Monday, September 30, 2019

A blow A kiss by Tim Winton

What Of what are individuals identities framed of ? Its It is their house , parents or, religion? ,dDoes it define and shape the action, or the ability of individuals to think , reason and give an opinion . Every individual has a different and unique identity. You may think something is terrible while someone else does not even care and yet another person may laugh, why? The answer is simple, everyone has his own identity and personality. Everyone feels, acts, thinks, and dreams differently. In the short story â€Å"A blow A kiss â€Å"by Tim Winton ,the Australian author identifies the quality of father -son relationships and their responses in situations of stress and emergency . Winton uses conventions and techniques such as narrative structure ,character development and narational commentary in the story to communicate a meaning to the readers . The story also represents how fathers are role models in their son's life and how relationships between different fathers and sons differ , as a result of their identities . Winton starts his story in a country. Where Albie and his father are returning from a fishing trip after losing their salmons . †it did not matter †¦. again â€Å"pg 7 And suddenly on the road, they come across a rider who is injured and drunk . The author suggests the idea of a father and sons typical relationship (gone fishing) using conventions such as timing and placement of events within the narrative. When they come across the rider, Albie is left with the rider . as the injuried man spoke â€Å"oh! oh,Dad I am sorry. Was coming back†pg 9 Albie responses to it by saying â€Å"its alright â€Å"and kisses him on his cheek . The moment of realisation is imposed on Albies expressions . Albie is influenced by this father and tries to comfort the rider . Albie identity is similar to his parents . He treats other people the way he is being treated . On the other hand Beacon and his son have different identities. Both of them drunk and are in a dark part of their life . He scolds his half conscious son for being a coward and insults Albie builds up inside as he felt the rider’s emotions when he thought Albie was ilf Beacon and was crying. Albie felt it was unfair the son wept for his father, and as he is in a critical condition, his father shows no emotions or support. The relationship between Albie and his father is extremely different from to the one of Beacon and his son . Albies dad is a good man who helps the injured rider and seek help upon the accident of the rider and then to follow up by finding. Albie is so content with. He thinks so highly of his father, even more so than God. In contrast Beacon,express emotions through violence and verbal abuse, which is unhealthy for a son to be raised by. He is seen as a male who drinks avoids his family life . Winton construction is shaped through his use of conventions and techniques . He uses narational commentary as seen above and has developed characters . Tim Winton suggest us the ideas about the identities in his short story through comparing two different kind of father -son relationships . The resolution of the story â€Å"sorry about the salmon â€Å"pg 11reminds us that the manhood stays there. And that all our identities get – you need to find and use a better word affected bymy the role models in our life .

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Huckleberry Finn Chapter 16 Analysis Essay

I just finished reading chapter 11 of my book The Adventures of Huckleberry fin. The woman lets Huck into the shack but thinks that he’s up to sometimes. Huck introduces himself as â€Å"Sarah Williams† from Hookerville. The woman chatters about a variety of subjects and eventually gets to the topic of Huck’s murder. She reveals that Pap was a suspect and that some townspeople nearly hanged him. Then, people began to suspect Jim because he ran away the same day Huck was killed. Soon, however, suspicions again turned against Pap, after he bought alcohol with the money that the judge gave him to find Jim. Pap left town before he could be lynched, and now there is a $200 reward being offered for him. Meanwhile, there is a $300 bounty out for Jim. The woman has noticed smoke over Jackson’s Island and has told her husband to look for Jim there. He planed to go there and fin him that night with another man and a gun. The woman looks at Huck suspiciously and asks his name. He replies, â€Å"Mary Williams.† When the woman asks about the change, he tries to cover himself by saying his full name is â€Å"Sarah Mary Williams.† She has him try to kill a rat by throwing a lump of lead at it, and he nearly hits the rat, increasing her suspicions. Finally, she asks him to reveal his real male identity, saying she understands that he is a runaway apprentice and claiming she will not turn him in to the authorities. Huck says his name is George Peters and describes himself as an apprentice to a mean farmer. She lets him go after quizzing him on several farm subjects to make sure he is telling the truth. She tells Huck to send for her, Mrs. Judith Loftus, if he has trouble.Back at the island, Huck built a decoy campfire far from the cave and then returns to the cave to tell Jim they must leave. They hurriedly pack their things and slowly ride out on a raft they found when the river flooded. Because Huck lied to the women giving her his fake identity, allowed him to potentially save Jim’s life. After the lady let him go he set up a fake campfire so the people that were going to kill jim went to a different place, which allowed Huck to find Jim and escape safely before anyone could kill either of them. His lying saved Jim’s life and even though he’s not the best kid he’s a genius. We see in these chapters that Huck, though open-minded, still largely subscribes to the Southern white conception of the world. When Jim assesses their â€Å"adventure,† Huck does admit that he has acted foolishly and risked Jim’s safety, but he qualifies his assessment by adding that Jim is smart, for a black person. Huck also genuinely struggles with the question of whether or not to turn over Jim to the white men who ask if he is harboring any runaway slaves. In some sense, Huck still believes that turning Jim in would be the â€Å"right† thing to do. Over the course of these chapters, as he spends more time with Jim, Huck is forced to question the facts that white society has taught him and that he has taken for granted. The arguments Huck and Jim have over Huck’s stories provide remarkable mini-allegories about slavery and race. When Huck tells the tale of King Solomon, who threatened to chop a baby in half, Jim argues that Solomon had so many childre n that he became unable to value human life properly. Huck’s comments lead me to compare Jim’s assessment of Solomon with whites’ treatments of blacks at the time as infinitely replaceable bodies, indistinguishable from one another. Later, Huck tells Jim that people in France don’t speak English. Huck tries to convince the skeptical Jim by pointing out that cats and cows don’t â€Å"talk† the same, and that, by theory, neither should French people and American people. Jim points out that both are men and that the theory is not fair. Although Jim is misinformed in a sense, he is correct in his assessment of Huck’s analogy. Jim’s argument provides yet another subtle reminder that, in American society at the time, not all men are treated as men. We see the moral and societal importance of Huck and Jim’s journey in Huck’s profound moral crisis about whether he should return Jim to Miss Watson. In the viewpoint of Southern white society, Huck has effectively stolen $800—the price the slave trader has offered for Jim—from Miss Watson. However, Jim’s comment that Huck is the only white man ever to keep his word to him shows that Huck has been treating Jim not as a slave but as a man. This newfound knowledge, along with Huck’s guilt, keep Huck from turning Jim in. Huck realizes that he would have felt worse for doing the â€Å"right† thing and turning Jim in than he does for not turning Jim in. When Huck reaches this realization, he makes a decision to reject conventional morality in favor of what his conscience dictates. This decision represents a big step in Huck’s development, as he realizes that his conscience may be a better guide than the dictates of the white society in which he has been raised.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The use and impact of local quality management in the UK telecom Essay

The use and impact of local quality management in the UK telecom business sector - Essay Example The aim of the research study is ‘to identify and explore the impact of the total quality management on the businesses operating in United Kingdom with special focus on the telecom industry. Dale has presented the idea that it is really important for the organisations to manage the quality of the operations and business process. At the same time Omachonu and Ross, defined the total quality management as one the widely used management approach by the organisations in order to reduce the defects and wastages from the business processes. This in turn allows the organisation to provide the end customers with the high quality products and satisfy them. There are several factors and elements which should be considered before implementing different total quality management techniques and methods. It is important for the organisations to understand different factors which directly influence the process of total quality management. Only in this way, the organisations will able to reap t he benefits of total quality management. Jonier in his research study have highlighted the role of organisation and co-worker support in the process of total quality management implementation and have showed its impact on the organisation performance. According to him, the support from staff and top management is required in order to make sure that the full advantages of total quality management can be enjoyed by the organisation. The total quality management is also directly related with the workplace attitudes. The research study of Sommer and Merritt (1994), presented that the intervention by the total quality management techniques and methods considerably influence the workplace attitudes of the employees. It is important for the top management to involve the employees in the process of change and implement the total quality management with their consent. In this way there will be less resistance on part of the employees and there will be high possibility that the implementation of the total quality management technique will be a success. In the similar manner, Yue, Ooi, and Keong (2011), presented the idea that the people related total quality management practices allow the organization to improve the job satisfaction among the employees and in turn reduce the turnover ratio. Because of increasing job satisfaction the employees tend to give their best performance and this as a result increase the overall performance and growth of the organisation. It is important to identify the appropriate steps of the total qual

Friday, September 27, 2019

Support an Issue Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Support an Issue - Assignment Example Moreover, I will also demonstrate how technology eases learning processes in the classrooms. There is need for technology to be integrated the K-12 education system to facilitate a higher order capacity of thinking such as both critical and independent thoughts and the improved level of motivation in learning. This paper summarizes the intensive contribution of technology in the sector of education amongst schools in the United States of America. Introduction Over the last two decades, the education sector has experienced quick advancements in technology. Looking back 30 years ago, application of computers in the classroom was not a common phenomenon let alone in homes. A student harboring a thought of using common text editors like word processor was the weirdest thing ever in recent times. Today, students have been in cooperated into the digital world making the education system to be interesting and informative (Goldin, & Katz, 2008). According to sources, digital world is the con temporary world whereby people employ technology in day to day activities to achieve set objectives. In banking industry for instance, computer program application has been employed to facilitate transactions, processing of cheques and general management of braches through the distributed system platform. Consequently, learning institutions have realized that technology contributes highly on academic success and it also eases delivery of academic knowledge to students. Technology is beneficial in schools since it serves the need of disabled learners, remote areas and also facilitates e-learning curriculum (Goldin, & Katz, 2008). Computers have stimulated activities In learning by assisting the students to develop high thinking capacity. Historically, technological deployment has been linked correlated between inventions and communication with the advancement in the K-12 system of education. E -learning at all level of education is rated among the latest technological advancement in contemporary world with benefit both teachers and learners. Recent applications in the education system a growing populace of learners through the internet have posed to be quite a challenge to teachers because they have to adapt to the ever changing technology. Computers have an in cooperated unique ability to enable class multimedia presentation and also enhance instructor-student communication through online instruction format. Scholars show optimism that the rapid advancement in technology will enhance quality education delivery in years to come ((Goldin, & Katz, 2008).). Positive effect on academic excellence Academic success is traditionally measured in terms of achieving good grades among students in learning institutions. Since the bill of â€Å"No child left behind† enactment in The United States of America, teachers have a moral obligation of ensuring that student from all walks of lives excel in their academic work. Technology plays a fundamental role in enabling s uccess and facilitating learning. According to researchers conducted recently, computer simulation and Instructional Leaning systems (ILS) facilitate issuing of instruction by educators to students (Goldin, & Katz, 2008). A recent by Stamford IT research center reported that learners whose educators employ technology attain higher grades as compared to those

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Research proposal (English by Arabic Foreign Language learners) Essay

Research proposal (English by Arabic Foreign Language learners) - Essay Example The subsequent data will be computed for average mean, percentile, ranking and weighted mean. Most people say Arabic compliments are not mere accolades, but, they are relative to the cultural principles inculcated among the people similar to other cultures, which are words of gratitude for any virtuous deed. Conventionally, compliments have become a common part of human verbal communication in the various societies of people in the Universe. Nearly all investigatory studies about human languages where compliments fit in are limited to grassroots viewpoints on how they gained the skills of verbal communication. This was supposed by Larisa and Furuoka in 2007 when they mentioned authors of similar studies like Truitt in 1995, Park in 1995, Kuntz in 1999, Kunt in 1997, Peacock in 1998, Sakui & Gaies in 1999, Kimura et al in 2001, Siebert in 2003 and Bernat in 2006. Apparently, this may carry a lighter weight when used as a proof for the value of languages. This is because authenticities are often based on recorded truth and not on mere viewpoints. This study was concerned mainly with making compliments successful in English by Arabic Foreign Language learners, to avoid circumstances of misunderstanding by the native English speakers or misund

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Study to look at nurses' knowledge of elder abuse in long term care Essay

Study to look at nurses' knowledge of elder abuse in long term care setting - Essay Example Studies have shown that people of all socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds are vulnerable to abuse including countries where the traditional system of family care exists. Furthermore, it is increasingly being seen as an important problem and one that is likely to grow as many countries experience rapidly growing ageing populations. It is predicted that by the year 2025 the global population of those aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 542 million in 1995 to about 1.2 billion (1). Although there is an increasing awareness that some older people are victims of abuse, neglect and mistreatment there is strong evidence to indicate that much abuse goes unrecognized and is hidden from public awareness (3). prompted scientific and governmental activity throughout the world. Although the vast majority of older people enjoy the benefits of family life, there has been a growing awareness, during the past twenty years in particular, that older people are sometimes abused, neglected or mistreated. Progress on building a response to elder abuse has been difficult, however, as the issue is shrouded in secrecy, denial and guilt. It is acknowledged that abuse can occur within the home or care facility (4). Any form of abuse is unacceptable. Nurses have a duty of care to the older people in their care to prevent this from happening. Although nurses who care for older persons can expect to encounter cases of abuse our knowledge of the incidence and cause of such abuse remains limited (5). While the study of elder abuse has much to learn from responses to other forms of adult abuse, it is vital that the abuse of older people is dealt with separately, to ensure clarity when defining and measuring the problem and to help focus responses to abuse. Elder abuse is defined as a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Federal Compliance Law Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Federal Compliance Law - Coursework Example The law ensures transparency in the mapping out of money flow and checking information technology systems. This is helping big companies in winning investors but for the small companies the price is too costly. Also the compliance process is complex and long (Engel, Hayes, & Wang, 2007). This is causing companies to spend too much of their time in striving to get the certification, instead of focusing on more important strategies that are required for the businesses operation and growth. I think the misconduct with regard to violation of securities laws continues because the crimes have existed since a long time ago. Violations like financial misstatement and financial fraud will not stop because they involve a lot of money which is very tempting to people. It is also very difficult to stop these crimes because the happen worldwide in the web (Romano, 2005). This makes it hard for the security police to stop all of them. All companies can do it put themselves in positions which will protect them from such

Monday, September 23, 2019

Leadership and decision making in organizations Assignment

Leadership and decision making in organizations - Assignment Example le in order to fulfil targets with honesty, acting in a transparent manner and possessing skilfulness, particularly in executing planning functions (Leatherman, 2008). Conceptually, these mentioned qualities strongly affirm that leadership often contributes in managing organisations in an effective manner, mitigating any possible threat, risk or vulnerability to the organisations’ sustainability. In this regard, leadership supports in managing organisations, facilitating effective communication amid every organisational member, fostering teamwork, exploiting the accessible resources effectively and most vitally making crucial decisions (Clegg & et. al., 2011; Grey, 2012). On the other hand, decision-making is often viewed as a cognitive procedure, which may result in selecting relevant course of actions amid numerous available options or alternative scenarios. Decision making is often viewed as one of the imperative responsibilities for leaders towards the accomplishment of or ganisational goals and objectives. Correspondingly, making effective decisions by a leader ultimately impose extensive impacts upon developing the overall performances and managing various crucial aspects of an organisation. The significance of decision-making is usually attributed to the fact that the decisions are generally made by the leaders in an organisation, demonstrating the values of the people associated within it, either directly or indirectly, which results in improving the overall performances of the organisation (Johnson, 2010). Correspondingly, this paper intends to discuss about the negative effects of leadership, particularly on employee and organisational productions. Moreover, a critical evaluation regarding the interrelation between leadership and production in organisations...On the other hand, decision-making is often viewed as a cognitive procedure, which may result in selecting relevant course of actions amid numerous available options or alternative scenario s. Decision making is often viewed as one of the imperative responsibilities for leaders towards the accomplishment of organisational goals and objectives. Correspondingly, making effective decisions by a leader ultimately impose extensive impacts upon developing the overall performances and managing various crucial aspects of an organisation. The significance of decision-making is usually attributed to the fact that the decisions are generally made by the leaders in an organisation, demonstrating the values of the people associated within it, either directly or indirectly, which results in improving the overall performances of the organisation (Johnson, 2010). Correspondingly, this paper intends to discuss about the negative effects of leadership, particularly on employee and organisational productions. Moreover, a critical evaluation regarding the interrelation between leadership and production in organisations along with the implications of stress generated by leadership and authority on the work environment, would also be conducted in the following discussion. Various aspects, such as the contribution of leadership to team environment and decision sharing between managers and employees will also be prudently analysed in this paper.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The World is Being Globalized Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

The World is Being Globalized - Essay Example d with liberalization of trade among different states as well as culture exchange given that various countries have immensely benefited from other cultures as a result of globalization. As such, I believe that the world is not being Americanized but it is being globalized given that different countries are presented with the opportunity to contribute towards the global development. Thus, according to Anthony Giddens, â€Å"The level of world trade today is much higher than it ever was before, and involves a much wider range of goods and services (16).† It can be seen that the Americans have come to realize the existence of different cultures in the world than the people from other countries passively adopting American cultural values. Therefore, Americanization is nothing but an overstated expression used by other people to show how America has influenced the political processes in other countries through revolutions which should not be confused with globalization. Some countries have not adopted America’s world views with regards to their political processes. However, the influence of American culture on the other nations as a result of globalization forces cannot be ignored. Richard Pells, in his article entitled â€Å"Does the world still care about American culture† posits to the effect that â€Å"the most striking about attitudes toward the United States in other countries is not the anti-Americanism they reflect or the disdain for former President George W. Bush, or the opposition to American foreign policies.† Of notable concern is the fact that globalization does not entail Americanization of the globe since the culture of this country is not readily adopted by different countries. People from different parts of the globe are increasingly indifferent to Americas culture given that they have not been directly influenced or manipulated by it. Whilst the power of America cannot be disputed, it however does not control the political processes of all the

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Peabody Trust Essay Example for Free

Peabody Trust Essay In 1862 George Peabody, an American from Philadelphia who moved to London in 1837, founded the most famous society providing homes for the skilled artisan classes. With ? 150,000 0f initial capital at his disposal, Peabody had several buildings constructed in the inner city Spitalfields district of London by early 1864, in later years; Peabody built dwellings in Bermondsey, Chelsea, Islington, and Shadwell. His goal was to house the working poor in healthy dwellings as long as they were of good character, conducted themselves responsibly, and paid their rent on time (Journal of the Royal Statistical Society 93). The Peabody Trust is a non-profit organization that builds and manages high quality social housing for people on low incomes. Their fund had its greatest impact on the London housing market during the first fifteen years after its founder’s death in 1869; unfortunately, no major projects were undertaken between 1885 and 1900, the worst years of the housing crisis, as the Peabody Trust had at that time to pay down the huge loans taken out during the first twenty years of its existence (Tarn 10). Peabody Trust’s approach is truly innovative. Taking a long-term view of regeneration, the organization works closely with its customer (the tenants of its homes) and suppliers to alleviate homeless and provide opportunities for quality accommodation and employment. Core to the organization’s work is the design, construction and ongoing maintenance of urban development. An outstanding commitment to empowering staff, suppliers and customers has created a culture of creativity in which growth is almost inevitable. In the last decade, the number of properties owned by Peabody has nearly doubled. A similarly innovative approach to raising funds ensures that finances pose no barrier to this substantial growth. In fact, the Trust is one leading raisers of private finance in the housing association field, raising ? 80 million through Business Expansion Schemes and ? 200 million through debenture stock issue. Peabody Trust has one major advantage over most organizations; most of its employees have bought into the Trust’s ethos and work before they walk in through the door. The management, however, is far from complacent. In addition to the culture of openness that permeates, employees are genuinely empowered. Peabody’s innovative approach to fundraising means that they find it fairly straight forward; finances have not represented a barrier to development as an active developer at all. Key to the success of the scheme was the creative approach of the financial director, who shares Peabody’s commitment to innovation. The financial regime is unusually free, enabling the organization to act innovatively. On the other hand, in 1883 the Peabody Trust was severely criticized for housing only the aristocracy of the working classes, it is clear that wherever the Trustees built they provided rooms at rents lower than those generally prevailing in the immediate neighborhood. It is significant that in an area of Westminster where there were only ninety-six one-roomed tenements available, the Peabody Trust added sixty two, but just as important is the fact that in a congested part of central London they were able to offer three rooms for about the price of two in neighboring streets. No wonder that the Peabody superintendent wrote that in his twenty-eight years of managing various model dwellings, he had never experienced so great a rush for places. If the buildings had been six times as large, he declared, â€Å"I would have no difficulty in letting the rooms†. (Medical officer of Health’s Report 58). The Peabody Trust, of all the mode dwelling companies, appeared to have had the greatest and most continuous demand for its rooms. The rent structure and activities of the Peabody Trust were bitterly attacked by several of the model dwelling companies. In part this stemmed from the definition by the other companies of Peabody’s original intentions, in part from jealousy and rivalry. Many felt the Trustees should concentrate on building in the most run-down areas of London (FRSS 103). The other companies feared that the activities of the Trust would jeopardize the entire working-class housing movement by thwarting the principles of five percent philanthropy. Meanwhile, one of the representatives of the Peabody Trust admitted before the same committee that the Trust’s policy of letting at well under market rates might discourage commercial and semi-philanthropic builders, but he suggested, perhaps not too seriously, that the only solution then was for the Trust to buy up its competitors and reduce their rent levels, a solution which would certainly have made the Trust a public body. There even existed a widespread feeling that at the rate the Trust was accumulating money and property it might one day become the sole builder of working-class housing in central London. Like the other companies, the Peabody Trust was very careful in its selection of tenants. The Trust often turned down applicants whom it considered able to afford other accommodation, and it was very strict in its determination to obey Peabody’s injunctions concerning moral character. One can only hazard a guess that the Peabody Trust and the model dwelling companies which cooperated with the Board under the Cross Act attracted to their model dwelling well paid labourers and artisans from nearby streets, and thus, through the leveling-up process, made it easier for those displaced under clearance schemes to find vacant lodgings in the immediate vicinity. Hardship and dislocations inevitably occurred, but without the willingness of the Peabody Trust to assume the duties of a semi-public body and build on a scale matching the demolition work of the central London government, the first large attempts at slum clearance would either have been totally abortive or would have even more harmful effects. Of all the agencies erecting model dwellings, the Peabody Trust excited the most interest and stimulated most controversy. It did more than any other model dwelling society to draw attention to the peculiar difficulties involved in constructing dwellings in central London. They are actively involved in a number of urban regeneration initiatives, their approach is a holistic one, embracing social, economic and community development issues as well as physical improvements. In 1999 Peabody joined forces with South work Housing and appointed ECD Architect s to prepare a master plan for the redevelopment of the Coopers Road Estate. Shortly afterwards they acquired an adjoining site, fronting the Old Kent Road, known as â€Å"Success House† and invited proposals from ECD for a mixed-use high-rise building. Concurrent with these activities, Peabody have been carrying out a ‘community mapping’ exercise, liaising with a developer to redevelop the site of neighbouring redundant pub and planning improvements to Ken House, an existing Peabody estate that abuts both sites. The redevelopment of these sites will act as an important catalyst for regeneration of the wider area. Planning approval for the Coopers Road site was obtained in November 2001 and a start on site is programmed for January 2003.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Self Assessment And Leadership Development Plan Nursing Essay

Self Assessment And Leadership Development Plan Nursing Essay To build a personal leadership plan requires not only self assessment, but the knowledge of what makes a good leader. Leaders should inspire and motivate and should encourage others to contribute, to develop and learn, to be innovative, and to be creative. Leaders should serve as role models through their ethical behavior and their personal involvement in planning, communications, coaching, development of future leaders, and staff recognition. As role models, they can reinforce ethics, values, and expectations while building leadership, commitment, and initiative throughout any organization. Trust in the workplace is essential in considering moral and ethical consequences of decisions, championing new possibilities and outcomes, and generating alignment about share purposes. In past work environments, trust and privacy were essential parts of the job.  Patient information is handled very carefully and you have to have a great respect for privacy in order to handle peoples most intimate information. You also have to have good judgment when working with patients on what you can disclose and what needs to remain undisclosed. In order to have this level of responsibility with patient information, my supervisors had to trust me implicitly. I gained that trust by proving myself ethical and trustworthy time and again. I also excel at being able to do a job or complete a project that is assigned to me, without much management or supervision.  My past supervisors have always trusted me to get the job done and within the limits set for the project. I tie these two competencies together, because I think that they are both so closely related for me. I am not skilled at persuasion and I have a fear of conflict.  I give advice when asked, but I rarely stand my ground to persuade my audience of my stand when Im being opposed. Excellent influencing skills require a healthy combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation and assertiveness techniques. Where I fall down the most in these skills for influence is in assertiveness, which ties into my lack of conflict management skills.  I tend to avoid conflict as much as I can (as most people do), but when it is unavoidable, I generally do not stand up for myself, I get tongue tied, and think of all the right things to say AFTER the conflict is over.  I handle difficult people based on their hierarchy in the company.  For instance, a difficult boss I would just say yes sir/maam and keep my opinions to myself.  A difficult coworker, I would approach as nicely as I could and ask how we might be able to work a difference out.  However, if that coworker is very difficult or a bully (and I have run across many bullies), I just leave what ever issue is alone and move on, ultimately, not influencing anyone. I think there are a great many things I can do to resolve these to issues for myself: Though I have managed people, I have not had the opportunity to directly develop others abilities other than when there is a problem. I do not think I lack the ability, or even have a problem with developing others; it has just been a lack of opportunity that has left me without this skill. However, developing people requires the influence of those people, and that is an area I must develop as well in conjunction with learning the skills to develop others, so consequently, some of the strategies for Influencing others is necessary. Developing people, whether by training, coaching, teaching or mentoring them is a trait of a good leader; no one can achieve organizational goals alone. Leaders develop people in order to build a stronger team which in turn creates organizational is effectiveness. In order for me to do this.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

How Society Viewed Love and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Aus

How Society Viewed Love and Marriage in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Jane Austen was born in 1775 and spent most of her life in the countryside in a village called Steventon, Hampshire. She was the daughter of a clergyman, Reverend George Austen and her mother was called Cassandra Austen. She had a brief education starting at the age of seven and ending at eleven, when she settled at home. Like women in Austen’s society, she had little education due to the beliefs at the time; the only education she would have received would likely have been to up her social status, through marriage. She wrote â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† to portray society’s views of love and marriage to the reader and to shoe that marriages take place for different reasons. We see throughout the novel the excessive number of marriages and courtships that take place. The opening sentence â€Å"It’s a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in the possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife† introduces the theme of love, marriage and money in an ironic way. The irony is contained in the fact that marriage is meant to be about love and happiness but clearly revolves around wealth and social standing. In the novel we see two established marriages take place; The Bennet’s and the Gardiner’s. Throughout the novel four other marriages take place; Lydia and Mr Wickham, Charlotte Lucas and Mr Collins, Elizabeth and Darcy and Jane and Mr Bingley. The marriage between Mr Collins and Charlotte Lucas is purely based on financial and social security not love or appearance, It was extremely common fro women in Austens era to marry and save themselves from spinsterhood and social security and to gain, the above mentioned, financial... ...however, that Darcy is her ideal match. Intelligent and forthright, he too has a tendency to judge too hastily and harshly, and his high birth and wealth make him overly proud and overly conscious of his social status. When he proposes to her, for instance, he dwells more on how unsuitable a match she is than on her charms, beauty, or anything else complimentary, â€Å"not handsome enough†. Here Darcy is reflecting society’s views of love and marriage because many people married for higher social status and financial status rather than for love and beauty. Pride and prejudice is a love story but does not reflect the romantic side. It gives the reader a sense of all the different kinds of relationships, none of them are the same. It shows that the ideal couple is difficult to find, the established marriages in the book being The Bennet’s and the Gardiner’s.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Irish Potato Famine Essay -- essays research papers

In the early 1800s life in Ireland wasn’t easy, Irish citizens got by day to day by farming and relying on the potato. The potato was their main source of food and money. With out the potato the Irish would have nothing. No one was prepared for what was about to happen in 1845, the beginning of the Great Irish Potato Famine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Irish Potato Famine was the worst tragedy in the history of Ireland. The outcome of the famine would result in hundreds of thousands dead, an failure of the economy in Ireland, and millions of emigrants forced to leave their home and country just to try to survive. The famine would effect countries other than Ireland as well. Some of these countries included England, America, Canada, and Australia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next five years, almost all Irish citizens, would have the hardest struggle that they would ever face. It would tear families apart, destroy peoples lives, and cause large financial losses to landowners.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the early to mid 1800s Ireland was a very poor and difficult place to live. Most of the land was owned by landowners that lived in England and rented their land out to Irish citizens. The owners had almost no interest in their land and property in Ireland. They only cared about getting their money from their renters. The rents were overpriced and living costs in Ireland were also extremely high. The living conditions for the renters in Ireland were horrible, with one-room houses that were expected to shelter whole families. Another problem with the country was that over 70% of the population was illiterate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The renters would use their land to farm potatoes because they were cheap, easy to grow, full of vitamins, and you could grow a lot in a small area and in poor farming conditions. The whole country relied on the crop of potatoes as their source of food and income.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the mid 1800s there were many seasons that produced poor crops, and in some cases no potatoes at all. These seasons were taken lightly, and just thought to be bad crop seasons. After these bad seasons, farmers became upset and began to grow poorer quality potatoes known as ‘Lumper potatoes’ or ‘Horse potatoes’ instead of the stronger healthier potatoes. ... ...money to their family so that they could escape Ireland and start a new life in America. Those whose lives became bad and worsened by the immigration were too ashamed to talk to their family and discontinued contact with family back in Ireland.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion the potato famine effected not only those who lived in Ireland, but those in America too. The people that survived the crisis eventually returned their lives back to normal and were not physically harmed but rather emotionally scared with memories of wondering how much longer they were going to live. Also they remembered the whole scene with dead bodies every where and villages of which every resident was sickened and dying.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Americans were effected by this epidemic with the introduction of many diseases introduced to their country. Especially those in the New England area of the country, where most of the immigrants arrived who had seen how the famine over seas had such an impact on millions of people’s lives.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over all many lives were lost, many lives changed, all due to the only crop that the Irish relied on†¦the potato.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Essay

Lessons from a Third World Perspective on Environmentalism Possibly more than any of the other articles we have read so far, Ramachandra Guha's article "Radical Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique" made me think. In analyzing the Western deep ecology movement, he criticized its focus on preservation of wild areas. By doing this, he was directly criticizing what I have long thought of as my main goal as an "environmentalist." One of the first things that turned me on to environmental issues when I was younger was my horror at the soaring rate of rainforest destruction so dramatically portrayed to us in 9th grade biology class. Since then, by following a biology track through college, my focus has been on ecological goals such as the preservation of biodiversity. The study of ecology has served me as a way to understand wilderness so I might be able to help protect it or restore it. My patterns of thought are often not far off from those of Daniel Janzen, which Guha quotes in his paper as "imperialist yearning of Western biologists and their financial sponsors" to claim land in Third World countries for protection by ecologists (Guha 272). He states his opinion that "the radical conclusions drawn by deep ecology, in particular, that intervention in nature should be guided primarily by the need to preserve biotic integrity rather than by the needs of humans" are unacceptable (271). He also claims that the two "fundamental ecological problems facing the globe are (i) overconsumption by the industrialized world and by urban elites in the Third World and (ii) growing militarization" (271), whereas the biological perspective would c... ...growth instead of material wealth --"The values of caring, cooperation, nurturing and sharing must be encouraged to replace the values of competitiveness, domination and aggression which have characterized our society for so long" --polices must reflect "the interdependence of all living things and the interconnetedness of all political and social activity" (http://www.greenparty.org.uk/principles/values/htm) The list was impressive. And although the Greens seem more prevalent in Europe than in the U.S. - there is an American Greens party - which had Ralph Nader as their presidential candidate in 1996. Maybe the Greens movement could help us meet a wide range of environmental and social goals through its philosophy of humility, instead of following deep ecology's biocentric proposal. I am encouraged to look further into it...

Monday, September 16, 2019

Bestbuy’s Strategy

In the last few years, BestBuy has been experiencing fierce competition and has been fighting to gain dominance in the consumer electronic market. Apple, Amazon, Wal-Mart, and Target are the current competitors that are giving them the most problems. A lot of people are coming into BestBuy’s stores to try out the products and then leaving the store to buy online or at a slightly cheaper price. C. E. O, Brian Dunn, is left with many questions about keeping customers in his stores and how to develop and sustain a competitive advantage in today’s economy.According to the case, BestBuy is trying to create a competitive advantage in three areas: customer-centricity, employment policies, and exclusive branding. After studying the VRIO framework, I have found that BestBuy’s three areas of strategy do fit into the VRIO framework. BestBuy believes that an effective strategy is a commitment to customer-centricity. A business that implements customer-centricity caters to sp ecific customer needs and behaviors.According to the book, BestBuy wants to steer away from a product-centered marketing approach to a more customer-oriented marketing approach which will have them asking what problems its customers are facing, and then providing solutions. Furthermore, BestBuy wants to segment its customers into four different profiles: Upscale Suburban, Urban Trendsetter, Empty Nesters, and Middle America. In different regions around the U. S. you will find these diverse groups.BestBuy has been able to utilize the rare attribute of the VRIO framework with its ability to serve the needs of the predominant customer segment in a given region. BestBuy is unlike any company in the consumer electronic industry because as the book mentions, â€Å"Nearly all companies claim to be customer oriented, but being customer centric required a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. † BestBuy has reformatted the physical space in its stores and related produc ts have been bundled together to meet the needs of certain segments.Store teams have also been trying to answer the following questions: What kind of traffic do we have coming in our stores today, how effectively are we selling to the people in the stores, what does our customer information look like, what segments do we have coming in, and what kind of market share do we have for those segments? To answer those questions BestBuy has been investing in the right tools so that the field knows what to focus on. BestBuy has taken customer interest a step further, and so far it has given them a rare advantage. BestBuy has also done a good job of organizing its employment policies to capture value.According to the book, BestBuy has set up an employee listening program that uses open communication to better understand the needs of its workers. This program has done a great job of exploiting the company’s capabilities because it is implementing tools such as annual company-wide surve ys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. BestBuy is capturing value because they are listening to their employees and discerning information that was previously unknown to management. The final area that BestBuy is focusing its strategy on is exclusive brands.This last area is very important to BestBuy because it is valuable, rare, and costly to imitate. BestBuy currently owns these private labels: Insignia, Dynex, Init, Rocketfish, and Geek Squad. As far as background goes, Insignia produces TVs, monitors, home-theater systems, and portable video/ audio players. Dynex produces storage media, data and power cables, webcams, and office supplies. Init produces media storage, equipment bags, totes and furniture for home theaters. Rocketfish is a top notch producer of cables that are mostly used for TVs. And most famously, Geek Squad provides computer repair and installation services.BestBuy realizes that they cannot solely rely on these small private labels to create, on their own, enough revenue to stay in business. But nevertheless, these private labels are valuable because they add attractive features to the company. Most of the products offered by these small labels are accessories that add value to the more expensive products which in turn increase the profitability of BestBuy. In particular, I think Geek Squad is valuable because a lot of older people do not know how to set up the more complex electronics and often run into problems.Easy-to-setup installation and troubleshooting is a very attractive feature to most consumers. Along those same lines, these small labels are rare because their products are only being sold in BestBuy stores. If you’re a huge fan of Rocketfish cables or really appreciate the helpfulness of Geek Squad then you have to come to BestBuy to get you want. These private labels are also costly to imitate I imagine because it could be costly to implement and staff a repair and installation service in all o f your stores like BestBuy has done with Geek Squad.Also, these private labels have a few unique products that could be hard to replicate. I know that Init has created some nice, high quality equipment bags and furniture for home theaters. I believe that after weighing the benefits of all three of these areas that BestBuy has indeed created a competitive advantage. In one way or another they have valuable, rare, costly to imitate, or are organized to capture value with their products and services. BestBuy’s business level strategy is to focus on its people through customer centricity and employment policies.The managers in both areas want to listen to the people and discern how to best appeal to them. Managers have planned to become customer centric by profiling its customers and then design the stores and provide products according to the profiles in the region. The cost driver associated is the cost of input factors because it requires a radical reorganization and shift in employee mindset. Stores need to be reformatted and related products need to be bundled. The main value driver for this focus has been customer service.BestBuy has excelled at customer service because they are able to identify customer needs and appeal to their wants because of the unique profiles that have been created. The main cost driver for employment policies has also been cost of input factors because I imagine it has been costly to implement the new annual company-wide surveys, a virtual discussion board, and one-on-one dialogue sessions. The main value driver for the employment policies is customer service. BestBuy has created distinctive techniques for company-wide communication that in turn provide better customer support.Managers now know what the consumers are thinking because the employees are able to share information with their superiors in an efficient way. The competition between BestBuy, Amazon, Apple, and Wal-Mart has been fierce over the last several years. Best Buy has found itself to still be at the top of consumer electronics in the minds of its customers with 40% of the votes. However, BestBuy comes in 11th place in the Top 15 most valuable retail brands. Furthermore, Apple has recently made a large push in the race by reaching $2. 8 billion in sales in 2010 which puts them in third place behind BestBuy and Amazon.However, BestBuy is in last place according to share performance in 2010 and 2011. After looking at all of the different results and surveys I would say that BestBuy is right in the thick of things and battling for the top spot. Amazon may be more a valuable company but the consumers still view BestBuy as the leading consumer electronic company. One of the critical problems facing BestBuy is people coming into the store and testing the products and then leaving and buying the product elsewhere. I think that BestBuy’s strategy to become customer centered is a good strategy.Many of the same products are sold by multiple c ompanies, but if BestBuy can appeal to the segments and profiles of people coming into their stores then they can get people to buy the products in their stores. Identifying the profiles of people coming in is the first step and then being able to bundle products and arrange displays in an appealing way is a good strategy. If BestBuy continues to value its consumers I think they will find a way to sustain a competitive. After all, people want to feel important and be given what they need and desire.

Maria Theresa of Prussian law

Starting in and around the year 1740 with the crowning of Maria Theresa as empress, began the buildup of the Prussian army. In the eighteenth century commenced the rein of the â€Å"Prince of Prussia†. By mid century, despite only having 3 million inhabitants it had the third strongest army in Europe. It was planning to take over Austria. According to the author, Ozment, the key to Prussia’s dominance and success was due to its ability to conquer and build because of long lived kings. Frederick I crowned himself the King of Prussia in 1701 and openly challenged Austria.His son, Frederick William I brought back Prussian virtues of discipline, obedience and piety. Between him and his son, the army quadrupled in size. An integration of religion and social reform transformed the country. This served to enlighten and educate the populace. Prussia attacked Austria three times, won the Silesian war, increased its landmass by half and revenues by a third. Prussia later suffered a few defeats when attacked by other European countries in the battle of Kolin and others.But the embattled Prussia returned at Rossbach, thought to be their greatest victory. By war’s end, a large amount of the country was destitute and 1/10th of its prewar population had perished. But Frederick aimed to build and rebuild. His reign was deemed enlightened absolutist because it was â€Å"hierarchical and strong-armed, yet optimistic and progressive for the times†. The ruler enabled free press, economic development and the codification of Prussian law.. Frederick believed that the power of Prussia was in its army and he developed it. He also created a strong centralized government and even ruled over the Prussian nobles who wanted their estates, serf and etc. He was also philosophically aligned with John Locke, another enlightened thinker and â€Å"father of liberalism†. Frederick also followed the model that a ruler was authoritative over individuals because he represented and enforced order in order to make individual freedoms possible.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Rechargeable Charcoal/Wood-Feed Stove Essay

Currently, Philippines experiences economic crisis which results to higher costs of rare fossil fuels and LPG tanks which is used as a medium of cooking stoves. The study was conducted to construct a Rechargeable Charcoal/Wood-Feed Stove; a time-saver and a cost efficient appliance. It aims to compare the efficiency of the said stove to other commonly types of stove such as LPG Stove and Charcoal/Wood Clay Stove regarding with the time consumed when boiling, the watts consumed and the volume of fuel needed. The body was composed of half-cut gas tank, the base with steel bars. Cement and sand was poured. Perforated plate was attached to serve as air outlet. The box was made and the 12-volt battery was attached. The results of time and watts consumed when boiling using 750 ml of water using rechargeable charcoal/wood-feed stove was 2. 67 minutes, and 0. 00018 watts respectively using 50 g of charcoal in average. Cost of fuel and watts used were Php 0. 71 and Php 0. 02 respectively. Whereas using the Charcoal/Wood Clay Stove, the time consumed when boiling was 10. 35 minutes consuming 300 g of charcoal in average and the total cost obtained was Php 4. 29. While for LPG Stove was; 4. 67 minutes consuming 66. 7 g of gas in average and the total cost obtained was Php 4. 97. Based on the results gathered, using comparison, the researchers concluded that the stove is less-time consuming and a fuel-saver compared to LPG Stove and Charcoal/Wood Clay Stove.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Healthy Life Style Essay

Everyone wants a nice healthy lifestyle, and everyone wants to be fit. Being fit and healthy is very important. Being healthy is the key to lead a happy life. People who are fit, stay fit even when they get old. Living a healthy lifestyle is not too hard, and it pays off. A healthy life style keeps you in shape physically, mentally, and spiritually. Healthy living has many benefits. A healthy lifestyle keeps you physically strong, reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, reduces risk of many diseases, and enhances your appearance. Many studies show that a healthy lifestyle prevents against many diseases, and that leads to a longer life. Having a healthy lifestyle makes you feel good, energetic, fresh, and confident. If someone wants to be happy, he has to have a healthy lifestyle. It is not hard to live a healthy life. A healthy lifestyle just takes a little diet control and some exercise. The first step is to be enthusiastic and keep yourself motivated, and join a fitness club/gym because it is really hard working out at your residence. At his residence a person feels lazy. Join a gym that is close to your residence, so don’t feel lazy going to it. Have a friend workout with you to keep you entertained, so you don’t get bored. Go to the gym at least three times a week and workout for forty five minutes to one hour, and make a schedule for workout. Do some cardio vascular exercise twice a week for forty minutes. Healthy eating is very important. Eat a protein and fiber full meal every three hours. Eating every three hours keeps your metabolism running fast, and that keeps your body from storing fat. Don’t eat heavy carbohydrate meals right before bed time, and try to eat them in the morning and afternoon. Stay away from sugary and fatty things like doughnuts, cream cookies, cream cakes, sugary deserts, and sugary juices. Once you have a balanced diet, and you have a decent amount of workout, you will feel the difference. Watch as your body losses fat, gains muscle, and gains stamina. You will feel fit, relaxed, younger, and you will also have fewer headaches, less stress, and will find life easy.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Sports Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sports Nutrition - Essay Example It can best be described as a combination of swimming, soccer, rugby, wrestling and basketball. It is regarded as the oldest team sport in the world which is continuously contested at the Olympic Games. The game is normally played in seven- minute quarters; however, the regular fouls can extend the match time to approximately one hour of nearly non-stop action. In comparison to other team sports, water polo is a relatively shorter game. Upon the years, water polo has gradually been increasing in popularity especially among schools. Despite its popularity, the performance among Grace Lutheran water polo players has not been up to standards. Energy requirements for any kind of physical performance are critical. The energy stores in the liver are the main fuel for energy in the body. When the stores are inadequate, sport performance, timing and focus begin to suffer. Water polo players require a daily high carbohydrate diet to boost stamina and refill lost muscle and liver glycogen stores mainly during competition and training (Phillips, 2004). Allan (2004), states that the human body is normally designed to move by a sequence of coordinated muscle contractions. When the brain tells the body to move, the nerve signals trigger a massive release of muscular energy through a special molecule known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). There are three systems in the body which create the ATP energy required for most of the physical activities, all the three systems are used for water polo in varying degrees (Cooper, 2003). To start with, the ATP-CP system plays a major role in the provision of energy for a five to seven second swim sprint in water polo (Panel, 1999). This is facilitated by a high energy molecule (creatine phosphate) which quickly delivers energy to manufacture ATP. Creatine phosphate is largely stored and readily available in the muscle fibers. This makes it the main supplier of energy during the commencement of water polo game. However, other suppliers of energy come in after a short duration of time (30 seconds). Due to the fast depletion of CP, the short period of water polo should be followed by a rest period to ensure that the CP that was depleted in the muscles is restored. Usually, no oxygen is required hence referred to as anaerobic exercise. Another energy producing system known as anaerobic glycolysis comes in after the depletion of energy using the ATP-CP system. It produces the ATP needed to continue the muscular contraction during execution of water polo skills. The break down of glycogen takes place with little requirement of oxygen. The glycogen utilized for this process is found in the liver and in the muscles (storage form of sugars in the diet). Normally, if a water polo player swims at a fast pace after the first 8-10 seconds, there is usually a delay in time when ATP formed from creatine phosphate runs out. Brian (2003), states that anaerobic glycolysis manufactures adequate ATP for a prolonged period of time (40 seconds up to 2 minutes) unlike ATP-CP system and is usually dependent upon the training levels of the athlete. The process quickly delivers adequate ATP to allow the water polo player to keep up with the fast pace despite the low levels of CP. However, production of lactic acid

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Journal 11 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Journal 11 - Assignment Example ed as a scene of quietness come while it rains, the book describes Anna and the narrator caring for each other based on the way she sleeps at her feet and the kiss she gets on her lips and forehead as well as playing with her fine golden hair. The new thing they claim to have discovered is the new America, the America they expect to have after the ancient time, they were very happy to think of seeing the beautiful America, this can be shown in the play as they both shout loudly and laughing as they walked in the street. The narrator goes ahead and describes how in the past there were ships ferrying people from one corner of America to Europe and to other parts of America, this shows the love and wish that he has for America in the new world. This is cited from the play where it is written â€Å"a profusion of memories rise up in him, and how he once saw large ships with advertising billboard and having stepped nearer read: from Liverpool to New York-from Bremen to New York.† The narrator introduces Columbus in the story as one person who was not aware of if he was among the people who discovered America. (Spack &Ruth, P.157). He portrays Columbus as a poor in ideas, this cited from the story when the narrator write, â€Å"I was unable to imagine Columbus standing with a sorrowful glance at the coast of his discovered world, putting on his top hat and shaking his head disappointedly†. Columbus was treated as a hero, but little did the world know that America had existed before. The narrators concludes the story by describing the type of America he wishes to have but not the one claimed to be discovered by Columbus, he goes ahead and state that â€Å" I’m in the wrong America and perhaps dreaming about the sweet, fragrant America of time. And that has passed for several years† he thinks that something has ultimately gone wrong somewhere and needs to get it corrected but not aware how that he could correct that. It is cited in the narration when he writes, â€Å"a pain

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Problem Statement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Problem Statement - Assignment Example Rewards technique improves performance of teachers through extrinsic and intrinsic aspects. Extrinsic rewards are given to individuals; for instance, bonuses, trophies, and compliments. Intrinsic rewards involve internal satisfaction; for instance, sense of accomplishment. Education instructors are also motivated through participation in the decision making process of elementary schools and other education institutions. Proper work-life balance is also instrumental in improving academic performance standards of teachers. Personal and family time should be adequately balanced with work efforts, so as to realize minimal conflict. Work-life programs involve; flextime, workplace wellness, telecommuting, and family support (Skemp, 2007). Elementary schools entail education institutions where children aged between five and eleven years, pursue education. In United States the elementary schools starts form grade kindergarten up to the second grade (K-2). At this education level, learning comprises both physical aspects and academic aspects. The elementary education sector in America experiences challenges like underperformance. This is due to inadequate efforts of education instructors at the level of education. Public education institutions are particularly affected by the underperformance issue. The key underperformance issues entails; low self confidence among the teaching staffs, low success expectations, inadequate interest in education matters at elementary level, achievement anxiety, and fear or fear which results in low work confidence. This specific research question illustrates focus and also the design of the research study. The question enables easy identification of the variables of the study; the dependent and the independent variables. The specific research question also identifies the national sector that will be covered during the study. According to the question, the main subject under discussion is the performance of elementary

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 126

Essay Example Many believe that he died of murder; Bob Brier researched and wrote in his book â€Å"the murder of Tutankhamen† about what could have caused his death. Brier had medical knowledge and he used the knowledge to examine Tutankhamen skull, he found bumps and marks in the skull and this evidence made him believe that he was murdered. He believed that the marks in the skull are malicious and could have been inflicted by somebody who could reach the king easily for example a servant or a relative. According to the literature found, Ay and Horemheb denied committing the murder, information from Horemheb text warns Egyptians not to forget what foreigners did to their brother that shows that he was murdered. Another theory is about illness, several images show the king in the tomb seating or resting on a walking stick. The pictures of Akhenaton who is believed to have been Tutankhamen father shows the king seated and his wife is serving him. One of the medical researchers who have rese arched intensively about what could have the death of the king is Dr. Hutan Ashrafian who works at Imperial college of London. Hutan believed that the key to the mystery lies within the art of that time (Hawass, 2004). The best theory I believed it explained the death of Tutankhamen is the theory of illness. Dr. Hutan believed that Tutankhamen died with feminized physique like his immediate predecessor. Paintings reveals that Smenkhkare one of the pharaohs who is believed to have been Tutankhamens uncle or brother and Akhenaten both had feminized figures which are large breasts and wide hips (Hawass, 2004). Pharaohs who came before Tutankhamen has similar physiques; according to Hutan, every pharaoh died at young age under mysterious circumstances. This shows that there was inherited disorder. It is important to note that the two pharaohs used to tell of religious vision

Monday, September 9, 2019

Oscar Romero and Post Vatican II Church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oscar Romero and Post Vatican II Church - Essay Example Prior to these sessions, mass were conducted in a way that priests turned their backs to the congregation, modern forms were not accepted, masses were conducted in Latin language only, and sacraments were not updated or simplified. The council introduced new documents which saw landmark transformation of the Catholic Church. (http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0505787.htm). Alters were altered, and priests were made to face the congregation, priesthood and religious life were renewed, liturgy was modernized, lay Catholics participation in church affairs was enhanced, Catholic church opened dialogue with other churches and non-Christians and the church was recognized as ‘the people of God’. Way was given for people around the world to conduct masses in their vernacular language. All these changes were not immediate. This saw the church began a long and contentious process of every aspect of the Catholic Church. The council regarded this transformation as a way of opening dialogue with the modern world and facing modern challenges that were inevitable. It is believed that were it, not for these changes introduced by the Vatican II council, the church would be a small minority in the modern world. These transformations brought modern-day men and women nearer to the gospel and made the gospel important to them which was not the case before. One of the goals of the council documents was to enlighten the modern believers to see the world as an opportunity to announce the gospel and not a threat to the gospel. Prior to this, many catholic believers viewed the modern world as a threat to the gospel and existence of the church. These transformations greatly changed the spiritual view of the church. Another ongoing spiritual task since the inception of these transformations has been to enlighten the young generations not to see the Vatican as an ancient history of the church

Sunday, September 8, 2019

Genetically modified food Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Genetically modified food - Essay Example However, in the contemporary world, scientists have adopted complex measures by integrating the laboratory with breeding, and narrowing down to the building blocks of such attributes; the genes. As such, various methods of genetic modification, alteration, and improvement have developed organisms that are an improvement of the already existing organisms. The improvement is in terms of the rate of growth, resistance to more harsh conditions, and productivity. This has been integrated with food production, with the widespread of genetically modified foods. As much as such developments promote the wellbeing of individuals through reduction of food insecurity and increasing the nutrient density and shelf life of food, many fail to understand the ramifications that such technology holds. Different individuals hold different opinions regarding the genetically modified foods, with some arguing for it, while others against it. However, genetically modified food should be forbidden because it can break the ecological balance. Genetic modifications, also known as â€Å"genetic engineering† involves a deeper meaning than the phrase sounds. With reference to the word engineering, Rifkin suggests that it involves the application of the principles of engineering in life’s genetic blueprints. Rifkin goes further to explain such engineering principles in his article, â€Å"The Bio Tech Century†, as predictable outcomes, efficiency, quality control, quantifiable measurement standards, and utility (Rifkin 2). As such, genetically modified foods are edible plants and animals whose DNA has been altered in terms of the genetic framework to favor a certain sequence, through genetic engineering. Such alterations could be geared towards producing foods that are resistant to pests, grow rapidly, or have an improved nutrient profile. On the other hand, ecology involves the scientific

Saturday, September 7, 2019

The Medieval World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Medieval World - Essay Example In the first image, the house of the Aristocrats is a well decorated house made of bricks; the house of the Aristocrats looks like a castle. This fact shows that the Aristocrats in the medieval Europe were rich and were able to afford houses made of bricks. This means that the life of the Aristocrats in medieval Europe was a life of comfort because the brick houses were able to protect the medieval Europeans from the adverse cold weather of Europe, especially during the winter. On the contrary, a look at the peasant’s houses in the second image shows simple houses made of timber. In the peasants’ image, the house in which three women are sitting is clearly a simple house made of timber. This fact shows that, unless the aristocrats who were able to afford building expensive brick houses, the peasants were not able to afford such houses. This fact shows that the life of the peasants in medieval Europe was a life of poverty and difficult life. Given the cold weather of Europe, especially, in winter, it must have been very difficult for the peasants to survive in such extremely cold seasons. From the first image, we see that the Aristocrats are elaborately dressed with long flowing clothes. All the Aristocrats also have their heads covered with sumptuous headgears. The headgears were most probably meant to keep off the sun in summer. All the Aristocrats are dressed with long clothes with ornately decorated cloaks; the cloaks seem to be made of either silver or silk because they are shiny. This fact again shows that the Aristocrats in medieval Europe lived a life of affluence. The fact that the Aristocrats were able to afford expensive clothing means that they were stinking rich. This fact, again, means that the Aristocrats in medieval Europe loved fine things in life. An analysis of the clothing of the peasants, on the other, hand shows that the peasants dressed in simple clothes. In the peasants’ image, we find that the women peasants are

Friday, September 6, 2019

Human Impacts on Climate Essay Example for Free

Human Impacts on Climate Essay Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth is not only informative but an eye opener especially for those living in the United States. Today global warming is not an obscure phenomenon but a reality that is being faced by everyone from Africa to Australia. Mankind’s actions are now more than ever before are changing the climate of Earth. These actions lead to effects which combine with the natural occurrences which have been taking place in history. In addition evidence from scientific research shows that natural impacts alone cannot be blamed for the increase in the global surface temperatures recorded in the past century. Man’s effect on Earth’s climate has several consequences like: †¢ Escalating concentration of green house gases in the atmosphere †¢ Air pollution †¢ Concentration of airborne particles †¢ Changes in land geology The major problem is the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cannot be compared historically as the levels today are much higher then ever before, the exception being when earth was hit by a meteorite etc. the changes and the increase in carbon dioxide have been witnessed since the modernization and industrialization which began in the 1700’s however the worst impact has been since fossil fuels were used excessively from the beginning of 1900 and this also led to change in the use of land. (American Geophysical Union) Al Gore, through statistics shows that there is a direct relationship between the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the air and the increase in climatic temperatures. Historically the first impact of the human presence on Earth’s geographical and biological systems occurred about 8,000 years ago, when individuals began to systematically cultivate land for agricultural purposes. However the initial impact was not as severe or drastic as the one which occurred in the 1700s. The industrial revolution has been supported and encouraged by the values which have led to glorifying consumption and economic development. (American Geophysical Union) It is a fact that this planet is heating up because of the human society and the greenhouse gases produced. According to the both The National Academy of Sciences and the United Nation have come to the conclusion that there is a relationship between human actions and the temperature increases. (Clark 1013) According a joint statement by G8 in addition to China, India and Brazil, that stated that scientific evidence was quite remarkable and there was no way for the nations but to take actions to stop this destruction. (Clark 1013) The reality is that if people keep on emitting greenhouse gases at this rate, atmospheric temperatures will keep on increasing, and the effect will be felt for generations in future. According to   even strict actions like Kyoto Protocol may be able to control the increasing carbon dioxide after a centaury at the minimum. According to Clark (1013) Research on ice cores by Fedorov et al. (2005) detailing the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature going back more then 400, 000 years has displayed that there is a strong correlation between carbon dioxide and temperatures. Studies show that historically there was never a time when there was so much carbon dioxide as now in addition the increase in carbon dioxide concentration has increased most rapidly in the past hundred years or so. (Clark 1014) In a news report on National Geographic in February, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) very assertively linked the man’s actions being responsible for the global warming and other climatic changes like increase in sea levels, storms and changing weather patterns. The report quotes Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, comment that: â€Å"Fossil fuel use, agriculture, and land-use change are fundamentally affecting the systems on our planet† (Roach) What Al Gore has done is just point out the facts in a simple style through his documentary so that general s can understand what is happening and do something about this very significant problem. Works Cited Human Impacts on Climate. American Geophysical Union. Adopted by Council December, 2003. AGU Release 03-35. Retrieved May 1 2007

Role of the church in secular concerns of its congregants Essay Example for Free

Role of the church in secular concerns of its congregants Essay As notable and important as the role of the Black church in inspiring community service by its congregants is the service provided by the church for its congregants’ secular concerns. Church programs can often encompass all areas of a congregant’s secular life. Social interaction and personal relationships are fostered among the congregation; social services such as youth ministry and care for adolescents, literacy programs, economic development programs and physical and mental health programs are provided; traditional pastoral services such as grief counseling and marriage counseling are also benefits of the membership in the Black church. Many of these services have been the subject of study and inquiry in recent years, and a review of extant literature can provide insight into the role of the modern Black church. PHYSICAL HEALTH PROGRAMS Health and preventative care programs are some of the most important secular program offered by Black churches to their congregations. The health picture of African-Americans is grim: higher rates of diabetes and heart disease, lower birth rates and life expectancies, higher infant mortality, and higher rates of psychological problems are all exacerbated by lower levels of health insurance coverage and racial discrimination in health care (NEEDS CITE). Church-based health programs are a vital resource for the underserved population of the church community. The Los Angeles Mammography Promotion in Churches Program, a Los Angeles area health initiative sponsored by the RAND Corporation, which targeted an underserved population (older Black women) for health screening care including mammograms, ran from 1996 to 1998, with 18 Black churches participating. The aims of the study were twofold: one, to determine the feasibility of churches as focal points for community health programs; and two, to test the effectiveness of church-based programs aimed at increasing preventative health care access to underserved populations. The authors considered that â€Å"the church can be an important conduit through which to inform racial/ethnic minorities about preventative care, and that the Black church, because of its ethic of service to others, is particularly well-suited for health promotion (Markens , 2005, 805). The authors of the study, Markens, Fox, Teub and Gilbert (2002), surveyed the pastors of 16 of the churches upon completion of the program to determine the effectiveness of the program and its implementation. The survey illuminated not only the effectiveness and importance of church-based health care programs for the Black community, but many of the problems with implementation and participation in these programs. The authors note that â€Å"given its historical and ongoing roles within the Black community, the church is an ideal setting in which to offer health promotion activities for African-Americans (2002, 805). † In order to obtain answers about the church leader’s perspective on the effectiveness of the program, the authors of the study interviewed sixteen of eighteen pastors of the church where the program was implemented; two of the pastors were excluded due to their short tenure with their churches, which meant that they had not been substantially involved in the program. The authors found that most of the pastors were generally enthusiastic and positive about the program and their church’s participation in it; however, there were also a number of criticisms of the study. The authors noted that what drew many of the pastors to participate in the study was their holistic approach to ministry. One participant, Reverend Henry, said: I try to have a holistic ministry, one that not only deals with the soul but the body as well†¦ there are many facets to us that make up whole people, and each one needs to be dealt with and the church can be a focal point in dealing with the needs of the whole person†¦ I feel very strongly that the physical wellbeing of the person is as important as their spiritual wellbeing. (Markens , 2002, 807). Some participants in the study went even further than Reverend Henry, expressing a dislike of the idea of the separation of spiritual and secular concerns and explicitly linking spiritual and physical health. Reverend Ellington, another participant, remarks: †¦there are a lot of people because of a spiritual mentality, they believe that the Lord will do everything and they†¦ really don’t have to be overzealous about doing anything†¦ so you have to keep telling them that the doctor is there because God put him here. So then you’re supposed to utilize that source. And so that’s my kind of emphasis, that I keep people interested in their whole body. (Markens , 2002, 807). More pragmatically, many participants recognized that physical health was important to the congregation because it could affect spiritual goals. Reverend Henry noted â€Å"if you don’t keep people alive, you’re not going to have a congregation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  All the respondents to the study took the health of their congregation seriously, and considered it to be a matter of pastoral concern, disputing the idea that it was a secular matter (Markens , 2002, 808). One participant in the study, Reverend Hill, echoed a common sentiment when he remarked â€Å"the only reason for a church to be in existence is to better the community†¦ otherwise, it’s not a church† (Markens , 2002, 807). The eagerness and appreciation of community projects was a common attitude among the survey respondents. In a number of churches, the Los Angeles Mammography Promotion in Churches Program served as a gatekeeper for other church-based community health programs, often instigated or arranged by church members and pastors who observed the success of the mammography program. Programs such as diabetes and blood pressure screenings, health fairs and even the establishment of permanent Health Committees and Bible aerobics (a combination of a low-impact aerobics program with Bible study) were put into place in the participating churches, widening the congregation’s access to preventative health screening and care (Markens , 2002, 807). Not all of the responses to Marken’s study were positive. There were a number of barriers to care and the success of the program cited in the pastoral survey. The most common thread was lack of time on the part of the pastor to oversee the program; the responses speak to a larger problem within the church, that of high-stress leadership positions within the church. Reverend Hill stated: †¦ pastoring is one of the most stressful positions in America†¦ Mainly because you’re constantly on the go and consistently on call†¦ in the electronic age, you have a beeper on either side, you have a cell phone in your hand. You gotta check your email every day. And every time the phone rings you’re concerned†¦ you’re looking at a stressful society. (Markens , 2002, 808). At the same time, the presence of the pastor is extremely important – â€Å"in the Black church, people want to hear the voice of the leader†¦ some things just cannot be delegated ((Markens , 2002, 808). † There were other problems with the study that did not depend on the amount of time the pastor could devote to overseeing it. The smaller churches in the study didn’t have a lot of resources to draw on for financial support, which complicated administration of the program (many of the pastors worked second jobs in addition to overseeing the administration of the church. ) As the authors note, â€Å"Ironically, then, the Black church’s history of involvement in community and secular activities that makes them ideal sites for health interventions can at the same time possibly affect a pastor’s willingness to participate in new health programs (808). † Finally, the very lack of formal programs and secular support for the congregation’s health care affected the involvement of the congregation in the health intervention program. The combination of a lack of accustomed medical care, particularly preventative care and screening available to more affluent members of society, and a history of exploitation and abuse among the group resulted in an unwillingness to participate in a research study, regardless of how worthy it was (Markens , 2002, 809). The power of the Black church, although considerable, is not always enough to overcome the external pressure of the dominant culture. Another project that undertook a community health initiative within a Black church was Project DIRECT (Diabetes Interventions Reaching and Educating Communities Together). Project DIRECT, a federally funded research project sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Reid , 569). Project DIRECT was founded in 1994 in southeast Raleigh, North Carolina,, with the intended purpose of providing community care, education, screening and prevention resources in order to reduce the high rate of type II diabetes experienced within the African-American community in the region. This research project also examined the influence of another African-American institution, the historically Black university North Carolina Central University (NCCU), located in Raleigh, as a resource for community health programs. Reid state, â€Å"Historically, African American people have turned to the church for information about services of value and importance to them (571). † The authors note that the study was designed to take into account the fact that churches often have limited resources and are often overwhelmed with requests to participate in community health studies; careful organization of the study was required to avoid negatively impacting the pastor and outreach ability. The demographic profile of the church was considered more important for targeting church participation than the denomination of the church; however, there was no easy way to determine the demographic profile of any given church. In order to determine this, NCCU students participating in the study attended services at the church (with the pastor’s prior knowledge), and introduced themselves as Project DIRECT staffers during the fellowship time, discussing the project with those who showed an interest in it. The researcher observation allowed the Project to create a congregational health assessment tool (CHAT) used to determine the needs of the demographic served by the particular church, followed by a congregational health action plan (CHAP), customized to the church’s demographic. Church leaders were then engaged in providing their congregation with the appropriate contacts for education and management of type II diabetes within their congregation. The authors note that the outcome was positive: several churches reorganized or supplemented their health and social ministries on the findings of the CHAT and CHAP, and pastor response was positive. The interaction between the NCCU students and the church leaders and congregation was also noted as a positive outcome by the researchers: the Project DIRECT experience precipitated the founding of an interdepartmental master’s program in Community Health at NCCU, using the lessons learned to create a professional community health coordinator skill set within the community.

Thursday, September 5, 2019

Canadas Policies on Early Childhood Education and Care

Canadas Policies on Early Childhood Education and Care Alex Miles Paper Title: National early childhood education and care as a policy debate in Canada Despite over 40 years elapsing since publication of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women (RCSW), which called for a national childcare program as a necessary step towards gender equality, Canada still has no national program for early childhood education and care (ECEC). Despite taking on a larger, yet still modest, role of financing and shaping ECEC between 1966 and 1995 under the now-defunct Canada Assistance Plan (CAP), the federal government has now all but completely withdrawn, leaving the provinces and territories to manage ECEC nearly autonomously. As more and more women – the predominant childrearers in modern Canadian culture – enter the workforce without a corresponding decrease in the rates of fathers in the workforce, the Canadian provinces and territories are feeling great strains in an attempt to meet the ECEC needs of their populations. With the exception of Manitoba and Quebec, Canadian women in major cities spend between a quarter and a third (23 to 34%) of their income on full-time ECEC (Macdonald Friendly, 2014). In fact, those crippled by ECEC costs are the lucky ones: Outside of Quebec, eighty percent of Canadians see the lack of spaces as a serious problem (Environics Research Group Limited, 2008) with a shortage of available spaces nationwide (Anderssen, 2014). Some single mothers and two-parent families are able and comfortable to rely on relatives, friends, or unlicensed ECEC, but those in need of licensed daycare are often out of luck. After thirteen years of being in power and promises for a national program, the Liberal Party of Canada managed only to negotiate individual agreements with the various Canadian provinces in 2005. Harper’s Conservatives quickly replaced the Liberals and their promises in the wake of the sponsorship scandal, opting instead to pay families $1,200 per year for each child under the age of six. More recently, the Conservatives have proposed further financial tax reduction strategies for families, while the National Democratic Party (NDP) under Thomas Mulcair has unveiled plans for a national ECEC program. As Canadians and the politicians gear up for the 2015 federal election, one of the burning questions will be which is better for the Canadian economy, Harper’s subsidies or Mulcair’s national program? Thus far, the Conservatives have managed to control early childhood education and care their way, but an increasing number of voters are dissatisfied and looking for an actual national program that meets the needs Canadians coast to coast. This paper will navigate the tumultuous waters of Canadian early childhood education and care policy by identifying how the issue got on the agenda and progressed through the 5-stage policy model (Howlett, Ramesh, Perl, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles Policy Subsystems, 2009), identifying and mapping the policy subsystem (Pross, 1986), identifying and discussing the positions of the Conservatives, the NDP, and ECEC pressure groups, and – finally – identifying who won the debate. The second-wave women’s movement in Canada included as a central pillar improved access to childcare, for which calls had been made since World War II (Collier, 2012). The 1970 RCSW reported stated on page xii that, â€Å"the care of children is a responsibility to be shared by the mother, the father and society. Unless this shared responsibility is acknowledged and assumed, women cannot be accorded true equality† (Canada, 1970). Feminist activists of the time succeed in bringing the issue of ECEC onto the formal government agenda through growing grassroots support, aligning with other likeminded groups, and use of campaigns, lobbying, legal challenges, and public education. This process constituted Outside Mobilisation (Howlett, Ramesh, Perl, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles Policy Subsystems, 2009), which ultimately succeed in the government implementing the Canada Assistance Plan (CAP) in 1966. The CAP was a cost sharing agreement between the federal government and the provinces and territories aimed at improving the lives of low-income earners, with a portion of the federal funds assigned to childcare services (Rauhala, et al., 2012). While limited in scope and effect, it did spark the development of ECEC in Canada. Many still campaigned for a national approach and the federal government did attempt this several times though was never had the clout to succeed: Trudeau’s Task Force on Child Care in 1984; Mulroney’s Special Committee on Child Care in 1986; Chrà ©tien’s Red Book in 1993. The revival of the women’s movement in the 1990s and the election of the Liberals in 1993 brought childcare back onto the public agenda. Chrà ©tien axed the CAP in favour of the Canada Health and Social Transfer, which decreased federal power in matters that were under provincial jurisdiction, such as social services. It also made the provinces less accountable in spending public funds. Having made strides forwards, hopes for a national strategy were quickly dashed as provincial programs disintegrated (Rauhala, et al., 2012). The Liberals developed the National Children’s Agenda in 1997. Two years later, they were successful in getting the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to agree to the Social Union Agreement. The agreement allowed the various jurisdictions to work together through the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Council on Social Policy Renewal to support the delivery of social programs and services (Cool, 2007). Thanks to the council, there have b een numerous policies for young children, including the National Child Benefit (1998), the Early Childhood Development Initiative (2000), the Multilateral Framework on Early Learning and Child Care (2003), the Bilateral Agreements with provinces (2005), as well as the 2006 Universal Childcare Benefit (UCCB). In the mid-2000s, a number of international reports were published, highlighting Canada’s stark underfunding and underdevelopment of ECEC. In 2004, the first major comparison of early childhood education and care across affluent countries noted that national and provincial policy was in its â€Å"initial† stages, that care and education were still treated separately, and that coverage was low compared to other wealthy countries (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2004). The report’s exposure of shortfalls in services for young children prompted the federal government back towards a national strategy (Rauhala, et al., 2012). In response to the OECD report, the Liberals announced in the 2004 Speech from the Throne that they would work with the provinces and territories to put in place a national ECEC program (Privy Council Office, 2004). In 2005, the Liberals signed individual, bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories that would provide federal funds for provincial childcare initiatives. Childcare advocates thought a national program was â€Å"closer than it had ever been before† (Friendly Prentice, 2009). Frustratingly, all this work was immediately undone when Harper was voted into office. Harper’s 2006 UCCB offered families a monthly rebate of $100 per child under the age of six but, importantly, no national childcare program. In the same year, the second installment of the 2004 OECD report found that Canada spent just 0.25% of its GDP on ECEC programs for children 0-6, placing it at the bottom of the table (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2006). There was little political will for change under the ruling Conservatives, and so there has been only stagnation on this issue over recent years. This was confirmed by a 2008 report that put Canada tied for last place on the Report Card, a table indicating whether economically advanced countries are meeting certain minimum standards for early childhood education and care (Adamson, 2008). Recently, the public has been becoming increasingly discontent with the Conservatives’ method of addressing ECEC. As costs of childcare has skyrocketed in all jurisdictions except the one that has strong funding and legislation (Quebec), the issue has come to the forefront of public discourse and is shaping to be a defining feature of the 2015 federal election. Indeed, one of the first proposed the policies the NDP released in its campaign was its solution to the ECEC question (Anderssen, 2014). In the 5-stage policy model, policy formulation marks the second stage. To follow the theory, the ECEC debate can be analysed from two perspectives. Firstly, new actors (namely, Thomas Mulcair) have increased the speed of change on an entirely recycled idea. Hence, the speed and mode of policy change is defined as rapid normal. Secondly, while there has been an entrance of new actors, the idea is not new. Therefore, policy instrument types determine the type of policy change. The third step in the policy cycle is decision making. Looking at the issue of national ECEC, there are few actors involved and all are contained within one setting. Simultaneously, the issue is clearly defined with plenty of information and time to act on and with. Therefore, this type of decision making would be classified as rational (Howlett, Ramesh, Perl, Public Policy Decision-Making, 2009). A historical analysis of the policy instruments – the policy cycle’s fourth stage – deployed over the life of the ECEC debate shows that, for the vast majority of the time, the various governments have used affirmative expenditures to promote the use of childcare and education. At present, the Harper government utilises monthly cash transfer in order to offset the cost of ECEC. It also offers tax breaks, a form of tax expenditure. Governments have left regulation up to the provinces, who license the various childcare centres within their own jurisdiction (Pal, 2010). The fifth and final stage of the policy cycle involves policy evaluation, which can be conducted either formally (e.g. by bureaucrats and politicians) or informally. The Harper government’s UCCB has been analysed by formal institutions to a small extent, but it has predominantly been critically evaluated by NGOs, in the form of interest groups, and the broader public. Recent polls have shown that lack of affordable ECEC is a serious problem to three-quarters (77%) of Canadians (Environics Research Group Limited, 2008). Academics have been evaluating the UCCB on performance and financial spectra. The consensus is that the Conservatives’ approach is not meeting the broader economic goals and fails to provide Canadians with the services they need (Friendly Prentice, 2009). Furthermore, academics argue that there is no value for money, with poor documentation of spending (Friendly M. , 2014). In conclusion, thus far the Harper government has been winning the policy debate on ECEC. They have been able to pass their desired bills, which are a far cry from what other parties are advocating for, and hardly even register on international measures of performance (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2006). However, recent newspaper and other mass media suggest that the issue may finally be important enough to Canadians that parties’ stances on this issue will greatly shape the next federal election. Whoever wins that vote will have their policy preferences met. Bibliography Adamson, P. (2008). The Child Care Transition: A league table of early childhood education and care in economically advanced countries. Florence: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre. Anderssen, E. (2014, October 17). The NDP child care plan gives parents hope, but the details are fuzzy. Retrieved from The Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/the-ndp-child-care-plan-gives-parents-hope-but-the-details-are-fuzzy/article21143936/ Canada. (1970). Royal Commission of the Status of Women. Ottawa: Information Canada. Collier, C. (2012). Feminist and Gender-Neutral Frames in Contemporary Child-Care and Anti-Violence Policy Debates in Canada. Politics Gender(3), 283-303. doi:10.1017/S1743923X12000323 Cool, J. (2007). Child Care in Canada: The Federal Role. Ottawa: Library of Parliament. Davis, C., Hoffer, K. (2012). Federalizing energy? Agenda change and the politics of fracking. Policy Sciences(45), 221-241. doi:10.1007/s11077-012-9156-8 Environics Research Group Limited. (2008). Attitudes Toward Child Care. Ottawa: Environics Research Group Limited. Friendly, M. (2014, October 17). The daycare debate: A look at the politics of affordable child care. (A. Chowdhry, Interviewer) Friendly, M., Prentice, S. (2009). About Canada: Childcare. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. Howlett, M., Ramesh, M., Perl, A. (2009). Public Policy Decision-Making. In M. Howlett, M. Ramesh, A. Perl, Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles Policy Subsystems (3rd ed., pp. 139-159). Don Mills: Oxford University Press. Howlett, M., Ramesh, M., Perl, A. (2009). Studying Public Policy: Policy Cycles Policy Subsystems (3rd ed.). Don Mills: Oxford University Press. Macdonald, D., Friendly, M. (2014). The Parent Trap: Child Care Fees in Canadas Big Cities. Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2004). OECD thematic review of early childhood education and care: Canada country note. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. (2006). Starting strong 2. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Pal, L. (2010). Chapter 4: Policy Instruments And Design. In L. Pal, Beyond Policy Analysis: Public Issue Management in Turbulent Times (4th ed., pp. 129-173). Toronto: Nelson Education. Privy Council Office. (2004, October 5). Speech from the Throne to Open the First Session of the 38th Parliament of Canada. Retrieved from Privy Council Office: http://www.pco-bcp.gc.ca/index.asp?lang=engpage=informationsub=publicationsdoc=aarchives/sft-ddt/2004_2-eng.htm Pross, P. (1986). Group politics and public policy. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Rauhala, A., Albanese, P., Ferns, C., Law, D., Haniff, A., Macdonald, L. (2012). What Says What: Election Coverage and Sourcing of Child Care in Four Canadian Dailies. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 21(1), 95-105. doi:10.1007/s10826-011-9481-0 1