame, is therefore of limited benefit because it deals with errors only after they occur. In contrast, the systems-approach revolves around the idea that errors are to be expected and designs a resilient system to reduce the risk of incidence of error before it happens. The systems-approach is important to my development as a good doctor. It reminds me of the need to adhere to standard operating procedures in the medical setting. Simple practices such as hand hygiene can reduce the risk of spreading infections among patients. I understand that patient handovers are an integral part of the healthcare system. There are an average of 50-100 steps between the doctor’s decision to order a medicine and the delivery of the medicine to the patient, causing an overall 39% chance of error.20 I will do my part by making my case notes comprehensible and legible to prevent miscommunication between doctors. I will clarify expectations before undertaking any tasks and consult my superiors should I be unsure of any issues. When reporting critical laboratory results, I will use the read-back method, noting and correcting any discrepancies to ensure the relayed information is accurate. This will reduce the risk of harm brought to the patient. The healthcare environment is a very complicated one. In the beginning, I was fearful of the rigid and complicated hierarchies that exist. The BH1002 module has equipped me with the necessary knowledge of what it takes to be a good doctor, as well as how I can understand my patients better and ensure their safety. I believe being accountable for my actions is the best way to exhibit professionalism and help people. I look forward to overcoming the trials I will face as a doctor. I hope to become a doctor who can serve my patients and peers well, by providing quality care and becoming a pillar of support.

Gossip Girl Book #1 :: essays research papers

In this first novel, life is beautiful for our teens from the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They're rich, they're beautiful, and they know it. Blair Waldorf is the ringleader of the crew, which includes her handsome but weak-hearted boyfriend, Nate. This femme fatale in training relishes her role and is confident that she and Nate will be together forever. Then the teen every girl loves to hate, Serena Van der Woodson, returns from her Connecticut boarding school, and the young women start fuming. Serena is beautiful and charming, and could unknowingly steal the hearts of brothers and boyfriends -- and she and Nate have a secret history. Of course, ridiculous rumors are abuzz that Serena was expelled for everything from sleeping with half the student body to sacrificing live chickens, but no one knows the real deal because it would be totally unhip to appear too interested in her. She doesn't have time to offer explanations anyway, since she's busy trying to fit in with her old cliq ue, who don't seem to want her around. It may be time for Serena make new friends, but with whom? Gossip Girl reports on Serena's struggle with the group and more -- their dates, their parties, their crushes, and their secrets -- and she tells it all with such knowledge that you, too, will wonder as you close this page-turner, "Who is she?" (Michele D. Thomas) In Gossip Girl, when the beautiful Serena van der Woodsen returns to private school after mysteriously getting kicked out of boarding school, the whole school is talking. All Blair Waldorf knows is that there's no freaking way Serena's going to just waltz back in with her Jimmy Choo mules and Kate Spade bag and steal everyone's heart again. But Serena's got other things on her mind, like college pressure and living up to everyone else's extreme expectations. Plus there's that Ryan Phillippe-looking guy who stands across the street and stares at her all the time. Set in a rich all-girls school full of bulimic, rich, and snotty girls, you'll see into the thoughts of Blair Waldrof, her boyfriend Nate, and her used-to-be best friend Serena van der Woodsen. Blair badly wants to have sex with her boyfriend Nate, and when the moment comes, Nate spills about having slept with her former best friend Serena. Blair turns everybody against Serena when she comes back from her vacation.

Edgar Allan Poe and Momentary Satisfaction Revenge

Revenge; Justified or Momentary Satisfaction Revenge is such a common thread in today’s society. It is evident in television, movies, literature, politics, and even among friends at school. Everyone wants revenge. Revenge is a common tendency of human nature, but revenge is never justified. Many people live their lives with the philosophy of â€Å"an eye for an eye†, but as Mahatma Gandhi said â€Å"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. † When you think of all the little things people do to â€Å"get back† at those who hurt them in some way, you begin to see a pattern of destruction, even if it is on a small scale.The point here is that revenge very rarely serves its true purpose, which is a sense of self-satisfaction. Seeking revenge ends up making you look like the bad guy and usually backfires. Humans have an urge to get even with one another for what the other has done. Often time’s karma is a better judge of people than t hemselves. The quote from Robert F. Kennedy that states â€Å"Don’t get mad, get even. † is wrong; as revenge is just a case of self- satisfaction. In â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† by Edgar Allen Poe, in paragraph 29 it states â€Å"Once more let me implore you to return.No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power. † Montresor is mocking Fortunato and then leaves him, he then states (last paragraph) â€Å"My heart grew sick- on account of the dampness of the catacombs. † I believe that he is saying he regrets doing what he did, and that revenge only satisfies ones need for a moment. Revenge is short lived, and has no long term use in this life. It is simply a temptation beating on our door of reality.No matter what level of hurt one does to another; killing a loved one or simply stealing your pencil at school, it is never justified to do something back. In â€Å"A Poison Tree† by W illiam Blake, someone does another wrong; He tries to get even by poisoning him. â€Å"I was angry with my friend, I told my wrath, my wrath did end, I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. † His foe makes him angry so, to get back at him he poisons him with an apple. â€Å"And into my garden stole, when the night had veiled the pole; in the morning glad I see my foe outstretched beneath the tree. He got even with him by killing him; this is taking it to the extremes. There is always another way; â€Å"She got even in a way that was almost cruel. She forgave them. † – From Ralph McGill (about Eleanor Roosevelt). This is saying that instead of revenge do the opposite, forgive. Maybe they want one to do something back to them, but don’t give them the satisfaction of seeing one’s self try to get even. They are not worth it. Forgiveness is not revenge but the willingness of one’s self to move forward with their lives, and not live in the past of what has been done to them.Two wrongs don’t make a right. When someone does another wrong and one’s self does something wrong back it will never make one fully happy. In the Mentalist when Red John kills Patrick Jane’s wife and kid, he joins the C. B. I. team to one day seek revenge on Red John. When he finally captures him, he says he doesn’t feel much better. Revenge is never justified, no matter what. It is a human’s self- satisfaction that drives them to get back but, in the end no one wins; everyone suffers.

Differentiate between fraud and abuse Essay

Fraud is any and all means a person uses to gain an unfair advantage over another person. In most cases, to be considered fraudulent, an act must involve: – A false statement (oral or in writing)  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ About a material fact – Knowledge that the statement was false when it was uttered (which implies an intent to deceive) – A victim relies on the statement – And suffers injury or loss as a result Abuse is to wrongly or improperly; misuse. – abuse alcohol – abuse privilege – abuse drugs – abuse authority Compare and contrast Sutherland’s theory of differential association with Cressey’s final hypothesis. What does Cressey mean by â€Å"non-shareable†? Cressey however, took his own studies in a different direction from Sutherland’s research. He was intrigued by embezzlers, whom he called â€Å"trust violators†. He was especially interested in the circumstances that led them to be overcome by temptation. Upon completion of his research, he developed what still remains as the classic model for the occupational offender. His research was published in â€Å"Other People’s Money: As Study in the Social Psychology of Embezzlement.† Non-shareable is a issue of concern which the individual directed affected believe that he cannot share with another person due to shame or guilt. Describe at least four proactive audit tests that could help detect a shell company scheme. †¢ Maintain and regularly update an approved vendor list †¢ Independently verify all vendors before payment †¢ Identifying shell company invoices – Lack of detail on the fraudulent invoice – Invoice that lacks detailed descriptions of the items billed – Mailing address may be an indicator of fraud – Consecutively numbered invoices over a period of time – Reviewing payables and sorting payments by vendor and invoice number †¢ Testing for shell company schemes – Investigate budget overruns and departments that regularly exceed their budget – Conduct horizontal analysis of expenses – Investigate unexplained increases in â€Å"soft† accounts – Investigate unexplained increases in quantity of items purchased †¢ Testing for shell company schemes – Monitor trends in average unit price – Investigate goods and services that would not normally be purchased – Compare vendor addresses to employee addresses – Run reports of average turnaround time for invoices to look for unusual payment patterns †¢ Verifying whether a shell company exists – Use the phone book to verify the vendor – Contact others in the industry – Conduct a site visit of the vendor †¢ Identifying the employee behind a shell company – Conduct a public records search of the company’s registration – Be alert for related names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and other identities. – Match vendor checks with payroll checks. – Conduct surveillance of mail drops to see who picks up the checks. Describe the five principal categories of check tampering schemes. Detail the methods used by perpetrators to affix a signature to the check. Check tampering is unique among fraudulent disbursements because it is the one group Of schemes in which the perpetrator physically prepares the fraudulent check. In most fraudulent disbursement schemes, the culprit generates a payment to himself by submitting some false document to the victim company such as an invoice or a timecard. The false document represents a claim for payment and causes the victim company to issues a check that the perpetrator then converts. These frauds essentially amount to trickery; the perpetrator fools the company into handing over its money. Check tampering schemes are fundamentally different. In these frauds the perpetrator takes physical control of a check and makes it payable to himself through one Of several methods. Check tampering schemes depend on factors such as access to the Companies check book, access to bank statements, and the ability to forge signatures or Alter other information on the face of the check. There are five principal methods used To commit check tampering: 1. Forged maker schemes 2. Forged endorsement schemes 3. Altered payee schemes 4. Concealed check schemes 5. Authorized maker schemes What internal controls can be implemented to minimize the ability to perpetrate a ghost employee scheme? Mandatory copies of employment picture I D’s and forms and a second level of inspection of them. An employment picture stapled into employment file. Quarterly justification of employment files against payroll w/ a physical inspection of any new employees file. A second level of sign off on all the need for all new employees. For example, if your company has a janitorial staff. in order to hire a new janitor, require copies of the usual I9 ID’s, be included into personal file. Have a signoff sheet for two levels of hiring authorization with clear printed and signed names, justifying the new employee. Have a picture of the new employee attached to the file (a good practice for all employment circumstances, anyway). A quarterly comparing of payroll to new employees. make sure payroll has to get the new documentation signoff sheet and sign it themselves after verifying the two previous sigs., prior to actually placing any new employee on the payroll. And that signoff sheet is then sent to an office manager†¦ who has to quarterly check against the new employee files New employee files are kept separate, until 90 days (or whatever your temp. time is) If employee is terminated prior to end of quarter, file is still held separate from other terminations until manager does quarterly check. I’ve been through a number of these, including one who hired a ghost and gave him the same name as a company vice president, just to confuse things more. Also watch out for time sheets being turned in after employee is not actually working there, but hasn’t been terminated on paper yet.

3 Expert Tips for Using the Unit Circle

3 Expert Tips for Using the Unit Circle SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re studying trig or calculus- or getting ready to- you’ll need to get familiar with the unit circle. The unit circle isan essential tool used to solve for the sine, cosine, and tangent of an angle. But how does it work? And what information do you need to know in order to use it? In this article, we explain what the unit circle is and why you should know it. We also give you three tips to help you remember how to use the unit circle.

Essay on My Hardest Choice

Essay on My Hardest Choice Essay on My Hardest Choice My Hardest Choice Last year I realized that being adult is really hard. Obviously, if you ask any adult, the answer would be yes it is hard because they have to depend on themselves and to learn a new thing from their experience. For me as a young man I don’t have any experience to make decent decision, therefore I need to learn a lot of things in life. For example, while I was in my first year at King Saud University the scholarship opportunity was available and I had to make decisions to get the scholarship and leave my country or to continue in K.S.A. After a hard time of thinking, I decided to get the scholarship. That decision wasn't easy to make and it took me one week to decide. So, in that sense, the scholarship decision has advantages and disadvantages. There are some advantages of having a scholarship. First, I can get a good education with knowledge. Second, if I graduate from America I can get a good job and bright future. In my country I was dependent person who always relies on his mother. After I accepted the scholarship I really changed to a different person who depends on himself for everything. For example, studying, cleaning, cooking and all of the hard work will make me a responsible person. Moreover, there are some good things that helped me to fit in with American people. For example, people are more open minded in America and you do not feel that you are international student because; people treat you as American citizen. American people are friendly and they love partying so that helped me to fit in with the beautiful environment which is America. Obviously, to be a scholarship student is to have responsibility and that encourages me to achieve my goal. There are some disadvantages of being

Ap World Histroy Dbq

Political, religious, and social factors affected the work of scientist in the sixteenth and seventeenth century in many ways. They were the reasons why natural philosophers questioned, studied, and continued to find new information in their discoveries. Developing a new scientific worldview must have required an abundance of controversy dealing with these important factors. There were people who believed that the discoveries made should not interfere with political power. *Thomas Hobbes, an English Philosopher, certainly believed in many theories’ that scientists had viewed. However he is best known for his political thought. Certainly his political views were included in his scientific works (Doc 7). Louis XVI, a political power, showed interest into the scientific studies. This evidently showed on a drawing to honor Louis XVI’s visit to the French Royal Academy (Doc 10). Clearly, science was encouraged to flourish because people knew the happiness of the country, for not only depending on the arms abroad but for also creating abundances at home (Doc 11). The social factor was furthermost likely to have been more analyzed in scientist works. Many were interested in what people thought of them and their studies. Scientist were even more proficient in removing their experiments completely if people disagreed. Marin Mersenne guaranteed that his experiments had been repeated more than 100 times, but however was willing to change them if someone did not agree. Others however, were confident in their studies and did not care for much criticism (Doc 1). The reason for why natural philosophers were sometimes held back was because they truly did not know what their objective was. This is most likely why they made slight progress in the sixteenth and seventeenth centauries (Doc 4). Religion was unquestionably a factor scientist considered. They took the principles of God into their works. It appeared impossible to them how things could have so much astonishing features and qualities and still have been created out of nature. They knew these things became to exist from an immeasurable wisdom and power (Doc 8). Just as God governs minds, minds have specific laws which place them above the moments of matter (Doc 12). Bible stories were used as comparisons with scientific views, such as John Calvin mentioning Moses who wrote in a popular style where all ordinary persons gifted with common sense and were able to be understood (Doc 2). He is a French Protestant theologian which may be what leads him to trust that astronomy unfolds the admirable wisdom of God. There were those who were not affected with political, religious, and social factors because they were limited on human rights. Women had certain difficulties in the scientific area. Margret Cavendish would have set her own school of natural philosophy if she would have not have feared the casting of a male school. *Margaret, a natural philosopher, was certainly interested in discoveries however, she understood the complications of having a part in this grouping (Doc 9). Studies should have been allowed from those who wished to learn, as well as those who selected to reject whatever is unidentified to them (Doc2). Both genders could have formed a friendship between intelligent associations; this would have been a great aid to the investigation and education of the truth (Doc 6). Political, religious, and social factors were massive topics. Natural Philosophers certainly were aware of their process of studies and experiments. They all had different views on the three factors causing old and new discoveries to be more interesting.

Financial Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial - Term Paper Example 900,000 ?1,600,000 ?1,850,000 ?1,100,000 ?2,225,000 Discount Factor @ 12% Cost of Capital 1.00 0.893 0.797 0.712 0.636 0.567 Present Value (?5,150,000) ?803,700 ?1,275,200 ?1,317,200 ?699,600 ?1,261,575 NPV ?207,275 NPV:-?5,150,000 + ?803,700 + ?1,275,200 + ?1,317,200 + ?699,600 + ?1,261,575 = ?207,275 The Net Present Value of a company is the value of a future number in terms of today. It basically helps in finding out a project’s is profitability. It requires finding out the present value of each future cash flow discounted at a specific value, which is the cost of capital of the project given in the form of a percentage. It uses the concept of discounted cash flows. Time Cash Flow (?5,150,000) ?900,000 ?1,600,000 ?1,850,000 ?1,100,000 ?2,225,000 Yr 0 Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Cash Flow (?5,150,000) ?900,000 ?1,600,000 ?1,850,000 ?1,100,000 ?2,225,000 Discount Factor @ 14% Cost of Capital 1.00 0.877 0.769 0.675 0.592 0.519 Present Value (?5,150,000) ?789,300 ?1,230,400 ?1,248 ,750 ?651,200 ?1,154,775 NPV (?75,575) NPV = -?5,150,000 + ?789,300 + ?1,230,400 + ?1,248,750 + ?651,200 + ?1,154,775 NPV = (?75,575) Payback Payback = 4,250,000 – 900,000 (Yr 1) – 1,600,000 (Yr 2) = 1750000 ? 1,850,000 (Yr 3) * 12 Payback = 2 Years and 11 months This is a technique used to measure the feasibility of projects in terms of the number of years that it takes to pay back an initial investment. It is measured in number of years till full recovery and the following formula can be used to measure it. Payback = No. of years prior to full recovery + Unrecovered cost at beginning of year/Cash flow during full recovery year. Payback basically represents the period of time during which the initial investment gets recovered. IRR: To calculate IRR, a negative NPV would be calculated. Hence a discount factor of 14% is selected. IRR = LDR + [PV1/PV1-PV2]* (HDR-LDR) LDR = Lower Discount Rate HDR = Higher Discount Rate Pv1 = Present Value at Lower Rate of Return Pv2= Pre sent Value at Higher Rate of Return IRR = 12% + [207,275/ 207,275 – (-75,575) * (14% - 12%)] IRR = 13.46% IRR is the value where the NPV is equal to zero. It is the optimal value where a project is most beneficial. IRR can gauge the profitability of a proposed investment by taking into consideration the concept of discounted cash flows. IRR is not very easy to be calculated as any other accounting measure such as NPV and if done then it does not give accurate answers. It is done on a trial and error. b) Provide a rationale for your treatment of initial research, depreciation and working capital, supporting your answer with links to theory briefly indicate other considerations which might also affect the decision Initial research would not be included within the Net Present Value (NPV) calculation. This is because the initial research cost had already been incurred before starting the project hence the cost was deemed to be a sunk cost. Sunk costs are not to be included within the NPV calculation because these costs have already been incurred and that do not affect the decision of either commencing or aborting any business plan. Depreciation costs do not get included within the calculation of NPV. This is because depreciation is a non-cash item and the NPV purely constitutes cash related items with respect to the time value of money. Although depreciation expense is only included within the NPV calculation in order to ascertain the Tax savings. The tax savings on allowances allowed by the tax authorities are only included

Working with the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered therapy Research Paper

Working with the Gay, Lesbian, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered therapy patient - Research Paper Example These challenges often end up impacting on the actual effectiveness of the therapeutic sessions. It is therefore important for counselors to find out as much information about his patients as possible. In working with lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered clients, this is not much different. The most information which can ensure effectiveness during therapy must be established. This paper shall discuss how counselors can effectively work with lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) clients. It shall synthesize research about the population and present the most important information about working with them. This study is being carried out in order to establish a clear and comprehensive understanding of the LGBT and to ensure effectiveness of the counseling process. Discussion Gays and lesbian and other transgendered individuals often feel isolated from the rest of the world (Callahan, 2001). For the most part, they also have a poor self-image which often prompts them to hide their sexual orientation from the rest of society. They also try to fit into society by trying out conventional and accepted activities and actions for their gender (Callahan, 2001). For counselors working with teen LGBT, they must gather as much information as they can about homosexuality. ... In effect, some experts have expressed the need for counselors to gather up-to-date information about their gay students through a human sexuality course (Callahan, 2001). Such course may assist counselors in recognizing their possible roles involving their suicidal gay students and those going through similar mental breakdowns in relation to their sexuality. In working with LGBTs, it is also important for counselors to be their patients’ advocates, especially in the schools and the communities. Through this advocacy, it is possible to open up the lines of communication between the other students and the gay community – to help incorporate these individuals into mainstream society (Callahan, 2001). Counselors must also try their best to support and protect this sexual minority by creating a safe environment in which these students can enter. By making it safe for them to seek counseling, it is possible to increase the number of LGBTs seeking counseling and eventually he lp safeguard their mental health. In a study by Bartlett, et.al., (2001) the authors set out to establish the therapeutic approaches taken by contemporary psychotherapists and psychoanalysts in relation to their gay and lesbian clients. They were able to establish that gays and lesbians seeking psychoanalytic therapy in the National Health Service for personal reasons would have difficulties finding gay therapists if they want one. This study also established that clients may often encounter overt or covert bias, including the pathologisation of homosexuality (Bartlett, et.al., 2001). In a paper by Godfrey, et.al., (2006) the authors set out to determine the knowledge, experiences, and values that therapists must possess in order to ensure quality therapy services for gays,

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh Essay

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh - Essay Example We may be able to see a figurative â€Å"sunshine† on the paper after a poet or a writer has written something that will move us but not the literal sunshine. The definition of the word interbeing in itself is confusing and in fact can even be contradictory in terms. Especially when Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† (10). Dissecting the terms and their meaning of his text, he seemed to contradict himself of what he meant by being alone because by being alone is being without anyone else and how could I not be alone with myself when nobody is no longer around. Of course I am already alone by myself then. (b) Defend his argument by adding additional evidence or crafting an additional   logical proof   Thich Nhat Hanh’s  Interbeing has to be read in the greater context of the belief system of which it operates which is Buddhism. Reading it by itself without inferring to a greater context of which it has to serve a purpo se, the text will render the reader confused, with the author’s work becoming pointless because the texts cannot be understood as it is full of contradictions and stretched out connections. It will also be very difficult to understand because the allegory does not make any sense. In the text, Thich Nhat Hanh’s mentioned that it is just not possible that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† but I already am when nobody is around. And we cannot see the paper at the same time (Thich Nhat Hanh 9) because you are not here with me looking at the same text that I am reading. You may be looking at the same text but it would be another copy of the text, not the exact paper that I am reading. But in Thich Nhat Hanh’s perspective, we can actually be looking at the same paper even without your physical presence. To appreciate Thich Nhat Hanh text, we have to understand the theology of Bhavat Gita that motivated the meaning of Interbeing. While Bhagavad Gita is as common to the Buddhist as the Bible to the Christian, it is still a strange idea to a non-Buddhist especially if the reader’s perspective is oriented towards western philosophy and using it as a yardstick for understanding the text. The text is reflective Bhavat Gita’s concept of karma that everything is just a cycle and interrelated including life and death. This process of karma is ever continuing to improve one’s karma until enlightenment and vijnana is achieved. So everything in this world is in a continuum and nothing exists by itself because all is subjected to the law of karma which is cyclical and interrelated. When Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you just cannot be alone by yourself† it was in fact logical when viewed with the perspective of a Buddhist. â€Å"To be† is to be â€Å"inter-be† because nature’s natural order of things is for us to be in commune with everything around us that there is no such thing as â⠂¬Å"just yourself†. To be â€Å"yourself† meant â€Å"to be with† because the natural order of the â€Å"self† is to serve karma which necessitates to be â€Å"inter-be†. Under this lens, seeing the parents of the logger or the sunshine on the paper is no longer improbable or illogical. For the paper is a part of the bigger scheme of things that are interrelated and came into being not only with the inputs of production of the

Operations Process and Projects, Assignment Questions Essay

Operations Process and Projects, Assignment Questions - Essay Example Nersesian (2002) defined operations management as the design, operation, and improvement of the system that create and delivers firms' products and service combinations. Moreover, it deals with the proper allocation of resources and the strategic acquisition of technology. Some managers contend that the external environment is too influential to be ignored. Therefore, operations management also includes the proper consideration of the outside entities as contributing agent that will eventually affect the performance of the firm. The external environment consists of the customers and other economic indicators that contribute to the success and failure of firms. The analysis of operations management is critical in the success of firms. Some practitioners have instituted organisations that specifically tackle issues concerning operations management. In the next discussion, manner in which IFS renovated its operations will be illustrated. It is interesting to examine the approaches used by IFS to address the current operational predicaments. Moreover, it is important to equate other processes that were excluded from the methods used by the company. IFS Limited is a manufacturing company primarily providing supplies for retail and other purposes. Although the company has continued to exist with relative success, recent setbacks have made the company revisit its operational procedures. In particular, clients have cited the lack of quality delivery provided by IFS. The specific complaints of the customers involve the failure to satisfy the delivery requirements in quantity. In addition, some clients have pointed that the company has failed to provide prior notices for failed orders. Furthermore, deliveries that were completed exceeded the agreed time causing delays in displaying the goods in retail outlets. It is indeed imperative to create a supply chain that allows more flexibility and eliminate the problems as identified by the consumers. Initially, the plan was to implement Agile Operations Initiative that secure top notch supply chain and will limit tendencies of tardiness in deliveries. The project has adapted advanced technologies and focused on communication as its core attribute. In addition, information is being updated to determine changes in trends especially in designing quality supply chain. Definitely, the process will require several changes and an evaluation of the current system used by the company which determined as problematic. The process involves the entire organisation and the attributes that combine with the entities. Developing the supply chain requires the similar methods used in project planning. Stages such as conception, development, implementation, and termination are important points to be considered. The company needs to specifically create a system that will integrate the positive attributes of the company and the operational procedures that provide positive short-term and long-term outcomes. Project Evaluation The extent of scope covered by the project is creatively established in the project. Forecasting is an effective mechanism and allows the strategist to determine trends in customer demands. The predictions based on previous orders will enable the company to design supply chain that is flexible and becomes highly responsive in periods when the demand is high. After the forecasts have

Child and Youth Friendly Banking Product Development Guide Research Paper

Child and Youth Friendly Banking Product Development Guide - Research Paper Example Today the youth population globally is 1.2 billion representing the world’s largest youth population (UNCDF, 2012). This research analysis examined the feasibility of offering child and youth friendly banking products (CYFI) as a partial solution to the problems confronting children and young people in terms of achieving a viable economic future. In order to analyse the challenges and opportunities for CYFI, an empirical study was conducted in which a total of 10 executives from different banks were interviewed. It is concluded that the provision of CYFI can only be achieved through a multi-agency approach which includes policy makers, legislators, bankers, educators and other financial services. This partnership is necessary to overcome the risks associated with contracting with minors, the relative immaturity of minors relative to their ability to understand and take responsibility for financial management and other challenges that will be identified in this research report analysis. Table of contents INTRODUCTION LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 1 1. Introduction 2. Research Question 3. Methodology 4. Literature review CHAPTER 2 1. Why are child and youth friendly banking products important? 2. What would the ideal child and youth financial product look like? 3. What is the current state of child and youth friendly banking products? 4. What are real-life examples of characteristics of child and youth friendly banking products? 5. What is the current state of certification? CHAPTER 3 1. Findings 2. Conclusion Reference INTRODUCTION According to the CYFI access to financial products by youth and children is described as either a savings or checking account held by a child or a young person who is under the age of 18. The child or young person is also required to have significant control over the account and includes means by which the child or youth has â€Å"financial incentives†, includes strategies for communicating employment, is connected to financ ing the child or youth’s education, canvasses the child or youth’s â€Å"satisfaction†, and has â€Å"internal controls† for monitoring these factors. Once the criteria as set forth below is met, the financial institution offering CYFI is eligible for certification for providing Child and Youth Friendly Banking Products (Child & Youth Finance International). The Child and Youth Finance Movement began the initiative for encouraging and implementing policies and services that comport with five core principles. The first of these core principles are informed by international human rights and in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989. In this regard, the first core principle maintains that children and young people are entitled to human and economic rights and protections. The second core principle advocates that institutions have a duty to operate their business affairs so that children and

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh Essay

Buddist Text- The Heart of Understanding Thich Nhat Hanh - Essay Example We may be able to see a figurative â€Å"sunshine† on the paper after a poet or a writer has written something that will move us but not the literal sunshine. The definition of the word interbeing in itself is confusing and in fact can even be contradictory in terms. Especially when Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† (10). Dissecting the terms and their meaning of his text, he seemed to contradict himself of what he meant by being alone because by being alone is being without anyone else and how could I not be alone with myself when nobody is no longer around. Of course I am already alone by myself then. (b) Defend his argument by adding additional evidence or crafting an additional   logical proof   Thich Nhat Hanh’s  Interbeing has to be read in the greater context of the belief system of which it operates which is Buddhism. Reading it by itself without inferring to a greater context of which it has to serve a purpo se, the text will render the reader confused, with the author’s work becoming pointless because the texts cannot be understood as it is full of contradictions and stretched out connections. It will also be very difficult to understand because the allegory does not make any sense. In the text, Thich Nhat Hanh’s mentioned that it is just not possible that â€Å"you cannot just be by yourself alone† but I already am when nobody is around. And we cannot see the paper at the same time (Thich Nhat Hanh 9) because you are not here with me looking at the same text that I am reading. You may be looking at the same text but it would be another copy of the text, not the exact paper that I am reading. But in Thich Nhat Hanh’s perspective, we can actually be looking at the same paper even without your physical presence. To appreciate Thich Nhat Hanh text, we have to understand the theology of Bhavat Gita that motivated the meaning of Interbeing. While Bhagavad Gita is as common to the Buddhist as the Bible to the Christian, it is still a strange idea to a non-Buddhist especially if the reader’s perspective is oriented towards western philosophy and using it as a yardstick for understanding the text. The text is reflective Bhavat Gita’s concept of karma that everything is just a cycle and interrelated including life and death. This process of karma is ever continuing to improve one’s karma until enlightenment and vijnana is achieved. So everything in this world is in a continuum and nothing exists by itself because all is subjected to the law of karma which is cyclical and interrelated. When Thich Nhat Hanh mentioned that â€Å"you just cannot be alone by yourself† it was in fact logical when viewed with the perspective of a Buddhist. â€Å"To be† is to be â€Å"inter-be† because nature’s natural order of things is for us to be in commune with everything around us that there is no such thing as â⠂¬Å"just yourself†. To be â€Å"yourself† meant â€Å"to be with† because the natural order of the â€Å"self† is to serve karma which necessitates to be â€Å"inter-be†. Under this lens, seeing the parents of the logger or the sunshine on the paper is no longer improbable or illogical. For the paper is a part of the bigger scheme of things that are interrelated and came into being not only with the inputs of production of the

Child and Youth Friendly Banking Product Development Guide Research Paper

Child and Youth Friendly Banking Product Development Guide - Research Paper Example Today the youth population globally is 1.2 billion representing the world’s largest youth population (UNCDF, 2012). This research analysis examined the feasibility of offering child and youth friendly banking products (CYFI) as a partial solution to the problems confronting children and young people in terms of achieving a viable economic future. In order to analyse the challenges and opportunities for CYFI, an empirical study was conducted in which a total of 10 executives from different banks were interviewed. It is concluded that the provision of CYFI can only be achieved through a multi-agency approach which includes policy makers, legislators, bankers, educators and other financial services. This partnership is necessary to overcome the risks associated with contracting with minors, the relative immaturity of minors relative to their ability to understand and take responsibility for financial management and other challenges that will be identified in this research report analysis. Table of contents INTRODUCTION LITERATURE REVIEW CHAPTER 1 1. Introduction 2. Research Question 3. Methodology 4. Literature review CHAPTER 2 1. Why are child and youth friendly banking products important? 2. What would the ideal child and youth financial product look like? 3. What is the current state of child and youth friendly banking products? 4. What are real-life examples of characteristics of child and youth friendly banking products? 5. What is the current state of certification? CHAPTER 3 1. Findings 2. Conclusion Reference INTRODUCTION According to the CYFI access to financial products by youth and children is described as either a savings or checking account held by a child or a young person who is under the age of 18. The child or young person is also required to have significant control over the account and includes means by which the child or youth has â€Å"financial incentives†, includes strategies for communicating employment, is connected to financ ing the child or youth’s education, canvasses the child or youth’s â€Å"satisfaction†, and has â€Å"internal controls† for monitoring these factors. Once the criteria as set forth below is met, the financial institution offering CYFI is eligible for certification for providing Child and Youth Friendly Banking Products (Child & Youth Finance International). The Child and Youth Finance Movement began the initiative for encouraging and implementing policies and services that comport with five core principles. The first of these core principles are informed by international human rights and in particular the Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989. In this regard, the first core principle maintains that children and young people are entitled to human and economic rights and protections. The second core principle advocates that institutions have a duty to operate their business affairs so that children and

Resume Professional Profile Essay Example for Free

Resume Professional Profile Essay Professional Profile A dedicated professional consultant with experience in management and business organization. Client focused, management driven, goal oriented, a team player, detail and research oriented, enterprising work ethic and solid integrity. Accountable and well organized. Skills and Certifications Primavera Software Complete MS Office package; Including MS Project, WordPerfect, Outlook Calendar, Registrar, Corel Draw, PageMaker,  Calendar Creator Plus E-mail, Internet design programs, SAVRR, CSTX System, Phoenix Typing 110 wpm, 10-key/touch Dbase III, Visio, Training Server Registration TAS Navigator Upgrade MS Access, Viewpoint   Purchasing Plus software, Blue-stake EZ-Trak P3 Scheduling Document Express Documentum Expedition IRMO RMS   Maximo Professional/Interpersonal Skills Asset Recognition Transfer – government to government, contractor to government; received recognition for leading the AFCEE Contractors in top closeouts at PMR Knowledge of Project Management Portals used by various AFCEE contractors (lap. lagunaconstruction; Ecconet; kbrconnect; URSConnect) Primavera Expedition Document Controls Administrator Contract Data Requirement List (CDRL) Experience with: JCCI, NAFVAC, AFCEE, MOE, MOD, DOD, COE Overseas Project Close-out/De-mobilization Plans (JCCI, NAFVAC, AFCEE, MOE, MOD, DOD, COE) close-out and turned over 600 projects totaling over 3 billion in revenue. SOP development and implementation Built and implemented Complete Document Control program (Halliburton ECCI) Catalogue Secure all Design As-Built drawings in accordance with SOP-206 Engineering Assistant Manage Overseas Man Camp/billets; security contracts; life support Team Development and Leadership training for Iraqi Local Nationals Manage Overseas Man Camp/billets; security contracts; life support Government Property Management for all Iraq and U.S. Area (JCCI, AFCEE, COE, PMO, NAVFAC, MNSTC-I) Task Orders, in-depth knowledge of the DD1354 and DD1149, DD250, Property Material Transfer and Supply procedures. International Logistics Manager Petty Cash Management / Payroll (maintain 100k average) Budgeting Skills Procurement Skills Contracts/Subcontracts (FAR) administration skills RFQ (request for quotes) Wrote, implemented, and manage the first AFCEE Warranty Program in Iraq Leasing skills Management and Organizational skills Facilities Management Skills ESL Instruction/Indochinese Refugees International Business Development Support (Proposal Production; Time line scheduling, etc.) Portal Maintenance; development; training and design Professional/Consulting Experience Laguna Construction Company, Baghdad, Iraq Project Manager-Task Order Contract Closeout Identify, perform QC/QA on all Contract Deliverables while interfacing with Client AFCEE/MNSTC-I for transfer of reach back and ongoing Task orders.   SME for JCCI/MNSTCI closeout processes for MoF closure of MoD contracts.   Maintain Company Database; on-site acting Contract Compliance Manager.   Set up and expedite best practices for company.   Other duties as team requires. Berger-URS-JV, PCO-GRD Baghdad, Iraq Closeout Control Manager for Facilities and Transportation Provide lead support role in project closeout activities.   Set metric-based goals, regular tracking and reporting close-out progress using computer applications.   Support transfer of facilities to owner.   Consolidate project files.   Manage electronic files, using Excel and database applications such as Maximo, IRMO, RMS and â€Å"P† drive.   Represent closeout group at weekly meetings and provide verbal and written reports.   Maintain action items and notifies designated managers of overdue items. Kellogg, Brown, and Root Services, CONCAP Program, International Locations Document Controls-Project Closeout Manager Project Closeout Specialist preparing deliverables for NAVFAC and preparing Demobilization and Closure Plan for submission.   Document Closeout – Primavera Expedition.   Implemented Documents Control sub-department and wrote SOP for Documents Control Specialist.   Delivered over 600 million in CONCAP Task Orders from Dec. 2005 thru July 2006. Document Control Manager (Procurement Materials) Serve as document liaison for Regional Baghdad PMP (Property, Materials and Procurement) operations in Taji, Camp Cooke.   Wrote and implemented theatre wide Data base program networked to encompass all PMP operations.   Reported on procurement, and contracting activities to Houston office.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Maintained records retention schedules for International/Military Documents.   Monitored quality reporting under Master Agreements as it relates contractually. Managed and reported petty cash funds between Regional offices in Baghdad Taji, Camp Cooke.   Manage logistics of office and field supplies. ECCI, AFCEE Program, Baghdad, Iraq  Ã‚   Administrative Operations Manager, Logistics Manager, Government Property Liaison Currently travel 75% of the time in Theatre, closing out Task Orders and Writing Closure/Demobilization plans for completed projects.  Ã‚   Responsible for preparing CDRL Deliverables in the form of Turnover packages on all Projects to Client.   Work closely with client on Portal management.   Manage the Iraq Post closeout Warranty program.   Tasked to write SOP’s in an effort to standardize practices within theatre. Currently work in Program Controls in a Management Capacity in the areas of International Logistics, Document Control implementation, Government Property Controls and Task Order Operations. When supporting An Numaniyah Military Base as Operations Administrative Manager, duties included the management of day to day Administrative operations. Supervised up to ten employees; maintained payroll; petty cash; timesheet maintenance and distribution for ECCI and private Consultants, set up complete file maintenance system; wrote and implemented Administrative Office procedures.   Acted as liaison between the Client and ECCI; developed and implemented first Document Control Category Classifier for Retention of Records in Iraq, handled Administrative Turn-over of a 58 million dollar project to our client, AFCEE. Implemented and closed-out Project Documents.   Coordinate with Security and Program Managers during development and implementation of the demobilization plan.   Primary point of contact for all incoming and outgoing logistics; including employees; supplies; mail; etc.   Maintained project leave schedule; including processing all forms for leave, expenses, petty cash disbursements, cash advances, and Personnel Change Notifications.   Supported the Project Cost Specialist by expediting invoices during leave; Implemented and delivered a complete inventory of Government Property. Updated six months of post dated Portal data, maintained and QC’d daily maintenance of ANMB Portal.  Ã‚   Worked with Headquarters to improve Portal delivery to AFCEE, and delivered feed-back to enhance Portal friendliness.   Continue to trained   Operations Assistants, Project Managers, and Quality Managers in all duties, focusing on Document Control; Portal Maintenance; petty cash distribution; and coping strategies of living and working in the field.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Performed all other duties assigned by Director of Operations and Program Controls. ECCI, UXO-CEA Program, Al-Taji Iraq Financial Specialist/ Logistics Coordinator Served in dual roles managing human resource documentation, employee time sheets, travel reimbursements, document control, and responsible for the following Reporting efforts:   Operations Reporting; SitRep Reporting, Weekly Corps of Engineer Reporting.   Maintained controlled file management for munitions records.   Serve as primary Dispatch for Taji Base operations.   Worked closely with Iraqi Nationals in the capacity of Contract Administrator for the Rafiadian Security force and served as the Local Labor force Liaison.   Attend Base Defense meetings, supervised two Iraqi Interpreters, and coordinated Billeting efforts with Parsons Logistics.   Developed and maintained close contact with Mayor Cell at Camp Cooke. Additional duties needed. Pierson Construction/Engineering Firm, Tempe Arizona Dispatch/Purchasing Agent Supervise company runner; Dispatch, Purchase and Coordinate 12 full crews on 15 open jobs in multi-million dollar Water and Sewer projects.   Managed various logs, purchase order preparations, price-out and award contracts for all materials and equipment.   Developed and maintain systems integrity within Company’s computer tracking system, and all other duties as assigned.   Expedited all below grade piping and aggregate from Suppliers in US and Internationally.    Dell Computer Corporation/Dell University, Austin, TX Administrative Specialist (Promotion w/in Dell Computer Corporation) Project centered position, supporting V.P. of Human Resources  Product Services Group.   Use high level of discernment and confidentiality working with employment, salary and stock option planning.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sr. Administrative Assistant   Support three program managers and one director by managing and coordinating meetings and training events between Suppliers, Executive Offices, and lines of business.   Outlook calendar and e-mail management. Record and distribute minutes for three Global Task Forces. Process and drive Contracts, Statement of Work, Non-disclosure Agreement’s, Purchase Requisitions and Orders, by working closely w/Procurement, Legal and Accounts Payable.   Coordinate all aspects of Inter-National and domestic travel for managers/director.   Utilized Excel to manage department Budget, and monitor metrics in Road mapping projects.   Proficient in Microsoft Access for tracking logistics, confirm training and vendor records. Program Administrator responsible for team of consultants contracted under QSAT.   General Office practices.    Office of the Attorney General, Austin, TX Training Specialist II, (Promotion within Office of the Attorney General) Developed, researched, delivered the following training: Customer Service, Stress Management, Telephone Etiquette, Office Administration, Records Management Retention Scheduling, WP6.1 intro and intermediate, WP5.1, Intro to Olivetti, CPR and First Aide, Financial Collections Procedures, Introduction to logistics, Human Resource, Technical, Safety, Management Training.   Traveled 70%.   Served as a consultant to various departments and field offices to understand specific requirements needs to provide research options and solutions.    Training Media Coordinator/Conference Meeting Planner Planned statewide logistics for conference/training space, food and beverage, vendor hospitality and sleeping rooms.   Handle special conferences as mandated by Director of Child Support.   Negotiated and processed contracts and associated paperwork for out-of-agency training facilities, sleeping rooms and equipment statewide. Developed and maintained a database for statewide training and conference events. Managed and planned build-out specifications and Building Inventory for 15 off-site PC training centers statewide.   Coordinated and maintained all Media.   Designed, coordinated, maintained and distributed training calendar state wide.   Previewing hotels in-state and out-of-state for possible conference sites.   Evaluated software packages for conversion of Training Scheduling and Database.   Systems Administrator-Registrar.    Education Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas Business Administration/Computer Science 1988 Austin Community College, Austin, Texas Accounting 1980 References Letters of Recommendation are available upon request

Histological Features of Skeletal Muscle

Histological Features of Skeletal Muscle Objectives The aim of this report is to describe the basic histological features of a skeletal muscle and the differences between type I and type II skeletal muscle fibres. I will also describe the motor neuron unit and explain Hennemans size principle of recruiting motor units. Observations The basic features of skeletal muscle General Structure   Ã‚   The main function of skeletal muscle is to provide support, maintain posture and provide movement. Skeletal muscles comprise of densely packed groups of elongated cells which are known as muscle fibres, which are held together by fibrous connective tissue. Many capillaries penetrate this tissue to enable muscles to be supplied with oxygen and glucose needed for muscle contraction. Skeletal muscle is comprised of bundles of long striated fibres; the striated appearance is caused by the repeated structure of the fibres inside the muscle cell (Page, 2001). Individual muscle cells are called myocytes and muscles are made up of bundles of individual muscle cells. These bundles are called fascicles. Each muscle cell is surrounded by a connective tissue cover called the endomysium, and each bundle is surrounded by a connective tissue covering called the perimysium. Fascicles form muscle which is surrounded by a connective tissue called the epimysium. Skeletal muscles are made up of three types of fibres. Type I (red/ slow fibres), type IIa (red/ fast fibres) and type IIb (white/ fast fibres). Type I fibres are slow-contracting muscle fibres and they have a very dense capillary network, because these fibres have a high capacity for ATP production and a low myosin ATPase activity compared to type II fibres; the main pathway for ATP production is aerobic cellular respiration. Type IIa fibres have a higher myosin ATPase activity than type I fibres, a high capacity for ATP production and a dense capillary network; because of this the main pathway for ATP production is aerobic cellular respiration. Type IIa also has high levels of intracellular myoglobin. Type IIb fibres have a higher myosin ATPase activity than type I fibres but a lower capacity for ATP production and a lighter capillary network; this means that the main pathway for ATP production is anaerobic glycosis, which is fast but not sustainable for as long as aerobic respirat ion which means muscle fatigue happens sooner. There is no intracellular myoglobin unlike type I and IIa, which means that it is white in colour (Types of skeletal muscle Fibres, 2016). The structure of the sarcomere The plasma membrane of the skeletal muscle fibre is the sarcolemma and contains cylindrical structures called myofibrils. The myofibrils practically fill the cells and push the nuclei to the edges of the cell. Each myofibril have light and dark bands and are aligned with each other so that the light and dark bands are next to each other; this gives the cells their striated appearance. The light bands are called I bandsand the dark bands are called A bands. In the middle of the I bands there is a line which is called the Z line and in the middle of the A bands there is a light zone called the H zone. In the middle of the H zone there is another line called the M line. The sarcomere consists of several individual protein elements and some of these proteins are thread-like proteins called myofilaments. There are two main types of myofilaments. The thick myofilaments which are made up of proteins molecules called myosin. The myosin molecules are shaped like golf clubs with long shafts. Myosin forms the thick myofilaments by forming bundles in which the heads of the golf clubs stick out at either end of the filament and the shafts form a bare zone in the middle of the filaments. The heads of the thick myofilaments form attachments with the other type of myofilaments, the thin actin myofilaments and these attachments are called cross bridges.The heads are the areas on the thick myofilaments that use the energy in the ATP molecule to power the muscle contraction. The second type are the thin myofilaments, which are made of the protein actin. They have binding sites to which the heads of the thick myofilaments attach (Hwang, 2015). The triad A triad is a structure that is formed from a T-tubule with a sarcoplasmic reticulum known as the terminal cisternae on either side. Each skeletal muscle fibre has many thousands of triads, visible in muscle fibres that have been sectioned longitudinally (Al-Qusairi Laporte, 2011). Table 1; Comparison of the different types of skeletal muscle fibres (Bushell, 2013) The structure of a motor unit A motor unit is made from a motor neuron and the skeletal muscle fibres innervated by that motor neurons axonal terminals (Purves, et al., 2001). A group of motor units is called a motor pool and the number of fibres in each unit can differ within muscles. This impacts precision and force generation. Differential initiation of single or multiple motor units with a motor pool can therefore control precision and force of movement. Hennemans size principle of motor unit recruitment Hennemans size principle states that; motor units are recruited from smallest to largest and as more force is needed, motor units are recruited in a certain order per the extent of their force output. This means that the smaller units are recruited first which means that it reduces the amount of fatigue an organism experiences by only using fatigue resistant muscle fibres, unless a higher force is needed and then fatigable fibres are used. This means that slow twitch, low-force, and fatigue resistance muscle fibres are activated before fast twitch, high-force, less fatigue resistant muscle fibres (Bawa, Jones, Stein, 2014). The motor unit and the Hennemans size principle of motor unit recruitment The structure of the motor unit A motor unit is constructed from a motor neuron and skeletal muscle fibres, they innervated by the axonal terminals (Purves, et al., 2001). The motor neuron and its muscle unit are inseparable in function, this is because the action potetial in the neurons activates the fibres of the muscle unit (Karpati, 2010). A group of motor unit are gathered in columnar, spinal nuclei and this is called motor neuron pools. The number of fibres in each unit can differ from another and this then affects the force generation and the precision of the movement (Present, 1997). The Hennemans size principle of recruiting motor unit The Hennemans size principle expresses that motor units that are recruited from the smallest to the largest, this is because if more force is needed, then are recruited in a certain order due to the extent of their force output. Therefore, this means that the smallest motor units are employed first and this reduces the amount of fatigue that an organism experiences, by only using fatigue resistant muscle fibres, unless a higher force is needed, then fatigable fibres are used (Bawa, Jones, Stein, 2014). References Al-Qusairi, L., Laporte, J. (2011). T-tubule biogenesis and triad formation in skeletal muscle and implication in human diseases. Skeletal Muscle, 1(1). doi:10.1186/2044-5040-1-26 Bawa, P., Jones, K., Stein, R. (2014). Assessment of size ordered recruitment. 8. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4112781/ Bushell, D. (2013). Muscle-specific hypertrophy: Chest, Triceps and shoulders. Retrieved from TheGymLifestyle: http://blog.thegymlifestyle.com/muscle-specific-hypertrophy-chest-triceps-shoulders/ Hwang, P. (2015). Targeting the sarcomere to correct muscle function. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 14(5). doi:10.1038/nrd4554 Page, M. (2001). Human body: An illustrated guide to every part of the human body and how it works. (A. Baggaley, Ed.) London: Dorling Kindersley Publishers. Purves, D., Augustine, G., Fitzpatrick, D., Katz, L., LaMantia, A.-S., McNamara, J., Williams, M. (2001). The Motor Unit. Sinauer Associates. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10874/ Types of skeletal muscle Fibres. (2016). Retrieved from Ivy Roses: http://www.ivyroses.com/HumanBody/Muscles/types-of-skeletal-muscle-fibers.php

Economics and the Environment :: Sustainable Growth Essays

Mainstream economic thought of the 20th century was dominated by the principle of ‘more is better’, this thinking is dangerously misguided. Concentrating on maximizing real GNP has been brought about by economists who are working on the assumption that growth is always justified, because of the infinite wants of the population. These economists also see growth as a solution to the problems of the world today. Even those who propose ‘sustainable growth’ are false in that they assume that it is possible to continue with the growth of the last two centuries. Some of the fallacies being put forth are growth as a solution to pollution, â€Å"trickle down† effect of growth needed to help the poor, and technological salvation. They feel the exponential growth of the present can continue as long as technology can keep up, and that resource efficiency can grow indefinitely so as to stabilize resource flow. By analyzing these arguments we can see their contra dictory tendencies and show that by prioritizing ‘growth’ alone, the global economy and its participants will be worse off. First, there is a natural response to the word growth. It being a sense of advancement or betterment, this is not always the case. The notion of growth must always carry with it a concept of maturity. Growing beyond it would give rise to problems. For example, when a baby grows its parents are pleased and even show off to their friends at every inch and pound. However, imagine that the baby continued to grow infinitely! The parents would be concerned to say the least. The baby would outgrow its house parents and everything else it depends on for growth. Common sense tells us that there is reasonable level at which everything must grow, beyond which it is considered detrimental to itself and its surroundings. Our economy is a subset of the ecosystem we live in, and must grow to proportions that are reasonable to it. It definitely cannot continue to grow outside of it, nor should it grow to a point where it is harmful to the ecosystem. The economy being dependent upon the ecosystem mu st adhere itself to achieving a state of compatibility with environment. Logic follows then, what is the optimal level of economic output? How do we decide what level should be maintained. We certainly cannot use the standard of the average american. In order to get that, we would have to increase the world economy by a multiple of seven! As it stands now human being use up a little more than a fourth of the worlds net primary product of photosynthesis.

The Patriarchal Roots of Evil: Mass Rape and its Implications :: Free Essays Online

The Patriarchal Roots of Evil: Mass Rape and its Implications Imagine this scene. A woman is being brought through the forest. Someone had, very tactically, tied her to a cross in a vertical manner, and by the painful look on her face, the worst is yet to come. The woman is being carried by what is soon to become her audience. It consists mostly of other women by looks very similar to their friend on the cross: malnourished, zombie-like, bodies painted with blood of the bruises that never were given a chance to heal. Most of their clothes are ripped, and this is but one indication of the things that happen in a repeated motion night, after night, after night. When they arrive at the clearing area, the audience is ordered to sit down and watch, by very well armed, male guards who were following them the entire way. Only now do we see that the woman on the cross is pregnant. In any other case it would possibly be less noticeable, but that woman, at that exact moment, was cut open with a knife. In her belly, a baby could be seen moving. The audien ce does not move, nor protest. They know better. The only difference between them, and the woman on the cross, is that they, if stayed quiet, still have a chance of survival. The guards react differently. In trance-like excitement they clap, screaming, "Die, Muslim Whore! Die before you pollute the world with your bastard! If you gave birth to a Chetnik you?d be let go." Fifteen minutes later, both, the baby and its mother were dead. The above example is an interpretation of a roughly similar scene told to Catherine MacKinnon by one of the survivors in the audience. This event specifically occurred in the aggression over Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the 1992 to 1995 war, but it is not very different from the crimes inflicted onto women during other political conflicts, out of which mass rape used as a weapon of war is the most often occurring scenario. Since the beginning of recorded history, when the conflict arises women are raped, and some are then killed, regardless if conflict be on a local, national or an international level. (In this essay, war will be the example of conflict.) While Bosnia offers an example most known to today's generations this type of violence is not a new phenomena: a slight change of a year and tragedies of women of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Germany, India, Kenya, Peru, Rwanda, Somalia (and many, many more) do not seem as foreign.