Inequality, Hate Groups, and Tolerance Paper Essay

Inequality, Hate Groups, and Tolerance Paper - Essay Example (d) Hate is irrevocably linked to violence. Hate group members are not illiterate, but are well read, well organized, ruthless and armed, and coordinate their acts with like-minded partners. The ‘fourteen words’ are remarkable in their psychological appeal to instincts of survival and protection of children. 3 (a) Alex Curtis, based in San Diego, is one of today’s most influential white supremacists. He has effectively harnessed the media, through his website, e-mail lists, telephone hotlines and magazine, to disseminate his message of violent hatred of minorities. His group stands for the employment of any means to foster hate and violence against Jews, Blacks and all minorities. (b) Alex Curtis’ group feels that the U.S. Government is a Zion Occupied Government, which is manipulated by the Jews and is actively engaged in the marginalization and elimination of white Anglo-Saxons. The origin of White Power Music was marked by violent conflicts among extremists, the most high-profile one being the one between Swedish Nordland and British Ragnarock. In 1997-98 the industry was curtailed by Government actions in the U.S., Britain and Europe. The industry has reorganized and its’ message of violent racism is spreading its’ tentacles all over the world. There is growing cooperation among the leading players, who are (1) William Pierce: leader of the U.S. Nationalist Alliance and the owner of Resistance Records. (2) National Socialist Black Metal: anti-Christian, racist, Skinhead music (3) Hammerskin Nation: premium label for American skinhead bands, extremely violent (4) Blood and Honour: Swedish based, owner of Ragnarock with links to neo-Nazi political parties. (f) Stormfront is the oldest hate website, whose webmaster is Don Black, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan. Its’ philosophy of white supremacist beliefs considers Jews, Blacks and other minorities to

Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health and social care Essay Example for Free

Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health and social care Essay Unit 201 – Understand employment responsibilities and rights in health, social care or children and young people’s settings. Describe the terms and conditions of own contract of employment. Probation period: When I joined Children 4 Most I was told I was on a 6 month probation period, This means that the management are able to terminate my contract if the company is unsatisfied with my working standards. Place of Work: I was also told that I may have to work at other locations for the nursery’s needs. Pay arrangements: My pay is  £433 a month which is paid Into my bank account in or around the 23rd of each month. I am also entitled to  £150 bonus every 3 months; this is given to each staff member if they haven’t had a sick day or been late to work in the 3 month period. Contracted Hours: My hours of work are 35 hours a week, A Monday to Friday arrangement. Holidays: My holiday year runs from the 1st of April to the 31st of March. I am entitled to 28 days holidays which include the days I have to take for Bank Holidays. Holiday Pay: Holiday pay will be at the normal rate pay. Notice period: If I choose to leave within my first month of being with the company a notice period is not permitted, However If I have been working with the company longer than 1 month a 1 week period will be provided, If I will have been with the company longer than 6 month’s a 4 week notice is required. Confidentiality: Should I breach this it may result in my contract being terminated. However if a child is believe to be in need or at risk of suffering harm, Legal advice should be obtained. Describe the information which needs to be shown on your pay slip. My salary should be shown and the hours which I have worked, Also the rate of my pay for example 433.3300. Also the date of the payslip, the tax code and employee number, The net pay and also my name. Total gross pay, Gross for tax, Tax paid, Earnings for National Insurance and also My National Insurance number. Explain what could happen when not carrying out the correct requirements of your role. If I didn’t carry out the correct requirements the children may not get the correct care that should be given. The nursery may also receive a visit from OFSTED and they may close down the nursery or change the rating for example from outstanding to pass, Parents may also take their children out of the nursery which may cause the nursery to close down. Explain how your role contributes to the overall delivery of then service provided. I provide all the correct care to ensure all the children’s needs are all correctly met and that they are happy and learning to all of their abilities. I have lots of responsibilities around the nursery from maintaining care of the children to protecting them and encouraging them with their learning. I also have to monitor the children and check the register frequently and carry out head count checks every 30 minutes. I also have close bonds with the parents and when carrying out activities making sure the safety aspects are all addressed and followed. If the correct care wasn’t provided, overall care may be dropped and accidents may happen. Explain how you could influence the quality of the service provided by – following the best practice within your work role. In a great position to influence a quality of care by setting standards of care, I show respect towards the children at all I times, I allow each child to have one and one time with me and I also allow each child to talk when they would like something. I deal with private situations with great respect for a example toilet routines, I encourage each child to close the toilet door behind them and I encourage each child to wipe themselves independently and pull up their clothing before they have opened the toilet door. Identify the personal information that must be kept up to date with your employer. The information includes: * name * address * date of birth * sex * education and qualifications * work experience * National Insurance number * tax code * details of any known disability * emergency contact details Explain agreed ways of working with employer. Without a job description you wouldn’t be able to apply for the job as you wouldn’t know what roles and responsibilities the job would entitle. Your employer will also have agreed on your pay and the benefits you may or may not get within the job for example a company car, you will have agreed to this by signing a contract.

The Attack on Pearl Harbor :: World War II WWII WW2

The Japanese planned a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and struck at 7:55 A.M. on December 7th, 1941. This attack led to President Franklin Roosevelt asking Congress for a Declaration of War. This was the event that led to the United States entering World War II. The United States was mad at Japan for invading Manchuria in 1931. We were worried about the Japanese military. That is why President Roosevelt moved our Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor. After many months of talking, the Japanese broke off negotiations with the United States on December 6, 1941. We had made an offer to them and they never replied to the offer. The U.S. knew that the Japanese were probably going to attack us soon. We didn’t know where the attack would be. Most military officers thought it would be in the South Pacific. They were partly right and wrong. Nobody really thought the Japanese would attack our fleet at Pearl Harbor in the east even though we knew it was possible for an aircraft carrier attack to hit there. The Japanese secretly sent a large naval fleet toward Pearl Harbor. It was the largest fleet of its type in history. The purpose of the mission was to wipe out the U.S. Pacific Fleet so the Japanese could continue to take control of the South Pacific area. Our fleet was the only real threat to their military plan. When the Japanese planes left the aircraft carriers to attack Pearl Harbor they were detected by our radar operators. The radar operators assumed they were either a large group of birds or some U.S. planes out on a training mission. The first attack by the Japanese started at 7:55 am. Our ships were lined up next to each other. This made them easy targets for the Japanese pilots. In just a short period of time, five of our eight destroyers were sunk and the rest badly damaged. A second wave of Japanese planes also attacked Pearl Harbor. They continued to attack our ships and also attacked our airfields. One type of ship they didn’t sink was our aircraft carriers. They looked for them but never found them. They were out doing some training missions. The Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor destroyed 188 airplanes.

Deception Point Page 108

Exhausted, Tolland looked up at the underbelly of the thundering tilt-rotor airplane. Deafening gusts pounded down off its horizontal propellers. As Rachel rose on a cable, numerous sets of hands pulled her into the fuselage. As Tolland watched her dragged to safety, his eyes spotted a familiar man crouched half-naked in the doorway. Corky? Tolland's heart soared. You're alive! Immediately, the harness fell from the sky again. It landed ten feet away. Tolland wanted to swim for it, but he could already feel the sucking sensation of the plume. The relentless grip of the sea wrapped around him, refusing to let go. The current pulled him under. He fought toward the surface, but the exhaustion was overwhelming. You're a survivor, someone was saying. He kicked his legs, clawing toward the surface. When he broke through into the pounding wind, the harness was still out of reach. The current strained to drag him under. Looking up into the torrent of swirling wind and noise, Tolland saw Rachel. She was staring down, her eyes willing him up toward her. It took Tolland four powerful strokes to reach the harness. With his last ounce of strength, he slid his arm and head up into the loop and collapsed. All at once the ocean was falling away beneath him. Tolland looked down just as the gaping vortex opened. The megaplume had finally reached the surface. William Pickering stood on the bridge of the Goya and watched in dumbstruck awe as the spectacle unfolded all around him. Off the starboard of the Goya's stern, a huge basinlike depression was forming on the surface of the sea. The whirlpool was hundreds of yards across and expanding fast. The ocean spiraled into it, racing with an eerie smoothness over the lip. All around him now, a guttural moan reverberated out of the depths. Pickering's mind was blank as he watched the hole expanding toward him like the gaping mouth of some epic god hungry for sacrifice. I'm dreaming, Pickering thought. Suddenly, with an explosive hiss that shattered the windows of the Goya's bridge, a towering plume of steam erupted skyward out of the vortex. A colossal geyser climbed overhead, thundering, its apex disappearing into the darkened sky. Instantly, the funnel walls steepened, the perimeter expanding faster now, chewing across the ocean toward him. The stern of the Goya swung hard toward the expanding cavity. Pickering lost his balance and fell to his knees. Like a child before God, he gazed downward into the growing abyss. His final thoughts were for his daughter, Diana. He prayed she had not known fear like this when she died. The concussion wave from the escaping steam hurled the Osprey sideways. Tolland and Rachel held each other as the pilots recovered, banking low over the doomed Goya. Looking out, they could see William Pickering-the Quaker-kneeling in his black coat and tie at the upper railing of the doomed ship. As the stern fishtailed out over the brink of the massive twister, the anchor cable finally snapped. With its bow proudly in the air, the Goya slipped backward over the watery ledge, sucked down the steep spiraling wall of water. Her lights were still glowing as she disappeared beneath the sea. 131 The Washington morning was clear and crisp. A breeze sent eddies of leaves skittering around the base of the Washington Monument. The world's largest obelisk usually awoke to its own peaceful image in the reflecting pool, but today the morning brought with it a chaos of jostling reporters, all crowding around the monument's base in anticipation. Senator Sedgewick Sexton felt larger than Washington itself as he stepped from his limousine and strode like a lion toward the press area awaiting him at the base of the monument. He had invited the nation's ten largest media networks here and promised them the scandal of the decade. Nothing brings out the vultures like the smell of death, Sexton thought. In his hand, Sexton clutched the stack of white linen envelopes, each elegantly wax-embossed with his monogrammed seal. If information was power, then Sexton was carrying a nuclear warhead. He felt intoxicated as he approached the podium, pleased to see his improvised stage included two â€Å"fameframes†-large, free-standing partitions that flanked his podium like navy-blue curtains-an old Ronald Reagan trick to ensure he stood out against any backdrop. Sexton entered stage right, striding out from behind the partition like an actor out of the wings. The reporters quickly took their seats in the several rows of folding chairs facing his podium. To the east, the sun was just breaking over the Capitol dome, shooting rays of pink and gold down on Sexton like rays from heaven. A perfect day to become the most powerful man in the world. â€Å"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen,† Sexton said, laying the envelopes on the lectern before him. â€Å"I will make this as short and painless as possible. The information I am about to share with you is, frankly, quite disturbing. These envelopes contain proof of a deceit at the highest levels of government. I am ashamed to say that the President called me half an hour ago and begged me-yes, begged me-not to go public with this evidence.† He shook his head with dismay. â€Å"And yet, I am a man who believes in the truth. No matter how painful.† Sexton paused, holding up the envelopes, tempting the seated crowd. The reporters' eyes followed the envelopes back and forth, a pack of dogs salivating over some unknown delicacy. The President had called Sexton a half hour ago and explained everything. Herney had talked to Rachel, who was safely aboard a plane somewhere. Incredibly, it seemed the White House and NASA were innocent bystanders in this fiasco, a plot masterminded by William Pickering. Not that it matters, Sexton thought. Zach Herney is still going down hard. Sexton wished he could be a fly on the wall of the White House right now to see the President's face when he realized Sexton was going public. Sexton had agreed to meet Herney at the White House right now to discuss how best to tell the nation the truth about the meteorite. Herney was probably standing in front of a television at this very moment in dumbfounded shock, realizing that there was nothing the White House could do to stop the hand of fate. â€Å"My friends,† Sexton said, letting his eyes connect with the crowd. â€Å"I have weighed this heavily. I have considered honoring the President's desire to keep this data secret, but I must do what is in my heart.† Sexton sighed, hanging his head like a man trapped by history. â€Å"The truth is the truth. I will not presume to color your interpretation of these facts in any way. I will simply give you the data at face value.† In the distance, Sexton heard the beating of huge helicopter rotors. For a moment, he wondered if maybe the President were flying over from the White House in a panic, hoping to halt the press conference. That would be the icing on the cake, Sexton thought mirthfully. How guilty would Herney appear THEN? â€Å"I do not take pleasure in doing this,† Sexton continued, sensing his timing was perfect. â€Å"But I feel it is my duty to let the American people know they have been lied to.† The aircraft thundered in, touching down on the esplanade to their right. When Sexton glanced over, he was surprised to see it was not the presidential helicopter after all, but rather a large Osprey tilt-rotor airplane. The fuselage read: United States Coast Guard Baffled, Sexton watched as the cabin door opened and a woman emerged. She wore an orange Coast Guard parka and looked disheveled, like she'd been through a war. She strode toward the press area. For a moment, Sexton didn't recognize her. Then it hit him. Rachel? He gaped in shock. What the hell is SHE doing here? A murmur of confusion went through the crowd. Pasting a broad smile on his face, Sexton turned back to the press and raised an apologetic finger. â€Å"If you could give me just one minute? I'm terribly sorry.† He heaved the weary, good-natured sigh. â€Å"Family first.†

Dramatic irony in Of Mice and Men Essay

The major irony in Of Mice and Men is that George kills Lennie because of their friendship. George kills Lennie to spare him from a worse death. George complained about Lennie and his defects, but realizes his importance only after his death. Once Lennie is dead, George loses the weight of responsibility Lennie caused him, but he is also lonely. Also, Lennie and George’s dream to own their own farm that is carried out throughout the novel dissapears with Lennie’s death. George and Lennie dream of owning a little farm of ten acres with a windmill, a little shack, an orchard and many animals. The dream keeps them going and makes their work easier but also solidifies their friendship. The dream that leads them on will die with Lennie’s death. The dream of Lennie and George is one of the types of American Dream popular in American fiction. Their dream is that of wealth and land, the desire for a home, and to work their own land. For Lennie in particular it is to have responsibility for once, to look after the rabbits, and to finally have a sense of self worth. Yet the irony in Of Mice and Men is that the dream seems a mirage, it will not be achieved. George and Lennie try to deny their social class and role in the world, but the outcome will prove this dream to be unreachable. George and Lennie only own their arms and the friendship between them. Lennie’s retardation causes irony in the novel. Despite the fact that Lennie is fundamentally good, a grown child, he harms those that surround him. This can be seen when he kills the mouse because he stroked it too hard. Yet, the killing of the mouse was caused by his affection for it, and his liking its soft fur. Similarly, he kills the puppy, and eventually Curley’s wife. All these acts occur not due to hatred or the intentional desire to harm, but due to his childish affection, and love for the mouse, the puppy and Curley’s wife. Lennie is simply too slow to realize his own strength and his retardation is the cause of his death. Despite the fact George tried to keep him out of trouble, Lennie eventually puts himself in a situation from which he cannot be saved. All Lennie can do is kill him to avoid him a worse fate. Ironically, it is also love that causes Lennie’s death. George kills him to save him from linching. And once again, their is irony in George’s situation  at the end of the book. Despite the weight Lennie was to his friend, because of to his mental retardation, George is alone and lonely at the end of the novel. Through these feelings he realizes the worth of his friendship with Lennie, that was greater than the problems caused by his retardation but that still caused his death. Loneliness troubles many characters in Of Mice and Men, including Candy, Crooks, Curley’s wife, and Slim. Their desire for human company makes them human and makes George and Lennie unselfish and good in their friendship that is stronger than their social condition. In Of Mice and Men, the fundamental irony is that no matter how elaborately George and Lennie plan their future, and regardless of how strongly they hope and dream their plan wil not happen. George and Lennie are forced to work the land of others, dreaming for the day they will own their own farm. They work hard to reach their dream, yet the effects of Lennie’s retardation, despite him being good, will cause them not to achieve their dream. George and Lennie’s friendship is what makes them unique, yet did not stop their sad destiny. Despite the fact that Lennie is a weight for George, George always ends up defending him but cannot do anything to save him in the end and his forced to kill him. He kills him for love and this is another element of irony in Of Mice and Men. But once Lennie is dead, George is lonely and despite his attachement to his dream of owning a farm he has to realize his dream has died with Lennie, because it was their dream, not his own.

Battle of King Mountain in the American Revolution

Battle of King Mountain in the American Revolution The Battle of Kings Mountain was fought October 7, 1780, during the American Revolution (1775-1783). Having shifted their focus south, the British achieved a decisive victory in May 1780 when they captured Charleston, SC. As the British pushed inland, the Americans suffered a string of defeats which allowed  Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis to secure much of South Carolina. As Cornwallis moved north, he dispatched Major Patrick Ferguson west with a force of Loyalists to protect his flank and supply lines from local militias. Fergusons command was engaged by an American militia force at Kings Mountain on October 7 and destroyed. The victory provided a badly needed boost to American morale and forced Cornwallis to abandon his advance into North Carolina. Background Following their defeat at Saratoga in late 1777 and the French entry into the war, British forces in North America began pursuing a southern strategy for ending the rebellion. Believing that Loyalist support was higher in the South, successful efforts were made to capture Savannah in 1778, followed by General Sir Henry Clintons siege and taking of Charleston in 1780. In the wake of the citys fall, Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton crushed an American force at Waxhaws in May 1780. The battle became infamous in the region as Tarletons men killed numerous Americans as they attempted to surrender. American fortunes in the region continued to decline that August when the victor of Saratoga, Major General Horatio Gates, was routed at the Battle of Camden by Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis. Believing that Georgia and South Carolina had effectively been subjugated, Cornwallis began planning for a campaign into North Carolina. While organized resistance from the Continental Army had been swept aside, numerous local militias, particularly those from over the Appalachian Mountains, continued to cause problems for the British. Skirmishes in the West In the weeks prior to Camden, Colonels Isaac Shelby, Elijah Clarke, and Charles McDowell struck Loyalist strongholds at Thicketty Fort, Fair Forest Creek, and Musgrove Mill. This last engagement saw the militia raid a Loyalist camp that guarded a ford over the Enoree River. In the fighting, the Americans killed 63 Tories while capturing another 70. The victory led to the colonels discussing a march against Ninety-Six, SC, but they aborted this plan upon learning of Gates defeat. Concerned that these militias could attack his supply lines and undermine his future efforts, Cornwallis dispatched a strong flanking column to secure the western counties as he moved north. Command of this unit was given to Major Patrick Ferguson. A promising young officer, Ferguson had earlier developed an effective breech-loading rifle which possessed a greater rate of fire than the traditional Brown Bess musket and could be loaded while prone. In 1777, he led an experimental rifle corps equipped with the weapon until being wounded at the Battle of Brandywine. Ferguson Acts A believer that militia could be trained to be as effective as regulars, Fergusons command was composed of 1,000 Loyalists from the region. Appointed Inspector of Militia on May 22, 1780, he relentlessly trained and drilled his men. The result was a highly-disciplined unit that possessed strong morale. This force quickly moved against the western militias after the Battle of Musgrove Mill but was unable to catch them before they withdrew back over the mountains into the territory of the Watauga Association. While Cornwallis started moving north, Ferguson established himself at Gilbert Town, NC on September 7. Dispatching a paroled American into the mountains with a message, he issued a stark challenge to the mountain militias. Ordering them to cease their attacks, he stated that if they did not desist from their opposition to the British arms, and take protection under his standard, he would march his army over the mountains, hang their leaders, and lay their country waste with fire and sword. Commanders Armies: Americans Colonel John SevierColonel William CampbellColonel Isaac ShelbyColonel James JohnstonColonel Benjamin ClevelandColonel Joseph WinstonColonel James WilliamsColonel Charles McDowellLieutenant Colonel Frederick Hambright900 men British Major Patrick Ferguson1,000 men The Militia Reacts Rather than intimidate, Fergusons words sparked outrage in the western settlements. In response, Shelby, Colonel John Sevier, and others gathered around 1,100 militia at Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga River. This force included around 400 Virginians led by Colonel William Campbell. This rendezvous was facilitated by the fact that Joseph Martin had cultivated positive relations with the neighboring Cherokees. Known as Overmountain Men because they had settled on the western side of the Appalachian Mountains, the combined militia force made plans to cross Roan Mountain into North Carolina. On September 26, they began moving east to engage Ferguson. Four days later they joined Colonels Benjamin Cleveland and Joseph Winston near Quaker Meadows, NC and increased the size of their force to around 1,400. Alerted to the American advance by two deserters, Ferguson began withdrawing east towards Cornwallis and was no longer at Gilbert Town when the militias arrived. He also sent a dispatch to Cornwallis requesting reinforcements. Uniting Forces Appointing Campbell as their nominal overall commander, but with the five colonels agreeing to act in council, the militia moved south to Cowpens where they were joined by 400 South Carolinians under Colonel James Williams on October 6. Learning that Ferguson was camped at Kings Mountain, thirty miles to the east and eager to catch him before he could rejoin Cornwallis, Williams selected 900 picked men and horses. Departing, this force rode east through constant rain and reached Kings Mountain the following afternoon. Ferguson had chosen the position because he believed that it would force any attacker to show themselves as they moved from woods on the slopes to the open summit. Due to the difficult terrain, he elected not to fortify his camp.   Ferguson Trapped Shaped like a footprint, Kings Mountains highest point was at the heel in the southwest and it broadened and flattened towards the toes in the northeast. Approaching, Campbells colonels met to discuss strategy. Rather than simply defeat Ferguson, they sought to destroy his command. Moving through the woods in four columns, the militia slipped around the mountain and surrounded Fergusons position on the heights. While Sevier and Campbells men attacked the heel the remainder of the militia moved forward against the rest of the mountain.  Attacking around 3:00 PM, the Americans opened fire from behind cover with their rifles and caught Fergusons men by surprise (Map). Advancing in deliberate fashion, using rocks and trees for cover, the Americans were able to pick off Fergusons men on the exposed heights. Conversely, the Loyalists position on the high ground led them to frequently overshoot their targets. Given the wooded and rough terrain, each militia detachment effectively fought on its own once the battle commenced. In a precarious position with men falling around him, Ferguson ordered a bayonet attack to drive back Campbell and Seviers men. This was successful, as the enemy lacked bayonets and withdrew down the slope. Rallying at the base of the mountain, the militia began ascending a second time. Several more bayonet attacks were ordered with similar results. Each time, the Americans allowed the charge to expend itself then resumed their attack, picking off more and more Loyalists. The British Destroyed Moving around the heights, Ferguson worked tirelessly to rally his men. After an hour or so of fighting, Shelby, Sevier, and Campbells men were able to gain footholds on the heights. With his own men dropping at an increasing rate, Ferguson attempted to organize a break out. Leading a group of men forward, Ferguson was struck and dragged into the militia lines by his horse. Confronted by an American officer, Ferguson fired and killed him before being shot multiple times by surrounding militiamen. With their leader gone, the Loyalists began attempting to surrender. Shouting Remember Waxhaws and Tarletons Quarter, many in the militia continued to fire, striking down surrendering Loyalists until their colonels could regain control of the situation. Aftermath While casualty numbers for the Battle of Kings Mountain vary from source to source, the Americans lost around 28 killed and 68 wounded. British losses numbered around 225 killed, 163 wounded, and 600 captured. Among the British dead was Ferguson. A promising young officer, his breech-loading rifle was never adopted as it challenged the preferred British method of warfare. Had his men at Kings Mountain been equipped with his rifle, it may have made a difference. In the wake of the victory, Joseph Greer was dispatched on a 600-mile trek from Sycamore Shoals to inform the Continental Congress of the action. For Cornwallis, the defeat signaled stronger than anticipated resistance from the populace. As a result, he abandoned his march into North Carolina and returned south.

Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Example

Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Example Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Give a concise description of how AZN is financed, with reference to the different sources of capital and gearing levels Essay Analysis of AstraZenecas (AZN) 2001 annual report1 reveals that the company is financed by all the traditional methods. The sources of finance which are employed to fund AZN operations comprise of; ; Creditors due within one year (short-term). ; Creditors due after more than one year (long-term). ; Capital and reserves (Capital and Reserves). : A detailed break down of the sources of finance employed are detailed below in Table 1 AstraZenecas Sources of Finance. and Diagram 1 Ratio Analysis of AstraZenecas Financing. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m % % Sources of Finance 2001 2000 Variance Variance Total Financing Creditors due within one year Short term borrowings 150.7 88.7 62.0 41.1% 1.3% Current instalments of loans 75.4 62.0 13.4 17.8% 0.6% Other creditors 4,337.3 4,706.3 -369.0 -8.5% 36.0% 4,563.4 4,857.0 -293.7 -6.4% 37.9% Creditors due after more than one year Loans 447.2 444.4 2.8 0.6% 3.7% Other creditors 107.0 208.5 -101.4 -94.7% 0.9% 554.2 652.8 -98.6 -17.8% 4.6% Capital and reserves Called-up share capital 307.0 311.3 -4.2 -1.4% 2.6% Share premium account 235.2 165.5 69.7 29.6% 2.0% Capital redemption reserve 6.3 2.1 4.2 66.7% 0.1% Merger reserve 304.9 304.9 0.0 0.0% 2.5% Other reserves 1,035.2 1,021.8 13.4 1.3% 8.6% Profit and loss account 5,002.8 4,899.3 103.5 2.1% 41.6% Shareholders funds equity interests 6,891.5 6,704.9 186.6 2.7% 57.3% Minority equity interests 25.4 14.8 10.6 41.7% 0.2% Shareholders funds and minority interests 6,916.9 6,719.7 197.2 2.9% 57.5% Total Financing of AZN 12,034.5 12,229.6 -195.1 -1.6% 100.0% Table 1: AstraZenecas Sources of Finance Diagram 1: Ratio Analysis of AstraZenecas Financing Creditors due within one year. Creditors due within one year are individuals or companies to whom AZN owes sums of money to within one year. For AZN these include goods and services2, taxes and short-term loans (includes bank overdraft). Further analysis3 shows that AZN have à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½150.7m of short-term borrowings from the bank, the break down is shown in Table 2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m % Short term borrowings 2001 2000 Variance Variance Bank borrowings Fixed securities 15.5 14.8 3.7 4.5 Secured by floating charge 5.6 7.7 -2.1 -37.5 Unsecured 128.9 64.1 64.8 50.3 Total 150.0 86.6 63.4 42.3 Other borrowings (unsecured) 0.7 2.1 -1.4 -200.0 Total 150.7 88.7 62.0 41.1 Table 2: Detail of Short-term borrowing. Examination of Table 1 and Table 2 shows that short term borrowing makes up 3.3% of all creditors due within one year. Current instalments of loans make up 1.7% and other creditors 95% of creditors due within one year. In relation to the overall financing of AZN creditors due within one year made up 37.9% of total financing. Creditors due after more than one year (long-term). Loans and other creditors make up AZN due after more than one year. Loans make up 80.7%, whereas, other creditors make up 19.3% of creditors due after more than one year. Table 1 shows that creditors due after more than one year accounts for only 4.6% AZNs total financing. Shareholders Funds The scrutiny of Table 1 makes obvious that AZN is financed 57.3 % by Shareholders funds. The relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long term financing can be extremely important. It is advisable to establish the ratio/percentage for this relationship as will show the level of debt that is currently financing the AZN, see table 3. Table 3: Relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long-term finance. It can be suggested that AZN is a low-geared company; this assumption is based on the 6.1% outcome of the gearing ratio equation, table 3. The ratio of 6.1% reveals that AZN are financed by 6.1% debt and long term finance. The low gearing ratio means that AZN have a higher dependence on equity finance. A low rate of debt means that at bad times AZN will still have enough left over for ordinary shareholders after payment of interest on debt items. Another way of analysing debt would be to establish the interest cover of interest4 to be paid by AZN on their loans. The interest cover equation would show how many times AZN would be able to cover the interest to be paid with AZN profit before interest and tax5. Table 4: AstraZenecas Interest cover. The interest cover equation reveals that AZN are very comfortable, as they are able to cover interest payable 47.3 times. b) Has the companys financial structure changed significantly during the year. AZN have done well to reduce their long-term creditors from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½208.5m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½107m in 2001, this is a 94.7% reduction of AZN creditors. Additionally, AZN have reduced short-term creditors by 8.5% from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½4,706.3m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½7,337.3 in 2001. However, with further analysis of AZN balance sheet6 unveils that the reduction in short-term and long-term creditors may have been to some extent financed by current assets and an increase in long-term loans. The balance sheet shows that AZNs current assets have reduced by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½466.2m from 2000 to 2001. The 6.7% reduction in current assets is due to a 10.0% decrease in short term investments from 2000 to 2001 and a 4.8% reduction in cash from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½719m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½496.5m in 2001. In addition, there has been a 0.6% increase in the value of long-term loans AZN have, from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½444.4m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½447.2m in 2001, this may have been used to fund the payment of long term creditors. However, the release of cash and short-term investments and the increase in the long-term loans may have been a consequence of a 2.6% increase in fixed assets and a 12.4% increase in stock. AZN in 2001 increased tangible fixed assets by 8.4% to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½3,809.2m and increased fixed asset investment by 52.2% to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½16.2m, this accounts for the 2.6% increase in fixed assets. The 12.4% increase in stock from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,482.4m in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1,691.5 in 2001 is a result of AZN purchasing 31.8% more raw materials and consumables in 2001 and the 10.4% increase of finished goods and goods for resale. Table 5 reinforces that AZN have a higher level of stock in the warehouse in 2001 in comparison to 2000 because the acid test ratio reduced by 6.1% in 2001 from 2000. In addition, AZN have repurchased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½756.3m shares in 2001 which is mostly likely done because AZN had a high level of cash they wished to dispose of. However, the one weakness of AZN in 2001 is that debtors have decreased by 9.2%, hence, this illustrates that working capital in 2001 is weak in comparison to 2000. The decrease of debtors from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,7887 in 2000 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½2,554.9 in 2001 indicates that customers of AZN are taking more time to pay their debts. In addition, AZN are paying creditors (short and long term) 9.6% quicker in 2001 in comparison to 2000. Liquidity ratios would be able to show how effectively AZN are able to pay its creditors, expenses, loans falling due etc. at the correct times. Failure to ensure the payments are covered effectively could mean AZN would have to close down. The current7 and acid test8 ratios will illustrate how liquid9 AZN is in Table 5. 2001 2000 Variance Variance % Current Ratio 1.52 1.52 0.00 0% Acid Test Ratio 1.15 1.27 -0.07 -6.1% Table 5: AstraZenecas liquidity comparison from 2000 to 2001 The rule of thumb for the current ratio is that the figure should always be above 1, otherwise the company does not have enough assets to meets its liabilities, therefore, insolvent. Table 5 shows that AZN has a desirable current ratio, it shows that AZN is able to cover its liabilities 1.52 times with its current assets. The current ratio has remained consistent between 2000 to 2001. However, the current ratio also includes AZNs stock and this could distort the ratio. The acid test ratio takes into account. Table 5 shows that there was a 6.1% decrease in the acid test ratio from 2000 to 2001. This indicates AZN in 2001 have more stock that is piling up in the warehouse. In relation to Table 3 AZNs gearing level in 2001 was 6.1% compared to 6.2% the previous year, see Table 6. Table 6: Relationship between ordinary shares to other forms of long-term finance. The reason why AZNs gearing level has decreased by 0.1% in 2001 is due to the revaluation of reserves which accounted for a negative à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½348.6m. c) Do you consider the level of financial gearing to be appropriate for a company of this type? AZNs level of financial gearing stands at 6.1, this is considerably low in comparison to the industry sector average10, which stands at 38.65. A comparison of gearing levels of AZN to other companies in the pharmaceutical industry is shown in Table 7, Company 2001 Gearing British Biotec 2.96 Johnson Johnson 3.16 Pfizer Inc 3.87 Celltech Group PLC 5.43 Astra Zeneca PLC 6.49 Merck Co., Inc. 9.84 Shire Pharmaceutical 10.54 Drew Scientific Group PLC 13.89 Eli Lilly and Company 15.10 Industry 38.65 Table 7: Industry Gearing level analysis. The level of gearing is at an inappropriate level taking into consideration the nature of the pharmaceutical industry whereby large sums of finance are required to undertake business activities, however, AZN like other pharmaceuticals are money rich companies, hence, requiring less external borrowing. It can be assumed that AZN is a money rich company because in 2001 AZN repurchased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½756.3m shares, which suggests that AZN has a high level of cash that they wished to dispose of. As it has been suggested that AZN have and inappropriate gearing level according to the industry average, but, when the gearing of AZN is compared to the other companies in table 7, the level of gearing is seen as being appropriate. The average gearing of companies in table 7 is 7.92, hence, AZN is 22% below the average, however, it can be suggested the level of gearing is seen as being appropriate in comparison to the average of table 7 and because it is able to cover interest payable 47.3 times. Diagram 2: Industry Gearing Level comparison. 2. a) By reference to the companys five-year record describe the companys earning per share history. Earnings per share (EPS)11 is frequently used to view performance. It indicates how much of AZNs profits can be attributable to each ordinary share. EPS can be seen as a better comparison of performance rather than profit. This is because acquisition or the issue of new shares does not effect EPS, hence, providing a more true reflection of AZNs performance. AZNs EPS12 for the last five years 13can be seen in Table 4 and in Diagram 2. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 EPS à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 1.25 1.24 1.08 1.01 1.02 Variance à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m 0.01 0.15 0.07 -0.01 0 Variance % 0.6% 12.5% 6.5% -0.7% 0 Table 8: AstraZenecas Five-year earning per share history. The five-year EPS history of AZN as shown in Table 6 shows that EPS took a à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01 loss from 1997 to 1998 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.01 from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.02. Nevertheless, since 1998 AZN has seen an in crease in EPS in each year from 1998. The biggest increase in EPS was in 2000 when EPS increased à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.15 (12.5% on 1999 EPS) from à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.08 in 1999 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.24. Finally, there was a slight increase in EPS on 2000 in 2001, AZN EPS saw an increase of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.01, taking EPS to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.25 in 2001. According to Merrill Lynch, Morning Meetings Notes 4th February 2002, state that AZN is estimating EPS midway between à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.06 to à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.17 range for 2002 and Merrill and Lynch14 estimate à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.11 EPS for AZN in 2002. Diagram 3: AstraZenecas earning per share year on year comparison. The EPS of AZN are compared to other companies in the same industry in the table below. EPS à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2000 GlaxoSmithKline 0.72 0.69 Drew Scientific -0.06 -0.04 United Drug PLC 0.41 0.34 Table 9: Pharmaceutical industry EPS comparison. Table 9 shows that AZN have overall a better EPS in comparison to other companies in the same industry. AZNs EPS in comparison to GlaxoSmithKline is 42.4% higher in 2001 and 44.0% higher in 2000. b) Similarly, review the companys five-year dividend policy. A shareholder in AZN obtains their reward in the form of a share of the profits, known as a dividend. A five-year record of AZN dividend payment to shareholders can be examined in Table 4 AstraZenecas Five-year dividend history. à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 Dividends à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ 0.49 0.49 0.49 0.55* 0.51* Variance à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½m 0.00 0.00 0.06 0.04 0 Variance % 0.0% 0.0% -11.6% 7.3% 0.0% Table 10: AstraZenecas Five-year dividend history15. It would be unfair to compare the dividend payments for the years 1997 and 1998 as Astra AB and Zeneca Group PLC merged to form AZN and as a result would give a distorted picture of AZNs dividend payments per ordinary share, as shown in table 10 and diagram 4. Table 10 shows that AZN from 1999 to 2001 have kept dividend payments at à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.49 per ordinary share. The possible explanation why AZN may have kept their dividend consistent is because if the payments were increased in one year, investors would expect an increase in dividends every year. Diagram 4: AstraZenecas dividend year on year comparison. Dividend cover compares the amount of profit earned per ordinary share with the amount of dividend earned, hence, illustrating the proportion of profits that could have been distributed to what was distributed. Table 11 shows a three-year dividend cover comparison. 2001 2000 1999 Dividend Cover 2.4 2.1 0.9 Variance 0.3 1.2 0 Variance % 12.5% 57.1% 0 Table 11: AstraZenecas three-year Dividend cover year on year comparison. The dividend cover of AZN shows that there has been an increase from 1999 to 2001. The dividend cover increased 57.1% from 0.9 times in 1999 to 2.1 times 2000. Once again, there was a 12.5% increase on 2000 figures in 2001 taking the dividend cover to 2.4 times. Investment analysts regard a high dividend over as a reassuring measure of the safety of the current dividend levels. Dividend yield seeks to assess the cash return on investment earned by shareholders; this enables comparisons to be made with other investment opportunities available to shareholders. The dividend yield for AZN at close of Friday 16th March 2002 was 1%, this suggests that investors would get more return on their money in a bank or building society or maybe investing in a different company. c) Obtain the companys PE ratio from the Financial Times. Asses how the PE ratio reflects the historic performance shown in points 2. a) and 2. b). The Financial Times website reported the P/E ratio for AZN as 34.04. This ratio indicates that the price of the shares is 34.04 times the earnings (i.e. profits). In other words, it gives an idea a to the number of years it would take to cover the price out of the companys earnings. The price-earning ratio (P/E ratio) reflects the relationship between the share price and EPS of AZN. Like EPS the P/E ratio is considered to be a key ratio by stock market analyst. The P/E ratio is calculated as seen below. A good P/E ratio is vital for a firm because it gives an indication of the confidence of investors in the expected future performance prospects and quality of earnings of the company. The P/E reflects the historic performance as discussed above with the increase in the year on year earnings per share. As the company merged in 1999 the overall prospects of the company evolved further, hence, investors were confident with the future earnings of AZN. A breakdown of AZNs average P/E ratios in previous years is shown in table 12 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 AZN 26.8 29 66.6 30.8 25.1 22 16.8 13.7 Table 12: Average P/E ratio analysis 1994-2001 A share price with a high P/E ratio is one that has a high price compared with its earnings. AZNs average P/E ratio in 2001 was 26.8, with EPS of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½1.25 and dividends of à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½0.49, this indicates that investors confidence of the companys ability to maintain and improve earnings in the future is strong. d) How does the PE ratio compare to other companies in the same industry sector? Can you suggest reasons for your companys comparative level of PE ratio? The Financial Times16 reported the pharmaceutical industry P/E ratio to be 33.31. AstraZenecas P/E ratio at present is above the industry average, as seen in table 13. Company Name Company P/E Ratio Industry P/E Ratio Drew Scientific Plc -3.90 33.31 Merck ; Co Inc 20.90 33.31 Eli Lilly and Company 23.00 33.31 Johnson ; Johnson 24.40 33.31 Shire Pharmaceuticals Plc 25.40 33.31 GlaxoSmithKline Plc 33.23 33.31 Astra Zeneca Plc 34.04 33.31 Pfizer Inc 34.20 33.31 Table 13: 15th March 2002 P/E ratio industry comparison. Comparing the P/E ratio over a period of time, table 14, shows that AZNs P/E ratio has been stronger in comparison to the companies, and these P/E ratios are reflected in AZN dividend payments and EPS. Company 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 AZN 26.8 29 66.6 30.8 25.1 22 16.8 13.7 JOHNSON JOHNSON 27.5 25.3 31.3 32.2 24 22.5 20.1 15 DREW SCIENTIFIC GROUP PLC -19.6 -33.4 -27.1 -64.3 0 0 0 0 BRITSH BIOTEC -6.9 -8.2 -7.3 -23.5 -57.6 -34.2 -8.7 0 PFIZER INC 33.1 67.2 49.7 68 35.1 25.2 21.1 16.2 ELI LILLY CO, 32 29.2 34.4 39.8 0 23.9 19.5 14 MERCK CO., INC. 24.2 25.6 30.3 30.6 24.9 22.6 19.6 14.4 CELLTECH GROUP PLC -48.6 -7.3 21 -65.5 -28.4 161.1 0 0 Table 14: P/E ratio 1994-2001 industry analysis. Diagram 5 illustrates the statement that AZNs P/E ratio has been strong in relation to others in the industry. Diagram 5: P/E ratio industry comparison 1994-2001. AZNs P/E ratio is the second highest in the industry behind Pfizer at the moment in comparison to other companies in the Pharmaceutical Industry. As a whole the main players in the industry such as GlaxoSmithKline Plc and Pfizer also have similar P/E ratios. The P/E ratio is higher in comparison to other companies in the same industry. This is due to many reasons, firstly AZNs dividend policy has remained consistently high for a number of years and as a result the citys assessment of AZNs quality of earnings and business prospects has an impact on the P/E ratio. Secondly, the company as a whole has endured consistent growth and the companys previous track record has again impacts the companys P/E ratio. Thirdly, the pharmaceutical industry as a whole has been less affected by the recent economic downturn in comparison to other industries, thus AZN has been able to maintain the level of share price and P/E ratio. Fourthly, another reason for the P/E ratio is also related to the companys balance sheet gearing whereby AZN has a low level of gearing in comparison to other companies. This low level of gearing has made the company more attractive to investors as less of their money is used to finance interest and debt repayments. Finally, since the merger of Astra Zeneca the average P/E ratio overall has increased this has been due to the upturn in company fortunes and prospects since the merger becoming one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world with a established senior management team committed to continuing success.

3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms

3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms 3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms 3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms By Mark Nichol The three types of essay most commonly assigned in school the narrative essay, the persuasive essay, and the expository essay conveniently correspond to those writing forms most frequently published online and in print. Your experience with these prose forms is ideal preparation for writing for publication. 1. The Narrative Essay This form, employed when reporting about an event or an incident, describing an experience, or telling a story, is the basic mode in journalistic writing. Practice in relating what happened when you witnessed an occurrence, or writing about what you were told by someone who witnessed it, is good training for becoming a newspaper reporter. Writing your recollections of something that happened to you is the basis of travel writing and similar content. Meanwhile, effective storytelling is an essential skill for feature writing, which as opposed to reporting, which is event driven focuses on a person, a place, or a thing, such as a company or an organization. (Travel writing, actually, is a hybrid of all three forms of essay writing.) Many magazine articles, for example, and a number of nonfiction books, are basically profiles of one of these types of entities, and fiction writing, of course, is a form of narrative, albeit one that is invented or based on a real-life subject. 2. The Persuasive Essay In this type of essay, the writer attempts to convince readers to agree with an opinion. In a traditional persuasive essay, the writer states the essay’s topic and organizational scheme clearly and concisely, then emphasizes and clarifies the topic’s significance by briefly mentioning the current event or recent publication, for example, that prompted the writer to discuss the topic. The rest of the piece consists of the writer’s argument in favor or in criticism of a position. This persuasion can take the form of a scholarly critique or a review of a creative effort such as a live or recorded performance (for example, a music album) or a work in some medium (a film, for instance). In either case, the writer begins with a thesis, or statement to be proven, summarizes the position (or the plot or theme of a work of art), and provides further detail as necessary to amplify the essay’s points. An essential component of a formal persuasive essay is a balanced discussion of an opposing viewpoint, while an informal review might include a mention of what an artist was attempting to accomplish by performing or creating and, for the sake of courtesy, could refer to how the artist succeeded in part even if the reviewer believes that the work is ultimately unsatisfactory. Persuasive essays, like narrative essays, can be submitted for publication. Guest editorials in newspapers and magazines, reviews in the art sections of periodicals or on entertainment-oriented Web sites, or position statements for nonprofit organizations or political lobbying groups are all forms of persuasive writing that publishers of this content will pay for. 3. The Expository Essay Expository writing can take the form of a how-to manual or other form of instruction, an explanation of a natural or technological process (an outline of the evaporation cycle, for example, or how to rebuild a car engine), a comparison of two similar subjects though this form overlaps with the persuasive essay or a discursion on a historical event or on future possibilities. This last variation also has elements in common with narrative or persuasive writing, and in a sense, none of these types of writing is entirely exclusive. Therefore, if you, like almost all current or former students, have had experience with these forms of essay writing, you’ve already been trained (and, hopefully, coached) in how to write professionally. And if you already do so, be confident that you can easily apply your skill in one form to taking on another: If you write position papers, you have no excuse not to move into instructional writing, if that’s what you want to do. Similarly, if you make a living explaining things in writing, don’t hesitate to explore fiction or nonfiction narrative writing if it appeals to you. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and Fingers

Bowen Family Systems, Structual, and Strategic Models Theory Overview Research Paper

Bowen Family Systems, Structual, and Strategic Models Theory Overview - Research Paper Example According to these three theories, when one part of the system is influenced, then, the entire system is influenced, and thus the psychological dysfunction of an individual is contributed to, not by the individual factors, but by the holistic relationship and interaction of the family system (Kniskern, 165). In this respect, the three theoretical models of family systems share basic assumptions, while at the same time varying to some substantial degree regarding how the theories perceive the family system and the manner in which the society should intervene in matters of the system. Therefore, this analysis seeks to discuss the three theoretical models of the Family Systems Theory, with a view to defining the theories, explaining their development, discussing their assumptions, presenting the applications of the theories and finally assessing their criticisms. This is a theoretical model of the Family Systems Theory, which emphasizes on the differentiation of the context of the family emotional systems (Stanton, 253). Therefore, its therapeutic application requires that individuals must first differentiate/separate from their families of origin, before they embark on dealing with the present issues of their relationships or their nuclear families (Stanton, 258). Thus, the model theory is mostly applied to understand the family process, so the individual can be able to understand the present situation, based on their past roles, relationships and interactions with their families. The model was established in 1931 by Murray Bowen. The fundamental objective of the theory is to help reduce chronic anxiety within individuals, through accounting for every aspect of human behaviors (Stanton, 254). The major assumption of this theory is that; behavioral change cannot be effective, where the individual does not have adequate and deeper insight in relation to the causes of a behavior. Therefore, the model seeks to create insight into the family processes that

Exploring the use of outdoor play to support children's development in Essay

Exploring the use of outdoor play to support children's development in a nursery in Beckton - Essay Example One strategy seen as such is outdoor play. How useful, beneficial and challenging it is are the issues this study seeks to answer. 2.2. Significance This study can be significant in varied ways: It can be an impetus for the development of outdoor play as a vital strategy in providing meaningful early learning experiences to children; It can provide useful insights for policy making and curriculum development in nursery and pre-elementary education; and It can provide useful information for education stakeholders (school, family, community) in making use of outdoor play to promote the child’s total development. 2.3. Motivation Providing children with the best possible learning experiences that would make them enjoy schooling is what motivated the researcher to work on this topic. Knowing that children love to play, the researcher finds it interestingly relevant to explore the use of outdoor play to support children’s development, especially so that outdoor play had tradi tionally been the main strategy of nursery education (Lindon 2001, p. 125). As such underlying this study is the belief that a well-planned and well-supervised outdoor play would spell a big difference in children’s early development. 2.4. ... Introduction Learning should bring out the best in every individual. It should be enjoying and desirable especially learning in early years – the child’s formative years. Thus nursery schools must provide young children with meaningful learning experiences that would exploit their very nature – love for play. Play is inherent to a child’s growing-up. It helps develop the child physically, socially, psychologically, mentally and emotionally. This long-held belief has been affirmed consistently for years, showing how outdoor play supports the children’s development and what beneficial effects and challenges it entails. 3.2. Outdoor Play: Looking Back The central role of outdoor play in developing life skills in children may be traced back to Plato and Aristotle, with Plato defining the nursery stage (3 to 6 years) as the child’s period for playing and hearing children’s story and fairy tales; whereas Aristotle cited the need for children to be active and energetic as best acquired through outdoor play. (Frost 2010, pp. 10, 12) This antiquated view is consistently confirmed by later scholars essentially implying outdoor play as the best humane way of seeking one’s self-identity, worth and friendship. Since 19th century when childhood has been established as a distinct period of human life, the value of outdoor play to the child’s total development has been furthered. Noteworthy are the works of â€Å"Jean Jacques Rosseau, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Friedrich Froebel, Patty Smith Hill, Rachel McMillan and Margaret McMillan† (Wellhousen 2002, p. x). Their recognition of the educational importance of outdoor play – pioneered by Froebel and continued by Margaret McMillan (Thomas & Harding 2011, p. 13) – have made outdoor play together with

Special need offender Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Special need offender - Essay Example In most countries, convicted sex offenders are required to register with the sex offenders’ registry in their areas of jurisdiction. These registry databases are open to the public for viewing (Borzecki, 2008). If an individual is involved in a high-level sexual offence, he or she is deemed to stay in the registry forever but if the crime is low level, he or she may be registered for a short duration of time. There are various programs that have been established to aid in treating the sexual offenders and all programs are geared towards one goal: making the offenders refrain from committing future sexual offences. Before an individual is admitted to a treatment program it is always essential for the individual to admit guilt and agree to be treated. The reason behind this is that all sexual offenders are manipulative in nature and when put together they will effectively confront their manipulative problem since all of them have had similar experiences. Another reason for group therapy is that the offenders will be free to share with each other without fear of being victimized. These therapy groups provide the sexual offenders with the right environment to be aware of the harm they cause to their victims; they acquire new skills of coping with life as well as learn healthy ways of meeting their sexual and emotional needs both from their peers and therapists (Borzecki, 2008). Group therapy has its own pitfalls in that some sexual offenders don’t fully explain their inner most feelings. Some may hide their true emotions and tell lies to their counterparts. As a result, ascertaining if a sexual offender is telling the truth to others could be difficult. Secondly, there’s always no evidence of success of this therapy to cure sexual abuse and prevent recidivism. It is just an approach that is insisted by the system. Community notification is also a program that has been put in place in order to curb sexual offences. In this program convicted sexu al offenders are required to register to the sexual offenders’ registry and these databases are left to the public for view. The state also has a role to play by informing the public about sex offenders who live in close proximity. This program is efficient in the sense that sex offenders who are known to the public are arrested more quickly for new crimes than offenders who are not known to the public. Community notification on the other hand, has resulted in many sexual offenders losing their jobs or home, getting threats or being harassed or losing their property. Research has shown that 19% of sex offenders have realized some negative consequences in other family members. (Furby, 2009). Community notification does not fully play its role of enhancing public safety by exerting stressors such as loss of employment, shame, isolation and depression on a sexual offender. These may force the sexual offenders to commit sexual crimes again in protest of their fate. Some states al so publicize the location of sex offenders without fully conducting risk assessment and this may bring anxiety among citizens making them live in constant fear. Residence restriction is also a program implored by many states to reduce sexual offenders’ activities. These states have enacted laws which prevent sexual offenders from residing in close proximity to a day care centre, a school or a school bus stop. The most common restrictive distance is 1,000 to

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Critique - Article Example states where same-sex marriage is prohibited. Research Objective The authors aimed to examine the impact of pro-gay marriage policies, enacted in 2003 in Massachusetts, on health care use and expenditures among gays and bisexuals. They postulated that if same-sex marriage policies can reduce health problems among gays, bisexuals, and lesbians, then such policies may have implications on the health care use and expenditures of sexual minority men. It was clear that the authors were only interested in examining the effect of pro-gay marriage policies on the health care use and expenditures among gay and bisexual men. Theory/Framework Although the theoretical framework was not explicitly presented, it is apparent that the study was anchored on the notion that same-sex marriage policies could improve the physical and mental health conditions of gays, bisexuals, and lesbians. They postulated that same-sex marriage policies reduce structural forms of discrimination against gays, bisexuals, and lesbians, resulting in the reduction of health care use by such groups of individuals. Methods The authors employed quasi-natural experiment method to examine the impact of the legalization of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts on the health care use and expenditures among sexual minority men. This research design lacks random assignment of participants to comparison groups. Similar to a true experiment, a quasi-experiment has a control group and a treatment group, but the members of these groups are not explicitly or randomly chosen by researchers. Rather, these groups naturally arise from an exogenous event. Through random selection, research participants have an equal chance of being assigned to either control group or treatment group. Thus, the resulting groups are statistically identical at baseline, on both observed and unobserved characteristics. Any changes in such characteristics can be attributed to the intervention made. However, this is not the case for quasi-experi ments. Since the control and treatment groups are not randomly selected, the quasi-experiment method faces threats to internal validity. That is, a causal link between the treatment and outcomes may not clearly establish. Independent and Dependent Variables The independent variable is the same-sex marriage policies while the dependent variable is the health care use and costs. The factors measured were sexual orientation, partnership status, and health care use and costs. However, the measures or instruments used were not properly referenced and their reliability was not even mentioned. Study Design The authors employed a quasi-experiment design, which has threats to internal validity because the participants were not randomly selected to be assigned in either control group or treatment group. Hence, the participants’ groups in the study may not statistically comparable at baseline. Consequently, any changes in the observed and unobserved characteristics of the participants m ay not absolutely be attributed to same-sex marriage policies. Quasi-experiments can be utilized in studies where many variables are involved because this research design can control extraneous variables and may infer cause-and-effect relationships. However, if there are differences between the control and t

How green are electric car batteries Research Paper

How green are electric car batteries - Research Paper Example However, this trend is yet to be noticed as most of the vehicles in this 21st century are still powered by traditional fuels; electric cars are yet to become popular among the masses. The Electric Battery An electric car along with all its accessories is powered by its battery. The electric battery drives a controller which is used to run the main electric motor of the car. Cars driven by gasoline and diesel also have batteries, but they are mainly used to start the engine of the vehicle and also power some of its accessories like the radio, television or the air-conditioner. Just like fuel-driven cars need to be reloaded, once they are exhausted of their fuel reserves, the electric car batteries are required to be recharged when they are depleted of their initial power. Therefore, electric batteries need to be strong and enduring in terms of their power and longevity. Till recently, battery manufacturers were yet to invent dependable electric batteries that could bring electric vehicles at par with the fuel-driven cars. However, the production of electric cars have become more affordable in recent times and the main automobile manufacturers are expected to produce such electric cars on a large scale (Lampton, 2011). First Automobile powered by a Battery In 1873, R. Davidson of Edinburgh showed that a road vehicle could be driven by an electric battery. He experimented by driving a four-wheeler truck powered by a primary battery made of iron/zinc. After this, in 1881, G. Trouve of France constructed a tricyle, weighing 160 kilograms (350 pounds), which became the first vehicle to be driven with the help of a â€Å"secondary Plante battery†. Trouve utilized two customized Siemens motors to drive a huge propelling wheel with the help of two chains which in turn drove the tricycle. The Plante battery helped the motors to develop the strength of 1/10 horsepower which enabled the tricycle to move at a speed of 12 kilometres per hour (7 miles per hour). Later, Trouve demonstrated that electric batteries could be used to drive other forms of vehicles too. During the same year, he experimented by operating a motor boat on the river Sienne which was powered by electric batteries. In the following year (1882), Professors William Ayrton and John Perry of England, also demonstrated the utility of electric batteries in driving transport vehicles. They had also developed a tricycle powered by an electric battery which had a capacity of 1 ? kilowatt hour. This battery consisted of ten Plante type battery cells made up of lead/acid. Apart from this, the tricycle had a direct current (DC) motor having the strength of ? horsepower, which was fitted under the driver’s seat. The electric battery supplied a current of 20 volts to the DC motor which in turn propelled the vehicle. The tricycle could travel at a speed between 16 and 40 kilometers per hour (between 10 and 25 miles an hour), the speed varying according to the type of land terrain traversed. This speed could be regulated by switching the batteries sequentially in series (Westbrook, 2001, pp.9-10). How Electric Car Batteries are Made In the present-day world, the two most popular forms of electric car batteries are the â€Å"advanced nickel metal hybride ba ttery (NiMH)† and the â€Å"advanced automotive lithium ion (Li-ion) battery†. Majority of these two types of batteries are produced by firms in China,

Personal letters of soldiers to their families changing the way we Essay

Personal letters of soldiers to their families changing the way we view history of the Civil War - Essay Example In this article, I will be highlighting these findings and new discoveries that I unearthed from reading the letters. The General American Population is well averse with at least the fact that this war was one of the deadliest war ever fought involving the Union solders. According to official statistics from the Civil War Trust, this war involved casualties of the war stood at 620,000 with admission that some of the bodies could not be accounted for because they could not be traced (Civil War Trust). This means that the count given is on the lower scale and thus still tops as the deadliest war. Additionally, majority of these casualties were solders from the confederate states that wanted to secede due to the election of Abraham Lincoln as the President of the United States of America. This can be attributed to the inferior number of Solders from the Confederates as opposed to the union. The same civil war trust organization puts the number of solders as 2,128,948 for the Union solde rs and 1, 082, 119 (Civil War Trust). ... From the letters from the solders, there is inference of Union soldiers complaining about the terrains of Centre County and some solders deriding the confederate State soldiers as knowing little about the terrain yet the war is being fought in their grounds (Olsen 314.). The African American soldiers in the Union Army were also understood to be underpaid as compared to their white counterparts. One such solder, T.D Freeman, is quoted complaining in a letter to his brother-in-law about how the majority of the African American soldiers, â€Å"were in low spirit†¦enlisted for 13 months and have never received one cent† (Silber & Sievens 47) Another aspect of the war that I was already too familiar with was that most of the time was spend by this solders writing letters to their family members and playing games and this is evident from the large number of letters that have been archived in libraries in America. Letters were written by all shades of solders be they Union solde rs or the confederate soldiers. One soldier is quoted as writing to his wife saying that the war was â€Å"99% boredom and 1% sheer terror† (Silber & Sievens 2). These letters, however, have helped me get to learn a few facts about the civil war that I did not know yet. One of this is the fact that not all letters were sad and contained a narration of how harrowing and terrifying the war was. Not all these letters were complaining about the hardship in the battlefield as there are others that I got to read that was lively and filled with humor and hope in its contents. Such letters as expected were written mostly by the Northern-based soldiers who were the Union soldiers and it is

How green are electric car batteries Research Paper

How green are electric car batteries - Research Paper Example However, this trend is yet to be noticed as most of the vehicles in this 21st century are still powered by traditional fuels; electric cars are yet to become popular among the masses. The Electric Battery An electric car along with all its accessories is powered by its battery. The electric battery drives a controller which is used to run the main electric motor of the car. Cars driven by gasoline and diesel also have batteries, but they are mainly used to start the engine of the vehicle and also power some of its accessories like the radio, television or the air-conditioner. Just like fuel-driven cars need to be reloaded, once they are exhausted of their fuel reserves, the electric car batteries are required to be recharged when they are depleted of their initial power. Therefore, electric batteries need to be strong and enduring in terms of their power and longevity. Till recently, battery manufacturers were yet to invent dependable electric batteries that could bring electric vehicles at par with the fuel-driven cars. However, the production of electric cars have become more affordable in recent times and the main automobile manufacturers are expected to produce such electric cars on a large scale (Lampton, 2011). First Automobile powered by a Battery In 1873, R. Davidson of Edinburgh showed that a road vehicle could be driven by an electric battery. He experimented by driving a four-wheeler truck powered by a primary battery made of iron/zinc. After this, in 1881, G. Trouve of France constructed a tricyle, weighing 160 kilograms (350 pounds), which became the first vehicle to be driven with the help of a â€Å"secondary Plante battery†. Trouve utilized two customized Siemens motors to drive a huge propelling wheel with the help of two chains which in turn drove the tricycle. The Plante battery helped the motors to develop the strength of 1/10 horsepower which enabled the tricycle to move at a speed of 12 kilometres per hour (7 miles per hour). Later, Trouve demonstrated that electric batteries could be used to drive other forms of vehicles too. During the same year, he experimented by operating a motor boat on the river Sienne which was powered by electric batteries. In the following year (1882), Professors William Ayrton and John Perry of England, also demonstrated the utility of electric batteries in driving transport vehicles. They had also developed a tricycle powered by an electric battery which had a capacity of 1 ? kilowatt hour. This battery consisted of ten Plante type battery cells made up of lead/acid. Apart from this, the tricycle had a direct current (DC) motor having the strength of ? horsepower, which was fitted under the driver’s seat. The electric battery supplied a current of 20 volts to the DC motor which in turn propelled the vehicle. The tricycle could travel at a speed between 16 and 40 kilometers per hour (between 10 and 25 miles an hour), the speed varying according to the type of land terrain traversed. This speed could be regulated by switching the batteries sequentially in series (Westbrook, 2001, pp.9-10). How Electric Car Batteries are Made In the present-day world, the two most popular forms of electric car batteries are the â€Å"advanced nickel metal hybride ba ttery (NiMH)† and the â€Å"advanced automotive lithium ion (Li-ion) battery†. Majority of these two types of batteries are produced by firms in China,

Organizational development Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Organizational development - Assignment Example The firm that is analyzed in the paper is XYZ Company that deals with textile design. It has 2,000 employees. The company designs and makes clothes for various customers in Europe, Asia and North America. The company supply its products to different countries specifically designed according to preferences and demand of the market. Last year, XYZ ventured into African market with various customers demanding various designs that fits African cultures. In light with this, the company saw the need for the establishment of new outlets in three African countries which have an interest in using XYZ products. The human resource department resolved that the company has to transfer some employees from the U.S offices to the newly established offices in Africa. However, the move to diversify market to the African market was as a result of the downward trend in sales from the already existing markets. When employees were notified about the intentions to be transferred to the new market, over 100 employees resigned their positions as employees of EYZ Company. However, the situation deteriorated with more resignation letters flowing into the human resource office daily. At first, the human resource manager thought that the employees were afraid of being transferred to work in the new market. As some investigations were conducted, it was noticed that the employees left the company because of bad working conditions. Amazingly, those that had left were hired by XYZ’s main competitor whose working conditions were more enticing than those of XYZ. Intentions to open new offices in the new market were temporarily suspended until some organizational development was realized in the existing market. Statement of the problem Since its establishment in 2000, XYZ has been leading in textile design. At first, XYZ operated in the U.S market only. Its marketing strategies and employee relations were perfect, something that led to the establishment of new outlets in the European marke t. However, since the retirement of its human resource manager in 2008, the company performance has been deteriorating year after year. It has been argued that employee wellness and reward system has been ignored by the new management since 2008. Employees have not been proactive as there before, thus poor performance of the company. It is argued that employees are one of the best capitals an organization can ever have (Jex 245). Therefore, their wellness is vital as it help retain and motivate them. Once employees are motivated, they tend to perform their duties effectively. Due to this fact, XYZ’s profit margins have gone down to the extent of failing to take care of its liabilities including payment of its employees. This is what prompted the management to think of opening up new markets in the African market. The presumption was that there was a decrease in demand and stiff competition of their products in the existing markets. However, it is believed that a company is ab le to have a competitive advantage in markets with stiff competition only after employing all necessary measures including employee wellness. It is apparent that if XYZ fails to intervene on the matter, it is highly unlikely to remain in the market. In the short term intervention, it would be essential for XYZ to find ways of retaining the current employees by addressing their grievances at hand. This way, it is highly likely that the company will be able to uphold its present performance without going on a downward trend. Nevertheless, it is equally important to employ long-term measures, which would enable the company improve and survive the highly completive market. Objectives of intervention The main objective of this intervention is to use a reward systems intervention to help XYZ improve its performance Specific objectives To propose appropriate re-structuring of the XYZ organization To propose reward systems to XYZ that would help retain and motivate its employees Scope of in tervention Since XYZ company

Ethics Game Dilemmas Essay Example for Free

Ethics Game Dilemmas Essay After completing the ethics games and answering the questions regarding two different dilemma faced by the company G-BioSports, I have compiled this report to present the issues that were brought up in both scenarios. The situations were taken from the point of view of the Associate Director of Operations if the company and the goal was to enforce the company policies, keep the company safe from any lawsuits, act fairly, and come up with the best solution for all parties involved. It is well known that what is legal may or may not be ethical (Trevino, 2011). According to Loyola Marymount University, there is a three-step strategy to resolve ethical problems. Step one is to analyze the consequences, step two analyze the actions, and step three to make a decision. (Loyola, 2009) Mysterious Blogger The ethical dilemma faced by G-BioSports is that one of the employees has been posting blogs regarding company products and safety procedures. However, none of the blog posts were particularly harmful to the company. This issue is ranked one of the â€Å"ten issues raised by IT capabilities.† The issue is privacy: does information’s availability justify its use? (techrepublic.com, 2006) The subsequent issue involved an anonymous email sent by an IT employee named Jamal Moore. He bypassed company security procedures to illegally access company intranet and track blogging from a home PC, as well as sending an anonymous email to expose the blogger. After further review of all email documents, the next step was to determine what company policies had been undermined by these actions. In regards to the anonymous email sent by Jamal, company policy states that â€Å"email transmissions sent outside of our intranet raise confidentiality concerns.† As well as, â€Å"There is a legitimate concern about the security of external email.† Jamal is therefore breaking the company code of conduct for using company resources on his home computer, as well as bypassing security protocols due to his IT knowledge. Aaron also violated the company’s Confidential Information section of policy which reads, â€Å"Also, employees may not discuss the company’s business, information, or prospects in any chat room, or web log (blog), regardless of whether t hey use their own name or a pseudonym.† These policies show that Aaron’s actions violate the contractual agreement forbidding him to expose company information, even if it is for a non-threatening purpose. Both cases should result in some form of disciplinary action. In order to fairly justify the disciplinary action  performed all parties involved must be identified, ranking them from highest to lowest impact. After analyzing the effects on all people involved, diagnosing and comparing possible solutions to disciplinary measures must be tackled. The final step would be in implementing the best course of action which meets all goals and would best suite our company and its values. It was helpful when reviewing each solution, to choose an ethical perspective or lens to identify the best course of action from a non-personal standpoint. When evaluating the situation, I examined each of the different perspectives of each ethical lens and how our company’s values could be incorporated into each lens. The Rights and Responsibility lens best fit our company’s overall position on ethical issues (Trevino, 2011). Veiled ID The second ethical simulation examines different aspects of diversity and corporate ethical standards. The incident involved a former employee break-in to company premises and assaulting a current employee who was hospitalized. New security measures need to be implemented in order to prevent any future security breaches. The decision was made to create security measures that will require all employees to carry a photo ID badge to grant access into company facilities. Aisha Mullah, a valued employee for many years, has an ethical inquiry about the photo ID system. Aisha practices the Muslim faith and it is a strict religious requirement that her face must be covered at all times, including in photos. The ethical issue at hand is how to develop a security policy that protects the safety of our employees and accommodates anyone with special needs similar to hers. G-BioSports new security measures should improve employee safety as well as create a good work environment for success. The first step in the decision making process is determining the ethical issue or dilemma. In Aisha’s case, the implementation of photo ID’s for security purposes will create a problem due to her religious beliefs. G-BioSports code of ethics guidelines states, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity that, â€Å"Promoting diversity within our workforce is important†. It also states â€Å"G-BioSports strictly prohibits discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, gender identity, race, color, veteran status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, mental, or physical disability†. After thorough evaluation of all possible ethical perspectives and issues, I believe the  relationship lens is the correct procedure to follow. This lens would tell us that because our relationship with our employees is necessary to maintain a safe, productive, and morally structured environment we need to take special needs of employees in consideration. This employee needs leniency on the security policy in order to maintain her religious views, but the rest of the company would still follow the ID policy. This way the group as a whole will benefit from the security measures and the relationship with the employee with special needs will be satisfied. Any future ethical problems that arise can be handled in a similar way and employees will feel comfortab le presenting issues they are experiencing with management. Personal Relation The ethical issues that were discussed related to my company in that many employees of my company are from different cultural backgrounds, religions, and have different sexual preferences. Discrimination is definitely something that could be a major problem with the group of individuals that work for the company but the accepting policies and procedures allow for everyone to fit in and feel comfortable. There is no need to hide anything about our personal background in order to get the job or to keep your current without being discriminated against. References Loyola Marymount University. (2009). Resolving an ethical dilemma. Retrieved from http://www.lmu.edu/Page27945.aspx Techrepublic.com. (August 15, 2006. 10 ethical issues confronting IT managers. Retrieved from http://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ethical-issues-confronting-it-managers/6105942 Trevino, L.K. Nelson, K.A. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley Sons.

The Acts Of The Apostles A Book Report Religion Essay

The Acts Of The Apostles A Book Report Religion Essay INTRODUCTION In this book report, I am going to write on the Acts of the Apostles written by, Marshall I.H. I am also going what view point and character Marshall used to write on the Acts of the Apostles. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES In this book, Marshall presents the Acts of the Apostles through the eyes of Luke, who was travelling companion of the apostle Paul. Lukes desire in writing the book of acts is to give a true historical account of the events, that took place in the early church. Marshall, states that acts has been confirmed as a source to be depended on historically. EYE WITNESS The book of acts, and the acts of the Apostles were written by an eye witness. Marshall, notes that from Acts 16:10 onwards, Luke writes in the first person plural form. Marshall, mentions in his book, that Lukes mention of individuals, their positions in society, their tittles and surrounding have been proved to be true archaeologically. ACCURATE INFORMATION There is a reference, in Acts 12:12 of a prayer meeting place in the house of Marks mother, it is assumed thats where the believers and the apostles met for prayer. Luke, also writes about the life of Paul, from Pauls position as a Pharisee to an apostle of Christ. Luke, in his writing would often give a good account of the events that were taking place in the lives of the apostles and because the information is so accurate and has been proved to be true, Luke being present to watch and learn from the Apostles. Therefore, Lukes writing proves that it was not imagination or fiction but true and significant. Marshall, notes that even Mark new a lot about the growth of the church and the council of Jerusalem, Mark also was a travelling companion of Paul. Since the writer of acts is Luke, who knew the disciples from their positions in society before they called to be apostle. When Luke interacted with the apostles, he found out a lot of information about the apostles and their individual life stories. Luke, also mentioned the names and positions of different people governing Israel and the surrounding areas, people like Gallio who governed Greece. Luke also writes about Agabus, who prophesied about a great famine, that would take place all over the world and this prophecy was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius Caesar. COMMERCE Lukes writing, also shows that commerce was truly present in the days of the apostles. Acts16:11-15 tells us of Paul and his companions, sharing to a woman by the name Lydia who was a purple merchant from the city of Thyatira. Lydias name is a reminder that Thyatira was located in the ancient kingdom of Lydia, a place that manufactured purple dyes. ANALYSIS Any examination of the book of Acts is incomplete without some reference to Lukes original purpose for writing as recorded in Luke 1:1-4. Lukes first volume, the Gospel of Luke, is actually the real preface to Acts as well as the Gospel itself. The first thing that should be observed is that Luke does indeed claim to be writing an accurate historical account of the life of Christ in the preface to his Gospel, and there is general agreement amongst scholars that Luke intends this statement to extend to his second volume. Carson, Moo and Morris have observed how some scholars say that those who claimed to be historians in ancient times were well known for writing from their own biased agenda and therefore cannot be trusted to give an accurate historical account, but it should be noted that although it is true that some historians did write more fiction than fact, the best ancient writers were careful to give an accurate presentation of the facts in much the same way that would be expec ted of modern historians. Luke deserves to be placed amongst these ancient historians and only differs from modern historians because he does not set out to present every historical detail but is deliberately selective, choosing to concentrate only on events relevant to the growth of the Church. Like the Gospel, the second volume of Lukes history is dedicated to Theophilus who is addressed as most excellent 1:1-3. Bruce observes how it has been suggested that because the name Theophilus means dear to God, it is simply being used by Luke to refer to the Christian reader in general, and not to a specific historical individual as such.10 However, Bruce continues to point out that this is unlikely for two reasons. Firstly, the use of the title most excellent suggests an individual c.f. 23:26; 24:3; 26:25, and secondly, the literary style in which Luke writes his dedication bears striking resemblance to other historical documents of antiquity. Those who regard the book of Acts as non-historical often point to the difficulties between the council of Jerusalem in Acts 15:1-29 and the writing of Paul in Galatians 2:1-10.19 Although Lukes account of the council is straightforward, the main difficulty arises when it is compared with what appears to be the same event as described by Paul in Galatians.20 In Galatians Paul is speaking about his second visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, but in Acts Luke says that it was his third.21 This difficulty has long been recognised by biblical scholars and there are several explanations offered to resolve it.22 Bruce considers that the difficulties arise because the authors are actually speaking about two entirely different occasions. He arrives at this conclusion by observing how the discussion reported by Paul in Galatians differs from Acts because it centres around missionary activity; the issue of circumcision is only marginally alluded to; and no mention is made of appeasing tabl e fellowship amongst Jews and Gentiles.23 Probably the most significant difference between the conference of Galatians 2:1-10 and council meeting in Acts 15:1-29 is that the former was held in private while the latter was held publicly, before the Jerusalem Church.24 Wainwright also agrees with Bruce in these differences and recognises a more consistent pattern with Galatians 2:1-10 in Acts 11:27-30.25 CONCLUSION In my report of this book by Marshall I H, I agree to what the book says about the author of the book of acts that the author was Luke. I also agree to the fact that the information Luke gave about the lives and events surrounding the apostles is true and because he was a travelling companion of Paul, he knew a lot about the apostles from their position in society to their positions in the church.

William Shakespeares The Winters Tale Essay -- William Shakespeare W

William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale In Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, the playwright introduces his audience to a world blending natural imagery with that of ancient religion. Appearing as nature’s child, Perdita fails to realize her own identity and does not recognize that the flowers she describes mimic her own image. Just as gillyvors are a result of crossbreeding, the shepherdess is essentially one of nature’s bastards since she eventually discovers Porrus has been an adoptive father for her, and Leontes is her biological father. Perdita not only shares her natural image with the goddess Proserpina, but also shares in the goddess’ fate as a lost daughter. Much like Proserpina who represents the springtime, Perdita exemplifies the natural growth and prosperity that accompanies the season. When Antigonus agrees to take up Perdita and leave her to chance, he understands that she is nature’s child since â€Å"Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens / To be thy nurses. Wolves and bears, they say, / Casting their savageness aside, have done / Like offices of pity† (II.iii.185-8). Nature then raises the infant as her own when Perdita takes on natural attributes uncommon among humankind. Before Antigonus abandons the infant Perdita in accordance with Leontes’ orders, he addresses the babe, â€Å"Blossom, speed thee well† (III.iii.45), as though Perdita resembles a flower in full bloom. As Perdita grows older, the shepherdess imparts her â€Å"blossoming† image on others, particularly on the courtiers who greet her in the country. After asking Dorcas to â€Å"Give [her] those flowers there,† she distributes â€Å"rosemary and rue [which] keep / Seeming and savor all the winter long† (IV.iv.73-5). The flowers ... ...u might well enjoy her† (V.i.214-5). Perdita’s beauty surpasses her lowly stature to the point where she is not regarded as a shepherdess to Leontes, but rather as a higher power. Perdita ultimately takes on the natural image of Proserpina as well as her role as a lost daughter. Through the flowers Perdita mentions, she effectively manages to describe not only her own identity, but that of the goddess. Even though Antigones abandons the shepherdess at birth, Perdita’s missing person and questionable identity causes others to also lose the ones they love and opportunities they could have had. Because the loss of Perdita creates significant loss for others, it is as though the maiden has a hand in others’ lives, much like the gods. Thus her indirect intervention, image, and role as a lost daughter all play a key part in her representation of Proserpina.

English as the Official Language Essay

For so many years in the world, it is undeniable that the English language has been used as a medium of communication. Many countries are using the English language for its people to understand each other. Today, the American English is peculiarly influential, due to the fact that the United States has become the center of excellence in terms of popular music, television programs, business and technology, film making and many others (â€Å"History of the English Language†). Although there are myriad kinds of English language spoken around the world like Australian English, Indian English and Canadian English, the dominance of the English language is the primary reason that its utilization as an official language in the United States of America should be pushed through. Therefore, it is claimed in this paper that it is proper and tenable for the American English to be considered and approved by the government as the official language of the United States of America. There are three major reasons why it is proper for the American English to be approved as the official language of the United States of America. First, American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. Second, the American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, spiritual, physical and educational development. Third, it has been proven for so many years that the use of America English has caused improvement of the country in general. With that, it cannot be denied that the most influential and dominant language in the world is American English. The Dominance of the American English Language American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. There are many people around the world who have chosen to migrate in the United States of America. The reasons of their migration are to find a greener pasture or to enjoy the freedom and affluence that they can get in the country by chance or opportunity. The country is known for its democratic and representative governance, such that many races are confident enough that America can make their dreams come true. In connection with that, speaking the American English language is an indispensable tool to become a successful immigrant in the country. Therefore, majority of immigrants are also speaking the same language as used by the Americans, making the language the most widely used communicative tool in the land. A study was conducted by the U. S. Census Bureau and released findings that literacy and fluency in English is necessary to achieve economic self-sufficiency (Burt 1). Immigrants who can speak well in American English language are most likely profitable in their jobs and business while staying in the United States. Since almost 22% who held jobs in the United States are foreign-born, their ability to speak English has a great impact on the economic improvement of the country (Burt 1). That is the main reason why immigrants wanted to learn English as a second language, which adds to the dominance of the same language in the United States of America. Is it not a sign of additional resources for the economic and political progress of the country? Yes, it is. The numerous foreign-born workers in the country contribute to the economic development in one way or another. The native-born workers and businessmen can communicate well with immigrants adding more chances for economic improvements.  Ã‚     Hence, making the American English Language as official in the United States is proper. American English Language: The Best Communicative Tool The American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, cultural, spiritual, physical and educational development. It has been said that a language is a systematic medium of communication through the use of sounds or conventional symbols (Manivannan 1). For so many years, the American English has been considered as one of the principal assets of the country for political, economic, cultural, spiritual, physical and educational development. There are myriad reasons why American English language is the best communicative tool in the whole world. In order to conduct political activities such as elections, foreign affairs, decision-making and policy-making, the use of the American English language is necessary. Journals and books on business matters and other economic conditions are generally printed in American English language, which makes all the people to learn the language. Tourists are enthusiastic to learn the same language because it could help them in enjoying the wonderful sites of the country. The enjoyment of American literature depicted in films and television programs reached across many nations which is the means for other races to learn the richness of the American culture. The American invasion is still effective by the dominance of our language which makes our products and services appealing to the whole world. Aside from that, there are many students in other countries who wanted to study in the United States of America. Their contribution in the academe is very important as well as their willingness to learn the language. Hence, all the people who live in America become united due to the influence and dominance of the American English language. Do we need to prevent the approval in making the American English language the official one, knowing that it is useful to us? No, we cannot afford to do so. Therefore, the arguments to support the approval of making the American English language as official are meritorious. The Advantages of the American English Language It is not denied that the American language is a principal asset for political and economic development of the country. The English language is also used as a preferred language for the conveyance of international business and scientific studies (Lian 1). In addition, it is easy to sell American products for American English language is widely used in advertisements and promotions worldwide. A foreign-born individual mentioned that, being fluent in American English is a ladder to successful business and other carrier endeavors (â€Å"The Importance of English in Modern World†). We were able to attract many intelligent individuals through the English language and everything we have is a standard for other countries. In all aspects in life, the said language is useful and also pervasive that it reaches in all parts of the world. Conclusion We are all fortunate to have a language that makes our country a center of commerce, excellence in education and culture and influential in politics. Our country is a strategic place because the American English is widely used in many countries in the world that makes the United States of America as a melting pot of many races. Since the American English is the best communicative tool for the understanding of individuals in terms of political, economic, spiritual, physical and educational development, we are confident that we remain in power all over the world. Finally, the use of America English has caused improvement of our country in general. As conclusion, there is still no doubt that making the English American language as official in the United States of America is proper and meritorious.   Works Cited Burt, Miriam. â€Å"Issues in Improving Immigrant Worker’s English Language Skills†. December 2003. 2 February 2009 â€Å"History of the English Language†. 2009. English Club. 2 February 2009 . Lian Li, Khaw. 2008. Khawlilian. 2 February 2009 < http://www.khawlilian.com/>. Manivannan, G. 2006. Using English Website. 2 February 2009 < http://www. usingenglish.com/teachers/articles/importance-english-language.html>. â€Å"The Importance of English in Modern World†. 17 November 2007. MSN Content Website. 2 February 2009 .