The Effect Of Private Property On The Political Field Essay

=The interactions between the economy and the political field are very important to one another for they truly do have a major influence on what each does. Specifically, capitalism and democracy or a republic have major influence on each other as they both create a certain type of environment that for better or for worse affects the other. Namely the effect of private property on the nature of political life in a republic as well as the participation in that political life. Jean-Jacques Rousseau in The Social Contract and The Discourses, James Madison in â€Å"Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51† and Alexis De Tocqueville in Democracy in America Volume 2 all discuss the relationship between property and political life. Rousseau argues that property and amour-propre causes humans to destroy their equal society in which there is no need for government as justice is natural, as inequality in the form of injustice and evil which forces them to flee to a government in order to seek protection. Rousseau also asserts that the government established by the social contract needs to always pursue the common good and when people try to alter that they need to be forced to comply as the common good trumps all. Similarly, Madison argues that property is the foundation of factions in the American system as property inequality divides people up and in the same vein, property and greed force the government to create branches and gridlock in order to safeguard against the personal desires ofShow MoreRelatedLocke s Theory Of Property1113 Words   |  5 PagesLocke’s political philosophy, specifically that which concerns the definition of property, how that property is acquired, and the role it plays in society, prove to be quintessential to the development of liberalism. Locke’s philosophy and the basis of liberalism encompasses ideas of sovereignty and rejects contrary phenomena such as absolute monarchy and Divine Right of Kings. It is even said tha t the Second Treatise of Government is a critique of King James II and an allusion to his exploitationRead MoreLocke vs. Marx: Views on Property Rights1466 Words   |  6 Pagesrenowned political philosophers, had many contrasting views when it came the field of political philosophy. Most notably, private property rights ranked high among the plethora of disparities between these two individuals. The main issue at hand was whether or not private property was a natural right. Locke firmly believed that private property was an inherent right, whereas Marx argued otherwise. This essay will examine the views of both Locke and Marx on the subject of private property and willRead MorePrivate Governance Reforms : Acknowledgement1461 Words   |  6 Pages NTCC report PRIVATE GOVERNANCE REFORMS Acknowledgment I would like to offer my sincerest thank you and deepest appreciation to my teachers Ms PUNEET GOEL for guiding me a giving me such a golden opportunity to work on the topic PRIVATE GOVERNANCE reform .It was a great and a knowledgeable experience.. INTRODUCTION Governance means All the processes of the governing, whether undertaken by a government market or network, whether over a family, tribe, formal or informal organization and whetherRead MoreIr A Second Largest Gas Producer On The World With Gas Production Of 360 Billion Cubic Meters /1216 Words   |  5 Pagesof the upstream gas production will require investment and technology from European and international companies. Iran has also expressed interest in injecting gas into the oil fields in order to maintain and increase oil production. EU companies can offer efficient solutions to increase the recovery rates of Iranian oil fields and hence help Iran produce more efficiently. Another promising indicator of Iran s economic potential is its human capital. The population [of Iran] is 73 percent urban,Read MoreA Comparative Study Of The Status Of Women1016 Words   |  5 Pagesgives grants to voluntary organizations for activities like construction/expansion of hostels for working women in cities.The analysis of six types of movements suggests that movements are generally initiated and spread by charismatic leaders or by political parties and religious organizations. In the former case, the ideologies are transmitted downwards while in the latter case, these are transmitted upwards. Once any movement based on certain ideology changes, it is not necessary that it will spreadRead MoreBriefly Compare the Political Regime Type in China and India. Which of the Two Would You Prefer to Do Business in and Why?1478 Words   |  6 PagesPOLI3001 Assignment No. 2 Briefly compare the political regime type in China and India. Which of the two would you prefer to do business in and why? India and China are two republics that have experienced very opposing political regimes throughout history. China has been fundamentally stable country with a lack of a distinct authority figure (Desai, 2003). Being a single party state China has been controlled by the Chinese Communist Party since the 5th National Congress held in 1927 (Wang,Read MoreKarl Marx : A German Influential Philosopher And One Of The Intellectual Fathers Of Communism1477 Words   |  6 Pagesphilosopher and one of the intellectual fathers of communism, writing when the industrial revolution and imperialism period was changing the nature of both the economies of individual nations and the global economy itself. He eradicated his view on the effects these changes had on individual workers and society. This introduced many of his theories, one of which was the idea of alienated labor. Alienated labor was written in 1844, Marx sets the view that alienated labor focuses on the idea that industrializedRead MoreG eopolitical. Collective Goods Problem1749 Words   |  7 PagesThe first one, called non-rivalry, means that the consumption of the good by an actor does not prevent its consumption by another one. The second characteristic, the exclusion, means that nobody is excluded from the consumption of this good. The field of the world collective goods covers so many different domains such as: the reduction of the global warming, the basic research, the fight against the distribution of diseases (AIDS or malaria), the stability of financial markets, struggle againstRead MoreThe Industrial Revolutions Influence on European Society1389 Words   |  6 Pagesclasses and equality. The rise of the middle class had a momentous effect on the population of Europe and was a catalyst for many changes in the social makeup of the region. The influence of technology and electricity changed many aspects of social interaction and created a new class system. The migration of workers and the separation of the classes had political and social repercussions throughout Europe. Labor unions and political parties provided protection and a voice to many of the working classRead Moreeconomic climate uk1370 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿MATTEO Exchange rate Housing issues Private and public consumption Investments opportunities: pros and cons EXCHANGE RATE Sterling has been floating since the UK withdraw from membership of the ERM in September 1992. Since that moment, the Bank of England has not intervened to influence the pound’s value, as it became independent from the UK government. With a free floating exchange rate, the value of the currency is simply determined by supply and demand of the market. The Central Bank

Much Ado About Nothing Essay The Character of Don John

The Character of Don John in Much Ado About Nothing William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy in which he uses one of his more peculiar villains. The antagonist in this play is Don John, the bastard brother of Don Pedro. In this paper I will discuss the role of Don John as well as his motives and the character himself. I will also delve into Shakespeares use of Don John as the antagonist. I will be comparing Don John to other characters in the play as well as to other villains in Shakespeares works. While Don John does not spend a great deal of time on the stage in Much Ado About Nothing, he still plays a vital role in the plot of the play. The plan that he sets in motion is one of the two main stories within†¦show more content†¦It may also be possible that overthrow refers to Don Johns own dishonor and shame that causes him to be overthrown in the good graces of Don Pedro (Spivack 410). Whatever motives for Don Johns bitter hatred for Claudio the reader infers, it is obvious that Don John will stop at nothing to see Claudio miserable. The character, Don John, is evil in every sense of the word. He mentions several times of his sadness and he seems to revel in his own distemper. He says of himself in act one that though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain (Shakespeare 15).Shakespeare uses him in a perfect contrast against the good guys. Whenever you have a villain as mean and deceitful as Don John, your heroes in the play, no matter how flawed, cant help but look more appealing. Shakespeares villains are some of the most interesting characters in British literature. The one that is most similar to Don John, in my opinion, is Claudius, the traitor king in Hamlet. Both Don John and Claudius were deceitful in their plots toward their brothers, even though Don Pedro was not affected nearly as much as Hamlets father. I believe what sets these villains off from other rogues is the fact that they were directing their vengeance and wrath at their brothers, and the people around them. That kind of deceit is more disgusting than any other form. In order for Don John to successfully complete his planShow MoreRelated The Character of Don John in Much Ado About Nothing Essay1320 Words   |  6 Pages In the play ‘Much ado about nothing’, Don John is a puppet whose strings are pulled by various characters and the society in which he lives. Although he does monkey businesses like every character in the play, he is the one who gets harshly judged and punished for it. His villainy is not an innate trait but rather, he chooses it to distinguish him from others. Don John is the illegitimate half brother of Don Pedro in the play. Don Pedro is the Prince of Aragon and is highly respected throughoutRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Much Ado About Nothing And Hamlet1503 Words   |  7 Pagesthe definition of the character by means of their thoughts, well-being, actions, and interactions with the other set roles. William Shakespeare’s plays included dissimilar characters and different methods of characterization. The two plays that will be compared and contrasted are William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Hamlet. As for the characters from each play, Beatrice, Benedict, Don John, Don Pedro, Claudio, and Hero will be assessed from Much Ado About Nothing and from Hamlet, HamletRead MoreGender Roles In Much Ado About Nothing1059 Words   |  5 Pages This essay is an exploration of the play Much Ado About Nothing, and the gender roles involved in the deceit and trickery that transpire and develop throughout the story. As gender is one of the main themes in the plot, identifying the expected gender roles of the characters, and how the contrast between characters highlights these expected roles. In Shakespeare s time, known as the Elizabethan Era, men and women’s roles and expectations were starkly different. Elizabethan women, no matter whatRead MoreMuch Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare as a Satire Essay1103 Words   |  5 PagesMuch Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare as a Satire This essay will analyse the way in which Shakespeare makes this comedy bitterly satirical, and a comment on not only the pretentious style and swank of Spaniards, namely Don Pedro and his gang, but human stupidity as a whole. Much Ado About Nothing portrays the issues of sex, war, marriage and chivalric courtly love in an ironic and satirical way. On a topical level, the play satirises Spanish, Sicilian andRead MoreBeatrice and Benedick as a Couple in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1336 Words   |  6 PagesBeatrice and Benedick as a Couple in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespeare play set in Mecina. It is a comedy, about Don Pedro and his friends. The play focuses on the relationships of the characters, especially that of Beatrice/Benedick and Claudio/Hero. The two romances follow two different ideas, one an average romance in Shakespeares day, the other a not so average romance. Beatrice and Benedicks history together isRead MoreSocial Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1568 Words   |  7 PagesSocial Pressures in William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing There has been much discussion about whether or not Shakespeare’s play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ it is based more around social pressures rather than true love; this essay will see to what extent the play supports this idea. Shakespeare wrote the play ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ around 1598. It was located in Italy, because Italy at the time was seen as a romantic exotic country, writers duringRead More The Dramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing1642 Words   |  7 PagesDramatic Significance of Act four Scene One of William Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing Act 4 in the romantic comedy Much ado about nothing is of great dramatic significance to the whole play, as it is in Scene 1 where Shakespeare brings out the different sides of the characters to illustrate the complexities of love and relationships. Act 4 Scene 1 is clustered with different incidents and in this essay, I will go through each event and describe its importance to theRead More Importance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III2277 Words   |  10 PagesImportance of Speech in Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Richard III Speech is often the strongest indicator of personality and motivation in Shakespearean histories and comedies. Each turn of phrase is a small insight into the essence of the character. Stringing together each line from the mouth of the character allows the audience to discover each nuance created by Shakespeare. By connecting the actions to a manner of speech, which mirrors those actions, ShakespeareRead MoreA Marxist Study of Much Ado About Nothing2206 Words   |  9 PagesA Marxist study of Much Ado About Nothing Using the Marxist approach to one of Shakespeare’s comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, this essay deals with the unconscious of the text in order to reveal the ideology of the text (as buried in what is not said) so as to discover the hegemony behind the text. The ideology perpetuated in Much Ado About Nothing revolves around, centrally, ensuring the needs and insecurities of the aristocratic – the need for a patriarchal power, the need to reject, stigmatizeRead More Movie Essays - Narrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays2130 Words   |  9 PagesNarrative Holes in Films of Shakespeares Plays My subject in this essay in playtexts and in films of those playtexts. Drama offers the storyteller a simple choice about how to communicate each element of the story to the audience: show it, or have a character describe it. Often in drama narration is used because an event cannot be shown, but occasionally telling is used when showing is perfectly possible and Shakespeare uses this device self-consciously to draw attention to the medium

Role of Censorship within Entertainment Industry for Censorship

Question: Discuss about theRole of Censorship within Entertainment Industry for Censorship. Answer: Role of Censorship within the Entertainment Industry First of all we all should know the meaning of censorship. It means destruction of speech or omission of chatty material which can be vocal or non-vocal and which may be deliberated as intolerable, destructive, delicate or problematic to the administration or media officialdom or public at large as determined by a censor board. Censorship in an entertainment industry is very apparent and is existent in the most evident form. Movies, television serials news or any form of communication have involved public at large and it will influence the common interest of public so government has to put some regulation over it, so that common interest of public are not harmed at any cost. But on the other play writers, script writers, distributors, actors or performers are offended by the censorship act as it inhibit with the law of freedom of speech. Many movies are censored due to their objectionable scene which are not good for children and adults of specific age to protect them from knowingly or unknowingly to see indecent matter which will influence their minds adversely and which are not right matter for them to see. Except movies, radios and television are also regulated by government from broadcast any indecent content which has adverse effect on the children and adults of specific age. For instance if on television if any show have the scenes of brutal fights and murders, and if it is seen by any children then it will adversely affect the mind and attitude of that children. As the television is the source of information all age groups. In todays world television internet become the main source of information which can be accessed by anyone of any age group. So in order protect society from objectionable and intolerant material many rules and regulations and restrictions were passed by government. There are many cases in which rulings about censorship has been passed by the Supreme Court. In one of the cases Supreme Court said that it is lawful to delete and omit obscene content to take precaution to keep away children from pornography and to defend adults to perceptively and unintentionally view licentious material. In other case named Stanley vs. Georgia Supreme Court held that people can see objectionable content in private. In case of one of the theatre the court said that playhouses and cinema halls are open places and therefore strict regulation are to be applied to these places as it involves public at large of all age group. In order to evade the expurgation the motion pictures association of America legalises itself via a controlled rating system. However later on, the motion pictures association of America on the track of Supreme Court judgements developed a grade or rating system established on audiences age. According to this grading or rating system A G rating is an indicator that the content is for wide-ranging audiences. PG rating indicated parental guidance needed to view the content. PG-13 strongly assistances the supervision for children under age 13 for the reason that there may be inappropriate material. R rating indicates that children under age 17 should be accompanied by an adult. NC-17 or X rating indicates the restriction for underage children to enter into a theatre. There is a freedom of expression for everyone but there should be some constraint on the content in order to keep up the spiritual and collective harmony because there are many cases of communal disharmony due to the objectionable content which were showed on the television or movies or internet etc (CQ press, 2017). Now let us discuss what is Obscenity, it means viewing or keeping pornographic material which is seemingly permitted but circulation of such material is barred by law. There are different censor boards were made in different countries with different ratings to the movie or show for the permitted audiences. Like in India there is Central board of film certification which provides ratings and permit films to be released with proper content. Like movies which have sexual matters involved are to be restricted for the age group of below 18 years. And the telecast of these films on Indian television has been made by board in the late night apertures. Films, television shows, music videos even audio are vulnerable to omission of scenes and wordings and also disposed to prohibition. The study over censorship increased during 60s among wider traditional and dogmatic changes. Across the different countries and administration advocates that censor ship usually contend that monitor exemplification effects approach and behaviour more than the other form of media. Freedom of speech in arts and entertainment is a big question nowadays. American civilisation has continuously been intensely indecisive about this question (Hollywood, 2017) Insulting and debateable art and in your facade amusement put our obligation to free dialogue to the trial. We should ask some question regarding censorship and its motives that is why should we be in conflict with censorship when the sections of killing and anarchy take over the television displays, when effort of skill can be perceived as the straight offense to the spiritual opinions, and when much sexually open content can be seen as humiliating to lady. The answer to these questions are modest an unrestricted society is grounded on the belief that collectively and every single individual has the right to choose what fine art or show business he desires to obtain or to craft. Sexual category in a fine art and amusement is the most recurrent aim of suppression. There many examples of that (Prezi , 2017) Todays demands for suppressions are not encouraged exclusively by impermanence and perception as well as by extensive confidence that exposure to images of violence causes people to act in destructive way. However there is no proof that frictional viciousness can make the normal person violent. Debate can be considered on the issue of screen violence versus real violence. Some children are tested after the experiment of showing them the television for many hours a week and the result was temporary aggression towards the things but not toward against any person or individual. In doing some international comparisons also not much has been revealed because in many countries where movies shows high rate of violence the crime rate of those countries are much lower than the rest of the countries where watching television is less. The solitary vibrant proclamation that can be prepared from this is that the association amongst fine art and human deeds is very multifarious one. In North Korea ranks no. 1 in the list of ten most censored countries. North Koreans does not have self-governing newspapers, and all transistor and television receivers are wholesaled in the country are protected to supervision identified rates. The other top 5 countries which topped the chart are Burma, Turkmenistan, Equatorial Guinea and Libya (Oxford bibliographies, 2017). Other kinds of censorship in entertainment industry apart from movies, television, and radio are internet censorships. Let us discuss some matters on laws around the world regarding internet censorship around the various countries of the world. Since 1995 many governments of the world are facing the trouble of content on the internet that is unlawful under their disconnected mode laws and also deliberated damaging or also inappropriate for youngsters. Government policies regarding censorship on the internet are as follows: Policy related to self-control and regulation for the internet users such as to filter and block technology. This step has been taken by many countries such as Canada, United Kingdom and many other countries of Western Europe. In these countries law of general application apply to the content which is not legal such as child pornography and racial discrimination or political issues which can bring disharmony amongst the public at large. There were criminal penalties were applied to the matters providers on the internet which is prohibited for children and minors such as fines or monetary penalty or imprisonment. This step is also taken by many countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and many. Requirement of internet access provider is there in some countries to block the objectionable matters on the internet while some a direct governmental restricted access. There are direct government prohibition to the internet access in some, one has to register or take permission for access to the restricted sites above. Censorship becomes important due many factors such as damaging effect of media on youngsters and minors, there is dilemma whether censorship is important or not in an entertainment industry there many cases which has due the violently pictured scenes in television shows which influence children who often watch them to act violently. But on the other hand many studies shows no such kind of results on the children. During the course of the history civilisations practised innumerable forms of suppressions in the faith that the public as epitomized by administration was accountable for cornice the person (ACLU, 2017). The innumerable fragments of statute rise queries around mass media of self-censorship and the part of federal communication commission in amendable liberty of communication. The matters of childrens television by restricting the number of commercial and induces broad caster to show scholastic program was regulated by the children television act 1990. To control the matters on the television another act was passed in December 1990 called television violence Act. In the year 1996 another act was passed known as telecommunication act which require the producers of the television sets to create a chip to be inserted in the television especially for parents to block programs depended on their sensual and ferocious matter. Conclusion:- So from the above discussion it is clear that censorship is very significant fragment of show business industry. It not only applies to movies but also to radios. Music, theatres, internet and all source of media. Many people gets offended by censorship and are not in favour of censorship such as play writers, theatre actors, movie actors, script writers etc. they are offended by such censorship in entertainment industry due to the constraint on the legislation and right of freedom of expression, however censorship is important as there are many issues and contents which are inappropriate for the audiences of less age that is teenagers or small children because they will be impacted by such inappropriate content on television or in movies and via audio through music. Sometimes censorship becomes important to maintain the religious and communal harmony in the country. Many countries follows different laws regarding censorship of the content to be displayed. Hence it can be concluded t hat censorship plays a vital role in entertainment industry. References: CPJ(2017)Committee to Protect journalists [online] Available at: https://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php [Accessed 9th April. 2017] Prize(2017)Censorship in entertainment industry [online] Available at: https://prezi.com/l94jjjoridoa/censorship-in-the-entertainment-industry/ [Accessed 9th April. 2017] Hollywood(2017)Cannes[online] Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-japans-entertainment-sector-faces-795554[Accessed 9th April. 2017] Indiabix(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.indiabix.com/group-discussion/censorship-in-movies-our-culture/[Accessed 9th April. 2017] CQ press(2017)Censorship of movies and tv [online] Available at: https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre1961041200[Accessed 9th April. 2017] CPJ (2017) 10 more consored countries [online] Available at: https://cpj.org/reports/2006/05/10-most-censored-countries.php[Accessed 9th April. 2017] ACLU(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.aclu.org/other/freedom-expression-arts-and-entertainment [Accessed 9th April. 2017] US legal (2017)Censorship [online] Available at:https://entertainmentlaw.uslegal.com/censorship/[Accessed 9th April. 2017] Oxford bilbiographies(2017)Censorship [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199791286/obo-9780199791286-0015.xml [Accessed 9th April. 2017].[1]

Inwardlistening free essay sample

Do you see the eel in the wheelbarrow?My father swiftly highlights the smaller word encased in the larger one with aleathery finger that acts as his yardstick in our makeshift classroom. My mind iselsewhere, meandering back to the display at the Natural History Museum,revealing the bones of one fish interred in the bones of another. I amremembering all the fish, staring back at me with their pinprick eyes, bearingteeth straight and narrow as the tines of a fork, their dried-out scales, thinand fragile as onion paper, glowing in the dimly lit air-conditioned hallway, asdark and dank as the seas chilly infinite to a girl, not yet half her grownheight, whose small hand is growing gummy inside her fathers larger one. To tell it beginning with school would be foolish. The story goesback further, to words mingled with glass breath, tumbling in arabesquesfrom a training tongue and shattering in mid-air, a sound,enchanting. We will write a custom essay sample on Inwardlistening or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My father is looking at me expectantly, so I focus withfeigned intensity. These reading lessons are an evening ritual. We clear thetable of our mismatched plates and bring out the McGuffy Readers, phonics drillsand twin pink books filled with lists of compound words. We do this so that I canhopefully start next year at a private school. From what I can gather, my parentsreally want this for me. My father spends his days in a cramped apartmentabove ours, writing about education to the beat of the typewriters shriekingartillery. On afternoons and weekends I sit contently at his feet, beneath thecollapsible plastic table that is his desk, and write plays about princessescrushed by elephants, or poems about families of rocks. I am beginning to realizethat re-reading my own writing inevitably makes my ears flush with shame.Occasionally my father will stop typing, lace his hands together behind his headand stretch, leaning back in his squeaky cherrywood chair. He will peer under thetable to ask a question about school, or once, to show me the inside of one ofhis books, a photograph of the author, his crooked gap-toothed grin spreadingfrom one wonky ear to another, like that of a beggar or snake charmer. This, hewould explain later, was Piaget, adding, Isnt he scary looking, Grace?Would you like to be taught by someone who looked like him? I came tounderstand that this was more a reflection of my fathers distaste for Piagetsreasoning than for his appearance. I am still unclear whether my fatherswriting was intended to morph into a coherent book, or if it were only for us.One thing I understood, though, was that I was his educational guinea pig, a roleI loved. I cannot yet read my fathers books, adorning our shelveslike trophies. Instead I breathe the manifold musty luxuriance of brittleyellowed pages, tearing at a touch. This is the reason I am readingand rereading the word wheelbarrow, trying to understand its syllables andintonation so that I can sound it out honestly with my eyes, ears and tongue allin agreement. It is a funny word whose concentricity seems to double back onitself, the convex wheel resting in the concave barrow the first half of theword whizzing out of my mouth, with the second half somersaulting lackadaisicallybehind. It is the kind of word I want to holler down the drainpipe. Myfather sees that this lesson is wearing on me, so he suggests a walk. Outside therain is falling in sporadic spits. Standing on tiptoe in front of the window, Ican see a few umbrellas blooming above the asphalt; they are gradually slickedover with the gloss of rain, making them gleam sapphire, onyx andtourmaline. Neither of us tote umbrellas; we do not like to carry anythingand instead revel in freedom of movement. The rain quickly begins to pearl in myhair, soft and thin it hangs low on the nape of my neck. I try to imitate myfathers walk. Beneath his Greenwich Village uniform a sheepskin coat, marledwool cap, and faded Levis he is as dignified as a heron. We make ourway downtown toward the river. I leap over the deceitfully shallow-lookingpuddles surrounding each corner like a moat. When we reach the river, the rain isnearly done and the misty Hudson is redeemed by the orange light of early eveningshining down the brick of nearby buildings. My father stands next to mewith his hands in his pockets like theyre keeping him balanced. I notice that hehas let go of my hand. I am looking at him, and he is looking at theriver. Across the waves where the twilight deepens all the sky at once, a transition, seamless as the lining ofreverie. My father gave me my independence in bits and pieces, entrustingit to me with the same care and consideration of one placing something preciousand breakable into a hand of unknown steadiness. I try to knot back togethersmall moments like these to give my childhood some kind of incremental coherence,but it is as difficult as recalling my grammar and spelling lessons atfive. Years later, when I graduate from high school, after having triedthe full spectrum public and private, traditional and progressive, coed andsingle sex, downtown and uptown I will look back and feel thankful for thecross-section, however incomplete. Mostly, though, I will go out walking in thehours when the street lamps are warming into dusk and the city is infused with awomb-like familiarity, taking time to stop and read the crooked letters, es likecurlicues, and as leaning into downtown, that a child has scrawled on thepavement, with a smooth stick of chalk.

Repentance vs. Remorse free essay sample

Repent does, however, mean; to turn away from sin and resolve to reform ones life. To further break It down, I looked up the words resolve and reform. Resolve means to determine; decide. Reform, however, has many definitions applicable to the word repent; 1). To make better or improve by removal of faults. 2). To correct or improve ones own character or habits. 3). Improvement or correction of what is corrupt or defective.So from this analysis of the word repent, I have learned that God does not desire my remorseful apology, but rather that I turn away from my sin(s). To turn away from means I must stop doing, just as It Is Impossible to face both east and west simultaneously. So to replace the word repentance with these definitions, the sentence now reads; where there Is no running away from sin and deciding/ determining to improve my life and character by removal of fault and improvement of what is corrupt or defective within me, there can be no remission. We will write a custom essay sample on Repentance vs. Remorse or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This brings me to the definition of the word remission. Remission is defined as the act or process of remitting, so I had to look up the root word remit, for which two definitions stuck out. The first was the obvious definition of forgive; pardon. Self-explanatory. The second definition, to give or gain relief from, Interested me because the dictionary referenced this definition to pain. So now I understand that if I do not repent, then God can not forgive or pardon me, nor can he give me relief from my pain. I realize from this study that many people, me included, confuse the definition of the word repent with the definition of the word remorse. Remorse is defined as a gnawing distress arising from a sense of guilt for past wrongs. This Is not to say that one shouldnt feel remorseful, as any person with a conscience will undoubtedly feel at times. Rather It Is saying that we can not use our remorseful feelings as a replacement for repentance. Through the breakdown of the rod repent we learned that we must resolve, or determine, or decide to change our lives.This means we must make a conscious effort, a choice if you will, to turn away from our wrongdoings. We must choose a different path. I also realize that though remorse must not replace repentance, it does play a part in the act of repentance. A person will never stop committing an act If they dont see the error of their ways. If away and choose to stop doing it. Where there is no remorse, there will be no repentance. But where there is no repentance there can be no remission.

American Government Journal Topics

American Government Journal Topics Journal topics can be another method  for students to learn about American Government. The following topics can be used in Civics and American Government courses: Democracy to me means†¦An alien has just landed. Explain to that alien the purpose of government.Identify a need in your school that you believe should be addressed. Write in your journal what changes you believe should be made as if you were presenting this to your principal.Describe what you believe life would be like in a dictatorship.What questions would you specifically like to ask the President of the United States?Taxes in this country are†¦If I could add an amendment to the constitution it would be†¦Capital punishment is†¦Which is more important to your daily life: local government, state government, or federal government? Explain in our journal why you answered as you did.The state of _____ (fill in your state) is unique because†¦I consider myself (republican, democrat, independent) because†¦Republicans are†¦Democrats are†¦If you could step back in time, what questions would you ask the founding fathers?Which Founding Father or Foundin g Mother would you most like to meet? Why?What three words would you use to describe America? Explain how you plan to participate in government as you grow older.Public opinion polls are†¦Imagine that the school board has decided to eliminate your favorite program from school. For example, they might have decided to do away with art classes, band, track and field, etc. What could you do to protest this move?A president should be†¦

Major Factors Influencing the Fast Moving Consumer Goods Dissertation

Major Factors Influencing the Fast Moving Consumer Goods - Dissertation Example According to the statistics, the country improved its net worth of FMCG from an initial $884 million in 2008 to $1 billion in 2011 (Iheduru, 2012). There is high competition in this sector, and this explains why majority of foreign-based firms have become interested in the Nigerian market. Many factors account for this scenario experienced in the Nigerian FMCG market. For example, strong economic growth, relatively political stability, and increased consumerism in the country can explain why FMCG market continues to expand in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the sector has not been immune to challenges, which tend to reverse the gains made in the sector. Some of the challenges arise from insecurity issues, political uncertainties in terms of post-election violence, infrastructural impediment, structural and regulatory bottlenecks, and distribution inefficiency (Iheduru, 2012). Therefore, it is in this state of lack of clarity that information has to be sought regarding Nigeria’s FMCG se ctor, and identify specific factors enhancing the growth of FMCG sector. FMCGs Industry Most literatures depict FMCGs industry to be concerned with production, distribution, and marketing of packaged products to diverse group of consumers. Various factors have been explored, which are perceived to have direct or indirect role in the development and sustenance of FMCG industry. Many of these factors can be categorized as both internal and external and have to do with general business environment (Paul, 2010). Therefore, some of the identified factors, which have made the industry blossom include the cost of operations estimated to be low, availability and utilization of efficient and effective distribution networks, the increasing competition in the sector that motivate many players, and the increasing number of people in different countries has also enhanced consumerism (Paul, 2010). These factors can be used to explain the Nigerian scenario, but other micro-aspects found in the country have to be investigated. In order to find out which specific factors have contribute d to progress of FMCGs industry in Nigeria, survey is conducted on a number of FMCGs in the country and analysis of generated resulted will be undertaken. The understanding is that, effective analysis of the results will clearly show which factors and to what level they have contributed to grow of FMCGs in Nigeria. How FMCGs companies in Nigeria try to build on their market share Increasing market share is one of the critical aspects players in the FMCGs industry try to achieve. Given that it was earlier identified that competition in FMCGs sector is increasing, the participants have innovated diverse methods and strategies to stay ahead of the rest. In other words, achieving competitive advantage and remaining in a win-win situation requires market participants (sellers) to identify the most appropriate and best strategies. For example, earlier studies that have been done have shown that, in order to create and increase market share, FMCGs firms adopt some of the following market s trategies. The firms innovate and market strong product brands as compared to their competitors (Gough 2004). Product brand is one of the most frequently and thoroughly used strategy by FMCGs firms to identify, penetrate, and control markets in different regions in which they operate. By owning and promoting strong brands, firms are able to resonate well with a particular market niche, which subsequently leads to increase in market share, a fact

Implementation of ERP systems in health care sector Term Paper

Implementation of ERP systems in health care sector - Term Paper Example So the companies from not only from corporate world but others like NGO’s, hospitals are looking forward for the perfect solution to equip with modern business processes like ERP solutions because it provides unlimited access to information and enable them to compete effectively. Some other factors that have a strong influence on the growing demand for ERP solutions are rapid increase in industrialization and increasing use of integrated legacy systems. Enterprise Resource Planning which was considered as the most critical in mid-90s when it was initially introduced has now capturing the IT market because of its effectiveness. Many companies like multinationals and having a complex and multi boundaries infrastructure are using ERP to manage effectively their records like effective resource planning, management control, and operational control. ERP is not just a piece of computer software in fact it provides a complete solution of every issue can be discussed in a company regar ding management. It has completely changed the businesses scenario that is a reason number of organizations and industries are operating it is increasing day by day. In fact research shows that many organizational performances have been improved after the deployment of ERP software solutions because it covers almost every aspect of management like resource planning, management control, and operational control. ERP is so much in demand that it holds a great set of solution for every business. ERP has brought some "Valuable Competence theory" in to the world of IT. There are different kinds of companies so the requirement for management of their resources can vary according to their nature of business. Like for production companies are the ones who require this solution the most, DHL or FEDEX are an example of this control their resources by using ERP. The interesting thing about these distribution companies is they just focus on their delivering what has been produced by others. Many public services organizations especially NGO’s and hospitals are also using the ERP solution for the effective management. A significant change has been seen in health care industry by the time which has forced the hospitals to follow latest technology trends like ERP solutions for better services to their patients along with making their investment worthy. Hospitals cannot follow traditional practices and technologies. They need to update their system in terms of latest technology usage and making information transfer faster to provide better services and to their patients. An overview of the hospital: The hospital which is in study is complete working on manual system. The hospital is operating with few departments before but now expanding its services as one of the leading hospitals of the city. The hospital has started dealing in many departments like Opening services in various departments like Internal Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Anesthesiology, Pediatrics, Ca rdiac Surgery, Oncology, Radiology, General Surgery, Neuro Surgery and expanding its Laboratory along with a blood bank. Also the hospital is opening its services for outdoor patients too. And the patient can get the services from 9.00a.m to 5.00p.m in that department. So because of this the medical staff also increased. This enforces the management to deploy such an effective system which can effectively manages all the information and assist the

Legal Age for Alcohol Consumption Essay Example for Free

Legal Age for Alcohol Consumption Essay Different governments have age limits for legal consumption of alcohol. For instance, in most western states individuals below 18 years of age should not consume alchohol. Other countries have an age limit of 15 years (Miller, 2010). All these governments have reasons for setting this age requirements for alcohol consumption. For example, some argue that raising the legal age limit may not have an impact on society, if people do not have the will and zeal to stop irresponsible drinking. Others argue that raising the legal age limit would allow individuals to drink when they are mature and responsible (Kolander, 2011). This would reduce chances of irresponsible drinking. I believe governments should raise the legal age requirement for alcohol consumption, as an effort to reduce the negative impacts of alcohol to society. I support the idea of raising the age limit for alcohol consumption. However, I also believe that this cannot be a successful measure to deal with the negative impacts of alcohol to society, without using other avenues. For instance, governments should implement a program to educate the youth on the negative impacts of alcohol. According to reports from a number of police departments, most youth consume alcohol when they have not met the age limit. This implies that raising the age limit can only be effective if parents instill morals in their young children (Miller, 2010). Therefore, the religious groups and the family have a massive role to play in regulating early consumption of alcohol. Secondly, raising the age limit for consumption of alcohol will reduce the harm of alcohol on the health of consumers. Individuals suffer from chronic effects due to alcohol consumption when they have access to it at early ages. For instance, the danger that an individual who started consuming alcohol at the age of 18, is more severe than that of an individual who started drinking at 25. Health experts have claimed that early exposure to alcohol consumption has drastic effects on key internal body organs, compared to individuals who start consuming alcohol at late ages. In addition, raising the legal age for alcohol consumption reduces chances of addiction, due to less exposure (Billings, 2010). Early exposure to alcohol consumption has also led to a deteriorated culture in society. Families have broken up due to irresponsible drinking by children, who end up indulging in other criminal activities such as burglary, to finance their alcoholic behavior. At the current legal requirement of 18 years, most youth may not have the finances to finance their consumption of alcohol. This makes them depend on their parents by lying to them, to get money. In the event that the parents are not able to meet the financial demands of the children, the children look for other options to financial stability. Some go to the extent of stage managing kidnaps to get money from parents. This has eroded the positive values of society, especially the youth, who are the largest group of the world’s population (Kolander, 2011). In conclusion, the above illustrations indicate that early exposure to alcohol consumption has more negative effects than positives. For example, individuals have a high probability of acquiring health complications, such as lung and kidney infections. Secondly, early access to alcohol consumption also erodes the morality of society. In addition, early alcohol consumption may also affect the academic life of young adults, who end up as addicts to alcohol. These young adults also face the threat of joining illegal gangs in society. Thus, it would be reasonable to suggest that governments should consider revising the legal age limit upwards. However, other institutions in society must also aid in alleviating the negative impacts of alcohol to society. Religious groups and the family should provide advice to young adults on the dangers of early alcohol consumption. References Billings, S. (2010, October 24). Should the Legal Drinking Age Be Raised to 25 to Eliminate Deadly College Partying? Retrieved July 19, 2012, from christwire.org: http://christwire.org/2010/10/should-the-legal-drinking-age-be-raised-to-25-to-eliminate-deadly-college-partying/ Kolander, R. W. (2011). Drug Abuse Prevention. New York: Jones Bartlett Learning. Miller, W. R. (2010). Rethinking Substance Abuse: What the Science Shows, and What We Should Do

Gender Issues in Developing Countries

Gender Issues in Developing Countries Empowerment of Rural Woman in Bangladesh through Agriculture Introduction The gender issue in developing countries again highlighted at the World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 (Hicks, 1997). Women’s work in the productive and social sectors is a key aspect of development. Everyone has a unique classification of empowerment based on his or her life experiences, behavior, and ambitions, person has the power to decide about their things, their life, and their actions can be identified as empowerment. Rao and Kelleher stated that â€Å"the capacity of women to be economically self-sufficient and self-reliant with control over decisions affecting their life options and freedom from violence† (Rao and Kelleher, 1995). The disempowerment of women reflects upon their less education level income, control over their own income, bargaining power in selling their own produce and labor. This susceptible condition ended an overall dependency of women on their male relatives through their life cycle particularly in developing countries which lowers their value of life in the society. Bangladesh is a developing country, according to the United Nations Gender-related Development Index (GDI), Bangladesh ranked 105th out of a total of 177 countries worldwide (Grimm, Harttgen et al., 2008). A patriarchal social system dominate the life of women in Bangladesh, controls a women’s mobility, the roles and everyday jobs. In Bangladesh traditionally men dominate women in all spheres of life. The poor women in rural areas having the least power, have few rights, little choice about their lives, and very few chances to modification their condition. Women in Bangladesh in rural area are generally illiterate and often have the least to eat. Though, despite all of the problems, women do play a significant role in agricultural activities in Bangladesh. Agricultural activities includes crop production and processing, post-harvest operations, livestock husbandry, aquaculture and agro-social forestry. Figure – 1 The Ratio of economically active women working in agriculture, 1980-2010    Source: FAO (2003) LIFDCs: low income food deficit countries LDCs: Least Developed Countries The female contribution to the overall economy in developing countries have particularly 43% of the agricultural labor force in developing countries in the agricultural sector like Bangladesh but societal and economic constraints limit their further inclusion in this field. (Food and Organization, 2011). Around 84% of the total population lives in rural areas where agriculture plays vital role in the economy, this sector comprises crops, forests, fisheries and livestock, Women’s involvement to agriculture considered as unpaid family labor, is grossly underestimated. Bangladesh is a traditional Muslim country where women are hardly participate in agricultural activities outside home (Hossain and Bayes, 2009). In Bangladesh the women’s agricultural activities limited to homestead production and post-harvest operations but in recent years they are mostly involved in livestock and poultry rearing activities besides crop production. In Bangladesh women’s contribution to socio-economic development were not noticeable, because of a set of social standards which allowed men to dominate women Women’s contribution in agricultural production is processing and storage of grains and pulses with household based small-scale industry. Men specially worked in public space like the fields, roads and market place on the other hand restrictions prevent women from attending the market. The contribution of women remains socially invisible; control over the proceeds of their labor is transferred to male hands. In the case of rice, which is the main crops in Bangladesh provides a significant example of this process. Main responsible for preparing the fields, sowing the seeds, weeding and harvesting are men also carried the harvest home and help in the threshing. Women then conquest the process the paddy into rice, includes parboiling and drying the paddy, and storing the grain. In Bangladesh women spent an average of 3.1 hours per day on agricultural work while men spent 5.1 hours (Zaman, 1995). In Bangladesh the farm technologies are not adequately developed to handle although participation of women in agriculture increasing (Jaim and Hossain, 2011). Women’s role is changing from unpaid family worker to active worker which is called as â€Å"feminization of agriculture in the absence of male members in the family. Contribution of women in the agricultural sector has increased over time. Women’s work increased from 3.2 million in Survey 1985/86 to 21 million in Survey 1989 (Rahman and Routray, 1998). During 1999–2000 and 2005–06, the number has increased from 3.76 to 7.71 million (Asaduzzaman, 2010). Women more likely to be involved in the agricultural sector who has poor households and risk of being food-insecure, because there’s earnings are important to their families’ survival. Limited use of ownership, and control of productive physical and human capital emphasis on women’s ability to generate income in the agricultural sector. The disadvantage of Bangladeshi women relative to men with respect to assets brought to marriage, and human capital (Quisumbing, 2003). Women in Bangladesh lag behind in terms of education and the lack of education in adult women in Bangladesh live below half a dollar a day make them very poor (Ahmed, Hill et al., 2007) Development in poultry created many employment opportunity in poultry industry and poultry related products. The revolution in poultry industry has achieved more than 200 percent growth last 5 years because of new technology.(Shamsuddoha, 2005) Poultry rearing can be considered as an alternative income generating activity for the development of rural women of Bangladesh. Poultry farming is mostly homestead-based and contributes an important role to the agricultural sector in Bangladesh. Poultry rearing generates extra income for these families which is a part of agro-rearing practices of the village community of Bangladesh. Around 89% of the rural house-holds rear poultry (Fattah, 2000), mainly operated and managed by rural women on a small scale. Furthermore 70% of rural landless women are directly or indirectly involved in poultry rearing activities. Family restrictions, social and traditional barriers keep rural women unable to work outside their home. For these difficult circumstances, homestead poultry rearing is considered the best way to add contribution to the household. It requires least land, small amount of investment and traditional knowledge. Now a day’s one of the main sources of income for the rural women of Bangladesh is home-based poultry. They have the opportunity to spend the earnings for children, special occasions even educating their children. extra income from home-based poultry rearing provides the survival of rural families which empowered by decision making process and gives them freedom to take part in making family decisions. (Hadi, 1997). By increasing the food consumption and nutrient intake poultry projects help rural women (Nielsen, Roos et al., 2003). Now a days the growing awareness in Bangladesh is rural women can play a vital role to the socio-economic growth of the country and provide their families with a higher standard of living (Alam, 1997). In this way poultry rearing can provide significant benefits to rural women in Bangladesh which lead to better empowerment. Bangladesh is the most promising countries for freshwater aquaculture industry which is second only to agriculture in the overall economy for its abundant water resources and sub-tropical climate conditions. Women are involved in various aspects of freshwater aquaculture activities like fish feeding, on-farm feed preparation, pond fertilization, stocking and harvesting. Women’s participation in the fish industry the production has increased by up to 20% (Ahmed and Toufique, 2014). Aquaculture related activities are very important for the empowerment of rural women in Bangladesh. Most rural women have the absence of technical knowledge in aquaculture, heavy household tasks and socio-cultural constraints such as mobility restriction keeps out women’s participation in aquaculture activities. For this contribution in aquaculture by women is under expectation. Economic, nutritional and social benefits are interlinked in order to empower rural women in Bangladesh. Women have generally improved their standard of living, purchasing power and ability as an economic actor which enhance their position in families. Women’s participation in aquaculture improve empowerment which give them greater equity, mobility, more control over resources and political awareness helps to reduce incidents of domestic violence .The expansion of small-scale aquaculture in rural Bangladesh, the women are now breaking through the traditional norms and able to come forward for participate in the development activities outside their homesteads. Several rural women in Bangladesh have successfully adopted and developed with aquaculture production. They feed and harvest fish, also raise fry to yield fingerlings for stocking ponds, they are mainly responsible for the skilled and time consuming tasks that take place on-shore like making and mending nets, processing and marketing fish. Women are previously engaged in coastal area of Bangladesh where shrimp farming is a dominant occupation. Nearly 85% of the women are involved in fry collecting which does not interfere with their day-to-day household work, and helps addition the household income.(Shelly and Costa, 2002). Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh works upon addressing poverty as well as rural development, gender equality, environmental preservation, tragedy management, human rights and other social issues. It also support communal and financial empowerment of the poor, microcredit, agriculture and related activities, water supply and sanitation, women entrepreneur development and other areas. Bangladesh is the most active NGO sector in the developing world, over 6000 registered NGOs are active and about 10 percent play a major role. (Rahman, 2006) The NGOs works on many programs to develop women development and sustainable development in the society, raise the capacity of the women to participate in national, social and democratic processes and to participate in national and local business activities. Most of the sectors are agro based due to most of the women are still engaged with the agro-based sectors like paddy production, poultry farming, dairy farming etc. Conclusion In recent year a great percentage women in Bangladesh are both directly and indirectly involved in agricultural activities . In crop production activities women involvement is mostly related to managerial activities. Women friendly pre-harvest as well as post- harvest technologies for crop production and processing. Participation of women in Livestock and poultry production activities as well as in homestead gardening has gradually increased to a substantial extent. A women in Bangladesh feel more comfortable in agricultural activities. If a woman achieve capability in 80% or more of the weighted pointed as empowered When economic activities incise the rural women benefit most in Bangladesh. Socioeconomic conditions rise within the households with increased participation in aquaculture, which give her increased decision-making power on household management and income making activities. Poverty is the main cause of difference in a rural phenomenon, for the impact of fisheries and aquaculture gender equity become very high. Most prominently visible economic benefits were able to originate from various activities has gained them suitable place in the decision making process. References Ahmed, A. U., et al. (2007). The world’s most deprived: Characteristics and causes of extreme poverty and hunger International Food Policy Research Institute. Washington, DC: 145. Ahmed, N. and K. A. Toufique (2014). Greening the blue revolution of smallà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ scale freshwater aquaculture in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Aquaculture Research. Alam, J. (1997). Impact of smallholder livestock development project in some selected areas of rural Bangladesh. Livestock research for rural development 9(3): 1-14. Asaduzzaman, M. (2010). The next agricultural transition in Bangladesh: Which transition, why and how? conference on Understanding the Next Generation in Asia, Bangkok, April. Fattah, K. A. (2000). Poultry as a tool in poverty eradication and promotion of gender equality. Frands Dolberg and Poul Henning Petersen (eds.) 10. Food, U. and A. Organization (2011). The State of Food and Agriculture 2010–2011: Women in Agriculture: Closing the Gender Gap for Development. FAO Home, http://www. fao. org/docrep/013/i2050e/i2050e00. htm (accessed 1 November 2011). Grimm, M., et al. (2008). A human development index by income groups.World development 36(12): 2527-2546. Hadi, A. (1997). The NGO intervention and womens empowerment--the Bangladesh experience. Hicks, D. A. (1997). The inequality-adjusted human development index: a constructive proposal. World development 25(8): 1283-1298. Hossain, M. and A. Bayes (2009). Rural economy and livelihoods: Insights from Bangladesh, AH Development Publishing House. Jaim, W. and M. Hossain (2011). Women’s Participation in Agriculture in Bangladesh 1988-2008: Changes and Determinants. pre-conference event on â€Å"Dynamics of Rural Livelihoods and Poverty in South Asia 7th Asian Society of Agricultural Economists (ASAE) International Conference Hanoi, Vietnam. Nielsen, H., et al. (2003). The impact of semi-scavenging poultry production on the consumption of animal source foods by women and girls in Bangladesh. The Journal of nutrition 133(11): 4027S-4030S. Quisumbing, A. R. (2003). Household decisions, gender, and development: a synthesis of recent research, International Food Policy Research Institute. Rahman, S. (2006). Development, democracy and the NGO sector theory and evidence from Bangladesh. Journal of developing societies 22(4): 451-473. Rahman, S. and J. K. Routray (1998). Technological change and womens participation in crop production in Bangladesh. Gender, Technology and Development 2(2): 243-267. Rao, A. and D. Kelleher (1995). Engendering organizational change: the BRAC case. IDS bulletin 26(3): 69-78. Shamsuddoha, M. (2005). Poultry rearing-an alternative income generating activity for rural women development of Bangladesh.Chittagong University Journal of Commerce 19. Shelly, A. and M. Costa (2002). Women in aquaculture: initiatives of caritas Bangladesh. Penang, Malaysia, ICLARM-The World Fish Center: 77-87. Zaman, H. (1995). Patterns of activity and use of time in rural Bangladesh: class, gender, and seasonal variations. The Journal of Developing Areas: 371-388.

Electoral College Of U.S.A Essay

The President and Vice-President of U. S. A are being elected by a body of electors. The scripter’s of U. S Constitution formulated an indirect method for electing the President and Vice-President. This method is known as the ‘Electoral College â€Å"which scripter viewed that would end in informed, educated persons being selected to their nation’s top position. However, each political party in U. S. A picks up their own cadres to act as electors to elect the top leaders. Thus, presidential candidates have to secure majority votes in the Electoral College for winning the election. In the U. S Presidential election, voters do not vote for President or Vice-President directly but pick up electors who are pledged to support their presidential candidates. Each State in U. S. A has as many electors at is has U. S Senators which will be normally two and U. S Representatives, the number will be depending upon the state’s population. For instance, the District of Colombia is having three electoral votes. Those presidential candidates who have the most popular votes win all of the state’s electoral votes. This is recognized as the â€Å"winner-take-all† rule. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2007). The electors in each state will assemble in their legislative assemblies and vote for presidential candidate during the election time. Thus, each state testimony its electoral votes and forwards the results to the U. S Congress which counts the ballots. The counting will be carried over by the Senate and the House of Representatives and it will review the â€Å"Electoral College† votes. The candidate who obtains the majority of 270 Electoral College votes out of total 538 wins despite of the outcome of the popular votes. In case, if there is a tie or if no candidate obtains a majority, then the House of Representatives picks up the President and the Senate picks up the Vice President. Due to the concept â€Å"winner-take-all† dictum, it is possible as it had happened in the year 2000 election (Bush v Al Gore), a candidate who win the popular vote and still lose the Electoral College. Dating from 1845, the federal law requires that electors must be chosen on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November and the counting of votes will be perused by the Congress on January 6. The Electoral College is vehemently attacked that it has to be reformed as it had given the country about 14 minority presidents. Thus, the following are the Presidents who had won the majority in the Electoral College even though they lacked behind in obtaining popular vote. It is to be observed that among the above mentioned Presidents, only Harrison, Hayes and George W. Bush failed to obtain a plurality of the popular vote. The main aim of the Electoral College system is to give more recognition to the less populace states on the basis of the number of a state’s electors on its senators and U. S representatives and to prevent the President to focus more attention to most populous states and on the problems significant to their voters. One of the main intentions of Electoral College is to make sure that most qualified candidate and not the most popular candidate would be chosen by electors on behalf of their states but by making an independent judgment. After the Twelfth Amendment, there were copious efforts to amend the Electoral College and to alter the system of presidential election, but none of them has succeeded. George W. Bush popular-vote loss and victory in Electoral College with a thin margin in the year 2000 again triggered the support for annulment of Electoral College system as it lacks natural justice in deciding the victory of the presidential election.

Leadership Failure at Tyco Essay

William B. Lytton remembers the aura of working in the White House in 1987, amidst the power and the personalities that surrounded President Ronald Reagan. Lytton had taken leave from his Philadelphia law firm for six months to act as Deputy Special Counselor for Reagan during the Iran-Contra investigation. â€Å"I would mentally pause and think of how fortunate I was to be there,† Lytton recalled. But as if to check that emotion, he would summon the lessons of John Dean, the young White House lawyer who found himself caught up in the Watergate scandal after allowing himself to become â€Å"dazzled,† as Lytton put it, by the blinding light of power. Speaking to several hundred Vermont Law school students, Lytton recommended they readBlind Ambition, Dean’s memoir about the Watergate years. The book, he said, would serve as a vehicle for young lawyers to question themselves on how they might behave in such a situation. Lytton’s Oct. 6 lecture, entitled â€Å"Just Say No,† laid out the ethical challenges faced by lawyers in a culture where it is often difficult to speak up to power, whether it be in a politically charged atmosphere such as the White House or in a corporate culture such as Tyco International. Lytton stepped in as general counsel at Tyco in 2002 as the company was enmeshed in a multi-billion accounting fraud scandal. Lytton’s role was to resolve the legal issues and clean up the culture, no small feat in a $38 billion company that employed 260,000 people worldwide. His friend was among those under indictment. In the Tyco failure, Lytton said, â€Å"They failed as leaders. They forgot that leadership was about serving others and not themselves. † But it was also a failure of those who follow the leaders, the corporate lawyers who failed in their duty to keep the leaders in check. Like John Dean during Watergate, Tyco lawyers wanted to please their bosses. When the scope of the corporate corruption became clear, Lytton said, the remaining questions were, â€Å"Where were the lawyers? Where was the harsh spotlight of scrutiny? † Yet while the public clamors for criminal prosecutions in such cases, Lytton maintains that it is not illegal intent, but rather the culture of the corporate world and the pressure â€Å"to make your numbers† that often drives corporations into such scandals. Most of the people who became infamous for their misdeeds&helip;were not evil people,† said Lytton, who also serves as a VLS Trustee. As he sees it, they lost sight of the cultural boundaries, blinded by their own career advancement goals. That, he said, is where the role of the corporate lawyer becomes critical. â€Å"As a lawyer, you have a greater and a different responsibility than everyone else,† he said. While it might prove difficult to stop bad th ings from happening, â€Å"Sometimes,† he said, â€Å"you do need to just say no. † A leader plays very important role in the success of the organization. Good leader has vision and he can take the organization forward, a not so good leader finds himself unable to influence the employees and lacks vision and he may cause the failure of the organization. A good leader has exceptional quality to influence his followers . A leader has extraordinary effect on followers and followers become committed to the leader. So, if leader is taking his followers towards the organizational goal, it is positive for the organization. A good leader has power to motivate the followers to contribute individually and hence collectively to the organization. Leader helps the followers (employees) to achieve the goals and objectives set for the organization. A participative leader includes the employees in decision making process. He encourages the employees to share their ideas and views which is considered in decision making process. It makes the decision making like a team work and employees feel themselves a part of the decision making team. So, participative style of leadership motivates the employees to contribute more and increases the belongingness. The leader has vision to foresee the future of the organization. He motivates the employees accordingly. He has influence among employees and he leads from front. By sharing that vision with other followers, and allowing them to take part in achieving that vision, all individuals will benefit from the successful results (Bateman, & Snell, 2007). Any organization’s long term goal is more than just making profit. Organization needs to manage its resources including human resource, efficiently to achieve the set long term goal. Leader plays very crucial role in achieving the goal. He can lead the organization to success or failure. All leadership styles try to achieve same goal, i. e. o help the employees to contribute more individually as well as collectively, and take the organization forward. Organizational culture plays major role in the success of an organization. A successful leader helps in creating healthy organizational culture which allows individual as well as organization to grow and sustain the growth. The failure of the leader is reflected in the weak organizational culture which may result in the failure of the organization. Other important factor which decides the success or failure of an organization is management and organizational structure. Management is responsible for long term planning and setting up the goal of the organization. They have the control of the organization. Top management executes Planning function of management as per POLC model. Other activities of the organization are directed to achieve the goal set in planning phase. If top management fails in setting right long term goal of the organization, all other activities will also be directed in wrong direction and hence, organization may not sustain for long. Organization’s structure and hierarchy delegates power(authority) and responsibilities. It dictates who will do what and who has got what level of authority. Organization’s structure tells who is in charge of taking what decision and who is responsible for a specific act and decision. A successful organization should have clearly defined delegation of authority so that if something goes wrong, management can track the responsible person and know the reason why it went wrong. Sometimes organization deliberately create the organization structure in such a way that any mischief can not be determined easily. In short term organization may be benefited from such organizational structure, but in long term kit may be fatal for the organization’s very existence. TYCO International Tyco International is a diversified global manufacturing and service provider company, having stake in electronics and telecommunication, security, healthcare, flow control etc. Tyco Tyco has been victim of many scandals. It has been acquiring so many businesses and in year 2002 it posted extensive loss. In an effort to cut losses, Tyco divested Tyco capital business through IPO. Tyco healthcare segment also divested its Surgical Dynamics. As a result, in 2002, turnover rose to $35 billion but company incurred a loss of $9 million, including asset impairment write-down of $3 billion. In addition to the financial woes, Tyco faced another massive scandal in 2002- Its former chairman and CEO, L. Dennis Kozlowski was charged for excesses. In 2002, Edward D. Breen was appointed CEO of Tyco for three years. In 2004 Annual Report, then CEO Edward D.  Breen said- † Our success was based on a simple strategy: to make operational excellence a core competency, to build a platform for sustainable organic growth, to invest in our people, and to hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards†¦ † (Allen, & Hartman, 2008). Tyco was pursuing organic growth strategy. In organic growth, company seeks to grow by increasing revenue of existing business rather than acquiring other companies. This was a part of long term plan of Tyco. Tactical plans are made for shorter period to implement the long term plan successfully and achieve the long term goal set by the management. Tyco started working on reviving its corporate image and enhance consumer awareness. In order to build brand value, Tyco launched a global print campaign ion 2004 – â€Å"Tyco a vital part of your world. † Tyco started reviewing its core business and sold rest of the businesses. As a part of this strategy, Tyco sold TGN in 2004 (which was almost entirely written off by that time). In total, Tyco divested 21 businesses and liquidated 4 non-core businesses. In line of the strategic plan and tactical plan, Tyco’s operational plan was also showing same trend. Operational . Tyco had set very good operational plan as well. [pic] Failure of Tyco was the failure of management and leadership. All wrong decisions, lack of control, absence of any internal control system, organizational structure with flaw and weak organizational culture caused the failure of the giant Tyco International. Its former chairman and CEO, L. Dennis Kozlowski and senior managements faced prosecution for â€Å"larceny and conspiracy, falsifying business records and violating business law. † (Tyco Worldwide, 2004, 1). They were accused of misappropriating money and assets from the company for personal use totaling in the range of $210 million dollars. cover their theft, they entered into secret contracts, further damaging the company’s integrity. The executive’s unethical behavior resulted in huge debt and decoration of the value of shareholders. Tyco reached at the verge of bankruptcy. This kind of incident indicates how weak organizational culture was prevailing in Tyco. The leader himself was involved in unethical and illegal activities. A leader can cause success or failure of the organization. In case of Tyco, leader was the caused of the failure. Later, CEO and senior management had to resign and law indicted them. What happened in Tyco can be called failure of leadership and failure of management in checking unethical practice. All organizations have ethics code in place but it is merely a guideline. Organization should monitor how actively ethical code is followed. Moreover, a leader should take initiative and motivate and inspire the employees to follow the ethical practices so that slowly it becomes a part of the process and organizational culture.

Huck Finn Essays (2931 words) - English-language Films, Free Essays

Huck Finn Essays (2931 words) - English-language Films, Free Essays Huck Finn The narrator (later identified as Huckleberry Finn) begins Chapter One by stating that the reader may know of him from another book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mr. Mark Twain, but it ain't t no matter if you have not. According to Huck, Twain mostly told the truth, with some stretchers thrown in, though everyoneexcept Tom's Aunt Polly, the widow, and maybe Marylies once in a while. The other book ended with Tom and Huckleberry finding the gold some robbers had hidden in a cave. They got six thousand dollars apiece, which Judge Thatcher put in trust, so that they each got a dollar a day from interest. The Widow Douglas adopted and tried to civilise Huck. But Huck couldn't stand it so he threw on his old rags and ran away. But he went back when Tom Sawyer told him he could join his new band of robbers if he would return to the Widow and be respectable. The Widow lamented over her failure with Huck, tried to stuff him into cramped clothing, and before every meal had to grumble over the food before they could eat it. She tried to teach him about Moses, until Huck found out he was dead and lost interest. Meanwhile, she would not let him smoke; typically, she disapproved of it because she had never tried it, but approved of snuff since she used it herself. Her slim sister who wears glasses, Miss Watson, tried to give him spelling lessons. Meanwhile, Huck was going stir-crazy, made especially restless by the sisters' constant reminders to improve his behavior. When Miss Watson told him about the bad place, Hell, he burst out that he would like to go there, as a change of scenery. Secretly, Huck really does not see the point in going to the good place and resolved then not to bother trying to get there. When Huck asked, Miss Watson told him there was no chance Tom Sawyer would end up in Heaven. Huck was glad because I wanted him and me to be together. One night, after Miss Watson's prayer session with him and the slaves, Huck goes to bed feeling so lonesome I wished I was dead. He gets shivers hearing the sounds of nature through his window. Huck accidentally flicks a spider into a candle, and is frightened by the bad omen. Just after midnight, Huck hears movement below the window, and a me-yow sound, that he responds to with another me-yow. Climbing out the window onto the shed, Huck finds Tom Sawyer waiting for him. Commentary In a few short dense pages, Twain manages to accomplish a great deal. Most importantly, the two introductory notes and the first chapter establish the author's use of humor and irony, the character of Huckleberry Finn, the novel's theme, narration, and the use of dialect. One hateful word the characters use has brought occasional condemnation onto the book and its author. The characters of the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson are also established. As well, the author establishes that the reader needs no familiarity with his previous work, Tom Sawyer, to understand Huckleberry Finn, though he fills the reader in on the pertinent information from the previous work. The brief Notice that introduces the book has been reprinted above in its entirety. In humorously highfalutin language, it states that the reader must not seek plot, moral, or motive the last two of which likely correspond to the present-day concepts of theme and character development. Of course, what the author really means by this notice is that the book does in fact contain all these thingsthat it is more than just a children's, adventure, or humor book. Twain is using irony, saying one thing but meaning the opposite of its literal definition. He is using this irony humorously, covering this declaration of the book's seriousness in a joke. The joke pokes fun at the seriousness of adult American society, with its rules and officials, especially with the citation to G.G., Chief of Ordinance. Twain will use humor and irony throughout the book, most often combining the two. Indeed, humor usually occurs as a result of irony, with the gap between the expected and the actual provoking a

7 Rules For Formatting Lists

7 Rules For Formatting Lists 7 Rules For Formatting Lists 7 Rules For Formatting Lists By Mark Nichol Conventions for formatting lists are simple and straightforward, but many writers (and their editors) seem not to have gotten the memo. Here’s an outline about how to outline: 1. Numbered and Unnumbered Two basic categories for lists exist: numbered and unnumbered. Many numbered lists that people use online and in print have no need for numbers, because numeration implies a prioritized sequence, such as one of chronology. Number your lists only if there’s a rationale for ordering the items exactly as they’re listed. 2. The Bullets The items in unnumbered lists are often preceded by dots or other symbols known collectively as bullets, though such markers are technically not necessary, especially in a recipe or a materials list. (In those cases, it’s implicit that the ingredients or components are added or constructed in the order listed it’s actually a numbered list that needs no numbers.) 3. The Introductory Sentence When you set a numbered or unnumbered list up with an introductory sentence, it can be a complete sentence or an incomplete one, depending on how the list items are constructed. But follow it with a colon only if it’s a complete sentence. For example, you can write â€Å"To ensure success, consider these tips:† Alternatively, you can write, â€Å"To, ensure success, make certain that you† but only if each item in the list can independently complete a sentence starting with that setup. 4. The Single Items If the setup is a complete sentence, each list item can be a single word, a phrase, or a complete sentence, but it’s best if you’re consistent within a list. In this case, capitalize, and use a period, only in complete sentences. (And don’t deviate in how you form words, such as whether verbs appear in their root form or with -ed or -ing endings, for example.) 5. Punctuation If the setup is incomplete, only phrases that complete the setup are appropriate, and each one should end with a period. Don’t use commas or semicolons, and don’t append and to the second-to-last item. 6. List or Not? Before formatting a list, make sure it’s best displayed as such. A group of just a few items might better be run in, meaning simply included in a sentence. (Commas are sufficient to set off the items in a simple list; use semicolons only if list items themselves contain commas.) Conversely, lists consisting of items more than one sentence long are cumbersome, and these elements are usually more effectively presented within paragraphs or as separate paragraphs. In the latter case, they can be numbered, if necessary, or perhaps equipped with a heading for each item, if the items are more than a couple of sentences long. 7. Separators Also, in run-in lists, avoid separators like â€Å"1)† or â€Å"(a)† unless the wording or the punctuation fail to distinguish the items; even then, consider whether revision or reorganization can improve the clarity of the list. For simple outlines that have a couple of levels, use, in turn, roman numerals and lowercase letters. When constructing complex outlines, however, follow this standard sequence to identify items in each level: roman numeral uppercase letter arabic numeral lowercase letter arabic number followed by parenthesis or within parentheses lowercase letter followed by parenthesis or within parentheses Formatting lists correctly supports your efforts to communicate them clearly. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Cost-Effective vs. Cost-EfficientLatin Words and Expressions: All You Need to KnowWhat Is a Doctor?

Choose two books from list and summarize each book and then explain Essay

Choose two books from list and summarize each book and then explain how they compare and or contrast - Essay Example Wolfgang and Ferracuti offer explanations for the factors that drive homicide and other forms of violent criminal conduct. Ultimately the authors provide a generalized concept of the subculture of violence. Wilson and Hernstein argue that many of the theories that explain criminal behavior are based on erroneous conclusions (Wilson and Hernstein 41). For example, theorizing that economic difficulties increases the incidents of crime can encourage expectation of increased crime during â€Å"economic recessions† but will at the same time direct attention away from the possibility that â€Å"prosperity† could increase criminal conduct by loosening â€Å"social bonds† (Wilson and Hernstein 41). The fact is, there are number of factors that influence individual behavior and any realistic approach to theories in criminology must take account of the different factors that drive â€Å"individual decisions† (Wilson and Hernstein 42). It is against this background that Wilson and Hernstein bring together most of what has been gleaned from the practice of criminal justice and academic discourse such as economics, sociology, psychology and philosophy and apply this information to ascertain the underlying contributing factors to crime. The authors then come to the conclusion that there are three root causes of crime. By looking at the statistics on the young male population, Wilson and Hernstein come to the conclusion that boys with low intelligence and anger problems are predisposed to commit crimes. It therefore follows that if boys fitting that criteria increase among the population, an increase in criminal conduct will follow (Wilson and Hernstein, 104-172). In other words, the increased population of unintelligent, ill-disciplined boys in a community corresponds with an escalation in crime. The second set of factors that contribute to the propensity for criminal behavior is the potential

Montery Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Montery Policy - Essay Example Monetary expansionary policy is traditionally used to combat unemployment during recession, by lowering interest rates and increase in the total money supply. This is done with a view to increase consumer spending, creating demand for goods and services. However, if checks and balances are not kept in place, increased money supply with inadequate increase in supply of goods and services may lead to inflation, which in turn may accentuate demand contraction and therefore, recession! Mackay and Evans article, ‘Recession fears weigh heavily on the markets’ (WSJ, Nov 26, 2007) deals with the situation of the US economy in the background of mounting worries of market players about the sluggish economic growth and sub-prime crisis in the housing and mortgage markets. The 8.4% drop in the Dow Jones Industrial Average index, during the third week of November 2007 from its all time high and increased interest in the bond market are pointers to the market worries. The Federal officials do not share this gloomy prediction and expect the economy to clock 1.8 to 2.5% growth in the next year and that the sub-prime crisis should bottom out soon. This view is also supported by the Commerce Department, which is revising the Jul. – Sept. 07 GDP growth to 4% and confirming positive income and job growths. J.P.Morgan on the other hand, predicts a much lower growth rate of 1.5% in the first three quarters of 2008. Both The article points out to the delicate balance in the various sectors of the economy which could be upset, if institutions reduce lending to the housing sector and if this is coupled with reduction in spending by consumers on gasoline due to rising fuel prices. A slump in consumer spending is bad for the US economy as well as for the economies around the world, which export their products to the large US market. The contagious effect of the US housing crisis to the European

To reduce public debt, the welfare state has to be cut back. Discuss Essay

To reduce public debt, the welfare state has to be cut back. Discuss - Essay Example It shall discuss the reduction of public debt, and how cutting back on the welfare state can help reduce or manage it. High public debt can weigh heavily on economic growth. â€Å"While causality runs both ways, an important causal channel is taxation: high public debt implies the need to distort economic activity (labor, capital) to service the debt (either through taxation or cuts in productive spending) which dampens economic growth† (Ostry, Ghosh, Espinosa, 2015, p. 2). This reasoning also relates to the fact that establishing a basis for sustainable growth would call for payment made upfront for the reduction of current debts. For countries experiencing gaps in their economic structures while being burdened with public debts, an apparent tradeoff is usually observed between the establishment of public capital stock and the need to secure a basis for increased economic growth (Ostry, et.al., 2015). Based on an analysis of countries which have gone through economic stagnation, the issue of high public debt has been named as a major issue holding back the country’s progress (Ostry, e t.al., 2015). In Europe, the early 2000s brought about economic stagnation in the region (Busch, 2010). Such economic stagnation has had a negative effect on their social security processes not just in the region, but also in other parts of the world (Alcock, 2014). Since the 1990s, the welfare state in most industrialized nations have experienced significant pressure and strain due to the increase in population, changes in the demographic qualities of the population, the increase in public debt, and low rates of employment (Busch, 2010). As such, major reforms were implemented to address these issues. The mid-2000s saw an economic boom for the region, allowing pressure off the welfare state (Busch, 2010). However, this also meant a significant increase in public debt, including an increase in unemployment rates. Growth rates for the region were

The Hawala Extortion Method Essay Example for Free

The Hawala Extortion Method Essay Among the methods terrorists worldwide use to move money from regions that finance them to target countries some hardly leave any traceable trail. As regulators learned recently, one of the weak points in the payments chain through which illicit funds can enter is a system of traditional trust-based banking originating in southern Asia which is known as hawala. The word hawala is Hindi meaning trust or exchange. Often used in relation with the word hundi which stands for bill of exchange hawala is an unofficial alternative remittance and money exchange system enabling the transfer of funds without their actual physical move. Traditional financial institutions may be involved but more often the system is used to bypass banks. There are an estimated 3000 international hawala brokers operating in Asia. Allegedly the business is monopolized by migrants from India who mostly operate from countries in the Gulf and South East Asia. Networks include trading points in the financial centres of Singapore and Hong Kong, and some of the biggest family-based money-dealers are based in London. In principle, hawala works as follows: Individual brokers or operators†, known as hawaladers, collect funds at one end of the payment chain and others distribute the funds at the other. For example, an expatriate working in America or Kuwait who wants to send money back to his family in Pakistan or Syria turns to a moneylender or trader with contacts in both countries giving him the money. The trader calls a trusted partner in the home country who delivers the amount to the family, minus a commission. For identification and the details of the trade often a code is used. The two traders settle accounts either through reciprocal remittances, trade invoice manipulations, gold and precious gem smuggling, the conventional banking system, or by physical movement of currency. Usually, hawaladers operate independently of each other rather than as part of a larger organization. For Asian immigrants the hawala system provides a speedy, reliable and trustworthy method to remit money home. In principle, it allows cash delivered in one place to be made available elsewhere in the time it takes to make a telephone call or send a fax. The system proves superior to any Western banking operation: No identification needs to be presented, commissions are very low, transmission is very fast, and the system is in operation 24 hours a day and every day of the year even in regions where no banks or other financial institutions exist. The latter also explains why the system is not only used by expatriates, drug barons and terrorists, but in some countries is quite common in rural areas. For example, in the 1980s, about 70% of total credit outstanding in Pakistan were estimated to be in the informal sector, and about 80% of all informal credit were in agriculture. Hawala has been a traditional method of moving money in south Asia long before Western banking became established in the region protecting early merchants along the silk road against robbery. In ancient China it was known as fei qian or flying coins. The system spread throughout the world – to other Asian regions, the Middle East, eastern and southern Africa, Europe and North and South America – following immigration patterns. Based on a mans word there is strong market segmentation in that, for example, a Pashtun trusts only a Pashtun hawaladar, a Sikh only a Sikh one, and so on. These days, although mainly used for legitimate transfers and often operating in conjunction with Western banking operations, the hawala system is regarded as a key factor in money laundering, other financial crimes and financing of illegal organizations committed in and associated with South Asia. Hawaladars in Dubai, India and Pakistan are said to be forming a hawala triangle responsible for significant international money laundering activities that spread far beyond the region.

School Days are the Happiest Days of your Life? :: Creative Writing Examples

School Days are the Happiest Days of your Life? When I was given this assignment, my initial reaction was this is easy! Half an hours writing- homework complete. Fifteen minutes later I find that it is incredibly difficult to sort out the jumble of thoughts, memories and feelings, that are fighting each other in the race to be the first to blot this pristine white page.(melodramatic, but true) I suppose I could take the easy way out, and write that looking back; my school days were happy, carefree days. The sun always shone. I had no real worries. Friends were plentiful and life was all about, fun, fun, fun. Well I could, but that would entail not being completely honest. I mean, certainly a not immodest percentage of school, (compared with life today) was carefree but by no means all of it. My over-riding recollections of school are the memories of never quite fitting in; the never quite making it into the 'in crowd.' Not that I wanted in, you understand. I wanted to be different (not another lemming) just not so different that I stood out. I blame my mother for that mentality for she drummed it into us all. If I spoke the usual refrain," but all my friends are her response was always." if your friend stuck her hand in the fire- would you do it too?" Well the answer to that was no, and when you said so, mum would smile and say," of course not love, you have your own mind. You're not a lemming; don't be afraid to be different." I was left feeling proud of myself for being 'different', but oh God, I still wanted that denim jacket, or those Adidas trainers, or to stay out for that extra half an hour; or the myriad of other 'things' that would have enabled me to fit in. Money was always tight when I was at school. With four kids to buy for - I feel mum used the lemming story no us, just so she wouldn't have to say "I can't afford it." At school, every deficit, both real and imagined between you and the 'in crowd' made you insecure. It could be your haircut, shoes or even just the number of pleats our gym skirt had. (Mine had none.) Plain skirts were cheaper. Positive Body Image, or lack of it in my case, was a major problem. I went through school convinced that I was fat and ugly. Fat!? I was only 81/2 stones! I would kill to be that weight again - and as for my