Saturday, August 31, 2019

Biblical Worldview Essay

The foundation to the Christian faith is the belief that mankind is created in the image of God. But what does the image of God look like? Mankind has debated for years on what Jesus looked like, whether he was white in pigment or black. I feel that me believing mankind was created in the image of affects the way I interact with people tremendously. Believing in mankind believes in life, which is essentially synonymous with the word heart. Since mankind was created in the image of God, my job as a United States Sailor is to protect life, which in the bible is referred to as heart. By protecting and defending my country I am walking in the image god created. â€Å"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. â€Å"(Ezekiel 36:26) A new spirit I will put within you is telling me by protecting mankind from evil its allowing someone to receive the new spirit. Removing the hea rt of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh, is blessing someone with a second chance a life. Heart refers to life, as well as spirit. Joining the military gave me a new heart and spirit and god helped me understand why I needed to enlisted and serve my country. My country is god’s creation and if I believe that mankind is created in the image of god I will allow him to give me a new heart and spirit. With my new heart and spirit I will be able to help others and help them to see how they were created in the image of god because they are living proof. God has given them life and as a sailor it’s my duty to protect their life. Understanding the meaning of mankind was created in the image of god will help in your everyday life. â€Å"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.† (Psalm 51:10) Since we all were created in the image of god we were created with a clean heart and once we accept that we are the image of god we will all be renewed a right spirit within us. I think this passage is relevant to being created in the image of god and life. As a Christian once you have accepted god as your savior and understand the meaning of it, you will have a clean heart and renewed spirit which will give you life. As a sailor I’ve struggled with understanding how everyone who enlisted in the military is created in the image of god until I looke d around and saw just a uniform and not what anyone looked like. Whether a sailor was white, Asian, Mexican, Black, or mixed we were all the same because we all were given life and the opportunity to accept god as our savior. Also we go to church on the ship and realize there we are all created in the image of god and we exemplify that in our day to day lives when we have general quarters and are protecting each other from them enemy. Part of being made in God’s image is that all mankind has the capacity to make free choices. â€Å"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.†(Proverbs 3:5-6) If you trust in the lord with all your heart you are making a free choice. You are choosing to live; you are choosing to acknowledge him and once you do that God will make your walk with god easier. Before I joined the military I did not trust in the lord with all my heart, which means my life. Until I got in a bad accident in 2008 and al most died and had to hear from the police that I should of died and there had to be an angel with me; I then realized I need to trust in the lord with all my heart and not lean on my own understand of what I thought god was. This passage from proverbs is my life. In order for me to fully understand all mankind, which means me, is created in the image of god I needed to accept that and trust in the Lord. This belief affects the way I interact with people within my chosen vocation, life, which is essentially synonymous with the word heart. †According to the Bible, the heart is the center not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life.† â€Å"Heart† and â€Å"soul† are often used interchangeably (Deuteronomy 6:5; 26:16; Compare Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30 Mark 12:33), but this is not generally the case.† Heart in the Bible is the inner life that one lives before God and himself. Understanding that with every action you take in life you will interact with people differently. You would respect them knowing that every human being was created in the image of god and given life just like you. Also I treat people how I want to be treated and not to judge some one. This is a conscious choice that I make because I understand that mankind is the image of god and not just in a physical aspect. We have been given hearts, which in the bible refers to the mind. However, if you did not have life you would not have a mind, and if you were not created in the image of god you would not exists. Refrences: http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/heart.html M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Existentialism and Human Nature Essay

Absolute individuality and absolute freedom: the basis of all existentialist arguments. The existentialist’s conceptions arise from their held views that since we are all ultimately alone, we have absolute freedom over our nature. Existentialists emphasize the â€Å"free and conscious self† which opponents constantly attack, exclaiming that there is a â€Å"higher power† enabling our consciousness. But are humans so simple? Can things be explained solely on blaming ourselves or another being for our nature? The existentialist generally believes in a sole existence; meaning that we are alone in the world, and that we have no one but ourselves. They also believe in the human being’s capacity to feel more than one kind of pain, and that there are three different levels to our pain, physical, psychological, and emotional. All of these types of pain can cause us to become irrational and anxious. But are we really anxious because of this pain, or is it because we ultimately feel alone? And if we are all individuals, can we really feel the same kind of pain as someone else? Existence precedes essence is also dominant in the mind and thoughts of the existentialist. That is, the idea that we are born into this world without a predetermined nature, and only later in life do we shape out nature through actions and choices. This opposes the traditional view that is that essence precedes existence, according to which we are seen as having a purpose, and values, all of which is determined before birth. (I personally think that the idea of essence preceding existence is rather obscure. There is no way that our values and purpose can be determined by genetic code. DNA is what we are, not who we are. ) Existentialists pose another question to the opposition: how can we be happy in a world devoid of significance and meaning? The loss of external values allows us to derive value from within ourselves. This value is greater than any imposed by outside forces, and thus cannot be taken away from said sources. Although many human beings live a life devoid of true happiness, it does not mean that we are incapable of attaining such a goal. If a person finds the meaning for their life, whether it be one meaning, or many, there is a large chance that they can achieve such a utopia without recognizing outside influences. People of different viewpoints follow different methods, as well as believe in different forces that shape our nature. It is in my opinion, as well as that of the existentialist, that we shape our own nature through decisions and actions made by our own free will; that we are ultimately free to act independently from the influences of outside forces. That we can ultimately ignore the views imposed on us, and achieve a sustainable level of happiness in the process. Human nature is a frail thing; people are just looking for someone else to blame for their actions and for who they are, even when there isn’t any. Therefore, there is no one to blame for who we are, but ourselves.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Board Exams Preparation Tips

At this point, it is very important to analyze the real cause of this ill feeling and root it out before you sit for your board examinations. Let us analyse the situation and see how you can overcome it. The three possible reasons are: ~ When your peers discuss a question with you and their answer is not quite convincing to you. ~ When you try to solve some problem and suddenly realize that you are not able to do it. ~ When your teacher initiates a discussion on a topic which you know very well and you suddenly discover that there is much more to it than what you know. So whats the REAL problem? In all these situations, the real problem is that although you have assimilated the knowledge, you dont know how to use that knowledge to your advantage. This could, most probably, be due to lack of in-depth understanding of the concept. The problem arises when you read through the concepts to gain maximum knowledge about the concept and the knowledge you could actually gain is just superficial. To reinforce knowledge and to understand it correctly and completely, you need to practice by solving the right kind of questions. The Solution: Choosing the RIGHT Questions Now that we know the underlying problem and its solution, the next job is to ensure that the questions identified by you are the right ones. In fact, there are three sources from where you can get the right kind of questions. (a) The NCERT textbook The NCERT textbook contains certain understanding-based questions after every concept dealt with in the book. Basically, the book has been structured in a way that ensures step-by-step learning and assessment of the sub-topics rather than focusing on overall understanding of the topic. Try to solve these questions on your own and get your answers checked by an expert. Identify the questions that you have got wrong and revise the relevant concept before you attempt them again. (b) Question bank A question bank indexed topic-wise or concept-wise can help serve your purpose. Go to a good bookshop and browse through the question banks available. Choose a book that presents the questions concept-wise. Consider the listed question as a mini test on the concept and take it. Get your answers checked by an expert. Look for the concepts you are weak at and work on them. Visit sample papers and exam resources. (c) Online resources Although presented in a structured way, the NCERT questions are not comprehensive and very probing. You can only identify the larger chinks in your preparation from it. The types of questions in the question bank may not be application and understanding-oriented. Another difficulty is that it may not be easy to get your answers evaluated by somebody every single time. This is where online resources like www. topperlearning. com can give you an edge. The tests appearing here are free and evaluation is done at a more advanced platform than that provided by any other available online sources. The main advantage of the tests available on the web site is that they are completely NCERT-based and are very detailed. The tests are designed to identify even the minutest chinks in your preparation. A detailed advisory, pinpointing the areas that you need to focus is automatically generated at the end of the test. Identifying the chinks in your preparation is just the first step but perhaps the most important one towards a perfect score. It is equally important that you fill in these chinks with the help of your teachers, peers and adequate practice material including your text book.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Land law assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Land law assignment - Essay Example Restrictive covenants only exist where there is a negative duty on the owner of the covenanted land5. In this instance the duty is a negative duty6 as the restrictions applied by the covenant state that no work can be carried out on the pigs cannot be kept on the land and not to use the land for any form of business In order for a restrictive covenant to be binding on successive owners of the land the covenant must be recorded on the register as a minor interest. If the covenant is not recorded in this way then the new purchasers take the property free of all the agreed covenants7. Baroness Whinge could assert that the benefit of the restrictive covenant has passed to her land and that she intends to enforce this covenant. It is important to note that covenants are only binding between the parties to the contract and cannot bind third parties8. This would mean that the covenant between Baroness Whinge and Lord Stubborn. If the wording of the covenant includes their successors-in-title9 the implication of this is that the original parties have promised that all future owners will observe the covenants. When Lord Stubborn started using the land in this way Michael would effectively be held to be in breach of the covenant10. Michael could ensure that the covenants are kept by successive owners by getting a covenant from them to indemnify him against any liability he might incur if the covenants are breached. Section 78 of the Law of Property Act 1925 entitles the new owners to claim for breaches against any successors-in-title if it can be established that the benefit of the covenant has become part of the land. The claims would not be against the new owners but the original parties to the covenant unless a covenant had been made between the original parties and the new owners11. As Lord Stubborn was not made aware of the covenants it

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Anishinaabe Tribe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Anishinaabe Tribe - Essay Example In addition, it fuels feelings of animosity and hatred among people that are to co-exist mutually, helping each other in times of need. This paper examines a fishing controversy that has happened between two tribes in the Spear fishing Walleye in Wisconsin, stressing on the importance of the Lac Du Flambeau, an Ojibwe person to spear fish in the Valley, without necessarily having to seek permission from the Wisconsin Authorities. The fishes existing in the Walleye Valley are meant for economic and social use by the natives of this place. These people are meant to be the custodians of the river and the resources in it, and ensure that they exploit them for their welfare. In this case, they are mandated to use them for food, as well as important products for sale in the market in order to improve their economic welfare. As a native Ojibwe resident, it is important to note that this valley existed from time immemorial, where our ancestors used it for their economic lives. They would fish in this river to get food for their stomachs as well as sold some to advance their economic welfare. During this time, the ancestors did not have to get permission from authorities in order to use and manage these resources; they were motivated by their conscience to take good care of these resources for the welfare of the future generations. The conservation and management practices used by ancestors have been passed on the succeeding generations. This is something that should prompt the Wisconsin authorities to understand that the natives of Walleye in Wisconsin have the capacity to conserve and manage the fishing grounds and exploit them for their economic and social gains. In this case, they should be allowed to go on with spear fishing in the valley without having to worry that the resource will be misused. Another important consideration in allowing the Ojibwe people to spear fish in their traditional way is that this fishing style is does not lead to

Monday, August 26, 2019

Forensic Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Forensic Science - Essay Example The evidence which is collected by forensic experts is tested in a forensic toxicology lab, which contains sophisticated instruments. These instruments, along with precise methodologies hold importance in producing a toxicology report, because these reports are presented in court and their results are important in determining the sentence of a person (Hagedorn, 2011). However, toxicology is not limited to criminal investigations only, in fact, they are used in cases which involve environmental contamination, to determine what would be the impact of a spill, if it is near a population. Forensic Toxicologist needs to be prepared to testify in court and justify his findings and to explain methodologies which may seem complex to the jury. Before toxicologists conduct their process, they would need samples from the body under consideration. Toxicology is useful because of how it helps, particularly, the law enforcement authorities. Toxicologists collect samples from the body and then study them in the lab; they give a report about all the chemicals found in the body, alcohol, prescription drugs and illegal drugs. In fact, toxicologists can also find out if the person’s death has resulted because of poison or not. For example, hair samples from a body could be tested to see if the person has been involved in drug abuse for a long time or a short time. Saliva can also be used to test for the use of drugs. The Death Investigation Toxicology is also known as the Postmortem technology, where forensic toxicologists work with examiners and coroners to determine if the cause of a death, there has been involvement of alcohol or drugs. Human performance toxicology is about the effects of alcohol and drugs on the behavior of people. This could include investigations related to impaired driving, sexual assault, which is facilitated by

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Triangular Love Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Triangular Love - Research Paper Example in most western countries foster independence from a young age, so individuals have autonomy in their life decisions including their selection of a mate. Collectivist cultures on the other hand, prioritize the goals of the group or ‘collective’ over their own desires; they identify themselves in accordance with the relationships they have with other people, such as family, extended family and friends (Myers, 2005). Collectivist cultures evident in many Eastern countries promote dependence or interdependence that cultivates a concern for others in all decisions made throughout a person’s lifetime, including their selection of a mate, which in some cases is made for them. Sternberg (1986) hypothesized love as a phenomenon that changes many times; in other words it is a process with three interrelated constituents that he conceptualized as a triangle: intimacy, decision/commitment and passion. Sternberg (1986) describes intimacy as love pertaining to â€Å"closeness, connectedness, and bondedness† (p.119); while decision/commitment relates to the â€Å"decision that one loves someone else† and the â€Å"commitment to maintain that love† (p.119); passion on the other hand refers to the â€Å"drive that leads to romance, physical attraction, sexual consummation†. As love is revolving and varying the three components are not necessarily evident at one time or they may not be balanced. Sternberg also posits that the three triangular components can come together in combinations that generate eight different types of love (1986, 1988), and one relationship is capable of experiencing all eight types over time. Within an individualistic culture a person very often selects their mate based on passion and desire for the other person which Sternberg calls infatuated love and they then make a decision to commit to the relationship; thus two components of Sternberg’s triangle are combined to form what he refers to as fatuous love. With the ability to make their own

How did the increasing size of corporations in the US up to the 1930s Essay

How did the increasing size of corporations in the US up to the 1930s affect the pattern of ownership What advantages and disadvantages did this pattern of ow - Essay Example Although foreign investment slowed as a result of the First World War, it had being a major advantage up to 1913. For instance 19% of British investments went to the US between 1911 and 1913 (Hobsbawm, 1987 p. 348). Increased profits made it an advantage for American corporations to get bigger in size. It made good sense to concentrate ownership as much as possible (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 86). The First World War certainly presented leading American companies with advantages to expand their size, markets, and profits. As a consequence of the conflict British and German companies had not been able to export as many of their products to other countries. The drop in exports from the US most success rivals allowed its leading companies the advantage of exporting more goods. Before the US entered the war, its companies took advantage to boost their profits by exporting supplies and munitions to the combatant nations, especially France and Britain. American exports were vital to sustain the British war effort in particular. American entry into the First World War led to an expansion of industrial output, which contributed to the Allied victory and proved advantageous for the growth of American corporations. Once again events seemed to reinforce the belief that the concentration of ownership would be best (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 85). More effective production techniques made a significant contribution to the expansion of the leading American corporations, as a higher volume of products was produced with lower costs. American corporations led the field in the development and use of mass production techniques, most notably the Ford Motor Company (Brandon, 2000 p. 70). For much of the 1920s the size of the domestic market, the growing affluence of many Americans, as well as the relative low costs of production seemed very advantageous for the expansion of the leading American companies. Arguably mass production led to a more concentrated pattern

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Dimensions of Health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dimensions of Health - Essay Example Even with ongoing debate for and against the definition proposed by WHO, it is clear from this definition that health is an entity with multiple dimensions. This definition envisages three specific dimensions, the physical, mental, and social. These dimensions appear separate, but in reality, they are dynamic and interact with each other. Human behaviour is a common theme in human health. Human behaviour is the resultant of physical and mental factors interacting in complicated ways. The broad categories of factors that may influence individual health behaviour include knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes, skills, finance, time, and many others. It is important to give serious considerations to the social context, a particular behaviour occurs. Health behaviour refers to those activities that an individual undertakes to avoid disease. These behaviours are dependent on the environmental contexts as well as on emotions and feelings. Most importantly, health behaviour depends on the he alth needs (Hawks et al., 2008, 319-324). Attitudes are acquired characteristics of an individual that are considered to be more or less permanent ways of behaving. An attitude contains three components, a cognitive or knowledge element, an affective or feeling element, and a tendency to action. Thus attitude can be defined as a relatively enduring organization of beliefs around an object, subject, or concept that predisposes to a response in a preferential manner. Most human beings learn attitudes from social interactions, and once they are formed, it is very difficult to change. In the recent time, attitudes are being recognized as very important determinants of health behaviours, and consequently, psychologists and health care professionals are increasingly dwelling on attitude surveys and attitude measurements, since it is becoming clear that healthy attitudes gravitate from parents, teachers, religious leaders, and elders (Nielsen et al., 2004, 28-32). The beliefs and attributions that people hold can influence their health. This can influence health by affecting their behaviour such as food habits and by a direct influence on the physiological system. Although these two modes are not mutually exclusive for the patient, and there is another set of health beliefs and attributions from the health professionals that can affect the health of individuals. These beliefs may influence health decisions and also influence patients' cognitions. Healthcare professionals may influence the beliefs and attributions, hence behaviour of patients by giving them information and through expression of their beliefs about the patient's health and the best way to overcome a particular health problem. Hence health professionals' beliefs about a disease and its management are large factors in influencing the values of the patients and their approaches to the management of illness (O'hea et al., 2005, 705-717). Values are traits such as honesty, loyalty, intelligence, or talent. This is a set of instrumental values. The other conceptions of values as traits include instrumental and expressive tendencies. Values have also been defined as need strengths including achievement, affiliation, and dominance. The contemporary values point towards a person's value-directed preference for quality rather than quantity of life. The values ascertain the strength of

Friday, August 23, 2019

Report Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Report - Coursework Example The methods are used in economics, physics, and chemistry, geology, in statistics, in operational research and in other disciplines. The ride has 100 metres of fencing to make a rectangular enclosure as shown. It will use existing walls for two sides of the enclosure, and leave an opening of 2 metres for a gate as shown below we are to show that the area of the enclosure is given by: A = 102x – x2 further we are to calculate the maximum possible area. The snacks will be provided in a box with a lid made by removing squares from each corner of a rectangular piece of card and then folding up the sides as shown in below figure. The box is made with a piece of cardboard that is 40 cm by 40 cm. To arrive at the many conclusions, the particular mathematical modeling techniques used was differentiation. It mostly involved finding the maxima and minima of the various mathematical expressions that were already given or else arrived at. The results show that the maximum and minimum heights for feel the fear roller coaster are 36 meters and -14. 1815 meters respectively. The difference between the two was found to amount to 50.815 meters. On the other hand, The Giant roller coaster is 36. 434 at its maximum and -96.434 at its minimum this roller coaster starts at the ground level. For the case of the enclosure the maximum possible area was found to be the2601 square meters where the width is 51. Finally the dimensions of the snack box that yield maximum volume are as follows 6.67 cm x 13.33 cm x 26.67 cm. in this case the maximum volume is 2370.37 cubic

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Best practices when offshoring business intelligence Essay Example for Free

Best practices when offshoring business intelligence Essay Ted Kempf in his article in VarBusiness credits Gartner Dataquest with the following definition for Business Intelligence; â€Å"a user-centered process for of exploring data, data relationships and trends, thereby helping improve overall decision making† (Kempf, 2001). US companies today are setting up business-intelligence technology for the purpose of processing the incessant flow of information they receive. These companies gather this information so they can maintain and build customer relationships and make sound business decisions in a timely manner. A Gartner Dataquest study revealed that the primary reason for companies investing in business-intelligence applications is to ensure they have available the information to assist them in making real-time business decisions. Even though the current trend is to outsource IT initiatives overseas to save costs, the rationale in doing the same for business intelligence is questionable. This is because business intelligence (like data ware housing) is not a technical exercise and requires business knowledge. It is iterative and business-focused in nature (Consilvio, 2003). She insists that offshoring BI presents the biggest risk for ETL (extract, transform and load) because it is grossly underestimated. For this reason, Robert Mitchell, in his article in Computerword, even goes as far as saying that the threat for offshoring is overstated (Mitchell, 2006). In her article for Computerworld, Maria Consilvio lists some of the best practices for offshoring business intelligence. They include: ? Set up tight specifications ? Start with an approach similar to staff-augmentation Define service levels which are appropriate for your expectations. ? Keep an onshore presence as representation for the business knowledge. This enables the life cycle to be quick turn. ? Ensure that the development team is reactive to feedback so that business feedback can be translated to technical specifications. ? Offshore the long term projects with more stable requirements. ? Ensure requirements are defined to such a level that the technical resource does not necessarily have to have the business knowledge. Determine beforehand the restrictions placed on exiting the contractas such contracts may not have defined end or start dates as a result of the fluid nature of BI. ? Audit offshore tools and, as much as possible, insist on scalable tools. ? Equip the onshore team with systems integration, project management and deliver management skills In support of the best practice procedures above, William McKnight of McKnight Associates suggests the following as excerpted from his 2003 article in Computerworld: ON-SITE * Set up benchmarking and service-level criteria * Establish business rules * Maintain (create/translate) business knowledge * Involve users in data warehouse decisions * Ensure application support after development OFF-SITE * Set up an enforcement mechanism for business rules * Establish expertise in tools, such as data cleansing, automated extractors, dashboards and real-time delivery * Application development * Application support and project maintenance REFERENCES Consilvio, Jean. (2003). BI: Last to Leave. Computerworld, December 12. Kempf, Ted. (2001). Business-Intelligence Apps: Companies want them, but are emerging integrators prepared to deliver? VarBusiness, November 6. McGee, Marianne Kolbasuk. (2006). You Vs. Offshoring U. S. tech pros are surprisingly upbeat, and pay is on the rise. But the job outlook is anything but warm and fuzzy. InformationWeek, April 24. Mitchell, Robert L. (2006). Why Good Technologists Are Hard to Find. Computerworld, March 20.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Music Essays Baroque Music

Music Essays Baroque Music Baroque Music In the book The Enjoyment of Music, Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney state, the word baroque comes from the Portuguese word barocco which means a pearl of irregular shapes that was used to make jewelry of the time. (299) According to online data the word was first used to describe the style of architecture in Italy during the 17th and 18th century. Later on the word baroque was used to describe the music styles of the 1600s to the 1700s. The Baroque period was a time when composers experimented with form, styles and instruments. This period saw the development of opera and instrumental music. (About.com) Although we use the term baroque today, the appropriateness of the term baroque has been questioned. In music, the term Baroque applies to the final period of dominance of imitative counterpoint where different voices and instruments echo each other but at different pitches, sometimes inverting the echo, and even reversing thematic material. Baroque music too many in the sixteenth century was bizarre, extravagant, and unnatural. According to the data from online Encarta, Baroque music was very different to the music before its time such as medieval and early renaissance music and the development of new harmonic and melodic lines added difference in pace and variation to the compositions giving them a new shape and form. The structure of the music also changed different forms such as fugues and cannons developed and different instruments were introduced. Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Composers of the early baroque period placed an emphasis on melody. Developments began in Italy and first took place in vocal music, especially opera. Instrumental music started out as an accompaniment of voice but over the course of the baroque era, it achieved an independent identity. Melodies were embellished with ornaments of different types, rapid alternation between the main note and the note just above it. All composers in countries used ornamentation, but it was favored by French composers. Baroque melodies, vocal and instrumental, made prominent use of melodic sequence, the repetition of a short motif at a higher or lower pitch. (Encarta). The principle melody in baroque music was supported by a written bass line, the basso continuo, played by a viol, cello or bassoon. Other parts were added between the melody and the bass by a keyboard instrument, usually a harpsichord or organ. Only they melody and the bass line were written out. Numbers placed over or under the bass notes indicated the type of chord to be played, and they keyboard accompanist added the appropriate notes. (Encarta) According to Manfred F. Bukofzer in his book Music in the Baroque Era the baroque style went through several phases that didn’t even coincide in different countries. They were grouped into three major periods: early, middle and late baroque. Although the periods overlap in time, they can roughly be dated as the first from 1580 to 1630, the second from 1630 to 1680, and the last from 1680 to 1730. These spans indicate only the formative periods of the new concepts with which the previous ones may run parallel for some time, and the start of the baroque period only applies to Italy. In other countries the periods began ten to twenty years later. The middle baroque period brought the bel-canto style in that cantata and opera, with the distinction between aria and recitative. A single section of musical forms began to grow and contrapuntal texture was reinstituted. The modes were reduced to major and minor and the chord progressions are governed by a rudimentary tonality which restrained the free dissonance treatment of the early baroque. The late baroque style was distinguished by a fully established tonality which regulated chord progression, dissonance treatment, and the formal structure. The contrapuntal technique culminated in the full absorption tonal harmony. The forms grew to large dimensions. The concerto style appeared and with it came the emphasis on mechanical rhythm. (17) Along with the different phases of the baroque period there were also different styles, according to Joseph Machlis and Kristine Forney in their book The Enjoyment of Music they explain the different styles. Machlis Forney states that the transition form Renaissance to Baroque brought with it a great change, the shift of interest from texture of several independent parts to one in which a single melody stood out, from polyphonic music to homophonic. The monodic style which originated in vocal music, was named monody wand literally means â€Å"one song,† music for one singer with instrumental accompaniment. The monodic style was known during the beginning of the baroque era. The recitative style is a half-spoken, half-sung delivery, which is often used to link songlike numbers in an opera, oratorio or cantata. Recitative can be dry or accompanied. Secco recitative has only very simple chordal accompaniment; accompanied recitative involves the orchestra more actively. Continuo is the accompaniment part within a homophonic texture, in which a keyboard instrument or sometimes a lute plays a supporting bass line. The composer would write out a single melodic line, and then add figures beneath it to indicate which harmonies the performer should add to it in order to fill out the texture. An aria is a solo song, normally occurring in the context of a longer work but sometimes autonomous. It is usually formally closed, meaning that it could be removed from its setting and performed independently as a complete musical unit. The cantata is a work for solo vocalists, chorus and instrumentalist based on a lyric or dramatic poem. It is generally short and intimate, consisting of several movements that include recitatives, arias, and ensemble members. (395-412). There were many composers that wrote music throughout the baroque era, some more significant than others but each contributing a large amount to the development throughout this period. In Claude Palisca book Baroque Music Arcangelo Corelli was one of the first prominent composers of the Baroque era; he was an Italian composer and violinist writing music in a chamber style and in the form of the late baroque era. Corelli was born in 1653 in Fusignano, Italy not far from Bologna, he spent four years of study in the latter center of violin music before settling in Rome. Corelli separated church and chamber sonatas, grouping them in dozens or half dozens. The content of the two types of sonatas show, an interpenetration of the two manners of writing. Corelli would begin his church sonatas with a severe, majestic, solemn mood, passed on to a resolute and contented one, then to a tenderly melancholic affection, and finally to a light and carefree one. (152) In Donna Getzingr and Daniel Felsenfeld book, Johann Sebastian Bach and the Art of Baroque Music. Bach was a prolific German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Getzinger and Felsenfeld states that Bach’s music wasn’t appreciated during his time he never played his music in public places because his music was not always well received. He was often criticized for writing music many considered overly complicated, and he quit jobs when his employers could not understand what he had hoped to accomplish with his music. (11-14) Machlis and Forney state that Bach was one of the greatest religious artists in history. He believed that music must serve â€Å"the glory of God.† Bach produced works that spoke for the entire Lutheran faith. The prime medium for Bach’s talents was the organ, and during his life he was known as a virtuoso organist. In Bach’s last works it revealed a master who raised existing forms to the highest level. His sheer mastery of contrapuntal composition has never been equaled. (416-417) It is a still-debated question as to what extent Baroque music shares aesthetic principles with the visual and literary arts of the Baroque period. A fairly clear, shared element is a love of ornamentation, and it is perhaps significant that the role of ornament was greatly diminished in both music and architecture as the Baroque gave way to the Classical period. I had the pleasure of listening to some of Bach music, and say I will definitely add his music to my music collection. Works Cited Bukofzer, Manfred F. Music in the Baroque Era, from Monteverdi to Bach. London: Dent, 1948. Getzinger, Donna. Felsenfeld, Daniel. Johann Sebastian Bach and the Art of Baroque Music. Greensboro, North Carolina: Morgan Reynolds Publishing, Inc. 2004 Machlis, Joseph, Kristine Forney, The Enjoyment of Music: An Introduction to Perceptive Listening. New York: W.W. Norton, 2000. Palisca, Claude V. Baroque Music. Prentice-Hall history of music series. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1981.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Definition And History Of Foster Care Social Work Essay

Definition And History Of Foster Care Social Work Essay New World Enclopedia (2012) defines foster care as full-time substitute care of children outside their own home by people other than their biological or adoptive parents or legal guardians.] History of foster care Placement of children in foster homes is a concept which goes as far back as the Old Testament, which refers to caring for dependent children as a duty under law. Early Christian church records indicate orphaned children lived with widows who were paid by the church. English Poor Laws in the 1500s allowed the placement of poor children into indentured service until they became adults. This practice was imported to the United States and was the beginning of placing children into foster homes. [1] The most significant record of fostering was in 1853, a child was removed from a workhouse in Cheshire and placed in a foster family under the legal care of the local government.At the beginning of the 1900s only orphaned or abandoned children under the age of 11 years were fostered, and they had to have a demanding psychological profile well adjusted, obedient and physically normal. Until World War II, foster care was recognized as a charitable service. Two important events that pushed the state to look at the foster care system in a different angle was the first mass evacuation of millions of children and then the death of a child in a foster care in 1945. In 1969 research was carried out on the foster care system and it was found that foster families required training on how to deal with the foster children and make them fill secure in the placement. (Jeune Guishard-Pine, 2007) Foster care as a global concept Foster care is probably the most widely practised form of substitute care for children world-wide, depending on the needs of the child, the culture and the system in place. There are many different kinds of fostering and definitions of foster care vary internationally. It can be short -term, a matter of days ,or a child whole childhood. A review of foster care in Twenty-two countries found considerable diversity in the way of fostering in both defined and practised.(Hannah Johnson, 2005).Kinship foster care ,which is the most common form of fostering in African countries is not defined as foster care in all countries. In Ireland for example only children placed with no relatives are said to be fostered. In some countries foster care is seen only as a temporary arrangement ,whereas in others the norms is for long term and quasi adoptive placement.(Colton William ,1995) Hannah Johnson (2005) stated that the process to be registered as foster parents in different countries such as U.K , Australia, Uganda and South Africa is practically the same. In some countries foster care programme is managed either by the government or agency, and each country has their basic criteria that need to be fulfilled ,such as being physically and mentally fit and healthy, having a room for the child ,having time to spend with the child .The process to be registered as foster families can take approximately six months. Individuals who are willing to become foster families must make their applications to the agency. A home study is conducted by a social worker to assess the capability of the applicants for taking care of a child. The assessment form is then forwarded to the final panel who will decide whether the applicants are fit to become foster carers. Placement in Foster care According to zuravin Deponfilis (1997) children are removed from their homes to protect them from immediate abuses. In many situations, these children have suffered physical, sexual abuse, or neglect at home, and therefore they are placed in a safe environment. A small percentage of children are in foster care because their parents feel unable to control them, and their behaviour may have led to delinquency or fear of harm to others. Some children have been neglected by their parents or legal guardians, or have parents or legal guardians who are unable to take care of them because of substance abuse, incarceration, or mental health problems. These children are then placed into foster care until the parents or guardians are capable of looking after them.[1] In all foster care cases, the childs biological or adoptive parents, or other legal guardians, temporarily give up legal custody of the child. (The guardian gives up custody, but not necessarily legal guardianship.) A child may be placed in foster care with the parents consent. In a clear case of abuse or neglect, a court can order a child into foster care without the parents or guardians consent. Before any placement the foster care family is screened by the Government or agency through a psychologist or social worker that assess the foster care families under certain criteria such as emotional stability, motivation, parental skills and financial capabilities.[2] The government provides foster families with an allocation taking in foster children. They are required to use the funds to buy the childs food, clothing, school supplies, and other incidentals. Most of the foster parents responsibilities toward the foster child are clearly defined in a legal contract. Foster placements may last for a single day or several weeks; some continue for years. If the parents give up their rights permanently, or their rights to their child are severed by the court, the foster family may adopt the foster child or the child may be placed for adoption by strangers.[3] The Aim of Foster Care System According to Hayden (1999), the aim of foster care system is to protect and endorse the security of the child, while providing foster parents and biological parents with the sufficient resources and available services needed to maintain the childs healthy development. Foster care environments are proposed to be places of safety and comfort, and are monitored by several welfare agencies, representatives, and caseworkers. Personal caseworkers assigned to a foster child by the state or county are accountable for supervising the placement of the child into an appropriate foster care system or home. The caseworker also carries out regular visits to the foster care family home to monitor progress. Other agents involved in a childs placement into foster care may include private service providers, welfare agencies, insurance agents, psychologists, and substance abuse counselors. Types of Foster Care Parents may voluntarily place children into foster care for various reasons. Such foster placements are monitored until the biological family can provide appropriate care for the child, or the biological parental rights are terminated and the child is adopted. A third option, known as guardianship, is sometimes utilized in certain cases where a child cannot be reunified with their birth family and adoption is not a suitable solution. This generally includes some older foster children who may be strongly bonded to their family of origin and unwilling to pursue adoption. Voluntary foster care may be utilized in circumstances where a parent is unable or unwilling to care for a child; a child may have behavioural or psychological problems requiring specialized treatment, or the parent might have a problem which results in a temporary or permanent inability to care for the child. Involuntary foster care is implemented when a child is removed from their caregiver for his or her own personal safety. A foster parent receives monetary reimbursement from the placement agency for each foster child while the child is in his or her home to help cover the cost of meeting the childs needs (Dorsey et al 2008) stated that in many countries ,most of the children enter the foster care system due to neglect. Children may join the foster care system via Voluntary or involuntary means. Voluntary placement may happen when the biological parents are facing difficulties to take care of the child. Involuntary placement occurs when the child is being at risk under the care of the biological parents. Adoption and Foster Care Reporting System recorded , different types of fostering such as: (i) Foster family home, relative A licensed or unlicensed home of the childs relatives regarded by the state as a foster care living arrangement for the child. (ii) Foster family home, non-relative A licensed foster family home regarded by the state as a foster care living arrangement. (iii)Group home or Institution A group home is a licensed or approved home providing 24-hour care for children in a small group setting that generally has from 7 to twelve children. An Institution is a facility operated by a public or private agency and providing 24-hour care and/or treatment for children who require separation from their own homes and group living experience. These facilities may include child care institutions, residential treatment facilities, or maternity homes. Problems in Foster Care System [1]Foster children face a number of problems both within and outside the foster care system. Foster children are more vulnerable to neglect, abuse, family dysfunction, poverty, and severe psychological conditions. The trauma caused to a child when removed from their home is also severe and may cause depression, anger, and confusion. Studies have shown that psychological conditions of abused and neglected children are required to improve when placed in foster care, however the separation from their biological parents causing traumatic effect on the child. Children with histories of maltreatment, such as physical and psychological neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse, are often at risk of developing severe psychiatric problems and may be described as experiencing trauma-attachment problems. The trauma experienced may be the result of abuse or neglect, inflicted by a primary caregiver, which disrupts the normal development of secure attachment. Associated Problems with Foster Care Child In long term the foster care children suffer from psychological, cognitive and epigenetic effects. The Northwest Foster Care Alumni Study on foster care children showed that foster care children, were found to have double the incidence of depression, and were found to have a higher rate of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than combat veterans. Tarren-Sweeny (2010) reported that Children in foster care have a higher probability of having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and deficits in executive functioning, anxiety as well as other developmental problems. Neurodevelopmental Disorder A neurodevelopmental disorder is an impairment of the growth and development of the brain or central nervous system. It refers to a brain disorder of brain function that affects emotion,learning ability and memory and that unfolds as the individual grows. Most foster care children are placed in foster care families at a very young age which is a critical period for the children as the development of mental and psychological processes occur during early childhood. According to kristen Rollins, the human brain does not develop fully until the age of 25, and one of the most critical periods of brain development occurs in the first 3-4 years. Therefore, the human brain is influenced by negative environmental factors such as emotional neglect, poor nutrition and exposure to violence in the home and any type of abuses. The study by McCrory E et al ( 2010) states that the negative environmental factors influences all areas of neurodevelopment: neurogenesis (creation of new neurons), apoptosis (death and reabsorption of neurons), migration (of neurons to different regions of the brain), synaptogenesis (creation of synapses), synaptic sculpturing (determining the make-up of the synapse), arborization (the growth of dendritic connections, myelinzation (protective covering of neurons), and an enlargement of the brains ventricles, which can cause cortical atrophy including decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex. Harden BJ (2004) reports that Foster children have elevated levels of cortisol, a stress hormone in comparison to children raised by their biological parents. Elevated cortisol levels can decrease the immune system. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) According to Dubber (1999) 60% of children in foster care who were sexually abused had post traumatic stress disorder ( PTSD). 18% of children who were not abused faced PTSD just by witnessing violence at home. These children then suffer from intrusive memories, flashbacks, avoidance, and psychological and physiological reactivity. Eating Disorders Eating disorders refer to a group of conditions defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individuals physical and mental health. Hudson, JI; Hiripi, E; Pope Jr, HG; Kessler, RC (2007). According to Hadfield Sc (2008), Obesity in all age groups of children has become an increasing concern in recent years. Children in foster care are more prone to become overweight and obese, and in a study done in the United Kingdom, 35% of foster children experienced an increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) once in care. The children also suffer from Food Maintenance Syndrome which is a pattern of excessive eating and food acquisition and maintenance behaviour without concurrent obsesity. The syndrome is said to be caused by stress and maltreatment of foster care children. Tarren-Sweeney (2006) study states that children in foster care also suffer from Food Maintenance Syndrome which is characterized by a set of aberrant eating behaviors of children in foster care. It is a pattern of excessive eating and food acquisition and maintenance behaviors without concurrent obesity; it resembles the behavioral correlates of Hyperphagic Short Stature. It is hypothesised that this syndrome is triggered by the stress and maltreatment foster children are subjected to. Northwest Foster Care Alumini study (2011) reports that Bulimina Nervosa is seven times more prevalent among former foster children than in general population. Epigenetic effects of environment According to Weaver (2004) negative environmental influences, such as maternal deprivation, child abuse and stress have a profound effect on gene expression, including transgenerational epigenetic effects in which physiological and behavioral (intellectual) transfer of information across generations-not-yet-conceived is effected. Neighh GN et al (2009) states that the effects of abuse may be extended beyond the immediate victim into subsequent generations as a consequence of epigenetic effects transmitted directly to offspring. Suicide -Death Rate Charles (1991) states Children in foster care families are at a greater risk of suicide. Children from foster care families as compared to general population have a risk ratio of suicidal attempts of four to five time greater. A study conducted in Finland have indicated that children in foster care have a higher mortality rate compared to the general population due to incidence of acute and chronic medical conditions and developmental delays.(Kalland M,2001) Academic Prospects According to Neild Ruth et al (2006) foster care children tend to underachieve academically with many never completing high school. The children have low concentration in class and perform poorly in exams. Very few children attempt University and obtain a degree. Barriers in foster care System Timing in Placement Children are more prone to experience insecurity in the foster home during the initial phase of placement, especially in the first six to seven months.(Mary Bruce Webb et al, (2010) Peter J Pecora, James K. Whittaker et al,(2010 )suggest that older children experience placement Stability during the initial phase compared to infants. In order to decrease the chances for placement disruption which children normally experience during the initial phase of placement, it is recommended that children develop trust and not feel lost in the system. Characteristics of the Home (Berridge Cleaver, 1987) stated that children have difficulty to adapt in foster home when they are placed with other children who are roughly the same age or if they are placed in foster homes where the foster parents have children of their own. Foster Children placed with other children may feel insecure and start competing for affection and materialistic objects eventually this leads to conflicts in the foster care family. Childrens mental and behavioral health According to J.Gavin Bremner Theodore D.Wachs (2010), Child behaviour problems is among the frequent reason that foster parents request the removal of a child in their care. Children over the age of four (4) are more prone to experience placement instability due to behavioural problems. (Strijker, Zandberg, van der Meulen, 2002) Foster Parent Characteristics Training and support for foster parents are of a paramount importance to avoid children experience disruption in their foster homeFoster parents who have bigger support system such as extended family are more possible to provide a secure placement for the child. .(Walsh Walsh 1990;Redding et al 2000). Furthermore, foster parents who seize suitable hope and understand causes and reason for a childs behaviour is predictive of placement stability.(Butler Charles 1999) Counselling in the Foster Care System Definition of counselling Counselling often described as talking therapy, is a process aimed at providing clients with the time and space to explore their problems, understand their problems, and resolve , or come to terms with their problems, in a confidential setting. The Royal College(2006 a) defines counselling simply as a type of psychotherapy which helps people address and resolve their problems and work through their feelings.(Jan Sutton William stewart ,2008) Counselling involves the development of a relationship between the client and a trained professional that focuses on the clients concerns and difficulties . it is a process in which individuals have the opportunity to improve upon their understanding of themselves ,including their patterns of thoughts ,behaviours ,feelings and the ways in which these may have been problematic in their lives. Counselling is a collaborative effort as it involves the client and the counsellor working together to identify goals. Throughout the counselling process the client is encouraged ,supported and empowered to look at himself/herself from a different perspective . The aim is not only to help the client cope with a current issue of crisis ,but to do so in a way that produces learning for the future ,so that the client can feel more in charge of his/her life.(M.Ravi 2008) 3.4.1 Foster Child Counselling Williams (1994) ,Children in foster care have often suffered abuse, neglect or maltreatment. Trauma will affect children in different ways, depending on age, family support, developmental level and basic temperament. The objective of child counselling (taken from Children and Trauma) include: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The safe release of feeling à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Relief from symptoms and post traumatic behaviors à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Recovery of a sense of mastery and control in life à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Correction of misunderstanding and self blame à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Restoration of a sense of trust in oneself and the future à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Minimizing the scars of trauma à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Development of specific skills or coping tools The Therapy is meant to be a process to work through trauma and help a child understand what has happened to him/her. It also aims to help a child function better in the world around him /her. 3.4.2 Foster Family Counselling (Fernandez Elizabeth, 2010) Therapy does not change family dynamics. Placing a child in therapy will help the child but will not fix the problems in the family. Family counselling offers a better chance at successful family reunification. Nevertheless, steps need to be taken to provide assistance to the child and foster family who are in need of counselling. Thus, counsellors and therapists need to construct a relationship based on mutual trust for the counselling process to begin. According to Silva (1991), to establish therapeutic mutual trust, there need to be the following requirements: Accurate Empathy: The therapist conveys his or her understanding of the childs background and experience; Genuineness: The therapist is as spontaneous, tactful, flexible, and non-defensive as possible; Availability: The therapist is accessible and available (within reason) when needed, and avoids making promises and commitments he or she cannot realistically keep; Respect: This is both gracious and firm, and acknowledges the childs sense of autonomy, control, and responsibility within the therapeutic relationship. Respect is manifested by the therapists general attitude, as well as by certain specific actions Concreteness: Therapy should, at least initially be goal-oriented and have a problem-solving focus. Foster parents are into action and results, and to the extent that it is clinically realistic, the therapeutic approach should emphasise active, problem-solving approaches before tackling more sensitive and complex psychological issues. Counselling Strategies and Techniques Blau (1994) recommends that the first meeting between the therapist and the child establish a safe and comfortable working atmosphere by the therapists articulating : a positive endorsement of the foster parents decision to seek help; a clear description of the therapists responsibilities and limitations with respect to confidentiality and privilege; and Blau (1994) also delineates a number of effective intervention strategies for foster children including the following: Attentive Listening: This includes good eye contact, appropriate body language, and genuine interest, without inappropriate comment or interruption. Empathy: This therapeutic attitude conveys availability, concern, and awareness of the turbulent emotions being experienced by the traumatised children. Reassurance: In acute bahvioural situations, this should take the form of realistically reassuring the child that matters will be taken care of. Supportive Counselling: This includes effective listening, restatement of content, clarification of feelings, and reassurance. In appropriate cases, this therapeutic strategy can stimulate the officer to explore underlying emotional stresses that intensify a naturally stressful traumatic event. In a few cases, this may lead to ongoing psychotherapy (Miller, 2006).

Monday, August 19, 2019

Sustained Silent Reading Essay -- Education

Sustained Silent Reading Most administrators and educators, if asked what is the area that needs the most improvement in schools today, would answer reading. Children seem to battle with reading at almost every grade level. As reported by Trelease (2006) students do not read very much. In one reported study, 90% of the students studied devoted only 1 percent of their free time to reading and 30% to watching television. Fifty percent of the students read for an average of four minutes or less per day, 30% read two minutes per day, and 10% read nothing at all (p. 1). These statistics only serve to worsen the fear of students low reading abilities. Educators have developed a myriad of programs to improve students’ comprehension, retention, and higher level thinking skills. These skills are especially important in the improvement of scores on the state mandated assessments. Among these programs is Sustained Silent Reading (SSR), which promises that students can improve comprehension, enjoy reading for pleasure, and become life-long readers in fifteen to twenty minutes a day. Sustained Silent Reading is a program where students read any type of printed material for an uninterrupted, specific amount of time. Gardiner (2001) states there are many different names for SSR, such as Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Uninterrupted Sustained Silent Reading (USSR), and Providing Opportunities with Everyday Reading (POWER) to name a few (p. 32). Each program varies a little from the others, but they share the same guidelines. Students read silently every day, choose their own materials, read for an uninterrupted amount of time, do not have to finish a book or other material, notice the teacher reading as well, and do not have to tak... ...his article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19388070309558400 DEAR me: What does it take to get children reading? By: Lee-Daniels, Sonya L., Murray, Bruce A., Reading Teacher, 00340561, Oct2000, Vol. 54, Issue 2 Teaching of English Language and Literature (TELL) Journal Volume 15, Number 2, November 1999 Anthony Seow The Read aloud Handbook Jim Trelease's 2006 Penguin Books http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr038.shtml "Sustained Silent Reading" Helps Develop Independent Readers (and Writers) Article by Gary Hopkins Education World ® Copyright  © 1997 Education World Originally published 11/19/1997 Updated 10/15/2007 Why Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) Doesn’t Work June 25th, 2011 | Mark Pennington, MA Reading Specialist Pennington Publishing Blog http://penningtonpublishing.com/blog/reading/why-sustained-silent-reading-ssr-doesn%E2%80%99t-work

Islam :: essays research papers

The Diffusion of the Islam in North Africa/Southwest Asia The North Africa/Southwest Asia realm has spread itself from the Atlantic shores of Morocco to the mountains of Afghanistan. Sometimes this part of the world is referred to as the Arab world. This realm is one the richest in the world of historical and cultural point of view. It has been the origin of three of four religions; Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The Islam is the major religion in the "Arab World", but along with it Christianity and Judaism take an important place. It is also a region of intense conflict basically on religious and cultural issues. The Islam started to spread out more than thousand years ago, A.D. 613, with the work of Muhammad the Prophet. This man began to receive messages from Allah and soon he started preaching among his people. The Islam could be interpreted as an improvement or revision of the Christianity and Judaism. In someway Islam brought to the Muslim world not only uniting religion but also a new set of values, understandings, a whole new way of life. After the death of Muhammad the Prophet the Islam continued to spread. The Arab armies were attacking, invading and conquering different parts of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. They converted to their religion wherever they went. About A.D. 700 the Islam reached North Africa and most of Southeast Asia. Centuries later it came to Southern and Eastern Europe, West and East Africa, South Asia and it reached even China about A.D. 1000. This spreading religion is a perfect example of diffusion processes, particularly spatial diffusion. The first center was at Medina in Arabia, but it was moved to Damascus and finally to Baghdad. The Islam was carried by any man of this religion, no matter if he was a child, soldier, teacher or even the sultan. Not only the Islam fit in the definition. Any new form in the fashion, in the music or in our culture that takes place in our live is a form of spatial diffusion. Almost every place, every city and nomadic community in the Arab world was touched by the expansion diffusion formed by the local nearness, which is referred by scientists as a contagious diffusion. High ranked people like sultans and kings also spread the Islam, which is hierarchical diffusion and this is only one of the various forms of hierarchical diffusion.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Sir William Wallace :: essays research papers

The Help of Sir William Wallace Sir William Wallace is one of Scotland’s greatest generals and was a great help towards the freedom of Scotland because he brought patriotism to the minds of his fellow Scotsmen in order fight for the freedom for which was nearly taken away by the their English neighbors. He would ride through Scotland gathering clans both from the high and lowlands. Over the years after his death, Scots have proclaimed Sir William Wallace as their countries hero and the man who made freedom run through the blood of so many who were by his side.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Hundreds of years before the time of Sir William Wallace, Roman troops tried to conquer parts of Scotland but failed. The savagery of the Scots put the fear in the Romans and caused them to build Hadrian’s Wall. The wall separated Scotland and England (which was part of the Roman Empire). When the great empire fell to destruction by many Germanic tribes, Scots began to live a more peaceful life. During the Norman conquest of 1066, a group of people called the Normans invaded England, killed many Anglo-Saxon and Celtic tribes, and took over the country. England was now under Norman rule and would stay that way. (Compton’s Home Encyclopedia CD Rom)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 1296, English troops invaded the lowlands of Scotland burning villages, killing innocent Scots, and trying to over rule the vast countrysides of the lowlands and the highlands. The new ruler of England, King Edward I the Long Shanks, started all this. He believed that he should have control of the whole island itself. His idea about conquering Scotland was that if he can’t beat them out, then he could breed them out. He brought the old English custom called Prima Noctes; if a woman is married in the country of Scotland, an English lord has every right to take her away from her husband for a few days and have his ways with her. Clans of lowlanders came together to form an army. It took awhile for the highlanders to know about this. Conflicts brook out between the Scottish rebels and English troops. Bows and arrows and other combat weapons were taken from the Scots except for their swords and axes. (Compton’s Home Encyclopedia CD Rom)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The answer to Scotland’s problems came with the birth of William Wallace. His exact date of birth is unknown but he was born in the 1270’s.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Customer Benefit Package †Walmart versus Luxury Clothier

Walmart is no one of the largest retail stores in North America. It is considered to be one of the most efficiently run retail business worldwide. To compare Walmart to luxury retailers has numerous contrasting factors both in goods and services provided. The most significant factor is the price when comparing Walmart to luxury retailers. Walmart is committed to saving its customers money so they can live a better life; this is why their products are reasonably priced goods whereas luxury retailers tend be highly priced.Walmart’s mission statement: â€Å"People, Saving Money, Living a Better Live† To contrast the Customer Benefit Package of Walmart against a luxury clothier for purchasing a new formal dress, there are many contributing factors. Depending on the person will dictate the types of benefits from the products to satisfy your needs. Typical sources of a Customer Benefit Package are GOOD COMPARATIVE PRICE, GOOD QUALITY, GOOD WARRANTY SERVICES, REPUTABLE COMPANY , KNOWN PRODUCT/BRAND, LOW AFTER-SALES COSTS, PROMPT DELIVERY, WELL DESIGNED PRODUCT, FASHIONALBE, and EASE OF PURCHASE AND RELIABLILITY.Price, Walmart has definitely an advantage over its competitors particularly a luxury clothier for the purchase of a formal dress. I would like to compare Walmart to Lane Fashions; this is a local luxury ladies shop in my local community. Lane prices are definitely higher than Walmart, but in terms of quality, Lane sources out quality products to consumers and this is a quality that the customer expects as compared to Walmart, which has limits on their stocks on per style, per season based on purchase cost.Shopping at luxury clothier gives the customer a sense of pride knowing that not too many others will have the same item in their closet. Luxury clothiers are focused on quality, style and design for their business. Lane Fashions carries numerous well-known brands, for example Artex, Bianca Nyard, City Girl, FDJ, Joseph Ribkoff, and so on. They a re trusted brands for style, designs, fit, and sophistication with upscale fashion and offer excellent one on one customer services.These would be an advantage over Walmart, also, if living in my community, there is no Walmart, you would have to travel 45 minutes to the nearest store outlet. Luxury clothier provides their customer with assistance in referring or suggesting other products, and such accessories that go well with your purchase. In Walmart they have their house brand, â€Å"George† which provides the customer with reasonable priced products. They do carry other brands so there is more for the consumer to choose from, but nothing to compare to a luxury clothier.The difference here would be the preference of the customer, do you want a good fitting piece of clothing, and do you care about the brand name. A luxury clothier will have the variety of choices in clothing, and in accessories to go well with the clothing they sell. The staff is knowledgeable about the pro ducts they are selling are very able to assist the customer with their purchase. Walmart does not provide these kinds of services, there will be no suggestions on products or accessories, their staff are not trained to provide these types of services.Service is a major factor in the contrast between Walmart and a luxury clothier. This is a major role in the decision making process of the customer. Am I satisfied with how the store staff assisted me? Did I have an intimate shopping experience? How long did I have to stand in line to pay for my purchase? Was the store staff courteous and knowledgeable about the products? If your experience is a wonderful one you will come back to this store as a repeat customer, due to how the staff treated you, if they make you feel like a V. I. P.Walmart offers various after sales services, in some locations they are open 24 hours a day. The Cash Back Reward program that they have entices customers to shop in their stores and keeps customers coming back. These could be an advantage over the luxury clothiers, as they may not have these programs or services available for their customers. They also have a very adequate return policy wherein they freely accept returns within a specified time frame, but in my experience, if the staff does not check out the returned items and re-shelf them, then other consumers will purchase the defective/returned product.Walmart has numerous cashiers but often there are very few open and so you usually are standing in line for a while. For a luxury clothier they usually have a couple of cashiers, and on a busy day, like the Christmas season you could have to stand in a line but normally on a regular day there would no long lines at the cashiers. Walmart’s purpose is â€Å"by offering the best possible prices on the products our customers’ need, so we can help them afford something extra† to provide the customer with a â€Å"one-stop† shopping experience.They offer variou s products, food, clothing, housewares, gift items, garden centre, automobile centre, salons, and photo centre. They provide fast food within the store, Tim Horton’s and McDonald’s. They also provide on-line shopping. There are definitely numerous contrasts of ideas between Walmart and a luxury clothier. In this document there have been many contributing factors mentioned. Why does the consumer shop at Walmart?I believe like many consumers the main reason would be convenience, one-stop shopping centre and once you are in the store you definitely impulse buy; after sales service and the price. In a luxury clothier, it is for the experience of one on one customer services, the brand name of the clothing you are looking for, the quality, reliability of the product, image of a luxury clothier, updated style/fashion. I will always shop for certain products at Walmart, but for my evening wear I will always shop at a luxury clothier.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Michael Henchard’s life is a series Essay

Michael Henchard’s life is a series of terrible disasters, which leads to self destruction. However, deciding whether Michael Henchard is responsible for his own downfall and to what extent is something which needs a lot of deliberation before getting an answer. There are different factors which need to be looked at before deciding this, such as whether it was Henchard’s fault, or whether he could have stopped the disaster from happening. The only way to determine whether or not Henchard is totally responsible for his own downfall is to look at each disaster which occurs in the novel and then see whether he could have prevented it or not. Starting directly from the beginning, the novel begins with Michael Henchard travelling with his wife and daughter and then stopping at a furmity tent for some food. Michael straight away decided that he wanted some rum in his furmity. â€Å"He winked to her, and passed up his basin in reply to her nod; when she took a bottle from under the table, slily measured out a quantity of its contents, and tipped the same into the man’s furmity. The liquor poured in was rum. † He soon got drunk after several helpings of it and when his wife tried to quieten him a little. He then began to ramble about how better off he would be without her. â€Å"I married at eighteen, like the fool that I was; and this is the consequence o’t. † It is clear to the audience that Henchard is a rude and careless character. Henchard’s attitude and behaviour is influenced by alcohol, and it appears to the audience that his wife, Susan is aware of this. â€Å"†¦ his wife, who seemed accustomed to such remarks, acted as if she did not hear them†¦ † The scene is set for a foreboding novel when Hardy expresses his feelings about nature and mankind in the first part of the novel. He compares nature and mankind. â€Å"In contrast with the harshness of the act just ended within the tent was the sight of several horses crossing necks and rubbing each other lovingly, as they waited in patience to be harnessed†¦ † After Michael spending his evening drinking rum, he began auctioning his wife to anybody who would buy her. A sailor offered Michael Henchard 5 guineas for both hi wife and daughter. Michael would not sell them for any less. Susan gave Henchard one last chance to say he didn’t mean it before she left with the sailor as it wasn’t a joke no more. â€Å"A joke? Of course it is not a joke! † Shouted her husband. With this his wife and daughter left with the successful bidder. Michael Henchard losing his wife and child was the first disaster. This disaster was without a doubt Michael’s fault. He had decided to have rum with his furmity, even though he had had it before, knowing that he makes him drunk, and he knew he had tried to sell his wife before. He should have known not to have too much, if any liquor, and because he chose to do so in the knowledge that he has a bit of a drinking problem, this makes the whole disaster hid fault. I do not think that any blame can be passed onto his wife. Susan felt the contempt that Michael had for her. Henchard shows he has integrity once sober, when he later regrets selling his wife and daughter and goes to search for her. â€Å"Well I must walk about till I find her†¦ † This shows a positive side to Henchard, for taking the time to recover the mistake he made. He also made an oath not to drink for 21 years, due to his hideous behaviour the previous night. In contrast to this, he later blames Susan for his atrocious attitude and behaviour and appears very angry at her. â€Å"†¦ seize her, why didn’t she know better than being me into this disgrace! † He roared out. † In the next part of the novel, Susan finds Henchard as a successful businessman as mayor of a small town called Castorbridge. â€Å"Mr. Henchard- now habited no longer as a great personage, but as a thriving business man. † Henchard has worked hard and had a lot of determination to get to where he is now. He needs to continue being successful and hard working in order to prevent his own downfall, as Henchard has much more to lose now. Henchard meets a Scottish man called Donald Farfrae by accident but takes a liking to him and employs him in order to increase his wealth. Farfrae has inventive machines which are useful to trade. â€Å"†¦ it is true that I am in the corn trade†¦ I have some inventions useful to the trade†¦ † Farfrae appears to be a helpful, kind, gentleman, who is willing to help and is a good citizen. Hardy describes how the town of Castorbridge have already taken a liking to Farfrae. The audience can view Henchard’s jealousy of Farfrae. â€Å"By this time he had completely taken possession of the hearts of the Three Mariner’s inmates. † After 19 years ‘Henchard’s daughter’, Elizabeth-Jane returns with a message from his wife Susan. Henchard is over-whelmed to see EJ again. He shows her around his beautiful home and makes her feel very welcome. He is highly surprised to hear that his wife whom he had sold many years ago remains alive. â€Å"Oh— Susan is— still alive? † He asked with difficulty. By Hardy expressing how Henchard speaks about Susan reflects his true feelings for her. Henchard doesn’t necessarily love Susan still, but he does show contempt for her towards EJ. Henchard informs Farfrae of his disastrous past when he sold his wife and child EJ. â€Å"Well, I lost my wife nineteen years ago or so -by my own fault†¦ † By Henchard admitting to doing something wrong shows he has integrity again. By Henchard being completely honest with his business partner, the audience see the positive side to him come out again. Henchard’s downfall continues from his relationship with Farfrae. Hardy describes the liking Henchard has for Farfrae. This is used to make Henchard’s downfall look bigger than if Henchard wasn’t so involved and close to Farfrae. Henchard and Susan are not lovers anymore and Susan meets him at the ‘ring’, an amphitheatre near Castorbridge which Hardy describes as,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ seldom had place in the amphitheatre, that of happy lovers. † Even though Susan and Henchard are not close anymore, Henchard shows sensitivity towards Susan and begins their conversation in a peculiar way. â€Å"I don’t drink anymore. † This is Henchard wanting to prove a point to Susan that he regrets what he did, by telling her that he now feels responsible for his actions shows a positive side to Henchard. Susan and EJ see a lot more of Henchard and after a while EJ becomes closer to Michael and spends more time with him than she does her mother. As the bond grows between the two, Henchard requests for EJ’s name to be changed to Miss. Henchard in its place of Miss. Newson. â€Å"Now, Susan, I want to have her called Miss. Henchard- not Miss. Newson†¦ it is her legal name-so it may as well be made her usual name- I don’t like t’other name at all for my own flesh and blood†¦. She won’t object. † â€Å"No. O no. But-† â€Å"Well, then, I shall do it,† said he, peremptorily. The audience see a stubborn and self-centred side to Michael here. In contrast to this the audience can also see how much Henchard wants EJ to become part of his family again by name. This again shows that he is sorry for what he done. Michael seems rather pushy towards Susan. Susan is slightly hesitant about the whole situation. Taking a situation like this upon himself, without his wife actually agreeing is very selfish of Henchard. The audience notices Susan’s hesitance and begin to sense an explanation for this. Hardy includes another character Abel Whittle in order to illustrate the variation in character between Henchard and Farfrae. Abel is employed by Henchard and when Abel is late Henchard uses an insensitive approach on Whittle. Quite the reverse to this Farfrae shows a more kind and gentle approach towards him. This sparks jealousy of Henchard on Farfrae. A sense of disruption in their relationship occurs and the audience can see the beginning of Henchard’s downfall. Henchard also becomes jealous of Farfrae when he begins to bond with EJ. Henchard doesn’t want to run the risk of losing EJ therefore dispenses with Farfrae. â€Å"Mr. Farfrae’s time as my manager is drawing to a close- isn’t it Farfrae? † He did this because he loves EJ, but he also wants to keep his good name and does not wish for Farfrae to take over everything. Hardy is clever, in the way he creates the characters Henchard and Farfrae. He makes Henchard’s character the complete opposite to that of Farfrae. This gives the audience a great understanding and knowledge of each character; therefore they’re able to predict what will occur after each turning point to each character. Henchard realises he is in yet another disaster. Michael had not too long before his wife and daughter had found him, spent the night with a woman called Lucetta. He had then promised to marry her so she can keep her virtue. He did this thinking that Susan and EJ had died. This of course means he cannot marry Lucetta. Susan becomes to unwell to leave her bed, therefore Henchard and EJ are expected to look after her. In the mean time Lucetta tells Henchard she wants her letters back, and that she wishes to meet him at the antelope hotel. â€Å"†¦ I shall be in the coach, which changes horses at the antelope hotel at half past five on Wednesday evening; I shall be wearing a Paisley shawl with a red centre, and this may be easily found. I should prefer this plan of receiving them to having them send. – I remain still, yours ever. ‘LUCETTA’ â€Å". Hardy includes a lot of specific description in Lucetta’s letter, which shows a strong character to Lucetta. Thomas Hardy has a strong point of putting across the personalities of characters to the audience. Michael is in a bit of a tricky situation here, with Susan too ill to get out of bed, and Lucetta requesting to see him. Henchard has put himself in this mess in the first place, by assuming that Susan and EJ were dead. On the other hand Henchard shows positive again by being honest with Lucetta, informing her of the unexpected arrival of his ‘who he thought was dead’ wife and child. When the traumatic death of Mrs. Henchard occurs, the lonely sad life of Michael Henchard appears. The only person he now cares about and has got left is Elizabeth Jane. EJ has lost her mother and Henchard wants EJ to know who her father is. EJ is originally shocked at what she has just heard but then settles nicely and begins called him dad. The next catastrophe which happens, Henchard walks straight into himself. Susan left a letter in an envelope for Henchard stating â€Å"Not to be opened until the wedding of EJ†. The audience immediately know that Henchard will open the letter by the anxious character which Hardy has created. EJ isn’t really Henchard’s daughter. Henchard feels that fate is against him and he begins to feel separated from EJ. Without Henchard’s eagerness and self-concerned attitude towards everything, Henchard would be able to continue his happy life with his daughter, oblivious to the fact that she isn’t his own. Hardy’s efforts to put across the personality of Michael Henchard at the beginning of the novel are very successful. Throughout the novel Henchard’s downfall has just increased by the day. The language used at the beginning of the novel is exceptionally descriptive. First impressions of Henchard are positive from reading the first page. The negative side begins to show when he reaches the furmity tent. By chapter 31 Hardy shows that Henchard has sunk socially and financially. He has to go and live with Joshua Jopp and refuses to see anyone. â€Å"Socially he had received a startling fillip downwards; and, having already lost commercial buoyancy from rash transactions, the velocity of his descent in both aspects became accelerated every hour. † Farfrae and EJ decide to get married. Henchard shows integrity by attending but EJ just can’t forgive Henchard for what he did and walks away form him. He bought a goldfinch as a wedding present, which Hardy uses as a symbol of Henchard’s life. Some people may have different opinions on why Henchard went downhill. Some people may put it down to fate. Others may think that Henchard is entirely responsible for all that happened. Hardy leaves this decision quite widely open. Henchard’s character has an extreme effect on other people and how their lives are lived, especially EJ’s.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Principles for implementing duty of care in health, social care or children’s and young people’s setting Essay

1.2 All practitioners have a duty of care all the children the setting, this also includes the staff. A duty of care is where a practitioner has to take care of them and not let them get harmed in any way. This will involve the children attention, watching out for hazards and preventing mistakes or accidents. If a practitioner has not met the duty of care required then they can be held accountable for allowing it to happen. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is a framework that provides an assurance to cares and parents that the setting that they put their child in will keep them safe and help them thrive. The aim of the EYFS is to help children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes which are †¢Staying safe †¢Being healthy †¢Enjoying and achieving †¢Making a positive contribution †¢Achieving economic wellbeing These can be achieved by having quality, consistence and a set of standards which apply to all settings. 2.1 Children are entitled to basic human rights such as food, health care, a safe home and protection from abuse but because children can’t always stand up for themselves they need a special sat of rights to ensure that the adults around them take responsibility for their protection and development. The UN convention on the rights of the child applies to all children under the age of 18 and it spells out the basic human rights children and young people should have. All children have the right to survive, develop and be protected from harm. There can be potential conflicts or dilemmas with professional’s record and share information about a child, the information on a child should only be collected and stored with the parents constant and should have free access to this information on request. The constant will be gained formally with a signature; the only exception is when a child might  be at risk of immediate and significant harm if you share the information with the parent. Safeguarding a child requires practitioners to make difficult judgments. As an early years practitioner your duty is promote the welfare, development and learning of each child sometimes this means raising difficult or sensitive issues with a parent or carer. It is important that the issues are raised in a way that shows concern for the child and not criticising the parent or carer. In general it is important to have a confidential space and a clear focus on the child best interests, the vast number of parents will be supportive even if the first reaction in negative and it is important to involve senior staff in these discussions such as a room senior or the manager. 2.2 Whatever setting you are in, situations may arise where you need to respond to a complaint. People react in different ways to a situation. When responding to a complaint it is important to take into account the other persons point of view and find a solution to the problem. You should aim to deal with the complaint in a constructive manner in order to maintain positive working relationships. There are four positive steps that may help you respond to a complaint keep cool, listen, apologise if necessary and try for a win/win solution. 2.3 The colleagues that you work with should be able to provide additional support and advice about conflicts and dilemmas such as your room senior or settings manager. In addition there are a range of organisation that can provide support and advice for those working with children, young people and their families. These include local education authority, health services, social service department and charities and voluntary organisations. You should always remember to follow your settings guidelines regarding confidentiality and the sharing of information when concerned about the welfare of a child or young person.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Position of Women in the Society: Iron-Jawed Angels Film Essay

Historically, women have been relegated to the back seat in matters to do with leadership or choice of their leaders. Nonetheless, this is not the case today as many societies have embraced gender ‘equality’ with opportunities shared among men and women. Of importance is that these rights should not to be taken for granted as it took a lot of suffering and dedication to win them. Such kind of struggle is portrayed in the film Iron-Jawed Angels, which depicts the United States society as it was in the 1920s. The society is dominated by political chauvinism, it is a men society: the women are denied the rights to vote. The director of the film uses the two protagonists (women), Alice Paul and Lucy Burns to portray the ills the women suffragists went through in their fight for the empowerment of the women (repeal of the 19th Amendment of the U. S. constitution). Having just arrived from England where they have been actively involved in women suffrage movements, Paul and Burns joins the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). However, it is not long before they realize that NAWSA cannot accommodate them as they are too radical. As a result they form the National Women Party (NWP), a much more radical vessel through which they can protest and fight for women rights. As expected the NWP and NAWSA leaders openly trades criticisms. For instance the NAWSA blames the NWP for staging demonstrations during a time when the country was in war. The demonstration leads to the arrest of several members of the NWP for allegedly disrupting traffic. The arrested members are sent to the Occoquan Workhouse were they stay for a period of 60 days. While there they undergo all sorts of prison brutality. As a result, Paul and others members goes on a hunger strike prompting the prison authorities to feed them using pipes. The news of the harsh treatment leaks to the media people who regard the women as the ‘Iron Jawed Angles. ’ Meanwhile the NAWSA lobbies relentlessly and they win the presidents heart who eventually pardons Paul, Burns and the other arrested members. The movie portrays the society as one-sided and leaning on the side of men while leaving the women to grapple their way out of the socio-political darkness, an endeavor which is not easily achievable. It needs people (women) to make many sacrifices and to incur huge costs, for instance Paul is forced to choose between love and socio-political equality – she chooses the fight for equality while Inez Mulholland a colleague gives up her life for a similar cause. To achieve their objectives the protagonists shelf their different personalities and unite to fight for women socio-political equality. They clash with the male dominated, chauvinist society. Interestingly even one of their own, the older women led by Carrie Chapman are stumbling blocks who believe that the men will eventually grant them voting rights. Indeed they have got iron-made wills that gives them the courage to fight for the good of society since a society built on pillars of equality of opportunities and respect of basic human rights never stumbles. Paul and colleagues may be typically attractive but they are not ready to sit down and wait for their men to change things or to continue being subject to laws that they were not involved in making. As opposed to the traditional American suffragists ways of doing things Paul and colleagues adopts the British way which demands for full socio-political recognition of the women. For instance, they refuse to eat when they are held in prison. Hence their movement can be regarded as a real tool for uprooting all forms of societal inequalities. Apart from agitating for women suffrage the movement also recognizes the need to uproot others ills such as racism. In fact, Paul recognizes black women organizations such as the Delta Sigma Theta and others which volunteers to support her movement. However she is too clever to see that their joining will negatively affect the required support for winning the suffrage particularly in the southern region. There is one outstanding aspect of the movie that, despite it championing for women suffrage it does not restrict itself to women supporters. It recognizes men as part of the collective supporters of the movement and who stand to benefit not by getting partners or even not because they are obligated to do so but they acknowledge the fact that there should be a similar and impartial social justice system. As such therefore the movie seeks to convince both women and men that the fight for modern woman equality is not confined to women only, it is an issue that concerns everybody. Lastly, though the movie depicts historical events that took place a century ago it should not be taken as so. These events define the contemporary society: women enjoy voting rights because of the efforts made by Paul and colleagues and therefore the issues that affected the society at that time are contemporary issues which are among us today.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Philosophy of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy of Life - Essay Example This is based on the premise that all of us are equipped with an evolutionary drive, which instinctively prods us to do our best, because in this world, it is all about the survival of the fittest. If we do not do well, we may perish, and this keeps us on our feet from birth onwards, as we grow, and learn to support ourselves. If we choose the field to which we are best suited, and for which we have a passion, we live at our fullest, because the job satisfaction in this case is very high. Moreover, our chances of survival and success are heightened. If we succeed in our lives, we can live in the best conditions possible and offer the best opportunities to our offspring. To achieve success, it is also assumed that persistent hard work is the key. Hard work on the part of each of us ensures that the economy of the nation continues to grow and living conditions improve. If each of us does our job, and does it well while taking a pride in it, chances are that we flourish as a civilization. Those in the field of science and technology take us into our future, those who are in the art scene add aesthetic value to our lives, those in conservation protect our forests, those in political roles lead us well, doctors keep us healthy-- down to the cab driver and the cleaning woman; each of us has a real contribution to make. Also important in this regard is the assumption that the moral standards of society are followed. In order to survive as a community and a nation, it is essential that each and every one of us follows a distinct moral code, which enjoins that all earnings are the fruits of hard labour, and not gained through unfair means like cheating, forgery, robbery, extortion and so on. If people try to succeed by hook or by crook, crime levels will rise, and society may reach a point of breakdown. The person who works hard to earn an honest living contributes to the society , and is useful not only to his family but his nation as a whole, so this is the first good reason to support my philosophy of life. In developed countries, it is important that the citizens work hard to keep their economies growing, to educate their children so they can carry on the responsibilities of the previous generation, to make forays into science and technology, develop alternative energy resources, and improve living standards and health care for the nation as a whole. In developing nations it is even more important that the citizens work honestly and very hard, because they have a long way to go in order to achieve economic power. They need to find their favorite fields of work and do their job with a passion if they want to survive as a nation in this new century. Secondly, a lot of the disharmony, war and crime we see around us is because people are unfulfilled. Economic inequities lead to political instigation and social discontent. But in a society where everyone works hard for a living at a job they love well, and earns sufficient remuneration in exchange, less people are inclined to create trouble, because everyone is occupied and has no time for mischief; and they all know that any disturbance will jeopardize their current prosperity. And if a country as a whole prospers due to the efforts of its citizens, it is less likely to get into a war, which can only harm its interests and drain its