About myself Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

About myself - Essay Example I came all the way from this land to the U.S. in the belief that exploring knowledge via other places away from home is vital to life and in pursuit of English studies as well. Prior to migrating in America, I spent all my early school days in Brazil. I had already taken several interesting courses in college which includes subjects in Math, Health, Psychology, Comp, and CPR. Currently, I am enrolled in History, Chemistry, College Algebra, and the last Comp III. I believe that History is an essential part of the curriculum in order for the class, especially for foreign students like me, to acquire a necessary understanding of the U.S. culture. By taking History, I expect to learn about the period when the Americans fought for their independence against British invasion and matters concerning civil rights movements. Furthermore, I wish to find out how American societies were formed during the 19th century and the manners by which men and women expressed their fashion and attitude at that point in time. Much as I expect ease of comprehension in learning the history of the U.S., I look forward to being able to pass each given test, participate well, and share my views in class to yield a remarkable grade at the end of the

Dunkin donuts corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dunkin donuts corporation - Assignment Example Dunkin’ Donuts competes with Starbucks in coffee sales and Krispy Kreme in donut sales. This paper takes a closer look at Dunkin’ Donuts with regards to its competitors, strategic group map and its position in the market. The list of restaurants in the coffee and donut industry is incredibly long. According to hoovers, a D&B Company reports, the top competitors of Dunkin’ Donuts are Starbucks Corporation in coffee, Krispy Kremeand Dairy Queen in donuts and ice cream and McDonald in limited-service restaurant. In 2005 Starbuck had a 43% market share in gourmet coffee while Dunkin’ Donut had 27% followed by Krispy Kreme with 5% share (Dunkin’ Donuts, 7). In the same report, Dunkin’ Donuts was ranked the leading Donut and ice cream chain with a market share of 28.5% followed by Tim Horton’s with 27% and Dairy Queen with a 20.2% market share. Although Dunkin’ Donuts deals in donuts and other baked products, the product that brings the company a relatively bigger profit is the varieties of coffee drinks they serve. It sells approximately 1 billion cups of coffee in a year (Dunkin’ Brands Corporation, n.pg).This credits Dunkin’ donutsas one of the three java giants the other two being Starbucks and McDonald. Dunkin’ Donuts has the number one share of coffee beverages, donut, bagel, and muffin servings. In addition, it managed to have the second share in breakfast and quick service restaurants and is recognized as first in customer loyalty in the coffee category for the last eight years in business. Furthermore, it was ranked tenth in 2012 franchise 500 in fast food survey of quick refreshment chains. Strategic group map mechanism has enabled Dunkin’ Donuts to understand its competitors and look for its position in the market. There are a number of strategies that have been introduced by Strategic group map mechanism. The first strategy was coming up with friendly prices of its products. Its products are affordable and cheaper

A Case Study Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay

A Case Study Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay This case study is in relation to a 19 year old adult, Shaku who suffers from learning disability. Shakus heritage is East African/ Punjabi and both her parents are people who work full time. Shaku lives with her parents, bothers, sister and grand mother. The family of Shaku is not a devoted Muslim family but it has been observed that they value their traditions. Regarding Shakus learning disability, her speech is impaired and she is physically disabled and requires assistance with personal care tasks. Although she is disabled, but she is like a normal girl in many ways, who loves fashionable cloths, loves to watch movies and misses her friends from school. Shaku has a speech and language therapist, Jean who is working with her with computerized assistive technology. A learning disability affects the way someone learns, communicates or does some everyday things. Someone has a learning disability all through his or her life. There are many different types of learning disability. They can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with a mild learning disability do not need a lot of support in their lives. But other people may need support with all sorts of things, like getting dressed, going shopping, or filling out forms. Some people with a learning disability also have a physical disability. This can mean they need a lot of mental and physical support 24 hours a day. Shaku has been attending a local authority ran day centre, Hopefield Road Resource Centre for people with learning disabilities three times a week for the last 12 months. In addition to this she has a care agency, Helpful hands visiting at home three times a day, for one and a half hours at a time to help her with simple everyday tasks. Shaku is getting more and more frustrated and angry everyday. There are many reasons for her verbally abusive out bursts. After interviewing her, this is what I came to know about her family back ground and the way things are going for Shaku. Shaku feels she is a burden on her parents, as both of them are working parents; they do not have the time to look after her. This also frustrated Shaku as she needs more time from people who love her and are close to her. Shaku does get some amount of support from her grandmother but that is not enough as she can not openly communicate with her in Punjabi. Shaku feels uncomfortable being left up to others. Even though she can not perform everyday tasks by herself, she still finds this inconvenient. For example, she does not like to go to bed early. Shaku is disturbed by the thought of the centre closing because then she would not have any activities to do. Although Shaku portrays a friendly attitude towards Kerry, she is not comfortable with her presence and is somewhat feeling being abused. Another important issue in Shakus life is about what will happen to her in future. She is unsure and uncertain. Her parents plan on marrying her, to which she does not give a favourable response. Explain the likely policy and legislative framework which underpins the scenario as it is and that may assist this situation. Discuss the likely impact, usefulness and limitations of such policy and legislative framework. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ people with learning disabilities are citizens first and foremost, and public services, together with the private sector, need to respond appropriately. This means that the responsibility to ensure that all people can enter the workforce is a communitybased responsibility not one simply for health and social care; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ effective person-centred planning is critical, as it ensures services fit the needs of the individual, rather than fitting people into what is available; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ recognising the importance of employment whilst still at school is critical. Ensuring effective individualised transition planning and implementation from education to employment could have a dramatic and long lasting effect on the life experiences of this group and other services; Under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Section 47(1) Shaku is eligible for an assessment of need for community care services. Furthermore, according to The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Section 47(2) Shaku has additional rights that are defined in this act because she suffers from learning and physical disabilities. Under Section 4 of the Disabled Persons (Services and Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, local authorities will need to come to a decision regarding the services that are necessary to be provided to Shaku. The Carers and Disabled Childrens Act 2000 gives carers the right to ask for an assessment of their own needs to help them to continue to care, irrespective of whether the person they are caring for has had or is having their own needs assessment. The assessment is available to any carer who provides or is intending to provide regular and substantial care. The Carers and Disabled Act 2000 also allows, Social Service Departments to provide services directly to carers. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) also applied to Shaku as she has a disability of both physical and mental impairment. As this law states, Shaku will have access to reasonable adjustment to fight with her disability. Shaku is encouraged to take part in public life as this Act has changed the law and extended the rights of disabled people in relation to using transport services, joining private clubs, strengthens rights in the areas of renting premises and discriminatory job advertisements. People like Shaku will receive full support from public bodies and will feel confidence in mingling with the public. Shaku is a Vulnerable Adult, according to the definition of No Secrets A person aged 18 years or over who is or maybe in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness. The Sexual Offences Act 1956 gives Shaku the protection and rights as any other girl. She has rights to: a) To have and enjoy a fulfilling personal relationship; b) The right to express sexual need in an appropriate way if they wish to; c) To privacy; d) To be sexually active; e) To have sexual education, including counselling on personal relationships, sex and sexuality, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases; f) To contraceptive advice and support services; g) To marry or cohabit; h) To make an informed choice about whether or not to have children; i) To be free from exploitation, abuse and degrading treatment; In Shakus case, Kerry is not having a sexual relationship with her but she is being abused to the extent of calling names and touching parts of the body. Section 128 of the Mental Health Act 1959,states that it is an offence for a male member of staff or manager of a hospital or mental nursing home to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is for the time being receiving treatment for mental disorder or is an out patient at the hospital or home. It is also an offence for a guardian to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a person in his custody/care (Mental Health Act 1948) or in Part 111 accommodation (National Assistance Act 1948). The Sexual Offences Act 1967 also makes it an offence for a male member of staff to commit acts of gross indecency on male patients. All prosecutions require the Director of Public Prosecutions consent. According to the Human Rights Act, rights of people with learning disabilities are the same as of their fellow citizens. In March 2008 the Joint Committee on Human Right declared that the HRA provides a legal framework for service providers to abide by, and for service users to demand that they are treated with respect for their dignity. According to the Human Rights Act, Shaku has the right to marry or refuse at her own free will. Shaku is over 18 years old and if she understands the nature of the marriage, she can get married without her parents consent. Otherwise, she would have to have permission of her parents. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the Act) provides the legal framework for acting and making decisions on behalf of Shaku as she lacks the mental capacity to make particular decisions for herself. The person that makes the decision for Shaku will have to adhere with this Act. The five statutory principles are: 1. A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. 2. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all practicable steps to help him to do so have been taken without success. 3. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because he makes an unwise decision. 4. An act done, or decision made, under this Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done, or made, in his best interests. 5. Before the act is done, or the decision is made, regard must be had to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that is less restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of action. The deputy should keep a few things in mind when making decisions; they should only make those decisions they are authorized by the court. They should let the person make the decisions whenever they can, always put they persons best interests first. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 banned the ill treatment of disabled people. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Disability Equality Duty Act promotes disability equality, takes steps to eradicate discrimination and harassment. These laws make the world an easier place to live in for Shaku. Shaku comes from a minority ethnic background which is why she is subject to discrimination and needs a high level of support. According to the Learning Disability Task Force; people belonging from minority ethnic groups experience poverty, racism, discrimination in employment, education, health and social services. There are a few services which adhere to hold sufficient skills which are needed to work with people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities. To prtoct people suffereing from learning disabilities Government departments and local statutory providers are expected to act in accordance with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.  [1]   As mentioned in the Department of Health document; Valuing People Now, a strategy has been set out where all the basic rights in relation to health, inclusion in all the aspects of community, housing education, work, having a family, advocacy, transport, leisure services and social activities, safety in the community and at home, access to justice rights of people with learning disabilities. According to the Governments White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century Shaku has the rights to be educated and have access to employment opportunities. Having an education and earning forherself can make Shaku more independent and confident about her self as time goes by and even diminish the disabilities she has. From these benefits she can also achieve inclusion and visibility in the community. The Working Group research shows the objectives of people with learning disabilities are not different from those of the 6.9 million disabled people of working age in Great Britain. The Working Group also possesses evidence unemployment is damaging to both mental and physical health. Under the Government policy, Shaku is eligible for higher education rights. She can access vocational educational training courses. To get Shaku ready for employment, Entry to Employment (E2E) is a flexible work-based learning programme established across England. E2E concentrates many concerns about the accessibility of work towards young people with learning disabilities. It is an entry/level 1 programme which is proposed to help young people to conquer obstacles that confine their advancement to higher levels. Each programme covers three core areas; basic and key skills, vocational development, and personal and social development. Part C Recommendations Discuss the social work interventions which would be required in this scenario: what would you need to do and how you would approach the scenario? Critically evaluate different options you could consider. First of all, Shaku and her problems need to be understood properly. Everything that is to be done should be in the best interests of Shaku. Better communication methods than speech need to be used when communicating with Shaku, such as pictures, simple text, tapes and videos. When communicating with Shaku, she should be addressed directly giving her a self of confidence in herself and being patient with her whenever needed. Shakus family will be included in her care up to the extent which is comfortable for them with their daily life routine. Shakus family would be trained to help them understand interpret and manage situations that Shaku finds challenging. Shaku should have access to a community service for people with learning disabilities. Small-scale alternative day services provide supported employment or innovative leisure or educational pursuits. A range of Occupational Therapy models will be used to gather relevant information about the individual and to help plan appropriate treatment and intervention. The model of Human Occupation The basis of this model has three elements:- o Volition o Habituation o Performance Capacity Volition refers to the process by which persons are motivated toward and choose what they do. Habituation analyses the persons habits and routines. Performance Capacity analyses the persons mental, physical sensory capabilities Volition, habituation, performance capacity and environmental conditions always resonate together, creating conditions out of which our thoughts, feelings and behaviour emerge (Kielhofner 2004). The model is very useful and can be applied to both very able and less able individuals. It guides us to ask the right clinical questions in order to build a picture with the person, of their life and what they can and want to achieve The Sensory Integration Model This model addresses problems of sensory organisation in the brain. A number of people with learning disabilities have a problem processing sensory information which impacts on their ability to do everyday tasks. By process of assessment and specially designed programmes Occupational Therapists help to adapt the persons responses to sensory information in order for them to become more adaptive in their ability to interact with their environment. The Canadian Model of Operation The theoretical basis of CMOP focuses on the dynamic relationship between the Person spirituality, cognitive, affective and physical Occupation self care, leisure and productivity Environment physical, institutional, cultural, social The person is connected to the environment, and occupation occurs as a result of the interaction between the person and their environment. Another component to the model is Spirituality which is at the core of a person, is influenced by the environment and gives meaning to occupation. There are two main areas of focus in this model: Occupational performance i.e. the result of the interaction between a person, their environment and occupation .â‚ ¬Ã‚  Client-centred practice i.e. the collaboration and partnership formed in the therapeutic process. As Shakus therapies are taking place, Shaku has the issue of marriage she is not comfortable with. As a social worker I would be thinking about what Shaku wants and what her best interests are in. Shakus parents may want the best for her in their opinion by an arrange marriage. Even before anything like this takes place, Shaku should be given knowledge about all the aspects of marriage and the relation ship. In Shakus condition, it will take a considerable amount of time for her to understand everything properly; there is a need for Shakus parents to understand what her condition is and how much she can take in when it comes to issues like marriage. It should be made sure that Shakus parents do give her a considerable amount of time everyday as this can help a great deal in her recovery, If Shaku is to be married she needs to be educated in special programs for parents with learning disabilities. These programs will help Shaku and her parents understand the issues that affect parents who have learning disabilities, what kind of help is out there for parents with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Services An in-house care plan is needed for Shaku. The care plan will feature the information about her daily living, health, medication, personal care, likes, dislikes, wishes, choices and other aspects. The plan will be updated regularly to act in accordance with her changing needs and will be reviewed at an anuual basis. person centred planning is advised to be undertaken by Shaku and her family. This will help them to choose what ever is best suited for them. A care plan will be written down what Shaku transport, social, educational, health and other community-based services can be linked up. Contacting Social Care Direct will the first step towards getting a social care service. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), takes assessments and follow-up reviews on care homes and services throughout the UK. Their website lists all the assessments which can help Shaku and her family to choose the right care home and to locate one near their residence as well. | To make sure the needs of adults with a learning disability are met in the best way, health and social worker should work together. Shakus community learning disability nurse will fulfil common and special health needs which include challenging behaviour. Shakus Occupational therapy treatment programme will be designed based according to her exclusive life style, environment and choices. Clinical psychology provides evidence based assessment and intervention to individuals with a learning disability who may have a wide range of psychological problems, which are often complex and multiple. We undertake Cognitive Assessment, for example, to support service provision in relation to capacity issues. Music therapy is another communication tool which will be used for Shaku which will help her to express herself. The Physiotherapists provide assessment, advice and treatment to people with a musculo-skeletal problem associated to their learning disability, and any training their carers/famil y need to help them with this. Specifically, we support mobility, posture, eating and drinking and health living, including walking and exercise groups. As necessary, we liaise with other health professionals and non-health professionals in a variety of settings. Shaku experiences difficulty expressing her self verbally, she can be encouraged to communicate through art therapy which uses art materials. Speech and language therapists put emphasis on developing communication, which is vital to good health and social care. In co ordination with her speech therapist Jean, Shaku can also attend regular inclusive communication training courses. The dietician can counsel on healthy eating, special diets or assist with eating and drinking problems. Mental health problems are very common in people who suffer from a learning disability. The psychiatrist is responsible for assessment and treatment of mental health problems and challenging behaviour. Person centred planning is developed by Learning Disability Partnership Boards which is done according to the White Paper, Valuing People. Partnership boards help people with learning difficulties fulfil their desire to live an ordinary life through person centred planning. The following is taken from the meeting that was arranged with Shaku and sets out what she wants to do and the things she is not happy about. Shaku seems very unhappy with her life. She misses school and her friends there. She is bored at home and bored in the day centre. She is angry that she cannot come and go as she pleases either at home or in Hopefield and school was better at this. She says that she find it depressing that the centre is now closing and is scared about what this means. Will she be at home more? More bored? Helpful Hands are rubbish and the leisure activities are watching telly together or going for a walk and they arrive too late. Shaku says that she would really like to see her friends more. She says that she hadnt thought much about marriage. As Shaku experience learning disabilitied, sometimes she can not explain what she wants so she will need support to make decisions. The Framework for person centred planning for Shaku will need be discussed with her parents, her therapists and her social worker. The person centred planning implementation group will follow the action plan on a daily basis. Shakus family, friends and comuunity services like care management, health professionals, services ( organisations that provide services for people with learning disabilities). Mental Capacity Act 2005.PDF British Institute of Learning Disabilities. PDF ADULTS WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT. PDF Occupational Therapy Models and Learning Disability. PDF Safeguarding Adults Supporting the needs of parents with learning disabilities Making life better for people with a learning disability and people with mental health problems who live in Northern Ireland our lives, our choices Learning Disability Services, Wakefield Council, viewed 10 June, 2010 http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/HealthAndSocialCare/AdultsAndOlderPeople/LearningDisabilities/default.htm Choosing the Right Care, AboutLearningDisabilities, viewed, 9 June, 2010 http://www.aboutlearningdisabilities.co.uk/AboutOurSite.html Department of Health, Valuing People Now: a new three year strategy for people with learning Disabilities 2003, viewed 7 June, 2010 http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_093374.pdf Improving work opportunities for people with a learning disability 2006, Department of Health, viewed on June 6, 2010 www.dh.gov.uk/en/SocialCare/Deliveringadultsocialcare/Learningdisabilities/DH_4138204 Mansell, J (2010) Raising our sights: services for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_114347.pdf Rights, independence, choice and inclusion Learning Disability Task Force. Available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4074727.pdf VALuInG PEOPLE nOw: A nEw THREE-YEAR STRATEGY FOR PEOPLE wITH LEARnInG DISAbILITIES 2009, Department of Health http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_093372.pdf 3. There are some components that are essential for a good social care service. These include designing and delivering arrangements that are adapted to the individual persons requirements and choices. As in Shakus case, she is living with her family, the service should be family-centered, and a care plan which is prepared for her should be what is most suitable for her and her family.  [2]  

Not All is Cheerless, Dark and Deadly in Shakespeares King Lear Essay

Not All is Cheerless, Dark and Deadly in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   'All's Cheerless, Dark and Deadly' Are Kent's Words a Fair Summary of The Tragedy of King Lear? Samuel Johnson asserted that the blinding of Gloucester was an 'act too horrid to be endured in a dramatic exhibition', and that he was 'too shocked' by the death of Cordelia to read the play again until he was given the task of editing it.1 Nor was Dr Johnson alone in finding himself unable to stomach the violence and apparent injustices that unfold in King Lear. The 18th century certainly found the play 'all cheerless' and preferred Nahum Tate's 1681 watered-down version of Shakespeare's original.    King Lear is a dark play, with the near triumph of the malcontent Edmund, the intense sufferings of Lear and Gloucester, and the seeming lack of justice at the piece's conclusion. Shakespeare locates his tragedy in an extreme and entropic universe that makes his audience uncomfortable, and indeed is supposed to. On its own, the sheer violence of Act III.7 bears witness to Kent's nihilistic utterance at the plays close. However, Lear's universe, as I have just stated, is one of extremes, and not merely negative ones. As A.C. Bradley notes:    There is in the world of King Lear the same abundance of extreme good as of extreme evil. It generates in profusion self-less devotion and unconquerable love.2    The play contains a cluster of characters that are unequivocally good. Kent, for instance, is a paradigm of devotion. In Act I.I he is publicly insulted and humiliated. In spite of Lear's threats, Kent remains determined to serve his master, even braving the storm to be near him. Cordelia too, is traduced and punished by Lear, and yet she is the... ... condemned to short lives - 'nor live so long'. Edgar's closing words are disturbingly equivocal. They allude to the antithesis constantly at work in the play   a mixture of hope and despair. Perhaps the couplet is ultimately nihilistic, and the play as a whole equally so. Redemption remains unattained. However, while I would agree that Kent's words that 'All's cheerless, dark and deadly' may be the overriding message of the tragedy, I do not believe that King Lear can be simply summed up in such a comment. To do such a thing would be to see the drama two-dimensionally   to ignore the world of polarities, of good as well as evil, which Shakespeare creates in which to hold his play.       Works Cited: 1 Johnson as Critic, ed. John Wain, Routledge & Kegan Paul 1973, pp. 216-217 2 A. C. Bradley, Shakespearian Tragedy, Macmillan 1908, pp. 304 -305    Not All is Cheerless, Dark and Deadly in Shakespeare's King Lear Essay Not All is Cheerless, Dark and Deadly in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   'All's Cheerless, Dark and Deadly' Are Kent's Words a Fair Summary of The Tragedy of King Lear? Samuel Johnson asserted that the blinding of Gloucester was an 'act too horrid to be endured in a dramatic exhibition', and that he was 'too shocked' by the death of Cordelia to read the play again until he was given the task of editing it.1 Nor was Dr Johnson alone in finding himself unable to stomach the violence and apparent injustices that unfold in King Lear. The 18th century certainly found the play 'all cheerless' and preferred Nahum Tate's 1681 watered-down version of Shakespeare's original.    King Lear is a dark play, with the near triumph of the malcontent Edmund, the intense sufferings of Lear and Gloucester, and the seeming lack of justice at the piece's conclusion. Shakespeare locates his tragedy in an extreme and entropic universe that makes his audience uncomfortable, and indeed is supposed to. On its own, the sheer violence of Act III.7 bears witness to Kent's nihilistic utterance at the plays close. However, Lear's universe, as I have just stated, is one of extremes, and not merely negative ones. As A.C. Bradley notes:    There is in the world of King Lear the same abundance of extreme good as of extreme evil. It generates in profusion self-less devotion and unconquerable love.2    The play contains a cluster of characters that are unequivocally good. Kent, for instance, is a paradigm of devotion. In Act I.I he is publicly insulted and humiliated. In spite of Lear's threats, Kent remains determined to serve his master, even braving the storm to be near him. Cordelia too, is traduced and punished by Lear, and yet she is the... ... condemned to short lives - 'nor live so long'. Edgar's closing words are disturbingly equivocal. They allude to the antithesis constantly at work in the play   a mixture of hope and despair. Perhaps the couplet is ultimately nihilistic, and the play as a whole equally so. Redemption remains unattained. However, while I would agree that Kent's words that 'All's cheerless, dark and deadly' may be the overriding message of the tragedy, I do not believe that King Lear can be simply summed up in such a comment. To do such a thing would be to see the drama two-dimensionally   to ignore the world of polarities, of good as well as evil, which Shakespeare creates in which to hold his play.       Works Cited: 1 Johnson as Critic, ed. John Wain, Routledge & Kegan Paul 1973, pp. 216-217 2 A. C. Bradley, Shakespearian Tragedy, Macmillan 1908, pp. 304 -305   

National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Essay

I. Historical Background The initiative to establish a parish on Retiro Street began in 1941, with the request of the Capuchins in the Philippines to the Rev. Michael ODoherty, Archbishop of Manila. On march 28, 1942, a decree was issued establishing the Sta. Teresita del Nino Jesus Parish, the original name of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. Construction of the church, however, was delayed because of World War II. Enshrined within the temporary church was the image of our Lady of Lourdes. To keep the image safe during the war, it was moved from place to place, until it rested for a long time in the chapel of Sta. Teresita on Mayon Street. On February 10, 1951, the image was brought back to Sta. Teresita Parish on Retiro. In 1997, on the forty-fifth foundation anniversary, Our Lady of Lourdes parish was declared a national shrine, with the approval of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines. It has its own parochial school offering education from pre-school to high school. II. Activities/Programs of the Church SCHEDULE OF MASSES: Monday to Saturday: 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 am and 6:00 pm Sunday: 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00 am and 3:30, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00 pm A.Umbrella of all youth organizations of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes. Composed of 13 youth organizations (Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC), Catholic Womens League Jr. (CWL Jr.), Coro de Angeli, Franciscan Youth Movement (FYM-NSOLL Fraternity), Knights of the Altar (KOTA), Lectors and Commentators for Childrens Mass (LCCM), Legion of Mary (LOM), Salvacion Choir (SC), Singles for Christ (SFC-NSOLL Chapter), Squirettes of Mary Immaculate (SMI), Young Artists for Culture Arts and Advocacy (YAFCA-NSOLL Repertory), NSOLL Youth Choir (YC) and Youth for Christ (YFC-NSOLL Chapter). B. Regular Activities Advent Recollection, Youth Night, Organization Fair, Lenten Retreat, T-shirt Selling, Barya Para Sa Kabataan, Sportsfest, Youth Mass sa BEC, Youth Camp, PYM election and induction, Harana kay Maria and General Assembly III. Plan of Action/Realizations Being aware with what is happening in our Parish and knowing the Activities and Programs of the Church are the things that I developed after I did my research. I learned that we must serve our Parish first before anything else so that we can extend our gratitude to them. I also learned that there are so many things and ways that we can do to become closer to God and to strengthen our faith in God. We must learn to spend time to serve God and to bond with our neighbors. With that, we became closer and bonded as a Christian Community to serve and to strengthen our faith in God.

Secret to Success

Everybody wants to judge themselves to the lens of a moment. They want to be cool right now and they are asking themselves, â€Å"What's the least I need to do to feel invigorated? What's the least I need to do to be successful?† Once I stopped asking these questions and I started thinking about really who I could become and really harnessing the human ability to adapt what people need to ascertain. Humans have become the apex predator not by being the toughest, not even by being the most intelligent but rather by being the most adaptive to change and when you realize all of us are born with nothing. Our job isn't to be peerless today. It is to build ourselves brick by brick and that is what separates the illustrious from everyone else. It's about actually delivering a result. We all have things that we're believing for, dreams that we want to attain but sometimes as it goes on month after month even year after year, we don't see anything changing. It's easy to get disheartened and think, â€Å"This is never going to happen. I'll just learn to live with it.† We all go through despondency, setbacks, and loss. Pain is a part of life; they don't leave us the same. Now, how it changes you is up to you. The challenge is don't just go through it, grow through it. There will always be forces trying to induce us to settle where we are. Life has a way of pushing our dreams down. They can become buried under discouragement, past mistakes, and low self-esteem. It's easy to settle from mediocrity even though we have all this potential obscured on the inside. Turn it all around and remember our aspirations. Stop worrying about the echo and start cogitating about the shout. Believe in who you can become tomorrow and let every day until the day you drop. Be about ringing that potential out of yourself, building something and becoming competent of something today that you weren't capable of yesterday of asking yourself how far you can go of becoming obsessed with that process and no longer thinking about the end. When you assimilate the difference between no longer focusing on being a titleholder and instead of delivering a championship performance, everything changed because it's the people who build themselves into someone who can give championship performances that win. The people you see who are victorious are the ones who tough grind every single day. They're the ones who have decided to keep working on enriching themselves and their work every time someone told them they weren't good enough or they weren't what they were looking for; the ones who never took no for an answer, who kept pushing forward when the world was telling them to quit because those were the people with a vision and a dream. These are the secrets to success, never giving up even when the cards are all dealt against you because they are just human. They had a goal but they didn't stop pursuing it, no matter what life threw their way. Having a strong will is a must and don't take no for an answer if it's what you really want. That's how you make it and that's how you become successful.

The Perfect President essays

The Perfect President essays If I had to make the perfect president, it would have to be a mix of the greatest presidents the United States has had. Mainly, Abraham Lincoln for his courage during the Civil War, George Washington for his audacity to fight with his fellow citizens in the Revolutionary War, and Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton for their excellent communications skills. A president needs to have good communication skills because if he cannot speak very well, he may be thought of as cowardly and Americans wont have faith in him when the time comes to trust their leader. Franklin D. Roosevelt had fireside chats to help keep the nation calm and well-informed as to what was happening with our soldiers fighting in World War II. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are two former-presidents that had excellent speaking skills, they had ways of making people do things that they wanted done, when they wanted it done without being mean and nasty. One example is when Reagan negotiated with the Iranian Contras to release the hostages. Based on personal beliefs, if a president doesnt stand up for his people he will never make it as a president. How can anyone rule a country for a group of about 278 million people, with out having the same beliefs as a majority of the citizens? I say the majority of the citizens because there is no possible way you can get 100 percent of the population to agree on any given subject, there will always be rebels against almost every subject. The president should, in my opinion, be very family-oriented and have the support of his family. One example is Eleanor Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Eleanor was involved with a lot of organizations, such as, the League of Women Voters, the Women's Trade Union League, and the women's division of the Democratic Party, so she was somewhat experienced in the government. When FDR got sick ...

Five Obfuscating Business Verbs

Five Obfuscating Business Verbs Five Obfuscating Business Verbs Five Obfuscating Business Verbs By Maeve Maddox I’ve just learned five new business verbs: onboard, level-set, operationalize, descope, and action-plan. One meaning of to onboard is â€Å"to train new employees.† The expression is so common that many professional sites actually use the labels Onboard and Onboarding in their menus to direct new employees to relevant information. Most of the time, the expression seems to refer to employee training, but it is also used with the meaning â€Å"to recruit supporters.† Here are some examples: The Top 5 Must Do’s to Effectively Onboard Your New Employees Our organisations need us to onboard new hires efficiently, and in the shortest time frame possible. How to acquire and onboard new supporters using online channels. How does your organization  onboard  new  donors? As a business term, to level-set means to make sure that people who will be working together all have the same information about the work. Here are some examples:   Once  your team  has been established and practices are under way, you need to  level set your team  accurately. Your  entire  team  needs to be at a certain level of capability, and the Aurora illumine packages let you  level-set your team.   So this is the time to use the review process to  level-set your employees  on the current environment. The verb to operationalize seems to mean â€Å"to do,† or â€Å"to put into practice.† Here are examples: In general, the more abstract the idea, the harder it is to  operationalize. [The speaker] will  be presenting a webinar on â€Å"Tools to  Operationalize the New  Dining Practice Standards.† When it comes to China, we seek to operationalize a new model of major power relations.   The term to descope means â€Å"to modify or abandon a project in order to save money.† In the last example below, the meaning seems to be â€Å"demolished.† (Descope is also used as a noun.) Here are examples: As a mission enters the planning and construction phase, it often becomes clear that the initial estimates were optimistic and the cost cap constraint will bind. In this case, the IC maydescope the mission by reducing the mission’s goals. Ka and S-bands were under consideration for  descope last year, but we now  plan  to proceed with their full production. The wooden structures on the airfield are being descoped to make way for more efficient structures. The verb to action-plan seems to have the same meaning as plain old to plan, but it’s more mouth filling. Here’s a definition of plan: plan (verb): to arrange in advance; to set down the details of how to proceed with a project. Here are examples of action plan used as a verb:   If a decision is made by the mentoring team that a student is failing, the next step is to action plan the elements of the student’s practice that require attention. Use constructive feedback  to action plan the  transfer of skills and knowledge acquired into the workplace Students are asked to action plan a campaign on an issue of their choice. If your intention is to impress your listeners or to obfuscate your meaning, these five words are excellent choices. If your purpose is to be understood, you may wish to consider some simpler alternatives. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"225 Foreign Phrases to Inspire YouHow to Address Your Elders, Your Doctor, Young Children... and Your CEO

Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Essay Example for Free

Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Essay Character (1309) , Sebastian Faulks (9) , Birdsong (8) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints The First World War is known to be one of the worst, if not the worst war in military history. The strategies used were often ineffective and repetitive, meaning a lack of movement and years of stalemate on the western front. Soldiers had to live in conditions which were squalid and foul, they had to deal with diseases such as trench foot and millions of rats and lice infestations. These general images of soldiers living in these fetid conditions has become widely known and linked with the huge suffering caused by the First World War. The use of literature can enable us to gain a picture of what trench warfare was really like. ‘Journey’s End’ a play written by R.C. Sherriff in 1928 based on his own life experiences gives a realistic image of life as a soldier in the trenches. However, the novel ‘Birdsong’ by Sebastian Faulks which was not written till 2005 gives a version of what Faulks believed trench warfare to be like; it is a fictional idea based on knowledge and understanding of World War One. Also the authors chose different formats with one being a novel the other a play, thus giving them contrasting ways of conveying soldiers’ experiences of war. A play deals with the actions and reactions of characters using dialogue and yet a novel can go into the heads of characters, giving the reader an understanding of a person’s emotions and feelings through description and narrative. The characters presented in both Journey’s End and Birdsong are attempting to avoid and deal with the horrors of trench warfare in many different ways including; drinking, violence, and memories of loved ones and trying to use humour as a way of distancing themselves from the horrors facing them. Each character has to find there own way of dealing with the situation, as anyone would when faced with the constant fear of death. In both Journey’s End and Birdsong we get a glimpse of what the characters Stanhope and Wraysford were like before the terror of war affected them. In Journey’s End although we don’t see Stanhope before the war; Sherriff cleverly uses Raleigh to give us an idea of what he was like when he was younger. We see Raleigh as this optimistic, patriotic man excited at the prospect of going into war alongside his childhood hero. His confession to Osborne that he was ‘Keen to get out here’ is a representation of many patriotic soldiers at the break out of the first world war and could show us how Stanhope may have felt before the realisation of what warfare was really like. The growing sense of conflict between Stanhope and Raleigh just shows how much the war has changed Stanhope, and affected him. Not only do we see Raleigh as a young version of Stanhope but also we hear from him background information on Stanhope’s life, ‘he was skipper of Rugger at Barford, and kept wicket for the eleven. A jolly good bat, too.’ This is not needed in Birdsong as we gain a background on what Wraysford was like before the war in part one of the novel. Novels allow writers to add descriptive back stories through narrative rather than dialogue, we can learn about one person’s perspective unlike in a play when we are unable to hear thoughts and feelings – these can only be expressed through actors portraying the role. Birdsong can go into depth about the emotional effects war can have on a person, which is a tricky detail to encapsulate in a play and yet I believe R.C. Sherriff uses dialogue and the actions of each individual to show their emotional state. We can see strongly in both, just what the war can do, seeing and living in those conditions certainly would bring about change in a person however it is the way they deal with it that helps them continue on through. An easy escape for many soldiers during the war was drink. For an ordinary private on the front line getting alcohol was hard and they were only allowed a small drop before going over the top, however officers were allowed to drink (as believed responsible enough for it) and alcoholism among officers was common. Both Stanhope in Journey’s End and Wraysford and Weir in Birdsong use drink as a method of getting through the horrors in front of them, ‘She doesn’t know that if I went up those steps into the front line – without being doped with whisky – I’d go mad with fright’. Drink was a way to forget, and maybe for a moment be away from the front line in their heads, although eventually become addicted not needing it for any purpose but for wanting, ‘cast his eyes round hopefully. Stephen reluctantly pushed a bottle towards him’. Drink was not the best way to deal with the situation though, it may have clouded their memories but would not have completed erase them ‘if sleep came it was as a gift and was as likely to come after tea as after alcohol’. Soldiers on the front line could turn on each other, either because of alcohol consumption or just the fact that these men were pushed together in such bad conditions. Maybe getting angry at one another would give them something other than fighting the enemy to focus on ‘Hibbert raises his stick and strikes blindly at Stanhope’. The violence shown in Journey’s End could also represent the battles taking place outside, as an audience member you never get to see any conflict between the enemy and therefore Stanhope’s arguments and fights with the soldier’s substitutes this. The anger Stanhope feels towards Hibbert and also Raleigh, could also show us how he feels and acts in battle situations. Unlike Journey’s End in Birdsong we are able to follow Stephen as he goes out into No-man’s land, fighting for his life but we also get violence in the trenches too ‘Fuck off, Weir, fuck off out of my way’. The use of the word ‘fuck’ is a powerful one; we can understand Wraysford’s fear just through that one word, all his fear for the battle ahead builds up the tension. In Journey’s End Stanhope is worried about what Raleigh would write home in his letter, I believe that maybe another matter that Stanhope uses to redirect his thoughts away from memories, it gives him something else to think about. Which again leads to more violence ‘D’you understand an order? Give me that letter!’ Despite these small areas of conflict there is a strong theme in both Journey’s End and Birdsong, of comradeship. Men on the front line were often forced into forming new relationships with people and often because of this gained extraordinarily strong bonds with men they were fighting alongside with. This is shown by the example of Stanhope and Osborne, and shown to the audience in many scenes but mostly through the touching goodbye scene before the fatal raid and right at the end Stanhope and Raleigh final bond over his death, ‘Stanhope sits with one hand on Raleigh’s arm’ they had fought together in the same battles and known what the other men had seen, they understood. In Birdsong the strong relationship between Wraysford and Weir grew throughout the novel and like many soldiers on the frontline Wraysford needed Weir for company and to help his sanity, ‘Weir alone had made the war bearable’ friendships like Weir’s and Wraysford’s meant that soldiers could get through the war together. They did not need to be alone. Although Raleigh in Journey’s End believed he needed to distance himself when Osborne dies, Raleigh who is first seen as this innocent character in the beginning of the play is opened to this horror after the death of Osborne, he now knows truly just how hard . He eats away from the officers with the other men, he finds it disrespectful that the others are eating and drinking. Maybe some may believe distancing themselves would mean when or if it came to them dying it would not be as hard. Many soldiers needed to be friends, to join together because even though loss is hard the sharing of jokes in such a situation as terrible as this one may have helped. In Journey’s End many of the characters particularly Trotter’s main form of escapism is in making jokes about the war and the Germans ‘I expect a nasty old German’ll cop out of it and say, ‘Ock der Kaiser’ in doing this they are able to cover up their fear and make light of the situation. In Birdsong the use of comedy is more subtle, the soldiers go down to the pub and watch entertainment and laugh with each other as friends rather than making obvious jokes. Jack performing for the soldiers gave some time for the men to relax and enjoy themselves. ‘If they could shout loud enough, they might bring the world back to its senses; they might laugh loud enough to raise the dead’ although raising the dead was not possible, the idea that in laughing and having as good a time as you can they could remember their losses and keep them alive in their thoughts. In Journey’s End some of the soldiers liked to talk about home and familiar things like rugby and cricket to take their minds of the horrors of trench warfare. Thinking about home would help them to remember how their life was before the war; it would make them want to get out and gave them something to live for. Another thing they might think about is their girlfriends, wives or just women in general, ‘I just prayed to come through the war – and – and do things – and keep absolutely fit for her’. Jack Firebrace wanted to survive for his family, dealt with the struggle with the belief he had his wife and child to return to ‘His endurance was for them; the care he took to try to stay alive was so that he would see the boy again’. As for Stephen he did not have a family or anyone really he wanted to go home for, he kept on fighting and wanting to survive for the men who had died before, he wanted to win, to continue for their benefit. The idea and hope that the men he had lost had not died in vain. With trench conditions as foul as they were; rats, lice and illnesses such as trench foot one thing that could keep the men going was the idea and the relief of getting food. The importance of food in Journey’s End is shown by how many times the men talk about it and bring it up in general conversation. Complaining about inconsequential things like chunks of pineapple instead of apricots take their minds of the war ‘I say, Stanhope, it’s a terrible business. We thought we’d got a tin of pineapple chunks; it turns out to be apricots’. The men on the front lines wouldn’t very often have the nicest of food, and when Stanhope has to visit the Colonel and is given really expensive foods he immediately thinks of his men but he will eat the food as it is the one thing that he can gain pleasure from ‘A thin stew followed, then ripe cheese and fresh bread. Lunch went on past three o’clock†¦Stephen smiled to himself, aware that his bri ef flight from reality would soon be ended’. Birdsong touches on the idea of religion and how this can be affected by war. Many soldiers lost their faith due to the mass slaughter or even the loss of a son at home like Jack Firebrace however Stephen seemed to gain a belief in God, the idea that nothing this cruel can be the end. He hoped that when Weir or any other Soldier died they had a better world to escape to and maybe this idea kept him going helped him deal with the death of his friends. Journey’s End doesn’t really touch on the men’s faith or religion, however the idea of hero worshipping used by Raleigh could be linked. The belief in a God and a higher being could also be like Raleigh looking up to Stanhope ‘I believe Raleigh will go on liking you – and looking up to you – through everything. There’s something very deep, and rather fine, about hero worship.’ Many soldiers may have used the method of positive thinking like Osborne to cover up just how scared and fearful they were ‘I never knew the sun could rise in so many ways till I came out here’. Each soldier on the front line had to choose their own way of escaping and dealing with the horrors of trench warfare. The putrid living conditions and the everyday horror of death meant that it was necessary for them to break out of the truth they were living. Many of the methods used in both Journey’s End and Birdsong are similar but their methods were carried out in different ways. Others didn’t use methods at all, they just didn’t cope; like Hibbert in Journey’s End faking an illness to get away. Each character in either Journey’s End or Birdsong took on different methods of dealing with their long hardships and suffering. The true horrors of the war however could not be forgotten, the sight of death and the stench in the trenches would not be quickly removed from their thoughts. These literary texts both play and book give us, today, just a brief insight into the lives of men on the western front, the challenges faced by these men were truly horrific and just surviving must have been a hardship. No one now or then on the home front could ever know the true extent of the struggle and the effects it had both mentally and physically, ‘If they could see the way these men live they would not believe their eyes. This is not a war; this is an exploration of how far men can be degraded.’ Characters of Journeys End by R.C. Sherriff and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. (2017, Jul 10). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

The Good Earth by Pearl S Bucks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Ashen Morning II - Essay Example The general mood created by this work is a feeling of sadness and death associated with destruction of nature. Robert and Shana are husband and wife. They work as a team. Their photography became globally popular between the year 2005 and 2007. Their works mainly involve fantasies interacting with nature such as landscapes and trees. The purpose of their photography is to provoke thought regarding the urgency of conserving the natural environment in the wake of turmoil associated with its degradation and destruction. The ParkeHarrisons won several awards such as a Guggenheim Fellow in the year 1999, an Artist Grant in Photography by the Massachusetts Cultural Council in 1996 and 2001 just to mention but a few. Their works can be found in world renowned museums such as Whitney Museum of American Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts and the International Museum of Photography

Politics in Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Politics in Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Politics in Modern Art" investigates politics in modern art. The artistic movement against the polity during the 1960s and 1970s is particularly high in California. Here, there is a striking confluence of political agitation and passionately engaged art. The San Francisco Bay area took the lead role nationally with the foundation of the free speech movement.Then, the state gave birth to the Beat and hippie countercultures, which was responsible for many profound social change across the country. In writing about the contemporary art Peter Selz, Susan Landauer observed: While the civil rights and peace movements grew simultaneously in cities nationwide, California played a significant role in their development. In their wake came the Chicano labor movement in the San Joaquin Valley, the revolutionary Black Panther Party in Oakland, as well as some of the most radical manifestations of gay liberation, Red Power, and environmental activism. All of these activities was accompa nied by an outpouring of political art unmatched elsewhere in the United States. Recent commentary of the subject to date has been made by Richard Candida Smith’s Utopia and Dissent: Art, Poetry, and Politics in California. Candida explored and examined the ideological , socioeconomic and historic roots of both political ferment of the recent times and its artistic expression. He pointed out that many of the values of liberty and dissent taken up by the New Left were first articulated by the community of artists and poets.

EU Law assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

EU Law assignment - Essay Example had reviewed the role of the national courts and maintained that the spirit of the EC law would be harmed if individuals were deprived of availing themselves of redressal for damages suffered due to the infringement of EC law by national highest courts of last instance of the respective member states. The ECJ specified that the national courts that constitute the very last forum were truly the last judicial entities available to individuals. At that stage individuals attempt to assert the rights provided by Community law. Thus the judicial bodies that are in effect the last resort of individuals at the national level should invariably follow the provisions of Community law. The ECJ also pointed out that Article 234 EC is an indicator of the spirit of the Community and the Treaty Scheme that protects individual rights conferred by the Community law. Therefore, the national courts of last instance should not infringe Community law3. The ECJ’s ruling in Kobler paved the way to initiate elaborate discussions on several legislative issues concerning state liability. The Advocate General asserted that judges of national courts should not confine themselves to the national law alone, but that they have to act within the purview of the EC law, in order to maintain the spirit of the EC Treaty. This requires national judges to critically assess the scope of national law and the application of the EC law over national law, since EC law has supremacy over national law. Moreover, they have to ensure that their national law is in conformity with the Community law. This would result in the judges of the domestic courts, ignoring pieces of national legislation that were enacted lawfully under the national procedure for enacting laws, in order to give preference to EC law. In such situations the fundamental doctrine of separation of powers would have to be infringed. This role allotted to the judiciary is akin to the r ole allotted to the higher courts that have to uphold the

An Argument for the Conviction of the West Memphis Three Essay

An Argument for the Conviction of the West Memphis Three - Essay Example There were other pieces of evidence but they stood out either because there was nothing to counter them or that they were indeed logical. The main reason why the West Memphis Three should be convicted is that Jessie Misskelley pointed out in his detailed statement that the three of them were the ones who brutally tortured and murdered the three young boys. Based on the recorded statement of Jessie Misskelley for the police, he saw Damien Echols hit Christopher Byers, and Jason Baldwin hit Stevie Branch, and that he was the one who captured Michael Moore while the latter was running (Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills 41:43). The details of the interrogation are a proof that the interrogation and Misskelley’s answers to the questions could not have been merely set up by the police beforehand. Besides, the police would not have been that lazy as to set up three young men just to have the case closed early. The aforementioned statement of Misskelley was hardly n ullified by any of the defense lawyers. Another strong evidence against the West Memphis Three, particularly against Jessie Misskelley is that he was able to identify the boys in the pictures shown by the police. Although he made a mistake with the identification of Christopher Byers, mistaking him for Michael Moore, still he was able to identify them by face. The mere fact that he could identify the victims is actually a strong proof that he had contact with them prior to the trial. One more problem to this is that Jessie did not even tell any of his lawyers or his family that he was forced by the police to make such a confession. It was merely the lawyers who said so. Arguments of the defense in favor of Jessie included his mental handicap (34:35). Nevertheless, based on the deputy’s statement, Jessie was not tortured, maligned or harmed in any way prior or during the confession (47:31). The deputy could not have been lying under oath, based on the tone of his voice, and ba sed on the fact that Jessie did not vehemently or even secretly said that he was indeed harmed. Besides, Jessie’s reactions in court, like bowing his head, are that of a guilty man. Moreover, he has not in any way told his lawyers how innocent he was or how untrue his confession was. Another argument directed against Jessie is his sexual nature (36:20). As he was talking to his girlfriend on the phone, he recalls all the times that he has had sex with her. He may be young and still sexually active and he may only have said such things because he was talking to his girlfriend, and perhaps he was only saying so because he has been deprived of sex since he was arrested. Nevertheless, showing such sexual behavior and pretending in court that he has a mental handicap somehow simply fit the picture of a maniacal killer under the guise of an innocent lunatic. The point is that he may have had a mental handicap as what his lawyers pointed out but his highly sexual nature allowed him to be a sexual criminal at the same time. One other small detail against Jessie is the statement of his stepmother which somehow shows that she possibly believes that he has done it (21:30). She does not seem to show remorse or sympathy for him even while Jessie’s father and whole family do. For a close acquaintance or a family member who believes that it is possible for one to commit a crime is actually strong evidence against him. On the other hand, the evidence against Damien Echols, as proposed by the defense, may be rather fragmented but it remains a fact that if one puts the evidence together, it definitely makes a picture of a murderer. Damien, who looks more like a man who is capable of murder without remorse, has a pentagram in his book (1:11:00), is interested in Wicca (1:14:08), associates with Aleister

Politics in Modern Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Politics in Modern Art - Essay Example The essay "Politics in Modern Art" investigates politics in modern art. The artistic movement against the polity during the 1960s and 1970s is particularly high in California. Here, there is a striking confluence of political agitation and passionately engaged art. The San Francisco Bay area took the lead role nationally with the foundation of the free speech movement.Then, the state gave birth to the Beat and hippie countercultures, which was responsible for many profound social change across the country. In writing about the contemporary art Peter Selz, Susan Landauer observed: While the civil rights and peace movements grew simultaneously in cities nationwide, California played a significant role in their development. In their wake came the Chicano labor movement in the San Joaquin Valley, the revolutionary Black Panther Party in Oakland, as well as some of the most radical manifestations of gay liberation, Red Power, and environmental activism. All of these activities was accompa nied by an outpouring of political art unmatched elsewhere in the United States. Recent commentary of the subject to date has been made by Richard Candida Smith’s Utopia and Dissent: Art, Poetry, and Politics in California. Candida explored and examined the ideological , socioeconomic and historic roots of both political ferment of the recent times and its artistic expression. He pointed out that many of the values of liberty and dissent taken up by the New Left were first articulated by the community of artists and poets.

An Argument for the Conviction of the West Memphis Three Essay

An Argument for the Conviction of the West Memphis Three - Essay Example There were other pieces of evidence but they stood out either because there was nothing to counter them or that they were indeed logical. The main reason why the West Memphis Three should be convicted is that Jessie Misskelley pointed out in his detailed statement that the three of them were the ones who brutally tortured and murdered the three young boys. Based on the recorded statement of Jessie Misskelley for the police, he saw Damien Echols hit Christopher Byers, and Jason Baldwin hit Stevie Branch, and that he was the one who captured Michael Moore while the latter was running (Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills 41:43). The details of the interrogation are a proof that the interrogation and Misskelley’s answers to the questions could not have been merely set up by the police beforehand. Besides, the police would not have been that lazy as to set up three young men just to have the case closed early. The aforementioned statement of Misskelley was hardly n ullified by any of the defense lawyers. Another strong evidence against the West Memphis Three, particularly against Jessie Misskelley is that he was able to identify the boys in the pictures shown by the police. Although he made a mistake with the identification of Christopher Byers, mistaking him for Michael Moore, still he was able to identify them by face. The mere fact that he could identify the victims is actually a strong proof that he had contact with them prior to the trial. One more problem to this is that Jessie did not even tell any of his lawyers or his family that he was forced by the police to make such a confession. It was merely the lawyers who said so. Arguments of the defense in favor of Jessie included his mental handicap (34:35). Nevertheless, based on the deputy’s statement, Jessie was not tortured, maligned or harmed in any way prior or during the confession (47:31). The deputy could not have been lying under oath, based on the tone of his voice, and ba sed on the fact that Jessie did not vehemently or even secretly said that he was indeed harmed. Besides, Jessie’s reactions in court, like bowing his head, are that of a guilty man. Moreover, he has not in any way told his lawyers how innocent he was or how untrue his confession was. Another argument directed against Jessie is his sexual nature (36:20). As he was talking to his girlfriend on the phone, he recalls all the times that he has had sex with her. He may be young and still sexually active and he may only have said such things because he was talking to his girlfriend, and perhaps he was only saying so because he has been deprived of sex since he was arrested. Nevertheless, showing such sexual behavior and pretending in court that he has a mental handicap somehow simply fit the picture of a maniacal killer under the guise of an innocent lunatic. The point is that he may have had a mental handicap as what his lawyers pointed out but his highly sexual nature allowed him to be a sexual criminal at the same time. One other small detail against Jessie is the statement of his stepmother which somehow shows that she possibly believes that he has done it (21:30). She does not seem to show remorse or sympathy for him even while Jessie’s father and whole family do. For a close acquaintance or a family member who believes that it is possible for one to commit a crime is actually strong evidence against him. On the other hand, the evidence against Damien Echols, as proposed by the defense, may be rather fragmented but it remains a fact that if one puts the evidence together, it definitely makes a picture of a murderer. Damien, who looks more like a man who is capable of murder without remorse, has a pentagram in his book (1:11:00), is interested in Wicca (1:14:08), associates with Aleister

Importance of Computer Essay Example for Free

Importance of Computer Essay Computer is an electronic device used in almost every field even where it is most unexpected. That is why this age is called as the era of IT. And now we cannot imagine a world without computers. It is made up of two things one is the hardware and other is software. All physical components of computer like keyboard, mouse, monitor etc comes under the hardware whereas all the programs and languages used by the computer are called software. These days computers are the tools for not only engineers and scientists but also they are being used by millions of people around the world. Computers have become an integral part of our lives. Be it the desktop computers or laptop computers, both have various advantages in our daily life. The landscape of global communication has changed since computers have been introduced in our society. Importance of computers can be attributed to the fact that almost every sphere of our life is affected by computers. Information technology (IT) is a whole new industry that has developed after the introduction of computers. Presenting before you is an article with an abridged summary of importance in computers in various fields. Importance of Using Computer Among several advantages of computers, access to the Internet is hailed to be an advantage that has shaped the way we communicate. Importance of information technology has been such that besides creating millions of IT jobs, it has become an integral part of every other industry. Features and operations of IT are indirectly required in every other sector. Role of Computers in Education Right from elementary school students to PhD researchers, every educational system has been influenced by computers. Some of the uses of computers in education are as follows: †¢Students can be better prepared for the future technologies and its easier to explain them several topics that are hard to be understood without 3-D images. †¢Online education has made learning easier and convenient for a large section of population. †¢Easy access to encyclopedia on the Internet certainly makes us ponder over textbooks versus computer teaching. Online encyclopedia have made researching and preparing documents simpler. †¢Students aware of computer uses have better chances of job opportunities as computers literacy is a need now. Importance of  computer education was never so important as it is in the present scenario. †¢Using computer aided facilities like PowerPoint presentation eases understanding of complex topics. BANKS Almost every bank is using computers to keep the record of all the money transaction and other calculations. Moreover it provides speed, convenience and security. COMMUNICATION Communication is another important aspect of computer and has become very easy through internet and email. Computer communicates using telephone lines and modems. Through email we can send messages to anybody in any part of the world in just a second while if we write letter then it will reach in some days. So the internet has made the earth a global village and above all saves time. This would not be possible without computers. Internet helps to find information on every topic. It is the easiest and fastest way of research. Computer network makes the user capable of accessing remote programs and databases of same or different organizations. MEDIA Almost every type of editing and audio- visual compositions can be made by using special software especially made for this purpose. Some software can even make three dimensional figures which are mostly used in the cartoon films. Special effects for action and science fiction movies are also created on computer. TRAVEL AND TICKETING Computers do all the work of plane and train reservation. It shows the data for vacant and reserved seats and also saves the record for reservation. WEATHER PREDICTIONS Weather predictions are also possible by the experts using supercomputers. SPORTS It is also used for umpiring decisions. Many times the umpire has to go for the decision of third umpire in which the recording is seen again on the computer and finally reaches to the accurate and fair decision. Simulation software allows the sportsman to practice and improve his skills. DAILY LIFE We operate washing machines, microwave oven and many other products using software. Moreover we can store all the information about our important  work, appointments schedules and list of contacts. Crucial Role of Computers in Medicine The health care field has gone through a revolution after computers have been introduced in our society. Uses of computer in the medical field has been immense. Computers have been integrated with almost all medical technologies to improve accuracy in results. †¢Big hospitals require computer systems to maintain database of patient records. This has lessened the burden of paper management. †¢Some uses of computers in hospitals include maintaining staff attendance records, medical records recording of incoming and outgoing timings of staff, computerized accounting and managing records of patient and associated doctors. †¢The use of computers in medicine has gained more significance as heartbeat rate, pulse rates all can be checked on special graphs on monitor screen. †¢Internet technology has made it easier to exchange information, news and reports about latest medical development all across the globe. †¢Medical imaging has grown to become an extremely important aspect of medical diagnosis. By using techniques to create body images of even the most complex structures in the body, scientists have made it easier to treat ailments. †¢Web conferencing has made it easier for expert doctors sitting in some distant country to guide and instruct junior surgeons. More so, even while operation, many senior doctors can guide junior doctors. These are some of the amazing uses of computers in hospital set ups. †¢All surgical procedures are recorded in small cameras (some even installed in the medical equipment) so that the process of surgery can be learned better and improved. †¢Nowadays, even computer counseling is possible owing to extensive use of computers. Benefits of Computers in Business The use of computers in business has grown by leaps and bound since the last few decades. Here are some of the benefits of computers in business field. †¢Using Internet technologies, computer networking and several types of software, businesses are able to communicate all across the globe crossing geographical boundaries. †¢Communication has taken a new role among partners, suppliers, consumers and theyre able to keep a track of each other that facilitates the business process. †¢Development of software like  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solutions and Management Information Systems (MIS) have made it possible to centralize administrative features of a firm. †¢Project management and other planning activities are easily designed by integrating latest software with computers. This decreases time on planning and figuring out certain complex issues. †¢Seminars, conferences and meetings can be scheduled with bosses and big corporate giants through web conferencing that can be heard by all the employees simultaneously. While the debate on advantages and disadvantages of Internet or computers will always exist, its certainly a truth that computers have made our life totally different, progressive and better. So we can say that today computer is playing very important role in our lives. Now is the time when we cannot imagine the world without computers. And this technology is advancing both in industry and home. It has become necessary for everyone to have the basic knowledge about computer. Otherwise he cannot get a job as computers have invaded almost all the fields.

Investigation into Human Resource Planning

Investigation into Human Resource Planning Human Resource Management Planning is not as easy as an organization might consider; it requires intensive work to come out with a programme that ease work. Commenting is complicated, but once a business start and finish it; such company have a smile because everything moves efficiently. Planning is the process that has to be launched from somewhere and completed for the purpose. It involves collecting data that would enable management to make effective decisions. Information obtained is used to make better decisions for achieving Phipps Enterprise objectives. There are many factors that Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency has to consider when choosing an HR Planning programme. HR Planning at Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency involves collecting of data, making objectives, and making effective decisions to enable Phipps’s to achieves its objectives. Unexpectedly, the HR is one of the most neglected fields. When HR Planning is applied correctly in the field, it will assist to address the following questions: How much staff does the organization have? How should the company best exploit the available resources? How can the business retain its staff? HR planning has made the organization move and succeeded in the 21st Century. Human Resources Managers at Phipps Enterprise prepare the HR Planning programme to assist the company to manage its employee strategically. The programme will helps to direct the movements of the HR department. The programme does not help the company only, but it will also facilitate career planning of the staff and assist them to achieve the objectives. This augment motivation and the business would become a safe place 4to work. Poor HR Planning and shortage of it in the company especially like Phipps Enterprise may result in enormous costs and financial losses. The augment costs and hampers effective work functioning because staffs is requested to work overtime and may not put in additional effort due to fatigue. If given additional work, it may stretch employee beyond their limit and may cause pointless disruptions to the organization production. The most important reason HR Planning is used at Phipps Enterprise is to manage and executed is the costs involved. Costs form a significant part of the Organizations budget; workforce planning enables Phipps’s to provide HR provision costs. When there is a staff shortage, the company appoints discriminately because of the costs suggestions of the other options, such as training of staff. Steps in HR Planning Action of Plan There are three essentials necessary for this step. Know where the company is heading. Acceptance and backing management for their plans. Knowledge of the all available resources. Once in action, the HR Plans become a business programs. Failure to achieve the HR Plans may be a serious constraint on the company long-range objectives. Below is an illustration of Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency HR Plan, which is linked to the corporate Plan. Forecasting HR Planning at Phipps Enterprise requires that data gathering on the organizational goals objectives. Employee should understand what the organization wants achieve and how it plans to. The need of the employees is to derive from the business objectives of the company. Inventory Once employees have an understanding of the human resources in the company, the next stage is to take stock of the present staff in the organization. The HR inventory should relate to not only data, ages, and locations, but also to analysis of individuals and skills. Audit Phipps Enterprise does not live in a Static World, and HR resources can transform dramatically. HR inventory collection of data includes HR audit, which requires systematic examination and analysis of such data. Audit looks at what has occurred in the past and present in terms of labor turnover, training costs and absence. Based on this evidence the HR manager can then predict HR in the future in the organization. HR Resource Plan Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency looks at career planning and HR plans. Employees are the greatest assets in any company. Phipps Enterprise is at liberty to develop its employees at full pace in an ideal manner to the individual capacities. The primary motive is that Phipps’s objectives should be aligned with the business strategy in order to give excellent scope for the developing potential of its staff. Therefore, career planning may be referred to as HR or succession planning. Questions that would concern Phipps Enterprise are: Is the company making use of the available talent in the business? Is Phipps Enterprise employees satisfied with the company care of their growth? Human resource planning is a method through which it anticipates future business. It also provides sufficient manpower required to perform all the business doings. HR planning is a continuous practice which starts with employee identifying HR plans, analyze manpower resources and ends with an appraisal for HR planning. The following are the steps involved in human resource planning at Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency: 1. Human Resources Assessing The valuation of HR begins with environmental analysis, both external (PEST) and internal (objectives and resources) is to analyze to the current available HR inventory. After analyzing the external and internal forces of the market, it would be easier for HR manager to discover the internal strengths and weakness of the business in one hand and the other opportunities and threats. It also includes taking inventory of the workers and skills at Phipps Enterprise Travel Agency and a comprehensive job analysis. 2. Demand Forecasting Forecasting of HR is the process of estimating the demand and supply of HR. Demand is the method of determining future needs for HR as o relates to the quantity and quality. Phipps Enterprise uses this method to meet the future requirements of the organization and in the process it achieves the company desired level of production. Future HR needs can be estimated with the assistant of the organizations current human resource and analysis of organizational plans procedures. It will be necessary to perform a yearly analysis for substantial level and type. 3. Supply Forecasting Supply is another side of HR assessment. It is concerned with the valuation of resource of manpower given the analysis of the current resource and availability of HR in the future. Supply forecast estimates the future sources of Phipps’s HR that are likely to be available. Internal source includes promotion and job development, whereas external source includes recruitment and selection. 4. Matching Demand and Supply Another step of HR planning is matching demand and supply, which is a concern with bringing the forecast of HR future demand and supply at Phipps’s. The process talks about demand and supply in a balanced position so that the organization does not have any shortage and overstaffing situation. In the case of shortages, Phipps’s has to hire a number of employees, while if the opposite, over staffing has to be use to reduce the level of current employment. Therefore, by using the matching process it will give the business information about requirements and sources of HR in the company. 5. Action Plan This step is the last phase of HR planning that is concerned with surplus and shortages of the company. Here, the HR program is implemented through the design of different HR events. The primary activity which is required to execute the HR program is a recruitment, selection, training and development, etc. Finally, the stages or steps are charged by control and evaluation of performance to evaluate the program matches the HR objectives and policies. A comparison of recruitment and selection process in two organizations will be done on McDonald’s (company A) and KFC (Company B). McDonald is one of the leading Fast food Chain in the World since 1998. The headquarter is located in Karachi and the regional head office in Lahore. The basic objective of HR Policies at the restaurant is to respect and recognition, values and leadership behaviour, learning, development and personal growth while KFC was establish in the early 1930s by kernel Senders and is a project of Mackenzie Restaurants International limited since 1997 in Pakistan. Over this organization currently employs 6000 people as at such government obtains over 10 million per month as direct taxes. The basic objective of HR Policies at the establishment is to provide coaching, leadership and operational support to employees and in the process providing an optimistic working environment. Illustrated below is a table showing the similarity in the recruitment and selection process at McDonald’s and KFC. Recruitment McDonald’s KFC Decentralized Hiring Batch Hiring Attracting qualified people for the job. Decentralized Process. Internal Based on Past Performance (Promoting from within) Jobs post www.mcdonalds2.rozee.pk Company evaluate current employee to see if they are fit for the opening position (Promoting from within) Job post at www.jobswithkfc.com External Via Internet Newspaper or Magazine ads College Recruiting Internship Contacts with universities Banners ads Newspaper Walk- In Resumes drop off Selection Initial screening McDonald’s Test Interview Background Investigation Final interview Initial screening KFC Tests Skills, behavioral and Physical Test After successfully completed examination, they then move on to the interview stage Training and Development Lectures On job training Crew leader development course Summer crash course Lectures On job training Language programs Regular Counseling and guiding Launching of development programs Recruitment and selection is a vital component in determine an organizations effectiveness and performance, when organization are able to obtain employees who already passes appropriate knowledge, skills and talents also be able to make correct guess about their future abilities. The requirement and selection of employees are fundamental to the performance of an organization. Inappropriate selection decisions decrease organizational effectiveness, cancels reward and develop strategies, are frequently unfair on the individual recruited and can be hard for the manager that has to deal with unfit employees. In order for Phipps’ to stay competitive, they need to have the best employee and them skills. McDonald’s and KFC recruitment process usually start when employee in the organization leaves and such position opens up an opportunity for another applicant to fill their position. One significant effectiveness of recruitment and selection for McDonald’s and KFC is that it help in the decision making of the high management to fill a gap; it help them to find the right candidate with the proper qualifications and skills to do the job not taking into through their race, age, gender or color. The recruitment and selection process is critical to both organizations even though the process can be expensive. It is time-consuming swell, and much thought will be needed by the manager in order to choose the right candidate. References 1. HR Policies KFC McDonalds by Ali Maan on Prezi. [ONLINE] Available at: http://prezi.com/clqamwplk7l6/hr-policies-kfc-mcdonalds/. [Accessed 13 October 2014]. 2. Human Resource Planning Process Or Steps Of HR Planning | Accounting-Management. [ONLINE] Available at:http://accountlearning.blogspot.com/2013/01/human-resource-planning-process-or.html. [Accessed 13 October 2014]. 3. Hr Planning Essay Sanka07. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.studymode.com/essays/Hr-Planning-458782.html. [Accessed 13 October 2014].

Name and Chance of Success Essay examples -- Black and White Names, So

According to all the birth certificates from California dating from 1961 to 2001 DeShawn, DeAndre, Marquis, Tyrone, Imani, Ebony, Shanice, and Aaliyah are the â€Å"blackest† names a person could have (Levitt and Dubner 169-170). The whitest names are Jake, Connor, Tanner, Wyatt, Molly, Amy, Katie, and Madeline. This starkly demonstrates that black and white parents name their children differently (Levitt and Dubner 168-169). Additionally more black boys have names that are unique in society than white boys do (Fryer and Levitt 776). These cultural variations raise questions that stem from why and what does it mean? Will a name change the outcome of an individual’s life? Do names lead to different success rates in job acceptance, Income level, or personal accomplishment? If so, is the name really the cause of such outcomes or is it perhaps only a proxy for variables such as race or socioeconomic status? Evidence from audit studies, statewide birth certificate data, an d African American naming trends stemming from the civil rights movement support a correlation between name and chance of success. Correlation does not infer causation, however, so there may be more at play. Name is an indicator of socioeconomic status and that status is what will have an effect on chance of success. Audit studies show the correlation between name and chance of success. They test how names affect success rates in job acceptance. These types studies consist of sending two identical rà ©sumà ©s to prospective employers except one rà ©sumà © contains a white sounding name and the other contains a black or ethnic sounding name. The ratio of the white sounding applicants being called back for an interview versus the ethnic or black sounding applicant in then record... ...the 44th president of our United States. To these men, and many others in the world, the meaning of their name, or what their name connotates about their history or race, did not stop them from succeeding in society. The people who are born into lower class neighborhood and carry a distinctively black name are only less likely to succeed, however, it does not mean that they won’t. Just as a person born into a wealthy neighborhood is more likely to succeed but isn’t insured of it. Names, although a proxy for socioeconomic status, will not be a deciding factor in a person’s life. Of course it can be easier for a person to succeed who come from a wealthy educated family, and of course it can be harder for a person to succeed who comes from an uneducated poor family, but it is those factors, not a name, that will affect the chances of one’s success in today’s society.

Internal Medicine :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Internal Medicine Brought up in semi-urban environment, my parents taught the lesson "survival of the fittest". As a part of such lessons I soon realized the true picture behind, those efforts which made me what I am today. My individuality fortunately rests on an enriched cultural heritage and family values. Entry into medical school was out of fascination for the intricate human architecture and its functioning. A free mind should not be restrained; hence working vigorously I was exposed to the various difficulties encountered by medical students and it was the search for solutions which made me dig out details from medical texts. My encounter with the world of medicine could not deter me from enjoying various facets of student life as I marched ahead to win laurels for my alma mater. Being a part of the team, which performs efficiently with positive results, was a satisfying experience while acting as medical officer at Pramukhswami college. It was a nice experience working as a team with assistants and technicians, helping a fellow resident in other department, assisting during invasive procedures, performing conventional investigations, being on call, attending patients of trauma, all this in harmony with machines and computers. This generated a sense of team spirit and professional coordination amongst my colleagues from different clinical and para-clinical faculties. Sometimes the responsibilities as a guide for undergraduates in addition to thrice a week emergencies was tough, but great cooperation and compassionate approach from my smiling colleagues never let me down. All the efforts seem to be worth when the patient says "thank you doctor" with a smile. The process of achieving better training began at my own medical school and as the quest still remains, I preferred United States for further education and training. This motivated me to pass USMLE at first attempt with competitive scores. I anticipate a career in general medicine. I am eager to maintain my interest in teaching through patient education and through involvement with student training.

Standardized Testing in Schools

Standardized tests are administered in all schools across the U. S. in lieu of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. According to these laws, schools have to administer standardize tests to qualify for various types of licensing and grants. For instance, a certain percentage of the students in public schools must pass the standardized tests to be allowed federal support and funding for that particular school. If the results of the standardized tests are not at par, the school does not get funding. At the same time, many students have to take high-stakes standardized tests to get into various colleges/universities of their choice. If the students do not do well on such tests, they are denied admissions. The thing to note about these standardized tests is that they are not reliable and they contain various biases in them. Many people have criticized how such tests do not contain relevant information that can be found in the course syllabus and they test students on impractical levels. Others believe that standardized tests provide results based on very few parameters that do not reflect the students’ real intelligence. Looking at the various researches and opinions of critics, we find that standardized testing is not an effective measure of gauging students’ intelligence, and they should not be used in schools. For example, one of the biggest reasons standardized testing is not effective is because of the subjectivity that can be found in such tests. For instance, Williams (2005) speaks of how many of the standardized tests are gauged by computers. These computers look at the essays input and they provide the results after running certain algorithms that measure certain aspects of the essay, such as structure. Williams (2005) presents a very interesting fact of how some of his colleagues and even he himself used an online website to generate essays about a subject and fed that into the testing machine. The essay that was generated was completely gibberish but was constructed properly according to the rules of grammar. For instance, the essay was supposed to be about standardized testing, but it speaks of how governmental officials and monarchs use the system. The testing machine, however, said that the essay was very well written. This is because the essay followed rules of grammar impeccably, even though it did not make any sense. This shows how standardized testing can be extremely ineffective, as they are mostly being gauged by computers that assess their structure and not their contents. Another problem with standardized tests is that they do not take into account the syllabus that students learn all year round in their classroom curriculum (Rosengarten, 2002). This means that it makes what children are being taught in classrooms as being useless. Children are taught a different syllabus in class, and they are expected to prepare for a test that tests them on other criteria. This causes two problems: one, that the children are being given two different types of education, and two, teachers are not sure what to teach their children. They must teach the children the regular coursework, however, they also must make sure that the children pass the standardized test so that they can receive the federal funding and grant, as per the No Child Left Behind Act. Many people have criticized this act. According to his act, each school must administer standardized tests to its students so that all schools can be gauged on a similar platform (United States Department of Education, 2001). If the students attain a certain level of score on these tests, the public schools are given the federal funding and grant; however, if the school fails, the grants are withdrawn (Diorio, 2008). This is why most of the schools pressure their teachers to prepare the students in such a way so that they ace the standardized tests (Smyth, 2008). This can be problematic. Another problem with standardized testing is that when teachers prepare the students for the standardized tests, they neglect and ignore the subjects that the students will not be tested on. For example, most of the standardized tests focus on mathematics and English skills more. This is why to help students pass the standardized tests, teachers’ pay more attention to these subjects and other subjects, such as science, humanities, history, and art are ignored. Children are getting a skewed education that is tailored to fulfill the federal mandate. Moreover, as noted earlier, most of the standardized tests test students on knowledge that is not part of their syllabus. This results in teachers preparing the students to take the test and do well at it, instead of providing a homogenized form of education that benefits students across all the different subjects. This also means that students can effectively remain lazy and not study all year round and only prepare themselves to take the standardized tests at the end of year to pass their grades. This is also not good, as the students are not being given the proper way of being educated, which should be consistent all year round and not focused on passing one test at the end of the year. Furthermore, standardized tests are also not effective because they contain various biases (Se Queda, 2011). This is because the standardized tests are designed to be administered to a large population that has to take the same test. All the students are required to answer the test in the same manner. This can be problematic, as the U. S. has a very diverse student population from various social, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds (Scholmerich et al, 2008). Placing them all on the same level and playing field is giving advantage to some of the students while making it more difficult for others. For instance, children from different parts of the country would have different sets of skills. For example, a child raised in a big city, such as New York City, would have completely different mindset and set of skills than a child who was raised in a small town, such as Fort Pierce, Florida. This has to do with cultural dynamics and the way that children are taught, treated, and raised in different surroundings. Each of these children would respond in different ways to various educational questions because of their differences in the way that they were raised. Standardized tests do not account for such differences, as the same test is administered in the same manner for all students. At the same time, children with disabilities, e. g. blind children, are also mandated to take standardized test under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In such cases, the questions are read out aloud to the children and they have to speak out their answers (National Council on Disability, 2008). However, the No Child Left Behind Act ignores the blind children and gives them a null score Mefford, 2009) since they cannot read, which means that the standardized tests are skewed and biased. Additionally, many critics have voiced their concerns over how standardized tests should not be allowed because they are unfair. Such critics talk about how the questions â€Å"require a set of knowledge and skills more likely to be possessed by children from a privileged background. The discriminatory effect is particularly pronounced with norm-referenced te sts, where the imperative to spread out the scores often produces questions that tap knowledge gained outside of school† (Kohn, 2000). At the same time, since the standardized tests contain various patterns that students can be taught, various parents can help their children get the proper preparation so that they can pass these tests. This means that the rich and better off people tend to have the ability to provide their children with private tuitions, helping them prepare specifically for the standardized tests so that they can do well. This is another bias that can be seen in the standardized tests, as those who are able to afford to get specific education and preparation for the standardized tests are able to get better scores. This goes against the true reasons for the standardized tests, which is to gauge the students equally across the same platform. Clearly, the rich have an advantage, as they can afford to be specifically prepared for the test, giving them better scores not because they are more intelligent but because they could pay enough money to tailor their preparation exactly for the test. Another reason standardized tests are ineffective is because they tend to measure superficial thinking rather than the deep thinking of the students. Many scholars have indicated the difference between active thinking and superficial thinking, in that active thinking occurs when students ask many questions about their course, coming up with questions themselves and then linking their current coursework with what they have learned in the past. Superficial thinking occurs when students tend to copy down the answers, do a large amount of guesswork and do not ponder on the more difficult aspects of the curriculum. Research has shown that students who get higher scores on their standardized tests are usually those that indulge more in superficial thinking rather than active thinking. Even though some of the students who indulged in active thinking were also able to get high scores, the correlation between superficial thinking and high scores on standardized test is a positive one. This is another reason standardized tests can be seen as being ineffective, as they tend to measure the wrong kind of things; instead of measuring the students who do active thinking, they favor superficial thinking, which is not good. Thus, we find that standardized tests are ineffective for many reasons. Standardized tests test students on a set of knowledge and skills that they are not usually taught in their coursework. This is why many of the teachers tend to teach students how to pass standardized tests instead of teaching them the proper syllabus. To do this, the teachers have to cut down on other subjects, such as art, and sometimes even take the recess time from the children’s daily timetable. Students can also suffer because many subjects that are not paid attention to help children in building their moral and social learning. At the same time, standardized tests tend to be biased against certain portions of the society, as some students are able to do well on them because of their social backgrounds. Children belonging to rich parents also benefit, as they are able to afford tuition and materials that have been designed to prepare them specifically to get good scores on standardized tests. Finally, it has been found that standardized tests measure superficial thinking more than active thinking. All of these reasons depict why standardized testing is wrong and that it should be replaced with other forms of testing that are more homogenized and work to test the students across relevant parameters.ReferencesDiorio, G. L. 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