Is the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Doomed to Fail? Essay

The search for extraterrestrial life is not doomed to fail. Ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Babylonians, Indians, and Sumerians had all believed in the existence of extraterrestrial life, even if they were principally focused on angels and demons in their belief. The Jewish Talmud stated that there are at least eighteen thousand other worlds. Hindu belief also revolved around multiple worlds in contact with each other. The Muslims’ Qur’an says, â€Å"All praise belongs to God, Lord of all the worlds† besides mentioning angels and jinns (â€Å"Extraterrestrial Life†). Thus scientists have enough support from historical and religious traditions of humanity to keep on searching for extraterrestrial life. This search may go on until humanity takes a quantum leap, or hits the point of a breakthrough in its endeavor. After all, most of the scientific discoveries and leaps did not occur without persistent efforts and firm faith in the fact that we will eventually make it through. Besides, scientists are some of the most persistent and confident humans on earth today, who know that they will make it through. James F. Kasting wrote, â€Å"Habitable planets are likely to exist around stars not too different from the Sun if current theories about terrestrial climate evolution are correct. Some of these planets may have evolved life, and some of the inhabited planets may have evolved O2-rich atmospheres† (291). We are assuming that other species on other planets in our universe may be living in conditions very similar to ours. In other words, in human understanding extraterrestrial life must involve the use of water, sunlight, air, etc. However, if we believe in angels and jinns of the historical and religious traditions, we are instinctively aware that these species do not rely on the kinds of terrestrial conditions that we rely on. Hence, we might have to change our focus IS THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE DOOMED TO FAIL? Page # 2 on terrestrial conditions in order to find proof of extraterrestrial life. We might discover, for example, that different uses of lenses to bend light or to employ it in a different way – would allow us to see angels. Our world has talked enough about Unidentified Flying Objects or UFO’s. Despite the photographs and eye witnesses of UFO’s, most people in the scientific community refuse to believe in UFO’s and also urge the public toward disbelief, because the majority of scientists searching for extraterrestrial life have not thus far had the opportunity to capture and dissect aliens coming out of the UFO’s. And yet, there is talk about alien capture from Area 51 in California. There are countless reports, in fact, about the existence of UFO’s. If all scientists were to believe in the phenomena of UFO’s at this point, one of the requirements to substantiate their belief would be a certain level of control over the extraterrestrial life. Seeing that scientists have not thus far managed to exercise control over UFO’s and aliens, the way they have control over their spaceships, most of them claim that UFO’s and aliens may be a falsehood. Once again, this is only because aliens and UFO’s have not subjected themselves to human scrutiny the way human beings give in to human biology experiments. NASA’s Chief Historian, Steven J. Dick has written that one of the most important tasks of NASA undertaken since the beginning of the Space Age has been the search for life beyond earth. As a matter of fact, in the year 1962 the Space Science Board of the National Academy of Sciences had declared that NASA’s nascent space biology efforts had the search for extraterrestrial life as the prime goal. Moreover, writes Dick, NASA believes that â€Å"Without organic molecules, the building blocks of life, life cannot exist. † To put it another way, the most IS THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE DOOMED TO FAIL? Page # 3 important scientific venture to search for extraterrestrial life does not even consider the possibility of extraterrestrial life being anything dissimilar to life on earth. In scientists’ view, extraterrestrial life must be based on conditions that are very similar to those for life on earth. As an example of its scientific victory in the search for extraterrestrial life, NASA believes that it has found evidence of water flowing on Mars. Alex Stone writes that the presence of water greatly increases the likelihood that living organisms once thrived on the planet, and perhaps still inhabit Mars today. And so, Stone states: Pictures taken by the camera on NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor suggest that rivulets of liquid water were flowing on the Red Planet within the past few years and may still be flowing today, welling up from beneath the Martian surface and streaming down gullies along the sloping walls of impact craters. †¦. But is the liquid flowing down these gullies really water? Probably, say experts at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, but more evidence is needed to seal the case. â€Å"You can never be certain from orbit,† says Ken Edgett, a member of the research team that made the discovery. â€Å"But this is the best evidence yet of liquid water being present on Mars right now† (20). If we are only searching for extraterrestrial life that resembles what we have on earth, it may or may not take a long time to find extraterrestrial life. The search would not be futile still, for we will gather much evidence about other aspects of our universe in the process. All the same, IS THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE DOOMED TO FAIL? Page # 4 according to historical and religious traditions of humanity, angels are made of light and jinns are made of fire. It would perhaps be best for scientists to try finding life that is based on light and fire to boot. In other words, scientists have to consider the possibility that extraterrestrial life may be based on an infinite number of elements. Water, air, and sunlight may not be necessary to support other forms of life. Seeing that we have not by now discovered everything we possibly can about our universe, we also must assume that we have failed to consider the possibilities of other elements making up extraterrestrial life. Hence, scientists must be more open to exploration than before, taking into account both the historical and religious traditions of extraterrestrial life, in order for their knowledge base to be complete. After all, they still debate about the origins of life on earth – about God versus Darwin. In both of these belief systems, our understanding of life is incomplete. Neither God nor evolution has explained to human minds everything to know about the universe. Therefore, assumptions are necessary. Moreover, it is crucial for scientists to open themselves up to alternate theories of life. They may decide to start by trying to see angels of light and jinns of fire simply because these beings are referred to in the historical and religious traditions of humanity. Eventually, we are bound to find extraterrestrial life, even if it means that our earth may be destroyed by an asteroid before scientists can capture on a massive scale images of angels and jinns. In that case, we all might go through the experiences of those who have been near death, that is, there would appear an angel of light to each one of us and tell us what we needed to know. IS THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE DOOMED TO FAIL? Page # 5 Works Cited 1. Dick, Steven J. â€Å"The Search for Life. † NASA (2005, June 26). Retrieved from http://www. nasa. gov/mission_pages/exploration/whyweexplore/index. html. (28 February 2007). 2. â€Å"Extraterrestrial Life. † Wikipedia (2007). Retrieved from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_life. (28 February 2007). 3. Kasting, James F. â€Å"Habitable Zones Around Low Mass Stars and The Search for Extraterrestrial Life. † Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres, Volume 27, Numbers 1-3 (1997, June), pp. 291-307. 4. Stone, Alex. â€Å"Like Water For Mars. † Discover (2007, February), pp. 20.

Multicultural Education Essay

The country is becoming a potluck of people coming from different nations. Many of them decided to pursue their studies in the U. S. in the hope of acquiring quality education. Consequently, a dilemma has arisen in this particular field which is caused by cultural and racial diversity. To address this problem, multicultural education emerged. Multicultural education aims to provide equal educational opportunities to all students coming from â€Å"diverse racial, ethnic, social-class, and cultural groups† (â€Å"Multicultural Education†, 1995, n. p. ). One of its main objectives is to aid students to acquire the necessary â€Å"knowledge, attitudes, and skills† in order to perform and function successfully in a free society where various races and cultures are present (â€Å"Multicultural Education†, 1995, n. p. ). Another primary objective of multicultural education is to arm the students with socializing skills that are highly essential for interacting, negotiating, and communicating with individuals from various groups that are culturally, racially and ethnically diverse so as to establish a value-centered community that benefits everyone in it (â€Å"Multicultural Education†, 1995). One of the major problems in multicultural education is the integration of the various cultural backgrounds of different nations in the school curriculum. The various cultural overviews and concepts should be reflected in the curriculum that offers multicultural education. A nation or a school that denies the integration of different aspects of culture into the curriculum is neither demographic nor cohesive, in the sense that the curriculum focuses mainly on one dominant culture and neglect the growing culture of the other students. Thus, diversity and disparity are encouraged by such types of curriculum for enriching one main culture (Banks, 1991). The topic has long been debated since there is a major alteration on the ethnic and cultural fabric of the country. The issue revolves on whether or not the changes in the cultural texture should be extended over the schools’ curricula. It is vital to affirm the adherence of the schools’ curricula to the nation’s racial, ethnic and cultural diversity. At present, most schools in the U. S. are utilizing the multicultural education and integrating cultural education in their curricula such as the Palm Beach County School District which has a separate department for multicultural education (Department of Multicultural Education, 2008). References Banks, J. A. (1991). Curriculum guidelines for multicultural education. National Council for the Social Studies.Retrieved August 15, 2008 from http://www. socialstudies. org/positions/multicultural/. Department of Multicultural Education. (2008, August 21). The School District of Palm Beach County. Retrieved August 22, 2008 from http://www. palmbeach. k12. fl. us/MULTICULTURAL/ Multicultural education. (1995). North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved August 15, 2008 from http://www. ncrel. org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/presrvce/pe3lk1. htm.

European Union Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

European Union Law - Essay Example Muslims of Europe have fashioned a life-style and understanding of religion that can be labelled as European Islam that is diverse from that of their country of origin.2 As a result, the Muslim community within Western Europe is increasingly considered as â€Å"European community,† transnational in nature and connected by a common religion labelled as â€Å"Euro-Islam† by both scholars and policy makers. The notion of Euro-Islam outlines a liberal variety of Islam that is embraced by both Muslim migrants and to European societies and encompasses the same religion of Islam, but culturally modified to encompass European ideas of secularity and individual citizenship in line with the contemporary notions of modernity, as well as a comprehending of tolerance that surpasses the Islamic tolerance. Recent events within Europe have pushed Shari’a (Islamic law) to the centre of media attention and debate. Right from the assassination of Theo van Gogh in 2004 to the contro versial endorsement of Sharia law by Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams in 2008, the proceedings have sparked both harsh criticism and solid support of the internalization of Islam within European law and society at large. The politicization of Sharia law has generated discrepancies in these debates yielding to storm over initially embraced aspects on Islamic law while obscuring Islamic traditions that bear the potential to reconcile Sharia and western norms.3 Background Globalization and migration have served to render European societies multicultural to an unprecedented extent since 1945, and has increasingly heralded multicultural life into the court rooms and administrative institutions. In Western European countries, today, a considerable part of the population is Muslim. Since the 1950s, Muslim minorities have steadily emerged in Europe as a result of decolonization, labour migration, conflict, and civil strife within their home countries. Majority of the of Muslim popul ation entered Europe as asylum seekers owing to conflict at home countries while others came to Europe in pursuit of a higher standard of living.4 As a result, Islam had become public within Europe and over 15 million immigrants originating from Muslim-majority countries have settled within European nations over the period. This has necessitated a shift in discourse in identifying these groups, initially as migrant labourers, ethnic minorities, and eventually as a religious community.5 Islam has adapted to diverse times and places yielding to various forms of religiosity. The adaptation of Muslim religiosity within Europe has been addressed by diverse scholars as encompassing a shift from â€Å"Islam in Europe.† Majority has addressed the reinterpretation of Islam as arising from the changing concerns and needs of young Muslims; the decline in religious authority; and, the introduction of secular, liberal democracy among European states. There is a growing agreement that Isla m is gradually becoming â€Å"European,† but the major contention lies in the content and process of this Europeanization.6 The bulk of the studies on this subject centres on the normative and post-modern approaches whereby the Europeanization of Islam is perceived to arise from the individualization of religious authority among Muslims.7 Some people projects that if the present trend persists, then it

Energy savings Entrepreneurship in Singapore Essay

Energy savings Entrepreneurship in Singapore - Essay Example ing companies’ horizon has grown vast with the realisation that investment made on the energy saving technologies would be a profitable deal in the long run. ESCOs provide a complete package of services starting from the appraisal to the project financing, guaranteeing the success of the project besides providing equipment maintenance and servicing. Only accredited ESCOs can provide energy saving technology services; Energy Sustainability Unit (ESU), a division of the School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, runs an accreditation programme to introduce quality and standard in the services of energy saving companies (E2 Singapore) 1. Before discussing the ESCOs in detail, let’s have a good view of energy sector in Singapore. Energy sector in Singapore involves electricity consumption, energy consumption, energy intensity, energy statistics, and energy efficiency policies. Electricity consumption as per 2005 stats given in the National Energy Policy Report includes power generation sector consuming 51% fuel to generate electricity for different sectors namely transport, buildings, household and others, as shown in the chart below. The Energy Market Authority governs the business of awarding licenses to private companies to generate electricity. The graph below depicts the electricity consumption and electricity consumption per capita from 1990 to 2007, as given by the Energy Market Authority and the Singapore Department of Statistics (Eugene, May 14, 2009). 4 The graph shows ever-increasing level of consumption, culminating to 2.6 times from 1990 to 2007 but consumption per capita went up at a slower pace of 1.8 times, showing no movement between 2005 to 2007 (Eugene, May 14, 2009). 4 In the matter of energy consumption and energy intensity, stats of the two organizations -- the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) are different while comparing Singapore’s energy intensity with America

How i am alike my mother.(write a essay in which you discribe three

How i am alike my mother.(write a in which you discribe three characteristics i have in herited from aparent - Essay Example By eighteen, I look a lot like Mom; I am her height- well in my high heels to be honest. We share the same hair color, widow’s peak, and skin tone†¦and will those dimples still look great, when we grow older. Armed with these physical assets and her quick mind, I put on airs to match her elegance, because I believe that’s a shortcut to becoming more like her. Well, to be straight, we look the same when we are in this frame of mind, and in a lovely environment such as this. However, when we have our differences, Mom becomes a cool still lake without a single ripple, and I am like a stormy sea with huge emotional waves crashing all over – and even then we are the same†¦ because we tenaciously hang on to our individual point of view. My biology teacher had of course de-mystified the whole business of inheritance so I knew why I look like her. My mother had genes that expressed traits more dominantly than my father’s for eye color, dimples, and the widows peak, so I inherited the dominant set from her. In reality, it is the complex interaction of several genes that gives rise to these traits. Genes are very basic units of inheritance that decide what traits will be expressed. These genes are made of DNA, riding on chromosomes. DNA are in the form of double helices, and their constituent protein sequence determines the gene structure, and thereby the trait expressed. (Heredity and Genetics). That is why I have Dad’s eyes, and still most of me looks like my mother. The day has been long and exciting, and as I get between the covers of my bed, I cannot stop the last thought that goes through my mind, as Mom walks in to say goodnight. Even without our physical resemblances I would love to be like Mom - to be an organized home-keeper and balance a wonderful career at one and the same time, to be the strength of her husband, and the sanctuary for her child’s confidences. God bless

Ethics of Mass Media Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethics of Mass Media - Article Example There is a rising body of forensic evidence that indicate that mass shooters tend to emulate their most infamous predecessors. This copycat problem is very serious since most of the people who plan and execute such crimes are greatly influenced by previous attacks’ sensational news coverage. Taking that into account, I think the press should be extra mindful of the way they cover the news regarding murderers in killings. For instance, the way the Mass media covered the Oregon killing posed an ethical issue considering the possible effect it may have copycat crimes. Journalists should take another ethical approach to help lower the frequency of such killings while maintaining their aggressive and robust reporting. I tend to think that is not very unethical to use such graphical images or keep the names of the killers in headlines as it encourages copycats. It is unethical for mass media to publicize manifesto or video rant of killers in full. My own response is that just summar izing the salient materials tend to be smarter than propagating the demented bid for glory of killers. This will not interfere with the reporting because juveniles and rape victims charged are never named in news reports and yet wide coverage is still given to the issue. In addition, news organizations rarely cover the plight of American journalists taken hostage overseas to safeguard their safety. Mass media should avoid this unethical practice while informing the public to reduce the copycat problem that greatly contribute to mass shootings.

How did the economic development of the Gilded age affect American Essay

How did the economic development of the Gilded age affect American Freedom - Essay Example It entailed a notion that such approach to spontaneous progress determines allocation of power and social security. In this regard, reformists of the period were led to conceive that potential peril exists with the significant concern that as a response to it, people of the lower class may act in tumultuous aggression in exercising their democratic right over to suppress individual economic growth thinking that liberty of acquisition of rights to property (Foner), particularly with those who could afford, would only emphasize inequality among social divisions and thus create on appropriating amount of common interests. Progression of economic development enabled Americans to adapt to the concept and application of ‘Social Darwinism’ in their everyday living since the competition to acquire relative or higher advantage in upgrading social and economic status in American society had apparently become essential. With the rapidly growing rate of capital formation, GDP, and wages (Gilded), this condition concretized the effect of social freedom and transformation across vast critical regions of societies in U.S. in which most citizens began expressing individual or collective views by putting up labor unions that served to oppose severely improper conditions, shift schedules, loads, and unjust wages at work. Democracy was put in wide and intense practice of articulating protest with the desire to take part in the evolving process of industrial growth. In this endeavor, they sought to be assured as well of experiencing freedom from any form of injustice or oppression of employers who were p redictably consumed by the principle of capitalism or profit-orientation for use in business that required irrational gravity of labor at the expense of either skilled or unskilled workers (Gilded). Since Social Darwinism in human society advocates natural selection without interference from the government, the ensuing crisis with inequality due to the fast rate

What do empirical tests of the Capitsl Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) tell Essay

What do empirical tests of the Capitsl Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) tell us about the validity of this model - Essay Example e no taxes or transaction costs; 2) all investors share the same market opportunities; and 3) all investors have the same information on expected returns, volatilities, and correlations of securities available. It was found that under these assumptions Tobin’s (1958) super efficient portfolio (it consists of the risk-free asset added to Markowitz’s portfolio on the efficient frontier) must also be market portfolio. Further on, Sharpe (1964) divided portfolio risk into systematic and specific. While systematic risk affects every asset of a portfolio (as the market moves, each individual asset is more or less affected), specific risks are unique to individual assets (it represents the component of an assets return which is uncorrelated with general market moves) and thus can be diversified in the context of a whole portfolio. In other words, the expected rate of return of a portfolio depends not on specific risks of assets, but on the systematic risk of a portfolio. where ERi is the expected rate of return on asset i, Rf is a risk-free rate, ERm is the expected rate of return of the market portfolio, and ÃŽ ² is systematic risk. As can be seen from the SML equation, excess return depends on beta alone and not on systematic risk plus specific risk. Moreover, the connection between rate of return and beta is linear for portfolios. Obviously, CAPM was designed as a way to determine prices of assets in market portfolios. Indeed, given a systematic risk value and asset’s expected rate of return investor can adjust the price of an asset using the SML formula. However, because of its ‘ideal’ nature CAPM is often seen only as a theoretical tool. In practice its main assumptions are not true, and all investors have different information on risk-return characteristics of assets. Since CAPM introduction to nowadays SML equation became a topic of wide academic discussion. Studies performed to assess the validity of CAPM can be divided into three general groups:

Nursing-Sensitive Indicators Essay Example for Free

Nursing-Sensitive Indicators Essay According to the American Nurses Association, nursing-sensitive indicators â€Å"reflect the structure, process and outcomes of nursing care.† (Nursing Sensitive Indicators, 2015) Understanding the indicators is an important piece of nursing, not only to assist the patient, but the patients loved ones as well, to ensure quality patient care. In this particular case, had the nurse understood the reasoning and data behind the Pressure Ulcer Rate and Restraint indicators, and communicated the necessity to report any pertinent findings the CNA may discover in the nurse’s absence, the CNA would not have dismissed the reddened area over the patient’s lower spine and would have immediately informed the nurse of the finding. Upon returning the patient to bed, the CNA would have also known not to place the patient back in bed on his back and re-apply the restraints. Instead, would have had the patient lay to one side and stressed the importance, to the patient and family member, of frequent turning, to reduce the chance of pressure ulcers. Quality patient care can only be achieved with teamwork and open communication. The discussion of pressure ulcers in hospitalized patients has become an increasing issue with more attention to the prevention of such since the early to mid-1990’s. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) state that stage III and stage IV pressure ulcers occurring during admission are considered preventable (Zaratkiewicz et al., 2010). While the gentleman in our case scenario represented what would be considered a stage 1 pressure ulcer, with proper quality care and training, even this stage 1 ulcer could have been prevented or at the very least, the progression halted. If the nurse had a better understanding of nursing-sensitive indicators, or the theory behind them, then maybe he or she would take more ownership in the prevention of pressure ulcers. Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, conducted their own study regarding pressure ulcers and ways to prevent them. Their study was  intended to track, prevent and improve skin-related outcomes (Zaratkiewicz et al., 2010). While the results of the study showed a large increase in minor pressure ulcers, it showed a huge decrease in stage III and IV ulcers, the most costly and reportable types. Education and staff reinforcement lead to early detection and improvement in practice, ultimately faring better for the patient. Maybe if the hospital in the scenario had communicated such important figures or conducted their own study, the nursing staff and even the CNA’s would have a better understanding and ultimately provide better care. As far as ethical issues such as the request for a kosher meal that ended up not being kosher, we as nurses accept and agree to abide by a code of ethics. If I were the nursing shift supervisor and this case scenario occurred, there are a few different things I would use to discuss with my staff. First of all, I would remind all nursing staff of the code of ethics we all accepted the day we graduated nursing school and offer copies to each of them to serve as a reminder. Specifically, for this scenario, I would point out; â€Å"Human Dignity is respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of individuals and populations. In professional practice, concern for human dignity is reflected when the nurse values and respects all patients and colleagues† (The Essentials, 2008). While I am not Jewish and not receiving a kosher meal does not seem to be a big deal to me, I know that it is important to my patient and an acceptable request, so it should be a priority for me. Secondly, I would start a monthly ethical education series, choosing a different topic to better educate my staff. In the world we live in today, there are so many cultures and a necessity to be more aware of ethical treatment, that the staff should not be expected to â€Å"just know it.† This knowledge comes from on-going education and it is up to the hospital and staff to make sure they are kept as up to date as possible regarding ethical treatment of patients. I would also involve my Board of Ethics or ethical expert from the hospital to intervene and sincerely apologize to the family. While we won’t be able to fix the meal that was already eaten, we can ensure the patient and family that steps have been taken to support special requests of patients from now on. References Nursing-Sensitive Indicators. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ThePracticeofProfessionalNursi

Oedipus Tyrannus through Freuds eyes Essay Example for Free

Oedipus Tyrannus through Freuds eyes Essay Oedipus Tyrannus is deemed as Sophocless magnum opus and is undoubtedly the most famous of all Greek tragedies. Aristotle went to the extent of calling it a perfect play. It was first performed in around 425 b. c. , only just after a plague that had wreaked havoc on Athens, Oedipus Tyrannus was set in Thebes, a city which was also facing the same catastrophe. King Oedipus was informed by the Creon, the brother of Oedipuss wife, Jocasta that the city will remain a sufferer unless and until the slayer of the previous king is convicted. Oedipus promised to discover the killers identity and to prosecute him. Ignorant of the fact that he himself was the murderer, Oedipus unremittingly trailed the truth until he found his own guiltiness and blinded himself so he might never catch the sight of his father in the afterworld. A Freudian analysis of Sophocles Oedipus Rex (the King) would point out that Oedipus truly had an incestuous nature. This was exposed not only by Oedipus marriage to his own mother, by whom he had children, but also by his unreasonable preference for his daughters, Antigone and Ismene. While the attention he showed to his daughters was profound and braced with sexuality, he dismissed his sons as creatures who are able to look after themselves. Although he was unconsciously attracted to his daughters, he also had this fear in his mind that his daughters would become pariah and will be unable to marry. Freud thought that all the men since birth harbor not a natural repugnance to incest, but the contrary which is an instinctive sexual attraction to the mother. He says, â€Å"[The experiences of psychoanalysis] have taught . . that the first sexual impulses of the young are regularly of an incestuous nature† (Totem and Taboo, p. 160). He also emphasized that each male anchorage undecided feelings towards their fathers. But surely I must fear my mothers bed? (Oedipus Tyrannus, line 576) When Oedipus throws this question to his wife Jocasta, he is totally oblivious of the profundity of his words. The Messenger has just informed him about the murder of King Polybos of Corinth, Oedipus’ supposed father. Now free in his mind from the intimidation of Apollo’s foretell that he would kill his father, Oedipus here desires to validate with his wife that, as his hypothetical mother (the queen of Corinth) is still living, he must still look into that for fear that he sleep with her, as the oracle also foretold. But his words touch a more primary issue: Why is the forecast that he will sleep with his mother so horribly threatening and vile? Oedipus is actually calmed and contented about the natural death of his supposed father Polybos, as in his mind this frees him from the concern that he will someday kill his father. Freud had suggested an interesting explanation of the source of the taboos against incest and parent murder. In the primitive civilization, people lived in groups dominated by the most powerful male, the father, who hold a sexual monopoly over the group. When each of his sons grew to an age where he would challenge the fathers supremacy in order to get a part of the action, so to challenge, the fathers forced them to leave the group. After so many sons had been so treated like this, they resolute to cooperate in order to remove from power their father and get hold of the females, their mothers, for themselves. With their collective strength, they killed the fathers. In civilized society, Freud observed, proscription against such crimes go unsaid, but this is not evidence that we no longer harbor such wishes. The conscience of mankind which now appears as an inherited mental force was acquired in connection with the Oedipus complex. However, from Sophocles text, it would seem that Oedipus does everything in his power to avert these two crimes. Freud too examines the play from this vantage point although, under the novel concept of unconscious motivation, moral condemnation gives way. Freud’s perspective added another dimension to previous simplistic disputes as to whether an action was freely willed, and thus subject to moral injunction, or determined by fate. Freudian intentionality implied that there were actions which, though not intended (consciously), nevertheless were compulsive enactments of inner latent wishes (Hamilton 1993, p. 209).

Human Rights and Prisoner Rights

Human Rights and Prisoner Rights Abdullah Bin Omar, a former prisoner in Guantanamo Bay prison was said to be one of the worst criminals regarding terrorism. Bin Omar was captured by the United States army in Pakistan after he had spent twenty three years in an unknown prison in Tunisia. The unfairness that Abdullah faced was the fact that he wasnt told nor convicted of any real or specific crime. Cliff Stafford Smith, who is a legal director of Reprieve, a UK charity that provides front -line investigation and legal representation to prisoners found out that Bin Omar was captured with no charges and no trial was made for him. Smith said there are many other Guantanamo prisoners facing Bin Omars fate, much as they want to get out of Guantanamo- a purgatory of imprisonment without charge or trail (Smith, 2007). Another example of such unfairness is Eddie/Canada. Eddie was convicted of murder and was set to stay in prison for the rest of his life. Moreover, Eddie was totally aware of the prisons procedures and knew hi s limits during his time over there. Although Eddie killed himself on August 10th, evidence proved that the ignorance of the prison system by those who made and worked on the prisons rules, not mentioning the carelessness of the guards regarding their prisoners were pretty much the main reasons for Eddies suicide. These two examples illustrate and introduce my topic of prisoners rights, which can be supported by article number five in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states: No one shall be subject to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment(Universal declaration of human rights, 1948). The main topic of this research paper is relying solely on prisoners rights and the declaration of their humanity. Because prisoners are still considered as humans, yet they are being tortured and neglected, prisoners should demand for their rights as human beings. In this research paper, I will be discussing: The prisoners environment. Prisoners image from the societys point of view. What the society has done for prisoners. Prisoners environment: General abuse: Life in prison can be seen from multiple views. First of all, the purpose of creating prisons is nothing but to punish certain people who have been claimed to be criminals. Also, the general idea is to treat prisoners equally within the prison walls and help providing them with whatever they require to maintain their lives as human beings. However, not all prisons share or at least work with such an idea. Richard Tewksbury and Margaret J Mahoney, Criminal Justice academics said: As criminal justice academics and practitioners, we know that this sunny look at incarceration is rarely the actual experience of an offender. Although their frequency may be sensationalized by the media, the numerous hardships of prison and jail life (e.g., rape, gangs, drugs, abuse) do exist. They also mentioned that such abuses are found among the inmates and also among the inmates and the staff; guards, officers and etc Despite the help authorities as well as governments provide for prisoners to speak out their abuses, many inmates are still not able to do so, due to the fear from the doer; weather another inmate or a staff member. Furthermore, not all claims of abuses by prisoners are true, since many inmates have attempted to make false claims against other inmates or their own staff in the purpose of creating troubles. Sexual abuse and lack of educational background: To be more precise, inmates all over the world suffer from sexual abuses by both other inmates as well as the staff. In an article regarding sexual victimization in prisons, Richard Tewksbury states that many rape or sexual abuse incidents among inmates are still unknown and are being under-reported. Also, lots of these abuses occur between prisoners because of the lower level of education they receive either before getting to prison or inside the prison itself. In other words, many prisoners who lack of educational background reflect their behavior toward each other and the other inmates as well. Hilde Hetland explains in his article; Educational Background in a prison population the rates of inmates level of education as follows: 14.2 percent of state prisoners have an eighth grade education or less as their highest educational attainment 33.2 percent have completed high school. Only 2.4 percent of state prisoners have reached a college degree. When observing such rates, we can clearly sense the lack of educational background inmates have acquired, and therefore, such a low level of education reflects negatively on their behavior resulting in all kinds of abusing, but most especially, sexual abuses. Prisoners and Sadist guards: A lot of inmates experience different kinds of abuses from sadist guards who use their powers to treat their inmates in an inhuman manner. Theodore Dalrymple, a British psychiatrist and a prison doctor shows in his article The Evils of Ideology how sadist guards take an advantage of their powers towards abusing their prisoners. I have little doubt that he would have kicked him hard and often in short, given him what used to be called in prison warders parlance the black aspirin, which is to say the prison warders boot if I had turned my back for an instant. (Theodore Dalrymple, 2006). Such an act is one of many sadist guards use against inmates and few of these incidents are being reported due to the fear of the guards threats and warnings. Theodore puts the blame on the government, the one that agreed to hire people with such mental illness to be as guards for inmates whom after all are human beings and have their own rights to claim. Discrimination among prisoners: In the 1980s, the United States of America has suffered severe economical crisis in which it has reflected negatively not only on the society but prisoners as well. According to Bert Kimball in his book States of Siege : U. S. Prison Riots, 1971-1986, due to the lack of liquidity, the government was unable to provide enough spaces for all prisoners, therefore, every 119 prisoners were to share a space that fit for only 100 prisoners. As a result of such action, cruel discrimination appeared among prisoners and their guards. For example, a Muslim prisoner received less rights or services than a Christian one. Also, a massive discrimination occurred between blacks and whites which was caused by the guards different treatment for each race. Other than discrimination, the Eighth Amendment that stated the right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment was violated due to the lack of organization among the guards. Prisoners image from the societys point of view: Prisoners main definition is that they are certain people who have been claimed to be involved in an illegal or a criminalized act against the society. Such a definition does leave an impact on how the society perceives prisoners as humans with rights to claim for. According to Deborah Cheney; the Howard Journal of Criminal Justice: certain serving prisoners have the right to vote as any other citizen, based on criteria such as sentence length and offence seriousness. We can observe from this quote that not all prisoners have the right to vote, and therefore, not all prisoners deserve to be given such right due to the level of crime they have caused to the society. As human beings, societies are not capable to fully sympathize with individuals who have been convicted of doing harmful or filthy acts towards the society they live in. therefore, not all prisoners can be treated the same or in an equal manner. For example, a society can emotionally forgive a man who robbed a bank or a ma n who didnt pay his taxes, but the very same society is not emotionally capable of fully forgiving a man who has been convicted of raping a 12 years old girl. In other words, the society still perceives some of the prisoners as a lower class of citizens and they simply cant be forgiven no matter how much they pay for in prison time. According to the Lance, worlds leading general medical journal, the Japanese government has allowed the execution of prisoners with mental illnesses. Regardless of their rights as human beings, such prisoners are being terminated with no questions asked. In addition, the evaluation of a prisoner weather he/she is suffering from mental illness is questionable as well. Therefore, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has announced a public argument regarding this issue, hoping that the Japanese government would listen to the other side of the story and might provide some actual rights for such prisoners. Another point to talk about is how the society perceiv es prisoners as an active part that is capable of establishing as well as improving the world in order to make it a better place. As mentioned before in this research, there is a significantly low level of education among prisoners in general. This low level of education reflects negatively on the prisoners image towards their society for their abilities to improve things around. After all, prisoners remain humans with enough mental and physical abilities that can help any society to improve its standard of living. What the society has done for prisoners: New Rights for Prisoners: In response to the prisoners demands for providing them with enough rights that could serve them as human beings, Robert Spencer. Human Events, in article called, Democrats Are Giving Rights to Jihadists, a list of human rights have been provided by the US government to inmates who have been accused to distribute terror among a certain society. Some of these rights can be summarized as follows: Jihadists have the right to have a decent or a respectable lawyer who can defend them and also stop any insults that may appear against them. Jihadists will have the right to eat a decent food that can serve their body and continue their survival Jihadists will have the chance to own a Quran; the Islamic religious book, in their serving period. Jihadists will not experience psychological torture as a strategy of investigation due to its cruel nature that shall not be applied to mankind. Finally, Jihadists will have the opportunity to have phone calls in which they can communicate with their loved once and comfort them. Such rights to be given to prisoners, regardless of whatever it is they have been accused of, create an understanding society that has the ability to forgive as well as the ability to understand why a person has ended up in prison. Supreme Court decisions affecting prisoners rights: Another act in relation to prisoners rights is mentioned in an article called, Prisoners Rights and the Rehnquist Court Era, written by Christopher E Smith., a journalist. The Supreme Court states that prisoners shall be able to maintain their rights as humans and also have the right to fight for their humanity. The Supreme Court also points out the corrections that should be made to lower court decisions regarding the expansion of prisoners rights as human beings with complete protection that will maintain their survival while serving their time in prison. Improve the education level among existing prisoners: In regards to the lower educational level among prisoners, the very same article that discusses this issue; Educational Background in a prison population, provides the following procedures: Education is a central part of the rehabilitation of prison inmates; therefore, Thirty- four of the 47 prisons offer education and training. Increased the number of available school places for prison inmates in recent years. Adopting administrative cooperation model, where the prisons are formally linked to the ordinary public services available outside the prison, such public services provide prisoners with the professional and financial responsibility for education as well as training in the correctional services. A questionnaire to the inmates contained questions about age, gender, citizenship, country of childhood and teenage years to build up a status of the prisoners recent updates as well as their improvement during their serving time. Arguments against capital punishment: Carol S Steiker, a journalist says in her article, Capital Punishment: A Century of Discontinuous Debate: The most powerful new argument in the death penalty debate one that simply did not exist in any sustained form prior to the modern era of capital punishment in the United States (post- 1976) emphasizes the greater cost of capital punishment compared to the alternative of long-term (even lifetime) imprisonment. The argument has become so ubiquitous in contemporary debates about the death penalty that it is hard to imagine that it was virtually non-existent until a few decades ago. Indeed, in one generation, the cost argument has become perhaps the greatest threat to the continued robust use of capital punishment in the United States. This section will examine how and why the cost argument emerged over the past few decades as well as the reasons for its virtual absence in death penalty discourse during the first centuries of capital practice in this country. Many of our societys members have found out that capital punishment is nothing but a cruel act that the government uses to justify the crimes connected to a prisoner. Moreover, the death penalty has become a major argumentative subject in which it is neither known nor certain the measurement of a persons act that makes him/her deserve such punishment. Also, as Carol states in the article, The inability of our capital system to provide meaningful redress for victims families, pretty much explains the fact that there is a failure in our system regarding the issue of a prisoner being sentenced to death penalty. Therefore, serious actions have been made in order to pay more effort as well as more focus on this type of punishment and always reconsider other solutions such as; Life Time imprisonment instead of just sending someone to his/her death. In conclusion, I have talked about the prisoners environment and how prisoners react to it. I also talked about the general idea about prisoners from the societys perspective and how such an idea impacts prisoners from claiming their rights. Finally I have discussed what the society has done for prisoners in regards to their claims to be treated as human beings regardless of their criminal acts. In Abdullah Bin Omars case as discussed earlier in the introduction of this paper, serious procedures have been in order to provide actual human rights, not only for him especially, but also for all Guantanamo as well as all prisoners who suffer the injustice by those who made justice for them, such procedures were discussed in details under New rights for prisoners in this research. In general, any man who has been convicted with any crime; an act that results in harming the society or the surroundings of this person shall be punished so he will know the consequences of his acts and so he wi ll become an example for those who do the same action or attempt to do so. At the same time, it is ultimately important to pay extra attention on the validity of such convictions, the type of punishment that would be determined and finally how to reserve the prisoners right as a human being. After all, we are all humans who are subject to make mistakes, and as a religious person, I believe that its only GOD who has the final say in a mans act and only he can punish this man or forgive him for his mistakes.

The Crucible: John Procter is the Ideal Tragic Hero Essay -- Essay on

The character of John Procter in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible was a great example of a truly tragic hero. He measured up to every one of Aristotle’s requirements. He was not a perfect person because he had many faults and was not completely good or bad. Best of all, he knew that he was not perfect and he recognized and regretted the errors that he made throughout his life. Then, after the reader stays with Procter while he confessed all of his horrible sins for the whole town to hear, he had was a massive downfall as the result. Coincidentally enough, that downfall came from his trying to do something about his errors and sticking up for himself and his beliefs. He did something great, which anyone with a heart would pity him for. Being a real and relatable character is another one of Aristotle’s tragic hero requirements and John Procter was most definitely one of those types of characters.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The faults and imperfections of John Procter were clear. He was definitely not a perfect character. He cheated on his wife by having an affair with a teenager. He only went to church when he felt like it. Almost worst of all, he had the chance early in the play to put a stop to the girls' accusations, but his desire to keep his good reputation kept him from testifying against Abigail and the others. What’s great about John Procter’s character is that he realized all of his faults. Knowing that he was a bad person and that he had made mistakes, he tried to do ...

Drama Portfiolo About Two Friends Leaving Each Other :: Drama Theatre Acting Plays Essays

Drama Portfiolo About Two Friends Leaving Each Other For a drama piece, we were told to do two friends leaving each other. The time period was in the future. One friend is leaving the house they live in, and going to an unknown planet for a different life, promised by the company taking us was a world were dreams became reality and there were no worries or fears. We could leave our previous life behind for a new, perfect one. The public are free to come but they may only bring five personal items. I worked with Danny. The scene portrayed myself (playing the part of Crispin) packing up my single suitcase and heading to the air base where we would rendezvous with the spacecraft. The character of Crispin is a little unusual. He is very geeky, but he can be quite strong when talking to people, especially Jacob. He stands up for himself. His voice consists of a fast lisp, and a stutter. I think he is quite a nervous person. Though he and Jacob have nothing in common and occasionaly fall out, they are good friends, and they only truly appreciate one another when not in each others company. While packing, Crispin has some soliloquies and thinks deeply about each packed item before placing it in carefully in the case. (Crispin is a very precise character) The first item was a large photo of London, Crispins original home before moving out, to get his own accommodation. Here he does some thought tracking before placing it in the bottom of his personal items case. He thought about his mother and said how much he missed her. The tempo of this scene was very slow, due to all the still images and soliloquies. Crispins mood was quite sad, and as a result his movement was slow and dowdy. His head was down and he shuffled his feet a little uneasily. He interacts with the picture, holding it up in a mime, and looking not at it but into it, bringing back a memory. I played this part on a side profile so that I didn't have my back to the audience, while at the same time it didn't look like I was looking directly at the audience through the picture. As I packed the picture (and the memory) I became more upbeat, this is more like Crispin as he seems contented and in high spirits most of the time. He packed each item with changing emotions. For instance, the picture of him with Jacob at a rock concert, he didn't want to go, but he did it because Jacob needed someone to go with.

Forbidden Love Essay

â€Å"There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable† quote by Mark Twain. Michael Ondaatje feels similarly in his poem â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† because he longs to be with his beloved but this is not possible. We infer that Ondaatje is in a lower caste than his love because he hypothetically states â€Å"If I were a cinnamon peeler†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1). The idea of them being together is what sets off this love poem. He goes on a type of role-playing game in which he and his wife are such passionate lovers that their desire leaves a scent that others can notice. In this dramatic monologue, Ondaatje explores the theme of bold love with his wife. He wishes to be free with his lover, having his ideal marriage. It was not possible for them to be together before marriage because everyone would smell the cinnamon scent off of her, â€Å"You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife† (17-18). The speaker gets carried away and seduced by the idea of forbidden love. The author reveals the true situation when explaining that he could never look at her before marriage because of her brother’s and mother. The speaker longs for his beloved but knows they can never be together. Individuality and male dominance are also prominent themes in this poem. Individuality is expressed through the speaker’s description of their relationship. Their need to sneak around with each other causes them to go against their familial and cultural values which grant them independence. There is clear evidence of a male dominated society. The cinnamon peelers wife, lime burner daughter, and grass cutter wife are great examples of where a woman is defined by either her father or husband. Every woman in this poem has been directly referred to through the men in their lives. The male dominant theme is seen in every aspect of the poem, from the leaving of bark dust on pillows to â€Å"my fingers floating over you† (7-8). The female character questions his commitment to her; since they cannot be together all the time she wonders if he is faithful to her. Then she realizes â€Å"what good is it to be the lime burner’s daughter left with no trace as if not spoken to in the act of love† (37-40). She knows that this erotic love is something that only they share. When one first reads Ondaatje’s â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler,† it is clear that the poem is about sex, specifically, the speaker’s sexual desire for his wife. The speaker and his wife are therefore marked physically by the scent of his occupation. This cinnamon scent takes on very sexual overtones as the poem progresses and shape the way the poem is interpreted. Smell is the sense most closely tied to memory – and Ondaatje is is using it to evoke both an imagined future. Cinnamon is a very strong scent, while grass and lime are less erotic. He uses olfactory imagery to manifest the theme of possessiveness, â€Å"You will be known among strangers as the cinnamon peeler’s wife† (17). Symbolism is also apparent. Cinnamon is very luxurious, connotes passion, and is very economically beneficial in Ondaatje’s home town of Sri Lanka. The cinnamon peeler in some cases throughout the poem uses the cinnamon smell as a metaphor for his sexual desire. Ondaatje uses the mark of the cinnamon peelers profession to create intense imagery. The strong use of the cinnamon smell to display the women’s sexuality allows Ondaatje to provoke intense images of lust and sexuality. The poem allows the reader to imagine all the ideas because Ondaatje describes the concepts well, through metaphor. The stories and situations are very simple, easy to quickly imagine and the emotion are very basic. The imagery is enforced by the way the poem applies to the senses. The poem talks about touch and smell which aids the imagination visualize the poem. The cinnamon peeler displays his ownership of his wife in the poem on many occasions, especially in the second stanza of the poem, â€Å"[y]our breasts and shoulders would reek† (5). He declares that wherever she went, everyone would know that she was his. Even â€Å"[t]he blind would stumble certain of whom they approached† (8-9). This imagery allows the reader to picture the speaker’s wife walking through the streets as she left a trail of the cinnamon scent. This poem serves as a dramatic monologue because it has a silent audience, there is no dialogue, and can be described as a character study. Because â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† is one person’s speech, and provides no analysis, it places emphasis on the speaker’s thoughts and emotions and allows the audience to create their own interpretation. â€Å"The Cinnamon Peeler† is very sensual, focused on emotional and both physical and psychological experiences of the speaker. Such poems reveal not the poet’s own thoughts but the mind of the character, whose personality is revealed quite quickly; thus distinguishing it as a dramatic monologue. The entire poem is simply the speaker’s perspective, not once do we enter the thoughts of the female character, and that is also an element for this type of poetic genre. Ondaatje wisely chose this form, allowing the audience to go deeply into the speaker’s thoughts and visions and feelings. One is left to wonder how his beloved feels. We only get a short part of her side in the last few lines â€Å"I am the cinnamon peeler’s wife. Smell me† (45-46). The cinnamon smell, and its constant use, can be interpreted more closely to his passion for her, his lust for her. At the end of the poem, she touches him finally and embraces the scent. This only strengthens their connection. Situations similar to the speakers are ongoing today. The caste system is still relevant in many cultures, where one is unable to marry, or even associate with someone in a lower division. Rarely is this tradition broken, this is because those of different birth circumstances are inherently unequal and are avoided.

Positioning and Differentiation Strategies

Differentiation is the act of designing a set of meaningful differences to distinguish the company's offering from competitor's offerings (Rao, 2010). With Voice to Text/Text to Voice, Toyota designed itself above the rest. After researching the needs of its consumer, Toyota focused its plans on the safety and needs of today’s driver. With the human need to stay connected to our loved ones, friends, and business contacts at the touch of a button, Toyota turned it ways to providing this service to drivers in a safe manner. Taking the Bluetooth technology to another level, Toyota set itself up with its differentiation strategy to move with the consumer and appeal to the heart and mind when it comes to safety. By differentiating the marketing mix to do a better job meeting customers’ needs, Toyota builds a competitive advantage (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2009). With this type of differentiating, the buyer will see that Toyota is trying to appeal to what the buyer really needs and wants. Other auto makers have not yet offered this technology, making the appeal appreciated by the buyer. This is a product that is important to their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Positioning refers to how customers think about proposed or present brands in a market (Perreault, Cannon, & McCarthy, 2009). By promoting the legal and safety level of the Voice to Text/Text to Voice, Toyota can ensure the customer will think positively about its product and service. With the focus of advertising in states that have banned texting while driving, Toyota can position itself as a front runner for safety to the customer. With the threat of citations, tickets, and possible jail, the customer will be looking for a quick fix. Toyota can position itself as the cure to the problem. At this point, Toyota is the only maker who offers this service, which puts them on the leader board and sets the stage for its followers and the positioning needed.

Castlebridge

December 01, 2010 Case Study Analysis # 70 Castlebridge, a maker of high-quality outerwear, located in London is at a cross roads. Although its headquarters operates from London, most of its manufacturing has moved offshore. With the last domestic factory slated to close, the firm's executives struggle to preserve the â€Å"Britishness† of the brand. On the other hand, the company has to reduce costs to remain profitable. It seems that moving production offshore is inevitable. The executives believe that Castlebridge should come clean about it.In a world where stakeholders matter more than ever, the firm can't just outperform competitors. It has to go above and beyond to satisfy their constituents. Therefore, the CEO Mary Crane asserts that the plant closure is a logical step. Reputational risk is a concern as well as brand image. The majority of the customers who purchase Castlebridge items are wealthy. They pride themselves in wearing high class British fashions. The company fears that Asian manufacturing tags will diminish consumer confidence in quality and authenticity. The CEO wants to take the logical approach where the objective of any firm is to maximize profits.By not doing so, the firm will lose out to the competitors and will continue to face rising production costs in keeping up with consumer preferences. She holds Fergus Harold accountable for being overly nationalistic and even rather ignorant to the status of British clothing made in Malaysia and its effect on a Japanese consumer. Her unabashed perception indicates that backlash would be from local purchasers whose confidence may be undermined by the outsourcing of a classy British brand to a third world country. Furthermore, it is well pointed out that the CEO does not feel threatened by British media.Supposedly she sees that production line workers are of the lower working class whereas buyers of Castlebridge's products of are of the wealthier class. Castlebridge simply cannot survive in their high cost market by maintaining its production lines within the UK. Labor cost is just too expensive. Trade unions have become cleverer with their protests and could potentially be a thorn in their side. The company needs to make a decision soon. The British public has been down this road before, as have foreign consumers of British products. I agree with the CEO that cost cutting measures need to be implemented.There is no need to maintain high production costs and place burden upon the shareholders of the company. If the British public has been down this path before then there should be no problem. If the firm shines light on its native roots and its international production, it could establish a winning reputation as a truly modern, global brand. However, the customers’ sentiment is very important. The brand image is highly regarded and maintaining the class, quality and authenticity is just as important as running the risk of a complete closure and a shutdown of bu siness.Could Castlebridge hire foreign employees to work in the U. K? Could wages be scaled down to keep in line with profit margins? Maybe these alternatives should be considered. Otherwise, the real risk to the brand could be the potential loss of its high-class distinction and not its national identity. Before making a firm decision, all alternatives should be considered. As a member of the Board of Directors, Ferguson should have the conscientiousness to advise the company to rediscover and recommit to the core values that have made them so successful.Should the CEO go through with moving its production facilities offshore, he could recommend a trust-building people strategy, modeled by the CEO, which emphasizes forthright communication from management to the employees as well as the opinions of its customers. In doing so, the company will be compliant with its corporate culture and stakeholders. The last thing Castlebridge needs is to have its employees and customers reject the principles of this outerwear line. With that being said, the company can continue to enjoy the success it has had.

Search Engines

Rosetta Craft-Jones English Coma I Rough Draft My song Is Love on Top by Beyond. Beyond wrote love on top because she wanted to express how Jay Z makes her feel through the years on a daily basis through song. Throughout the years Beyond has had different songs dedicated to different people but this is a first to the one she loves. Which is good thing because Beyond and Jay Z are very private when It comes to there relationship. Which I'm going to give you briefing which led up to the song Love On Top. Narrative) She had success in the past year of 2011, Beyond won a Grammar for Love On Top for best dance in a video. Also during the performance at the Video Music Awards, while performing Love On Top she announced to Jay Z and the world she was pregnant (which was so spontaneous). She's also happy about how there able to keep the tabloids out of there life and they keep things to them selves. Which has been that way since there courtship began in 2002. Beyond was so head over heels wi th Jay Z she moved from Houston to NY. Example) When Jay Z and Beyond met It was for a song collaboration for the song 02 Bonnie and Clyde. There where speculations then but it wasn't confirmed until he song collaboration Crazy In Love came out that they where announced as a official couple.The couple went on to do other collaborations such as That's how you like It and upgrade you. The couple came together In song to express there feelings for each other, But love on Top was Bounce's education solo song to Jazzy. They are truly a power house couple. Description) By Beyond announcing the pregnancy of there baby on the Video Music Awards while performing Love On Top today's was a heartfelt moment. Due to Beyond miscarrying the couples first child Just two years prior. Despite the rumors baby girl Blue Vive came in this World in January 2012. Jay Z has always made beyond happy you can tell by how she enhanced his career to ownership for his own record label, basketball team, etc. Beyo nd really did an Upgrade on Sean Carter A. K. A. Jay Z. Despite how her father Mathew Knowles felt about Jay Z , Bounce's feelings didn't change towards Jay Z.Jay Z was what Beyond was looking for, The bad boy business type. The couple had a very intimate and private seven year courtship. That led to a private marriage on April 4, 2008. Throughout the years trials, rumors, and success Beyond and Jay Z remained together and that is why her love is on top. Love On Top Honey, honey I can see the stars all the way from here, Can't you see the glow on the window pane? I can feel the sun whenever you're near Every time you touch me I Just melt anyhow everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear. They say love hurts)But I know (It's goanna take the real work) Nothings perfect, but it's worth it after fighting through my fears, And finally you put me firstborn it's you. , You're the one I love. You're the one I need. You're the only one I see. Come on baby it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one I can always call. When I need you make everything stop. Finally you put my love on top. Oho! Come on Baby. You put my love on top, top, top, top, top. You put my love on top. Oho 000! Come on baby.You put my love on top, top, top, top, top. My love on top. My love on top. Come on Baby I can feel the wind whipping past my face. As we dance the night away. Boy your lips taste like a night of champagne. As I kiss you again, and again, and again and again. Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear. (They say love hurts)But I know (It's goanna take the real work) Nothings perfect, but it's worth it after fighting wrought my fears. And finally you put me first. Baby it's you. You're the one I love. You're the one I need.You're the only one I see. Come on baby it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one I can always call. When I need you make everything stop. Finally you put my love on top. 000! Baby. You put my love on top, top, top, top, top. You put my love on top. Oho 000! Come on baby. You put my love on top, top, top, top, top. My love on top. Baby it's you. You're the one I love. You're the one I need. You're the only thing I see. Come on baby it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one that always calls.When I need you baby everything stops. Finally you put my love on top. Baby. You're the one I love. Baby you're all I need. You're the only one I see. Come on baby it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one I always call. When I need you everything stops. Finally you put my love on topiary. Cue You're the one that I love. Baby, you're the one that I need. You're the only thing I see. Baby baby it's you. You're the one that gives your all. You're the one that always calls. When I need you everything stops. Finally you put my love on top

Cadbury Dairy

Cadbury Dairy milk is in the mature stage of the product life cycle, the reason being is that it is a well-established product since 1905. The maturity point is generally reached when about half the potential users have adopted the product. Since Cadbury Dairy Milk is Australia’s favourite chocolate, it is safe to say that there is already consumer trust and loyalty to the brand. However customers still need continued satisfaction and loyalty, built on lower cost, differentiation or customer service. Seeing that Cadbury chocolate is considered a common brand name in households all over Australia, there is nothing within the external environment that should be modified and it will remain in a strong steady position in the confectionery industry. Product: In order to continue generating sales, Cadbury took into consideration one of the threats that the confectionery industry is facing today. Consumers are becoming more health conscious; therefore Cadbury will support and promote physical activity by giving away mountain bikes to 100 lucky winners around Australia! The promotion will only feature in the Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate block range: including the Fruit and Nut, Hazelnut etc†¦ Featured on the wrapping will be, â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† with a picture of the bike that will be won. Price: The pricing of Dairy Milk Chocolate will also maintain the same pricing strategies to remain competitive with its competitors Nestle and Mars. Place: The distribution of Cadbury Dairy Milk should be at its maximum capacity, remaining readily available in supermarkets, convenience stores, seven elevens and kiosks. Promotion: Cadbury should continue to generate promotions to remind and encourage consumers to purchase Dairy milk chocolate. In order to maintain the sales of Dairy Milk, sales promotion should be implemented to generate growth. This is done by creating advertisements on Television and in-store promotional posters to display the promotion that is running. The television and in-store promotion is to inform consumers of the promotion that is currently running. The sales promotion will be â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† This promotion is for the Cadbury Dairy Milk block chocolate range. Every consumer that purchases a block range from Cadbury’s will have the opportunity to enter the competition by text via SMS a code that is given inside the wrapper. f. ) Marketing Action Plans: A key objective is to hold current customers and to maintain and increase the retail and brand market share to make sure that the Cadbury brand and products remain one of the top selling confectionery brands in Australia. Since Cadbury Dairy Milk is in the top five selling chocolates list, there will be no need for any tremendous change. A good way to promote The other Cadbury block chocolate range such as Fruit and nut and Hazelnut†¦etc will also have his competition. Price: Cadbury’s human resources department will need to find a place that will provide us with the mountain bikes. The costing of the bikes and the overall promotions will need to be considered, as Cadbury does not want to spend so much on promotions, when Cadbury Dairy Milk is not declining any time soon. Promotion: Pictures of this new competition will need to be put in magazines such as: Women’s day, News Idea, newspapers†¦. etc†¦designers will be needed to create the advertisements for this promotion. However, to promote Cadbury Dairy Milk’s new competition, television is the key to ensure that viewers all around Australia will know about the â€Å"WIN A MOUNTAIN BIKE† promotion. As television is the main and preferred type of advertising, it is certain that consumers will know about the competition faster. And in addition to that, the Cadbury chocolate commercials will still be showing, to heighten promotions. It is best to air the promotion on television between 4:00 pm – 9:00pm, since that is the time when consumers are most likely to be at home. Place: The exposure of Cadbury Dairy Milk promotion will need to be more publicized in convenience stores and kiosks in the form of a poster. g. ) Management of the marketing effort and the marketing function: In order to make sure that they marketing effort and function works accordingly a few steps have to be taken in regards to the management of the planning. The three step process that will have to be put in place will be based around †¢Marketing Implementation –The process of putting marketing strategies into action †¢Intended Strategy The strategy that the company decides on during the planning phase †¢Realized Strategy – The strategy that actually takes place Cadbury must be able to respond and adapt to its internal marketing department. Coordinating internal exchanges between the firm and its employees to achieve successful external exchanges between the firm and its customers is very important as it allows for a gauge or a measure to be received as a result of acceptance and understanding. In regards to the marketing activities it all starts within the Cadbury management team. The ability to motivate marketing personnel plays a large part in the initial process to get the promotional idea off the ground, once the team is able to have a grip of the idea that tackles the current health issue and that a bike will be awarded as a prize and health product then extreme communication within the marketing unit will be essential. Openness and responsiveness from other marketing departments will be just as important to make sure that the management and strategy travels across all channels. This will be indispensable to the organizing and coordinating of marketing activities which then lead to a schedule for implementation. The marketing control process consists of three steps; Establishment of control standards, Evaluation of actual performance relative to established standards and corrective action if necessary. A few key guidelines that will help Cadbury in controlling marketing activities: Within the Marketing Control Process †¢Establishing performance standards and trying to match actual performance to those standards Establishing Performance Standards Expected levels of performance †¢Taking Corrective Action oImprove actual performance oReduce or change the performance standards oDo both †¢Problems in Controlling Marketing Activities oLack of the information required to control activities oUncontrollable influence of market environment changes on marketing activities oTime lag that occurs between marketing campaigns and their results delays corrective actions A few problems can also occur in the controlling of marketing activities, however the ability to act on these problems will only make the campaign more successful and responsive.

Culture's impact on a leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Culture's impact on a leader - Essay Example Notwithstanding this observation, Venezuela could also benefit from being a collectivistic society compared to Germany’s individualistic. In the interview conducted with the colleague from Venezuela, people in this country tend to measure success based on the quality of life as opposed to personal achievements. The results from this interview were confirmed by Hofstede’s results whereby the level of individualism in Venezuela is a low 12, meaning it is more of a collectivistic society. As a result, a leader in Venezuela understands that their success will be determined mainly by the impact they cause on others. In contrast, Germany is individualistic and tends to elevate competition. Being a German, the result is factual and has been backed by Hofstede’s 67 scores.Mostly, a leader in Venezuela could be limited if they do not understand that the power distance is high, meaning employees might not freely relate with them. Consequently, the concerns and opinions rai sed by the workers might not be taken seriously. On the other hand, the Germans can help their leader because of the interaction boosted by the culture of equality. Nonetheless, the Germans’ tendency to be individualistic might be detrimental to teamwork when competition becomes a norm. A high individualistic society tends to care primarily for close relatives alone specifically parents and spouses compared to a collectivistic one. Therefore, the level of success for leaders in both Venezuela and Germany will significantly depend on their understanding of how culture influences effectiveness.

Uzbek Music (anthropology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Uzbek Music (anthropology) - Essay Example Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to present the argument that the ethnomusicology of Uzbek music and understanding it, help to gain insights into Uzbek culture. The analysis will be supported by ethnographic evidence and examples. The rich and diverse musical heritage of Uzbekistan has contributed significantly to the establishment of a national self-consciousness and cultural identity for the nation as a whole, particularly after the country achieved independence in 1991 from the Soviet Union. The main sources are written texts including historical manuscripts, contemporary national studies and samples of traditional music notated in the Western staff system; and an extensive range of national melodies and â€Å"intonations†, together with the emotional images of the national spiritual world (Djumeiv: 166). The Uzbek’s way of life, customs, thoughts, hopes and struggle for social and national liberation are deeply reflected in Uzbek folklore, causing a variety in theme and genre of Uzbek folk songs. The main types of songs are: daily life songs such as lullabies, children’s songs, calendric songs and lyric songs, the latter including songs of love, humor, nature, meditation, etc. Family ceremonal songs such as wedding songs and laments in funerals, work songs, songs of social protest, and historical songs. In turn this thematic variety led to musical diversity. The above are the specifically ceremonial and daily-life songs, which is one genre of Uzbek folk songs. The other genre included those songs which were performed everywhere with a great variety of theme: the terma or chublama, koshuk, lapar, yalla, and ashula genres. Except for ashula, the aforementioned genres are basically strophic in structure, melodically narrow and improvisatory. â€Å"The ashula is particula rly distinctive, with its extensive melodic structure and

Hunting Tourism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hunting Tourism - Essay Example Various reports show that endangered species such as the lions have reduced by 30% in Africa and the cats are perceived as seriously imperiled. In one of the reports that were published in the year 2011, it revealed that the economic and the environmental benefits of hunting tourism in countries such as Tanzania, Botswana, Namibia, Benin, and Cameroon among others were negligible. It was alleged that around 272 million acres had been open to the sport though the returns were quite dismal. In addition, as much as some scholars allege that hunting tourism generates tourism, it was determined that less than 10,000 people were hired on part time and permanent basis yet approximately 100 million people lived in the aforementioned countries (Bland, 2012). Despite various claims that hunting tourism increases revenue and helps the local communities, there has been no enough proof. The pro-hunting firms argue that there are only 3% of the revenues that goes to the communities that have been affected by poaching and the rest goes to foreign and government outlets. It is also to be noted that killing of animals such as the lions is irresponsible considering that the healthy members are endangered and when the adult male, which is the most sought after animal is killed, there is destabilization of its pride, leading to increased number of deaths. The act is also counter-evolutionary since it consists of selecting the healthy, robust, and large males that protect their cubs and mates as well as contributing positively to future generations (Flocken, 2013). Therefore, killing of defenseless species is definitely a bad idea and there is a need to have a balance. It is normal to hunt and kill wild animals for food but there is a need for the government agencies, the pro-hunting organizations, tourist oriented firms, and other stakeholders that are affected to come up with ethical and sustainable hunting methods that can enhance conservation. Ensuring there is balance

MEDICATION ERROR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

MEDICATION ERROR - Essay Example Medication error can occur at the pharmacy, at the doctor’s office, at home, or in the hospital. Various causes of medication error have been cited including confusion regarding different drugs with the same names, inadequate information concerning sensitivities and drug allergies of a particular patient, and difficulty in reading prescriptions that are handwritten among others (Naylor, 2002). In order to have a better understanding of this topic, this paper will discuss medication error in general, with particular reference to the medication safety, prevention, as well as reporting. Medication should at all times achieve its main aim of relieving pain and suffering, managing symptoms of chronic diseases, and treating infectious diseases. Medication safety is one of the main strategies that can help in realizing this goal. Caregivers, pharmacists, and patients should focus on critical elements of medication safety which are safe storage, safe dosing, and safe disposal. Medicines should be stored in the right locations and under the recommended temperatures (Banja, 2005). Safe storage also involves keeping drugs out of reach of children. It also involves keeping them where they can be destroyed such as in the backpack or in the purse. Medication safety further entails safe dosing; under and overdosing are preventable. This starts by ensuring that the right prescription is made. After that, caregivers and patients should be vigilant in reading the medication instructions and labels in order to take the right dose. The final aspect of medication safety is safe disp osal of medicines. In an event that medications are not needed anymore or they are out of date, they should be disposed appropriately. This can be done through community’s medication take-back program, or by dissolving them in water if they are solid, or by removing personal information and any instructions from the

Growing of the Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Growing of the Business - Essay Example You should then summarise, in a short paragraph, which parts of the business you need to strengthen. Madhu’s, an Indian restaurant, as well as the catering and ready meal businesses owned by Sanjay Anand, is a relatively successful organization that makes ?5m sales. However, as the external environment of the company is changing, it is facing some challenges. In particular, while the sales are stable, the profit has decreased to ?300,000, down from ?500,000 in the previous year. Therefore, it is necessary to determine which aspects of organizational functioning can be improved in order to improve performance. A SWOT analysis of the human resource management, accounting and finance, and marketing functions of the company should be conducted for this purpose. Human resource management Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Most of Madhu’s chefs are professionals in cooking traditional Indian meals. They are brought from India and taught additional skills, such as, for instance, hygiene standards. New British immigration laws do not allow Sanjay to hire people from India. There is no strategy for finding non-Indian chefs. It is possible to hire Europeans and then teach them. This requires organizing special courses. It might be problematic to find people willing to train new employees. In addition, training unskilled people will call for additional expenditures. Other aspects of business operations may suffer. So, it is clearly seen that the hiring strategy of the company is not efficient under the new conditions of the external environment. The new legislation requires Madhu’s to introduce new strategies and tactics for finding, recruiting and training employees. The company should reconsider its whole mode of operations in order to determine how to implement new strategies at the lowest cost and with the greatest advantage. Accounting and finance Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Much attention is devoted to financial position o f the company, performance is evaluated regularly. The owner is not willing to risk and increase prices as the external conditions change. Financial resources are limited. Cut spending for some aspects of operations in order to finance new activities. Reduced financing of some company’s functions may negatively impact the overall performance. Since Madhu’s has limited financial resources to be invested into business development, it might be reasonable to consider some alternative sources of financing. Additional capital can be received from banks or external investors, for instance. Marketing Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats The company has a number of loyal and returning customers, as well as good reputation in the market. The products are well-positioned and reasonably priced. Promotional campaigns for catering services target mostly weddings, thus not covering other groups of potential customers. As an option, distributing Madhu’s ready meals in sup ermarkets will allow to strengthen the brand and make it more recognizable by the clients. If not designed correctly, marketing programs for the new services will, while call for expenditures, bring low results, forcing the company to withdraw the promoted service or product from the market. Though the brand is well-established and quite recognizable, it is possible to increase sales by means of providing alternative services and products to other customer groups. Diversification might be a good alternative that will help to cover wider audience and strengthen the brand, thus making even corporate clients, such as supermarkets, for instance, willing to cooperate with Madhu’

Web Accessibility Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web Accessibility Standards - Essay Example These standards provide the parameter, to make a place, website etc more easily accessible to people with disabilities. However, the standards are not same for every aspect of life that is to be made more accessible. The accessibility standards are different for physical structure and for the electronic structure like websites because the accessibility need for both is different. The focus of web accessibility is primarily on two issues first being the means of assessing electronic information by disabled users and the second being the good collaborative function of assistive devices on the web pages (Moss, pp. 23-25). In this regard, â€Å"Web Accessibility Initiative† provides guidelines known as â€Å"Web Content Accessibility Guidelines† (Moss, pp. 22-23). To date, two guidelines have been published known as â€Å"WCAG 1.0† in 1999 and â€Å"WCAG 2.0† in 2008 (Moss, pp. 24-26). The latest set of guidelines i.e. â€Å"WCAG 2.0† is an improved version, which unlike the previous version uses simple language and real-world examples so that the guidelines are simple to understand. This document has eliminated some previous out of date version guidelines like: Although no development has been made in term of accessibility, considerations and they represent old issues. However, the five most important accessibility considerations, which the web developer is to keep in his mind while designing and modifying any website are: Rich media content accessibility: Rich media like audio and video content is to be made accessible to all. Addition of transcripts and separate narrative track to the rich media help in it to be more accessible. Navigation: As mostly navigation system is based on graphics, making the image accessible will make navigation assessable right away. Use of access key and table index helps improve keyboard navigation.

The ways in whih characters adapt to the changing circumstances of Essay

The ways in whih characters adapt to the changing circumstances of their lives - Essay Example In John Steinbecks novel, East ÃŽ ¿f Eden, the characters are unusual, realistic, and interesting, all which contribute to the appeal ÃŽ ¿f the novel. These characters appeal to the reader, and the reader is able to sympathize with most characters, from the most upstanding citizen to the ruthless seductress. Faye, although the owner ÃŽ ¿f a whorehouse, is depicted a respectable, honourable woman, by the description Steinbeck gives her. Although she owns a whorehouse, she has made it the cleanest, and in many ways, the best whorehouse ÃŽ ¿f all the others around her. Steinbeck regards her as being a good citizen, and a moral person. All ÃŽ ¿f the girls who work in her whore house respect Faye, and look up to her. As the interaction between Kathy and Faye persist, many ÃŽ ¿f the girls who work at Fayes become fearful ÃŽ ¿f her safety. Kathy slowly poisons Faye, and when Faye dies, the tone at the whorehouse drastically changes, as the girls become more suspicious ÃŽ ¿f Kate. Faye, being the good person that she was, loved Kate, and left her business to her. When Kate took over, the girls suddenly live in fear ÃŽ ¿f Kate. Kate is probably the most interesting, and gripping character in East ÃŽ ¿f Eden, due to her sedectiveness, and her evil personality. In Steinbecks first description ÃŽ ¿f Kathy he depicts her as a victim ÃŽ ¿f genetics. It was just a mere coincidence that such an evil human arose from her two good parents. The reader can sympathize that she is a victim ÃŽ ¿f nature, a common trait ÃŽ ¿f realism. Her actions are merely a result ÃŽ ¿f here natural instincts to be bad. Her character is the most complex in the novel. Her most interesting aspect is her reaction to alcohol, another interesting trait that draws the reader in. Her actions shock the reader, her boldness and independence was a reflection ÃŽ ¿f the womens movement that is still a major appeal to the women ÃŽ ¿f today. The introduction ÃŽ ¿f Kathy in chapter 8 was a turning point in the novel, since her

Negative Cannabis Essay Example for Free

Negative Cannabis Essay Youngsters use cannabis these days too. Marijuana users are at increased risk of impairment of memory, attention, concentration, and judgement. It is a high risk for youngsters at the age of 14 to 17 years old to use; whereas many youngsters use cannabis as often as they smoke a cigarette these days. Children start taking cannabis because they have easy access to buying this drug at a young age. This can be from their mates who are dealing. Dealers will sell to anyone for their profit and I think youngsters taking this drug shouldnt have easy access to buying it. The level of harm should make no difference. Heavy use of cannabis may cause the user to lack interest in work, relationships, and personal health, which is known as Amotivational Syndrome. Cannabis is most likely to effect women that use the drug; where it can disrupt their menstrual cycle and gives them an increased risk of fertility problem. Smoking marijuana damages short-term memory, which occurs because of a chemical found in cannabis, called delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which affects the memory part of the brain called the hippocampus. When cannabis is smoked it can cause: coughing, asthma, upper respiratory problems, racing heart, feeling tense and dizzy. A user might also feel light-headed or faint. Different people that use cannabis might feel differently towards the drug, some might not even feel any effects. Clearly cannabis has complicated effects on the users memory, but its effects have been varied in many cases with the user. Whether cannabis is harmful of beneficial is still unknown and depends on the users biology and point of view, when taken. Using cannabis is heavily restricted in many countries, and in many years it may be legalised in some countries. It is legal to use in some countries like Hong Kong. From all my research that Ive done there is still a positive and negative outcome towards cannabis. That doesnt mean the drug is safe or unsafe to use. But cannabis is a well known by most people and some people believe it is a less harmful drug than others although this has not been confirmed.

Social work theory

Social work theory Title: ‘Framework for practice, exploring social work theory.’ The case throws up several interconnected issues. The essay will examine these through the lens of two different theories, on one hand the ecological theory of human development by Bronfenbrenner (1979), and on the other hand, the social model of disability as it has been proposed by social work theorists over the last three decades (Oliver 1996). The case demands a decision to be made and theories at best have a contributory role to play in the decision making process (Banks 2006: 27). A brief list of the issues involved in the case should heighten the awareness for the complexity of the case. First, there is the question about the levels of parental competence and capacity for effective parenting given that both parents suffer from learning disabilities. Second, social workers need to evaluate the chances that Stan and Cassie will be able to provide a stable parental environment that has significant advantages over that provided by Cassie’s parents Marian and Bill. There are further issues surrounding the rights of parents and the rights of the child which may be perceived as mutually exclusive. Additionally, social workers will have to assess the impact of changes in location and in providing a generally supportive and protective environment which a relocation of the child to her natural parents may precipitate. Bronfenbrenner was concerned to construct a theory of human development that recognised the dynamic interconnectedness of environmental and biological factors. He envisaged this theory to ‘lie at the point of convergence among the disciplines of the biological, psychological. and social sciences’ (Bronfenbrenner 1979:13). In a later article he elaborated his notion of the role of external environments and called for a new focus of psychological research in human development. His theory, so he argued, was uniquely suited to map out the various factors that influence child development as they were encapsulated in the institution of the family (Bronfenbrenner 1986). Bronfenbrenner suggests that there are three dimensions which represent the units of psychological inquiry. There is, firstly, what he calls the immediate environment of human engagements (mesosystems) in which the child as well as the parents ‘actively participate’ (Bronfenbrenner 1979: 25). It comprises the entire range of activities, roles and interpersonal relations that are ‘experienced by the developing person’ (Bronfenbrenner 1979: 22) and the interconnections amongst several of these patterned behavioural structures. Bronfenbrenner proposed that mesosystems are only the intermediate structures that connect the individual to the next highest level of environmental contexts. He calls this the exosystem which characteristically does ‘not involve the developing person as an active participant, but in which events occur that affect†¦ what happens’( Bronfenbrenner 1979: 25) in the mesosystem. Yet, how does this contribute to a more grounded and fairer decision in the given case? Bronfenbrenner’s main thesis, implicit in the model of ecological development, is that external events do have a direct impact on child development even if they seem to be initially non-quantifiable to an outside observer and within static models. Meso- exo- and chrono-systems influence the family context, of which the chronological and exogenous dimensions are most relevant in the given context of this case. In a detailed article in which he defends his ecological model of human development and supports it with research evidence, he singles out several aspects of family existence which determine directly and noticeably child development (Bronfenbrenner 1986). Amongst others he dwells on employment (maternal and paternal), schooling, community involvement and parental networks of assistance as well as peer group involvement and pressure for the child. We may usefully add case worker-parent relationships as well as the wider policy context in which social workers operate in assessing child care cases (Calder 2003). Bronfenbrenner analyses research evidence within his theoretical framework and against the background of social work objectives such as educational and occupational achievement of children (in later life) as well as stability of living environments (Bronfenbrenner 1986: 726). Within the UK context that is framed by the DDA and the Code of Practice one would have to add the respect for individual human beings, justice and individual rights to lead a fulfilled life, self-determination, as well as the eradication of discrimination on grounds of ethnic differences or disability which has been part of the policy agenda of New Labour (Garrett 2003; Banks 2006). Bronfenbrenner’s model now allows a social worker to theorise the following aspects in the adjudication of opposing claims to raise Rebecca. First, they may assess the chances that Cassie or Stan find/remain in employment which evidently has a positive impact on child development (Parsons 1982). Second they may take into account the resources of support that are available to Stan and Cassie within their own family as well as the wider community (Hall 1997, Bronfenbrenner 1986). Thirdly, they would like to assess the relevance of being raised by their biological parents or by the grandparents. And social workers may look at the wider family context in which crucial activities such as schooling and after school care provision may be provided when Rebecca lives either with Stan and Cassie or her grandparents. Additionally, they may consider that parents often provide role models for children and that this may positively influence the child’s self-esteem and confidence in s ocial settings (Parsons 1982). Furthermore, Bronfenbrenner’s theory allows social workers to conceptualise singular events as having a long term impact on child development. The ecological theory of human development urges assessors to consider the influence that disruptions to the normal life of a child, such as the relocation to Rebecca’s natural parents may have on her chances to future educational achievement (cf. also Olsen 2003). Bronfenbrenner subsumes these factors under the chrono-system which conceptualises sudden alterations in the child’s environment in its long term effects (Bronfenbrenner 1986). Bronfenbrenner argues that child development needs to be understood in a ‘life course perspective’ in which sequences of developmental transitions can have cumulative effects (Bronfenbrenner 1979). Like all guiding theories of psychological development that are supposed to assist in decision making, however, Bronfenbrenner’s model fails to provide a ranking of values which could help determine the eventual outcome of decisions in the long run. He points in his work to convincing evidence that parental employment is a significant factor in normal child development, as well as the importance of social networks on which parents can rely for support in raising the child (Bronfenbrenner 1986). What his model cannot do is to contrast meaningfully these indisputably desirable factors of child development with the equally valuable wider goals of public policy such as reinstating parental rights to people with disabilities. The social model of disability represented a major landmark in changing the theoretical assumptions that informed public attitudes to disabilities (Oliver 1992; Hedlund 2000). Articulated by social scientists such as Finckelstein in the 1970s, the social model was proposed in contradistinction to the medical model of disability which located the origin of disability in a lack of conformity to normal functioning (Oliver 1992). Theorists who challenged this model prevalent in disability theory and practice argued that there are two dimensions to disability. On one side there is a physical impairment, while on the other hand society is structured and organised in such a way as to disallow disabled people to carry out certain functions which they are certainly capable of (Oliver 1992; Olsen 2003; Morris 1993). The social model thus places the onus of change on society which hitherto has prevented people from functioning to their full abilities. The critical edge of the social model is apparent (Hughes 1997). Disabled people certainly have the capacity to being a parent if society removes the obstacles to effective parenting that is has erected over centuries and provides the support to disabled parents that they are entitled to. Parental competence is something that should be assumed on the side of disabled parents rather than working on the presumption that a physical impairment renders disabled people incapable to exercising certain functions in society. This model thus shifts the burden of proof to society and therefore stipulates that fundamental rights of individuals, such as having the chance of being a parent, can only be infringed if it can be shown that significant harm comes to the child through neglect, injury or considerably diminishing of the opportunities for the child. Once again, this must be judged not against the capacities of disabled parents to raise a child under circumstances of prevalent discrimination against them by society but under conditions of equality with able bodied persons (Morris 1993). In this framework the tables are turned. Arguments in favour of Rebecca being raised by her grandparents must show a significant violation of her rights to have a fulfilled life when living with her biological parents or the chance that effective parenting is not possible in a household that comprises a father and mother both suffering from learning disabilities. Although the child’s welfare is paramount this principle cannot be assumed to contradict and ultimately to override the right to raise your own children simply because society may not provide an environment free from discrimination against disabled people which may impinge on the abilities of the Stan and Cassie to provide a stable and caring family setting. There exists a comprehensive assessment framework for child welfare cases like this and one of the first principles is that the natural family is the best place in which children develop and grow up (Calder 2003). Doubts about the parenting competence and capacity of Stan and Cassie thus heavily draw on the medical model of disability which, within the policy context of the UK, has been rejected as a valid framework for assessments of disability care. Both theories have advantages and disadvantages for the assessment process in the given case. Bronfenbrenner’s model allows case managers to take into account events that may considerably disrupt Rebecca’s life and, in the long run, impinge on her abilities to perform well in educational and vocational settings. In contrast, the social model of disability raises awareness for the basic principles of equity and fairness in making decisions in a social care context. It urges social workers to understand the particular situation of Stan and Cassie as determined to a large extent by society. Lack of resources and support in raising Rebecca would therefore have to be tackled by the social welfare system in contribution to placing both parents in a profoundly unjust situation in the first place. While Bronfenbrenner’s theory may incline social workers more towards deciding in favour of Rebecca’s grandparents, the social model of disability reiterates strongly the need of the social welfare system to remove all obstacles to disabled parenting so that Stan and Cassie can raise their own child. References Banks, S. (2006). Ethics and Values in Social Work. Third Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Bronfenbrenner, U. (1986). Ecology of the Family as a Context for Human Development: Research Perspectives. Developmental Psychology, 22, 6, 723-742 _______________ (1979). The Ecology of Human Development. Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press Garrett, P. M. (2003). Swimming with Dolphins: The Assessment Framework, New Labour and New Tools for Social Work with Children and Families. British Journal of Social Work, 33, 441-463 Hall, S. K. e.a. (1997). Caseworkers’ Perceptions of Protective Services Clients’ Parental Functioning: Toward an Ecological Integration. Children and Youth Services Review, 19, 3, 179-194 Hedlund, M. (2000). Disability as a Phenomenon: a discourse of social and biological understanding. Disability and Society, 15, 5, 765-780 Hughes, B. and Paterson, K. (1997). The Social Model of Disability and the Disappearing Body: towards a sociology of impairment. Disability and Society, 12, 3, 325-340 Morris, J. (1993). Independent Lives? Community Care and Disabled People. Basingstoke: McMillan Oliver, M. (1996). Understanding Disability. From Theory to Practice. Basingstoke: MacMillan Olsen, R. and Harriet Clarke (2003). Parenting and Disability. Disabled parents’ experiences of raising children. Bristol: The Policy Press Parsons, J. E., Terry F. Adler and Caroline M. Kczala (1982). Socialisation of Achievement Attitudes and Beliefs: Parental Influences. Child Development, 53, 310-321