Is the Death Penalty a Deterrent? Essay

No other topic in the field of corrections receives more attention than the death penalty (del Carmen). The United States is one of the few democracies in the world that still imposes a punishment of death, much due to the strength of public opinion. Since 1936, the Gallup Poll revealed only one year (1966) in which a minority of the population favored capital punishment, with only 45 percent support. Support has remained fairly constant at around 70 percent through the year 2000 (National Opinion Research Center). Many supporters’ arguments for the death penalty derive from the deterrence hypothesis, which suggests that in order to encourage potential murderers to avoid engaging in criminal homicide, society needs capital punishment. In other words, â€Å"states with the death penalty should have lower homicide rates than states without the death penalty† (Void, Bernard, and Snipes 201). In 2000, 42 percent of the United States population felt the death penalty acts as a deterrent to other potential murderers (National Opinion Research Center). Scholars have long believed that if the public were more knowledgeable on the death penalty and its effects, support would not be so high (Shelden). Former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, in his concurring opinion in the case of Furman v. Georgia (1972), stated that American citizens know almost nothing about capital punishment. Further, in what has become known as the â€Å"Marshall Hypothesis,† he stated that â€Å"the average citizen† who knows â€Å"all the facts presently available regarding capital punishment would†¦ find it shocking to his conscience and sense of justice† (Walker, Spohn, and DeLone 230). For example, a Gallup poll was given asking whether respondents supported the death penalty, then asked if they would support it if there were proof that the deterrence theory was incorrect. Twenty-four percent of the respondents showed a change in their support of capital punishment (Radelet and Akers). Background Capital punishment in the United States has gone though periods in which most states either abolished it altogether or never used it, and periods in which it was commonly used (Shelden). The landmark Supreme Court decisions of Furman v. Georgia (1972) and Gregg v. Georgia (1976) rekindled the longstanding controversy surrounding capital punishment (Shelden). In Furman v. Georgia, the Court found that the death penalty, as it was currently being administered, constituted â€Å"cruel and unusual punishments†, in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. This decision suspended all capital punishment in the United States, however, left leeway for states to revise their current practices. Appeals began flowing through the Court and within four years of Furman, the Court made perhaps its most significant ruling on the matter (Shelden). In the case of Gregg v. Georgia (1976), the Court ruled, â€Å"A punishment must not be excessive, but this does not mean that the states must seek the minimal standards available. The imposition of the death penalty for the crime of murder does not violate the Constitution. † The moratorium was lifted and a path cleared for the first execution to take place in ten years. After a de facto abolition of capital punishment, it was reinstated in 1977 with the execution of Gary Gilmore by a firing squad in Utah (Shelden). Currently, 38 states, the federal government, and the United States military continue to execute those convicted of capital murder. Illinois and Maryland have moratoriums placed on the death penalty in their jurisdictions (Death Penalty Information Center). As recent as 2000, a number of jurisdictions in the United States have questioned the fairness and effectiveness of the death penalty. For instance, in January of 2000, Governor George Ryan of Illinois declared a moratorium on all executions after the state had released thirteen innocent inmates from death row in the same time it had executed twelve. Ryan then appointed a blue-ribbon Commission on Capital Punishment to study the issue in greater detail. On January 10, 2003, Ryan pardoned four death row inmates after lengthy investigations revealing abuse of defendants’ rights, including torture during interrogation (Death Penalty Information Center). The following day (also his last day in office) Ryan granted clemency to all of the remaining 156 death row inmates in Illinois, as a result of the flawed process that led to these sentences. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, â€Å"Ryan’s decision to grant today’s commutations reflects his concern that Illinois’ death penalty system lacked uniform standards designed to avoid arbitrary and inappropriate death sentences. † It should be noted that the 156 clemencies did not result in the release of the inmates, since many still face life in prison. Deterrence Theory According to Siegel, deterrence is defined as â€Å"the act of preventing a crime before it occurs by means of the threat of criminal sanctions; deterrence involves the perception that the pain of apprehension and punishment outweighs any chances of criminal gain or profit† (616). The theory of deterrence stemmed from the work of Cesare Beccaria, who has been known as â€Å"the leader of the classical school of thought† (del Carmen 21). Beccaria received a degree from the University of Pavia in Italy in 1758. Upon graduating, he embarked on working as a mathematician, but soon became interested in politics and economics. Beccaria met regularly with Allessandro Verri, an official of the prison in Milan, and his brother Pietro Verri, an economist, in a group of young men who met to discuss philosophical and literary topics (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). In March 1763, Beccaria was given the responsibility of writing an essay on the topic of penology. With little knowledge in the field, he went to the Verri brothers for assistance and drafted the essay. In 1764, his influential essay, On Crimes and Punishments was published (del Carmen). He listed ten principles proposing various reforms to make criminal justice practices more logical and rational (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). Becarria’s work is known to be one of the first wails for reform in the treatment of criminals. His concept that â€Å"the punishment should fit the crime,† was a major contribution to the classical school of thought. Beccaria felt severe punishment was not necessary and the only reason to punish was to assure the continuance of society and to deter others from committing crimes. Further, deterrence stemmed from appropriate, prompt, and inevitable punishment, rather than severe punishment. Regarding the death penalty, Beccaria believed it did not deter others and was an act of brutality and violence by the state (del Carmen). Finally, in one of Beccaria’s ten recommendations he argued that punishments that include excessive severity not only fail to deter crime, but actually increase it (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). The theory of deterrence was neglected for about a century. Then, in 1968, criminologists sparked an emergence of interest when Jack P. Gibbs published the first study that attempted to test the deterrence hypothesis (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). The certainty of punishment was defined, by Gibbs, as the ratio between the number of prisoners admitted for a given year and the number of crimes known to police in the prior year. Gibbs defined severity of punishment as the mean number of months served by all persons convicted of a given crime who were in prison in that year. His research found that greater certainty and severity were associated with fewer homicides for the year 1960. Gibbs concluded that both certainty and severity of imprisonment might deter homicide. Charles R. Tittle analyzed similar statistics regarding certainty and severity of punishment for the seven â€Å"index offenses† in the FBI Uniform Crime Reports (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). Tittle concluded that the certainty of imprisonment deters crime, but that severity only deters crime when certainty is quite high (Void, Bernard, and Snipes). In 1978, the National Academy of Sciences produced a report that concentrated on previous deterrence research and found that more evidence favored a deterrent effect than evidence that was against it. Void, Bernard, and Snipes stated that the deterrent effectiveness of the death penalty is probably the single most researched topic in the area of criminology. In 1998, Daniel Nagin reviewed studies of deterrence and argued that deterrence research has evolved into three types of literature. Of the three, one of these types identified examines criminal justice policies in varying jurisdictions and the crime rate affiliated with the policies to determine if there is a deterrent effect. Void, Bernard, and Snipes recognized that a large number of studies have been conducted regarding this issue; however the results have been inconclusive. For example, the deterrence hypothesis implies that death penalty states should have lower homicide rates than states without the death penalty. As Gibbs and Tittle’s research showed, however, death penalty states have considerably higher murder rates than non-death penalty states. Void, Bernard, and Snipes conclude that, more than likely, this results from states implementing the death penalty due to higher murder rates. Radelet and Akers state that because of little empirical support for general deterrence and the death penalty, most criminologists have concluded that capital punishment does not reduce crime. Furthermore, several researchers have found that the death penalty actually increases homicides (Bailey). Thorsten Sellin, one of the leading authorities on capital punishment, has suggested that if the death penalty deters prospective murderers, the following hypothesis should be true: (a) Murders should be less frequent in states that have the death penalty than in those that have abolished it, other factors being equal. Comparisons of this nature must be made among states that are as alike as possible in all other respects – character of population, social and economic condition, etc. – in order not to introduce factors known to influence murder rates in a serious manner but presently in only one of these states. (b) Murders should increase when the death penalty is abolished and should decline when it is restored. (c) The deterrent effect should be greatest and should therefore affect murder rates most powerfully in those communities where the crime occurred and its consequences are most strongly brought home to the population. (d) Law enforcement officers would be safer from murderous attacks in states that have the death penalty than in those without it. Sellin’s research indicates that not one of these conjectures is true. Further, his statistics illustrate that there is no correlation between the murder rate and the presence or absence of capital crimes. For example, Sellin compares states with similar characteristics and finds that regardless of the state’s position on capital punishment, they have similar murder rates. Finally, Sellin’s study concluded that abolition and/or reintroduction of the death penalty had no significance on the homicide rates of the various states involved. Summary The death penalty has long been one of the most debated issues in the American justice system. Most advocates claim that the punishment protects society by deterring murderers from repeatedly committing their crimes. Additionally, proponents proclaim that criminals have a better chance of choosing not to commit murder if the death penalty is a possible sanction. On the other end, opponents of the death penalty argue that no study has convincingly shown enough evidence of such a deterrent effect. In fact, they argue that most studies have not only shown the lack of a deterrent effect, but have conversely suggested that punishment by death might even have a brutalization effect. In other words, they suggest that criminal executions brutalize society by legitimating the killing of human beings, which ultimately leads to an increase in the rates of criminal homicide. Deterrence basically refers to the ideology that punishing persons who commit crime prevents other similarly disposed individuals from doing so. There are two existing types of deterrence, specific and general. Death penalty proponents argue for the importance of specific deterrence and its preventive effect in protecting society from a second crime from the same offender, who could easily evade or be released while imprisoned. In other words, this simply means that the death penalty takes away the opportunity for the offender to commit murder again. This type of deterrence obviously only deters the concerned offender. In this case, it is certain that punishment by death acts as a specific deterrent in 100% of the cases since a deceased offender will never have the opportunity to recidivate. As for general deterrence, it assumes that the thought of the death penalty as a potential cost of offending acts as a form of dissuasion. It is believed that punishment by death is considered by offenders when they are committing their acts, which would then convince them to not act and therefore result in a lesser probability of them committing their crimes. Additionally, proponents of the death penalty argue that such a punishment is the only solution to deter imprisoned offenders from killing other inmates or guardians while incarcerated. Without the death penalty as a possible sanction, a murderer incarcerated for life would not have anything to lose by killing again.With the death penalty as a possibility, the inmate has his life to lose. Works Cited Bailey, William C. â€Å"Deterrence, Brutalization, and the Death Penalty. † Criminology 36. 4 (1998): 711-33. Cockburn, Alexander. â€Å"Hate Versus Death. † Nation 272, 10 (2001): 9-11. Death Penalty Information Center. What’s New, 2008 del Carmen, Alejandro. Corrections. Madison, Wise: Coursewise Publishing, 2000 Chiricos, Theodore G. and Gordon P. Waldo. â€Å"Punishment and Crime: An Examination of Some Empirical Evidence. † Social Forces 18. 2 (1970): 200-17.

Relationship Between Social Class and Crime

Assess the relationship between social class and crime Some sociological theories of crime are based, in part, on official statistics provided by the police, the courts, and various government departments. Such statistics provide evidence of the extent of crime and information about the social characteristics of the criminal. A misrepresentation of this data, that crime is largely a working class phenomenon, may be due to the selective application of the law, according to W. J. Chambliss and M. Mankoff in â€Å"Whose Law† What Order? (1976). There is increasing evidence to suggest that there is a systematic bias in favour of the ruling class. In general, if an individual has committed a criminal act, then the higher he or she is in the stratification system the less likely he is to be arrested, if arrested to be prosecuted, if prosecuted to be found guilty, and if found guilty to be imprisoned. If this is so, then the assumption that crime is largely a working class phenomenon may be incorrect – so is there really any relationship between social class and crime. CHAMBLISS' THEORY Chambliss argues that crime occurs throughout all social strata. The major differences between the strata may be the types of crimes committed and the nature of law enforcement. He claims that power in the form of ‘money to influence' is the key factor which determines who gets arrested and who does not. In one of his works Chambliss pointed out that those who operate organised crime are not members of the true ‘criminal class', they belong to the economic and political elite! Also, it is not only the small minority of active syndicate members within the ruling class who profit from crime interests will not be penalised; those that do will not be subject to legal sanctions. Marxists, such as Chambliss and Mankoff, see crime as a natural product of capitalist society. Both argue that the capital economic system generates greed, self-interest and hostility which motivates many crimes in all levels of society. Members of all strata use whatever means and opportunities their class position provides to commit crime. Thus, in low income areas the mugger, the pusher, and the prostitute use what they have to get what they can. In higher income brackets, businessmen, lawyers and politicians have more effective means at their disposal. SPECIFIC CRIMES, SPECIFIC CLASSES? In a competitive society people need to look after themselves in order to survive. D. Gordon in ‘Class and the Economics of Crime' (1976) argues that crime is a rational phenomenon. He also stated that the selective enforcement of the law serves to maintain ruling class power, to reinforce ruling class ideology, it gives the impression that criminals are mainly located in the working class. This serves to divert attention from ruling class crime. It can also direct a part of the frustration and hostility produced by this situation onto the criminals within their own class. Additionally, it diverts the attention of members of the subject class from their exploitation and oppression. It directs a part of the frustration and hostility produced by this situation onto the criminals within their own class. It also serves to divide the subject class, particularly in low-income areas, where there is a tendency for people to see their enemies as criminals within the their own class. Study of crime may show that sympathies tend to lie with the criminals. For the Marxists, their political views result in condemnation of ruling class crime and a sympathetic treatment of the crimes of the subject class. A. W. Gouldner in ‘The Coming, Crisis in Western Sociology' (1971) claims that interactionists have a romantic identification with the more exotic criminals. This identification by largely middle class sociologists (claims Gouldner) with the ‘underworld' colours their choice of research subjects, their perspectives and their conclusion. Accordingly, functionalists, for example R. K. Merton ‘Social Theory and Social Structure' (1968) have been accused of bland liberalism. Merton's work is based on criticisms and reforms rather than condemnation and radical change. This may well have prevented him from questioning the system itself. As Taylor suggested in ‘Deviance and Society' (1971) questions like â€Å"who made the rules in the first place? † are important.

Analyze Marriott International Inc Research Paper

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Apple_Inc_Week_3 Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Research proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 5

Research proposal - Essay Example The research will assess how designers of employee workplaces use the global concepts of marketing and high tech products and services in the design of commercial workplaces (Viswanath 28 and Gacenga et al. 93). This will be done by conducting a research that is based on primary data collection method (Venable 120). Such will entail the use of a focus group, face-to-face interviews, observation and surveys (Shouhong and Wang 548). Interview questions will be formulated so that they will elicit response from the respondents (Venable and Richard 142). The questions will also include Likert Scale for trend and relationship identifications (Orfield 138). The population of interest will be Silicon Valley. However, representatives from Brighton University will also be included in the study. This population will assist in identification of key metrics that include color and design of workplaces (McMahon 570). The research will assist in gathering essential data, which will be used in the process of testing the hypothesis that workplace could assist in improving productivity and enhancing attainment of creativity in the workplace (Mangalaraj et al. 250). This is because in marketing, value addition is vital in the presentation of products and services. Such facilitates in increasing the quality level, which is a key focus for most of the customers who like quality products and services. Increment of quality level also ensures that an organization is able to compete with others favourably in the market (Gregor and Alan 338). The research will also yield insightful information on how creativity and productivity can be enhanced in organizations (Landwehr et al. 93). The social network companies have reinvented Silicon Valley from its origins as a place of manufacturers measuring instruments, such as oscilloscopes. The first company to adopt the beginning of the open plan workspace was Hewlett-Packard in the 1970’s. This working

Income Statements of International Financial Reporting Standards Term Paper

Income Statements of International Financial Reporting Standards - Term Paper Example In addition, the US GAAP treatment allows either single step or multiple steps format for income statement captions. According to Epstein (2011), under US GAAP, expenses such as cost of sales and administrative expenses have to be classed by function whereas in IFRS, expenses can be classed by function or nature. According to US GAAP treatment, classification of extraordinary items is permitted under certain circumstances and it can also be segregated within operating income. In contrast, IFRS bans classification of unusual items although it permits segregation of such items. Epstein (2011) states that the US GAAP considers estimated operating results of a discontinuing operation while measuring the expected gain or loss on disposal; on the other hand, IFRS reports actual operating results of a discontinuing operation as incurred. US GAAP provides a broader definition for discontinued operations while IFRS sets a narrow definition. Under US GAAP, restructuring costs are recognized on ly when it becomes necessary but IFRS recognizes restructuring costs when it is announced. Finally, additional comprehensive income items may be presented in changes in stockholders’ equity statement under US GAAP; but, this practice is not permitted under IFRS treatment. Differences in Balance Sheets As in the case of income statement, the IFRS balance sheet is also dissimilar to a typical US GAAP balance sheet. In the opinion of Epstein (2011), limited guidance on offsetting of assets and liabilities is a characteristic feature of US GAAP; however, IFRS insists specific guidance on offsetting of assets and liabilities. In case of IFRS, financial position’s classified statement is essential unless liquidity ordering is more meaningful. In contrast, such a statement is not required under US GAAP. Differences also exist in the definition of current/noncurrent between IFRS and US GAAP. The US GAAP treatment does not allow offsetting of assets and liabilities with various counterparties but it allows offsetting with same counterparties if and only the intention is to settle â€Å"net† (Epstein, 2011). On the other hand, IFRS permits some offsetting of assets and liabilities with various counter parties if legal provision allows it. Exclusion of long-term debt from current liabilities is a specific feature of IFRS. The US GAAP treatment refinances the exclusion of long term debt. The IFRS treatment states the minority interests as a component of equity while US GAAP guidelines restrict the presentation of minority interests as equity. As per the structure of US GAAP balance sheet format, entries are presented as total assets balancing to total liabilities in addition with shareholders’ equity. In contrast, IFRS entries include current and non-current assets and current and non-current liabilities. While US GAAP presents items on the basis of decreasing order of liquidity, the IFRS presents the items in the increasing order. Advantages o f IFRS to End Users Generally company management, shareholders, investors, and third parties such as banks and other financial institutions are the end users of financial statements. They get ranges of advantages if companies use IFRS accounting in financial statements. To the extent that financial statement information is not available form external sources, investors and other external users give emphasis on company financial statements.

Climate Change and Soil Formation in Southern England Essay

Climate Change and Soil Formation in Southern England - Essay Example At the same time there has also been an increase in the population, and a change in the way individuals make a living and support themselves and their families. The first people to live in southern England were hunters and gatherers, but they slowly evolved into farmers as more people inhabited the area and methods of farming improved. Later, another change occurred with the coming of the Industrial Revolution, which changed farmers into industrial workers. These changes, along with climate changes have had an impact on the soil in southern England (Jarvis, 1984, 12). The start of climate change and its effect on soil began in southern England with the ice age. Approximately one-third of the earth was covered in snow and ice, and due to its location in the northern hemisphere, England was affected. While much of the country was covered year round with ice and snow, the southern parts occasionally had periods where the temperature would raise enough to melt some of the snow and ice and provide precipitation for the soil underneath (Bridges, 1997, 36). However, due to the cold temperatures, the ice age slowed the process of soil formation and change, essentially slowing the rate soil was able to intake precipitation. It also slowed the speed at which organic matter decomposed and the rate of plant and vegetation growth. This in return slowed the rate at which the soil could consume needed nutrients and organic matter, which slowed the entire process of formation and change. The ice age made an important contribution to the soil of southern England by bringing in new soil. The ice and snow that covered the area was brought from the north, and with it came a large amount of debris that included fine particles, small rocks, and even huge boulders (Bridges, 1997, 36). When the ice melted, the debris remained and became embedded in the soil. This provided the ground with a large amount of parent material in which young soil was able to begin formation and maturation. In certain areas, the effects of the ice age on soil and landscape can still be seen today. After the ice age passed and the climate changed to warmer weather, people started migrating from other parts of Europe into England. This was considered the Neolithic period and started around 4500 B.C. This period of time was essentially similar to the Stone Age, when houses, buildings, fences, etc. where all constructed out of rocks and stones. Many of these structures still exist, while others have been torn down or broken apart. This had an impact on the soil in southern England, due to the fact that remnants of this period, in the form of small rocks can be found embedded in the soil in certain areas. In addition, during this time and even into the Bronze Age, individuals moving to England were beginning to develop agriculture fields. These early farmers impacted the soil on their land by using domestic waste as fertilizer to provide extra nutrients and organic materials to the soil and the crops they were trying to grow. In addition to using fertilize during the Bronze Age to change the soil, tools, such as the plow, were introduced that assisted individuals in developing fields for agriculture. This led to farmers having the ability to grow a crop, plow the ground, and immediately replant a new crop. The constant presence of plant growth on

Strategic management practise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Strategic management practise - Assignment Example Examination of data and appropriate literature has uncovered that Sony maintains the most significant strategic issues associated with ineffective marketing strategies, a culture of power distance that forbids teamwork and collaboration, and poor positioning in its markets among competition. It is recommended that Sony work toward making a more decentralised and collaborative organisational culture, cease its process of quality and innovation positioning as part of brand management and marketing, and enact a performance management ideology that includes the 360 degree feedback mechanism as well as strategic and tactical dashboard to improve control and metrics production to guarantee more return on investment for the recommended changes. This should position Sony more competently among very diverse competitors worldwide. Strategy is the process of determining the long-run aspirations and goals of a business and deciding on the specific action plans and resource allocations required to achieve determined objectives (Nag, Hambrick and Chen 2007). Strategy is inclusive of management activities whereby direction for the firm is established, guidance provided to subordinate support staff members, and where the structure of the organisation is established. Strategic management is the development and implementation of objectives issued by a firm’s management team in order to position a business in a desirable future state. Businesses consist of many inter-dependent divisions that assist a firm in achieving its strategic goals, the firm’s value chain, which consist of marketing, production, human resources, customer service systems, technologies and other operational business components (Maritz and Salaran 2010). Strategic management is the process of aligning these divisions in the most effective and productive methodology so that the business can achieve its mission and guide the organisation toward its long-term goals. Through the proper

Milk Powder Essay Example for Free

Milk Powder Essay Why joint venture? Highest market share in milk powder, can provide technology and reputable brand name. Already brand recognition in Pakistan, thus familiar with market. Drawbacks? High royalties to established brand. Large multinational venture might dominate Milkpak. Pro’s Nestle Base in dairy products. Started out with infant formula. Plants in 60 countries, already business in Pakistan. Looking to fulfill long-term goals. Want decentralization, give JV own identity and responsibility. This was can better adapt to foreign market. Provide RD and technical assistance to subs. Growing interest in Pakistan market. Informal channel of communication. Con’s Nestle Want majority ownership in JV and want royalties. How to make cons pros? Majority ownership Nestle means that MP bears the least risk. Because MP has technical difficulties in setting up a Greenfield MP needs Nestle and Nestle needs royalties for its technology. But this is one of the few requirements. The JV will get its own management and gets a lot of responsibility. This makes it easier to adapt to the Pakistan market. This is also the trust Nestle puts in MP, since Nestle will bear most of the risk due to the majority ownership. Nestle also has the highest market share for milk powder, which can be used to gain a good reputation. In short Nestle bears risk, puts MP in charge of the subsidiary, gives technological and RD support, which is what MP is looking for, but needs royalties in return. Familiar with milk powder and infant formula.

The Study Habits of Adult College Students Essay Example for Free

The Study Habits of Adult College Students Essay Abstract: The study habits of adult college students over age 25 were compared to a group of younger students at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. The younger students were matched with the older groups on four characteristics: sex, major field of study, semester credit load, and class standing. All 56 participants were undergraduate students (sophomores or juniors) who were registered for the fall 1982 term. The participants kept running records of their study habits, patterns, and difficulties for an academic year. In general, older and younger students showed similar patterns in terms of how much they studied, what activities were engaged in while studying, the time distribution, and places for studying. There was some evidence that older students studied slightly more per credit hour than did younger students. While the total numbers of difficulties encountered in studying were about the same for both groups, the character of the difficulties was noticeably different. Both older and younger students reacted very favorably to having a mixture of the age groups in their classes. Recommendations for working with adult students and suggestions for further study are offered. Appendices include interview schedules and a study log form. (Author/SW) INTRODUCTION It is an understatement to say that the standard of education in Nigeria has fallen. However, it has been realized that students who possess adequate mental abilities sometimes do not perform well in their academic work either because they do not know how to study effectively or they do not use the most effective method of studying. Many questions have been raised by teachers, parents and students themselves on why students perform so poorly academically. Even the state government has shown some concern over this in recent times by introducing low costs books for both primary and secondary schools. Although this was meant to create the desire to study by students, it has not helped the situation much because, students do not read these books. Many of the students complained of lack of time and conducive environment for study, others who try to study complained of lack of understanding. There is no doubt that these complains evidently point to one fact. That is, lack of effective study habits. It is this problem, the researcher wishes to investigate as it appears to be one of the root causes of the dwelling standard of our educational system today. Research questions: * What proportion of junior secondary school students possess good study habit than those in senior secondary school? * Will male students in junior secondary schools perform better than female students in senior secondary schools? Hypothesis: The following conjectural statements were postulated for this study: * There is no significant difference in the study habits of junior and senior secondary school students in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State. * There is no significant difference in the study habits of male and female students in junior and senior secondary schools in Egor, Local Government Area of Edo State. * There is no significant difference in the academic performance of male students in the junior secondary schools and female students in Senior Secondary Schools. LITERATURE REVIEW Psychologists as welt as layman have attempted some definitions of the word study. To some of them, study means hard work and is usually associated with school work. To others, study is applicable to other situations in life other than academic work. Mace (2002) pointed out that study is a systematic acquisition of knowledge and an understanding of facts and principles that calls for retention and application. Kelly (1998) stated that study is the application of ones mental capacity to the acquisition, understanding and organization of knowledge; it often involves some form of formal learning. Crow and Crow in Okorodudu (2000) explained that study is a program of subject matter mastery. It involves hard work. However, study involves the individuals thinking, feeling, personality, social interaction, physical activities and health rather than men learning of fact on the thought system for the purpose of recall when asked. For those who belong to the school of thought that study is not only applicable to academic work, Olatubosun in Oladele (2000) explained that a teacher is studying when he examines the results of an experiment, a lawyer when he prepares his case, a salesman when he learns about his product and a citizen when he tries to understand the issues in an upcoming election. Studies require time spent in a deliberate attempt to learn. It should be differentiated from simple leisure to reading. Thomas and Robinson (1990) emphasized that the learner needs to use a systematic discipline and purposive approach to study. Effective study consists of a conscious sequential series of inter-related steps and processes. Okorodudu (1995) asserted that, study involves the total of all behavioral patterns (addition, verbal, psychomotor, emotional) determined purpose and enforced practices that the individual adapts in order to learn and achieve competence.

Taking Classes To Improve Interpersonal Communication English Language Essay

Taking Classes To Improve Interpersonal Communication English Language Essay Taking this class has really opened up my eyes on just how important communication skills really are whether it be verbal communication or non-verbal communication. In this paper I am going to focus on the interpersonal relationships. I think for me this was the most helpful for me with everything I have learned on communication. With writing this paper I understand interpersonal communication a little more than I did before. Everyone should be made to take a class so they actually understand communication and a way to just not have and I dont care attitude. Today many people still lack the ability to communicate effectively with in interpersonal relationships. It is through cooperation and collaboration that effective communication occurs. By analyzing and studying the communication process we can improve our ability to communicate effectively between one another. To have a successful interpersonal relationship one must first interact with others in an informal setting, which is called interpersonal communication (Hybels pg.156). Recognizing emotions in other is a very important first step to building a relationship. If you cant feel what someone else is feeling then you cant connect with them on a personal level and that can hinder your relationship process. Interpersonal communication is important because of the functions it achieves. Whenever we engage in communication with another person, we seek to gain information about them. We also give off information through a wide variety of verbal and non-verbal cues. Verbal communication has huge effects on many aspects of life, including interpersonal relationships. Speaking and telling our needs and wants verbally or non-verbally is a necessity for daily life. Verbal communication is organized by language; non-verbal communication is not. Most of us spend about 75 percent of our waking hours communicating our knowledge, thoughts, and ideas to others. However, most of us fail to realize that a great deal of our communication is of a non-verbal form as opposed to the oral and written forms. Non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, eye contact, tone of voice, body posture and motions, and positioning within groups. It may also include the way we wear our clothes or the silence that we keep. In person-to-person communications our messages are sent on two levels simultaneously. If the nonverbal cues and the spoken message are incongruous, the flow of communication is hindered. Right or wrong, the receiver of the communication tends to base the intentions of the sender on the non-verbal cues one receives. Before a person makes an attempt to form an interpersonal relationship they must decide what attracts them to that person. There are many factors that make up attraction to others. Physical attraction, perceived gain, similarities, differences, and proximity are some of them (Hybels, 2007). Most people are first attracted to others because of the way they look. Some people might have distinct characteristics that one might be attracted to such as; blues eyes, short hair, or even a small space between their teeth. If a person is not attracted to your appearance they are not likely to come up and carry on a conversation with you. For example, if an individual, who dislikes tattoos, is taking a class and has to choose a partner for a project, but there are only two people left and one of them has tattoos he or she will mostly likely choose the individual without tattoos, even if the person with tattoos is a very intelligent individual. There are many cases where we are attracted to someone because of the perceived gain associated them for example, one might become friends with an employee at a restaurant in hope of having discounted meal when they eat there. The similarities and differences are a major factor in determining if the relationship will be right for you. Often we find ourselves attracted to people that share the same beliefs, values, and religion. Most people are also attracted to people who enjoy the same activities as they do. Contrary to the similarities people may also be attracted to the differences. For example, person who doesnt like making decisions might be attracted to a strong decision maker. Because these characteristics complement each other, they might help strengthen the relationship (Hybels, 2007 pg161). Proximity is a valuable factor also when it comes to evaluating the pros and cons of a relationship. Proximity is the close contact that occurs when people share an experience such as at work, school, or play (Hybels, 2007 pg161).If a person does not want to have a long distance romantic relationship and their partner moves away to attend college in another state, then it is most likely that the relationship will not last. Moving on to the next steps of forming an interpersonal relationship would be our motives for communicating. We are motivated to form relationships for many different reasons such as, pleasure, affection, inclusion, escape, relaxation, control and health (Hybels, 2007 pg162-163). If an individual is motivated by pleasure he or she might just want someone to go to the movies or discuss politics with. Maybe we might be motivated by affection; many people are looking for someone to give them attention; a pat on the back or a little kiss every now and then. Many marriages end in divorce because of the lack of affection from their partner, but if they could have communicated effectively to each other that they needed more affection the relationship might not have ended. But no matter what might motivate us, once we have started developing a relationship we have to decide how much of our selves we want to disclose to the relationship and at what point in the relationship. Self- disclosure is a process in which one person tells another person something he or she would not reveal to just anyone (Hybels, 2007 pg168). Self-disclosure is not simply providing information to another person. Instead, scholars define self-disclosure as sharing information with others that they would not normally know or discover. Self-disclosure involves risk and vulnerability on the part of the person sharing the information. Self-disclosure performs many functions. It is also a way of gaining information about another person. We want to be able to predict the thoughts and actions of people we know. Self-disclosure is one way to learn about how another person thinks and feels. Once one person engages in self-disclosure, it is implied that the other person will also disclose personal information. Mutual disclosure deepens trust in the relationships and helps both people understand each other more. You also feel better about yourself and your relationship when the other person accepts what you tell them. While self disclosure can strengthen a relationship it can also damage it. A relationship can be damaged if the person you are pouring your soul out to do not like what they are hearing or if self-disclosure comes too early in a relationship it can be damaged. Thus, while self-disclosure is useful, it can also be damaging to a relationship. There are five different stages that we progress through while deve loping and strengthening our relationships, these are the coming together stages. No matter what type of relationship it is; romantic, platonic, or same gender relationship each kind still goes through each stages. The first stage is the initiating stage. The initiating stage is characterized by nervousness, caution, a bit of hesitation, and risk of being rejected (Hybels, 2007 pg186). Although one might proceed with caution, this stage can be very joyful experience and the outcomes can be great. Most people leave this stage with a new friend. The next stage is the experimenting stage. In this stage people make an effort to seek out common interest and experiences (Hybels, 2007 pg186). One might express a love for children and hopes of being a parent one day. This would be an important topic to discuss for a romantic relationship; each person needs to be aware of what the future might hold for them if they continue with the relationship. When experimenting with each other by discussing important topics and seeing the reactions of other, one can make a valid decision based on their knowledge of the other person to continue the relationship to the next stage. The intensifying stage is the third s tage that we go through. Self-disclosure becomes more common in the intensifying stage. The relationship becomes less formal and statements are made about the level of commitment each has to the relationship. In this stage individuals might have nick names for one another or inside jokes. A statement about attending a vacation next summer in France is an example of the commitment one might have for the relationship. But while self-disclosure becomes more common and makes the relationship stronger it can also make the participants vulnerable to each other. The integrating stage is the fourth stage. This is the point where personalities are beginning to merge; people are expecting to see them together (Hybels, 2007 pg187). The individuals become a pair. They begin to do things together and, importantly, others come to see them as a pair. A shared relational identity also starts to form in this stage. By the end of this stage individuals should know how to communicate and responds with ease and understanding of the other persons feelings. The final stage of coming together is the bonding stage. At this point, the participants make some sort of commitment that announces their relationship to those around them (Hybels, 2007 pg 188). Two girls friends might say they are now best friends to announce their comment to their relationship or a couple might announce they are getting married or buying a house together. This stage involves a lot of commitment and dedication to the relationship and to each other. In all of the stages discussed we all have decision to make. We can either progress forward to the next stage, stay in the same stage we are in, move back a stage or exit the relationship all together. No matter what we as individuals choose to do we need to know how to communicate effectively to that next stage and we need to know how to handle conflict or resolve conflict in our relationships. We can do this by conflict resolution, which is negotiating to find a solution to the conflict (Hybels, 2007 pg202). Depending on how a conflict is resolved it can produce a positive or negative result. For example if two sisters are fight over a dress to wear on the weekend, they have two choices: one wear the dress and the other one does not, which leaves one sister unhappy (negative outcome) or neither of them wear it, so both are satisfied and neither of them are jealous of the other (positive outcome). It also helps to take a positive approach to conflict resolution, where discussion is considerate and non-confrontational, and the heart of the matter is on issues rather than on individuals. If this is done, then as long as people listen carefully and explore facts, issues and possible solutions properly, conflict can often be resolved effectively. In conclusion, communication is the key to everyday life. You have to communicate on a daily basis so why not learn some skills that are going to help you communicate more effectively so you are understood instead of misunderstood. Your body language is also an important key, you need to show that you have good body language and you can gain more positive friends and more people will be willing to walk up to you and talk. Everything now a day is based on how you present yourself to someone you meet.

Problems Facing Breeder Reactors as a Future Energy Source Essay

Breeder Reactors: A Foreseeable Option? Abstract: Fission of nuclear particles has the potential to produce massive amounts of energy and electricity to help mankind. Breeder reactors bring forth modern technology at its finest; mankind is becoming more and more creative to make reactors which can be optimally efficient and cost-effective at the same time. By being able to harness plutonium-239 with a blanket of uranium and start chain reactions consistently, breeders seem to be a viable option to help produce electricity for a bigger population. However, maintenance and operation costs are big problems to deal with, and these are some of the ramifications that factors into the decision of realizing if breeders could potentially be our next alternative energy source. Introduction: Non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels have been used up by society on a daily basis and have forced the world to find a new, clean energy source. The rising price of oil and the constant emission of carbon dioxide are proof that in the future our lives will be much harder to live. One answer to this problem is nuclear power, which has shown its efficiency during the times of World War II but has not been used commercially due to the challenges of dealing with nuclear waste and proliferation. In today?s modern era, nuclear power has been used in liquid metal fast breeder reactors, reactors that use uranium-238 to produce plutonium-239. Historical Background: Nuclear energy was first achieved through Enrico Fermi?s experiment of nuclear fission where he and his team shot neutrons towards uranium atoms, which confirmed Albert Einstein?s theory of relativity that mass could be converted into energy. The first nuclear reactor was built by... ... 2008 . 11. "Plutonium for Everybody." Plutonium obtained from nuclear waste can be used. 28 July 2008 . 12. Gagnon, Steve, ed. "Jefferson Lab." It's Elemental. 28 July 2008 13. "JAEA R&D Review." Ideal Fuel Cladding Materials for Fast Breeder Reactor Irradiated at Highest Temperature in the World. 28 July 2008 http://http://jolisfukyu.tokai-sc.jaea.go.jp/fukyu/mirai-en/2007/1_2.html 14. "Plutonium End Game." Chapter 2: A Brief History of Commercial Plutonium. Jan. 2001. 28 July 2008 . 15. www.cameco.com/common/pdfs/media_gateway/factsheets_publications/nuclear_facts-canada.pdf) 16. http://www.fas.org/nuke/intro/nuke/plutonium.htm0

Hybrid Cars Essay example -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Hybrid Cars In my basic presentation, I examined the practicality of HEVs (Hybrid Electric Vehicles), otherwise known as hybrids. The presentation gave some background about laws pertaining to emissions but at the same time was designed more to educate the consumer as to what a hybrid actually is. You do not plug it in! Current Emission Standards are confusing. At this point in time, we are at a major transition as to what will be the future of combustion vehicles. Present day standards do not call for the kind of emission requirements that will account for the current rate of global warming. To fix this problem we must either cut back on the number of vehicles on the road (not likely to happen) or use less fuel. There are many advantages to efficient fuel consumption. These advantages range from saving money to saving the environment. It will also make the United States stronger as a nation in that we can reduce dependency on foreign oil. The first question we ask ourselves: what is a hybrid? A hybrid is a vehicle that has both a combustion engine as well as an electric motor. With the batteries of today it is not possible to make a practical vehicle that will run solely on electric. These cars need to be recharged after a range of approximately 60 miles. This limitation does not make the car practical by today?s standards. Although, the number of hybrids on the road today is limited, in the future we should see most, if not all, passenger vehicles available with the hybrid option (an option that might very well become a requirement). The primary goal of the hybrid vehicle is to cut down on global-warming. The only way in which we can effectively reduce green house gas emissions is by burning less fossi... ...eir combustion counterparts. However, this will change once they become popular and, in actuality, the additional cost up front can quickly pay for itself with increased fuel savings. There is also the question of all these batteries. If the nickel metal hydride batteries aren?t disposed of properly, there could be environmental side effects. Who will fix these cars? Currently, a hybrid will have to be brought back to the dealership for maintenance and that could prove to be more expensive than a private mechanic. However, as hybrids become more popular and costs drop, so will the associated maintenance fees. With the benefits weighed against the drawbacks, it is clear that hybrid vehicles are a plausible measure in controlling greenhouse emissions. Bibliography www.epa.gov/greenvehicles www.fueleconomy.gov www.ott.doe.gov/hev www.insightcentral.net

Three Dialogues Between Hylas And Philonous

The dialogues between Hylas and Philonous were written by George Berkeley, who was ordained as a Bishop in Cloyne. He was also a famous idealist and philosopher of the early modern period. His works reflects metaphysical ideas and concepts of idealism. Berkeley had written several books in his lifetime. All of his works reflected his views about life and spirituality as he makes arguments about the existence of things around us. He is very resilient in defending his claim by providing valid supporting evidences to support the argument.He is formulating arguments through proper use of words and concepts. He also made several critiques about the works of other philosophers who doubts in the existence of God. It was evident that Berkeley believes that there is a God, a Supreme Being who is responsible for the things we see. He is responsible for the sensorial qualities of the things around us. He explained the omnipotence of God from an idealist perspective. He made very strong argument s by questioning the nature of our sensory abilities and providing possible hypothesis for this.After making a series of hypotheses, he discarded each one by providing a counter-argument until he comes up with the last hypothesis that there is one capable being that is responsible for everything on Earth including the sensorial faculties of man. During Berkeley’s time, a lot of philosophers like the famous rationalist John Descartes, believed that material things existed even if it is not perceived by the human mind. They argued that the qualities of the object were inherent to the latter with or without human perception.They also believed that the objects around us help us to generate ideas about it as well as attributes. They also argued that human perception could be deceiving because not all concepts that were perceived by the senses were viable. Sometimes what we see in an object is not its real quality. A good example of this perhaps would be a pencil in a glass of wate r wherein a part of a pencil is submerged while the other is not. It can be observed that the submerged part appears to be bigger than the other half. Berkeley did not believe that material things existed. Rather, he believed in immaterialism and idealism.He argued with the apologists of materialism about this. He pointed out that materialism can be explained by the existence things around us through our own ideas but it cannot explain the nature of our ideas through the things around us. Maybe one advantage that Berkeley had at that time that made his argument firm was the fact that nobody could placidly explain to him what a material thing really is. Their description and exposition could not suffice the counter-arguments and inquisition of Berkeley. He believed that material things did not really exist. These were mere products of our senses.He expounded that material things are dependent on our mind and sensory abilities. Without our sensory-neural facilities, there will be no c oncept of things. Thus a material thing would not exist. In his work, â€Å"The Three Dialogues of Hylas and Philonous, in opposition to Skeptics and Atheists† Berkeley made a direct attack on the supporters of materialism by juxtaposing the claims of the materialist and his counter arguments. He used fictitious characters in this work in the likeness of Hylas and Philonous to explain his views about the perception of things and how these could be attributed to skepticism and atheism.He expressed his ideas on the words of Philonius, a character in his work, as he was conversing with Hylas, the character that represents the advocate of materialism. In the preface of his work, Berkeley explained that if the inferences he made would be validated, the concept of atheism and skepticism will no longer be applicable. He believes that if his ideas were applied, there will be a re-evaluation in the principles of science. The pointless part should be omitted keeping those that are plai n. The complex rationale for the things around us will be simplified.Also, he explained that instead of using paradox and ambiguous statement, man could simply apply plain common sense to explain the things around him. In the three dialogues of Philonous and Hylas, Berkeley used simple examples using the qualities that we perceive through our senses such as colors, sweetness of sugar, hot and cold and a lot more to support his inference that the qualities of material things does not exist per se. It is perceived through our senses and we associate the qualities. He even commented on the use of a microscope to see the qualities of things not visible in the unaided eye.I would like to share a particular scenario to illustrate my understanding of Berkeley’s views and how he inferred that materialism could lead to atheism and skepticism. As I was reading the lengthy debate of Hylas and Philonous, a particular instance came to my mind. What if three people were left in an isolated region with no initial knowledge of the common qualities of things? To intricate further, one of them could be considered color blind but can hear, the other can hear as well but could not see anything, and the third cannot hear sound but has normal vision. How do they describe a yellow chirping bird for example?Maybe in the perspective of the first person, it is a gray bird chirping. The second person perhaps might not have any ideas that there is a yellow bird but he could describe that he could hear a chirping sound, not exactly from a bird. The last one, however, could see a yellow bird with its beak moving, but there is no sound. Considering their three accounts, how would they know the real qualities attributed to the bird? Is the bird really yellow or is it gray? Does it really chirp or does it simply move its beak, or is there really a bird or is it just a chirping sound?In that example, who describes the most accurate qualities of the bird? How would the third person infer that he sees the correct color because he is normal if there are only three of them with different descriptions? Is it suffice hitherto to conclude that qualities of the materials are inherent to the subject with our without our perception if these qualities differ from one person to another? What if half of the world’s population had congenital color blindness and claims that the leaves of the trees are brown while the other half claims it is green.How can the latter defend that the leaves are green if the former does not have any concept of what the color green is? What then is the real color of the leaves? Is it brown or is it green? What then is the inherent color of the leaves with or without man’s perception and how can we prove it? How can we say that everything that we perceive is the inherent quality of that object? I believe that the scenario was as the same as what Berkeley wanted to point out. In this dialogue, Philonous enlightened Hylas about his percept ion on material things.Hylas believed that we cannot dissociate a characteristic of material to a material. We cannot say that a sugar will no longer be sweet just because we do not perceive it as sweet. However, if we are going to look for the history of sweetness as one of the characteristics of sugar, it will be easier to infer that this observation was based on the consensus of the people who tasted sugar. It was perceived by our taste buds. A lot of people sharing the same opinion established the authenticity in the statement that sugar is sweet. What if we could not taste sugar, does that mean that it is no longer sweet?If our taste buds failed to savor the sweetness in the chocolate bar that we are eating, does that mean that the chocolate bar is no longer sweet? However, one interesting argument that Berkeley laid through Philonous was that if it is true that qualities are innate to the object per se, why does food taste bitter to others while sweet to some? If our perceptua l rationale is arbitrary, how can we establish the fact that the characteristics of an object around us akin to the object? What will that characteristics be? How can we prove that objects would exist with or without us?I would admit that the challenging enigma that Berkeley posed in this dialogue is quite tedious to refute. I agree with Berkeley as he opposed the idea that the qualities of an object are inherent to the object with or without our perception of it because we have different perspectives. Our concepts of things are provisory on our capacity to view things. We cannot think of the unthinkable, of something that goes beyond our capacity to think. Also, on the Third Dialogue, Hylas asks Philonous about the story of creation wherein Moses described the creation of corporeal things, the sun, the moon, the plants and animals.These were not mere ideas existing only in the mind. These are tangible things. Hylas challenged Philonous on how he could make his claims consistent to the account stated in the story of Creation. Philonous defense was to define what he meant by ideas. Ideas are not fictitious. According to Philonous, ideas are based on the things perceived by the senses. Any object that could not be perceived by the senses could not be considered ideas or beyond human thought that it will be impossible to draw even a visual representation are not ideas. Thus, his claim is cohesive with the theories of creation because we can perceive these things.What Philonous disapproves is the fact that material things exist by itself with its characteristics distinct. In the last part of the third dialogue, Hylas was convinced with the explanation of Philonous. They made inferences and juxtaposed their claims and the notions of the materialist philosopher and their rationale for the claim. They inferred that matterare things that are perceived by the mind and its qualities are not akin to itself but on our perception of it. It is a common knowledge but through the philosophies introduced by other scholars seemed makes it more intricate.His main goal is to unite the â€Å"concept that the things we are the real things and these are ideas which exists only in the boundaries of our minds. † Berkeley believes that the principle of materialism could lead to skepticism and atheism because something beyond the capacity of our mind, we tend to conceptualize a material world without the sovereign of God. In my opinion, what the author wanted to say was that the moment we believe that a thing would exist by itself independent of our perception would imply that a material world could be expected to run without God.It would lead us to believe that material things exist the way they are and there are no spiritual being causing those things to happen. On the last part of the dialogue, Philonous connoted that some philosophers had the tendency to become skeptics and atheist with formulation of scientific and mathematical principles and of things with no empirical content. It should not be the case; the principles of science should not be a paradox to the existence of God. By believing that things exist beyond our perception is an outright denial that God does not exist.It is embracing the notion that things are just the way they and there is nobody that controls it. In the last part, he used the fountain as an example. Water was able to rise and fall because of gravity. This principle made others skeptics when in fact this could simply be explained in a lighter sense. Our perception makes us aware of the gifts God has endowed in our world, its existence is under the providence of God. Thus, thinking what our minds cannot conceive and our senses cannot perceive could led us to doubt that God is the cause of all these things. This skepticism in the long run could lead to denial of God

Note on the Character of Angulimala

Ans: Angulimala was a thief, a vicious robber, a murderer without mercy, who made villages into non-villages, families into non-families, slaughtering them and cutting off and wearing their fingers in wreaths around his neck. As he wore the garland of fingers, he was called Angulimala. The word â€Å"Angulimala† means ‘a garland of fingers’. In the region, where he lived, he was called the second ruler after the king. People were afraid of him. They obeyed him as they obeyed the king. People were so much scared of him that they never dared to travel alone. They even were afraid to travel in groups.Angulimala was a strong man and a great runner too. No one could escape him. He even caught elephant, deer, horses, even a group of acrobats from the circus. Even though Angulimala was a vicious robber, a merciless slaughter, there was a little goodness inside his heart which even he himself did not know. When Buddha explained a simple truth of life, he was pierced by th e words. His goodness, the softness of his heart emerged with great force. A sudden change came to his heart. At once he surrendered himself to Lord Buddha. He buried his evils with his swords and weapons and became a monk.After that Buddha sent him to the city for alms. There Angulimala witnessed the poor condition of the people; he could feel how much he had tortured the people. When he entered the city for the next time he was also tortured by the people very badly. As Buddha said, that act made Angulimala sinless and a pure monk. Then Buddha gave him his own begging bowl and robe and left him. Angulimala came in this way to understand the joy of freedom. Thus, though Angulimala was a cruel, merciless villain, he was later transformed into a sinless, soft hearted monk with full of goodness inside him.

Edgar Allan Poe Research Paper Essay

Best known for his poems and short fiction. Edgar Allan Poe is one of the most famous American poets. He deserves most credit for short suspenseful mysteries and he perfected the area of horror stories. He wrote many famous poems like â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"The Bells†. Poe was a genius and very meticulous in his stories every clue had to fit and that’s why he didn’t make a lot of short stories but a small collection of great short stories. He was born in Boston on January 19, 1809. Both of his parents were touring actors; both died before Poe even reached three years old. A rich merchant named Mr. Allan in Richmond, Virginia took Poe in. His childhood was uneventful although he attended the University of Virginia in 1826 for only a year. Even thought he was a good student he ran up a large gambling dept that Allan refused to pay. This prevented his return to the university and broke-off his engagement to Sarah Elmira Royster, his Richmond sweetheart. Having no way to support himself he enlisted in the army. He had already written and printed (at his own expense) his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827). Allan secured Poe’s release from the army and his appointment to West Point but refused to give him money. After 6 months Poe apparently got kicked out of West Point for disobedience. His friends, however, gave money to him for the publication of Poems by Edgar A. Poe †¦Second Edition (1831), actually a third edition–after Tamerlane and Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems (1829). This book contained the famous â€Å"To Helen† and â€Å"Israfel,† poems that show the restraint and the calculated musical effects of language that was characterizing his poetry. Poe next lived in Baltimore with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia, and turned to fiction as a way to support himself. In 1832 the Philadelphia Saturday Courier published five of his stories all comic or satiric. In 1833, â€Å"MS. Found in a Bottle† won a $50 prize from the â€Å"Baltimore Saturday Visitor†. Poe, his aunt, and Virginia moved to Richmond in 1835 and he became editor of the Southern Literary Messenger and married Virginia, who was not even 14 years old. Poe wrote fiction, his most horrifying tale, â€Å"Berenice,† in the Southern Literary Messenger, but most of his contributions were serious and critical reviews that earned him respect as a critic. He praised the young Dickens and devoted most of his attention to devastating reviews of popular contemporary authors. His contributions increased the magazine’s circulation, but they offended its owner, who didn’t like Poe’s drinking. The January 1837 issue of the Southern Literary Messenger announced Poe’s that Poe will stop to be the editor but also included the first part of his long fiction tale, â€Å"The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym†, five of his reviews, and two of his poems. This was going to be the strange pattern for Poe’s career: success as an artist and editor but failure to satisfy his employers and to secure a quite, stable life. First in New York City (1837), then in Philadelphia (1838-44), and again in New York (1844-49), Poe tried to establish himself as a force in literary journalism, but with only slow success. He did succeed, however, in creating influential literary theories and in showing mastery of the forms he favored – musical poems and short fictional narratives. Both forms, he argued, should aim at â€Å"a certain unique or single effect.† His theory of short fiction is best exemplified in â€Å"Ligeia† (1838), the tale Poe considered his finest, and â€Å"The Fall Of The House Of Usher† (1839), which was to become one of his most famous stories. â€Å"The Murders in the Rue Morgue† (1841) is sometimes considered the first detective story. The â€Å"The Raven† (1845) and â€Å"The Bells† (1849) are good example of musical poems. Virginia’s death in January 1847 was a heavy blow, but Poe continued to write and lecture. In the summer of 1849 he revisited Richmond, lectured, and was proposed to the fiancee he had lost in 1826, she accepted that. After his return north he was found unconscious on a Baltimore street. In a brief obituary the Baltimore Clipper reported that Poe had died of â€Å"congestion of the brain.†

Human Resources Information System Essay

A Human Resources Management System (HRMS) or Human Resources Information System (HRIS), refers to the systems and processes at the intersection betweenhuman resource management (HRM) and information technology. It merges HRM as a discipline and in particular its basic HR activities and processes with the information technology field, whereas the programming of data processing systems evolved into standardized routines and packages of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. On the whole, these ERP systems have their origin on software that integrates information from different applications into one universal database. The linkage of its financial and human resource modules through one database is the most important distinction to the individually and proprietary developed predecessors, which makes this software application both rigid and flexible. There are approximately 36 vendors of HRMS software in the U. S. and Canada[1]. The function of human resources (HR) departments is generally administrative and common to all organizations. Organizations may have formalized selection, evaluation, and payroll processes. Efficient and effective management of â€Å"human capital† progressed to an increasingly imperative and complex process. The HR function consists of tracking existing employee data which traditionally includes personal histories, skills, capabilities, accomplishments and salary. To reduce the manual workload of these administrative activities, organizations began to electronically automate many of these processes by introducing specialized human resource management systems. HR executives rely on internal or external IT professionals to develop and maintain an integrated HRMS. Before the client–server architecture evolved in the late 1980s, many HR automation processes were relegated to mainframe computers that could handle large amounts of data transactions. In consequence of the high capital investment necessary to buy or program proprietary software, these internally developed HRMS were limited to organizations that possessed a large amount of capital. The advent of client–server, application service provider, and software as a service (SaaS) or human resource management systems enabled increasingly higher administrative control of such systems. Currently human resource management systems encompass[citation needed]: 1. Payroll 2. Time and attendance 3. Performance appraisal 4.  Benefits administration 5. HR management information system 6. Recruiting/Learning management 7. Performance record 8. Employee self-service 9. Scheduling 10. Absence management 11. Analytics The payroll module automates the pay process by gathering data on employee time and attendance, calculating various deductions and taxes, and generating periodic pay cheques and employee tax reports. Data is generally fed from the human resources and time keeping modules to calculate automatic deposit and manual cheque writing capabilities. This module can encompass all employee-related transactions as well as integrate with existing financial management systems. The time and attendance module gathers standardized time and work related efforts. The most advanced modules provide broad flexibility in data collection methods, labor distribution capabilities and data analysis features. Cost analysis and efficiency metrics are the primary functions. The benefits administration module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee participation in benefits programs. These typically encompass insurance, compensation, profit sharing and retirement. The HR management module is a component covering many other HR aspects from application to retirement. The system records basic demographic and address data, selection, training and development, capabilities and skills management, compensation planning records and other related activities. Leading edge systems provide the ability to â€Å"read† applications and enter relevant data to applicable database fields, notify employers and provide position management and position control. Human resource management function involves the recruitment, placement, evaluation, compensation and development of the employees of an organization. Initially, businesses used computer based information systems to: * produce pay checks and payroll reports; * maintain personnel records; * pursue talent management. Online recruiting has become one of the primary methods employed by HR departments to garner potential candidates for available positions within an organization. Talent management systems typically encompass: * analyzing personnel usage within an organization; identifying potential applicants; * recruiting through company-facing listings; * recruiting through online recruiting sites or publications that market to both recruiters and applicants. The significant cost incurred in maintaining an organized recruitment effort, cross-posting within and across general or industry-specific job boards and maintaining a competitive exposure of availabilities has given rise to the deve lopment of a dedicated applicant tracking system, or ‘ATS’, module. The training module provides a system for organizations to administer and track employee training and development efforts. The system, normally called a â€Å"learning management system† (LMS) if a stand alone product, allows HR to track education, qualifications and skills of the employees, as well as outlining what training courses, books, CDs, web based learning or materials are available to develop which skills. Courses can then be offered in date specific sessions, with delegates and training resources being mapped and managed within the same system. Sophisticated LMS allow managers to approve training, budgets and calendars alongside performance management and appraisal metrics. The employee self-service module allows employees to query HR related data and perform some HR transactions over the system. Employees may query their attendance record from the system without asking the information from HR personnel. The module also lets supervisors approve O. T. requests from their subordinates through the system without overloading the task on HR department. Many organizations have gone beyond the traditional functions and developed human resource management information systems, which support recruitment, selection, hiring, job placement, performance appraisals, employee benefit analysis, health, safety and security, while others integrate an outsourced applicant tracking system that encompasses a subset of the above. Assigning Responsibilities Communication between the Employees. The Analytics module enables organizations to extend the value of an HRMS implementation by extracting HR related data for use with other business intelligence platforms. For example, organizations combine HR metrics with other business data to identify trends and anomalies in headcount in order to better predict the impact of employee turnover on future output.

Brexit Effect Analysis

Following the calls by Europhiles to leave the EU, one may ask why the EU was created in the first place. The formation of the EU was after World War II when countries came together as a means of enhancing economic cooperation and interdependence. The creation of European Economic munity (EEC), was as a result of this effort; it led to the creation of the single market, allowed free movement of EU citizens within the EU and saw the formulation of favourable trade policies. The economic objectives of all these efforts were to reduce trade costs within the EU and to bring about mobility, growth, stability and a single currency. Having noted the foregoing, the questions to be asked are: what would b e of the UK once it left the EU? Is the UK willing to throw away all the benefits that are dependent on its membership in the EU? The statement on page 2 of the article shows the reluctance towards the idea of the UK leaving the EU. There is uncertainty on what would be the aftermath of Brexit. There are arguments that the UK economy will most likely deteriorate given the volatile trade environment whereby the UK will no longer have access to the single market, in addition, to losing of EU regional funding and other subsidies such as funding for various innovative programs. The Brexit referendum has taken the UK into uncharted waters, and it is pletely unprecedented. Calls in support of the referendum caused a lot of political turmoil which has threatened the economy adversely, yet the economy’s prosperity is dependent on political stability (Grixti, 2016). Various studies conducted by various institutions inter alia the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and also the Centre for Economic Performance suggest that the economy of the UK will likely suffer a permanent plunge upon Brexit. The studies are informed by the fact that it is contemplated that foreign investments in the UK will reduce substantially. Further, and more importantly, various researchers have put forth arguments that once out of the EU, the UK will no more enjoy the benefits accruing from the FTA and will cede access to the EU’s single market that offers a consumer market of up to 500 million consumers. The pertinent question that ought to have been deliberated upon is: what would be the consequences of staying out of the EU? Though this question can evoke different responses, Campos et. al. (2015) caution that leaving the EU would not be the best of options in the world that is characterized by the globalization of economies. Further, Bootle (2015) states that from analyses conducted, the projected differences in the UK’s GDP while in the EU and when out are too marginal to base the decision of leaving the EU on the same. Taking into consideration the ideas behind the creation of the EU (which include inter alia creating the single market, allowing free movement of EU citizens within the EU and formulating favourable trade policies), it is not u mon for the authors to be hesitant about leaving the EU and to consider the event a gamble because it would amount to throwing all the EU’s achievements so far into the gutter and the effects on the economy are unpredictable. The question whether the UK will cooperate with the EU is entirely dependent on a number of factors. For a fact, as has been stated hereinabove, once out of the EU, the UK will no more benefit from the Free Trade Agreement and will lose access to the single market. There will no longer be free movement of goods, services or capital. The EU being the UK’s biggest trade partner, it is estimated that the UK will suffer substantial losses. Further, arguments have been fronted that UK citizens in EU states will be subjected to more stringent immigration requirements (Ottaviano et. al, 2014). UK citizens living within the EU states have been advised not assume that rights guaranteed under the application of the free movement rules would still hold post-Brexit. However, in my considered opinion and going by the provisions of international law, and more particularly, the Convention of Vienna on the Law of Treaties 1969, the effect of a state withdrawing from a treaty is to release the parties thereto from future obligations to one another. But, the obligations or rights that arose prior to the withdrawal will continue to exist.   Further, the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights forbids collective expulsion of foreigners under Article 19. This is the similar position under protocol four of the European Convention on Human Rights, Article 4 which states that â€Å"collective expulsion of aliens is prohibited.† Therefore, the post-Brexit effect shall (if at all) negatively impact on future migrations from the UK into the EU. Dhingra and Sampson 92016) argue that among the UK’s options post-Brexit would be to maintain ties with the EU or start new relations with the rest of the world. In the first option, the UK would engage the EU in negotiations to join the European Economic Area which would give UK access to the single market. However, the challenge with this option is that the UK will be required to implement EU trade policies. This will be a major hurdle to cross taking into consideration the fact that one of the reasons for exiting the EU was to â€Å"subvert the damage that the excessive and misguided regulations [was] doing to Britain† (Congdon, 2016). The other option would be for the UK to independently negotiate its trade deals with the rest of the world and look away from the EU. The UK may join the World Trade Organization and negotiate trade deals without having to adopt the EU regulations or paying into the EU budget. However, with a market of just over 65 million consumers, the EU is by default considered a favourable trade partner with its 500 million consumers and may push the UK out of the negotiating table. New Keynesian Economics School believes that policymakers have the capacity to advance economic stability through policies calculated to the battle of market failures. In conclusion, therefore, it is for the EU leaders to decide the best approach to this issue, taking into consideration the economic benefits of cooperating with the EU instead of the political interests. A report by the Council of Financial Regulators (CFR) on the implications of Brexit revealed that globally, the immediate impact of Brexit was heightened market instability and associated uncertainties which saw declines in bond yields. The report states further that the short-term impact on the economy is mainly concentrated in the UK. Globally, however, there are reports of dampened investments with various market players opting not to invest their resources, while the market is so volatile and wait for the Brexit effects to cool off. This may ultimately lower the global GDP to some trifling extent. Be that as it may, the period around the Brexit referendum negatively affected the countries in the Eurozone whereby the strength of the Euro currency against the US dollar plummeted by a whopping 7.6% due to the uncertainties surrounding the Brexit (Irwin, 2016). This dollar surge is associated with the fact that due to the Brexit uncertainties, investors in forex trade opted to dump or withdraw from investing in the Euro (or the pound for that matter) which is right in the epicenter of the seismic Brexit event and chose the dollar currency. The problem with this dollar surge is that those states that are dollar debtor will face more financial challenges in offsetting the debts. On another limp, Irwin (2016) notes that whatever economic ties and trade links there are between the UK and other states shall determine the direct impact that Brexit shall have on those states’ economies. Further, according to the CFR report, the fact that the UK contributes only about 2% of the global GDP, in the long run, there will be relatively little impact on the economy of the world at large. The CFR report further reveals that the Australian banks had taken advance measures to improve their resilience by obtaining stronger funding in the event that the Euro’s viability escalated, which would have in turn affected funding and operations. This way, the Australian dollar would maintain its liquidity regardless of the post-Brexit impact. Therefore, the effect on Australia’s economy will be minor, if at all. This demonstrates that various governments had anticipated the post-Brexit effect and in response thereto, had taken precautionary measures to ensure that the economy of their states will not be affected adversely by the Brexit referendum. This approach adopted by demonstrates that there good fiscal policies are capable of countering any economic crises as fronted by the modern monetary theory. In the end, we must remain alive to the fact that this leaving the EU will most likely take considerate time since there have to be lengthy negotiations on the modalities to be adopted by the UK and the EU once Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is invoked. The long-term effects of Brexit are anchored on the ou e of these negotiations. Bootle, R., 2015.  The Trouble with Europe: Why the EU isn't Working, how it can be Reformed, What Could Take its Place. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Campos, N.F., Coricelli, F. and Moretti, L., 2015. Norwegian rhapsody? The political economy benefits of regional integration. Available at: https://papers.ssrn /sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2619188 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Congdon, T., Too Much Regulation.  The Economy after Brexit, p.11. Available at: https://static1.squarespace /static/570a10a460b5e93378a26ac5/t/573182efcf80a12bea55ab12/1462862605164/Economists+for+Brexit+The+Economy+after+Brexit.pdf [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Council of Financial Regulators: Report on the Implications of Brexit. (2016). [pdf] Available at: https://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Publications%20and%20Media/Publications/2016 Dhingra, S. and Sampson, T., 2016. Life after Brexit: what are the UK’s options outside the European Union? [Online] Available at: https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/66143/ [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Ec.europa.eu. (2016).  The EU Single Market - European mission. [Online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/internal_market/index_en.htm [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Grixti, I. (2016).  Post-Brexit Uncertainties. [Online] Times of Malta. Available at: https://www.timesofmalta /articles/view/20160720/opinion/Post-Brexit-uncertainties.619402 [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Ho, T. H., Lim, N. and Camerer, C.F., 2006. Modeling the psychology of consumer and firm behavior with behavioral economics.  Journal of marketing Research,  43(3), pp.307-331. Irwin, N. (2016). How ‘Brexit’ Will Affect the Global Economy, Now and Later. [Online] Nytimes . Available at: https://www.nytimes /2016/06/25/upshot/how-brexit-will-affect-the-global-economy-now-and-later.html?r=0  Ã‚   [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Ottaviano, G., J. P. Pessoa, T. Sampson and J. Van Reenen (2014) ‘The Costs and Benefits of Leaving the EU’, Centre for Economic Performance Policy Analysis Available at: https://cep.lse.ac.uk/pubs/download/pa016.pdf [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. Parker, G. (2015). ‘Tories Shun Brexit Contingency Plans’, Financial Times. Available at: https://www.ft /cms/s/0/208fdf8c-9846-11e5-95c7-d47aa298f769.html#axzz3xSEYNfkq [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016]. /Report%20on%20the%20implications%20of%20Brexit/Downloads/PDF/CFR_Brexit.ashx [Accessed 3 Sep. 2016].

Is about the fast food and the healthy life Essay

Is about the fast food and the healthy life - Essay Example Food manufacturers do mention the statutorily required information about the ingredients and their levels. However, the consuming public appears least concerned with amounts of food appropriate for their weight and activity levels. There is a big gap in the sensible amounts of food that can be consumed to the amounts of food actually consumed on a daily basis (Young, Lisa R and Nestle, Marion; 2003, p1). Food manufacturers are the biggest culprits of health mismanagement in the United States. Individual intake of food is surreptitiously promoted by packages that invariably provide more than double the quantity of food necessary for one meal. â€Å"Foodservice establishments use larger dinner plates, larger pans to bake muffins and pizzas, and larger containers for sodas and fries† (Young, Lisa R and Nestle, Marion; 2003, p2). Customers are not inclined to measure the exact quantity of food they are supposed to consume over one meal course. Normally, food is consumed on the basis of individual likes and no statutory rules are broken if the customer consumes more of a particular food he likes. Adequate portion sizes relevant for a meal marked on the labels are not seriously noted. This state of affairs happens on a very wide scale involving a huge segment of the population anywhere in the world. However, science provides information on the portions of each food that could be safely consumed. Excess food invariably adds to the calories and sooner than later leverage disease-prone organs such as kidneys and the heart with impure blood and once set it becomes difficult to root them out. â€Å"There are short-term studies showing that controlling portion sizes helps limit calorie intake, particularly when eating high-calorie foods. What is missing from the research is whether people monitor portion sizes and consistently chooses to eat recommended serving sizes, thus consuming the appropriate amount of calories for maintaining or losing

Performance and Talent Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Performance and Talent Management - Essay Example c. Incremental progression - academic staff – unless staff are have reached the maximum point for their salary level, they are eligible for incremental progression after a year’s tenure provided their performance is satisfactory. d. Study support, provision to be released from duties to pursue study and skills development programs that would enhance the capability of the academic staffs. II. Limitations While the remuneration package at UTS seems impressive, a close examination of the parameters of satisfaction of its academic staffs reveal that there are two areas that the university performance system scored dismal. The result of the of UTS academic staff satisfaction rate that can be considered dismal scoring below 50% are the career development opportunity dimesion at 42% and cross-unit cooperation, especially across different areas of UTS scoring a mere 42%. Interpreting this scores meant that UTS academic staff perceives their career development at UTS to be bleak and that they are uncooperative lacking the capacity to do teamwork. This can be considered as a curious case because the dismal figure of 42% in career development is already considered progressive as it already increased by 2% since 2009. This gives no reason to tap the management of UTS at the back because taking this figure objectively meant that it came from a a very negative base that a slight change is already considered an improvement. Cooperation is at 42% which surprisingly is 16% higher compared to other universities. This does not however mean that UTS should already congratulate itself because it still mean that UTS is underderperforming though it is not alarming compared to the career development opportunity dimension which can directly impact the academic staffs stay and performance in the university. Close investigation through the interview details of the survey revealed the reason behind the dismal career development perception of academic staff in UTS. It reveale d that the performance system of UTS is designed for minimum compliance and does not appeal to achievers. An excerpt of the interview revealed; (What kind of elements of UTS performance and development planning are you NOT happy with?) Our system does not mean anything if the performance is NOT poor. Just surface administrative system that in align with compliance. (Specific question) Do you think that UTS performance and development system are in align with UTS strategic goal and vision? Yes, they are on the system. But just focus on implementing. We think the systems is just showing what we should do minimally. From this statement, the dismal figure of UTS career development score is better understood that the academic staffs does not findt the UTS Performance System to be challenging enough to motivate them. Analysis To better understand the case, it has to be understood that UTS is an academe and the subject of analysis are the academic staff who are intellectuals whose jobs req uire cerebral work rather than manual labor. This is important to cite because the nature of work has bearing on performance system implemented that would motivate the workforce. Motivation is important because a motivated workforce â€Å"can handle a variety of assignments, work autonomously,