Saturday, August 31, 2019

Whose Fault Is It Anyway?

Whose responsibility is it to ensure the obesity epidemic is reversed? Schools, Parents, Government, Community and/or the media. What can be done? Discuss using examples from the article and any other information you can bring to the discussion. Everyone should play a major part in ensuring the obesity epidemic is reversed. Parents play the most vital role in this. As a parent it is your job to make sure to bring up your children correctly this doesn’t mean just giving them an academic education it involves making sure they are healthy, getting regular exercise and have an understanding of nutrition.Parents are the key to start the ball rolling in maintaining healthy dietary habits for their children, if this isn’t done correctly by the parents their children will most probably end up being overweight as teenagers, ‘long term consequence of childhood obesity is its persistence into adulthood, Once a child is overweight or obese it is unlikely that they will sponta neously revert to a healthy weight, predisposing them to the health concerns’(World Health Organization 2000, Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic, WHO Technical Report Series 894).Parents need to understand that they are the role models for their children; if they do not eat correctly and do not exercise their children are most likely to follow in their footsteps. A survey done in 2007-2008 on the obesity epidemic in Australia the results were that in ‘2007-08, 61. 4% of the Australian adult population were either overweight or obese, and 24. 9% of children aged between 5-17 were overweight or obese’ (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2008, National Health Survey 2007-08, Cat 4364. ). Kids need to have a more active lifestyle, the issue is now days kids entertain themselves with technology such as computers, television and the Xbox. Parents need to spend time encouraging their children to be more physically active, by doing this they also need to b ecome more physically active. Simple things such as taking their children for a bike ride, taking them to the park, playing a game of sport with them.They need to put more focus on encouraging their children to be outdoors. Every little bit of physical activity will make a difference to the child’s wellbeing. Schools, The Government, The Community and the media can all make a difference in making sure the obesity epidemic is reversed. Schools can make sure their students get a minimum of 30 minutes daily exercise, they can help educate the children on nutrition and correct dietary habits and can provide healthy ptions in their canteens, ‘Only a quarter of Australian high school students eat the recommended four or more vegetables a day’ (Canberra times article- Battle of the bulge, Peter Jean). Media at the moment shows fast-food advertisements at least 4 times during an add brake. Children who are sitting on a couch watching TV are being brain washed by fast-foo d commercials, there for only wanting to eat fast-food such as MacDonald’s. The Government can control the media and controls the schools. They can make changes to the schooling curriculum to add more daily exercise.They can put a stop to the excessive fast-food advertisements that fly across our TV screens. As a community we all play a vital role in making sure children are healthy, this involves weekend sports, and community run sporting activities for young children and even adults. But this will change nothing in reversing the obesity epidemic if parents don’t start to take responsibility for their children and start by giving them the correct dietary needs and regular fitness to kick start their healthy life style.

Friday, August 30, 2019

The Rights Of The Defendant In The American Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system enforces criminal statutes through the social and legal institutions in accordance with the prescribed criminal procedure and regulations. It consists of subsystems such as the law enforcement, the judiciary, the public prosecutors and defenders, probation and parole agencies and the corrections department, and the prison institutions (Frase and Weidner, n. d. ). The criminal statutes define crimes and their respective defenses. On the other hand, criminal procedure delineates the â€Å"the stages of the criminal process from arrest through prosecution, sentencing, appeal and release from prison† (Jacobs, 2007).The criminal justice system works both in the federal and state levels. Each has its own set of criminal laws, courts, enforcement agencies and probation systems (Jacobs, 2007). The foundation of criminal procedure is the U. S. Constitution (Jacobs, 2001). Specifically the Bill of Rights is placed in the Constitution to protect the citizens f rom the vast powers of government. It grants fundamental rights and liberties to all those living in the United States (Jacobs, 2001). The defendant in a criminal prosecution is entitled the presumption of innocence.This necessarily means that the burden of proving his guilt beyond reasonable doubt rests upon the prosecution (Jacobs, 2001). The due process clause of the Constitution accorded the defendant a wide array of protections and guarantees such as giving him an opportunity to be heard. The Fifth Amendment ensures that the defendant is not tried twice or more for the same offense and by the same authority. This is the right against double jeopardy (Jacobs, 2001) Moreover, the Constitution protects the defendant by guaranteeing that he does not testify against himself or the right against self incrimination (Jacobs, 2001).The rights enumerated under the Sixth Amendment refer to the codified rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions. The rights of the defendant in criminal prosecution are: â€Å"1) right to a speedy trial; 2) right to a public trial; 3) right to a trial by jury; 4) notice of the accusation; (5) right to confront the opposing witnesses; 6) right to compulsory process for obtaining favorable witnesses; and (7) the assistance of counsel or right to counsel† (Oxford Companion, 2005). The right to a speedy trial prevents oppressive incarceration before trial and ensures defense by the accused of his cause.The right to a public trial acts as a safeguard against abuse of judicial power. Moreover, it also assures the accused that he is informed of the charges against him. This is part of due process (Oxford Companion, 2005). The right to confront opposing witnesses refers to the right of the accused to cross examine said witnesses. He is also entitled to subpoena witnesses in his behalf (Oxford Companion, 2005). Finally, the accused is also entitled to be represented by counsel or a lawyer. The Eight Amendment on the other hand proscr ibes excessive bail, cruel and unusual punishments (Jacobs, 2001). The rate of crime in the U.S. is quite appalling and this is blamed on the ineffective criminal justice system. The ineffective system is due to the â€Å"adversarial character and its irrational maze of procedural technicalities. † According to Maechling, the trial is characterized by artificiality whereby it is reduced into nothing but a sport game where defense lawyers try to outwit and use technicalities against the prosecution in their tactical defense theories. Frivolous objections and dilatory tactics mar the trial. By reason of this growing recognition, authorities have started to look into the possibility of reform in the criminal justice system.Synopsis of â€Å"Gideon’s Trumpet† The book written by Anthony Lewis was inspired by the actual court case, Gideon v. Wainwright (1963). Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for a felony in 1961 in Panama City. The felony under Florida law involved the breaking and entering the Bay Harbor pool hall. During trial before the trial court, Gideon requested for the court to appoint a lawyer to handle his defense. The judge denied his request on the ground that state law allows appointment of counsels for indigents for capital offenses and considering that the felony he was being prosecuted for is not one with a capital penalty but a misdemeanor, i.e. petty larceny; he is therefore not entitled to have a counsel appointed for him. Gideon had no choice but to represent himself. Gideon has been previously convicted of four felonies, homeless and destitute. He had only the education of an eighth grader. He conducted his trial and lost. He was sentenced to imprisonment of five years. Subsequently, he applied for a writ of habeas corpus before the state Supreme Court based on the alleged violation of his rights under the federal Constitution. This was denied.He filed his five-page Petition for Certiorari directed at the Supreme Court of Florida requesting for the Court to take cognizance of his case. He also filed an application to litigate in forma pauperis. His main argument was that his â€Å"conviction violated the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. † He claimed that when he was deprived the right to counsel during a trial for a felony, it was tantamount to depriving him his right to due process of the law. The Supreme Court of U. S. granted Gideon’s petition and the judgment of conviction was reversed and remanded to the Supreme Court of Florida.In so doing, the ruling in the case of Betts v. Brady and Progeny was overturned. In the Betts case, Court ruled that â€Å"the appointment of counsel is not a fundamental right essential to a fair trial† [316 U. S. 455 (1942)]. It laid down the principle that the right to be represented by counsel is not necessary in state cases involving non capital offenses except in special circumstances. In Gideon, the Court i n abandoning the Betts reasoning ruled that the right to assistance of counsel is imperative, basic and fundamental and the Fourteenth Amendment requires that the same be available and applicable in state courts.Synopsis of â€Å"The Onion Field† This book was written by Joseph Wambaugh. The novel is about the two felony car officers who patrolled the side streets of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard. Ian Campbell was breaking in Karl Hettinger, who was newly assigned to felony cars. In the evening of March 9, 1963, both were patrolling and noticed a suspicious 1946 Ford. Both decided to check it out. The two men in the Ford were responsible for the robberies in the area. Powell exited the car and poked a gun at Campbell while Smith exited the passenger side.Hettinger was asked to hand his gun to Smith and both cops were forced to get in the Ford. Campbell at gunpoint drove the Ford while Hettinger laid flat on the floor of the backseat. They were assured that they would be rele ased when they get to the remote area so that it would take time for them to get help. After driving for sometime, they stopped and both were asked to get out of the car. Powell fired at Campbell and hit him in his mouth. Hettinger ran to the field while he heard four more shots. Both culprits were apprehended and went through custodial investigation. Both pointed to each other as to who shot Campbell.After many years of dilatory motions, appeals and lengthy trials, both were found guilty and sentenced to death in 1967. Since death penalty was abolished in the early 1970s, their sentences were commuted to life. Discussion and Analysis The main theme of Gideon’s is that society must protect a person charged with an offense. The rights and liberties afforded to him by the law and the Constitution must be strictly observed and enforced. The accused must be presumed innocent until proven guilty and he must be afforded the right to have counsel because this is part of the right to due process.The study of law requires knowledge, skill and experience in trial proceedings. Even an educated and intelligent man who is not properly educated and trained in law is considered incompetent and unable to defend himself. Courts are created to punish and deprive the guilty of their liberties through imprisonment and other imposable penalties. Thus, it is imperative that if a person is charged with an offense in court he must be able to put a defense and be heard by a properly trained counsel. To deprive him of this would be tantamount to depriving him of due process and would render nugatory the basic tenets of the Bill of Rights.A person charged of an offense would need the expertise of a counsel so that he does not risk himself of being convicted even if he be innocent simply because he does not know how to establish his innocence. More so an uneducated man, a feeble minded person or an indigent. Consequently, it becomes the duty of the court to appoint counsel so that such person may not be denied due process of law as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The central theme in â€Å"The Onion Field† is that the defendants brought to trial are guilty already.It also justifies the use of deadly force by the police to achieve their ends so that it can serve to prevent crime. It also portrays the weakness of the legal system when it can be manipulated to prolong and lengthen the trial by legal tactics and dilatory measures by the defense which further victimized the cop who survived the crime—Hettinger. He was asked to relive and testify over and over again the details of the incident. The courts have been overly protective of the rights of the defendants that it defeats the very ends of a peaceful and safer society. Similarly, there are two models of criminal law that are subject of heated debates.Central to this controversy is rooted from the goals of the criminal justice system; firstly, the need to enforce and implement the laws to maintain peace and social order and secondly, the need to protect people from being victims of injustice. The first goal is the crime control model, as developed by Herbert Packer in 1960s while the second is the due process model (Schmalleger, 1999). The crime control model has placed its priority upon arrest, prosecution and conviction of criminals. This model supports and justifies all acts of the police and prosecution on an all out war against crime.This includes profiling, sting operations, patrolling areas that are high risk and the like. It entails aggressive identification, pursuit, isolation and prosecution of the criminals. This model allows collateral damage or acceptable losses even if this be a human life (Perron, n. d. ). For instance, a 75-year old minister was handcuffed during a raid on drugs. He suffered and died of a heart attack. Later it turned out that the informant gave a wrong apartment number. The minister is considered a collateral damage in the war aga inst drugs (Perron, n. d. ).Moreover, the crime control model assumes the defendant is already guilty even before trial. In the book, ‘The Onion Field’ the investigating police officers already assumed that Powell and Smith are guilty of the crimes for which they were being investigated even before their trial. This can be seen from Smith’s apprehension when he was thrown to the floor of his bedroom and shouted at by the apprehending officers as a cop-killer. Due to countless motions and re-trials, Hettinger was made to relive and recount his ordeal. He was on moral trial by his colleagues.He resigned and got involved in petty thefts and was never the same again. Hettinger was the collateral damage. The Due Process Model focuses on protecting the rights and liberties of the defendant in criminal prosecutions. Perron, a certified criminal investigator claims that â€Å"the due process model demands a careful and informed consideration of the facts of each individ ual case. According to this model, law enforcement agents must recognize the rights of suspects during arrest, questioning, and handling. In addition, constitutional guarantees must be considered by judges and prosecutors during trials.The primary mission of the due process model is to protect innocent people from wrongful conviction. † This model is guided by the principle that it is better to release guilty persons than to prosecute and incarcerate an innocent person. It recognizes the innocence of the accused before conviction and therefore prescribes as an imperative the observance and respect to the rights of persons during criminal prosecutions. It protects the rights of an individual first and foremost since the rights of one represent the rights of the many (Perron, n. d. ).The book, â€Å"Gideon’s Trumpet† may illustrate the due process model. The case was heard at the time when the Betts principle was controlling. This means that the accused can only be appointed a counsel in case where he is charged with a capital offense. The Supreme Court overturned this dictum and laid down a principle that indigent defendants in all criminal prosecutions must be given the right to assisted by counsel otherwise this will be a denial of his right to due process. Gideon’s upholds the rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions and considers him innocent until proven guilty.To a certain extent, the book ‘The Onion Field’ illustrates also a due process model principle in that the numerous trials and hearings manifested a system that allowed due process or the right of the accused to be heard and present his own evidence during trial. For the law enforcement, the due process model only frustrates and delays the elimination of crime in the society. It is claimed that observance of the rights of the accused only lengthens the process of putting the criminal behind bars. It protects the guilty at the expense of innocent individu als.On the other hand, advocates of due process model believe that crime control model is prone to commit errors that result consequently in the conviction of the innocent. They believe that it is too harsh and believes in the philosophy of a police state (Perron, n. d. ). Conclusion These two models are susceptible to being reconciled and rationalized. As proposed by a noted criminologist Frank Scmalleger in his book, Criminal Justice Today claimed that the American criminal justice system works as a ‘crime control through due process. ’ According to him, this new model balances the different strengths and weaknesses of the previous two models.It harnesses the strong points of each model and avoids their respective pitfalls. This means that law enforcement strategies to control crime and apprehend criminals can continue under the philosophy of still brining the defendant to court for prosecution. Although evidence may be gathered as to prove factual guilt still the jud iciary is left with the role of establishing legal guilt. The greatest challenge that is facing the criminal justice system is finding balance between the rights of the defendant in criminal prosecutions and the interest of the people in the society to impose punishment on the guilty.As between the crime control model and the due process model, I would prefer to live in the due process model of criminal justice. The United States symbolizes stability and democracy and its Constitution as the bedrock of society. Advocating crime control model would mean the higher risk of violations of civil liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the principles embodied in the Declaration of Independence of our forefathers. All men are created equal with unalienable rights in seeking life, liberty and happiness. By leaving to the power and discretion of the police and law enforcement, the prerogative to adjudge guilt i.e. factual guilt would mean leaving the decision to curtailing freedom and l iberties in the hands of men who are not properly trained to seek legal guilt. It would also mean that rules in determining factual guilt may be relative and subjective unlike if this was determined in accordance with laws and judicial pronouncements based on jurisprudence and sound judicial principles. In order to keep order and peace in a society, laws are to be observed with uniformity and with a clear and informed consideration of the facts before one is convicted.The due process model makes use of an objective and just standards of determination of guilt or innocence rather than one that may be subjective and error prone. References Frase, R. and Weidner, R. â€Å"Criminal justice system – structural and theoretical components of criminal justice systems, the systems in operation, the importance of viewing criminal justice as a system. † American Law and Legal Information web site Crime and Justice vol. 1. Retrieved on November 19, 2007, from http://law. jrank. or g/pages/858/Criminal-Justice-System. html. Jacobs, J.â€Å"Criminal justice in the United States: A primer,† American Studies Journal, 2007 Special Edition, No. 49. Retrieved on November 19, 2007, from http://asjournal. zusas. uni-halle. de/76. html. Jacobs, J. , â€Å"Issues of Democracy,† 2001. Retrieved on November 9, 2007, from http://usinfo. state. gov/journals/itdhr/0701/ijde/jacobs. htm. Lewis, A. , Gideon’s Trumpet, (New York: Random House, Inc. , 1964. Maechling, Jr. , C. , â€Å"The crisis of an American criminal justice† 1996. Retrieved on November 20, 2007, from http://www. cosmos-club. org/web/journals/1996/maechling.html Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States, â€Å"Sixth Amendment† (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005). Peak, K. , Justice Administration, third edition 2001, Prentice Hall. Perron, B. ‘The crime control and due process models’ The Criminal Defense Training Council. Retrieved on Novemb er 21, 2007, from http://www. defenseinvestigator. com/article10. html#_ftnref4 Schmalleger, F. , Criminal Justice Today, fifth edition, Prentice Hall 1999. Wambaugh, F. , The Onion Field, London: Quercus 21 Bloomsbury Square, 2007 edition.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Charles Chocolate case Essay Example for Free

Charles Chocolate case Essay Traelene beals â€Å"9am Friday† First, a formal case analysis – This should be written in a business style format using short paragraphs and sentences, self-explanatory headings, and any figures/tables that would facilitate reading. Reports are to be no longer than 2000 words (excluding appendices Issues to be addressed – No measures of productivity or efficiaency in the plant- no way of telling if the plant was doing a good job. Difficult demand forcasting due to seasonality of sales. 2 new stores had ok type sales. Best clients of Wholesale sales changed focus on cheaper items and also own products. Sales agents could be fired with 90 days notice. Other parts of US haven’t heard of us. Of the 221 wholesale customers purchase just $1000 worth of products. Other 125 purchase between 1000 and 2000 per year. Sales agents, don’t know how to represent the all products. Speculating future orders from wholesale clients to customize boxes and logos-waste of capital. 60% of the total online/phone orders were from existing customers. Online sales haven’t grown – orders processed within 3-4 days. Why ship internationaly(only 5%)—Antartica Really Summer problem at Sandwich heaven – why did staff leave? How to get new staff in this tight labour market. Marketing service – old fashioned — Undefined Target market? Packaging ? (tourists publicatins, seasonal print media and radio spots) How to increase awareness without diluting the brand. Leverage on solid search engine raankings to promote online sales Basic website, reminder service to customers-good/bad? Sales agents dint provide links to top accounts. Companies revenues had grown because of Sandwich heaven(franchising) High reliability on tourism. Corporate gift marketing – 25% discount – market was good – Explore boston ? ice cream sales Increase retail penetration? Acquire a niche chocolate company? What about the tradiotnal brand name? Internal capacity? Relocate factory? Background Charles produced high-quality, hand wrapped chocolates, Portland creams. Best quality, many loyal customers across the world. Huge factory(24000 sq foot)-owned-. Only 75 retail and 35 production employees, 20 in management. Working hours 7am-4pm(each day). – Leverage long shelf life Wholesale production required early planning and online sales required late production†¦ Production planning was completed by data distortions arising from out-of stock and over stock issues. – out of stock-over production – killed the pricing – by discount pricing. Special orders put the whole order on a stand still Retail stores provided 50% of sales. – Wholesale had 30% of sales – Charles is just used as an add on product. Online and phone – online 4% of total sales. –phone is 6% of total sales—60% of all these orders were from regular orders.. Avg sales $138 by phone and $91 from website†¦High growth industry†¦ Sandwich heaven – 10% of sales – Industry High demand for organic/dark chocolate- anti oxidant properties. Charles Chocolate case. (2018, Oct 13).

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Partisan Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Partisan Politics - Essay Example This thereby led to the establishment of two different political factions the republicans and the federalists. The republicans were proponents of limiting the federal government powers and giving the state more authority thereby expanding popular participation in politics. The federalists on the other hand strongly supported the national government and international ties especially with Great Britain and pushed for more power to be handed to the federal government. This paper looks at the Federalists views and the main motivator or the reasons why the Federalists pushed for a central government in the United States. The Federalist Party was supported mainly because of seven main issues which the party members deemed important for a great American nation. First there was the funding of the public debt which the Federalists saw necessary for the greater American nation. The Federalist asserted that the fund would help in times of public danger especially from foreign war and to increase the respectability of the American nation (Kincaid, 2011). The consolidated fund of the American nation would also promote trade and also agriculture and manufacturing. The economic advantages also included the lowered interest of money due to the huge pool of money thereby reducing the ratio. The Federalists argued that the public funding would not only benefit the American nation but also the states as the-y were also beneficiaries of the fund. The second aspect was the U.S relations with Great Britain and France who contributed hugely to the economy of United States (Sawyer, 1952). The taxation on imports and i nternal tax on some of the goods raised government revenue. It was therefore the responsibility of the national government to maintain ties with Great Britain and France who contributed largely to the economy of the United States and the Federalists were proponents of this platform. In

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Teen suicide research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Teen suicide - Research Paper Example These changes are known as clinical depression. The symptoms that lead to depression show lack of sleep, outburst, overwhelming sadness, changes in physical activities and suicidal thinking etc. Moreover, sadness is considered as a normal reaction when an individual is disappointed in life. Likewise, it may become an alarming situation if sadness converts into hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness that may lead in clinical consultation. However, depression is a more severe situation, especially once it starts to interfere in day-to-day life and ability to work, study, eat and sleep. b) Feeling of Worthlessness and Guilty Unfortunately, when a person is in depression he feels worthless, flawed, and inadequate. In fact, it worsens the condition. A survey held by Dr. Aaron Beck revealed that 80% of the people who are suffering from depression showed hatred and dislike towards themselves ("Feeling Worthless and Depression). Moreover, a depressed person feels defeated in all the as pects of life, for example, in attractiveness, health, intelligence, work etc. all these negative thoughts for this reason lead to lower one’s self esteem. ... Furthermore, an irritable person every now and then complains unexplained aches and pains in body for instance headaches, stomachaches and pain in body as a result if medical examination is carried out no medical causes will be revealed. Hence, it indicates that a person is more likely on the road to depression. Above all, depressed teens are extremely sensitive to criticism, negative response and disappointment. On the other hand, they depart with their friends gathering and tend to isolate. For instance, teens that are fatally disheartened habitually make ‘attention-getting’ attempts deceitful on suicide. An escalating number of youths endeavor and are successful at committing suicide and for this reason; suicidal thoughts or behaviors should always be taken seriously ("Understanding Depression: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Help "). 2) Effects on Teen Depression There are significant effects of depression some of them are so serious that medical treatment may become ne cessary. Running away indicates a loud cry for aid in depression by a teenager. Another frequent effect due to depression is substance abuses in youths for example drugs and alcohol. Self-mutilation with an intention to injure oneself for instance, pulling of hair, cutting veins, self-burning etc. are definite signs of depression. Furthermore, the person shows irresponsible and reckless behavior thus, performing unsafe sex, reckless driving, careless attitude, self-hatred and suicidal thoughts. a) Drug and Alcohol Abuse When a person suffers from drug abuse as well as struggling with mental health problems, it is very difficult to escape this addiction; this is known as dual diagnose. Alcoholism in adolescence is a common indication of depression. Drug and

Monday, August 26, 2019

Do you think there are genuine moral dilemmas Why Essay

Do you think there are genuine moral dilemmas Why - Essay Example This paper will utilize different ethical theories and prove that genuine moral dilemmas exist. One of the most obvious proofs that genuine moral dilemmas exists lies in the fact that there are numerous ethical theories, each of which adopted a different point of view on the same situation. That is why it may be important to analyze the exemplary approaches to support this point. The first theory that will be engaged is called Deontological Ethics and is closely connected to the legacy of Immanuel Kant. This German philosopher developed an idea that life of a person should be guided by a necessity to adhere with the duty1. There is no one strictly defined duty, it is rather a set of various universal maxims that adherence to which defines whether an action of a person should be seen as a moral one. The next concept that also was developed by him is titled categorical imperative. Indeed, in the view of Kant, actions of a person should be guided by categorical imperative which is the necessity to choose the right action regardless of the circumstances or the negative consequences that this might bring for a person. As one can clearly see, this is a rather rigorous position that makes a clear judgment about the significance of a particular action. So, the latter will always be viewed as a moral or an immoral one, regardless of the general context of the situation. Speaking of moral dilemmas, one might argue that this theory is a rather useful one since it will always be able to prove a clear answer to a dilemma. Considering the name of this ethical theory, one might guess that it places a significant emphasis on the consequences that an action brings. The same idea was explored by John Stuart Mill in his Utilitarianism who claimed that the morality of an action should be determined by the amount of utility that it brings2. That is why it is quite understandable that the action

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Parmenides and Heracleitus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parmenides and Heracleitus - Essay Example A surprising amount of what we feel we know about the world today, and the way in which we interpret the nature of the world around us, was actually shaped by the ideas and concepts brought forward for discussion by the ancient Greek philosophers. Although their ideas have been modified and added to over the millennia since their first recording, the views of these philosophers helped shape the avenue of investigation and thus our concept of our role in the physical plane. Two of these philosophers, Heraclitus and Parmenides, introduced two opposing schools of thought regarding the nature of the physical world, each influencing the thoughts and actions of two more widely known philosophers, Socrates and Plato. Heraclitus proposed that everything around us was in a continual state of flux while Parmenides believed change was nothing but an illusion. To understand how their philosophies differed and how they affected Socrates and Plato, it is necessary to understand the position of eac h man and how he came to his conclusions. Heraclitus based much of his knowledge of the natural world on his concept that everything is in constant flux between one state of being and another. According to Plutarch, â€Å"Heraclitus holds it impossible to go into the same river twice; no more can you grasp mortal being twice so as to hold it. So sharp and swift is change; it scatters and brings together again, not again, no nor afterward; even while it is being formed it fails, it approaches, and it is gone†

Yoani Sanchez and the Power of Internet Blogging Research Paper

Yoani Sanchez and the Power of Internet Blogging - Research Paper Example Due process has often been denied on many instances, and, as a result, many feel that Cuban laws are unethical and oppressive. Despite all these, Cubans have lacked a voice to fight for them. Many have been afraid to come out in the open and oppose the constant oppression and violation of human rights by the government. People have feared the consequences of opposing the violations against their rights because those who speak out against such oppression are mostly the ones who suffer the most since the government does not want to be opposed or criticized (Sweig 47). Yoani Maria Sanchez Cordero has been acting as a voice for the voiceless in Cuba. She has been standing up for the rights of the many oppressed Cubans who have been afraid to question the current regime over the common human rights violations. Sanchez has been using the internet as her main tool in fighting the oppression being netted out by the government. This paper will critically analyze the power of internet blogging as used by Yoani Sanchez in creating a window into the harsh realities of oppression that have been facing the people of Cuba. Yoani Maria Sanchez Cordero is a renowned Cuban blogger with international recognition and global awards for her efforts in criticizing the current rot in the Cuban government. Sanchez has been lauded for the creation of Generation Y. She has been using her words as a voice for the oppressed. Sanchez has been using the internet to inform the rest of the world about the sad state of affairs in Cuba. She has been instrumental in informing the international community about the injustices and arbitrary punishments that have been facing the people of Cuba (Henken 1). Her aim of exposing these injustices via the internet has been to let the world see what innocent Cubans have to go through every single day of their

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Pedophiles and Lack of Harsher Punishment Essay - 1

Pedophiles and Lack of Harsher Punishment - Essay Example Thus, for most people, the term pedophilia is not a legal term but a diagnostic one. Prosecutors and law enforcement in cases involving computers frequently use the word pedophilia (Borgeson and Kuehnle, 2010). Hall and Hall (2007) state that pedophilia is a clinical diagnosis generally made by a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is neither a legal nor criminal term like forcible sexual offense, and legal term id generally used in criminal statistics. There are laws that govern acts committed by pedophiles. One such law is the Megan’s law. However, it is difficult to estimate how the Megan’s law affects pedophiles. The definition of the term pedophilia does not allow the determination of whether the pedophilic individual is a sexual offender (a child molester) or not. It is important to note that not all pedophilic individuals are child molesters. An individual with any paraphilia condition can be legally involved in it through masturbation and fantasizing (Borgeson and Kuehnle, 2010). Punishments given to those who commit pedophilia usually vary. There are states where the punishment is harsher compared to other states. In regard to punishment, there is an ongoing debate on whether the punishment for those committing sexual assault crimes should be made harsher or not. However, majority of the people are of the opinion that harsher or tougher laws will reduce the occurrence of these crimes (CQ Press, 2006). Thus, punishments for those who have committed pedophilic crimes should be made harsher. Harsher punishment will reduce the rate of pedophilic crimes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the form of punishment given to sexual offenders such as pedophilic individuals and propose the punishments to be harsher or tougher. As stated before, experts are of the opinion that harsher punishment will reduce the incidences of sexual crimes. In some states, there are tests done to ascertain if the individual has really reformed before release from prison . In Texas, sixteen months before the release of an offender, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice can have the individual evaluated to know whether he is an SVP (sexually violent predator). If the individual is found to be an SVP, then he is eligible for treatment as an outpatient sex offender upon his release (Garib, 2011). The study is of great significance because the majority of the sex offenders are treated with blanket punishment, thus, they cause collateral consequences which develop more risk to the entire public (Hiller, 2011). Failure to treat pedophilic individuals and their release back to the society defeat the whole purpose of child protection. Despite the fact that experts are advocating for harsher punishments, there is a need for an individual to be treated before he is released to the society. This makes sure that the individual is fully reformed after he has served his sentence in prison and the risk of children being harmed is reduced. Literature Review A pe dophile and a child molester have been often confused by child abuse professionals, the media, and the general public. They regard pedophiles as all individuals who sexually victimize children. However, there is no uniform definition of the word pedophile. It is important to note that pedophilia is a psychiatric diagnosis done only by qualified psychiatrists or psychologists. Not all child molesters are

Friday, August 23, 2019

Yonnondio and Waiting for Lefty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Yonnondio and Waiting for Lefty - Essay Example This is the reason many authors are still writing about issues that bring negative impacts to the community and are related to capitalism. They have chosen individuals in their writing to portray the experiences in the superior communal entirety of capitalism. In the given novels, there are many similarities shown in the characters way of life. There are two families used by the authors to show the different lifestyles among capitalized people. In both novels, it is essential to note that similar issues are discussed. The authors mostly focus on the struggles people have to undergo to ensure that there lives are better. In the play waiting for lefty, Miller is a learned man working in the lab as lab assistance. He works for a certain company and is requested by his boss to make poisonous gases that are to be used to fight in a chemical war. To ensure that he does not neglect his request, his boss tells him of his raise in his office. He does not understand that he is being used to ma ke poisonous gases that are to be used by certain people in chemical warfare. At first, he seems to accept to the terms as offered but as Fayette, his boss, continues with his explanations he remembers the deaths that have occurred due to war (Odets, 23). He remembers the death of his brother and is willing to lose his job. The author states that he tells it to Fayette’s face that he had rather get a livelihood from digging ditches. The author tries to show that there is a lot of exploitation among the people who live in lower standards of life. Since they are willing to have better lives, they are willing to bear with anything to have their goals achieved. Just like Miller, many people should be ready to overcome worse experiences as seen among people living under capitalism (Odets, 30). In the novel Yonnondio, it is evident that the characters used bring out the idea of capitalism really well. Anna Holbrook believes that her children can evade the kind of life she was livin g by acquiring education. The author uses day- dreaming and imagination to bring out the ideas in Anna’s mind. Although she lives a poor life, she is willing to have changes in the life of her children whereby they live a better one than they have in their childhood. She has to undergo through beating from her husband every time he comes home drunk. She does not have a job as her husband, but the chores at home always leave her very exhausted. She has to act as the ideal homemaker, always finding food and laundering clothes. Despite doing all this duties, she has to deal with domestic violence (Olsen, 34). The violence she has to undergo has changed her personality to an extent that she beats her children to make up for the pain she feels. Although she does this, she still cares about her children. This is the reason she always emphases that education is the only best thing that her children deserve. Her children have lived a miserable life, and she is not willing to have the m pass through the same life. To have her goals achieved, she has made them believe that the only way they are going to overcome the experiences of the people living under capitalization, is by working in offices. If they are ale to get good jobs and be admitted in any office, they will abandon the miserable living conditions. As a way of motivating them, she assures them that their hands will become whiter. The author to show that people living under capitalization are always willing to overcome the experiences uses Anna. She is willing to use any method to overcome ideas in capitalism (Olsen, 43). The author shows that there is some evidence of love among these people. Jim always attempts to create a good life

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Mark Rydells On Golden Pond Essay Example for Free

Mark Rydells On Golden Pond Essay Mark Rydells On Golden Pond is a drama that emphasizes the stages people of various ages endures. Utilizing Erik Eriksons Psychosocial Stages as learned in class, each of the main characters can be placed within a stage and their age-related crises analyzed. The film being so close to a familys life, it becomes relatable to the audience, prompting personal reactions as well as implementing life examples of some of the theories studied in class. As there are plenty of characters that all develop changes throughout the movie, the most influential would be the main character, Norman Thayer. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. All of these are tied into Normans challenge of accepting the fact of his own age and maybe the idea of death. On Golden Pond is based off of accepting the fact of age, family, and dying. With this being the main focus the story goes deep and wraps around Normans physical state. Norman is approaching his Eightieth birthday, and one can only imagine a persons physical appearance at this age. He is wrinkled all along his body, kind of like a shriveled up prune. Glasses rest upon his face, and he has very little hair, which he hides with a fisherman hat. Norman has many health problems such as arthritis and palpitations, but his most pressing health issue is his slow mental decline. He knows he is not at the top of his game anymore so grumpiness and a sharp tongue is his cover. According to Eriksons stages Norman would be considered in the Late Adulthood category. The physical state of people in this category is everything that Norman is facing. Vision becomes worse, hence why Norman wears glasses. The skin starts to become wrinkled and tough, hair loss occurs a lot faster. When this point in your life is reached the person is supposed to take the time and find meaning and satisfaction in their life  rather than to become bitter and not resolve the conflict of integrity versus despair. When a person is unsuccessful at doing so they tend to feel as if their life has been wasted and will go on with many regrets. They then will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair. Norman faces this problem because he cannot find it in him to love his life, or to accept what is happening to him as he ages. Along with physical changes throughout a persons life comes cognitive development. These are the strongest developments and changes a person goes through in their life because they affect the person the most, without us realizing whats actually happening. Throughout the movie Norman experiences cognitive development and it really shows through. When a person enters their Late Adulthood cognitive development includes many things. McGraw-Hill (2006) states the following: Some aspects of memory, such as sensory memory, semantic and procedural memory, and priming appear nearly as efficient in older adults as in younger people. Other aspects, mainly the capacity of working memory and the ability to recall specific events or recently learned information, are often less efficient. This information goes along perfectly with the character Norman. One of Normans toughest challenges is his loss of memory, and he is in denial about it. A scene in the movie where this is present is when Normal proceeds to tell his wife Ethel that he has gotten lost in the woods. While Norman is on his walk he becomes disoriented and scared, wandering off the trail and into the woods. After a short run that causes him to pant heavily, he finds his way back to the cottage without giving Ethel any suspicions of the incident. He then soon begins to confess to Ethel that he got lost on his walk and needed to rush back to her. She embraces him and reassures him they will go on that same walk together to regain his memory. He wonders why she loves him so much. Norman throughout the movie also has other incidents of decline in his memory. Throughout all the years he was known for taking his boat out on the pond and going fishing, this year when he tries its almost like he forgets how to steer it. It gets so bad that Billy takes over the boat, and Norman actually leads him into a patch full of rocks, which  damages the boat and throws Norman overboard. Womens childhood relationships with their fathers are important to them all their lives. Regardless of age or status, women who seem clearest about their goals and most satisfied with their lives and personal and family relationships usually remember that their fathers enjoyed them and were actively interested in their development. (Chess, Stella). Among from all the other twists and turns a person goes through in their lifetime, emotional development is by far the best and the worst. In this movie an emotional relationship is what its solely based off of. Norman has lived his whole entire life without having a relationship with his daughter Chelsea. In fact she hasnt seen him in years and for the first time she is coming to spend time for his big birthday. When Chelsea arrives the tension and resentment is so present with both the characters. Normans problem is that he doesnt realize his words and actions strongly affect Chelsea in more than one-way. One scene that really shows how Norman feels about life and that can really affect Chelsea is when they assemble for his birthday cake. He states that he has little to say for living for four score years. Instead of expressing his love to his daughter he makes her feel as if she has had no impact on him what so ever. That very next day Chelsea tells her mother Ethel that even though she is all the way in Los Angeles he makes her feel inadequate from a distance. Now every person knows that in order to build a relationship it takes two. Another relationship Norman builds throughout the movie is through Chelseas stepson Billy. Billy gives Norman a run for his money and shows him that not everyone will take his negativity. Norman and the boy slowly begin to bond and share laughs with each other. Their biggest bonding experience is when they go fishing out on the lake to catch the big fish they call Walter. These experiences that Norman shares with Billy make him realize all he has missed out on with his own daughter Chelsea. Rougemont-Bucking (2013) research states the following: In particular, it focuses on the fact that the limited capacity of the working memory to process now-relevant information can be turned into an advantage, when the individual is occupied by dealing with unpleasant emotion. Based on a  phenomenon known as dual-task interference (DTI), this emotion can be chased by intense arousal due to clearly identifiable external stressors. This research on emotional development fits perfectly with Late Adulthood and maybe as to why Norman is so distant with his daughter. Since his memory is going slowly declining, his mind doesnt find it hard to deal with unpleasant emotion. Norman is kind of like a rock he is just there and doesnt feel much. To go back to the quote from before Womens relationships with their fathers are important to them all their life†¦ This quote ties my paper together perfectly. As much as it is a quote more to Chelsea than Norman it strongly shows how a daughter can be so affected without a fathers love and support. This movie is not only based off of Normans aging and one of his last summers but it is about the growth of a daughter and fathers nonexistent relationship. Throughout the movie Norman shows many prime examples or physical, cognitive, and emotional changes. We as an audience go into the mind of Norman Thayer and learn that even as a grumpy old soul, somewhere deep down in there is a huge heart with lots of love to give. WORKS CITED Gilbert B. (Producer), Rydell M. (Director). (1981) _On Golden Pond_ (Motion Picture). United States: Universal Pictures Papalia, D. E. Olds. S. W. Feldman. R. D (2006). Physical and Cognitive Development in Late Adulthood. _Higered.mcgraw-hill_. Retrieved November 28, 2013, http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com. Rougemont-Bucking, A: Grivel J. (2013). Risk Perception and Emotional Coping: A Pathway for Behavioral Addiction?. European Addiction Research (20.2), 49. (November 28, 2013) from Proquest on the World Wide Web: http://proquest.umi.com/pdqweb

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Child Observation, A Reflective Report

Child Observation, A Reflective Report As a student social worker, I was required to complete a Child observation over a period of six weeks. In order to prepare I had to decide the child and family I wanted to observe, on this occasion I decided I would observe a child from a mixed race back ground of age 0-12 months. The child I observed was 12 months from a single parent family and had three older siblings, the observation took place at her home after I acquired consent from the mother I started my task. It was essential to understand what observation was and I determined that it is an informed way of viewing or looking at something that raises awareness and increases understanding. At the start of the observation I felt very uncomfortable being in unfamiliar territory, I felt that it was unfair for me to subject this family to my own values, principles and prejudices. Although I felt that my chosen environment in which to observe was the right one, I had great concerns of my lack of experience and how the family would respond to me as an outsider in their lives. I was also very anxious about how this process would affect me as a parent and my parenting skills or lack of it was an intense moment. I questioned whether my role as an observer was really necessary but I had to get understanding of what observation was and meant to me. Trevithick (2012, pg: 169) stated that we learn a lot by observing others and as such learn what is being transmitted through tone of voice, volume, intonation, posture and gestures. As I observed the child I realised that I learnt a great deal not only as an observer but as a mother and reflection on my own childhood, upbringing and previous job role. There was a great deal of thought about the emotional impact of the observation on myself as the observer. Firstly I learnt the importance of observation, I realised that it was very essential to watch and listen than to speak because a great deal is achieved by watching, listening and being silent. Baldwin (1994, pg 83) stated through observation one is hearing and valuing the voice of the observed, and I believed that without words being said there was a connection between the child and I. (ability to remain detached to suspend judgement and refrain from participation, being aware of feelings and attitudes evoked, not initiating interaction, Precise recording which distinguishes what actually happened from what interpretation, Secondly I learnt that observation is a skill that is learnt and acquired with training and practice. Before this task as a family support worker I was required to observe people and make decisions, I had no prior train or knowledge but I did it .In addition Fawcett (2009 pg 16) stated that We learn much from our observations but we must accept that what we see is the tip of the iceberg.Observation assists the observer to get a better understanding of the childs internal and external world. Furthermore had a great awareness of the environment I was in and of verbal and non-verbal interaction between the child and parent as well. Fawcett (2009 pg 17) conquers as she states that observation is a rewarding chance to discover ways that people communicate and also how different gestures mean different things in different cultures. I was more aware of how power and hierarchies operate and how relatively powerless position of children, and this is clearly emphasised by (Fawcett 2009 pg18). Despite the advantages of the observation there were a few disadvantages such as: I felt that one hour was a very short time and I was not getting the whole picture from the family. The observation was taking place on Friday and that was a lot of time in between visits. Inexperience was a big deal because I continually observed the child as a mother I was unable to detach my role as a mother with my role as a student. Healy (2012 pg 34) argued that it is a practice which recognises the centrality of the emotions, body and mind of the worker and service user. It is essential to note that while there may be a few disadvantages as social workers the skill of observation is crucial to the day to day practice (Tanner 1995 pg 50). As part of the process I had to present my findings to the group and use PowerPoint presentation on reflection I learnt a great deal. As a social worker one requires good written and verbal communication skills and I believe that through presenting to the group I demonstrated the skills above. Stogdon Kiteley (2010 pg 147) emphasised that contributions to discussions and note- taking is the beginning of acquiring these skills. The feedback given to others made the subject area and what was expected clearer in the presentation. In practice we are given feedback from service users and colleagues this was a preparation process for what is expected. The importance of keeping eye contact and the audience interested in the subject matter, I had to ensure that the group was clear on the points that were being made. Verbal presentation by individual students is a chance to increase, advance and offer different methods of learning in the lectures, visual presentations. I had the benefit of the feedback and expertise, not only from the lecture but from my peers as well. My peers had an opportunity to ask questions and this helped me make my points clearer. By presenting to my peers, I was able to get constructive ideas which I used in order to make changes to the final draft. I also learnt that it is important to provide constructive feedback and how essential critical thinking was during this process. Furthermore I gained insight into other areas of child observation. The disadvantage of presenting was that it I felt time was too short and it took time for me to limit my information to present. I was very emotional and nervous and this may have come across during my presentation. During the observation I picked up from the mother that the childs father was not there for the first six months .Furthermore she stated that he only came to see the children when he felt like and on most occasions unannounced. On the two occasions that he came round as a woman and mother, I was very angry and disgusted by his behave and I felt that he was not a good parent. I then reflected back to my childhood and the close relationship I have with my father and this made me cross. As I observed him and the attachment he had with his children I realised that we are all human and can only do our best and I had no right to Judge him. This was a lesson for me and to realise that in practice there may be situations that will test my values beliefs and that I have to deal with them in a professional way. Gibbs (1998 pg 9) stated that it is from feelings and thought emerging from reflection that generalisations or concepts that allow new situations to be tackled effectively. Thomas and Pierson (1995pg 16) define anti discriminatory practice as a term used in social work training to describe how workers account of structural disadvantage and seek to reduce individual and institutional discrimination on grounds of race, gender, disability, social class and sexual orientation. Observation was listed as one of the five key stages that influence social work because it helps the worker to see and what to look for beyond race and gender (Howe 1987 pg 82).Thompson (1997 pg 34) model of anti à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"oppressive practice demonstrates the three areas that are joined personal prejudice, cultural beliefs and ethos and social and structural factors. When working to safeguard and promote the welfare of a child the family, environmental factors, parenting capacity and a childs development are looked at which provides holistic view of a child. As social workers vital and complex decisions are made based on observations therefore it is essential that the skills t o observe and assess are achieved. This is due to the fact that decisions and actions have far reaching consequences it helps to come to objective conclusions while dealing with a family. In social work practice all children and their families should be treated the same regardless of their colour, gender, race or religious beliefs. On reflection the observation was a learning curve ready for actual practice.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart

A Film Review On The Film Thunderheart In this film review Im going to discuss how the Native Indians and white Americans are presented in the film Thunderheart and the stereotypes within the film and in which extent it meets the overall purpose. Thunderheart is about an quarter Native Indian FBI agent called Ray Levoi that wont except his Native Indian background and considers himself to be a white American. However things changed when he was assigned to investigate murders that have taken place in the Badland South Dakota. Purely because of his background he was given this task, Ray wasnt keen on doing the task, his body langue said it all four minutes into the film he was very stiff all the way through the interview, small pauses when I was asked questions as well as denying that he knew his biological father who was half Sioux saying he died when he was a baby. Beside how he felt, to please the white man he thanks him and got on with it. Already made his mind up that these murders were done by the Sioux Indians, he go es to reservation area and looking for the prime suspect Jimmy who he believes is responsible for the murders because Frank Coutelle also an FBI agent who he admires told him so. However series of events that take place Ray starts to doubt that Jimmy is responsible, but Frank sidetracks him and makes him believe that the Native Indian police planed the evidence. The change doesnt come quickly 40 minutes into the movie Ray is still denying his heritage when he was asked by Maggie about his nationality he replied The United States this just shows the audience that he is willing to lie to everyone even to those that already know about it. But at some stage in the course of the story, Ray is freed from his stuck-up attitude to Indian culture with the help of spiritual journey that he experience, made to understand the many problems of the violence torn Indian community and forced to accept his own past (the film is set in the late 1970s). Inspired by real events that have took place on several American Indian reservations during the early 1970s, particularly the Wounded Knee incident in South Dakota. The aim of this film was to create a different version of the Wild West and not the Hollywood type where the American Indians are portrait to be savages, indigence and violent people that arent civilised. This film is trying to get away from that entirely and want to show what the American government has treated native Americans The opening scene of the film shows the Native Indians doing a Pow-wow dance, in the early hours of the morning just as the sun is rising. It is a beautiful setting with a blue sky and a tinted shade of light orange at the bottom of the horizon by the waking sun. This portraits them to be spiritual people that are connected to their culture and that they live a very simple life compare to the way the white Americans live. Pow-wow dance is about renewing thoughts of the old ways and to preserve a rich heritage and also that the community bond stays tight because without that they wont have much left. The Native Indians are shot in medium-close-up given them a sense of power and importance and not the outsider that isnt not part of the American dream. As it gets lighter the camera moves away giving a long shot of the whole ceremony that is surrounded by mounts which shows that they coexist with nature and that over the years nothing has changed in terms of the landscape. However this a lso shows how isolated they really are from the outside world and from the number of people that come to the ceremony it indicates that there arent many Native Indians left because normally large number of people would attend it. As the sun light gets stronger the Native Indian fade way, this is symbolic because it shows that the invasion of the white people happened so fast that feels like the change occurred over night and that the Native American become invisible as if they werent there anymore, just part of the history now. The background music that is played in this scene which consists of Shamanic drums, traditional Native American flute and people singing, is very peaceful, relaxing, makes you feel closer to natural life and gives the audience a flavour of what the native culture is like. Two minutes into the film the Extreme Long Shot, gives the audience the perfect view of the Badlands landscape, which shows that over the years there hasnt been any dramatic change, which in dicates that the Native Indians respect the natural habitat that they live in. In the next shot is depressing and mostly shocking to the audience because that last thing they expected. In this scene a Native Indian man is running from the distance, with windswept hair, clear sky, and the sun giving a warm feel and being in the middle of the screen enhances his beauty even more, giving the audience the impression that he is free as the wind, but the closer he gets you can hear that he is breathing heavily, tired and things arent what they seem. The audience were set to believe that everything was good like that American government tells them and all of sudden they witness someone being shot in cold blood. This just show that the white Americans are ruthless killers that have no remorse to what they are doing and are treating these people like animals, in which makes that white man the hunters and the Native Americans the prey. This shows that even the FBI agents that meant to restore order and peace are the same people that are committing these horrendous crimes . Even the people at the very top believe that the indigenous people dont fit into their society therefore they need to help these people that are caught in the illusion of the past to come to terms of the reality of the present. This just shows that the white man are there to change the indigenous people way of life, culture because they are burdening the image they are trying to sell to the rest of world, which consists of being on the move consistently and that hard labour pays. Indigenous This sense of place helps the movie with its weakest story element, the supposition that because the Kilmer character is a quarter Indian, he will somehow summon up his roots to help him decide between good and evil. An FBI agent at the time this film was shot would probably have had little difficulty in choosing between his roots and the rule book, and the rules would have won. Still, this is a movie, after all, and at the end there is a sense of rightness in the way everything turns out. There is also the sense that we have seen superior acting, especially by Kilmer.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Eastern Cougars, Maybe :: Animals Cougars Cougar Papers

Eastern Cougars, Maybe (1) Most Field and Stream enthusiasts know that cougars are a fast and agile animal that can live for many years with no real predator other than humans. Another name for the cougar is the well used mountain lion which many Eastern states have named stores, schools, and even sports teams after. The distinction that the Mississippi river stops cougars from traveling into Eastern states can’t be proven because there are many animals in the West that are in the East. In Craig Springer’s "A Rumor of Cougar" article posted in the Field and Stream magazine depicts falsehood due to three interesting fallacies, a fallacy of distraction and two causal fallacies. [SS-1] (2) One of Professor Downes’ fallacies of distraction is linked to Craig Springer’s article in several aspects. The fallacy, argument from ignorance states that, "Arguments of this form assume that since something has not been proven true, it is therefore false." An example of this type of fallacy is seen in the first sentence of the article, "Cougars in the East are the equivalent of UFO,s,"says Mark Dowling. This statement is suggesting that there are no cougars in the East because they haven’t been identified. There may be actual cougars roaming the East even though there is no specific proof. Then again, there is no specific proof that there are not cougars in the East. Therefore, this statement is just an argument of ignorance from Mark Dowling’s point of view. (3) The article also contains two causal fallacies, a fallacy of complex cause and a fallacy of genuine but insignificant cause. According to Downes the fallacy of complex cause states that, "The effect is caused by a number of objects or events of which the cause identified is only a part." The article suggests this in the sentence, "People say they’ve seen cougars in the East, but there is no concrete evidence" - "meaning no DNA, no skeletal remains." Concrete evidence can be more than DNA or skeletal remains. For one reason, it would be hard to find any DNA or Skeletal remains because there is no real Eastern predator to kill a cougar. Plus, cougars have many animals to feed on in the Eastern states so it would take awhile for a cougar to die. Cougars live in secluded areas, if one would happen to die it would most likely be eaten by scavengers before any human could identify it and get a sample of DNA.

An Analysis of the Term Actually Incurred in Section 11(a) of Income Tax Action :: Accounting Education Finances Taxes Essays

An Analysis of the Term Actually Incurred in Section 11(a) of Income Tax Action Act No. 58 of 1962 1.SYNOPSIS Generally Accepted Accounting Practice includes statement AC000: Framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements. This sets out broad and definitive rules governing the recognition of liabilities and income and expenditure in financial statements. Specifically the following paragraphs need to be considered: Recognition of liabilities: 91. A liability is recognised in the balance sheet when it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will result from the settlement of a present obligation and the amount at which the settlement will take place can be measured reliably... Recognition of expenses: 94. Expenses are recognised in the income statement when a decrease in future economic benefits related to a decrease in an asset or an increase of a liability has arisen that can be measured reliably. This means in effect that recognition of expenses occurs simultaneously with the recognition of an increase or a decrease in assets 95. Expenses are recognised in the income statement on the basis of a direct association between the costs incurred and the and the earning of specific items of income. This process, commonly referred to as the matching of costs with revenues, involves the simultaneous or combined recognition of revenues and expenses that result directly and jointly from the same transaction or other events; The fisc takes little notice of these rules when it comes to the recognition of expenditure for the purposes of taxation. It is the part of these rules that govern the general deduction provision that this report will examine. Section 11(a) of the South African Income Tax Act No. 58 of 1962 (as amended) reads as follows: 11. General deductions allowed in the determination of taxable income.- For the purpose of determining the taxable income derived by any person from the carrying on of any trade within the Republic, there shall be allowed as deductions from the income of such person so derived- (a) expenditure and losses actually incurred in the Republic in the production of the income, provided such expenditure and losses are not of a capital nature. The section defines the conditions that must be met for expenditure and losses to be allowed as deductions from income. The expenditure or losses must have been: Actu ssme nt In the Republic of South Africa. In the production of the income. Such expenditure or losses must not be of a capital nature. The section has to be read together with s23(g) 23. Deductions not allowed in the determination of taxable income.- No deductions shall be made in respect of any moneys, claimed as a deduction from trade, to the extent to which such monies

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Repression, Isolation, Segregation and the Urban Ghetto Essay -- Black

Repression, Isolation, Segregation and the Urban Ghetto African Americans have systematically been denied equal opportunities and this is particularly true within American inner cities. The social, cultural, and economic isolation of these urban ghettos has profound impacts and affects on its dwellers. This isolation and segregation has led to the evolution of profoundly divergent and dichotomous life chances for black and white Americans. The black urban poor are confronted with a lifestyle that promotes oppositional culture to the norms of society and challenged by an everyday exposure to violence, drugs, and crime. This paper attempts to explore the historical conditions that laid the foundation for the modern black urban ghetto. Racism and segregation have a long history in America. For most of America’s history, black Americans have been denied fundamental rights that include the right own property and the right to vote. Until the 1920s, racial discrimination was largely considered a product of the backward practices of an economically and socially antiquated South. Because of their powerful rhetoric, important political connections, and financial support, northern whites had often been important activists in early fights for racial equality. Northern whites saw their urban environment as socially and economically integrated. Black doctors, lawyers and financiers mingled freely with upper class whites; this unconscious socialization was not only common among white collar professions but also amongst the middle and lower classes. Unfortunately, this social harmony would end abruptly with the second Great Migration of southern blacks to northern cities during the 1940s and 1950s. This migration resulted f... ...African Americans. More importantly, this history illustrates the continued importance of race and its central linkage to the problems of poverty. Bibliography Anderson, E. StreetWise. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990. Clark, K. Dark ghetto: dilemmas of social power. New York: Harper and Row, 1965. Hirsch, A. Making the second ghetto: race and housing in Chicago, 1940-1960. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. Kotlowitz, A. There are no children here. New York: Anchor Books, 1991. Massey, D. and Nancy Denton. American apartheid. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998. Murray, C. Losing ground. New York: BasicBooks, 1994. Oliver, M. and Thomas M. Shapiro. Black wealth, white wealth. New York: Rouledge, 1997. Piven, F. and Richard A. Cloward. Poor people’s movements. New York: Vintage Books, 1977.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Examine different ways in which ‘good’ is used in Meta Ethics Essay

In the modern degrading society we live in today, people are constantly questioning the highly debatable topic of morals. We would like to think that we are trying our hardest to strive to do what is right in society to make us decent people. However it is hard to do what is ‘good’ when there are so many different ways of defining the meaning of good itself. There are three main types of ethics, Descriptive, Prescriptive and Meta ethics. Descriptive ethics presents the facts in the way people live and how they make moral choices in life. It simply states the facts without making any moral judgement of ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Prescriptive ethics states the norm about what is right or wrong by examining the choices and the reasons behind the issues. It says how we should live or behave setting standards for everyone to live by. This is the most widely used form of ethical language when debating morality. Meta ethics is a philosophical analysis of different words used in ethical language. It closely examines the words themselves and their exact meaning in different contexts. The subject of Meta ethics is to intimately study the moral language to be able to reach a better understanding of its meaning. Without the knowledge and intense understanding of the language we use in moral debates, we cannot argue our points successfully or be able to come to any logical conclusion. Therefore it is vitally necessary that we determine the meaning of the words we use so we can successfully take part in these ethical discussions. The most important ethical term, which unfortunately is so loosely used in society, is the term ‘good’. We frequently hear of a concert being ‘good’ or that person is a ‘good’ person or it is ‘good’ to be peaceful. But when we so casually use the term ‘good’ do we actually know what we are implying? What does the term ‘good’ mean in itself? Surely we should all be able to instantly provide an answer to this question because we all use the term ‘good’ on a regular basis. However we find that when posed with this question, many are not sure themselves of the core meaning of the word. In this essay I shall be examining the intensity of the ethical term ‘good’ and what people mean when they determine something to be ‘good’ of ‘bad’. We need to decide in fact, if it is actually possible to define the word ‘good’ at all or does it depend totally on the situation, having a slightly different meaning in every different context. The meaning of the term ‘good’ is not necessarily something that we all naturally agree on. There are many factors that affect the reasons why we perceive the meaning of ‘good’ to be what it is. Some examples of this include the sources of our values and morals, how we are brought up and the way our conscience plays a part in our every day lives. Naturally everyone may see different situations to be different degrees of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ in their opinion. A key concept leading to the understanding of something being ‘good’ is Definism. This idea is that we need to define accurately what we mean by the term ‘good’ before we can specifically distinguish if something is good or bad. Once we have classified the meaning of ‘good’ we can then accordingly judge every situation or act against it. When we have identified the essence of the term in itself we can grasp the ideas and understandings behind it. However many ask, † can the term ‘good’ universally be defined?† We shall now look at the different ways society tries to identify the word ‘good’. There are two main ways of defining a moral act, these being absolute and relative terms. Absolute moral terms are when something is perceived as always being ‘good’ or ‘right’ regardless of the situation or the facts involved. This is also known as an objective term, it is completely independent of all conditions to determine its moral ‘goodness’. All absolute moral terms are known universally as always being correct regardless. For example, many argue that Peace will always be ‘good’ along with happiness. These terms should apply to everyone in society in every situation because they will always be right and striving to reach them can never be wrong. Relative terms are the direct opposite of absolute terms. When something is relative, it totally depends on the specific situation it is in. It is also dependent on people’s personal opinions. Everyone views situations in their own way, which is slightly different to everyone else. It all relies on what you believe it to be in your own individual opinion. The term ‘good’ therefore can only be determined in its particular context. This is also known as Subjectiveness, for example euthanasia or fighting for a cause you believe in are two examples of relative situations of doing a ‘good’ thing. There are several theories’ we can look at in which the term ‘good’ is used in Meta ethics. The first of these is the utilitarian theory of good. According to this theory, a term is determined as being good pending the results of a specific moral act. For example, if we were in the situation where we had to kill one person to save the lives of thousands of others then this would be seen as ‘good’. This is because although the sacrifice of one life is not ‘good’ in itself alone, because it saves the lives of many more it is seen as the greater ‘good’ because it is the lesser of two evils. The results of killing one person to save many are much greater than the act of killing one in the first place. The ‘evil’ of killing one is cancelled out by the ‘good’ of saving so many others. Therefore the utilitarian theory of good can be measured by what it achieves. Another important theory is that of Natural law. The term ‘good’ is used in this part of Meta ethics according to how well something fulfils its purpose. The key philosopher that brought this idea into ethical recognition was Aristotle in ancient Greece many years ago. He believed that everything existing has a natural purpose in life in which it is aiming towards as its ultimate goal. This means that the level of ‘goodness’ something is, is measured by how much a particular act contributes to the ultimate purpose the object has. If it helps to fulfil this purpose then it is a morally ‘good’ act, however if it makes it harder to fulfil its purpose then it is considered ‘bad’. This idea of Natural law lead on to the development of Christian theology, especially by the greatly admired philosopher St Thomas Aquinas who linked Aristotle’s ideas with Christianity. In religion, the term ‘good’ is related to what God would or wouldn’t approve of. If God saw a certain act as acceptable or if it fulfilled a command from him from a religious Holy Book then it would be seen as ‘good’. For example devoting time to worship him would be seen as ‘good’ but committing adultery would be seen as ‘bad’ in Gods eyes. The ultimate ‘good’ example in Christianity is Jesus whose life was seen to be morally ‘good’ because everything he did was approved of by God. He was perfect and therefore Christians today try to follow in his footsteps and do as he did. ‘Goodness’ is unlike any other quality and the ultimate aim for all living things according to many people. Something can therefore be determined as ‘good’ because it is unique, individual and supreme. We can detect this by the simple skill of human intuition because the ‘goodness’ is self-evident. This approach is known as Intuitionism or Ethical non-naturalism. Because it is a unique feature, it is very dependent on different situations or circumstances. The term ‘good’ will therefore have an individual meaning for different acts that will only apply to that one situation and could have a totally different meaning in another circumstance. We can also determine ‘good’ because intuition tells us the results it has are beneficial to others or ourselves. However, even though the consequences may benefit and be ‘good’, it is impossible to define the word from an intuitional point of view because it is always c hanging depending on the factors involved. G E Moore is the most famous example of an Intuitionist. He claimed the term ‘good’ was ‘incapable of definition because it is simple and has no parts.’ He believed too that the term had a different meaning that changed depending the circumstances or different situations the word is used. He likened this to a horse, they have many properties and qualities that make a horse a horse but if you ‘reduce a horse to its simplest terms, you can not define these terms.’ The phrase ‘good’ will have a certain meaning not only for different situations but also for different people. Many people can observe an act but they may disagree as to whether the act was good or not depending on their conscience and opinion. Intuitionism means it has a distinct meaning for you. G E Moore gave the example of the colour yellow, we cannot define a colour, we may be able to give examples of things that are yellow but to give an actual definition of yellow is quite impossible. He believed that we should judge the goodness of an action based on its results, aiming to maximise ‘good’ in the world. He was a strong intuitionist, which involved the belief that within us we have a â€Å"moral faculty† which reveals â€Å"moral truth† to us, showing us what was morally ‘good’. Another focal area of Meta ethics, which involves language, is Emotivism or ethical non-Cognitivism. Emotivism is sometimes viewed as merely the expression of feelings of the speaker. They can be seen more as commands or rules the speakers wants its audience to follow. These feelings are the opinions of the speaker saying what they believe to be right or wrong and are dependent on a matter of taste. The term ‘good’ is accordingly defined depending on what the speaker believes to be right. They state a moral preference of what they do or do not approve of and not the core meaning itself. The preferences of the speaker therefore, try to influence the opinions of the audience. They are not concerned with the moral statements themselves or their meaning but more focused on the purpose of the statement. The speaker indents on promoting a response from the audience relating to what is right or wrong. This theory is also known as the ‘Boo’ and ‘Hooray’ theory which can be seen as offensive because it is seen to reduce morality to simple cheers or boo’s. It is called this because when listening to a point of view, the audience simply shouts ‘hooray’ to say something is ‘good’ or that they approve of it or ‘boo’ if they disagree and think it is morally ‘bad’. However one problem with this theory is that in a modern society, we do not irrationally act merely on our feelings and emotions alone. We use logical thinking and reasoning too and this therefore must be included. Prescriptivism solved this problem by using reason to determine ‘goodness’. R M Hare who tried to examine what was actually happening when a person was making a moral statement took the best example of this approach. He tried to find out what was it meant to do and if moral statements had a purpose. This type of Meta ethics tries to prescribe a course of action that is recommended. . For example, the speaker may say ‘ To be considered a ‘good’ person, we should try our hardest to help those less fortunate than ourselves’. By saying this he is expressing what a good person is and also is suggesting a course of action we should take, i.e. helping others. As a result of this way of talking, the speaker is very opinionated and thus forcing an action as a result of his beliefs. The speaker is giving advice that applies to all situations at any given time regardless of other factors. It is Universable and therefore applies to all people in every situation. The theory of Universability is a general idea that can be applied to past, present and future and to all other people. In conclusion we can see that there are many different ways in which the term ‘good’ is used in Meta ethics. In Intuitionism it is used to describe moral principles that are self evidently right. In Emotivism, when we say something is ‘good’, it is what we see as being right according to out emotions and feelings. Prescriptivism on the other hand uses reason and logic to determine what is ‘good’. Utilitarianists perceive something to be ‘good’ pending the results that follow the action. How we determine what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ to ourselves, greatly depends on which ethical view we take to situations as a result of our opinion. There is no one definition for what is ‘good’ and so it is down to us to decide which one we believe to be right and then try to live our lives accordingly.

Friday, August 16, 2019

A Life Lesson from My Grandma Essay

The tears rolled down profusely as I held the telephone receiver in my hand. My aunt was still on the other end, demanding that I immediately rush over to Grandma Mary’s house. At this instant, my gut instinct responded by tightening up indicating that something was definitely wrong. And it was only then; memories of her youthful days flashed across my mind, reminding me of her mantra, â€Å"You must never allow anyone to steal your joy†. And it appeared as if she was standing right beside me, but I knew it was just a fragment of my imagination. I confirmed there and then to myself, I recognized now that I had lost someone, but I would have something with me for life, the value of unconditional love my grandma often displayed amongst her family and her neighbors by extension, and she would always reiterate how much she wanted it to live on. Granny Mary was like a female Goliath. Blessed with a dark chocolate skin tone, moles and wrinkles canvassed her face which we often referred to as the storylines of her life. But the positivity she gave off could connect a grounded wire on a cold winter night. How she did it, she alone knew. I remember her making ends meet, and providing food for her family after two failed marriages. As the other half of her twin, Uncle John would pay his sister to do his laundry, cook his food and maintain the downstairs of the home which he occupied. And yes, pretty amazing how this money brought up six kids and assisted my sister and I as the two first grandchildren in the family. Not only did she raise her grand kids, but the entire neighborhood’s children were taken care of by â€Å"Aunty Mary† also, a name she would always be remembered by. I can still recall how many days the neighbor’s kids will come without food or clothes, but when they left, their tummies were filled, and late evening shower already taken. We would all surround granny as she read a bible story and explained the role of each person mentioned in the  bible. It was as if her joy was ensuring that all children were always happy and knew the value of love. And yes, this stood out most, because to this day, I share the same sentiments when dealing with my daughter and my niece, or all children I interact with on a daily basis. To this day, I could count the number of times I saw a toothy smile on her almost daunting face, after that late December afternoon when the hospital called to say my Uncle Brian passed away after being involved in a motor vehicular accident on the Solomon Hochoy Highway. She continued to emphasize that we were totally in control of our own happiness, and we should live life to the fullest always displaying love and making sure all is well with our soul as we never know when the good Lord will call us home. I remembered her kneeling to pray with her every night before we go to bed. She embedded that prayer was the answer to every problem you can ever encounter in this life and happiness is within one’s self. Grandma Mary would often have us assist her when she picked peas or fed the chickens in the backyard. We watched the chickens developed from baby chicks to mealtime. And yes, we’d joke about it when it was time to catch them to have grandma prepare some great soul f ood for us. In April 2012, I was able to display the said qualities Grandma Mary embedded in us. I gave birth to a still born baby boy, and all I saw after giving birth, was my grand-mother’s face. How she’d often say God is ever to wise to make a mistake, and God sees what we don’t. Although I didn’t want to hear that at that time of grief, I clearly remembered dreaming her one night, giving me confirmation that all would be well, and continue to love and have faith in God. And as I thought about her the morning after I was discharged from the hospital, I made hot cocoa, and the aroma took me back to twenty years ago when my grandmother was alive. We’d wake up to the aroma of hot cocoa and her favorite Jim Reeve would be blasting through the house, â€Å"If heaven’s not my home, then Lord what will I do?† And it was as if she strengthened me to look forward and not regret. I remembered her mantra, and I did not allow the death of my son to steal my joy. I still had my daughter to brighten up my days, and prayers assisted me in trusting and believing that God had better plans for me. As an individual, I can associate part of my grandmother’s journey to that of mine. No mother comes on this earth with the intentions of having to bury their own child, but all in all, life has to go on. And not just go on, but I am in control of my own joy. The qualities she left us with have continued to reign throughout my family, and every time I sit to tell a story about Grandma Mary, I can safely associate her with love, faith and God. The aroma of hot cocoa today brings a smile on my face, and each time I hear a Jim Reeve play, I’ll see her wrinkled face. There is no greater joy in having a loved one live on although they are no longer with us in body. I am one hundred percent guaranteed she is indeed happy with the positive value we continue to display. And the deep voice ringing through my head, â€Å"You must never allow anyone to steal your joy†.

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Mall Culture Essay

Gone are the days when people had to buy different things from different places. People would visit local Kirana stores for purchasing daily-required household materials, and go to some other local markets for buying clothes. Shopping was never as convenient for people as it is now. The shopper gets the experience of one stop shop. From apparels to FMCG goods, the consumer gets leisure time visiting malls. Each store offers an individual a wide variety be it for choosing a stationery pen or a laptop. One of the reasons for the existence of mall culture is globalization. Products and brands from various places, cultures and communities are under one roof. One of the central features of conventional shopping areas and stores has been their uni-dimentionality. Local festivals and events are given special importance within the mall world. Festivals often become the occasion of greater consumption and are also reflected in the fashion trends of the season. The globalization of cultureof immense economic activity, though at some expense to the environment. A large mall situated along a narrow road in Gurgaon or Noida is a host to queues of vehicles. Queues that line up several kilometres causing huge deficiency to nation already starved for diesel and petrol. Please check the smog that results from fumes emitted from exhaust tubes of these vehicles. Electricity distributers never have enough to supply to the shopping malls. So they need to burn on an average of 5000-7000 litres of diesel per day to stay in operational mode. Quite a huge volume! This can light up an apartment complex for a month. Now the food courts where you relish your favourite food generates 2-3 tonnes of toxic waste every day. The landfills are helpless. Look where the polystyrene cups and plates that you use go every day. And the poor washroom in a mall that has to take a load of ten thousand visitors every day. You are aware that 50% people never wash their hands after peeing. Then they†¦

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Analysis of ‘Teenage challenge’ article

Q.- Read the article ‘The Teenage Challenge' and comment on:- * The content of the article. (message) * The language features. * The design features. * Any other aspect you think is relevant. > Structure The article ‘The Teenage Challenge' was published in The Daily Mail, Friday, December 27, 2002. It is divided into two parts/sections, the first section written by Sarah Harris, Education correspondent; and the second by Edward Enfield (Father of Harry†¦). > The content of the article. The article ‘The Teenage Challenge' is divided into two sections and is written in response to Charles Clarke's (education secretary) ideas of introducing the 18 ‘Basic skills'. The first section by Sarah Harris projects both the positive and negative view points, supported by comments from various personalities. Edward Enfield, in the second section is deadly against the education secretary's views and is rather sarcastic in his comments but rarely supported by authoritative opinions. > The language features The title ‘The Teenage Challenge' consists of three words which perfectly suit the conventions about the title. The sub-heading of the first half seems like a continuation as it begins with ‘OR'. The subheading of the second half looks like a sentence rather than a title. The by-line is given in both the sections. In the case of the first section, the designation of the writer (Education Correspondent) Sarah Harris is given, while in the second the Edward Enfield is just identified as a father of Harry, who created Kevin the Teenager. The beginning of the first half is capitalized ‘ANYONE' which catches the reader's attention. This also provides a generalized viewpoint. Throughout the article; we can see many examples of alliteration as well as assonance. These serve to stress the ideas put forward by the writer, e.g.: ‘picking up piles', ‘from their bedroom floor', ‘top five task' and ‘this is his business', ‘traditional parental' are assonance. The alliteration and assonance used in ‘Parents' patience' in the sub-heading of the first half gives it more effect similarly, the alliteration and assonance in the sub-heading of the second half -‘The useful thing would be teaching them how to read'. The paragraphs are kept relatively short, that sometimes a single sentence takes us the whole paragraph, so we can say sentences used mainly are complex and in some cases compound. E.g.: ‘Yet, with the experience of two months as Education Secretary, Charles Clarke reckons parents should be requiring them to do a whole lot more' this is a complex sentence having one main clause ‘Charles Clarke†¦..more' and the subordinate clause ‘Yet with the experience†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.Secretary'. ‘Of course it maybe that teenagers of today are particularly stupid, but I think they are only stupid at intelligent things like reading books' is a compound sentence having two independent clauses joined together by the conjunction ‘but'. Most of the paragraphs seems like a continuation of the previous one, beginning with conjunctions, otherwise called paragraph connectives. E.g.: ‘Yet', ‘like', ‘And'. All throughout the article, there are words in a single speech marks/quotes. This gives a suggestion that somebody else's word not necessarily approved by the writer. E.g.: ‘life skills', ‘nanny state', ‘top five'. When the quotation continues to the next paragraph, the speech marks are not closed but are reopened. ‘As†¦..without help. ‘we†¦adult life. ‘I†¦.old'. To support her viewpoints, Sarah Harris has quoted from different sources. E.g.: ‘Rebecca O'Neil, a researcher', ‘Conservative Education spokesman oraham Brady', all their words adds more authority. Edward Enfield, on the other hand has only given his personal opinions, not at all imbibing other's ideas. The first half of the article henceforth looks more objective, while the second seems subjective. The scientific terminology as well as mathematical terms add weight to this article. E.g.: ‘botulism', ‘proteins', ‘imperials', ‘metric units'. The positive word used by the economist ‘boom' ends the article in an affirmative tone. The quotes are introduced by, e.g.: ‘Conservative education spokesman Graham Brady said' rather than followed by it as in the case of fiction. The use of statistical or numerical data shows how precise the authors are. E.g.: ‘All by the age of 16.', '18 basic activities', '15 other things'. The slang and colloquial language used in the article makes it an informal one and shows the friendly approach of the writers and their effectiveness. E.g. ‘any of this is his business.', ‘he was flipped'. The use of hyphen gives a pause to the reader, as well as to show the breakup of ideas. E.g.: ‘As any parent-or indeed any TV viewer familiar with my son's comic creation-can testify, teenagers are proud to be ‘Kevins'. There are many compound words used especially in the second half, e.g.: ‘not-too-difficult', ‘over-joyed', ‘rave-up'. The use of the rhetorical question ‘why on earth†¦such trivia?' is meant to give a stress on the basic idea it tries to convey. The 18 basic skills put forward by Charles Clarke is introduced by using -ing form of the word. E.g.: ‘cooking', ‘working', ‘cleaning'. The second half is dominated by the use of the negative words, e.g.: ‘shattered†¦.noise†¦.filthy'. the collective noun ‘horde' which normal refers to hooligans shows the uncivilized nature of the youngsters. > The design features: The entire article is enclosed in a rectangular frame. The title ‘The Teenage Challenge' is written in bold, big lettering and stands out from the rest of the copy. The sub-heading of the first half is larger than the text but not as striking as the title. It is also underlined. Whereas, the sub-heading of the second half is bolder but not as the title and is not underlined. The by-line in both the halves is written in bold and in the second section, a close-up photograph of the writer is also given. The picture of the clumsy slouching teenager taken from a close-up, eye-level shot is immediately striking to the reader's eyes. The teenager covers a rectangular frame which has the title ‘Preparing for life in the real world' written in white lettering on a black background. Within the rectangular frame, there are three photographs and a note pad. The photographs are given with a caption. The picture of Prince William, a royal example adds authority. The second picture uses the proverb ‘knowledge is power'. These photographs can be considered as a photo-montage taken from a high-level, close-up shot. The notepad is slightly titled and comes out from the frame which shows the power the youngsters will have once they acquire these 18 Basic Skills. These skills are mentioned in the notepad with numbering and on alternate dark and light backgrounds. > Any other aspect you think is relevant. This is an article written using the code of written language and still graphic images. This is meant for youngsters, their parents and adults who are mostly involved in teenager's education. The purpose of this article is to inform us about Charles Clarke's idea of 18 Basic Skills and persuade the readers to give their opinions and suggestions to it. The article was effective in conveying the idea of 18 Basic Skills. As a reader, I was able to grasp both the positive and negative viewpoints behind introducing these 18 Basic Skills in school curriculum. According to my opinion, the schools must concentrate more on academics rather than the practical skills. The basic skills can be learned at home but they shouldn't be made a criteria for judging the teenagers.