Sally Dibbs, Dibbs Sally. 461-0192 .(Rain Man). This...

Sally Dibbs, Dibbs Sally. 461-0192 .(Rain Man). This quote shows the remarable talent of a savant being able to remember a person from reading the phone book the night before .. This happens in literature as well as in life for those who live with savant syndrome. Forrest Gump, Raymond Babbit, and real-life savant Kim Peek all deal with the fact they are not the same as†¦show more content†¦In savants the encounters of impressive abilities are always linked to extraordinary memory. This one of a kind memory is very impressive, but only within a very narrow area. For example, a savant may be able to memories the dictionary, but ask that same person a simple math question, they would be puzzled to figure it out. The skills often associated with savant syndrome are the ability to play the piano beautifully, meaning complex pieces one would need months to learn by ear alone, (Howe 955). Being able to give a day of the week from any past or future date, and solving complex math problems extremely fast are also common feats performed by savants. Another interesting skill some savants possess is the perfect appreciation of time without the knowledge of a clock.(Howe 956) One example of a fictional savant is Forrest Gump, played by Tom Hanks. Forrest was born with an IQ of seventy-five, witch is lower than the average student able to go to public school. Forrest had problems learning to read, walking properly, and even learning his left from right. Only after having his mother pull some strings was he able to go to a normal public school. While attending public high school he was constantly harassed by boys of his own age and older. An example of this occurs when Forrest comes home from school and is followed by boys in his class who chased him throwing rocks. As Forrest grew older, people took advantage of him more and more. The media, for example,

The Old System - 1050 Words

Saul Bellow, The Old System ‘The Old System is, by no means a simple story. Even though at first sight we are blinded by the superficial facts, after reading it a couple of times the simplicity of the action reveals its hidden features. It is a story about the integration of the Jewish in the American society; it is also a story about life and death but, above all, it is a story about emotions. Regarding structure, the story is told in third person by a narrator who tells the events as seen or remembered by a character. The language used by Bellow is simple. The major part of the story is formed by many short and, sometimes, incomplete sentences and phrases. However, those few words are enough to understand what is going on: Winter.†¦show more content†¦In that sense, we can see that all the characters are affected by the change. None of them remains impassible to the changes; even though they respect and keep their costumes, they cannot prevent some things to change: the synagogue loses its purely Jewish character and it acquires the American Christian style and even the rabbi is not ‘orthodox enough for Isaac who insists on holding on to the old traditions. Every character has a different way of undergoing the process. Some adapt and some refrain from getting ‘Americanised. Isaac and Tina are a very good example of this. Tina, and Isaacs relatives in general, on the one hand, keep the old immigrant style (321) and do not do much to integrate and succeed in the new country. Isaac, on he other hand, tries hard to succeed but, at the same time, he would never sacrifice his costumes because of his goals. On the contrary, the better he does, the more traditionalist he becomes. This opposition, however, does not only appear between characters but also within them. Isaac, for example, represents the encounter of two worlds. He works hard to adapt to the new society however he cant leave his culture behind, he integrates in society but, at the same time, he becomes more and more isolated because of his character. The past, and life itself, are other important themes here because the story is build upon memories and images of the past which areShow MoreRelatedThe Old Private Pension System1012 Words   |  5 PagesThe old private pension system was created in the 1920’s and expanded throughout the 30’s and 40’s (McDonnell). Private pensions were considered one of the three income sources for retired elderly. Originally, private pensions had defined benefits. The employer and employee would agree to a percentage of salary that the employee would receive from the company annually during retirement. Contractually obligated, this placed the liability onto the employer. 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That being said, I amRead MoreOld System Of Management Based Largely On Empirical Data1731 Words   |  7 Pagescircumstances, it has become necessary to radically change the model of production management, the implementation of other organizational structures, reporting lines, strict observance of technology, precision assignments, reasonable incentives, and so on. Old system of management based largely on empirical data could not provide most of these aspects.Absence of knowledge of the organization of production processes, the optimal sequence of operations and modes of operation of equipment, technical and other standardsRead MoreElectronic Banking, An Automatic Delivery Of The New And Old Banking System1021 Words   |  5 PagesElectronic banking is an automatic delivery of the new and old banking system of products and services to the customers.They give the service by the electronic and interactive communication channels. Financial institution customers, individuals or businesses are included by the E-Banking system which allows the system to access the account and also transact the business to obtain information about financial products through a network which is public or private by including the internet.[1]. ForRead MoreBurn: Respiratory System and 18-year-old Female College890 Words   |  4 PagesCase Study 2: Burns Situation: You are working the day shift on the medical-surgical unit in a small district hospital. Your assignment includes an 18-year-old female college student, admitted the previous night. She was caught in a house fire and sustained burns over 30% of her body surface area, with partial-thickness burns on her legs and back. 1. The client is undergoing burn fluid resuscitation using the standard Baxter (Parkland) formula. She was burned at 0200 and admitted at 0400

Comm essay Free Essays

The council members consist of Mayor Adam Sanchez, Mayor Pro Tem Russell Beets and council members, Joe McKee, Jan Rye, and Scott Mats. Eric Johnson s a consultant with Revenue Cost Specialist; he discusses his company and matches costs with revenue. Within twenty-five years he’s worked in over two hundred agencies and five different states. We will write a custom essay sample on Comm essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now It started with two city managers after the passage of proposition 4 and 13, in which they saw the need for cities to be able to match up the cost with their revenues. Proposition 13 limits what can be done with taxes, compared to Proposition 4, which allows fees. â€Å"You are not going to stay in business very long if you don’t know what revenues you are bringing in verses what cost you are bringing’ said Johnson ruing his brief presentation. In his introduction, Eric mentioned questions such as ‘What services are being provided to the public? † Who’s providing those services? † and â€Å"What does that cost? † With that being said he went through and made adjustments to public fees and some have gone up as well as down. Although, I am not too aware of what exactly was being discussed, these questions definitely made me think about how money is being spent. I may not be familiar with certain topics, however I do pay taxes and I should make it a priority to be involved and know exactly where my money is being invested. It’s up to the city council to decide how fees are paid, but it is our tax money that is being used so it is important to be aware of these decisions. Another topic that was brought up was the mural; the public does not agree that it takes eight hours to approve a mural. The city manager Martin States the benefits, salaries, and overhead cost are included, then a staff report along with an agenda that is published by the adman assistant is sent to the commission. The city council claims it is the true cost for the current staffing that they have to process one application to go to the commission. Larry Ken has complained several times about the meeting taking to long to process a mural, as he is talking he is cut off and does not appreciate that he is being rushed as he states his concerns. The council uses the â€Å"save a pet mural† to demonstrate the steps that take place, for example sometimes a meeting with the chair is necessary and furthermore the artist themselves to discuss numbers etc. Another topic that was brought up was the cost of business license, so many people work out of their homes and many are complaining that they are not being paid due to high prices. Currently, if you do not have a business location in the city and your business is in Palm Springs and your doing landscaping in Desert Hot Springs it is double the business license fee. A city council member is concerned to whether this is reasonable and how it is being monitored. Some cities do not even require a business license, however DISH has a business license tax per ordinance. In closing, it was brought up amongst the council that city matters are better off handling administratively to avoid public hearings. As council members or mayors they eve a tendency to get over involved in city business instead of referring to staff, which would make it much easier to conduct city business. Council member McKee feels it is necessary to be friendly to the people that live there as well as the businesses. There are several things that need to be reduced such as the event fee, mural fees, and possibly get rid of the garage sales fee. However it is argued that if the garage sales fee is removed perhaps residents will try to make it and everyday event, then again it should not be a fee everyone has to pay. Business licenses need to be simplified and made a lot heaper so it will encourage people actually to get them rather than avoid them. As a city council, a policy should be made every three years compared to seven years, this is for good management and to be aware Of where money is being spent due to current budget issues. I’m glad we had this assignment it gave me a different perspective to how important I am as a resident. I pay taxes yet I am not even aware fatwa they are being used for, that alone is a main concern of mine. I’ve become more interested in what goes on in my own city, and plan to go to the next council meeting that is held. Some of the arguments that were brought up were reasonable but some also did not have enough evidence to back up their statement. It is important to do research before you speak because council members are not afraid to cut you off based on how much information that must be covered in such a short period of time. It is not in a sense to be rude, however with so much to discuss it is important to Stay on track and take more time on the bigger issues going on. As a city we should all be more involved and voice our opinions that is one of the reasons why these meetings are held to begin with. How to cite Comm essay, Essays

Importance of school rules free essay sample

The following is a list of sports/games, divided by category. There are many more sports to be added. This system has a disadvantage because some sports may fit in more than one category. Physical sports Air sports Lima Lima aerobatics team performing over Louisville. Main article: Air sports †¢Aerobatics oGliding aerobatics †¢Air racing †¢Ballooning oCluster ballooning o((soccer mitt))** oHopper ballooning Wingsuit flying †¢Gliding †¢Hang gliding oPowered hang glider †¢Human powered aircraft †¢Model aircraft †¢Parachuting oBanzai skydiving oBASE jumping oSkysurfing oWingsuit flying †¢Paragliding oPowered paragliding †¢Ultralight aviation †¢Paramotoring Archery Members of the Gotemba KyÃ… «dÃ…  Association demonstrate KyÃ… «dÃ… . Main article: Archery †¢Clout archery †¢Field archery †¢Flight archery †¢Gungdo †¢Indoor archery †¢KyÃ… «dÃ…  †¢Popinjay †¢Target archery an international match of Volleyball. †¢Ball badminton †¢Biribol †¢Bossaball †¢Fistball †¢Footbag net †¢Football tennis †¢Footvolley †¢Hooverball †¢Jianzi †¢Jokgu †¢Newcomb ball †¢Peteca †¢Pickleball †¢Sepak takraw †¢Sipa †¢Throwball †¢Volleyball oBeach volleyball oParalympic volleyball †¢Wallyball Basketball family Basketball player Dwight Howard making a slam dunk at 2008 Summer Olympic Games †¢Basketball oBeach basketball oDeaf basketball o3x3 oStreetball oWater basketball oWheelchair basketball †¢Korfball †¢Netball oFastnet oIndoor netball †¢Slamball Bat-and-ball (Safe haven)[edit] Awaiting a pitch: batter, catcher, and umpire. We will write a custom essay sample on Importance of school rules or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In BaseballMain article: Bat-and-ball Baseball four bases Softball Fast Pitch Slow Pitch Modified Pitch 16 Inch Bat-and-Trap British baseball four posts Brà ¤nnboll four bases Corkball four bases (no base-running) Cricket three wickets Indoor cricket Limited overs cricket One Day International Test cricket Twenty20 Danish longball Globeball four bases Kickball Lapta – two salos (bases) The Massachusetts Game – four bases Matball Mà ©ta and longa mà ©ta (long mà ©ta) – Hungarian game Oina – One (Two, Three, or Four) Old Cat – variable Over-the-line – qv Pesà ¤pallo – four bases Podex Punchball Rounders – four bases or posts Scrub baseball – four bases (not a team game per se) Stickball – variable Stool ball – two stools Tapball T-Ball Town ball – variable K-Ball Vigoro – two wickets Wireball Wiffleball Baton twirling[edit]Main article: Baton twirling Board sports[edit] Skateboard vert jump at the Sprite urban games 2006 in London. Snowboard figure at the 2008 Shakedown Surfing in HawaiiMain article: Board sports Sports that are played with some sort of board as the primary equipment. Skateboarding Scootering Casterboarding Freeboard (skateboard) Longboarding Streetboarding Skysurfing Streetluge Snowboarding Mountainboarding Sandboarding Snowkiting Surfing Swing boarding Wakesurfing Bodyboarding Riverboarding Skimboarding Wakeboarding Kneeboarding Boules[edit] Lawn bowler Tim MasonMain article: Boules Bocce Boccia Boßeln Boule lyonnaise Bowls Curling Ice stock sport Klootschieten Pà ©tanque Shuffleboard Varpa Bowling[edit]Main article: Bowling Candlepin bowling Duckpin bowling Five-pin bowling Skittles (sport) Ten-pin bowling Marbles games Lawn bowling School Bowling Catch games[edit]Curving Dodgeball Ga-ga Hexball Keep Away Kin-Ball Prisoner Ball Rundown (aka Pickle) Yukigassen Frookies Climbing[edit] CanyoningMain article: Climbing Rock Climbing Sport climbing Abseiling Bouldering Canyoning (Canyoneering) Mountaineering Hiking Rope Climbing Ice Climbing Pole climbing Coasteering Cycling[edit] A Track Cycling RaceMain article: Cycling Sports using bicycles or unicycles. Bicycle[edit]Main article: Bicycle Artistic cycling Bicycle Motocross or BMX Bobrun cycling Freestyle BMX Cyclo-cross Cross-country mountain biking Road bicycle racing Track cycling Cycle speedway Downhill mountain biking Freeride mountain biking Dirt jumping Skibob[edit]Skibobbing Unicycle[edit]Main article: Unicycle Unicycling Mountain unicycling Unicycle trials Unicycle hockey Unicycle basketball Combat sports: Wrestling Martial arts[edit]Main article: Combat sports Main article: Martial arts Combat sport is a competitive contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement. Grappling[edit]Main article: Grappling Two men compete in Freestyle wrestling.A Bracciuta A Brazzos Aba Guresi Aiki-jÃ… «jutsu Aikido Kinomichi Jujutsu Judo Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Sambo (martial art) Sumo Wrestling Amateur wrestling Greco-Roman wrestling Freestyle wrestling FILA Grappling Folk wrestling Boli Khela Dumog Glima Kurash Lancashire wrestling Catch wrestling Malla-yuddha Mongolian wrestling Pehlwani Schwingen Shuai Jiao Ssireum Varzesh-e Pahlavani YaÄŸlÄ ± Gà ¼reÅŸ Greek wrestling Striking[edit]Main article: Strike (attack) A kick in Kickboxing.Akroteri Punching Choi Kwang-Do Boxing Bokator Capoeira Chessboxing Fujian White Crane Karate KenpÃ…  Kickboxing Lethwei Muay Thai Pradal Serey San shou Savate Shaolin kung fu Sikaran Silat Subak Taekkyeon Taekwondo Taido Tang Soo Do Wing Chun Wing Tsun Zui Quan

Alphabet Swoth and Pestel free essay sample

There are several PESTEL forces which could affect our company. Socio-cultural pestel includes distribution of population according different age group, sex, religion, income etc. All these features can have an impact on our company, as distribution of computer games in an area, where people are not interested in computer games is not target area, as sales would not be high enough to create siginficant profit, or profit at all. For example; an area with a  high average age is not a  great place, as older people and mainly retired people are not able to operate computers or games consoles. hey have different interests and priorities. Even an area with a  low wage income,as prices of computer games keep rising, people would not be able to afford buying them. The desired area which our company should focuse is area with average age between 10 and 20, as this age group is highly intersted in playing computer games and are able to operate computers and game consoles. We will write a custom essay sample on Alphabet Swoth and Pestel or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The best way how to pick the best market is to do research of the area for future business. Population Census is the ideal dokument , which provides our company with all needed information for sucesfull business and healthy profit. Economical PESTEL incudes factors as inflation, prices of competition, taxation and addtitionla charges for importing patrs from foreign countries, and overall economical situation in the country. This type of PESTEL is highly important for Alphabet Games, as it affects prices of its products, which go higher, if competition has much higher prices, higher taxes or rising inflation. Vice versa, prices have to be lowered, if people can not afford compny’s product due to recession and economical crisis. The best way how to adjust prices for customer making our products desirable is to carry out research on montlhly bases to make sure that prices are correct, reasonable, but still making profit. Technological factor is another type of PESTEL which Alphabet Games should be aware of, as technology keeps changing, new game consoles, computers and game softwares are being intoroduced on daily bases. Products of our company has to be up-to-date with the correct software which could be played on any type of new game device. It would be useless to produce games with an old graphic, or old flash software as customers would not be interested in buying them, as competition produces games with the newest technology and graphics. The best way how to deal with this factor, is to observe market with a  new technology and make reasonable and realistic decisions about using it. Legal factor is another type of PESTEL. This factor includes laws, policies, age restrictions or any neccessary lables on packaging of product. This factor is important for our company as well, as all laws needs to be watched and followed. If the company produces games with a  forbidden elements,for example violence, sexual scenes etc. , local authorities or even government could take them down from market. This will affect profit and could cause serious financial damage. Also all packaging has to be labeled with correct marks and sighns as age restriction label, epilepsy warning labels etc. B. SWOT Analysis Swot analysis is a  process during which all strenght, weaknesses , opportunities and threats are examined considering external and internal factors of company. SWOT S- Strenghts W-Weaknesses O-Oportunities T-Threats 1. Strenghts Team Force Strenghts of our company are that our team is ambitios, act in a  professional manner, there is a  good communication and atmosphere within the company. All these factors are considered as a  strenght as it makes company stronger and united. Everybody knows what to do, staff is motivated and willing to work. Quality All these factors are reflected on quality of our products and services. Competitvness, Reputation Alphabet Games can easy compete with other compnies , which regard us as an equal competitor. Flexibility Company is flexible and very well reacts to changes on market. All these factors help to company’s reputation, what attracts customers. 2. Weaknesses Alphabet Games has also its weaknesses. Recruting When new staff is recruited, skills and quality of work is not the priority for getting the job, but motivation and passion. This could afect the quality of products, harm copmany’s reputation and loosing of customer and financial looses. This issues has to be solved as soon as possible, as the production and results are the most importatn factors for our company. Organisational structure Company has no organisation divison. There is 25 members of staff and 3 leaders, but no Office manager or at least supervisor. It would be highly usefull if authority would be present in the Office all the time, to supervise team making sure everything i sup-to-date, paperwork is filled out properly, procedures followed and that no employee is behind with the work. Also HR department could be created , which would support staff providing training or doing recruitment etc. 3. Opportunities New Market Alphabet games could expand, by expanding online shop, in order to target oversees markets and new customers. New Tehnnology New Technologies could be used for developing new types of games to attract customers and to be more competitive with other companies. Co-operation As Alphabet Games company already co-operates with film makers, this could really help promotion and advertising. Advertisment of our new games could be played before any film in cinema, so people would be aware of products. Dissapearing companies Because of a  bad economical situation, small companies are dissapearing, so their customers can start using our pservices. Merging Because some big compnies merges with other companies, our company, even i tis sucesfull and produces considerable profit, merging with the same size company would not be bad idea. This would bring new ideas, new people, customers and suppliers from both companies together. All these opportunities would rise profit and would guarantee an expansion to our company. 4. Threats Competition External threats for our company are expanding big companies, as they could expand so much that they would overtake whole market and demand for our producst would not be enough to support Alphabet Games company. New technology Prices of new Technology is nother threat, as they can start at a  high prices and our company would not be able to afford it. Consequently, competitors would prodduce games in demand, meanwhile our company would be producing old fashion games, which is nobody interested in. Piracy Piracy is nother problem which our company has to face, as more and more games including our games are available online to dawnload for free. The best way how to sort this problem out is to employ one person to visit the most frequent visited piracy pages to delete them from the list. Economic Situation If economic situation gets worse, for example recession, people would not be able to afford our products and profit of Alphabet Games would lower. This threat could be resolved by monitoring the economic siatuation; and altering prices according results. This plies not only on recession, but inflation, taxation as well. Strenghts| Weaknesses| Ambitious Comparable with competition Great reputation for excellence Quality, innovation Flexibility Professionalism Innovative Good Communication| Recruitment priorities-quality at the bottom, Passion is the most important Too much staff-no organizational division| Opportunities| Threats| New market-new customers Small competitors are disappearing Merging with the same size company,Developing technology Co-operation with film makers etc†¦better Advertisement| Growing competitors Rising taxation Inflation Higher prices=new technology Economic situation Piracy| C. SWOT Analysis Guidelines Swot analysis is a  tool which helps to understand and make decisions for a  different kind of situation in business. It is used for business planning, strategic planning, evaluation of competitors, marketing and company’s development. Strenghts are attributes of company which creates a  considerable advantage upon which company can bult and develop. These are internal factors. Weaknesses are deficiencies in present resources of the organisation, as they limit its effectivness, prgress, developement and expansion. All issues has to be resolved as soon as possible, actions have to be taken to minimise any possoble harm cause by them. This includes only internal factors. Opportunities are external elements which create an advantage for the company. The organisation must be extremly sensitive to changes on market to be able to use all these changes in its profit. This includes external factors. Threats are external elemnts which create a  disadvantage for the company. These are also called infavourbale situations. They can endanger operation of the company, its effectivness and cause financial looses. This includes external factors. Rules of good SWOT analysis: * Analysis should be realistic and honest * It should be spot on It should be clear where your company stands in the present and in the future * Points hsould be simple without any irrelevant details * Analysis should be applied on competition as well * Be as objective as possible * Objectives has to be defined * SWOT is not a  strategy, it is only a  way how to create a  strategy * Opportunities are ususally mistaken for strenghts . Boundaries should be set. What to do next: * Company should built on its strenghts * Weaknesses should be resolved * Opportunities should be used * Threats should be avoided, or at least limited References: http://www.businessballs.com/swotanalysisfreetemplate.htm http://www.utalkmarketing.com/Pages/News.aspx

Fur Trade essays

Fur Trade essays When the Europeans came to America, there were fur-bearings animals everywhere. The best quality of furs came from the north, the reason why, is because in the north the animals needed a thicker coat to protect themselves from the harsher winter. The Indians were only hunting the fur-bearing animals for food, and for the fur for clothing, but since they didnt hunt them for sport the population of the animals remained fairly steady. Later on, when the Europeans arrived, they wanted as many furs as they could get, and soon after the population of animals declined greatly in many areas. The earliest fur traders in North America were French explorers and fishermen who arrived in what is now Eastern Canada during the early 1500's. Trade started after the French offered the Indians kettles, knives, and other gifts as a means to establish friendly relations. The Indians, in turn, gave pelts to the French. By the late 1500's, a great demand for fur had developed in Europe. This demand encouraged further exploration of North America. The demand for beaver increased rapidly in the early 1600s; when fashionable European men began to wear felt hats made from beaver fur. Such furs as fox, marten, mink, and otter also were traded. In 1608, the French explorer Samuel de Champlain established a trading post on the site of the present-day city Quebec. The city became fur-trading centre. The French expanded their trading activities along the St. Lawrence River and around the Great Lakes. They eventually controlled most of the early fur trade in what became Canada. The French traders obtained furs from the Huron Indians and, later, from the Ottawa. These tribes were not trappers, but they acquired the furs from other Indians. The French also developed the fur trade along the Mississippi River. There was a great chain of people who were involved in the fur-trade and everyone had a different task to do. They worked very hard to a ...

China's Military Rise over the Long Term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

China's Military Rise over the Long Term - Essay Example As a result of this modernization, many countries and leaders have promulgated their views, which express their opinions on such policies. Most countries argue that it has become hard to deny that, over the last two decades, tremendous economic growth has allowed China to involve itself in robust military modernization (Fisher 88). Nature of China’s Military Rise China’s economic growth has led to robust modernization of its military. Experts argue that the defense budget in China ranges over two percent of the entire country’s GDP. Through this rapid increase in its military, China has become a potential threat to regional as well as international peace and security. The chief focus of most countries in regard to the rising China’s military lies in two main developments of the military. These two developments in the military include increasing rapid growth in the military budget allocation and developments of nuclear arsenal (Kondapalli 29). The allocatio n of finances to the military department has risen; this has led to the growth in the military. The defense budget increases annually with approximately 12%, which has made China emerge as a massive military spender in the entire world. China has not given up investing with its military and has ensured the growth through constant increase in the amount allocated to the department. This is evident through China’s modernization of its air and naval forces and its nuclear and missile forces. The increasing use of finances to modernize its military has tremendously improved the military; this has made China rank top in the world since it has the largest army (Shambaugh 67). In terms of military strength, China ranks second in the entire world. The country has also improved its military through the acquisition of modern and advanced nuclear weapons. China’s Military Rise and its Impacts on Asia The military build up in China has caused an alarm to its neighbors in Asia. The Asian countries fear that the build up of military by China might draw to its sphere of influence. As a result of China’s military rise, countries in Asia have decided to spend more in their defense budget than they used to spend. Among the countries that have increased their military spending include South Korea, Japan and India. These countries have tried to modernize their military in order to reach that of China (Kondapalli 77). China has influenced these countries to acquire modern military equipments in fear that China might have a hidden plan of attacking them. Building up of China’s military has increased the military strength of Asia. The military of Asia was not regarded strong in the last two decades, but due to the increasing rise of China’s military, some Asian countries have strengthened the continent’s military. This has led to overall improvement in the strength of the Asian military. The increase in strength of the Asian military has mad e the international community view Asia as a security threat to the entire international community; however, this may not be the case (Fisher 89). Although the strengthening of China’s military has been viewed as frightening to the Asian countries, the build up of China’s military must not be carried with hysteria since China is less formidable to its neighbors. This is because China’s army has less than 30 years combat experience. Impact of

African and american politics of social change Article

African and american politics of social change - Article Example and for the fact that they are portrayed negatively by the society, the young black men in the American community have undergone extremely harsh treatment from authorities compared to the white young men. This article is purposefully out to understand the aspects surrounding the young black men in the American society; it also seeks to examine ways in which the government and the stakeholders can offer assistance in order to help the young black men engage in reasonable and fruitful activities in terms ameliorating their lives; through mentorship, as well as conducting restoration for those who have reached extreme levels of drug abuse and criminal activities. This article also seeks to identify the main problems faced by the young black men, as well as the causes of those problems. An initiative was initiated by president Obama this past month dubbed My Brother’s keeper; this enterprise aims to enhance the survival opportunities of young black men. This is a positively vital effort intended to aid the young black men as it is considered one of the most vulnerable groups in the society. As indicated earlier in the article, there is a likeliness of young black men leaving the school system and engaging in criminal activities, therefore attracting the attention of disciplinary and administrative systems such as juvenile and criminal justice structures. Disagreements have sprung up regarding the basis of the complications, but a few are doubtful that drastic measures must be undertaken to address the problems. Obama highlighted a number of interventions one being a program based in Chicago known as becoming a man; this program has the aim of curbing the violent nature of the teenagers through teaching cognitive social skills for example self-control, the ability of studying the reactions and intentions of others more accurately as well as conflict resolution. Naturally, most young individuals have short vehemence and upon provocation they tend to lash out at

Meaning of a Communication Major Research Paper

Meaning of a Communication Major - Research Paper Example However, not at all times must the receiver be aware of the sender’s plan to communicate at the time of communication. History of Communication as a Discipline While communication is part of every human interaction, no other discipline makes this behavior its unique focus. The Handbook of Rhetorical and Communication Theory by Gehrke, Pat (2009, p. 5) tells notes that communication departments deal with"†¦the pragmatics of human communication†. According to John Waite Bowers, former president of the National Communication Association, the discipline has both humanistic and social science roots. From the ancient Greek and Roman rhetoricians Plato, Aristotle, Cicero and Augustine, we have one of the original liberal Arts. In recent times academics have added the methodologies of careful social science research to study communication behavior which use epistemology, perception and social organization theory (Wahl?Jorgensen, 2004). Communication is at the same time the oldest and the newest discipline. The Department of Rhetoric was replaced often by Department of Speech in college campuses just prior to World War I. After fifty years under that name; many departments started calling themselves â€Å"Speech Communication" and currently many are "Communication" or "Communication Studies" or other combination which tries to capture both the central focus of the discipline as well as its concerns. Scholars concentrate on understanding, analyzing, interpreting, critiquing and correlating principles which account for human communication experiences and behavior Benson (1985).Concerns range from logic and critical thinking to social and psycholinguistic variables. What Communication Studies Entails Essentially, a communication major focuses on the study of rhetoric and language based on Latin and Greek, and how these could be used for the benefit of society (Packer & Robertson, 2006). Like other arts including history, archeology, philosophy, linguisti cs and religion, ancient teachings form the foundation for communication major studies. A major in communication studies equips a student with in-depth knowledge of nature of human communication. Furthermore, the student gets to learn symbol systems of communication, media, communication environments and the effects of communication. Core to rhetoric are logos, pathos and ethos (Fink & McPhee, 2005). In the contemporary setting, majoring in communication teaches one to use appropriate medium to effectively present arguments and deliver messages. Today, for example, political speeches and messages presented on mass media are pregnant with rhetoric. Majoring in communication also helps academics learn how common languages evolve over time to such an extent that they define communities distinguishing them from the one another. Some of the subjects encountered in communication major include the following: Public Address - The study of speakers and speeches, including the historical and social context of platforms, campaigns and movements, and how current speakers can learn skills and applications to their own creation and production of messages. Oral Interpretation and Performance of Literature –The traditional part of the discipline that studies literature through performance. Based on critical analysis of written text, skilled verbal and non verbal presentations the

User Side And Server Side Factor

User Side And Server Side Factor In this report, I will describe and explain about user side and server side factor that can influence the performance of a website and state particular server side capabilities with consideration for limitation of equipment and software customer may be using to browse the website. User side factor: Hardware: The speed of computer system can influence the performance of the website. If the computer system is slow so the user will take a long time to load full website. The speed of computer depends on speed of RAM, ROM and CPU. Ram is plugged into RAM slots on the motherboard. It is used to storage data while Pc is on. It is volatile and temporary. There are many types of RAM kinds. Examples are: SDR RAM, DDR R AM, DDR2 RAM†¦ Rom is different to Ram. It already is designed and connected with the motherboard. So the users dont worry to connect the Rom. Rom is only enabled to read data. It is permanent and non volatile. CPU: is the most important component of computer system. It is located in CPU socket on the motherboard. It is used to processing data and programs. CPU read directives from RAM and realizes those directives. Computers processing speed depends on speed of CPU, but it also depends on other systems. CPU processes data and programs in 4 steps. There are: fetch, decode, execute, and write back. And one more important that the user must have to connect to internet is modem. Modem is the oldest interconnection devices. It is enabling communication over conventional telephone system. The term of modem is coming from modulator and demodulator. It uses a variety of technologies to assist and improve their communication. All modems can offer asynchronous communication (which dont require a common timing to occur between two devices) and synchronous communication (which is a continuous timed transmission). Modem can not affect to computer speed but it affects to internet speed. Internet connection speed: It also is an important part that can influence the performance of website. Even the users have a good computer that has very fast speed but they have slow internet speed, they also must take long time to view and browse the website. The user also must to choose the ISP (internet service provider) that will provide the internet services for them. Broadband is a good idea for the users because it is faster than Dial-up connection. Modem: Modem is also important part of internet connection. The users need it to connect to internet. Modem is the oldest interconnection devices. It is enabling communication over conventional telephone system. The term of modem is coming from modulator and demodulator. It uses a variety of technologies to assist and improve their communication. All modems can offer asynchronous communication (which dont require a common timing to occur between two devices) and synchronous communication (which is a continuous timed transmission) Virus: is software of computer. It occurs when rogue code has entered the computer system. Virus hides itself inside ordinary executable code and makes damage to data, computer system or services. Actually there are over 20000 viruses in the world. It affects the speed of computers operation and slows down the internet connection speed. Software: The users also need to install some software that can make the users easier and faster to connect to internet and browse the website. Examples are Firefox, internet explorer and flash player. Firefox and internet explorer are website browser that are used to browse the website. But I think the user should use Firefox because it is better than internet explorer. Firefox provides fast browsing speed, good security and many features. And flash player is application software that is necessary for browsing the website. It helps the web browser easier and faster loading video or flash on the website. Server side factor: Hardware: Like the user side factor, server side factor also require good speed of RAM and CPU. But server provides internet services to the users, so RAM and CPU of server should be very fast. They involve to the server speed. Server speed: Bandwidth: bandwidth is the capacity that a network connection can conduct at one time. It determines how much traffic can be handled by the web server and how much material is able to be downloaded at any one time. It can be thought of as a pipe from the web server to the users. Server operating systems: It is network operation system software that is used to run computer system. For example is window server 2003. It is the current server version of Windows and Window XP is the workstation version. Window server 2003 is similar in appearance to window NT4.0. There are many version of Window server 2003 which are Web edition, Standard edition, Enterprise edition, and Data centre edition. The different editions of window server 2003 support various hardware platforms and server role. They provide a variety of service which enables the users to interact with other users, system, and application. There are many services that are provided in window server 2003. But in this task I will explain typical services that provided by a window server 2003 directory service. Security: There are many risks for a website. They may be virus, Trojan, hacker, spyware. They can steals customers details and use them for fraud. The server should have security software to protect the system such as firewall, Norton internet security. Security also is the biggest worry for commercial website because they save all the details and information of customers that could be stolen. So the server should have a good security to protect them. Port available: it is device that is used to transfer data between a computer serial port and an Ethernet local area network. It can be used with all types of serial devices and peripherals. It is possible to use Ethernet in place of serial cables, minimizing workstation clutter and also allowing serial devices to be placed far away from the computers with which they are used. The other factors that can influence the performance of website: Web browser compatibility: The website will be browsed by web browser so web browser can affect to the website. The web browse should have all features which help the users to loading the website easier and faster such as flash player. Also web browser should have all compatibility that is needed for a website. For examples are viewing the website with difference font size, colour, etc†¦ Image: On the website, the image may be a graphic hyperlink that is used to link to other page of website. There are 2 types of image that can be used o website. They are bitmap image and vector image. Bitmap image is made up of pixels in a grid. Bitmap format is really easy to use for photos. It is fast to display because the monitor is already just a grid of colour dots, so to display them, the users are just changing the colour of the dots that are already there. But if the users want to stretch a bitmap, they just make all those dots in the photo bigger than the dots on their screen and the photos will be fuzzy. In general, bitmap format is ok for drawings, great for photos and best for the web. But it is hard to stretch, hard to convert to vector. Bitmap image is the file that has ending .bmp .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .psd, etc†¦ And some software to edit bitmap image are Microsoft Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo-Paint, Corel Paint Shop Pro, etc†¦ Vector image is difference to bitmap image. It has a lot of virtues. It is made up of many individual, scalable objects. These objects are defined by mathematical equations rather than pixels, so it always render at the highest quality. These objects may consist of lines, curves, and shapes with editable attributes such as colour, fill, and outline. An object can be modified not only by changing its attributes. Vector image has many advantages such as be stretched to various sizes without losing quality. But it still has some disadvantage such as unsuitable for producing photo-realistic imagery. In general, vector format is great for drawings, easy to stretch, easy to convert to bitmap but it is bad for photos and the web. Vector image is the file that has ending .svg, .wmf, etc†¦ And some software to edit Vector image are adobe Illustrator, Corel draw, Xara Xtreme, Serif DrawPlus, etc†¦ Sound: Sound travels in waves. These are continuous and are called analogue. The digital sound wave samples at regular intervals with gaps so small the user ears can not perceive them. There are many types of sound file which are mp3 or wav. Mp3: It is the good sound file. It is a compressed file and is good for internet connection. It does not require much memory. It does take too long to download and retain good quality. Finally, the mp3 file has a low sample rate and therefore produces a smaller file size. It is better than other sound file such as wav. Wav: It has a high sample rate which means the sound quality is closest to that produced by the actual instruments but it is a relatively large file. Because it is a large file so it requires much memory and the user take too long to download it. It is not good for internet users. Video and animation files: Video and animation files produce very large file sizes which require much memory. So they can seriously affect the speed of website. It require long time to download and control a large proportion of bandwidth for duration download even the user use a high quality internet connection. It takes a large proportion of website space and make the website slower. There are many types of video and animation files which are following: Mp4: It is a container format which allows a combination of audio, video, subtitles and still images to be held in the one single file. It also allows for advanced content such as 3D graphics, menus and user interactivity. It can be use by many different multimedia. It has very good quality. It also allows for streaming via the internet which means the user can watch it online. AVI: It is audio video interleave file. It is a video file that conforms to the Microsoft Windows Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) specification. It is a large file and takes memory native to Microsoft windows. It requires a special player that may be included with the Web browser but most of PCs can play it. WMV: It is window media video file which is preferred format for windows. It is originally designed for internet streaming applications. It can be streaming and possible to use less memory faster download. Internet connection speed: The speed of the users internet connection can decide how fast the web page is loaded. There are many types of internet connection which are: Broadband: It is a network that uses a medium that can carry multiple signals simultaneously using technique called multiplexing. The most common example for broadband communications is the typical cable television network which transmits the signals corresponding to dozen if TV channels over one cable. Finally, broadband network provide very fast internet speed. It is very good for internet users. Dial-up: It is the traditional method of connection and remained popular for many years. It has an average speed of 56 Kbps. It uses the existing analogue telephone lines. ISDN: It stands for Integrated Services Digital Network. It is a dial-up communications services that uses standard telephone lines to provide high speed digital communication. The two most common ISDN services are Basic Rate Interface and Primary Rate Interface. It could reach speeds of 128 KBps.

An Analysis of Robert Frosts The Road Not Taken Essay -- Road Not Tak

An Analysis of Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken In "The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost, many questions arose about the meaning of the poem. One common interpretation of the poem about assertion of individualism, where the speaker is taking the road not traveled so that he can assert his individualism, is a nice interpretation. However, I believe that the speaker is really having a hard time making up his mind, and the poem is a conversation with himself trying to rationalize his decision. It seems as if both ways might lead to great occurrences, but only one way is the right way. There are four points in the poem that stick out where the speaker is either vague and unclear or contradictory in evaluating his choices. The first is in the first stanza where it says "And sorry I could not travel both"(2). The second point is contradictory and between lines seven through ten particularly, where the speaker is musing over which path to take. Another particularly interesting point is in line thirteen where it says, "Oh, I kept the first for another day!" And the final point to look at is in line sixteen where Frost writes the vague word "sigh," with no further explanation as to its connotation. "And sorry I could not travel both" (2). This seems to be a no-brainer observation, but also one that many struggle with. The choices that are made in day-to-day lives are ones that will stick with that person forever, and many times it can be frustrating not to at least explore what the other choice could have had in store. There are limitations to being human and finite, and one of those is the inability to look in the future and know what is the best possible decision will be. It is important to look at all possible outcome... ...as a happy and reflective sigh, as if to indicate satisfaction in the decision he made. Either way could completely change the tone of the poem, depending on the meaning of the simple word sigh. To eliminate the controversy hear, it could be important to think of a sigh as an audible release of breath, or as a contemplative sigh, as if Frost were simply thinking of the past. Frost is a brilliant poet who allows the reader to sink into the poetry so that the reader has an opportunity to view the poetry in his or her particular way. It is interesting to note some of the potentially confusing or sticking points in the poem that can cause some individual reflection. This allows the reader to have their own special connection to the poem, because a poem can conjure up many different thoughts in many different people. Frost was a poet who had that great ability.

Suboxone: Neuron and Post-synaptic Potentials

Suboxone Biological Psychology Suboxone | Addiction psychology has made a great impact on the field of biological psychology, especially when it comes to subjects such as | |psycho-pharmacology. The abuse of prescription pain medicine has risen to an estimated 9 million in America alone who take the medication for | |non-medical reasons. The psychology field has had a new revolution in addiction control called Suboxone. In order for psychiatric doctors or other| |doctors to prescribe this medicine they are required to complete a training course on the substance. Rapidly replacing Methadone, a more | |traditional detox and maintenance drug used for many years, Suboxone seems to have many treatment advantages over it. | |Buprenophine | |Buprenophine, the chemical compound found in Suboxone has stated that it is suitable for people who still have social ties to their families and | |employers whereas Methadone is suited best for those who need additional structure in their treatment with more supervision. While it is nearly | |impossible to overdose on Suboxone due to its ceiling effect, Methadone is easily abused as it is a full-agonist opiate. Another advantage that | |Suboxone has over Methadone is it readability. Where patients must go to Methadone clinics for dosing, doctors can prescribe Suboxone for a month | |at a time, allowing patients to detox and maintain their treatment. Buprenophine is available in two pill forms, one without Naloxone-called | |Subutex, or one with Naloxone-called Suboxone. Naloxone is a well known opiate antagonist, that when injected, causes instant withdraw in the | |patient. Putting this ingredient as an additive with Buprenophine keeps the drug from being abused. Buprenophine is usually prescribed for just a | |few weeks, but some patients may need maintenance doses depending on their opiate usage and/or dependency. In order to better understand the way | |Suboxone and other opiates work within the central nervous system individuals should understand post-synaptic potentials, synaptic ransmission, the| |receptors that produce and regulate behavior (including abusing opiates), as well as understanding and knowing the primary neurotransmitters and | |their role in brain function and behavior. | |Excitatory and Inhibitory Post-synaptic Potentials | |The role of excitatory and inhibitory post-synaptic potentials is summed up by NCBI Bookshelf (n. d. ; | |â€Å"Postsynaptic conductance changes and the potential changes that accompany them alter the pro bability that an action potential will be produced in | |the postsynaptic cell. Post-synaptic Potentials decrease the probability that the post synaptic cell will generate an action potential. PSPs are | |called excitatory (or EPSPs) if they increase the likelihood of a postsynaptic action potential occurring, and inhibitory (or IPSPs) if they | |decrease this likelihood. Given that most neurons receive inputs from both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, it is important to understand more | |precisely the mechanisms that determine whether a particular synapse excites or inhibits its postsynaptic partner. â€Å" | |Synaptic Transmission and Receptors Producing and Regulating Behavior | |Neurons communicate through synaptic transmission. The synapse can be found as a tiny gap found in the middle of the axon terminal and the neuron | |next to it. Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that are located in synaptic vesicles are responsible for delivering messages across the | |synapse and bind to the receptor sites. When a molecule of a neurotransmitter binds to the receptor it then continues to activate or inhibit the | |neuron until the deactivation occurs. A method of deactivation is called re-uptake, allowing the neurotransmitter molecules to be delivered back to| |the presynaptic neuron. Various drugs, including opiates such as hydrocodone or methadone function as agonists because they increase the activity | |of the neurotransmitter while others such as Naloxone act as antagonists decreasing the activity of the neurotransmitter. | |Primary Neurotransmitters | |The three major neurons located in the nervous system are the sensory, motor, and inter-neurons. Sensory neurons are responsible to input messages | |from the sense organs to the spinal cord and brain. Motor neurons carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and organs. | |Interneurons perform connective or associative functions within the nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are called the central nervous system | |while all neurons that connect the CNS to the muscles, glands, and sensory receptors are located in the peripheral nervous system. In this regard, | |the PNS is divided into two systems:the somatic nervous system that includes sensory and motor neurons, and the autonomic nervous system required to| |regulate glands as well as other involuntary functions such as circulation, breathing, and digestion. The autonomic nervous system consists of two | |branches as well. The sympathetic branch activates or arouses bodily organs while the parasympathetic branch does the complete opposite. Most | |nerves enter and leave the CNS via the spinal cord. | | |

Analysis of Eliza Doolittles Pygmalion Monologues

Analysis of Eliza Doolittles Pygmalion Monologues In the final scene of George Bernard Shaws play Pygmalion, the audience is surprised to learn that this is not the fairytale romance that  the entire play has been building up to. Eliza Doolittle may be the Cinderella of the story, but Professor Henry Higgins is no Prince Charming and he cannot bring himself to commit to her. The fiery dialogue also transforms the play from comedy to drama as Elizas monologues are filled with passion. We see that she really has come a long way from that innocent flower girl that first appeared on stage. She is a young woman with a mind of her own and new-found opportunities in front of her though she does not quite know where to go now. We also see her slip back into her Cockney grammar as her temper flares. Though she catches and corrects herself, these are final reminders of her past as we wonder about her future. Eliza Expresses Her Desires Prior to this, Higgins has run through Elizas options for the future. It seems to him that her best prospect is to find a man unlike the confirmed old bachelors like me and the Colonel.  Eliza explains the relationship she desired from him. It’s a tender scene that almost warms the Professor’s heart despite himself. ELIZA: No I dont. Thats not the sort of feeling I want from you. And dont you be too sure of yourself or of me. I could have been a bad girl if Id liked. Ive seen more of some things than you, for all your learning. Girls like me can drag gentlemen down to make love to them easy enough. And they wish each other dead the next minute. (much troubled) I want a little kindness. I know Im a common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but Im not dirt under your feet. What I done (correcting herself) what I did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we were pleasant together and I comecameto care for you; not to want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference between us, but more friendly like. When Eliza Realizes the Truth Unfortunately, Higgins is a permanent bachelor. When he is incapable of offering affection, Eliza Doolittle stands up for herself in this powerfully feisty monologue. ELIZA: Aha! Now I know how to deal with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You cant take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more than you can. Aha! Thats done you, Henry Higgins, it has. Now I dont care that (snapping her fingers) for your bullying and your big talk. Ill advertize it in the papers that your duchess is only a flower girl that you taught, and that shell teach anybody to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and being trampled on and called names, when all the time I had only to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick myself! Does Civility Equal Kindness? Higgins has readily admitted that he is fair in his treatment of everyone. If he is harsh with her, she should not feel bad because he is equally harsh most people he meets.  Eliza jumped on this and the realization forces a final decision from her, at least when it comes to Higgins. This also makes the audience wonder about the commentary on wealth and civility in relation to kindness and compassion. Was Eliza Doolittle as kind when she was living in the gutter? Most readers would say yes, yet it draws a stark contrast to Higgins excuse of unbiased severity. Why does a higher class of society come with less kindness and compassion? Is that really a better way of life? It seems that Eliza struggled with these questions herself. Where is the Happily Ever After Ending? The big question that Pygmalion leaves the audience with is: Do  Eliza and Higgins ever get together? Shaw did not initially say and he intended for the audience to decide for themselves. The play ends with Eliza saying goodbye. Higgins calls after her with, of all things, a shopping list! He is absolutely positive that she will return. In reality, we do not know what happens to the two characters of Pygmalion. This confounded early directors of the play (and the My Fair Lady movie) because many felt that the romance should have blossomed. Some had Eliza return with the necktie from Higgins shopping list. Others had Higgins toss Eliza a bouquet or follow her and beg her to stay. Shaw intended to leave the audience with an ambivalent conclusion. He wanted us to imagine what might happen because each of us will have a different perspective based on our own experiences. Maybe the romantic sort would have the two live happily ever after while those jaded by love would be happy to see her go out in the world and enjoy her independence. The directors attempts to change Shaws ending prompted the playwright to pen an epilogue: The rest of the story need not be shewn in action, and indeed, would hardly need telling if our imaginations were not so enfeebled by their lazy dependence on the ready-mades and reach-me-downs of the ragshop in which Romance keeps its stock of happy endings to misfit all stories.   Though he also gave arguments as to why Higgins and Eliza were incompatible, he did write a version of what happened after the final scene. One feels that it was done with reluctance and its almost a shame to pass along this ending, so if you want to retain your own version, it would be best to stop reading here (you really will not miss much). In his finale, Shaw tells us that Eliza does indeed marry Freddy and the couple opens a flower shop. Their life together is filled with dreariness and not too much success, a far cry from those romantic thoughts of the plays directors.

Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Essay Example

Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Essay Example Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Paper Why was there an economic crisis in Germany in 1923 Paper There are several causes to the economic crisis in Germany in 1923. The Great War contributed greatly to this, but Germanys problems had begun even before the War had started. In 1914 the German Government decided to come off of the Gold Standard. This was a system in which every bank note had an equivalent sum of gold, kept in the vaults of the German Central Bank. You could go to the bank and would be able to swap your note for gold, although people would normally use the notes to buy things, like an IOU, as it was easier to do this than to use pieces of gold. When the First World War began in 1914, Germany needed more money to pay for food and weapons. The German Government found that the easiest way to obtain more money was to print more notes. This decreased the actual value of the money, as there was more money in circulation. During the War there were food shortages, this meant that there was too few goods to buy for the amount of money that there was in circulation. We can see that inflation occurred, because of the drastic fall in the value of money. In January 1921, there were 64 marks to the dollar, by November 1923; this amount had risen drastically to 4. trillion marks to the dollar! Inflation had been occurring since 1914, so was a long-term cause of the economic crisis. When Germany lost the Great War to the allies, they had to agree with the terms of the treaty of Versailles. One of the terms of this treaty was that Germany had to lose land to France, Belgium, Denmark, Poland and the League of Nations. When losing this land, the German Government lost the tax income from it. The tax income could have helped to pay the reparations of  £6,600 million, which was also a term of the Treaty of Versailles. Reasons for the economic crisis, involving the Treaty of Versailles were short-term causes because they happened quite suddenly, rather than over a long period of time. The land lost contained 14% of arable farmland. It produced food and work for the surrounding area. There was now even less food, making the problem of food shortages even worse. This land also contained 74% of Germanys iron ore, 68% of her zinc ore and 26% of her coal- most of the countrys wealth. Germany could not afford to pay her reparations. This was linked to the invasion of the Ruhr. The Treaty of Versailles also meant that Germany had to reduce its army to 100,000 men. As France no longer felt as strongly under threat by the German army and wanted their reparations paid up, they felt that they could invade the Ruhr. The Ruhr is the most industrialised part of Germany. Poincarre, the French leader, sent in five divisions of French soldiers to acquire the reparations they were owed. A division of Belgian soldiers joined them. They intended to take control of the German factories and mines in this area. All goods produced would be shipped off to France, until the reparations owed to the French were paid. This was a short-term cause to the economic crisis, as it only happened over a matter of days and weeks, unlike inflation, which was occurring for years. Germany could do nothing to stop this. This made Germany very ashamed, especially after losing the War and having to agree with the terms of the Treaty of Versailles as well. The Government ordered passive resistance. The French had no one to work for them as the Ruhr workers were ordered to go on strike. They were ordered to refuse to co-operate with the occupiers. The French then kicked 150,000 German workers out of the Ruhr. They fled as refugees. This produced yet another problem for the already suffering Government and people of Germany. How could they afford to feed, clothe and house the refugees? All their money was already being used to pay reparations, how could they afford this? These problems were solved, but by causing another problem. It seemed that the only way to overcome the problem of the refugees was to print more money. The money in circulation now was growing greatly and the cost of living was increasing. The economic crisis was a vicious circle, by solving one problem they were creating another. It seemed as though it was never going to end. Although there were many causes for the economic crisis, I believe that one made a bigger impact than the others. The Great War, the costs of which were astronomical, both during and after. The War increased the effect of inflation, as the Government printed more notes to try and cope with the problems the War was bringing, therefore decreasing the value and making problems worse. After the War, the Treaty of Versailles produced many difficulties. All of the problems caused by this linked with each other and then back to inflation. The German economic crisis was inevitable because the Government did not know that coming off of the Gold Standard would cause inflation- it was going to happen, they thought it would be better, not worse. They could not have prevented the Treaty of Versailles as they lost the War. They didnt purposely lose the War to cause themselves problems,the problems were inevitable. The economic crisis was waiting to happen, Germany could not have stopped it!

To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a Essay

To what extent is the Catholic Church central to Rome's status as a contemporary World City - Essay Example Other factors such as economic activities, politics, and geographical location have also shaped the city into its current status. The history and development of Rome City can be traced back during the Roman Empire. The influences of the tradition of the Roman Empire are evident in the architecture of the city’s buildings and other structures. Architecture was necessary in the growth and success of Rome. Formal architecture like basilicas and temples, and their related structures such as aqueducts and bridges have played significant roles in shaping Rome into its current status. Although there are several factors that led to the development and success of Rome City, this paper mainly focuses on the influence of the Catholic Church on Rome’s current claims to World City status. Introduction Rome, or particularly Vatican City, is the center of the Roman Catholic religion. It was pronounced a sovereign nation in 1929 as a result of Lateran Accords (Giorgi, 2008 p223). Earli er, before it was designated as a sovereign state, Vatican comprised of smaller Papal States. Vatican City exists as a walled-enclave in Rome, and it is the world’s smallest country. The Lateran Accord of 1929 pronounced Roman Catholicism the official religion of Italy (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p5). It is, therefore, obvious that most of the county’s development and success has been cultural. Roman Catholicism beliefs and architectures are deeply rooted in Rome’s landscape. Being a Roman Catholicism Empire, the Vatican City is ruled by Pope, whose office is the highest in Catholic Church, and serves as the headquarter s of the Roman Catholic Church (Davies & Nichols, 2006 p6). Vatican City is situated on the Vatican Hill surrounded by Rome, which is Italy’s Capital City, and it covers an area of 44 hectares (Nicolet, 1991 p13). The city is surrounded by Renaissance and medieval walls, constructed using the ancient roman architectural designs, which separate s it from other cities except St. Peters Square. Within the city, there are a number of magnificent gardens, buildings, complex of courtyards, and a well organized network of roads and walking paths (Nicolet, 1991 p13). History of the Vatican City The first foundation, basilica, in the city was laid down by Emperor Constantine the Great in the 14th Century AD. This foundation is what is believed to be the tomb of St. Peter, who the Catholics claim to be the first Pope. The vast regions of the Vatican Valley and Hill, was anciently used for chariot races and other sports, and as a burial ground (Bonechi Books, 2000 p4). As time passed by, this region became a sacred ground where the Roman Catholic used to perform most of their functions. In the following century, Popes who returned from France established themselves, and took official residence in the Vatican City, and reconstructed the Vatican Palace and the St. Peter basilica to expand its size, beautify its gardens, and add more b uildings to accommodate their governmental offices (Lanciani, 2009 p123). In the late 16th Century, the government of the Vatican and Popes officially occupied Quirinal Palace, located in the outcasts of the Vatican City. The government of Italy, in 1870, confiscated Papal States, and the Popes lived in Vatican as self imposed prisoners for over fifty years (Lanciani, 2009

Marketing Management Master Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marketing Management Master - Assignment Example Secondly, the customers might not be as knowledgeable as the ones who were there for the larger boats. This means that the company has to educate the buyers on how to use their boats in addition to giving them appropriate maintenance and handling tips. All this would mean that the company has to handle the entire marketing setup in a different way compared what they were doing earlier. 1. Products that are made by the company are positioned as a niche product. This positioning has to be altered in order to ensure that the company does not lose out on their turnover. The company has to cultivate and build relationship with buyers of the smaller boats. 2. On analysing the pricing position of the product, it is clear that the company might have to sell larger numbers to reach the same turnover that they were doing earlier. This can be realised only if the company decides to sell these boats through a distributor network. 4. The company has to have a clear public communication program that would enable the company to reach the buyers and the targeted clients. This promotion is required in order to ensure that the product gains on the market. This overall strategy will be strengthened by the positive aspects that are already present with the company. These are typically, the brand of the company that would help it to realise the market much more easily. Secondly, there is also a technological supremacy that would help the company to market much better than the rest of the competition. However, it needs to look at the new set of customers differently and also approach them in a different method. In order to realise the overall objectives listed above the following three jobs need to be executed. 1. Appropriate stocking of the finished boats should be present for immediate selling. 2. Since the company has to sell larger numbers, they need to deal through a set of distributors. 3. Competition has to be studied well and continuously monitored to fix an appropriate pricing policy and customer satisfaction policies. These three objectives are discussed in detail below. Promotional Strategy The company has to ensure that the 'right' quantity of boats and yachts are maintained in stock. This will enable the company to dispatch or supply boats on demand and meet the customer requirements immediately. The stocks have to be planned in contrast to the original pull style production system that they had. They need to move over to the push style system that would expect the company to

Women, Violence and Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Women, Violence and Mental Illness - Essay Example The continued exclusion of women as equal to women has become one of the primary factors that have contributed to women’s experience of violence in the home (Sokoloff and Dupont, 2005). Although there is already a rising awareness of violence against women, fact remains that almost a 12.9 million of women have experienced domestic violence in UK (Walby and Allen, 2004). In addition, 44% of victim of domestic violence are involved in more than just one (Dodd et al, 2004) and that women are assaulted by men they know (Walby and Allen, 2004). These data only represent the reported violence committed against women. It is assumed there are still more cases left undocumented because violence is generally perceived as underreported (Flink, Paavilainen, and stedt-Kurki, 2005). In this scenario, the continued experience of violence against women is an attestation of the unremitting struggle of women for inclusion in the public sphere (e.g. Jaggar & Young 2000; Tong 2000). In this conte xt, this study will attempt to address the issue of how socio-political factors influence mental health. Several identified socio-political factors affect mental health.... Intimate partner violence includes physical and sexual violence, threats of violence and psychological and emotional abuse. The perpetrator may be a current or former spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, or dating partner (Watts and Zimmerman, 2002). Numerous studies have shown that women abused by partners or by other perpetrators are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, headache, gynaecological and sexual problems, PTSD, eating and digestive disorders, infections, musculoskeletal disorders, and chronic pain; they are more likely to attempt suicide, to abuse alcohol and legal and illegal drugs (Campbell, 2002; Koss et al., 2003; Krug et al., 2002). Battered women or women suffering from violence are also women subjected to psychological illness or distress. In this situation, women become the â€Å"embodiment of a â€Å"problem† which must be resolved or eliminated† (Tremain, 2008, p 102). Gender as a factor that affects mental illness increases the stigma of menta l illness, widens, and deepens the experience of discrimination and injustice, if it is experience by a woman. As such, women become more isolated and left voiceless because socio-political factors have become the instruments that perpetuate her continued oppression and dehumanisation as she suffers from. It is a triple burden that women carry alone and in isolation for, they have become â€Å"the deviant Other which in turn eliminates the possibility of mutuality (Stocker, 2001, p 49). The Woman’s Voiceless Call The life of a woman is permeated by concerns associated with psychiatric disorders, from her menstruation, through her pregnancy, in her post-partum period until her menopause (Kornstein and Clayton 2002). Prejudice and stereotyping are typically associated and created base on the gender

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay Example for Free

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay This report was commissioned to elaborate other alternative methods that can be used to monitor internet information in Australia without incorporating internet filtration as the Australian government proposes. The future of Australian children has been compromised by the immoral vices that the use of the internet perpetuates. Moreover, organizations, customers and innovators have also suffered from this paradigm which advocates for phishing, on-line identity theft and piracy among others. Therefore, the report advocates for the use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarians. These methods are not liable to scrutiny and criticism as they do not impede the first amendment bill of the constitution which advocates for freedom of expression among other concerns explained in the report. Furthermore, the report evaluates this range of methods and concludes that it would be ideal to implement the technology method. Introduction Advancement in technology has increased the reliance of internet as a means of entertainment and education source. It has also encompassed the education curriculum, social, economic and political activities creating both a positive and a negative impact. We have been able to succeed and are actually grateful because most of the information and technological know how can be retrieved with ease. However, our children and business enterprises have been adversely affected by the increased internet sexual harassment, privacy invasion, cyber-bullying, on-line identity theft, piracy and phishing just to mention a few in the unending list. In the event our children have developed aggressive attitudes which advocates for delinquent behaviours. On the other hand children that have experienced internet sexual harassment and bullying among others become depressed and thus are cut out from social life and its benefits. This explains the increased rates of teenage suicidal attempts in Australia (Australian Government 2007). Therefore, the government has taken a further step in an attempt of curbing this predicament by introducing mandatory internet filtration to all internet services at home, in schools and public computers used by he Australian children. The government also plans to prepare the Australian children on strategies of being responsible cyber-citizens, protecting their identity while on-line, understanding the impact of their actions on others while using the internet, responding to cyber-bulling and invasion of their privacy among other negative internet vices. To achieve this the government plans to launch education curriculum that provides first rate cyber-safety education programs and educate parents on the negative vices prevailed by the internet thus ensuring their children use the internet responsibly. Furthermore, the government plans to use the blacklist formulated by the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to ensure harmful information is not availed to the children, establish a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to easily access information affecting children on-line and to do further research on cyber- safety issues in Australia among others (Australian Government 2007). This initiative has been met with mixed reactions as some citizens support the idea while others reject the move critically analysing it. Critics view the move as a lash to the development and welfare of the citizens in terms of internet use because internet censorship will reduce the speed of the internet, the initiative is not effective because people will still be able to access the prohibited information through the use of proxy services and web services just to mention a few. The initiative will also violate the first amendment bill which advocates for freedom of expression. The country will waste a huge sum of its capital through the implementation of this impractical solution because approximately USD 22billion of tax payers’ money will be used to implement this initiative. Furthermore, the criteria that will be used to determine the appropriate age to use the internet, the appropriateness of information on the internet and determining a comprehensive blacklist are in question. Therefore, to anal the dilemma the government is facing this report will elaborate on alternative methods of internet censorship other than internet filtration that can be used (Harvey 2009b). Alternative solutions To end the conflicts that have arisen because of the proposal of incorporating compulsory Internet Service provider (ISP) filtering in the country the government should implement other alternatives such as use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarian to implement internet censorship as outlined below. Technology The government can utilize the available technology to help implement their strategies on internet censorship rather than using internet filtration. It can establish websites that teach and warn adults and children on the dangers prevailed by the internet and how to avoid them. Alternatively it can take the initiative of funding such programs that have already being established. This method will be effective as the probability of people using the internet to access such information is high. The method is also cost effective as such initiatives have been implemented in other countries for example USA and proved to be efficient. Also the government will easily be able to avail on-line safety rules to the vicinity of children such as using passwords, meeting people met through the internet with the consent or accompaniment of parents and avoiding giving out personal information. For instance the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has enable to alert and educate e-tailers and customers on the dangers of internet such as auction site frauds, counterfeiting, identity theft and phishing among others and effective ways of preventing being victims of the above vices. BSA has established a website were they offer their learning and safe guarding tips by displaying stories from victims and tips of avoiding such incidents (Lindroth 2008). Moreover, programs that allow parents to personally regulate internet information availed to their children should be used. This will prevent the government from formulating legislations that violated constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and expression. It will also allow the development of this technology thus benefiting the country and improving the welfare of the population at large. For example US citizens have been able to enjoy the benefits of using glubble a Firefox browser plug-in that has enabled parents to create a safe browsing environment for their kids. The technology is easy to use, fast to install, helps parents to manipulate internet information at the vicinity of their children and enable their children to have the appropriate on-line experience. Furthermore, it does not limit internet information that is important to adults but harmful to children such as family planning tips. Therefore, the government should capitalize on such mechanisms by offering their support either politically or economically (Gary 2009). Political power The government is politically empowered thus has the power to control legislations and policies that regulate this country. Therefore, it should use this opportunity to formulate policies that will enable attainment of cyber-security without contradicting on legislations that had been previously formulated. For instance use of plug-ins and programs that will allow parents and public utilities where children are predominate users of the internet will increase intellectual property infringement therefore, legislations that will protect owners innovation should be stipulated allowing effective use of trade marks, patents and copyright laws among others thus expand the rights of these intellectual property holders. This will encourage innovators thus increase the variety of the advanced technology to consumers. Furthermore, it will increase the competitive nature of the economy of Australia both locally and in the world market. The government should also stipulate mechanisms that will take stern action against culprits who are caught perpetuating cyber-bulling, internet sexual harassment and stealing peoples identity. The government should also avail easy mechanisms for reporting vices that curb cyber-safety. This will serve as a warning to prospective culprits and thus decrease the number of such incidents. Also children will grow up morally as they will avoid practising such vices because this initiative will effectively tame them. Victims of such vices, parents, and children will willingly surrender information concerning such culprits to the relevant authority because of the assurance that effective action will be taken (Harvey 2009a). Moral ethics Most of the activities and information in the internet are morally wrong as they violate ethics and human norms. Therefore, another mechanism that can be used to increase cyber-safety is educating and guiding the population and children in particular on moral vices that can be adopted, thus enabling the adherence and respect of business, religious, social and moral ethics. For example more incidents of school children participating in social networking sites that perpetuate immoral behaviour such as pornography and prostitution are evident therefore, learning institutions should formulate policies that will effectively deal with school children that participate in such incidents and break school rules. Parents on the other hand should develop engaging relationships with their children to be able to further instil the moral principles that they learn and adopt from their school environment. Therefore, the school administration should work hand in hand with the government to clearly outline guidelines that will discipline students in regards to information availed and collected from the internet. The collation that will be formed will also help parents and the general Australian population to access such guidelines thus further perpetuate adherence to moral ethics and human norms (Madson 2005). It is quite evident that teachers nowadays use social networking sites for education purposes. Therefore, teachers should ensure that they effectively elaborate to their students how they intend to communicate to them and the necessary instructions that they should follow when logged into such sites to prevent them from accessing information that is not related to education and perpetuates immorality. Alternatively the school administration should establish websites which should be regularly monitored where teachers and students can communicate. Moreover, the learning institutions should implement educative programs that will educate the students on issues related to on-line- safety and the responsible ways of using Facebook and MySpace among others. Furthermore, policies that will effectively deal with students that perpetuate and practice cyber-bullying should be enacted. This responsibility should not only be left to the school administration and the government, other bodies such as religious institutions, public conferences and gatherings, activists and ethicist should also advocate for the adherence of moral ethics and human norms through the use of mechanisms such as safety conversation (McMahon 2008). Civil libertarian The government should also not ignore the role played by civil libertarians rather they should work hand in hand with them. This will further help them to ensure cyber-safety in Australia is emanated and thus protect the innocence and rights of children. This is because civil libertarians fight for the rights and respect of computer and network users by encouraging those involved to register with them thus regulates their activities. Therefore when formulating new legislations or changing those that already exists the government should engage such organizations thus the policies that will be formulated will be at the best interest of all stakeholders. For instance the Electronic Frontier Foundation in US provides legal assistance to companies or organizations that have out rightly been denied their constitutional rights by implementation of impractical legislations. In the event the organization promotes the US laws and allows efficient incorporation of advanced technology into the country. However, it indirectly regulates the information in the internet by offering legal support to organizations that avail useful information which is not harmful to the social being and economic welfare of the community and the country. Therefore, Australia should implement this example and follow suit as cyber-security will be enhanced while protecting and respecting the constitutional and human rights of its citizens (Swidorski 2003). Conclusion From the above facts it is quite clear that all the above principles should be implemented to effectively implement internet censorship. Each principle covers a specific area of enhancing cyber-safety in the country and among the citizens. The role that the government and politicians in general can play in the attempt of protecting Australian children from internet immoral vices without developing conflicts is outlined. However, the government also needs to work hand in hand with the school administration, teachers, parents and civil libertarians to efficiently enhance on-line security and educate Australian children on mechanisms of being responsible cyber-citizens. Also as we aim to be a world class country we will have to incorporate more sophisticated technology which is mainly attained from the reliance of the internet therefore, this subject should be researched regularly to enable formulation of policies that are relevant to the current technology in the country. In the event the country will be able to attain the technology without restrictions that may curb its development. Therefore, from my own opinion it is ideal for the government to implement the technology method which will go hand in hand with the development objective of the country because it will be cheaper to incorporate, it will be easier to regulate internet information at the disclosure of children while still gaining access to information that will help in improving the welfare of the community and country at large and human rights will not be violated as a result of internet censorship which I do not support. Word Count: 2189 List of references Australian Government (2007), Attitudes and behaviour of young people on-line, Research Summary. Available at http://www. minister. dcita. gov. au/_data/assets/pdf_file/73394/research_summary- web. pdf [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009]. Gary, J. (2009), â€Å"Short range plug-ins work best in US,† Automotive Engineer, 34(3), p. 49. Harvey, S. (2009a), Australian internet censorship in practice, Available at http://www. pingudownunder. com/blog/2009/03/19/australian-internet-censorship-in- practice/ [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Harvey, S. (2009b), Issues with re-establishing identity after natural disasters, Available at http://www. pingudownunder. com/blog/index. php [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Lindroth, L. (2008), â€Å"How to improve on-line safety,† Teaching Pre K-8, 28(7), p20. Madson, W. (2005), Internet censorship, Available at http://www. rense. com/general69/intercens. htm [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] McMahon, F. (2008), â€Å"Smooth operator,† Digital Content Producer, 34(11), pp. 30-33. Swidorski, C. (2003), â€Å"Political science, the Labour Movement, and the struggle for freedom of expression,† New Political Science, 22(3), pp. 319-340.

Inclusive Education In Malaysia

Inclusive Education In Malaysia Malaysias move toward inclusion was given impetus by its participation in workshops and conferences set up under the auspices of the United Nations. Inclusive education was introduced in the Education Act (1998) as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the interpretation of policy pertaining to inclusion, its contradictions and its translation into practice within the Malaysian context; and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. This paper also reviews the extent inclusion has brought benefits to children with special needs and their families; as well as examine the problematic issues associated with the interpretation and implementation of inclusive practices at community and school levels. Introduction In line with the global trend toward inclusive education, Malaysia officially began its efforts to include students with special needs in mainstream education through its involvement in workshops and activities initiated by the United Nations (UN) and United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Standards of several UN policies affirm the right of all children to equal education without discrimination within the mainstream education system. These include the UN Convention on the rights of the Child (1989), the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), the UNESCO Salamanca Statement (1994) and the UNESCAP Biwako Millennium Framework (2002). The Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education (UNESCO 1994) has stressed the importance to develop national capacities for policymaking and systems management in support of inclusive education and the need to address equal educati onal opportunity and access to all children including those with special educational needs. Subsequently, inclusive education was introduced in the Malaysian Education Act 1996 (1998) together with provisions for children with learning difficulties. Although huge strides have been taken in the provisions and allocations for special needs education in Malaysia, inclusive education seems elusive to many children who need it. The purpose of this article is to examine and analyse the current policy and practices pertaining to inclusive education within the parallel system of general and special education, and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. Concepts and principles in inclusive education will be discussed against the backdrop of Malaysian general education system and school culture. Inclusive education in Malaysia originated from the special education agenda as defined in the Education Act 1996 (1998) and its approach is referred to this tradition. The discussion begins with an introduction to the development of special needs education as a discipline and as a profession in Malaysia, and its influence on the development of policy and practice toward inclusive education. The Evolutionary Phases of Special Needs Education The history of special needs education in Malaysia parallels developments seen in other helping professions in developing countries worldwide (Azuma, 1984). Foreign experts are initially relied upon to provide the knowledge and to encourage its development prior to the emergence of a profession within a country. The first professionals to provide services are usually trained abroad. The second stage followed this first stage, in which colleges and universities established programs and departments to teach the discipline and prepare the professionals. The second stage leads to the third stage, in which colleges and universities import developed from abroad to achieve standards that characterised the discipline in more developed nations. During this stage, the concepts, theories and models of implementation found in the more developed countries are taught, applied and tested; some of which may transfer more successfully than others. The fourth stage sees research initiated in the country to develop the concepts, theories and practices and technologies essential to enhance practice. The fifth and last stage is reached when this new body of knowledge developed in one country is integrated into the larger body of knowledge available internationally. As professions and disciplines of knowledge evolve from one stage to the next, they gain strength and improve qualities associated with the earlier stages of the development. Malaysia embarked on the first stage when the first school for the blind was opened in 1929, followed by a school for the deaf very much later in 1954. These schools were initiated under the programs of the Ministry of Social Welfare with the help of religious missionaries. Malaysia entered its second stage when professional preparation programs for special education were formally established by the Ministry of Education in 1961. Lacking its own expertise and technology, Malaysia entered its third stage when it began importing knowledge and expertise by sending its education professionals abroad for research degrees and in-service attachments in special needs education in the 1980s and 1990s, and attempting to customize what was learned to its national conditions. Malaysias participation in international workshops and activities of the UN and UNESCO and subsequent reforms as reflected in the Education Act (1998) describes the active development of policy and changes in practices duri ng this period. In 1993, the first preservice teacher preparation leading to a Bachelor of Education degree program in special needs education was initiated in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The program was developed alongside a collaborative project in curriculum development with three universities in the United Kingdom, namely, the Universities of Manchester, Birmingham and Cambridge (Jelas, 1996; 1999). Special needs education in Malaysia is currently in its fourth stage with research being initiated in the local universities with funding from the government to indigenise special needs education as a discipline. The establishment of research degree programs in special needs education has generated interest among students and academics and attempts to integrate local knowledge with the larger body of knowledge internationally have started (Jelas, 1996, 1999, 2000; Azman et al., 2003; Ali et al, 2006). Development of policy: A force for or against inclusion Education for children and youth with special needs is provided for by two government agencies: The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD). The MWFCD through its Welfare Department, provides learning and skills training services for children and youths with i) severe physical disabilities, ii) severe and profound intellectual disabilities; and iii) multiple disabilities. These learning and skills training services are implemented in collaboration with non-governmental bodies and community-based rehabilitation centres. The Special Education Department of the MOE is responsible for coordinating all special educations programmes in the regular schools and the administration of all special education schools which cater only to students with hearing and visual impairments. Children who are identified with i) downs syndrome, ii) mild autism, iii) developmental delays, iv) attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and v) specific learning disabilities, are placed in self-contained special classes in the Learning Disability Programmes in regular schools. The terms special needs introduced in the Education Act 1996 (1998) are defined as follows: Pupils with special needs means pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities And inclusive education is introduced as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs: Special education programme means A programme which is provided in special schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment; An integrated programme in general schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities; and An inclusive education programme for pupils with special needs and who are able to attend normal classes together with normal pupils (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 341) However, the eligibility for special education placement is based on the educability of children as assessed by a team of professionals. This is documented in the Act, which states: (1) For government and government-aided schools, pupils with special needs who are educable are eligible to attend the special education programme except for the following pupils: physically handicapped pupils with the mental ability to learn like normal pupils; and pupils with multiple disabilities or with profound physical handicap or severe mental retardation. A pupil with special needs is educable if he is able to manage himself without help and is confirmed by a panel consisting of a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD, as capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 342) The eligibility dilemma A number of issues and contradictions arise when we analyse policies that explicitly state a criterion for eligibility. While the current public policy for children with special educational needs, particularly those categories of children classified as experiencing learning disabilities have access to regular schools as stated in the Act, the educability criteria contradicts the goals of providing equal education opportunities as stipulated in the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), The Salamanca Statement (1994) and the Biwako Millenium Framework for Action (UNESCAP, 2002). These mandates are intended to promote equal rights and access to education for persons with disabilities. The educability criterion assumes that there are children who are uneducable within the public school system and thus these children are catered to within community-based rehabilitation (CBR) settings (MOE, 2006). CBR programmes are government-initiated, centre-based programmes at the community level aimed to provide education that emphasises therapy and rehabilitation to children with learning disabilities (Kuno, 2007). CBR programmes are quite detached from the mainstream school system. However, in practice, the division between both provisions is less definite, and students who should benefit from them become victims of bureaucratic procedures (Adnan Hafiz, 2001). The true meaning of equal rights and access is still evolving in the Malaysian context, as policy makers and the schools put into practice their interpretation of what they perceive those rights to be. Deciding on who does or does not have a special educational need, or who is educable and who is not poses a major problem. Before special programmes were available, students with special needs were described by their characteristics and by the instructional challenges they presented to teachers. When the education system began to respond to the needs of each emerging group of special needs students, services were established and eligibility criteria determined. From that point on, a child was identified (for school and placement purposes) as having or experiencing a special educational need and if he or she is able to manage him or herself without help (Education Act 1996, 1998), the child will be eligible for a given programme or service. This process was repeated as each new group of special needs students emerged for example, children with visual and hearing impairments in the 1960s, children with mild intellectual in the 1980s and 1990s, and more recently, children with attentio n deficit hyperactivity disorders and children with dyslexia. Thus it is regulated in the Education Act 1996 (1998) that the perspectives of professionals (a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD p. 342) have the most power in determining the way children are categorised and whether these children are capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998). In this context, policy makers and professionals continue to see special schools and classes as well as categories as having an important place in provisions. Responses at the Ministerial level revealed an emphasis on diversity and acceptance of human characteristics as problematic and that learning difficulties are technical problems that require specialised discipline knowledge that cannot be dealt with in the normal classes with normal children (Education Act 1996, 1998 p. 341). In this context, the MOE sees segregation as the right to be educated in a separate environment from the mainstream and i nclusion is implemented on the principle that integrate and include children with special needs where possible, and retain the right to segregate where necessary (Booth Ainscow, 1998). Within the Malaysian context, the belief that the child must be educable to be educated reflects a rigid and narrow interpretation of the concept of inclusion. The requirement reinforced what Peters (2004) referred to as the continuum of placements paradigm; where inclusion is conceptualised as a place that one needs to be eligible and not as a service delivered. Such a narrow and limited interpretation results in the exclusion of SEN students from within the school system. Jelas (2000a) summarised the interpretation of the process of inclusion in the Malaysian context in Figure 1. INCLUSION: MEETING OUR COMMITMENTS Salamanca Statement 1994 Malaysian Education Act 1996 Responses to human diversity Responses to categories Commitment to change Commitment to existing demands Rejection of medical model of disability Coexistence of medical social model perubatan sosial Equity PROCESS OF INCLUSION Educability PROCESS OF EXCLUSION Figure 1. Inclusion: Its interpretaion in the Malaysian context Rationalising exclusion While the literature on inclusive education would be in agreement over the basic philosophical stance of inclusion as it relates to issues of social justice and equity of educational opportunities, its interpretation and translation into practice remains unclear in Malaysia. The National Report on the development of education states: Inclusion in Malaysia subscribed to the concept of placing SEN students into mainstream classes to be educated alongside their peers, either with or without additional support, and within the present school system. This concept of IE (inclusive education) might not be in line with the ideal concept based on acceptance, belonging and about providing school settings in which all disadvantaged children can be valued equally and be provided with equal educational opportunities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (MOE, 2004, p. 28), While the philosophical basis of including SEN students into mainstream schools is accepted as a policy, the continued legitimization of paradigms that exclude SEN students is also acknowledged by rationalising between the ideal and the not-so-ideal concept of inclusive education. This ambivalence is reinforced by the following statements: Prior to inclusion, especially in the early part of their formal education, SEN students are equipped with relevant basic skills and knowledge to enable them to cope with mainstream learning. Only those who are diagnosed capable to cope with mainstream learning would be included fully or partially. (MOE, 2004, p. 29) The emphasis on the ability to cope with mainstream learning seemed consistent with the integration models that came about in the 1980s. Integration models mainly focused on placing students with mild disabilities, identified and diagnosed as having special needs in mainstream schools. In such models, students must adapt to the norms, expectations, styles, routines and practices of the education system instead of the education system adapting to the learner (UNESCO, 2008). The integrated programme is the dominant format for delivering services to special needs students in Malaysia, then and now. Students typically were referred to a medical practitioner to determine their eligibility and to confirm their disability, and if they met the eligibility criteria, they were placed in a special class in a regular school. Once placed, few special education students returned to the regular education class on full-time basis. Although the special classroom and special schools continued as optio ns, integrated programmes (placement in regular classrooms) for students with visual and hearing impairments are available with support from the resource teacher. Within this model, students were pulled out for part-time placement in resource rooms, or a special education teacher comes to the regular education classroom to provide remedial assistance to the student or to assist the classroom teacher. By the mid -1980s special education in the developed countries, specifically in the United States and United Kingdom, no longer relied on segregated special classes to serve students with SEN. Historically, the disenchantment of many special educators and the concern of the efficacy of the prevailing approach (Ainscow, 1994; Meyen Skrtic, 1995; Sorrells, Rieth Sindelar, 2004; Stainback Stainback, 1992) raised questions about how best to assure a quality and equitable education for students with disabilities and spawned the push for a more inclusive approach to special education programming. While these reforms were mandated in the United Nations Declarations and UNESCOs Framework of Actions on special needs education of which Malaysias policy on inclusive education subscribes to, the focus on diagnosis, prescription, and intervention continued to be central to determining eligibility and making placement decisions. Thus, although special education practices had changed, the ground ing assumptions of human pathology and organisational rationality (Biklen, 2000; Oliver, 1996; Skrtic, 1991) have not been critically examined. In this context, special education is used to maintain and legitimise exclusion of students with disabilities within a school culture and system characterised by competition and selection (Skrtic, 1995; Corbett, 1999; Slee, 2001; Kearney Kane, 2006). Inclusive education is seen as problematic; educators and policymakers have serious reservations about the widespread placement of SEN students in mainstream schools because systemic problems in the current provisions and school culture remain unresolved. Malaysia needs to recognise that integration models are not inclusion and that inclusive practices do not just mean placing SEN students into mainstream schools. The pathway to inclusion is fraught with foundational assumptions that support exclusionary processes and practices. Challenges in policy and practice Even though inclusive education was implemented at the policy level more than 10 years ago and school participation has rapidly increased quantitatively, Malaysia is far from reaching its goal of providing a responsive education path for every child and youth with SEN (MOE, 2004). Policy statements and procedural processes and requirements that are seen as safeguarding the normality of the school population (Slee, 1996, p. 25), and that which rest on the basic philosophy of exclusion and segregation as the best way to educate students with disabilities will obviously make inclusion efforts very difficult and counterproductive. There is a need to formulate policies to ensure that segregation is not practiced within the education system. The barriers created by the current policies may have many sources but three of the most critical are: (1) the non-acceptance that all children can learn; (2) the need for a reconceptualisation of special educational needs; and (3) the culture of eliti sm. The acceptance that all children can learn and have a right to education Malaysians in general and educators specifically need to acknowledge that inclusive education is part of the human rights agenda that argues that all children, irrespective of their characteristics, can learn and have access to education. Although special education is seen as a right and as an access to education, school exclusion of children who do not meet the eligibility criteria is made legal and therefore, not the responsibility of the MOE. Labeling children who do not meet the criteria for placement in schools as uneducable and denying them the opportunity to education would be an irony of the education system. Under these circumstances, they are the ones that have the greatest need for education, are the least likely to receive it. Further, denying these children of the opportunity to learn within the public school system is a violation of the childs basic rights (United Nations, 1989; United Nations, 1993). The question of whether all children with disabilities have an unqual ified right to the education system must be addressed. Opportunities for schooling should be extended to all disabled children without specifying any eligibility criteria; the MOE needs to implement a paradigm shift from a charity-based approach to the development of persons with disabilities and to accept responsibility for education for all children. In principle, Malaysia is committed to providing education for all with the implementation of compulsory education in 2003 as evident by a high participation rate of 98.49 per cent (MOE, 2004). This statement of intent towards compulsory education for all which was an amendment of the Education Act 1996, however, did not include children with disabilities: The MOE has reviewed the Education Act 1996 that regulates the provision of preschool, primary and secondary education. The review was to enable the implementation of compulsory education at primary school level. In 2002, the Education Act 1996 was amended and the compulsory education took effect in 2003. This policy ensures that every child in Malaysia beginning at age six, regardless of sex, social and economic background, and residential locality has the right to primary education. Accordingly, every Malaysian parent must ensure that their child has access to primary education when the child reaches the age of six or on the first day of the current school year when the child would be six years old. (MOE, 2004, p.4) International mandates have declared that education is a basic right for all children and have called for the inclusion of all children in primary education by 2015 (UNESCAP, 2002). Malaysia needs to include disability dimensions in all new and existing laws, policy plans, programmes and schemes. In this context, we need to strengthen our national capacity in data collection and analysis concerning disability statistics to support policy formulation and programme implementation. The exclusion of children and youth with disabilities from the broader framework of education results in their being deprived from further opportunities, thereby diminishing their access to vocational training, employment, and preventing them from achieving economic and social independence. This increases their vulnerability to marginalisation in what can become a self-perpetuating, inter-generational cycle. Conceptualisation of special educational needs The current interpretation of special educational needs in Malaysia emanates from a traditional special education framework and knowledge base that emphasise the pathological/medical model of special needs (Skrtic, 1991). The continued emphasis on explaining educational difficulties in terms of child-centered characteristics has the effect of preventing progress in creating policies and provisions for SEN students. Dyson (1990) aptly summarises the argument by saying: The fact remains that the education system as a whole, and the vast majority of institutions and teachers within it, are approaching the twenty-first century with a view of special needs the same as that with which their counterparts approached the present century. That view, for all its avowed concern for the individual child, promotes injustice on a massive scale. It demands to be changed (Dyson, 1990, p. 60-1) The radical perspective that leads to a reconceptualisation of special educational needs have been well documented for the past twenty years (Barton, 1988; Lipsky Gartner, 1989; Ainscow, 1991; Fuchs Fuchs, 1994; Clark et. al., 1998; Donoghue, 2003) and critiques argued and showed evidence how the education system creates rather than remediate disabilities (Skrtic, 1991; Corbett, 1999; Vlachou, 2004; Carrington Robinson, 2006). The new perspective on special educational needs is based on the view that the way forward must be to reform schools in ways that will make them respond positively to pupil diversity, seeing individual differences as something to be nurtured. But, as cautioned by Ainscow (1994): This kind of approach is only possible in schools where there exist a respect for individuality and a culture of collaboration that encourages and supports problem-solving. Such cultures are likely to facilitate the learning of all pupils and, alongside them, the professional learning of all teachers. Ultimately, therefore, this line of argument makes the case that increasing equity is the key to improvements in schooling for all. (Ainscow, 1994, p12) The assessment of the characteristics of the child and the childs total environment call for methods of assessment that build on the positive qualities while recognising areas of weaknesses. The interactionist perspective (Cline, 1992) adopts an ecological approach which recognises that features of the learning context, such as the curriculum, the teaching process, the management of the classroom and other variables are essential factors that influence learning. By accepting the interactionist approach to special needs, Malaysian educators would be able to look at the learning needs of students and how school policies, culture and practices enable or disable, not only students with disabilities, but all students. In identifying educational needs, Noddings (2005) emphasises that it is crucial for educators to balance the inferred needs and the expressed needs of all students, in saying that by ignoring expressed needs, we sacrifice opportunities to develop individual talents, intrinsi c motivation, and the joys of learning (p 147). The human side of education is more than just an ethics of justice issue but an ethics of care which is needs-based. This is of particular importance because it is this grounding principle of care that creates understandings, values, and beliefs that formulate policies and subsequently the practices. The culture of elitism Education in Malaysia is driven largely by an examination-oriented system characterised by curriculum rigidity and rote learning rather than critical and independent thinking. Like schools in Singapore and Hong Kong (Poon-McBrayer, 2004), school leadership are in great pressure to compete for the best examination results in terms of the percentages of passes and the number of As acquired by students in public school examinations. The competitiveness has resulted in students to enroll as many subjects they can in the Malaysian Certificate of Education with the expectations of getting the highest number of As as possible. The culture of elitism compels parents to prepare their children to be accepted into high ranking or fully residential schools which usually achieve high scores in examination results. The introduction of the Tuition Voucher Scheme (MOE, 2004) for students in Year 4, 5 and 6 with poor academic performance exemplifies the need for students to perform academically in the Year 6 Open Certification Examinations. Within the School Cluster Program (MOE, 2007), schools are encouraged to compete to strive for excellence and to be a cluster school that promises, among others, a special status. To be eligible for selection, schools need to fulfill two requirements: (1) certified excellent by the Malaysian Education Quality Standards and (2) three continuous years of excellent examination results at the Primary School Assessment, the Lower Secondary School Assessment and the end of school Open Certificate Examination. Although the intertwining of the standards and inclusion agenda can lead to p ositive consequences (Ainscow et al, 2006), the emphasis on the preparation and drill for the public examinations therefore, left little or no time for teachers to accommodate individual learning needs of students in general. Media reports on schools and students performance intensify competition and further marginalise SEN students, who, to a large extent are not expected to compete. Competing priorities make it more difficult for schools to fully include children with SEN. Conclusion Opportunities for change The Malaysian approach to inclusive education this far has been intertwined and limited to the domain of special needs education. The conception of policy provides the basis for analysing policy implications in relation to critical issues. In this paper it is argued that the current policy and practice toward inclusive education for SEN students are exclusionary and discriminatory. The concept of educability as an eligibility requirement for educational placement is a major issue that needs to be reviewed. Continued advancement of special needs education in Malaysia will require bifocal perspectives. One focus has an international perspective and requires Malaysians awareness of the international body of literature and trends in practice that enables them to take advantage of the knowledge and experience gained by those in other countries. Malaysia may also profit especially from knowledge provided by its Asian neighbours namely Japan, India and China, or other countries that seems to be struggling with many of the same issues. However, effective special needs education services require awareness of social and educational traditions, social philosophies that manifest in schooling and school culture and ways of resolving conflict that may be unique to one country and the impact these qualities have on general and special needs education services (Peters, 2003). The second perspective, thus, takes a more narrow view, one that enables the evolution of special needs education services that reflect the needs and characteristics of Malaysians. The first perspective may identify as viable goals the extension of services to students with learning difficulties, inclusion, garnering additional political support for special needs education through parent advocacy and supporting the further employment of people with disabilities. However, a more narrow focus on issues directly important to Malaysia is likely to clarify more viable future directions for students with disabilities in Malaysia. Further initiatives critical to Azumas (1984) Stage 5 will require considerable research and policy debate among Malaysians.