Thursday, December 26, 2019

Kill A Mockingbird By Harper Lee - 1448 Words

‘â€Å"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view-†¦-until you climb into his skin and walk around in it†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢(Lee 33). Said by Atticus Finch, this is perhaps the most important line from the book because it makes Scout Finch become who she becomes. Throughout the plot of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Scout Finch’s views and understanding of the society that surrounds her changes very drastically. Her understanding of the good and evil in society evolves the most, due to the teachings of Atticus Finch. In the beginning of the book, Scout Finch was what every child once was; innocent and simple. As the book progressed, she became aware that life was a complex and confusing world, and she struggled to†¦show more content†¦This included Scout Finch, and since she did not have her own views of him when she was still a child, she believed he was evil. As she became older, she developed her own thoughts on Arthur Radley, and started to consider things from his perspective. In this particular scene when Jem and Scout Finch are walking together, she remarks, â€Å"’Boo doesn’t mean anybody any harm, but I’m right glad you’re along†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (Lee 292). This showed how much Scout Finch had matured and developed her own opinions. She was defending the man whom she feared years ago, dismissing all of the former thoughts about him. Later in time, Arthur Radley shows up at the Finch household, after saving Scout and Jem Finch. â€Å"I took him by the hand, a hand surprisingly warm for its whiteness. I tugged him a little, and he allowed me to lead him to Jem’s bed† (Lee 319). This is significant because not only had Scout Finch been able to touch Arthur Radley, but she trusted him with her brother. Scout Finch’s transition to a matured version of herself allowed her to see Arthur Radley for who he really was. There was more than one oc casion where Scout Finch showed her maturity. Another time was with Cecil Jacobs, a school bully. He had told everyone in the school yard that Atticus Finch defended African Americans, which angered her. â€Å"My fists were clenched and I was ready to let fly† (Lee 85). The Scout Finch

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Effects Of Cell Phones - 1159 Words

Are Cell Phones Destroying a Generation? The onset of cell phones has had a great impact in the modern society, and especially the millennials or the teens, and as such it has led to the destruction of a generation. It is apparent that what researchers call the iGen, people born between the year 1995 and the year 2012, depend greatly on their cell phones and their well-being majorly depends on their cell phones (Twenge 188). Researchers also prove that the iGen value their cell phones more that the real people because which proves that the cell phones dictate every aspect of their lives. The onset of the smartphones has defined the characteristics of the millennials which has led to a great change in the social aspects of the teens in†¦show more content†¦The among the degree of lack of happiness among the Millennials is hinged on the discontinuity of generational trends that has been witnessed across the decades. In this way, the onset of cell phones changed every aspect of teenager’s lives. The unhappy nature of the Millennials is evident in a study that was conducted by the Monitoring the Future survey which paints a clear picture about screen-generated crisis among the youth. There is additional proof of the way cell phones has made Millennials unhappier that their predecessors, and this is apparent from the fact that all screen activities and links to less happiness and all the non-screen activities are linked to more happiness (Chatterjee 82). Researchers also posit that the eighth-graders that spend 10 or more hours per week on social media tend to be 56 percent more likely to confirm that they are unhappy compared to those that spend less time on social media. The case is different when the effect of the twelfth-grade data is examined as there is realized similar levels of happiness disregarding the fact that they might be either on the higher or lower end of the use of cell phones and social media in general (Twenge 190). Research sugg ests that high school students that use their cell phones to access the social media a lot are more are lessShow MoreRelatedEffects of Cell Phone1609 Words   |  7 Pagesfunctions of a standard wired telephone but is smaller and more mobile. A cell phone requires a subscription to a service provider and requires either a prepaid or monthly billing setup. Generally, they have more functions than traditional land lines and need to be charged after a period of time. Also called mobile phone or mobile device.—BusinessDictionary.com A mobile phone (also known as a cellular phone, cell phone and a hand phone) is a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radioRead MoreEffects of Cell Phones2235 Words   |  9 Pagesusage of cell phones outweighs the benefits, we should educate people on how to manage their usage of cell phones or use a different mean of communication. The Effects that Cell Phones have on Society Introduction In the United States of America, there are over one hundred million cell phone users. This number is growing at an astonishing rate of more than sixty thousand people per day. (Cellular Telephones) Thirty percent of all Americans have joined the mobile-phone revolutionRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects996 Words   |  4 Pagesone another. Personally, I use my phone probably way more than I should due to all of the cool extra functions it has. It is extremely hard to avoid cell phones in today’s society. However, these cellular devices have a few negatives. The radiation from cell phones and their towers has been linked to causing cancer, they are a huge source of distraction, and these phones can sometimes overheat and catch on fire. To begin, the radiation caused mainly by cell phone towers is becoming huge concernRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Society Essay1277 Words   |  6 Pagesthe world resemble in the event that we didn t have any cell phones? Why is it that we get out of our comfort zone when we do not have access to our phones? Nowadays, cell phones have such a noteworthy effect on our day to day lives, and we owe it to the advancement of technology. In this research paper, we will take a closer look at this phenomenon by examining the evolution of cell phone devices, and it’s effects on society. Cell phones, as we know them haven’t been around for that long. The quickRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Communication992 Words   |  4 PagesGrowing up, I did not have a personal cell phone. The only technology in our house was a television, located in the living room. My parents were extremely strict and even put restrictions on the use of our television. Most of my time was spent reading books instead of using technology. I got my first cell phone, a flip phone, when I turned twelve years old. I was only allowed to use my phone during the day to make calls in case of an emergency and before going to bed, my parents would take it awayRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Society938 Words   |  4 Pages Technology today is very advanced and useful. Cell phones, especially, can impact us in a very positive way. It would be very safe to assume that 75% of the world’s population owns a cell phone; young and old alike. Despite their popularity and constan t use, however, the negative effects that cell phones have on their users outweighs the benefits. Although cell phones do have their perks, if they are used in the wrong way they can potentially become addictive toys that distract and destroyRead MoreNegative Effects of Cell Phones1731 Words   |  7 Pagestask easier. A cell phone is a type of technology that is a common thing to see in everyday life. The world and the people in it have gotten used to this technology. Cell phones are making the lives of an estimated two hundred sixty five million Americans (Natterson 103) and three billion worldwide (Natterson 103), easier. As useful as cell phones may be, there are negative effects in over using cell phones. Cell phone technology was first developed in the 1980’s, but cell phones became common inRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effects On Society958 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscovered. A bacterial infection such as MRSA and E. coli bacteria that could lead to vomiting and diarrhea. When it comes down to the health issue for the use of cell phones is it really worth making ourselves prone to some potential health issues that could be avoided. The International Telecommunication Union reported nearly 6 billion mobile phone subscriptions at the end of 2011. That’s 86 out of every 100 people worldwide, those including millennial and generation Z. It a pity that we are so uneducatedRead MoreNegative Effects Of Cell Phones1192 Words   |  5 PagesIn this day and age, more than half of the worlds population owns and uses cell phones. It is a well-known fact that cell phones emit low doses of radiation each time one is used, however, people tend to brush it off and not think about the long-term effects it may have. Its only small doses, what harm can come from it? That is a question us cell phone users may ask ourselves, yet never really look into or research. Maybe its because we choose not to know the actual truth and just focus on theRead MoreCell Phones And Its Effect On Children Essay983 Words   |  4 PagesTeenagers are constantly on their cell phone, which leads to extreme overuse of it. In an acknowledgeable book, Ling (2004) described how teenagers use cell phones and the direct effects of having one. Adolescence is a period in someone’s life in which they develop their own identity and self-esteem. So, teenagers are at a very influential time in their life and cell phones take advantage of that. When a teen decides to use a cell phone, they are not acting with their own ideas, but rather the culture

Monday, December 9, 2019

Importance of Curriculum Foundations free essay sample

Curriculum planning involves making a series of choices (Saylor, Alexander and Lewis, p. 27) In the process of curriculum planning the three bases of curriculum should be considered these bases are society, learner and knowledge. Each of these bases is equally important and cannot be neglected. They are like three legs of a tripod stand, if one leg is bigger than the other than the tripod cannot stand. Similarly each of these bases cannot be given more importance over than the other all have equal importance. Society can be understood through Sociology, Learner can be understood by Psychology and Knowledge can be understood through Philosophy. Thus in order to plan curriculum the foundations of curriculum play a major role. Print (1993) defines curriculum foundations as those that influence and shape the mind of curriculum developers. These curriculum foundations can be categorized under three that is (i) philosophy, (ii) psychology and (iii) sociology. These foundations influence developers’ way of thinking about curricula and in the process, produce conceptions of curricula. The importance of three foundations in planning the curriculum is discussed as under. Philosophical Foundation Philosophy is basic to all curriculum foundations as it is concerned with making sense of what we encounter in our lives. It is concerned with the clarification of concepts in which our experiences and activities are intelligible (Print, 1993, pp. 33-34). Curriculum developers perceive the world by asking themselves three questions: ontological (What is real? ), epistemological (What is good? ) and axiological (What is true? Answers to these questions, emerge different individual philosophies through which individuals perceive and relate to the curriculum. Ontological . Ontology is concerned with the nature of reality and asks the question: What is real? Different societies perceive reality in different ways. Thus important when what is real to society is very important when constructing a curriculum. Curriculum developers see their roles of recreating society by using curri culum as a vehicle for change. Example: Bhukari, H. M (2010) in his research says that Pakistan has embraced capitalism since the time of its birth. Pakistan inherited different institutions of Modernity and capitalism such as democracy, cosmopolitan nationalism, free market etc from its colonial masters. All institutions including education were used to realize capitalist ends. All education policies from 1947 to 2010 were based on capitalist norms and premises. Capitalism was assumed to be natural. National education policies have sought to produce individuals who could productively serve capitalist institutions. (p. 256) Epistemological According to Print (1993), epistemology deals with the nature of knowledge and the nature of knowing. What is true? is the question asked in epistemology. Curriculum developers consider which truth and values need to pass from one generation to the other. Example: From the example above, capitalism is assumed as natural in the Pakistani society since the very begining, the society is divided into three classes and the capitalist run the country so it is considered true for the society therefore all educational policies up to 2010 are based on capitalist norms. Axiology Print (1997) holds that axiology deals with the question â€Å"What is good? † Ethics is concerned with the concept of good and bad. Curriculum developers while planning keep in mind such ethical knowledge that is desirable for students to acquire. Sharma (2006) holds that moral education is the concern of every teacher and that all the student – teacher interaction contributes inevitably towards students’ moral learning and can be geared to contribute towards their moral education. (p. 58) Example: Dean, L. B (2007) in her research report says that teaching and learning in Pakistani classrooms is simply the transmission of stated goals of civic education in most curriculum documents. A capacity to exercise judgment in matters of morality, ethics and pluralistic society. Another example can be the role of teacher as a model of truth and other abiding virtues like administering discipline, reinforcing discipline. Learning is the realization of goodness and truth. Philosophical schools of thoughts A part from these three questions we have five basic philosophies that lay the foundation of curriculum. Idealism Idealism stresses that students acquire vital subject matter in an idea centered curriculum. Ideas consist of concepts and generalizations for students to acquire. Idealist believes that knowledge come from four sources i. e. revelation (spiritual books), authority (tribe leader), religious leaders and myths. Idealism focus on the constant effort to achieve perfection and the purpose of learning is to benefit the humanity rather than self engagement. Example: Idealism is a strong reflection is the Sindh Text books, the verses from Holy Quran are quoted within the text. Teaching and learning process in Pakistani classrooms are from textbooks and knowledge comes from text books, subject matter is considered of high value in Pakistani society. Realism Realism is concerned with the world of ideas and anything that are fixed with establishing subject matter. Realists say that the matter is real and that the idea exists within the matter. Realists believe that there is nothing beyond scientific knowledge. Knowledge can be obtained from the use of sense and nature. Supernaturalism does not exist since it goes beyond sense data. (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 4) Example: In the practical classroom, the students follow a specific procedure to make hydrogen gas, and that is the reality of the procedure, if the procedure changes the gas can not be produced. Existentialism Existentialists believe in choices and decisions made by the students within a highly flexible environment. The individual is responsible for acts and deeds, with no one else to blame for mistakes are due to freedom. Existentialist wants children to make their own choices. They emphasize the importance of individuals continually making choice in school curriculum and in the curriculum of life. (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 24) Example: For this assignment, the students were given a freedom to give opinions for the marking criteria. They were free to assign as many marks for the two questions. Perennialism The two main goal of education according to perennials is to cultivate reason and develop children’s intellectual powers. They says that education has absolute knowledge and thus the subject matter cannot be changed. The subject matter should be taken from the â€Å"Great Books† which contain accumulated wisdom from the past. The school of perennialist does not teach subjects as general or as combined but history as history, geography as geography and not as general history. They value the literature from the past. Perennialists seek vital ideas of great minds of the past to select subject matter for students to learn (Edige Rao, 2003, p. 25) Example: Classical English literature of Shakespeare though being so old and ancient is still being taught in the schools because it contains values. Pragmatism Pragmatist say that knowledge is not at all mutable. In a world of rapid change what may be true and valid may not be valid and true tomorrow. They wish to teach children how to think rather what to think. Example: It was believed that there were nine planets in the solar system but now there are only eight planets. So the subject matter in the social studies text books changed. Knowledge does not remain mute but for perennialist it is the opposite case. Reconstructionism Reconstructionists believe in reconstruction of society with education having the schools in the fore front. They regard human heritage as the tool to be used in the self realization. They use multiple teaching materials and consider subject matter to be used chiefly in serving their central cause. Teachers following this philosophy will break precedents if necessary to rebuild the culture. Examples: In the Pakistani society there are many issues such as human rights, corruption, female status, child labour etc these are not dealt in detail in the textbooks neither are ever talked about in schools. There is a need of reconstructionist philosophy in the curriculum development so that such issues can be considered. Social Foundations 1. Functionalism Functionalism is a theoretical perspective based on the notion that social events (elections, Christmas, marriage, exams etc. ) can best be explained as the functions they perform that is the contributions they make to the continuity of society. Society is a complex system whose various parts work in a relationship to one another in a way that needs to be understood. For functionalist thinkers society is an integrated whole composed of structures which mesh closely with one another. (Giddens, A. , 1997, p. 689) Functionalism is a manifestation or intended functions including cultural transmission, socialization, integration and innovation as well as latent or hidden functions. Cultural transmission will bring unification and harmony in the society. The people will have some norms, beliefs, dress tec. Education integrate society. The function of education is to diverse a society more unified, integrated and functionists look upon education to do that through socialization cultural transmission, innovation and cultural change through latent functions of education. .e. g. institutions have a hidden function of a marriage market. Students in the universities or institutes select their marriage partners during their course of study. Lovat and Smith (2003) opines that the students who is good at mathematics and science should be encouraged to tackle a fully six years secondary education and be trained in order to take dominant roles in society. . Conflict Perspective Conflict theorists believe that the scarcity and value of resources in the society produce conflicts as groups’ struggles gain access to control those resources. According to Karl Marxs, societies are divided into classes with unequal resources. There is division of social interests in the social system because of inequalities. These conflicts of interests at some point break out into active change. Society is seen as essential full of tension. (Giddens, A. , 1997,p. 669) Browne (2020), â€Å"it is the major difference in interest between the two classes that create conflicts†. Conflict perspective view education an agent of conflict. There are conflict in classes e. g. Ellite classes has kept jobs for ellites. Ministry of Education has people who are beaurecrats but in Civic centre the employees who are serving as clerks are mostly who have received education n from either Matric or Madrsa system. Education is an agent that develops, constructs and reconstructs the same class. Education is a proponent of conflict, division and status quo and thus serves as a screening device. In both capitalist and socialist societies the educational institution actually promotes and perpetuates inequalities. Conflict arises in education because of 1. Unequal access in schooling and educational inequalities. 2. Unequal access to schools. 3. Unequal access to higher education. 4. Schools as screening devices. 3. Interactionist Perspective According to Gelles, R. J. , Leving, A. (1995), â€Å"The structure of society is determined through social interaction. † (p. 70) The focus of inteactionist analysis is the day-to-day activities of million of individuals, who through the way that they act together, make up what we call society. Interactionists agree that there is no such society, apart from the individuals who constitute it and therefore their research is based on the small scale interactions of everyday life. (Lawson, T Garrod, J. , 2003, p. 140) Interaction is a view that focuses on micro level analysis and the meanings that arise through the process of social interaction. (Thomson, W. E, Hickey, J. V, p. 626). It emphases that adequate explanation of social behavior requires understanding the subjective meaning people attach to their social circumstances. It stresses that people help, create their social circumstances and do not merely react to them. (Lie Bryn, 2006, pp. 14-15 ) Education is a source of tracking. It is an agent of socialization through interaction, for personal and social development. It is an agent of self fulfilling prophecies through interaction. Psychological Foundations: Lovat and Smith (2003) holds that psychology can assist the student teacher to reflect on all that is involved in the business of effective curriculum. Psychology helps in thinking about variables which effect the learning and schooling process. It helps the teacher in understanding the patterns of human development and learning processes. It makes a teacher proficient about the ways that can minimize student’s anxiety. According to Saylor, Alexander and Lewis (1980), the curriculum developers prior planning the curriculum need to know the information about the learner’s growth and development which include: 1. Physical development including health status and special physical needs. 2. Emotional and social development. 3. Psychological needs. 4. Intellectual and creative development. 5. Personal traits including motivational level and behaviour. Jean Piaget in his theories mainly focus on the child development and about the way thinking process develops from birth to adolescence (Lovat and Smith, 2003, p. 47) This four satge developmental theory helps planners to plan the subject matter according to the cognitive level. Example: Students of KG II, cannot be taught multiplication because, the child is at pre operational stage and the vocabulary is limited and he can only understand the basic number skills i. e. counting. The method is not lecture but play way. There are many who have contributed in psychology for curriculum planning and its implementation. Benjamin Bloom with his taxonomy of educational objectives in the cognitive domain, Jerome Burner with his models of learning, Robert Gagne with his notion of learning structures and hierarchies of capabilities and Abraham Maslow with his concept of human deeds fulfillment have marked contribution in the field of psychology (Lovat and Smith, 2003. P. 49) these contribution are considered in the curriculum process and thus is of prime importance.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Male Brain vs. Female Brain free essay sample

Brain vs. Female Brain: Is one Better than the Other? Differences between males and females have been an issue affecting our society for thousands of years. Why are we so different? Why are we so similar? Several scientists have attempted to explain these variations, all using different methods and approaches. A very controversial study by psychologist J. Philippe Rushton suggested that men are innately more intelligent than women. This study gave arousal to several studies that oppose it, saying that it is rather the evolutionary and biological differences that make the divergence between the sexes. Men and women’s intelligence cannot be compared, their brains are evolutionarily and biologically different, and so their intelligence levels must be measured in different ways. Rushton’s studies are invalid because he did not use a representative research method. He â€Å"analysed 100,000 scholastic aptitude tests (SAT’s) written by American teens, age 17 and 18. † (Crossley, 2005) The SAT’s are standardized tests that focus on analyzing a student’s level in Math and English, and are crucial for entrance to university. We will write a custom essay sample on Male Brain vs. Female Brain or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even though they are a very good indicator of a student’s academic level, they should be used with caution. There are many factors that affect how a student performs on these tests, such as how much they studied, how they felt during test day and how many times they have taken the test. These factors take a great part in the results of the experiment, and yet Rushton did not take them into account. His findings said that â€Å"males scored the equivalent of 3. 3 IQ points greater than their female counterparts†, and that these differences were â€Å"present at every socio-economic level and across several ethnic groups†(Crossley, 2005). This was a poorly founded generalization, since the people who take this test are usually people who want to go to college, giving a small pool of people. The questions on these standardized tests only measure some types of intelligence; they don’t take into account emotional intelligence, so they favor a certain group of p eople. They do not take into account emotional intelligence. The studies that should be used for these types of cases are strictly scientific, such as the one Louann Brizendine- author of the book The Female Brain- bases her statements on. One of the biggest indicators of differences between a man and a woman’s brain is its structure. As J. Philippe Rushton said, men’s brains are bigger than women’s. This is true, but what Rushton did not find out is that women’s brains have the same number of neurons in them, so the only difference is that women’s brains are more â€Å"tightly packed†. Page, 2005) The real reason as to why women and men’s brains are different is because some parts of each sex’s brains are more developed and connected than the others. Shelley Page gave examples of these in her article â€Å"Women, brains and science†. â€Å"Women have 11% more neurons in their brain centre for language and hearing than a man. † (Page, 2005) This difference is the reason why women take more pleasure, and ultimately succeed more in activities that involve communicating and interacting with others opposed to those that require solitary work. Their bodies release the hormone oxytocin while they talk, giving them pleasure and a rush of happiness. Another structural difference is â€Å"the principal hub for emotion and memory formation- the hippocampus†, which is bigger on women than on men. This gives women the ability to â€Å"instinctively know what people are feeling† (Page, 2005), The amygdala, another important part in the brain â€Å"registers fear and triggers aggression, is larger in the male brain. † (Page, 2005) This can help explain men’s aggressive and protective nature. All these differences are hereditary, and humans evolved to acquire them. Evolutionary divergence in men and women can also be an explanation to the differences in the brains of the two. Men, by nature, are the providers in a family. More than a hundred thousand years ago, they were the ones who brought the food for the family, and made sure they were all safe. Because of this, their amygdala might have developed more: they hade to cope with a lot of aggression to get what they wanted. Women are the nurturers: their life revolves around the upbringing of their children. Their hippocampus might have developed more because of their constant use of emotions toward their children. All these evolutionary changes led to the divergence between male and female intelligence. Who said that verbal and emotional intelligence is not as important as mathematical and scientific intellect? This is what society needs to understand and accept in order to value each gender’s aptitudes. The male and female brains are very different, and these differences help explain why we are better in some things opposed to others. Scientific studies have shown that women have more neurons and more connections in areas of the brain dedicated to communication and language, while men are more developed in the math and science area. Women and men have the same capabilities of learning, yet their biological differences make them diverge towards different interests. As opposed to assessing the intellectual capabilities of an individual by brain size or a score on a standardized test, true intelligence should be measured with hormonal influences, evolutionary differences and the brain’s structure taken into account.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Example of Graduate School Admission Essay †Alternatives to INSEAD

Example of Graduate School Admission Essay – Alternatives to INSEAD Free Online Research Papers Discuss your career goals. What are your alternatives to INSEAD? (500 words approx.) My early goals of pursuing a professional tennis career laid not only my path from Brazil to the United States, but also from high school to college. However, it was my affinity to development, self improvement and creativity which gave direction to my professional business career. During my college years, the internet became a powerful marketing tool. One of my first professional projects was to lead a team to redesign a Web site. This experience solidified my interest in marketing and exposed me to the enormous potential of this area. In addition, having an inside out exposure to my father’s successful business, gave me an overall appreciation and understanding to every area of business administration. The opportunity to see how his company evolved through time and established itself as a leader in Brazil heightened my interest in management. Marketing and management fascinates me not only because it gives companies their identity and direction, but also it stimulates creativity. So far, my professional experiences have allowed me to develop insight into various industries and have improved my interpersonal skills. My positions at PubliCARD, have given me the opportunity to interact with businessmen from all over the world, thereby expanding my international perspective. Because of my outstanding work performance, I was chosen to attend various meetings and tradeshows with international companies such as Sony, Microsoft and Scientific Atlantic. It was highly unusual for a young person to represent the company at such events, so my self confidence, as well as my management skills, has been greatly enhanced through these experiences. Despite my experience, I still feel I can further improve my knowledge and management skills, whether in finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Personal satisfaction also plays a key role in my career decision. While monetary rewards are of practical importance, true job satisfaction springs from the opportunity to grow and learn within an industry. I enjoy acquiring new skills and information, which help me to adapt to the fast-changing world, as well as pique my interest in innovation. In addition, a career with international exposure would give me constant incentive to improve myself and to gain more knowledge. Given the confluence of my personal and professional interests, my goal is to obtain a MBA and then to work as a CEO or general manager, either in the consulting or industry sectors. Becoming part of an elite business school will smooth the path to these goals. A MBA program will deepen my expertise and broaden my perspectives. Moreover, being in a multicultural environment will increase my practical knowledge of entrepreneurship by interacting with my classmates. In addition to this, I plan to use my private time to attend foreign language courses in order to broad my reach to international markets. When I have gathered enough experience and skills, I plan to restart a consulting company of my own. I spent the last eight and a half years in the United States and I believe it will be beneficial for me to acquire additional experience in Europe before starting a MBA program. Therefore, I am currently relocating to Paris. Even tough, I am still involved with the company in the United States; I am going to work with another company in Europe. As far as options to the MBA Progamme at Insead are the MBA programs from HEC and IESE. Research Papers on Example of Graduate School Admission Essay - Alternatives to INSEADAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaMoral and Ethical Issues in Hiring New EmployeesThe Project Managment Office SystemDefinition of Export QuotasHip-Hop is ArtPETSTEL analysis of IndiaOpen Architechture a white paperResearch Process Part OneMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductTwilight of the UAW

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Understanding State Terrorism

Understanding State Terrorism â€Å"State terrorism† is as controversial a concept as that of terrorism itself. Terrorism is often, though not always, defined in terms of four characteristics: The threat or use of violence;A political objective; the desire to change the status quo;The intention to spread fear by committing spectacular public acts;The intentional targeting of civilians. It is this last element - targeting innocent civilians - that stands out in efforts to distinguish state terrorism from other forms of state violence. Declaring war and sending the military to fight other militaries is not terrorism, nor is the use of violence to punish criminals who have been convicted of violent crimes. History of State Terrorism In theory, it is not so difficult to distinguish an act of state terrorism, especially when we look at the most dramatic examples history offers. There is, of course, the French governments reign of terror that brought us the concept of terrorism in the first place. Shortly after the overthrow of the French monarchy in 1793, a revolutionary dictatorship was established and with it the decision to root out anyone who might oppose or undermine the revolution. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed by guillotine for a variety of crimes. In the 20th century, authoritarian states systematically committed to using violence and extreme versions of threat against their own civilians exemplify the premise of state terrorism. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union under Stalins rule are frequently cited as historical cases of state terrorism. The form of government, in theory, bears on the tendency of a state to resort to terrorism. Military dictatorships have often maintained power through terror. Such governments, as the authors of a book about Latin American state terrorism have noted, can virtually paralyze a society through violence and its threat: In such contexts, fear is a paramount feature of social action; it is characterized by the inability of social actors [people] to predict the consequences of their behavior because public authority is arbitrarily and brutally exercised. (​Fear at the Edge: State Terror and Resistance in Latin America, Eds. Juan E. Corradi, Patricia Weiss Fagen, and Manuel Antonio Garreton, 1992). Democracies and Terrorism However, many would argue that democracies are also capable of terrorism. The two most prominently argued cases, in this regard, are the United States and Israel. Both are elected democracies with substantial safeguards against violations of their citizens civil rights. However, Israel has for many years been characterized by critics as perpetrating a form of terrorism against the population of the territories it has occupied since 1967. The United States is also routinely accused of terrorism for backing not only the Israeli occupation but for its support of repressive regimes willing to terrorize their own citizens to maintain power. The anecdotal evidence points, then, to a distinction between the objects of democratic and authoritarian forms of state terrorism. Democratic regimes may foster state terrorism of populations outside their borders or perceived as alien. They do not terrorize their own populations; in a sense, they cannot since a regime that is truly based on the violent suppression of most citizens (not simply some) cease to be democratic. Dictatorships terrorize their own populations. State terrorism is a terrifically slippery concept in large part because states themselves have the power to operationally define it. Unlike non-state groups, states have legislative power to say what terrorism is and establish the consequences of the definition; they have force at their disposal; and they can lay claim to the legitimate use of violence in many ways that civilians cannot, on a scale that civilians cannot. Insurgent or terrorist groups have the only language at their disposal - they can call state violence terrorism. A number of conflicts between states and their opposition have a rhetorical dimension. Palestinian militants call Israel terrorist, Kurdish militants call Turkey terrorist, Tamil militants call Indonesia terrorist.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Claim Response Letter Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Claim Response Letter - Assignment Example We fail to understand because you arrived late for our services. It is indeed true that for the record, you came among the last people and favor was upon you when Mr. Ottawa, attended to you like among our first clients, which is not usually the case. In as much as you report Mr. Ottawa for been late, it is not justified. These are because you are the only one that wasted time, and so, even the first attendance was a favor. You claim to be paid back some cash. I bet we are not responsible for your misfortune. It has to our awareness of you claim, you as Mr. Carm, we deeply appreciate your raise of concern and how prompt you are. These have helped us keep track on all our employees and ensure they provide quality service at the required time to all our customers. We say these because we appreciate that without you, we lack work to do. These means that you are indeed our bosses and must put your interests first. From the time you came in packing to the time Doctor Ottawa attended to you, it is quite clear that one hour was indeed gone. And the fact that you got overcharged for the packing slot fee; it was truly not our fault as the hospital. We attend to our clients in a first come first serve basis. Those who arrive early are put first to be seen by our doctors, to our surprise, you came thirty-five minutes late and in turn, got lucky and served as among our first clients. Our big question to you is where were you by the time this half past the hour was clicking? And according to you, who is on the wrong side of the law? By these we mean, who could have made you pay these extra packing fees, is it the doctor’s fault or yours? The matter looks simple, but also our institution has a policy that must needs follow-up. First come first serve rule, and we fail to understand how you managed to cross the line before others and got the service among the first clients. It is, therefore, with humble request that we call upon you to

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

How the company combine to satisfy shareholders and the demands of Dissertation - 2

How the company combine to satisfy shareholders and the demands of society with less impact on the profitability - Dissertation Example Globalization, rapid developments in computer and information technology and the current experience of global economic crunch are some of the essential elements affecting growth and survival of modern organizations (Balakrishnan, 2003; Fischer, 2003; Soros, 2002; Bagwathi, 2010). Although there is no universal agreement regarding the effect of these developments and concerns relevant to the quality of life of people(Bagwathi, 2007; 2010; Stiglitz, 2007, 2010; Suarez-Orosco & Qin-Hilliard, 200; Yusoff, Ramayah & Ibrahim, 2010). Still, what remains, is the fact, that the socio-economic and political condition with which economic institutions are doing their activities are affected by these integral elements, in the same manner, that it has permeated and influenced the lives of people across the globe (Yusoff et al., 2010). In this regard, modern corporations respond to the challenges and demands of the time by incorporating a fundamental change in the nature of the organization  œ corporate social responsibility (Zolsnai, 2006). The idea of corporate social responsibility is not something new (Hemingway, 2002). During the 1930’s organizations have already recognized that their responsibility is not limited only to the satisfaction of the shareholders’ interests, but it also includes the fulfillment of the demands of the society where the organization is embedded (Hemingway, 2002). This seminal notion of corporate social responsibility is integrated in the current scheme and understanding of CSR, but it is only in the last three decades that an observable influx of discussion and interests regarding CSR has taken full swing (Dahlsrud, 2008). However, in the last four years, the world experienced the first global economic crisis of the 21st century (Reinhart, 2008; Yandle, 2010). Case against the CSR has been raised based on the assumption that the concept fails in responding to the challenges that it is supposed to be addressing (Karnani, 2010; Lin-Hi, 2010; Ludesher & Mashud, 2010; Portney, 2008). In this sense, there is a call to re-evaluate CSR and come up with better approach towards an authentic CSR and not just a facade (Lin-Hi, 2010). Background of the Study The important role of CSR in the survival of companies in the contemporary period is an accepted truism. In fact, the notion of CSR is deemed intuitive in the sense that as companies are considered as social actors, it becomes essential that corporations too, should be responsible for their actions. However, the intuitiveness of the good derived out from doing good, is questioned on the premise whether there is really a connection between doing good and earning well in the context of an organization. This question is important because as many

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Child abandoment Essay Example for Free

Child abandoment Essay Many babies are abandoned by parents who avoid their responsibilities. It could be have really serious problems, but it is irresponsible behavior. In addition, some parents abandon the babies outside. It is cruel behavior. We should not ignore this problem. There are three solutions: controlling illegal abandonment, allowing abortion legally, and educating people to use contraception. Controlling illegal abandonment is a good way to prevent babies from being abandoned. The police should catch and punish the parents who abandon their babies. Because it is the same as murder. So it has to be strictly controlled. However, its hard to find and catch the parents because they abandon babies secretly. Therefore, the government should set cameras that track everything everywhere, and warn people that if they abandon their babies, they will be punished intensely. Allowing abortion legally can prevent babies from being abandoned. There are some countries in which abortion is illegal. So the women who want abortion decide to do dangerous illegal abortion or abandon the babies. So the government should allow abortion. Nevertheless, some people will disagree if the government allows abortion. In this case, the government should persuade women to make their own decisions about their bodies. Education people to use contraception is the best way to prevent babies from being abandoned. Many people dont know how important contraception is. So the government should educate people to do contraception to prevent unwanted babies. However, some people ignore or dont believe this kind of education. Thus, the government should educate people since they are children. In conclusion, we can try some solutions to prevent babies from being abandoned even though it is not easy. The government should set cameras that track everything, and warn people to control illegal abandonment. And the government should allow abortion legally and persuade people who disagree of abortion. Also, the government should educate people since they are children to learn how important contraception is.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Computer Matching Versus Privacy :: Private Personal Information Essays

Computer Matching Versus Privacy Introduction With the advent of new computer technologies, the ease with which new information can be discovered from aggregating data sources is astounding. This technique is called computer matching. When it comes to doing research this can be an incredible source of new ideas and correlations between sets of data. However, this same technique can be applied to information about individual people. Suddenly, by pulling together disparate sources of data, private information can be learned about an individual without their knowledge or consent. If the organization that is capable of computer matching is a government, it places a lot of information in the hands of a powerful entity. A question of whether the government should have this new information is a significant one. What if the government were not allowed to ask you for information that is discoverable through computer matching? Should the government be allowed to use this technique to yield the same information? This ethical dilemma is covered in this paper. Relevant information will be used from the laws in the United States and the European Union to illustrate the different perspectives on the privacy of citizens and the approaches each government takes to it. Letter of the Law or Spirit? Many countries around the world have laws on what information a government can ask from its citizens. These laws typically focus on protecting the privacy of individual citizens and preventing discrimination based upon the collected information. Computer matching could place this same information in the hands of the government. In the United States, US law prohibits the direct collection of certain information. This includes, but not limited to information about ethnicity, sexual orientation, etc1. The European Union (EU) has set guidelines for members of the union. These guidelines set strict rules for the â€Å"processing† of personal information. The EU defines processing as collection, use, storage, retrieval, transmission, destruction, and other actions2. The rules also provide provisions requiring the consent of the individual person before this â€Å"processing† can occur. It is apparent that the intentions of the laws for the United States and the EU are to protect the privacy of their citizens. However, loopholes exist in these laws that allow the governments to bend these laws. In the United States, the law prevents the government from asking for certain information, but it does not prevent it from purchasing this information or using matching techniques to discover it.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Business Essay

Convenience Internet marketing enables you to be open for business around the clock without worrying about store opening hours or overtime payments for staff. Offering your products on the Internet is also convenient for customers. They can browse your online store at any time and place orders when it is convenient for them. Reach By marketing on the Internet, you can overcome barriers of distance. You can sell goods in any part of the country without setting up local outlets, widening your target market. You can also build an export business without opening a network of distributors in different countries. However, if you want to sell internationally, you should use localization services to ensure that your products are suitable for local markets and comply with local business regulations. Localization services include translation and product modification to reflect local market differences. Cost Marketing products on the Internet costs less than marketing them through a physical retail outlet. You do not have the recurring costs of property rental and maintenance. You do not have to purchase stock for display in a store. You can order stock in line with demand, keeping your inventory costs low. Personalization Internet marketing enables you to personalize offers to customers by building a profile of their purchasing history and preferences. By tracking the web pages and product information that prospects visit, you can make targeted offers that reflect their interests. The information available from tracking website visits also provides data for planning cross-selling campaigns so that you can increase the value of sales by customer. Relationships The Internet provides an important platform for building relationships with customers and increasing customer retention levels. When a customer has purchased a product from your online store, you can begin the relationship by sending a follow-up email to confirm the transaction and thank the customer. Emailing customers regularly with special, personalized offers helps to maintain the relationship. You can also invite customers to submit product reviews on your website, helping to build a sense of community. Social Internet marketing enables you to take advantage of the growing importance of social media. An article on the Harvard Business School Executive Education website highlighted the link between social networking and online revenue growth. According to the article, a group of consumers that responded most strongly to the influence of social networks generated increased sales of around 5 percent. You can take advantage of this type of influence by incorporating social networking tools in your Internet marketing campaigns.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

High School Stabbing Incident Essay

Murrysville, Pennsylvania (CNN) — A teenage boy wielding two kitchen knives went on a stabbing rampage at his high school in Murrysville, Pennsylvania, early Wednesday, before being tackled by an assistant principal, authorities said. Twenty students and a security officer at Franklin Regional Senior High School were either stabbed or slashed in the attack, Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck told reporters. The accused attacker was been identified as 16-year-old Alex Hribal, according to a criminal complaint made public. Hribal, who was arraigned as an adult, faces four counts of attempted homicide, 21 counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon on school grounds, the documents show. â€Å"I’m not sure he knows what he did, quite frankly,† Hribal’s attorney, Patrick Thomassey, said, adding he would file a motion to move the case to juvenile court. â€Å"†¦ We have to make sure that he understands the nature of the charges and what’s going on here. It’s important that he be examined by a psychiatrist and determined where he is mentally. † A doctor who treated six of the victims, primarily teens, said at first they did not know they had been stabbed. â€Å"They just felt pain and noticed they were bleeding,† Dr. Timothy VanFleet, chief of emergency medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, told CNN. â€Å"Almost all of them said they didn’t see anyone coming at them. It apparently was a crowded hallway and they were going about their business, and then just felt pain and started bleeding. † Hribal is accused of using two 8-inch stainless-steel knives in the attack, according to the complaint. He is being held without bail at the Westmoreland County Regional Youth Services Center. ‘Don’t know what I got going down’ The carnage began shortly before the start of classes, when an attacker began stabbing students in a crowded hallway and then went from classroom to classroom. Student Matt DeCesare was outside the school when he heard a fire alarm ring and then saw two students come out of the school covered in blood. Then he saw teachers running into the building and pulling â€Å"a couple of more students out,† he told CNN. The students had been stabbed. To stanch the bleeding, the teachers asked the students for their hoodies. â€Å"We all took our hoodies off and handed them to the teachers to use as tourniquets to stop the bleeding,† he said. Recordings of emergency calls released in the wake of the attack provide a soundtrack of sorts to the terror and chaos that played out inside the school. â€Å"I don’t know what I got going down at school here but I need some units here ASAP,† one officer can be heard saying. Minutes later in another call, another official, breathlessly, can be heard detailing casualties: â€Å"About 14 patients right now. † Then another call for help. â€Å"Be advised inside the school we have multiple stab victims,† one of the officers said. â€Å"So bring in EMS from wherever you can get them. ‘Saw the kid who was stabbing people’ Student Mia Meixner was standing at her locker. â€Å"I heard a big commotion like behind my back,† she told CNN. â€Å"And I turned around and I saw two kids on the ground. † She thought a fight had broken out, but then she saw blood. â€Å"I saw the kid who was stabbing people get up and run away,† she said. Then she saw a girl she knew standing by the cafeteria. â€Å"She was gushing blood down her arm. † Meixner dropped her books and went to help the girl. â€Å"I started hearing a stampede of students coming down from the other end of the hall, saying ‘Get out, we need to leave, go, there’s a kid with a knife. ‘ Then a teacher came over to me and the girl I was trying to help. And she said she would handle the girl and that I should run out. So then I just ran out of the school and tried to get out as soon as possible. † Meixner never heard the attacker utter a word. â€Å"He was very quiet. He just was kind of doing it,† she said. â€Å"And he had this, like, look on his face that he was just crazy and he was just running around just stabbing whoever was in his way. † She said she didn’t know the boy, but he had been in a lot of her classes. â€Å"He kept to himself a lot,† she said. â€Å"He didn’t have that many friends that I know of, but I also don’t know of him getting bullied that much. I actually never heard of him getting bullied. He just was kind of shy and didn’t talk to many people. † Hribal’s attorney described him as a â€Å"nice young man,† who has never been in trouble. â€Å"He’s not a loner. He works well with other kids,† he said. â€Å"†¦ He’s scared. He’s a young kid. He’s 16, looks like he’s 12. I mean, he’s a very young kid and he’s never been in trouble so this is all new to him. † Hribal’s family offered their condolences to everyone involved, Thomassey said. â€Å"They’re very upset. They did not foresee this at all,† he said. Stabbing shatters peace in quiet, upscale community Tackled by an assistant principal Assistant Principal Sam King is being credited with bringing the carnage to an end. King tackled the teen, Peck told reporters. A school resource officer was able to handcuff the suspect, Police Chief Thomas Seefeld said. The accused teen was being treated for injuries to his hands, the chief said. Police Officer William â€Å"Buzz† Yakshe, who also serves as a resource officer at the school, helped subdue the suspect, said Dan Stevens, the county deputy emergency management coordinator. Yakshe is â€Å"doing fine,† Stevens said. â€Å"He’s more upset than anything else over what happened, because these are his kids. † Students stabbed at Pennsylvania school A fire alarm that was pulled during the attack probably helped get more people out of the school during an evacuation order, Seefeld said. Students were running everywhere and there was â€Å"chaos and panic. † At one point, a female student applied pressure to the wounds of one of the male victims, possibly helping to save his life, said Dr. Mark Rubino, chief medical officer at Forbes Regional Hospital in nearby Monroeville, Pennsylvania, where seven teens were taken for treatment. The students who were hurt range in age from 14 to 17, Stevens said. All of the injuries are stabbing-related, such as lacerations or punctures, he said. ‘It doesn’t happen here’ The attack in Murrysville is the latest in a string of school violence that has occurred across the nation. But mass stabbings, such as the one at the high school, are rare. The attack has rattled the town, an upper-middle-class enclave with a population of about 20,000. A message on the Franklin Regional School District’s website said all of its elementary schools were closed after the incident, and â€Å"the middle school and high school students are secure. † Franklin Regional Senior High will be closed â€Å"over the next several days,† district school Superintendent Gennaro Piraino said. The district’s middle school and elementary schools will be open Thursday, and counseling will be available for the whole district, he said. Information on what led to the stabbings and the conditions of the injured are still unfolding. Bill Rehkopf, a KDKA radio host and Franklin Regional High School graduate, called the stabbing shocking. He said he kept thinking, â€Å"It doesn’t happen here, it can’t happen here. â€Å"

Thursday, November 7, 2019

How to Pay for the Cost of a Fraternity or Sorority

How to Pay for the Cost of a Fraternity or Sorority Lets just be honest: Joining a fraternity or sorority can be expensive. Even if you dont live in the house, you likely have to pay dues, for social outings, and for all kinds of other things you werent expecting. So how can you manage to pay for the cost of going Greek if money is already tight? Fortunately, most fraternities and sororities understand that not every student can pay the full cost every semester. There are lots of places to look if you need a little extra financial help. Scholarships If your Greek is part of a larger regional, national, or even international organization, it may very well have scholarships available. Talk to some of the leaders in your campus chapter to see what they know or whom you should contact for more information on scholarships. Grants There may also be grants available, coming either from your larger organization or from organizations that simply want to support students who are involved in Greek life in general. Dont be afraid to do some searching online, check in with your campus financial aid office, and even ask other students if they know of good resources. Get a Job With the Organization on Campus If youre lucky, you can work within your fraternity or sorority and get an actual paycheck or things paid for indirectly (e.g., your room and board covered). Start asking around as soon as you realize you might be interested in this kind of arrangement; youll likely need to apply for positions in the spring if youd like to start working in them in the fall. Get a Job With the Larger Organization If your fraternity or sorority is very large on a regional or national scale, they likely need help keeping things running smoothly. Ask if there are positions that you can apply for- and work in- from your campus. The larger organization might need ambassadors, people who can write newsletters, or folks who are great at accounting. You never know what you might find open, so start asking around as soon as possible. Barter See if you can trade your skills for financial arrangements. Perhaps you have some mad skills at gardening. See if you can trade your labor in building, growing, and maintaining an organic garden for your sorority or fraternity in exchange for having your annual dues waived. Or if youre skilled in fixing computers, ask if you can work a few hours a week keeping everyones machines happy in exchange for a discount on your room and board costs. You got into college because youre smart and resourceful, so dont be shy about using those skills to help you create a financial arrangement that works for you and your desire to remain involved in your fraternity or sorority.

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

An Introduction to Shakespeare Prose

An Introduction to Shakespeare Prose What is Shakespeare prose? How does it differ to verse? The difference between them is central to understanding Shakespeares writing - but it is not as difficult as you might think. Shakespeare moved between prose and  verse  in his writing to give his characters more depth and vary the overall rhythmic structure of his plays. His treatment of prose is as skillful as his verse. What Is Shakespeare Prose? Prose has: Run-on lines (unlike iambic pentameter)No rhyme or metric schemeThe qualities of everyday language You can easily spot dialogue written in prose because it appears as a block of text, unlike the strict rhythmic patterns of Shakespeare’s verse. Why Did Shakespeare Use Prose? Shakespeare used prose to tell us something about his characters by interrupting the rhythmic patterns of the play. Many of Shakespeare’s low-class characters speak in prose to distinguish them from the higher-class, verse-speaking characters. However, this should be treated as a general â€Å"rule of thumb†. For example, one of Hamlet’s most poignant speeches is delivered entirely in prose, even though he is a Prince: I have of late – but wherefore I know not – lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercise; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory. This most excellent canopy the air, look you, this brave o’erhanging, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire – why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2 In this passage, Shakespeare interrupts Hamlet’s verse with a heartfelt realization about the brevity of human existence. The immediateness of the prose presents Hamlet as genuinely thoughtful – we are in no doubt that, after dropping the verse, Hamlet’s words are solemn. Shakespeare Uses Prose to Create a Range of Effects To make dialogue more realisticMany short, functional lines like â€Å"And I, my lord,† and â€Å"I pray you leave me† are written in prose to give the play a sense of realism. In some longer speeches, Shakespeare allowed the audience to identify more closely with his characters by using the everyday language of the time.To create comic effectSome of Shakespeare’s low-class comic creations aspire to speak in the formal language of their superiors, but do not have the intelligence to achieve this and therefore become objects of ridicule. For example, the uneducated Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing attempts to use more formal language but keeps getting it wrong. In Act 3, Scene 5, he informs Leonato that â€Å"Our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons.† He means â€Å"apprehended† and â€Å"suspicious†.To suggest a character’s mental instabilityIn King Lear, Lear’s verse deteriorates into prose as the play unfolds to suggest his increasingly erratic mental condition. We can also see a similar technique at work in the above passage from Hamlet. Why Is Shakespeare’s Use of Prose Important? In Shakespeare’s day, it was conventional to write in verse, which was seen as a sign of literary excellence. By writing some of his most serious and poignant speeches in prose, Shakespeare was fighting against this convention. It is interesting that some plays like Much Ado About Nothing are written almost entirely in prose – an exceptionally brave move for an Elizabethan playwright.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Final Exam American Government Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Final Exam American Government - Essay Example ing abortion, and his wanting to rescind job protection for medical professionals refusing to take part in abortions, may be the driving force pushing more people to the right side of this debate. Explain the â€Å"filibuster† and â€Å"cloture† as used in the United States Senate. What problems do these two practices create? Provide some recent examples. (American Government and Politics, 2009/2010) Filibuster or the use of unlimited debate as a blocking tactic has been around since 1790. Senate rule 22 invoked Cloture which shuts off discussion on a bill. In 1979 it was refined to state that a final vote must take place within 100 hours after cloture has been invoked. The problem these two practices create are prolonged debates ending in forced decision making. I am guessing that our deficit issue, with a deadline of August 2nd, is undergoing these very same practices and I can’t help but wonder if the result will be good for the American people. Gerrymandering was named for Governor of Mass. Elbridge Gerry back in 1812. It refers to the practice of reshaping a district in order to benefit a particular candidate. The original area reshaped was Essex County and when it was done, it looked like a dragon on paper. Painter G. Stuart thought it looked like a dragon and said something about being fit for a salamander and B. Russell, an editor said, â€Å"Better say a Gerrymander†, for E. Gerry the Governor. (American Government and Politics, 2009/2010) I think that the biggest consequence of â€Å"gerrymandering† would be the manipulation of our voting public. It isn’t fair or ethical to be able to hedge your boundaries one way or another to suit your needs and secure a victory. Not that politics is particularly fair or ethical, but it is suppose to be. Isn’t it? Social conservatives fight for the preservation of tradition values. They believe that the federal government should have limited involvement in the affairs of citizens and that the states and local

Friday, November 1, 2019

Push-pin studios and its impact on graphic design in the 1960s Essay

Push-pin studios and its impact on graphic design in the 1960s - Essay Example In his comment, Chwast appreciates Milton Glaser for recognizing that a studio would generate greater long-lasting likelihoods for the people involved. By 1954, the three associates were able to start off a business with very low capital. They used their unemployment cheques for renting a flat on the 17th Street East of Manhattan. The rent for the now Push Pin company was less, and a pay phone met all their business operational requirements. Exhibit assignments for academic slide shows and provision for package plan proposals offered a reputable cash flow. Following salary payments to the secretary and the assistant, each individual member of the studio took with him $25 per week. They moved to a better location in New York 57th Street on the East in 1956, but this was the day that Sorel quit the studio, leaving Chwast and Glaser to carry on. The then approach undertaken by Push Pin took some time to evolve. Even though studio members used to work in unison on design projects, it was upon an individual to carry out editorial illustration. A communal impulse to extend the boundaries of recognized methods and to join illustration and design was the drive to rename and broaden the Almanack and come up with the Push Pin Graphic. As per the feedback and the outlook of the way the business was operating, this visually enthusiastic periodical led to a mix in the design community. This was not just an efficient way of showing off the talents of the studio, but also had a very big influence n the art and design direction of the late years of 1950s and the early sixties, particularly on the junction of design and illustration. A small but interesting graphic creation which attests to the influence of the Graphic was experienced when Glaser and Chwast put the entire art in one issue in cartons with rounded cameras. After some few w eeks,

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Impact of Changes on Target Companys Structure Assignment

Impact of Changes on Target Companys Structure - Assignment Example Jones postulates that the organizational structures are two in kind, namely: mechanistic structure and organic structure (209). Wei, Liu and Harden postulate that the degree to this subdivision of jobs is the work specialization in the organization (19). Securing and Goldbach refers to the term centralized as â€Å"the concentration of authority and responsibility for decision making in the hands of managers at the top of an organization’s hierarchy† (214). In other words, Kumar and Bhat describe the term centralization in an organization as â€Å"the degree to which decision making is concentrated in a single point† (346). The degree of decision making concentrated in numerous points shows decentralization in an organization (Applebaum & et.al., 2008). The Target Company has a mechanistic organizational structure. It has a high level of specialization which allows it to divide the jobs into significant groups. The work specialization requires that each person should be placed according to his/her qualifications and experience to ensure a maximum level of specialization in their work. Each department has been allotted different work that is not given to the other department in the organization (Ouchi, 1977). The answer to this question is that all stores of the company are centrally controlled through a centrally located center for every region. Target Company has a mechanistic structure that allows it to have a centrally located center that has the highest degree of decision-making power to control all the stores located within its jurisdiction. The answer to this question is that the change in the company structure through the incorporation of a grocer sector in Target Company will positively impact its vertical and horizontal aspects. Previously, the Target Company had a focused company strategy to have 5 self-managed teams (an i.e. horizontal aspect of the company structure). Furthermore, the horizontal aspect of the company structure  included decision making through consensus and voting. Dries and Swinnen argued that vertical and horizontal spillover effects produce improved quality of product and significant growth of small and medium suppliers (1525).  

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Plyometric Training In Badminton

The Plyometric Training In Badminton PHYSICAL TRAINING IN SPORTS Physical fitness is a very important factor affecting performance in sports. As in the preparatory phase of periodization plan for any training programme, the physical fitness is always the first to be developed before focusing into other training factors such as technical training, tactical training, and psychological training. Physical fitness contributes to sports performance. It serves as a foundation that leads to high performance level in sports (Bompa Haff, 2009). Many researchers have studied various types of physical fitness training, such as balance training (Myer, 2005; Myer et al., 2006), agility training (Miller et al., 2001; Young et al., 2001; Holmberg, 2009), sprinting training (Markovic et al., 2007), resistance training (Candow Burke, 2007; Sturgess Newton, 2008; Hamberg-van Reenen et al., 2009), circuit training (Chtara et al., 2008; Duncan et al., 2009), interval training, and plyometric training (Gehri et al., 1998; Swanik, 2002; Spurrs et al., 2003; Turner et al., 2003; Myer, 2005; Miller et al., 2006; Myer et al., 2006; Saunders et al., 2006; Salonikidis Zafeiridis, 2008; Vescovi et al., 2008; de Villarreal et al., 2008; Meylan Malatesta, 2009; Thomas et al., 2009; Ebben et al., 2010; King Cipriani, 2010; Rubley et al., 2011) and many studies found that physical training served the purpose of improving various physical attributes, such as flexibility, functional performance, muscular control, muscular power, distance runni ng performance, running economy, strength performance, explosive power, vertical jump, initial acceleration, speed, and agility (Gehri et al., 1998; Swanik, 2002; Spurrs et al., 2003; Turner et al., 2003; Kotzamanidis, 2006; Miller et al., 2006; Saunders et al., 2006; Markovic et al., 2007; Chtara et al., 2008; de Villarreal et al., 2008; Jullien et al., 2008; Salonikidis Zafeiridis, 2008; Vescovi et al., 2008; Meylan Malatesta, 2009; Thomas et al., 2009; Walklate et al., 2009; Sà ¡ez-Sà ¡ez de Villarreal et al., 2010). PHYSICAL TRAINING IN BADMINTON Badminton is a highly competitive dynamic sport. At elite level, it is suggested that badminton is characterized by repetitive efforts of alactic nature and great intensity which are continuously performed throughout the match (Cabello Manrique Gonzà ¡lez-Badillo, 2003; Lees, 2003; Faude et al., 2007; Sturgess Newton, 2008). Badminton players are required to be able to move in multiple directions while smashing and receiving a shuttlecock at high speed. The speed of a shuttlecock can be up to 421kph (Guinness World Record, 2009). Badminton players are often required to perform speed, agility, flexibility, endurance, and strength capabilities at their limit. It is proposed by Badminton Association of England (2002) that the off-court type of fitness training for badminton can include strength training, aerobic training, speed and agility training, flexibility training, core stability training, and circuit training. As an explosive sport, badminton performance can be enhanced from resistance training. Effective resistance training programme requires a systematic process of analysis, implementation and evaluation to ensure maximum adaptation and improvement. The prescription of resistance training methods can enhance badminton specific performance in jump smashes, lunges, and quick change of direction (Sturgess Newton, 2008). AGILITY IN SPORTS Agility is an essential element for many sports. It is an ability that involves a rapid whole body movement with changes of direction or velocity in response to a stimulus. In many competitive sports such as badminton, the players do not perform at their own pace and move, but are performing in response to the shuttlecock, the opponent, or the partners. As such, agility in badminton is not completely an independent factor (Young et al., 2002; Sheppard Young, 2006; Young Farrow, 2006; Jullien et al., 2008). Little and William (2005) proposed that agility is a specific physical attribute that is fundamentally important to sports performance for three reasons. First, developing agility will provide a strong foundation for muscular control and motor skill function, thereby establishing overall performance in badminton. Second, good agility enable players to move fast in balanced and stabled manner, and this proper movement mechanics and this may reduce injury risk. Finally, as an athlete matures, a heightened ability to quickly change directions will enhance overall performance in both proactive offensive and reactive defensive circumstances. According to Young and Farrow (2006) and Vescovi (2008), agility is important as many sports such as badminton performed on a court require high-speed total body movements. Many of these movements are in response to the motion of the shuttlecock, opponents, or partner. As such, quick movements are very important. Deterministic Model Of Agility Performance The multifactorial nature of agility has been represented by a deterministic model in Figure 2.1 which indicating the various factors contributing to performance in sports included badminton (Young et al., 2002). The model (Figure 2.1) indicated the agility can be affected by perceptual and decision making factor, and change of direction speed. Perceptual and decision making is one of the main factors affecting agility. The factors affecting perceptual and decision making included visual scanning, anticipating, pattern recognition, and knowledge of the condition. Leg muscle qualities Change of directional speed Young and Farrow (2006) noted that agility is affected by the change of directional speed. Change of directional speed is influenced by the techniques, straight sprinting speed, and leg muscle quality. Techniques to change direction and change velocity quickly are expected to be influenced by the position of the body while running. A forward lean is required to accelerate, a backward lean to decelerate and stop, and a sideward lean to produce a lateral change of direction. These body positions are necessary in order to produce forces to the ground to evoke reaction forces in the desired direction. The technique of body lean enables badminton player to make quick adjustments of strides to accelerate and decelerate, to the running posture to execute a quick change of direction. Such quick adjustments of posture and positioning of limbs is clearly a skill that requires training. This can be developed by plyometric training (Meylan Malatesta, 2009). Leg muscles quality is exclusively responsible for change of directional movements. The available research provides little support that leg muscle strength, power, and reactive strength are major contributors to agility performance. However, a rationale was made to suggest that plyometric training program involving jumping exercises that contain single leg lateral takeoffs, such as bounding in a zigzag pattern could potentially be beneficial to change of directional speed development (Robinson Owens, 2004; Miller et al., 2006; Sheppard Young, 2006; Young Farrow, 2006; Markovic et al., 2007; Thomas et al., 2009). Good quality of leg muscle in badminton helps to reduce time taken from ready position to move to receive a shot. AGILITY CONTRIBUTION IN BADMINTON Motion analysis of a typical badminton match reveals that there are many changes in direction and it requires the athlete to be very agile in all directions (Cabello Manrique Gonzà ¡lez-Badillo, 2003; Sturgess Newton, 2008). Notational analysis of European players during international tournaments indicated that badminton can be characterized by repetitive, short-duration, high-intensity efforts with high-frequency movement (Cabello Manrique Gonzà ¡lez-Badillo, 2003). Badminton is the fastest sport among the racket games with the speed of the shuttlecocks capable of travelling up to 421kph. This means in the court area of approximately 34m2 for badminton singles, the shuttlecock will take not more than 0.15 second to pass through the entire badminton court which is 13.4m in length (Olympics ABC, 2007). As a sport with such a high speed, agility plays a very important role to contribute to the performance. In an elite badminton match, the competition can be played up to more than 60 minutes, and the total running distance can be covered up to 6km. But the energy spent for both players were not the same. When a player is more agile and faster than opponent, he can get into favourable position to play the shot to move opponent around in the badminton court which will lead to greater radius of movement for the opponent. In another word, throughout the match, the player who have better agility are having advantage and spending less effort and energy compare to the less agile opponent. Olympic ABC (2007) also proposed that a player need approximately 0.32 to 0.36 second to move from a ready position towards the shuttle and approximately 0.486 seconds to react to the coming shot. This lead to an idea that a badminton player needs about 0.8 second to react to a shot and move to receive the shot. In this condition, agility is a critical factor affecting the performance. Time taken to react to the coming shot is affecting by the perceptual and decision making factor, while the time taken to move from a ready position towards the shuttle is affecting by the agility, which have the direct relationship with the change of direction speed. Good agility and fast action to move from ready position enable a badminton player to return the shot in a favourable position and have advantage over opponent. PLYOMETRIC TRAINING IN IMPROVING AGILITY Plyometrics are training techniques used by athletes in all types of sports to increase strength and explosiveness (Chu, 1998). Plyometric training programme involving jumping exercises that could potentially be beneficial to agility development (Robinson Owens, 2004; Miller et al., 2006; Young Farrow, 2006; Thomas et al., 2009). Plyometric drills usually involve stopping, starting, and changing directions of movement in an explosive manner. These movements are components that can contribute to developing agility (Young et al., 2001; Miller et al., 2001). Previous studies found that plyometric training, when used in a periodized manner, can contribute to agility gains (Miller et al., 2006; Thomas et al., 2009). Agility is an explosive movement which can be referred to running speed and changes of direction ability. Fast running speed and quick change of direction contribute to good agility. Explosiveness is affecting the running speed and change of direction ability. Thus, improvement in explosiveness leads to agility development. Plyometrics have been proven to be an effective method to improve on explosiveness (Markovic et al., 2007; Chtara et al., 2008). By enhancing balance and control of body positions during movement, agility theoretically should improve (Miller et al., 2006; Young Farrow, 2006). Plyometric activities have been used in sports such as football, tennis, soccer or other sports event (Yap Brown, 2000; Robinson Owens, 2004). These sports are intermediate sports which require rapid whole body movement with changes of direction or velocity in response to a stimulus, which is similar to badminton. CONCLUSION Physical fitness is a very critical factor affecting sports performance. It contributes to sports as the foundation that leads to high performance level in sports. Plyometric is one of the physical training which leads to the gain of various physical attributes which included speed, power, and agility (Miller et al., 2006). In badminton, a player requires high-speed total body movements. Many of these movements are in response to the motion of the shuttlecock, opponents, or partner. Agility permits badminton player to start quickly and efficiently, move in the correct direction, and to change direction or stop quickly to make a play in fast, smooth, efficient, and repeatable manner, in response to a stimulus. A competitive badminton match can be played up to more than 60 minutes, agility allow a player to be in the favourable position quickly to play the shot to move opponent around in the badminton court which will lead to greater radius of movement for the opponent. In another word, agility leads to the advantage of lesser effort and energy spent than the less agile player (Olympic ABC, 2007). Young and Farrow (2006) noted that agility is affected by change of directional speed. Quality of leg muscles is exclusively responsible for change of directional speed. Good quality of leg muscle and good agility in badminton helps to reduce time taken from ready position to move to receive a shot. This enables a badminton player to return the shot in a favourable position and have advantage over the opponent. Agility refers to running speed and changes of direction in an explosive manner. Fast running speed and quick change of direction is the key to good agility, which is affected by explosiveness. Thus, improvement in explosiveness should lead to agility development. Plyometrics has been proven to be effective and efficient in developing explosiveness (Robinson Owens, 2004; Miller et al., 2006; Young Farrow, 2006; Markovic et al., 2007; Chtara et al., 2008; Thomas et al., 2009). Plyometric drills involve starting, stopping, and change of movement directions explosively. These movements contribute to agility development (Young et al., 2001; Miller et al., 2001). Previous studies showed that plyometric training, when used in a periodized manner, can contribute to agility gains (Miller et al., 2006; Thomas et al., 2009). In addition, plyometric training which enhances balance and body control during movement promotes improvement in agility (Miller et al., 2006; Young Farrow, 2006).

Friday, October 25, 2019

Essay --

Muhammad was a revolutionary he broke many customary ways and beliefs. Muhammad’s revolution affected all aspects of life. His peace ended disputes of families, tribes and nations but most importantly with all human nature. To Muhammad religion was a comprehensive concept. It was also a set of dogmas and doctrines alone with rituals and ceremonies. Religion was a way of life for Muhammad. He came raise mankind to a higher place of peace and progress. Before the rise of Islam Arabia was a desert wasteland who’s once great trading cities have fallen on hard times. Arabia is the last of inhabited lands towards the south, and it is the only country, which produces frankincense, myrrh, cassia, cinnamon, and laudanum. (1) The population was divided into rival tribes and clans that worshiped local gods. In the uninhabitable desert zones a wide variety of Bedouin cultures had developed over the centuries based on camel and goat herding. Towns and agriculture flourished on a limited scale. Over the peninsula the camel nomads, organized in clans were dominant. Although urban Islam had been pressured by writers of the Muslim civilization, the Bedouin world, in which the religion came, shaped the career of its prophet, his teachings, and the spread of new beliefs. Mecca and Medina were large extensions of the tribal culture of the camel nomads. Their populations were linked to kingship by Bedouin peoples. Bedouin herders occupied most of the habitable portions of Arabia. Farmers and town dwellers carved out small communities in the western and southern parts of the peninsula. Foreign invasion in the inroads of Bedouins people had all but destroyed the civilization before the birth of Muhammad. Mecca, located in the mountainous regions along ... ... In both his revelations and personal behavior Muhammad joined his followers to be kind and generous to the people including slaves. He forbad the rich to exploit the poor through unrealistic rents or rates on interests for loans. In his last sermon he states, â€Å"Remember, one day you will appear before ALLAH and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not astray from the path of righteousness after I am gone†. (3) The prophet’s teachings and the revelations of the Koran soon were incorporated into an extensive body of law. This regulated most aspects of the lives of the Muslim faithful. They lived in a manor that would prepare them for the last judgment which in Islam would determine there fate in eternity a strong but compassionate god with a strict but socially minded body of law set impressive standards for the social interaction between adherence of the new faith.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Treachery and Betrayal in Othello

Treachery and betrayal, they belong hand in hand, like a married couple, for they both ultimately lead to misery and sorrow. In William Shakespeare’s play, Othello, acts of treachery and betrayal have great dramatic significance. They greatly contribute to the theme that appearance does not always portray reality, and reality is not what one sees but more often what one does not see. The acts of treachery and betrayal in Othello help to develop this theme through character development. Such acts include: how Iago deceives Othello by being his friend and enemy at the same time. Othello betraying his wife’s love and trust. Emilia (Iago’s wife) betraying her very own husband for justice. Finally Iago’s betrayal of Roderigo, using him and his money for his evil plans, and then killing him. Through ought all of these acts of treachery and violence and betrayal a common theme seems to be developed, mostly through the development of characters. Iago’s character is a prime example of how acts of treachery and betrayal can alter people. Iago starts of by wanting to ruin Othello’s reputation as a great and wise general, as Iago says in (I, i,44) â€Å"I follow him to serve my turn upon him†. Iago tells this to Roderigo, showing that he intends to betray Othello, by pretending to be his friend and then corrupting and betraying him. As the play progresses, Iago’s intentions are less driven by reason, and more driven by revenge, and blind lustful impulses, â€Å"[Othello] shall fall between us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (IV,iii,246). Iago says this to Roderigo, when he says it is evident that at this point Iago’s character has undergone deep change. For not only does he want to ruin Othello’s reputation, but now he wants to obliterate, destroy, and crush Othello’s reputation, but he also wants to obliterate, destroy, and crush Othello’s entire life. This change in character is mainly due to the fact that the treacherous and betrayal acts that Iago has committed have altered his ways of thinking and have poisoned his very mind. The more of these acts that he commits, the more his character changes. The more his character changes the more deceitful and concealed Iago’s actions become. The appearance of his actions are not what they seem. His actions are twofaced, deceptive and cunning. This set of changes in his character and behaviour contribute to a common theme, the theme that appearance does not always portray reality. This theme is helped to be developed by Iago’s change in character, the more acts of treachery he commits, the more deceitful he is, it is a as if he grows a second face, giving him two faces. One face for deception where he pretends to be loyal and a good friend, and another where his true evil intentions are shown. All this just to get revenge on one man, Othello. By the time Othello realizes what is going on, it is too late and his appearance of things shatter revealing the reality of the situation. Othello has already fallen into the trap, unjustly killing his wife, thanks to Iago’s twofaced deception. Upon coming to this realization Othello finally knows that appearances do not always portray reality, all thanks to Iago’s cunning character. Othello loves his wife Desdemona very much at the start of the play he would do anything for her, believe her every word. However this eventually changes because Othello’s character changes. His character changes because of his acts of betrayal towards his wife. When Othello becomes suspicious that his wife is having an affair with Cassio, he does not ask his wife about it, but instead he goes behind her back and betrays her trust by asking Iago for proof â€Å"†¦Iago I’ll see before I doubt; when I doubt prove† (III, iii, 203-204). By asking Iago for proof, and not his wife Othello is betraying his wife’s trust and love. Through each act of betrayal Othello’s character changes, he sees less reality and more fake appearances. He thinks less logically and more impulsively, with jealousy. His change in character causes him to lose sight of reality and this causes him to go into further betrayal, by ultimately killing his wife, and completely betraying her trust and love and kindness. The more that Othello’s character changes the less reality he sees, and the more fiction he sees, which makes him betray someone he loves, because appearances are not always true. Othello and Desdemona are not the only couple that suffer acts of betrayal from within their very own relationship. Emilia and Iago are another couple that, whose characters’ change causing them to lose touch with reality. Emilia is always suspicious of Iago but she still trusts him, for example when she gives Desdemona’s handkerchief to Iago reluctantly â€Å"If [the handkerchief]be not for some purpose of import,/Give't me again: poor lady, she'll run mad/ When she shall lack it† (III,iii,156-159). Emilia does not want to give the handkerchief to Iago because she thinks he might to something to hurt Desdemona and Othello with it. Therefore she asks him indirectly to give it back to Desdemona. In doing so Emilia is betraying her husbands trust by doubting his intentions. This small event is enough to change her view of her husband, and plant doubt in her mind as to the reality of his actions versus their appearance. Ultimately this small action has great consequences to her life. Near the end of the play, once Othello kills his wife, Emilia finds out and she confronts Othello, and she reveals that it was her husband that betrayed him. In doing so, she has betrayed all trust that she and her husband had. Making Othello see the reality of the situation, and shoving aside the illusion that Iago had woven around him. Iago in turn kills her, rewarding her for her betrayal, as he has done before to others. Iago has betrayed many people among them a very good friend of his, Roderigo. Roderigo is a naive man who is in love with Desdemona, and he is paying Iago to set them up. Through ought the play he keeps paying Iago and he believes that Iago is doing this to help him. However all is not as it appears, for in truth Iago is using Roderigo’s money and using Roderigo to do his bidding all the while pretending to be his friend and helping him to get to Desdemona. I have rubb'd this young quat almost to the sense,/And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,/Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,/ Every way makes my gain† (IV, ii, 256-236). When Iago says this it shows how much he did not care for his friend, he was only using him for his own gain and vengeful purposes. Consequently Iago ends up killing Roderigo so that he may look like an innocent savior and a noble man. For Roderig o was instructed by Iago to kill Cassio. Through this act Iago has put on an act a mask, for he has disguised the reality of his actions through the betrayal of one of his close friends. In doing so Iago’s character has become cold and cunning, able to make reality his puppet by putting on illusions for others to see and not reality. All of the above examples: from Iago betraying Othello by being his friend and enemy at the same time, Othello’s betrayal of his wife’s trust and love, Emilia betraying her husband and making his evil deeds known to others and Iago’s use and murder of one of his close friends. All of these acts of treachery caused the characters’ of the people committing them, to change for the worst. As the characters changed they saw less of reality and more fake appearances of things and events. This flaw in how characters see things leads to a common theme being developed that theme is: appearance does not always portray reality, and reality is not what one sees but more often what one does not see. Having eyes does not mean a person is able to see the truth, but merely means that they can observe all the illusions created by others, for to truly see the truth, one must look with their minds eye.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Main sources of water pollution in urban areas versus rural areas Essay

Water constitutes approximately 70 percent of the earth’s surface and therefore it is a significant resource (Krantz and Kifferstein (n. d. ). It is a vital resource for without water, life would cease to exist on earth. It is however unfortunate that despite being a precious commodity, water pollution is existent everywhere ranging from the rural areas to the urban areas. The World Factbook (2010, p. 1) defines pollution as â€Å"the contamination of a healthy environment by man-made waste. † In case of water pollution, there is introduction of large amounts of substances into the water rendering it unsuitable for intended use. Water pollutants are classified as either point source pollution or non-point source pollution. Either way, these occur in both rural and urban places but with differing magnitude. It is also notable that major sources of water pollution differ in urban and rural areas. This paper compares and contrasts between major water pollutants in rural and urban areas. Causes of water pollution in rural areas It is notable that water pollution in rural areas mainly affects ground water since ground water forms the major source of water for rural populations. Ground water is usually contaminated in case there are leakages and in the ground tanks or in case of municipal landfills. As earlier stated, water pollution can be point source pollution or nonpoint source pollution. In point source pollution; there is direct introduction of pollutants into the water as opposed to nonpoint source pollution whereby pollutants are indirectly introduced into the water. Krantz and Kifferstein (n. d. ) provide that run-off fertilizer is a good example of nonpoint water pollution whereas oil spill is a good illustration of point water pollution. From this illustration, it is evident that nonpoint forms of water pollution are more likely to be found in rural areas whereas point pollution is more likely to be witnessed in urban areas. In rural areas, the main source of water pollution is surface-runoff. This introduces a variety of pollutants especially chemicals that are used for agricultural purposes. Nitrates and phosphorous are commonly used in farming more so in European countries such as England, Wales and Ireland. These countries have gone to the extent of classifying some farms as nitrate vulnerable zones to indicate that the farms can easily cause nitrate pollution. The risk of nitrate and phosphorous pollution increases depending on the time when the fertilizers are applied, the rate at which the fertilizers are applied, how fertilizers are handled and the distance between the point where fertilizers are applied and watercourses (Murray, 2010). An increase in nitrates and phosphorus causes aquatic plants to proliferate thus causing oxygen depletion as well as turbidity not to mention the clogging of water passages. This is detrimental to aquatic life as well as dependants of aquatic resources. It is notable that run-off water pollution is also referred to as diffuse water pollution and it also entails run-off from farm buildings as well as farm roads. Manure is also likely to be washed down into water bodies during rainfall periods thus acting as a diffuse water pollution source. A study carried out by Nkwonta and Ochieng 2009) in Soghanguve area, rural South Africa, indicated that run-off from farms as well as household waste were the dominant pollutants in the local rivers. In addition, pollution from fertilizer run-off made up to 50 percent of the water run-off pollution. Other farming chemicals such as pesticides were significant water pollutants in the region thus confirming diffuse water pollution due to farming activities as the main water pollutant in rural areas. Silt and wash-off from fields causes eutrophication whereby water bodies tend to fill up and aquatic life is harmed due to impaired respiration and suffocation. Agro-based industries are mentioned as major sources of pollution in rural areas. According to Narendra (2010), effluents from agro-based industries have a striking role in pollution of water in rural areas. This is in combination with the already mentioned excessive application of chemical fertilizers. Narendra (2010) further reports that an assessment of 179,999 ground water sites in 26 states contains pollutants such as fluoride, nitrate, salinity, arsenic and iron as per a report by the department of Drinking Water Supply. Pollution in River Hindon is said to emanate from up to 28 agro-based industries. The release of chemicals from agro-based industries causes change in water pH as well as foaming thus interfering with the aquatic environment. Release of agrochemicals such as DDT pollutes water and the chemicals are passed through the food chain to human beings. Organic pollution especially from sewage is also a common source of water pollution in rural areas. The organic content in sewage promotes proliferation of microorganisms that pollute water by causing disease as well as using up oxygen contained in water as they decompose the organic substances. Oxygen depletion leads to an imbalanced aquatic ecosystem. Organic water pollutants in rural areas can also emanate from decomposing plants, pastures as well as livestock waste. It is important to identify that untreated organic waste such as sewage or farm runoffs introduce disease causing organisms such as bacteria and protozoan and diseases such as dysentery are a predictable outcome. To put extra emphasis on the contribution of agricultural wastes as water pollutants in rural areas, it is worth considering a country such as China. China stocks the largest number of pigs in the world (470 million pigs as compared to 950 million world pig stock) (Qing, 2007). China is also a leader in production of poultry and goats and therefore forming the largest water pollutant country. It is identified that most of the waste coming from the livestock farming activities is not treated well with pig farms discharging a lot of wastewater. The waste water from poultry and pig farms has low temperature and mire which is mainly organic leads to oxygen depletion once introduced into water bodies. It is estimated that if China continues to practice poultry and livestock farming, rural water pollution from these sources will exceed pollution from fertilizer and domestic wastes. Causes of water pollution in urban areas Urban areas usually depend on ground water as stored underground tanks. The main causes of water pollution in urban areas are leaking pipes and contamination from water and sewage being close. Since urban water is sourced from a particular point, contamination at the source is also a major phenomenon. Human waste, industrial effluents as well as household wastes have are important sources of water pollution in urban areas. Urban areas, just like rural areas, have runoff especially after rainfall and these contain pollutants that are of great concern. Sediments are a common component of urban runoff and these constitute the greatest components of urban water pollutants. Most sediment originates from the construction industry which thrives in most urban areas. The runoff may also contain other substances such as rubber, and automobile wastes (Environmental Health and Safety Online, 2009). Petroleum products are the main automobile wastes and these contain hydrocarbons. Other constituents of urban runoff include anti-icing chemicals, heavy metals, disease causing organisms such as bacteria, as well as organic materials. Pathogens and organic materials emanate from sewage, spoilt septic tanks, and grass and leaves. A notable source of organic waste is pet wastes whereas use of fertilizer in lawns and kitchen gardens is also common in urban areas. Nutrient pollutants like fertilizers and organic wastes enhance growth of microorganisms and decomposition of wastes thus causing a decrease in dissolved oxygen. These consequentially render aquatic life unbearable. An increase in fertilizer and pesticide pollution in Bagmati River in Kathmandu city of Nepal is a good example of an urban source of water pollution. It is also indicated that Bagmati River experiences direct discharge of industrial and domestic untreated wastes released from Patan city as indicated by an increase in faecal coliform in the polluted areas. This is an important difference in sources of urban water pollution because water from rural regions of Bagmati has normal chemistry and coliform numbers (SEARO. , n. d). Release of sewage without treatment or with poor treatment into water bodies in urban areas has the potential to introduce disease causing organisms such as coliform bacteria. Nitrates are found to be high even in treated sewage and therefore it is a great challenge as urban source of water contamination. Phosphates are also introduced in water bodies as a result of poorly treated sewage. Phosphates are notorious in speeding up the growth of algae as evidenced in the Broads Lake in the UK. As the Broads was expanding in terms of population increase, an increase in sewage with high content of phosphates was experienced with some of the sewage gaining way into the Broads Lake. Consequently, there was a spurt in algae growth whereas water plants died eventually disturbing the lake’s ecosystem (Srinivas, 2010). A similar phenomenon has been experienced in Lake Biwa in Japan where an excess of phosphorous and nitrogen led to excessive growth of algae as well as eutrophication. As earlier noted, urban areas depend on ground water which is prone to various forms of contamination. For instance, leaking oil from storage tanks and leaking sewage lines that are in close proximity with water pipes can end up polluting ground water. On another note, garbage can be intentionally dumped into water bodies or the mere garbage dump can end up contaminating surface water. Since urban areas usually have industries, the industries may cause water pollution indirectly by emitting gases like sulphur dioxide that cause acid rain. Acid rain ends up disturbing water chemistry and this is hazardous to living organisms. According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (2005, para 3), â€Å"pavement and compacted areas, roofs, and reduced tree canopy and open space increase runoff volumes† eventually contaminating water significantly. In addition to increase in runoff volume the runoff is also at a high velocity thus increasing water pollution through increased erosion of stream banks, and depositing sediments in streams. The channels through which the high velocity runoff passes through are also incised leading to an increase in sediment deposition. Runoff from urban areas has a higher potential off causing water pollution since there exists no forests or grasslands to enhance water filtration into the ground as compared to such conditions in rural areas. Urban landscapes are nonporous thus there exists almost no opportunity for runoff to percolate. EPA also notes that runoff from highly developed urban areas can lead to increased water temperatures thus adversely affecting aquatic life and the quality of water in affected streams. If a wastewater treatment plant is not maintained well or if it is poorly cited, then there is the risk of causing water pollution in urban areas. Industrial wastes and emissions are a serious concern due to their contribution in water pollution in urban areas. With most urban areas having industries, industrial pollutants have been of major concern. It is noted that most industries are likely to be located close to water sources for industrial process (TutorVista, 2010). Unfortunately, these same industries end up mismanaging the precious resource by introducing hazardous chemicals. Industrial wastes include acids and alkalis, heavy metals like cadmium in addition to chemicals such as ammonia. Acids and alkalis alter the pH of water whereas detergents cause increased turbidity that has the potential to intoxicate aquatic organisms. Some of the industries cause an increase in water temperature which can be lethal to aquatic life. This is common with power plants and industries that use a lot of water for cooling purposes. It is also a common phenomenon to find oil spills in lakes and oceans. Although this cannot be purely be defined as an urban source of water pollution, it is important to know that oil spills can occur in lake regions located in urban areas. Furthermore, oil refineries can be located offshore and oil spills can occur. Oil spills lead to death of aquatic organisms since the oil covers the surface of water preventing oxygen from penetrating (TutorVista, 2010). Conclusion Looking at the main sources of water pollution in urban and rural areas, it is evident that runoff dominate as the main source of contaminant. It is clearly evident that water pollution in rural areas is point form pollution whereas pollution in urban areas is mainly nonpoint form. However, the content of the runoff differ with rural runoff contain contaminants that are mainly agricultural-based whereas urban areas have industrial-based runoff. In rural areas, runoff mainly contains fertilizer compounds such as nitrates and phosphorous causing a proliferation in algae and water plants. The consequent eutrophication leads to oxygen depletion and death of aquatic life. Runoff from livestock farms also introduces organic compounds that are lead to oxygen depletion as they are decomposed by microorganism. In urban areas, runoff is mainly composed of sediments from construction industries as well as industrial and automobile wastes. Urban runoff is more detrimental since percolation is rare unlike in the vegetated rural areas. Acid rain is a possible water pollutant in urban areas due to emission of noxious gases from the many industries in rural areas. In both rural and urban areas, human waste from poorly treated or untreated sewage is emergent as a popular water pollutant. Pathogens such as bacteria and viruses are also evident as water pollutants in both rural and urban areas as introduced by human and animal waste. Bibliography Environmental Health and Safety Online. (2009). Causes and control of water pollution in urban areas. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. ehso. com/ehshome/WaterPollution_Urban.htm Environmental Protection Agency. (2005). National management measures to control nonpoint source pollution from urban areas. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. epa. gov/nps/urbanmm/ Krantz, D. and Kifferstein, B. (nd). Water pollution and society. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. umich. edu/~gs265/society/waterpollution. htm Murray, P. (2010). Controlling diffuse water pollution in rural areas. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. netregs. gov. uk/netregs/100797. aspx Narendra, C. (2010, Mar. 10). Water pollution in surface resources and rural areas. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. mynews. in/News/Water_Pollution_in_Surface_Resources_and_Rural_Areas_N40334. html Nkwonta, O. I. and Ochieng, G. M. (2009). Water pollution in Soshanguwe environs of South Africa. World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology 56: 499-503. Qing, C. (2007). Urban & rural water pollution: hazard & control. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. ecosanres. org/icss/proceedings/presentations/51–CHEN-Qing–EN. pdf SEARO. (n. d). National Environmental & Health Action Plan: Environmental problems. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. searo. who. int/LinkFiles/National_Environment_&_Health_Action_Plan_chp9a. pdf Srinivas, H. (2010). Urban water pollution. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. gdrc. org/uem/water/watershed/urban-water-pollution. html TutorVista. (2010). Water pollution. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from http://www. tutorvista. com/content/biology/biology-ii/environment-and-environmental-problems/water-pollution. php World Factbook. (2010). Environment – current issues. Retrieved 14, Aug. 2010 from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2032. html