Africa – 5

â€Å"Before the twentieth century, it would have been incorrect to speak of the Igbo as a single people† (XIX, Achebe). Although all these people lived in Igboland, there were hundreds of different variations of Igbo, resulting in cultural differences and differences in language so great, that one Igbo group could be misunderstood by another only thirty miles away (XIX). Colonialism, a disease that spread through Africa causing destruction, disarray, and fear, was also directly responsible for the overall unity of the Igbo people observed throughout the twentieth century.Although colonialism broke up the unity of villages and forced different political, social, and economic lifestyles on the groups of Igbo people, colonialism also had a direct impact in forming national unity; in forming â€Å"a common Igbo identity† (XIX). Although colonialism diminished the values each Igbo group held dear to them throughout the generations, this was necessary in the development of t he identity of Igbo people as a whole as they were becoming part of a new, industrialized world.Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, showed both how destructive colonialism was and how detrimental it was to the close-knit Igbo villages. Destruction of entire clans by massacre was not out of line for white men during the beginning of colonialism, as this was the punishment of the Abame clan for killing the first white man they saw. The Umuofia and Mbanta clans knew better than to kill any white men before discovering their purposes, and reluctantly allowed the white, Christian missionaries to enter their villages.Okonkwo, a strong, important man from Umofia, was serving his seven-year exile in his motherland Mbanta when these missionaries became more profuse and active. He despised the white men and their new religion, and wanted action to be taken against them. At first, the churches were only able to attract people without a title, however, as time progressed, outcasts were attract ed and women who despised their village laws, such as throwing their â€Å"abominable† twins away, also joined (101). Christianity appealed to the people who had nothing if they followed their village’s culture and beliefs.It eliminated the emotional burdens women had to face if they had twins, allowing the twins to live freely, rather than to be disposed of in a forest of death. During his exile, Okonkwo’s own son, in spite of his father, joined the missionaries in his hatred of village law, especially the fact that innocent children could be killed so easily, such as the boy Ikemafuma, taken prisoner by Umuofia and eventually killed. When Okonkwo returned to an unrecognizable Umuofia, his hatred of the white men increased. Real trouble began after a man from the Christian church unmasked one of the sacred egwugwu, an ancient god.This led to the council of chiefs from Umuofia to take action and burn the church down, leading to their imprisonment by the white Di strict Commissioner, leader of the white law. The ex-leaders of the village were shackled at the leisure of white men. No longer did these esteemed Umuofia chiefs hold the power; they were not the â€Å"men† of the village anymore. The white men were more powerful than them, subjugating them to their religion and law. Politically, white men now ruled Umuofia, with punishment settled by the white men in command, rather than a council of chiefs.After the release of the chiefs, an assembly of men met in the village to decide what they would do in response to these latest happenings. A group of white messengers arrived at the meeting and informed everyone that the District Commissioner said the assembly was to end. Okonkwo, in his anger, killed one of the messengers, and when no one else reacted, letting the others escape, he realized there was nothing he could do. White men were breaking up his community, and no one was man enough to take action and fight.Inside â€Å"he mourne d for the warlike men of Umuofia, who had so unaccountably become soft like women† and he realized his community was lost to colonialism (129). Okonkwo knew that all of his hard work for power had been for nothing. He lived in a town filled with people readily allowing their selves to be taken over by foreign men implementing their own beliefs, religion, and power, and as a result he ended his own life. In the early phases of colonialism, it is easy to see how destructive its effects were on the idea of community; the churches separated people from each other, while the colonial law stripped the village of its power.Buchi Emecheta’s, The Joys of Motherhood, not only shows how Igbo communities are broken up, like Things Fall Apart, but it also shows how Igbo groups are brought together. In the time of Nnu Ego, wealth was not determined by the amount of wives a man had or how big his farm was, as it was in pre-colonial times. Instead, wealth was measured with money, money earned from hard labor, usually serving the white men and women or working for the government. People of Igbo groups, like Nnaife, Nnu’s husband, moved from farming lands to cities to attempt to live â€Å"better† lives. Moving to these cities, many different groups of Igbo people were iving together and had to learn to get along, because as Igbo people realized, although they may speak a little different, it was extremely difficult to live in a new place without being able to relate with anyone. In Lagos, the British colony where Nnaife and Nnu lived, Yoruba people and Igbo people did not get along well, practicing very different beliefs and ideas. With tension from other cultures, there was no need for any tension among the subgroups of Igbos, which is why regardless if they came from west or east Igboland, they would be understanding of each other.Being friendly with people of other Igbo groups provided a sense of family in a place where family did not exist. The I gbo people met in the cities, regardless of the clan they were from, became the â€Å"brothers† and â€Å"sisters† of the newcomers, who left their real family in their homeland, far away. Igbo groups living in cities merged together, not seeing each other as different groups, which was common in their own lands, but recognizing each other as Igbo; another who understands the same language and beliefs.Although moving to cities assimilated to Western culture was beneficial to Igbo people as a whole, the idea of family was greatly diminished, especially in the eyes of women. At a young age, Nnu Ego felt being a mother was an extremely important part of her life. She felt it was her purpose to have many kids, because they would eventually take care of her and bring her happiness. However, she discovered how hard being a mother actually was in a society dominated by Western beliefs and culture.In a farming society, such as Ibuza, having more kids meant having more help aro und the farm and the house. In an industrial society, like that of Lagos, the more kids meant more mouths to feed, more clothes to buy, and more money spent on education. Not only did the Nnaife have to work, but Nnu also had to devote all of her energy to earning money, specifically to make sure her kids received an education to be successful. As a result, children growing up in these societies lost their sense of responsibility for their family, an important part of Igbo beliefs.With all the hard work and suffering Nnu put forth for her children, just to have food in the house, her two oldest sons she sent to college didn’t even show their thanks and send anything back to her (224). Her idea of a family and happiness coming from her children was only a dream, and Nnu died a lonely death on the side of a road. Socially, western culture viewed it to be more beneficial to achieve self-success than care for family, which eventually drove Nnu’s family apart, and led to Nn u’s death. Colonialism affected every Igbo person, whether they liked it or not. It gave women different outlooks on life, on being a mother.It stripped men of their power and manlihood. It brought a different religion, with a single god and different morals. It brought a new type of wealth, and education. Colonialism changed the ways of the Igbo forever. The groups were not all separate anymore, if you were Igbo, you were Igbo. That was all that mattered in a society run by Europeans, filled with people of many cultures for different reasons. Colonialism took away unity, but it created a new kind of unity. Colonialism not only introduced it’s economics, politics, and lifestyle; it also gave Igbo a reason to come together, which is important in an ever-changing society.For a culture that took generations to build, it is surprising that within a matter of a century, the distinguished characteristics of each Igbo clan were diminished, as each clan assimilated into the We stern way of living (XLVIII, Achebe). However, in the larger scheme of things, maybe the Igbo knew they were placed in a war they could never win, unless they gave in to their opponent; unless they gave in to change. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. South Africa: Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann Educational, 1996. Print. Emecheta, Buchi. The Joys of Motherhood. New York, New York: George Braziller, Inc. , 1979. Print.

3-Dimensional Carbon Nanotube for Li-Ion Battery Anode

3 Dimensional Carbon Nanotube for Li-Ion Battery Anode (Journal of Power Sources 219 (2012) 364-370) Chiwon Kang1†¡, Indranil Lahiri1†¡, Rangasamy Baskaran2, Won-Gi Kim2, Yang-Kook Sun2, Wonbong Choi1, 3* Nanomaterials and Device Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University; 10555 West Flagler Street, Miami, FL 33174, USA 2Department of Energy Engineering, Hanyang University; 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Korea 3Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of North Texas; North Texas Discovery Park 3940 North Elm St. Suite E-132, Denton, TX 76207, USACorresponding Author *Email: [email  protected] edu Author Contributions †¡These authors contributed equally. Abstract Carbon nanotubes, in different forms and architectures, have demonstrated good promise as electrode material for Li-ion batteries, owing to large surface area, shorter Li-conduction distance and high electrical conductiv ity. However, practical application of such Li-ion batteries demands higher volumetric capacity, which is otherwise low for most nanomaterials, used as electrodes.In order to address this urgent issue, we have developed a novel 3-dimensional (3D) anode, based on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), for Li-ion batteries. The unique 3D design of the electrode allowed much higher solid loading of active anode material, MWCNTs in this case and resulted in more amount of Li+ ion intake in comparison to those of conventional 2D Cu current collector. Though one such 3D anode was demonstrated to offer 50% higher capacity, compared to its 2D counterpart, its ability to deliver much higher capacity, by geometrical modification, is presented.Furthermore, deposition of amorphous Si (a-Si) layer on the 3D electrode (a-Si/MWCNTs hybrid structure) offered enhancement in electrochemical response. Correlation between electrochemical performances and structural properties of the 3D anodes highlights the possible charge transfer mechanism. Graphical abstract Keywords Li-ion batteries, carbon nanotubes, 3D Cu current collector, anode materials, amorphous Si, a-Si/MWCNTs composite 1. IntroductionLi-ion batteries (LIB) has been widely used as one of the most important energy storage devices in diverse applications such as green electric vehicles (EV), portable electronics and power tools, since it is commercialized by Sony in 1991 [1]. The commercial cell is assembled by carbonaceous anode, separator and a Li containing layered structure cathode (e. g. LiCoO2). In terms of carbonaceous anodes, graphite and soft or poorly ordered carbons (e. g. mesocarbon microbeads or spherical graphite, microcarbon fiber) have been employed.The reasons behind their commercial prominence contain the relatively low cost of carbon, the excellent mechanical sustainability for lithium insertion and desertion (having minimum volume change ) and their formation of a protective surface film with many elec trolytes [2-4]. Nevertheless, fully intercalated highly crystalline graphites have relatively lower specific capacity (372 mAhg-1, the stoichiometric formulae of LiC6) and cannot meet the demands of next generation LIB with respect to high specific capacity and volumetric capacity. To address these issues, other elemental compounds have been explored such as Al, Si, Ge and Sn [5].Among those elements, Si is known to have highest theoretical specific capacity (4,200 mAhg-1), however huge volume expansion/contraction (300–400%) during lithiation/delithiation brings about pulverization, resulting in capacity fading in a high number of cycles. To overcome such inherit limitations of bulk electrode materials, worldwide research groups have intensively focused on novel and suitable nanomaterials such as silicon nanotubes [6], silicon nanowires [7], nano sized transitional metal oxides [8-10], graphene [11] and carbon nanotubes 12-14]. Out of the many nanomaterials available, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted great attention for anode materials due to their high surface area, short diffusion length of Li+ ions and high electrical conductivity [15]. Past researches including from our group have demonstrated outstanding performance of MWCNT based binder-free anodes in terms of high specific capacity, excellent rate capability and extremely or nil capacity degradation during long cycle operation [16-17].However, carbon nano materials are known as low-density materials, which results in low volumetric capacity and low volumetric energy/power density. Therefore higher solid loading of MWCNTs as active materials is one of the most significant issues to be realized in practice. Very recently, it argued that nanotube based active materials have a critical shortcoming in terms of their very low weight per unit electrode area [18].Thus, their gravimetric energy density may not give a realistic picture to commercial application. The critical limitation may lead to s cale-up issues for their potential application in the development of EV. To counter this issue, we propose a new geometry of 3D Cu current collectors, which can play a crucial role in creating higher surface area to accommodate more solid loading of MWCNTs on the uniformly arrayed patterns in the 3D structure, leading to higher specific capacity and C-rate capability.Until now, efforts have been dedicated to employ a number of 3D structured current collectors including carbon papers [19], a self-assembled 3D bicontinuous nanoarchitecture [20], aluminum nanorods [21], and nanoporous nickel [22]. The previous research proved that a self-assembled 3D bicontinuous nanoarchitecture could be one of the ideal electrode architectures in order to realize not only high volume fraction of nanostructured electrolytically active materials (NiOOH/Nickel and MnO2 cathodes) but also their efficient ion and electron transport [20].In addition, ALD coated TiO2 anodes on 3D aluminum nanorod current co llectors showed the 10 times increase in their theoretical area and total capacity (0. 0112 mAhcm-2), compared to those resulted from the same anodes on 2D flat aluminum plate and high rate capability (the capacity ratios at 10 C/0. 5 C and 20 C/0. 5 C of the 3D anode were 0. 4 and 0. 35, respectively. ) [21]. Currently, the diverse types of hybrid anode structures have been designed and synthesized in order to expect the synergetic combination of two different types of nanomaterials for the igher electrochemical performances. As one of the most preferable combinations, MWCNTs/Si hybrid structure can be chosen due to the better mechanical accommodation of MWCNTs of the large volume expansion/constriction of Si during lithiation/delithiation process and the higher bonding strength between MWCNTs and Si. There were some selected reports on MWCNTs/Si composite structures, employing either SiH4 CVD method [23] or sputter deposition [24]. In this study, we present a novel concept 3D anod e system, comprising of MWCNTs directly grown on 3D Cu mesh using catalytic thermal CVD method [25].Electrochemical performances of this 3D anode structure are compared with those of MWCNTs directly grown on 2D Cu foil. Furthermore, enhanced electrochemical properties of a-Si/MWCNTs hybrid structure, synthesized on 3D Cu mesh using a two step process of CVD and sputtering deposition, are presented. Morphology and structure of as-grown MWCNTs and a-Si/MWCNTs hybrid anode structures and their role in the electrochemical performance are discussed. 2. Experimental A Cu mesh (TWP Inc. with average dimensions of 50  µm thickness and 65  µm hole size was prepared. In parallel, a 50  µm thick pure Cu foil (Nimrod Hall Copper, 99. 9% purity) was also employed. Both types of samples were used as substrates for depositing Ti (underlayer)/Ni (catalyst) thin film through a RF and DC magnetron sputtering system. These Ti/Ni thin film deposited samples were cut to 14 mm diameter disc shape f or 2032 button cell assembly, before inserting into a thermal CVD system for direct MWCNT growth.During CVD, samples were heated very rapidly, under an inert Ar gas environment, to the growth temperature of 750 °C, and MWCNT growth began with flow of a mixture of ethylene (C2H4) and hydrogen (H2) gas (1:2 volume ratio) in the chamber. After 50 minutes of growth, the samples were cooled to room temperature within the furnace under an Ar gas envelope. Amorphous Si (a-Si) was deposited further on the as-grown MWCNT samples using the sputtering system with the incorporation of Ti adhesion layer in order to enhance bonding strength between a-Si and MWCNTs.Weights of samples were measured before and after CVD growth to exactly identify weights of the active materials (i. e. MWCNTs and a-Si thin layer). Morphology and structural properties of the prepared anode structures were carefully investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopes (FESEM) (JEOL, JSM-7000F), an energy d ispersive spectroscope (EDS) (Thermo Electron Corporation, NORAN System SIX), a Raman spectrometer (Ar+ laser with ? = 514 nm, 33 mW power) and a field emission transmission electron microscope (FETEM) (FEI, TECHNAI F20).Electrochemical performance for these anodic materials was conducted in a typical coin cell (half cell). The cells were assembled in a CR2032 press. The complete cell assembly was carried out in an argon glovebox under extremely low levels of oxygen and humidity (both individually

Diversity: Culture and Physical Qualities Essay

1. What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? Diversity is the condition of being different. For example: culture, race, education, religion, experiences, gender, physical qualities, sexual orientation, etc. Diversity is valued because it enriches us with its multiplicity of opinion and ecperience. Nobody is completely the same, our differences and diversities can lead to growth in our society in a positive or negative way. -google.com 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority of one’s own ethnic group, the tendency to look at the world primarily from the perspective of one’s own culture. Ethnocentrism puts down a certain group or culture, it leads us to make false assumptions about cultural differences and it often distorts communication between human beings. -google.com 3. Define emigration and immigration. Emigration- an act or instance of migrating. A body of emigrants; emigrants collectively. Immigration- A group or number of immigrants. -phone app dictionary 4. What are some of the ways groups of people are identified? Some ways thats groups of people can be identified are by ethic, cultural, religion, sexual orientation, race, gender, morals, physical qualities, work ethics, education, experiences. -class discussions 5. Why do people label and group other people? People label and group other people in order to give then a distinct identity in the society. The reason could also be because people who have little confience so they try to put other people in a lower class then themselves. -www.weegy.com 6. Define culture. Is culture limited to racial and ethnic backgrounds? Explain. Culture- The quality in a person or society that arises from a concern for what is reguarded as excellence in arts, letters, manners, etc. Also the behaviors and beliefs of characteristics of a particular social, ethic, or age group. No. It is a multi-layered property of our societies. Culture is not limited to racial and ethic backgrounds as many people from other cultures are also influenced by the many groups of people that make up the country. -dictionary phone app -www.weegy.com

Exclusion clause Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Exclusion clause - Case Study Example In recent years, it has become common that the weaker parties have often challenged the stronger parties for compensations in case some accidents or dangerous things happen to them in the course of carrying out their commercial relationship, even though they were statutorily excluded from their contractual agreement. This essays explains how these exclusion clauses could find their ways into a contractual agreement that the stronger parties would be willing to accept, although grudgingly. For the purpose of explaining how exclusion clauses could become a part of a contract, the famous law case of Sayers v International Drilling Co. N.V is used. This is an example of an employment contractual agreement. Sayers, an English rig worker was hired in England by a Dutch subsidiary of a Texan oil drilling company to work on oil rigs abroad. He had an employment contract with International Driving Co. N.V that stated that if any injury occurs to him while working, he would accept the company's "Compensated Program" as his only remedy, and that he should waive any cause of action he might have in United Kingdom or under any other laws. But, suddenly, Sayers was injured when he was sent to work on an oil rig off the coast of Nigeria. The injury was as a result of his co-workers' carelessness. Sayers then decided to bring a legal action in tort against the Dutch company in England: this is an action expected to force the Dutch company to compensate him other than the "compensati on program" stipulated in his contractual agreement with the company (Nygh, 1999). Possible ways the Dutch Company could include its exclusion clause in the contractNygh (1999) explained that it is possible for Mr. Sayers to compel his employer in the ways described below to include an excluded clause into the contract: in this regard, offering compensations for injury suffered by an employee rather solely relying on limited "Compensated Program". (a) Broader classification: An employee that drags his or her employer to the court seeking an inclusion of a clause may do so on the reason that the excluding clause is inconclusive in its definitions. Take for example; International Drilling Co. N.V may have defined compensated "injury" as the one sustained in the course of duty. However, this classification could be extended to cover the injury caused by carelessness of co-workers, as in the case of Mr. Sayers, if his co-workers injured him in the course of their duty for the company. Indirectly, Mr. Sayers is involved in the process of carrying out such company's duty, even though he may be at rest when the mishap happened. Broader classification like this has compelled employers to re-consider their stance on excluded clauses. Another relative example was in the case of an employee that got injured while using the company's car on a weekend; meanwhile his company stated that all off-duty car accidents would be at the employee's liability. However, extending this classification to cover using the said vehicle to convey another employee on duty for the company could force their employer to accept removing the exclusion clause. In the court of law, cases like these are handled by lawyers who employed the principle of deconstruction to argue with

Personal Development Planning (PDP) Assignmant Essay - 1

Personal Development Planning (PDP) Assignmant - Essay Example After completing the thirty two questions on line, I received feedback indicating that I should seek further assistance with time-management, concentration, note-taking skills, test preparation and test taking skills and writing skills. Thinking about this I wrote up a personal SWOT analysis with the aim of trying to find out exactly where I was falling short and where I needed to improve. I found a downloadable example from Bristol Business School, belonging to the University of Western England, which helped me with the questions I should ask myself. I found it very difficult to determine my strengths except that I think I am imaginative and very personable at a social level. My weaknesses however, were easier to determine. I know I have trouble with writing, especially long assignments or reports - this PDP assignment is not too difficult because it is broken into different parts. I am very disorganized and never seem to have enough time to finish my assignments on time or have enough time to review the day's or week's lessons. My performance in seminars is not good enough because I am not properly prepared nor positively alert or motivated. I also worry a lot about whether or not I can finish everything and whet her or not I will pass. The main opportunities I could think of were gaining a good job in a good company after graduation and making my family happy by studying hard and graduating. Threats were easier to think about. The biggest threat, gaining a qualification, is obviously dependent solely on me and relates to my weaknesses. Only I can fix things but I believe I have the strength to overcome my weaknesses and prevent them from stopping me taking advantages of my opportunities. At least now I have thought about my strengths and weaknesses and understand that I need to develop in the following areas: time-management, applying myself to study by acquiring appropriate study habits and learning strategies and determining clear goals and objectives. Next I completed a simplified version of a learning approaches questionnaire (based on Approaches to Study Inventory (Tait & Entwistle 1996) and provided by Bristol Business School.Results indicated that I had a surface/passive approach to learning and that I tended to reproduce information and tried to memorize subject matter rather than delving further or seeking to extend that information; that I kept closely to the syllabus provided by the lecturers and did not follow up interest of my own, and that although I really tried and wanted to pass in order to gain a qualification, sometimes I did not do so well.At this point I wanted to know more, so because learning styles is one component of this PDP assignment, I decided to spend time researching learning styles and strategies. I wanted to take the first step in the challenge of changing from a surface learner (not questioning) to a deep learner, and find out more about what learning styles and strategies were, before determining w hich best suited me. (Refer to essay below on Learning Styles.) My second step was to find out more about time-management, not only because it was a component of this PDP assignment but also because I obviously needed to improve this skill. Again, I began with research in the area to acquire as much information as possible, from which I could then develop the most appropriate

Financial Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis - Assignment Example cial ratio are the management team in evaluating the performance of the company in terms of profitability, operational efficiency, and financial health over a period of time by comparing past and present ratios, and also comparing this with the industrial average (Brigham, 2012). Shareholders are other groups that use information from ration analysis. Information in the financial statement is usually difficult for outsiders to understand. The ratio analysis helps in analyzing and interpreting information from the financial statements in a simplified manner, and in a manner that can be understood by those who do not know the accounting language. This information helps them know the position of their investment and expected returns from their investment. The ratio analysis is useful in analyzing the liquidity of the company. This information is useful to the third group that uses the ratio analysis are the creditors. They are able to know the company’s capacity to meet their lon g term liabilities which determines the credit terms. Financial analysis usually tries to determine the qualitative factors when evaluating the future financial performance. One qualitative factor is the competitive advantage which determines the company’s ability to survive in the market. This also determines the company’s ability to keep competitors at bay, enjoy profits, and growth. Corporate governance has become a crucial issue today which determines the relationship between directors, management, and other stakeholders. One aspect of corporate governance is financial transparency. This implies that the financial information is being released in a manner that stakeholders are able to follow what the management if doing, thus have a clear understanding on the financial situation. This also increases the trust that stakeholders have in the company, ensuring a long term relationship. Finally, the structure of the board of directors under corporate governance determines the future

Social science research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social science research - Assignment Example Apparently both methods draw considerable advantages and disadvantages and in this essay, I seek to critically evaluate them and on their application in social science works. The main advantage of the qualitative methodology is that, it employs a descriptive, modest, and inductive techniques of data collection that are compatible with social science works (McRoy, n.d.). It is the most advocated method when social workers are studying issues or topics that do not agree with the quantitative research approach. From a social psychological basis, qualitative method is coherent with person-in-environment of social science professional practice. In dealing with patient’s issues and treatment, doctors, nurses, and clinicians rely on interviews to gather information about a particular client’s illness. Such practitioners, therefore, follow a series of intuitions and working assumptions that are based on observations made through ongoing interaction with the patients. Most training offered to social science practitioner is based on qualitative research, whereby from a qualitative view, they are trained to observe at each case individually (McRoy, n. d.). Unlike quantitative method that focuses on broader social sciences topics; qualitative approach has the advantage of addressing micro-level studies. The micro-level issues include those of small groups, subjects, or organizations and research that are not so much physical, but rather needs a psychological approach. When qualitative research is applied in such topics, it draws a wide range of facets that depict a picture of wholeness in terms of group(s), person (s) or settings of the situation. The depicted picture of a study by a qualitative researcher on micro-level topics is holistic because it pulls all the necessary colours, structures, and textures into the painting(Tewksbury, 2009).The after analysis result is plainly contrasting and can never

Assn. 2 Environmental Policy & Procedures Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Assn. 2 Environmental Policy & Procedures - Essay Example city of Tigard, 512 US.374 (1994) the court ruled that development permits must be roughly proportional to the effects the land in question will have to the community. In this case, the applicant sought to replace her hardware store with a larger facility and pave a 39 paving store. She was granted her wish but with conditions to it. The court however ruled in her favor stating that Dolan could not be forced to give up her land without just compensation. The land disputed formed part of wetlands that Tigard wanted to improve but had unfair conditions (Durant et al, 2004). The national environmental policy act is a statute that requires all governments to integrate policy values into decision-making processes considering impacts of their proposed actions. (NEPA Homepage)This institution forces the state agencies to put in consideration the environmental factors in their decision making process but also empowers them to make informed decisions on the same. This was not in existence before (Malone, 2007).The environmental impact assessment is the heart of the implementation of the act. NEPA addresses the larger environmental problem, and has made a significant effort in addressing environmental issues. Its regulations have caused attitude and behavioral change thus leading to better agency decisions. NEPA action forcing strategies to meet their goals have raised concerns and its critics ask if force will help attain quality in the environment. Critics of this act have a problem with the procedural emphasis. All projects must pass through some procedure to determine if they will have negative or positive impact on the environment. For this to be achieved several actions must be taken. The inability for the act to have requirements to guide implementation or abandon of the project is not agreeable with the critics (Anderson, 2009). One of the victory stories is that of the construction of a parkway in Utah that would act as an alternative route to salt lake

Cultural context on mobility, networks, consumer urbanism Essay

Cultural context on mobility, networks, consumer urbanism - Essay Example The fundamental concepts and ideas will be used to explain how the consumption systems of space relates to tourism. Literature Review Consumption relates to the use of natural resources and this is seen in relation to renewable and non-renewable resources (Armstrong, 2012 p328). This means that consumption relates to benefiting from a given resource either in the notional or tangible manner. In this case, 'space' can be seen as a 'consumable' resource that can be put to various uses which can bring varying degrees of satisfaction. De Carteau (1984) attempted to define the concept of 'space' in relation to the concept of 'place' in the quest to describe this abstract concept. In the bid, he stated that: â€Å"a place (lieu) is the order (of whatever kind) in accordance with which the elements are distributed in relationships of coexistence† (p117). This means that a place is defined in relation to the positions and other related things that are located close to a given area. On the other hand, he states that â€Å"a space exists when one takes into consideration the vectors of direction, velocity and time variables... in short space is a practical place† (De Carteau 1984 p117). This means that a space is a defined premises or unit within a given area that has certain laid down features that defines it (Williams, 2009). â€Å"Consumption of space relates to the relationship between the built environment and the organisation of space† (Kent, 1993 p1). The relationship between the built environment in a given area defines the consumption of space in the field of architecture. This is because the work of the architect is chiefly in relation to how the environment is ordered and how a given space is utilised to enhance human interaction and the interaction of the various members of the national environment. The legendary architect, Thackara defined 'space' from three main facades (1997): architectural space, operating environment and telematic sp ace. Architectural space relates to the familiar concepts of dimensions, divisions and the design of structures to that are built on a given piece of land. Operating environment involves a given area where the core activities of the builder is carried out. In the case of Thackara's journal, the main area under discussion was an airport. Thus, the operating environment was the area where aviation activities were carried out. The third component, which is telematic space relates to the area of a given space where electronic communication systems and structures were situated. This gave room for the users of the 'space' to undertake communication through modern gadgets and telecommunication systems like Internet, radars and other things. In Robinson's descriptions, put forward by Kieller (1999), space consumption was seen to be varied in relation to its economics. In his descriptions, Robinson indicated that the dynamics of the use of space relates to changes in economic conditions and demand influenced by the economic gains which are attached to the satisfaction attained. Using the Port Statistics as a yardstick, the fictional Robinson indicated that port traffic in one of Britain's major ports had changed steadly since 1965. This was accelerated rapidly in the 1970s when the North Sea oil was first exploited and imports fluctuated. Due to this, the space of the part had to be varied over and over again to ensure that the changes in the land

In general Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In general - Essay Example In the original work, an author tends to own the writing by mentioning his name in it. The writer is responsible for the authenticity of information and is liable for consequences in case, the information is invalid. On the other hand, a plagiarized work lacks ownership. A reader can not believe that the writer had faith in the information he/she has included while plagiarizing in the paper. Originality in writing shows the author’s individualistic contribution in widening and deepening the sea of knowledge, whereas an individual who plagiarizes creates whirlpools in this sea. The most fundamental difference between originality and plagiarism is that the former gives birth to knowledge whereas the latter is a literary theft. Moreover, originality is clear whereas plagiarism often gets too blurred a concept to be put into black and white (â€Å"Types of Plagiarism†). For example, many times, the same old ideas have to be repeated in a new paper. If the language is suffic iently changed so as to remove the originality but the meaning is kept unchanged, would it not be a theft of idea? Different people have different answers to this question. Difference between description and analysis: Description is a straight mention of facts about a thing, matter, incident or anything.

Mandatory Assessment is not the Same as Mandatory Mediation, but Both Essay

Mandatory Assessment is not the Same as Mandatory Mediation, but Both Concepts Undermine the Family Mediation Process - Essay Example In family law, mandatory mediation can be defined as a situation whereby couples are instructed by a court to resolve a dispute by attending meetings with a mediator..The essence of the meetings is to help couple to reach a compromise deal on the disputed issue. Court mandated mediation is envisaged to be a facilitated negotiation by the aggrieved parties through a mediator to unravel the underlying issues and possibly reach a fair settlement. In the United Kingdom, mandatory mediation can either be categorical or discretionary. Categorical mandatory mediation refers to cases whereby statutes provide that certain cases must undergo Alternative Dispute Resolution while discretionary mediation refers to cases where the presiding judge decides the cases the should undergo mediation. On the other hand, mandatory assessment is the continuous process of gathering information from various sources to help evaluate the most appropriate strategies for achieving the well being of the child and safety. The process of mandatory assessment involves a court appointed assessor who is required to work with the concerned family to assess the conditions on the ground. The assessor can also seek information from other sources deemed necessary and after the evaluation, the final report given to the court is critical in reaching the final judgment. Although mandatory assessment and mandatory mediation are different, both are compulsory dispute resolution modes aided by a third party. The report analyzes the impacts of the mandatory assessment and mandatory mediation in the context of family law. After evaluation of these effects, it is clear that these processes undermine the family mediation process instead of helping in the dispute resolution. Particularly, these concepts go against the fundamental principal of voluntary resolution of disputes and are also counterproductive especially in issues involving domestic violence. From this perspective, these mandatory processes may actua lly introduce new complications in the justice system on top of those already caused by the traditional system. Non Voluntary Nature The principal argument against mandatory assessment and mandatory mediation is that they impinge on the right to self determination. Mediation is a voluntary decision making process and every individual has the right to self determination. Hence the term â€Å"mandatory mediation† is itself oxymoronic. Coercion into mediation leads into serious reservations concerning the mediation process itself and its outcome. It has been argued that if couples are coerced into mediation, then there is a high probability that they may be coerced within the mediation itself1. She further opines that the preceding stages to mediation are a determinant of the direction that the mediation will take. Once a couple has entered into the mandatory mediation process, there is a high expectation placed upon them to reach an agreement. According to Hayes, the heavy expe ctation to reach an agreement may alter the meaning of mediation to the aggrieved parties. In the seminal cased Halsey v. Milton Keynes., [2009] EWCA 15, [2009]2, the court decided that â€Å" to oblige truly unwilling parties to refer their disputes to mediation would be to impose an unacceptable obstruction on their right of access to courts.† This court ruling shows that indeed there is a great controversy over the implementation of mandatory mediati

What I Have Learned Essay Example for Free

What I Have Learned Essay There are many life lessons that I have learned the hard way from this situation. I have learned who my true friends are, what a real family is, drugs are just a mask for feelings inside, what people really think about me, and I’ve learned the right way to live a life. The sad part of all this is it took something this significant for me to have a reality check. In life there are two types of friends, true friends who actually care about you and the ones who are fake and just want to use you to get high. To deviate whether a person is a real or fake friend you must look at what you guys do when you hangout, where you go, what you spend your money on and how you act with them. If when you hangout you have to lie to your parents then obviously what you are doing isn’t right. If you and your friends are afraid of getting in trouble from the activities you guys are partaking in then why do it? Why put yourself in that situation? Why more importantly put your family in the situation of having to come and take you out of the cop’s custody? If you don’t care about the people who brought you into this world enough to put them in that situation then there is something wrong with you and you need help like I am currently getting. Read more: Essay About Most Important Lesson Learned in Life   If you go and spend your money on food with a couple of buddies then that is a true friend but if you and your friends have to go and act like they are 18 to get a cigarillo and then have to go wherever you need to go to get your drugs then that is not the type of people you want to be around and you need to take yourself out of that situation as soon as possible because that is detrimental to your true potential. If you can act like your true self than that is a true friend, someone that you have to try to act â€Å"cool† with then that isn’t someone to be around because if you aren’t acting like yourself than who exactly are you? Someone who is just as fake as the people they are hanging out with that’s who. I recently stood in front of my football team (Family) and explained to them my whole entire life/family situation because that was my plead for help because I was lost for a while but I found my way back that day. A family is someone who you can tell anything too and not feel weird about doing. Family  members are people who if you cry in front of them (like I did that day) there is going to be zero judgment from them only more love and understanding because they now know what you deal with on a daily basis. Family is someone who you can call and they will completely drop what they are doing and they will go wherever you are or do whatever you need without any questions or complaints because they care for you that much. Someone who has your back no matter what, no matter how big the person is, no matter what the odds are they will be there 10 times out of 10 by your side protecting you. The Northeast Football team is one of the tightest families there are in the world because every play there is someone on the other side of the ball looking to bring harm to you and they will do whatever it takes to stop that person from even laying a hand on you. Through this experience I have realized that drugs are just a mask for how you really feel. They make you get your mind off of what is really bothering you. At first you may think this is a good thing but really it’s the worst because all those feelings stay inside of you and will be brought up to the surface and they will come back to haunt you. You will end up having a meltdown and not know what to do with yourself so you go and smoke some more to get it off your mind and the process just repeats itself till you get caught up. Most importantly through this experience I have now realized what I have made people think of me. I have made people think I’m a pothead that has no future in life. I have made people think they will end up seeing me over the counter asking them â€Å"May I take your order?† My image to people is fogged up now and I must prove to people that I’m completely different from what they have heard and what they think. That’s my job now. Lastly I have realized the way to live a happy life the right way. Without drugs I have seen all the pain I have caused my family. I don’t have to ask for money, I don’t have to lie, and most importantly I don’t have to argue with my grandparents anymore. I can finally make them proud by going off to college and hopefully playing baseball by earning a scholarship. I can help my grandparents live the rest of their life the way they want too without  stress and having to worry about me constantly. I owe them more than that but I’m going to get there eventually by doing the right things like I have been doing recently. I must thank Corporal McAddams for this because without him I wouldn’t have found my way back to the path I’m on right now, I would probably be making the same old stupid mistakes I made before and for that I must give him the credit for doing his job. I also must thank my two families for constantly loving and caring for me and always being there for me because the without them I would still be lost doing the wrong things with the wrong people.

Effects of Television on Child Development

Effects of Television on Child Development Effects of Television Shallene K Green Society looks at the effects of watching television, which raises the question- Does television harm children from an early age? Dr. John Grohol, Psy.D., an author, researcher and expert in mental health believes through research that television has a harmful effect on the development of children. He claims that it can negatively impact study skills and test scores. The research conducted by Dr. Grohol supported the claim that television has negative side effects on children by exposing them to sex and violence at an early age. Contradictory to this is that it can, and does, offer a view into other worlds by showing other cultures in a society different than a child’s own. Studies may show that exposure to television does affect a child; however, what also needs to be addressed and considered are: What programs were these children viewing? How much of an impact does a childs experiences with other outside sources of influence make on their educational performance? Surely, the data from these studies can be deemed as biased or supporting an already formed opinion that television alone was the cause of lower test scores and behavioral problems for children. Dr. Grohol supports the idea that television has a negative impact on the educational development of children. His study suggests that exposure to television resulted in low test scores. It showed that 70 percent of children with a television in their bedroom scored seven to nine points lower on a standardized test (Grohol, 2009). Dr. Grohol’s study additionally showed that childrens test scores during the testing period were lower than children excluded from the project. While evidence suggests that television negatively impacts the test scores of a child, it also has effects on behavioral and emotional development, such as aggression and anxiety, that could also have been caused by watching television (Mitrofan, Paul, Spencer, 2009). Dr. Grohol believes that a child watching television will be slower in school; therefore, leading to an unsuccessful and unproductive educational future. Another factor contributing to the effect that television has on certain individuals would be: how long was the childs interaction with the television program, what was the type of show that was being watched and how influential was a parents involvement as to what programs are available for the child. He believes that â€Å"babysitting† children with a television set deprives them of vital human interaction necessary for growth and development. Dr. Grohol explains that the sex and violence depicted in television have a detrimental effect on young minds. By monitoring and restricting the amount and the content viewed by children, their early childhood development would have a better probability of educational, emotional and social success. Researchers, like Dr. Grohol, need to take into account the effect that watching television has on the number of hours of sleep a child has every night. Sleep appears necessary for our nervous systems to work properly (Grohol, 2014). However, are children losing sleep because theyre watching too much television or is it because their brains are too stimulated to be able to fall asleep? It is far more likely that children are watching too much television at the fault of their guardians who are not regulating it. In which case, the blame for children doing poorly in school should be equally placed on guardians and not solely on television itself. When used properly, television may become a positive weapon for teachers and parents by providing children with brain stimulating educational programming instead of programs containing sexual innuendo and violent content. Television does have potential to be positive by giving children access to viewing new worlds, giving them a chance to trav el the globe, learn about different cultures, and gain exposure to ideas that they may never encounter in their own community (Boyse, 2010). The other side of this study process showed the windows of opportunity to learn about cultures around the world by gaining personal experience and applying that information to a child’s own upbringing and community. While there is reasonable evidence that shows how television can affect how a child does in school and everyday life, outside social and emotional interactions also need to be taken into consideration on their effect towards developmental success. When parents stay engaged with a child and provide guidance through educational programs, they can dictate what is appropriate for viewing and monitor the quantity watched. Television also affects children differently. When more research is studied it suggests that boys are particularly vulnerable to parental conflict, and with the combination of television, it can increase a discord in the classroom. Whereas a girl may, or may not, respond with an outburst of anger by displaying physical aggression by thinking less of themselves (Murray, Ducournau, Stein, 2005). Without parental involvement, these radical emotional portrayals are far more prominent and likely. The difference between boys and girls can be very different, and can influence h ow they react to the content of television. Keeping in mind that no two children are alike, everyone involved in a child’s life needs to stay in tune with how they are doing in school, with friends or even interactions at home in order to create the greatest chances for success. Watching too much television has the possibility of causing a drop in test scores, violent outbursts and overall struggle to develop and positively participate in society. Television is not the only contributing factor to these issues; therefore, the entirety of the blame cannot be placed solely on it. It may lead individuals to better understand how to change the choices and paths of children with proper supervision, influence and guidance. Unchecked, television has the ability to cause difficulties for children; however, if used properly it can also be a great educational asset. As technology becomes a bigger part of everyday life, it will be important to stay informed on how it works, how it helps society grow or the possible dangers that come with it. Society cannot hide from progress, but can help guide and direct choices for children today and into tomorrow. References Boyse, K., RN. Reviewed by Brad Bushman, PhD. August (2010) Television and Children Grohol, J.M., Psy.D. on 21 Feb (2009). Kids with bedroom TV sets have lower standardized test scores. Grohol, J.M., Psy.D. Jun (2014) Sleep Disorders Insomnia Hipwell, A., Murray, L., Ducournau, P., Stein, A. (2005). The effects of maternal depression and parental conflict on childrens peer play. Child: Care, Health Development, 31(1), 11-23. Mitrofan, O., Paul, M., Spencer, N. (2009). Is aggression in children with behavioural and emotional difficulties associated with television viewing and video game playing? A systematic review. Child: Care, Health Development, 35(1), 5-15. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2008.00912.x

Superstructure In Marxist Cultural Theory

Superstructure In Marxist Cultural Theory The oft-cited passage from Marxs preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy in which he states that the economic structure, or base, of society is its real basis, on which arises a legal and political superstructure (source); contains perhaps the most contentious aspects of Marxist theory. The implicit ideas within these few sentences concerning the relationship between the base and the superstructure have excited scrupulous analysis and fervent debate from within the Marxist school of thought and by critics and opponents alike. The passage proclaims that it is upon the economic base that all other institutions, norms and practises are constructed. This perception was confronted by those who suggested that the base and the superstructure were best interpreted as having a reciprocal, dialectical relationship in which the base conditions the superstructure but is in turn affected by it. The metaphor was insufficient for later Marxists, such as Gramsci and Lukacs, wh o represent a shift away from the rigid dichotomy of the classical position by placing focus on the realm of the superstructure through concepts such as hegemony and totality. Further still, there were those who proposed a functional reading of base and superstructure (Cohen). Throughout this narrative, the problems with the relative understanding of base and superstructure have been consistently exposed, either by those who attempt to navigate around them through reformulation, or by those who suggest that they cause the metaphor to collapse. Most notably, the notion that the base determines the superstructure is particularly troubling for many critics. There has been a persistent effort to suggest that the relationship between the base and the superstructure involves an element of economic determinism, which represents the most significant problem due to its simplicity. A second problem is the difficulty of separating the base from the superstructure, and defining what constitutes the relations of production. It is the purpose of this essay to make two assertions. The first is that the troubling cause and effect logic is stubbornly common to all formulations of the model, making both practical and analytical application indefensible. The second uses this as the basis for the suggestion that Marxian claims concerning the relationship between base and superstructure are reductionist and that a multi-dimensional approach that respects ideas of complexity would be preferable. According to Marx, in any given historical epoch men collectively organise to produce the goods and amenities that will ensure their survival. In doing this they enter into class-based social relations independently of their will. The economic base is comprised of the sum total of these socioeconomic relations, termed as the relations of production. The base corresponds, or is conditioned by, the forces of production which we may define as the means at the disposal of the actors involved in said relations. Since the cultural and political superstructure arises upon the economic base, it is therefore the historically specific mode of production that determines and characterises the rest of society social, cultural and political processes, ideas, institutions and so on. As the forces of production advance, through technological innovation for example, strain is placed upon the relations of production. Eventually the base is forced to change and since all other aspects of society are d etermined by the base, the superstructure must accommodate this change through change of its own. The superstructure is said to normalise the antagonism inherent within the class-based social relations since they are expressed through political and legal means, thus preventing the masses from recognising the oppression and exploitation that they are subjected to. This conception is the basis for the wider perspective of cultural materialism, which itself is part of Marxs theory of historical materialism. To quote Plamenatz, If the Marxian theory is to be called materialist, it is because it asserts that it is how men produce what satisfies their needs, which determines the general character of the moral, political and legal order p. 277 It is the suspect way in which Marx states not only that but how (Antonio Gramsci Beyond Marxism and Post-Modernism) base and superstructure are related which shall be the main focus of this essay. Before the problems with the relationship are discussed, it is relevant to briefly outline why such an endeavour is of importance, in light of the argument that the spatial image is a convenient way of discussing society from a methodological and analytical point of view; it is not meant to represent the actual complexity of the real world. (Jakabwski, 1976 quoted in Gramsci new introduction) Whilst it is fair to claim that the base and superstructure metaphor can be a useful analytical tool; it also seems fair to suggest that the validity of the model should be rigorously examined against the complexities of reality. It is only by defining the limits of the metaphor that we can know its ability to shed light on relationships between social phenomena, as Marx claims it can. A central issue of the debate surrounding base and superstructure is what our understanding of determination should be. The inescapable criticism that the base and superstructure metaphor reduces cultural theory to a linear form of economic determinism was prevalent from its very inception (olssen), and I would argue that the persistent, simplistic economic determinist logic is a major problem with the base and superstructure relationship. To focus first on the language of Marxs passage, Marx and Engels could have used moderate terminology to merely suggest that there is a relation between production and social activity. However, as Plamenatz notes, Marx and Engels clearly felt it important to say, as they did so repeatedly, that the character of production determines social life. This is characteristic of much of Marxist theory. That history follows a determinable path in which the changes and developments of society can essentially be predicted is a common theme. There is however m uch rhetoric from both Marx and Engels to defend their position by acknowledging that quote from Gramsci that superstructure influences base). As such most modern scholars do not accept such a determinist perspective. Raymond Williams for example, describes it as being the simplest and most basic understanding of the relationship. (source) It may therefore be contentious to state that Marx was strong in his conviction that there is a specifically determined relationship between base and superstructure in its simplest (Williams) form, since he and Engels both expressed ideas to the contrary (source). However what is clear is the primary status of the base (which is also reflected by the centrality of economics in much of the Marxist canon) and the implication of the secondary or subjugated status of the superstructure. Whether or not Marx intended to allow for the idea of reciprocal influence, it is clear that the metaphor tended ultimately to posit primary or first causes in histori cal motion, which would relegate the rest to a secondary, accidental, contingent, dependent status. (Antonio Gramsci Beyond Marxism and Post-Modernism) It is from this that we may confidently argue that the position of classical Marxism is that which favours economic determinism to a significant enough extent to be subject to scrutiny, despite the neo-Marxist claim that economic determinism is not the intended understanding of the base and superstructure concept. The interpretation of determination between base and superstructure as being reciprocal is a common departure from the simple notion of prefiguration, prediction and control. (Williams) Althusser speaks of the relative autonomy and reciprocal action of the superstructure. (Althusser, cited in Lapsley Westlake 1988: 5) The notion that areas in the superstructure can be relatively distant from the base, and retain a relative autonomy from economic determination is the key feature of the Althusserian understanding of base and superstructure. Shifting emphasis away from the base allows for the interpretation that it is in fact not the economic base that is the basis for society but the superstructure, which exercises autonomous influence, in that it exerts pressures on its own terms. In spite of this, to remain true in part to Marxs original thought, Althusser downgrades the concept of autonomy by stating that there is determination in the last instance by the economy. Hall, influenced by Althusser, cites the variety of language in Marxs description of base and superstructure in The German Ideology which varies from connected with to created by and in its action as to suggest that the relationship between economic and non-economic activities need to be seen as interactive and circular. Williams exertion of pressures. Reformulations of the spatial metaphor such as those outlined above are curious in that they seek to account for variety within the superstructure by assigning the idea of autonomy, yet then retrace their steps in a contrived effort to remain true to the original Marxist doctrine. Althusser, Hall and Williams all nod to the complexity of the superstructure and either explicitly or implicitly acknowledge that deterministic attempts to trace clear causal influence between it and the base is problematic, which seems to be the driving influence in their reformulation of the concept of determination, yet the desire to maintain the primacy of the base is pa radoxical in that it undermines the acknowledgement of a complex, autonomous superstructure by yet again suppressing its autonomy through simple notions of economic practise. This is merely sidestepping the issue and is a fragile (Hirst, On Law and Ideology, London 1979, pp. 75-95) attempt to rescue Marx. If we accept the argument that economic determinism is reductionist, then the circular and reciprocal interpretation may be said to be only partially less simplistic. A second significant problem with the base/superstructure distinction is the inability to theoretically separate the base from the superstructure, and the inferiority of the term relations of production to describe clearly what it is that constitutes the base. If it is unfeasible to overcome these problems, any proposed interpretation of the base and superstructure relationship ought to fail. The debate between G. A. Cohen and John Plamenatz is a useful way of navigating these difficulties. Cohen is a proponent of a functional understanding of the base/superstructure relationship. The argument develops from the idea that the superstructure is constructed as a result of its function, which is to maintain the base. The existence of the superstructure is therefore dependent on its ability to develop social norms and practises that are conducive to the base and provide social stability. As part of this interpretation, Cohen seeks to overcome what he calls the problem of legality, which i s a reassertion of one of the criticisms put forward by John Plamenatz (Karl Marxs Theory of History p.235). As Plamenatz (man and society) notes, detailed analysis of the relations of production reveals that the relations are essentially legal in nature, making the base indistinguishable from the superstructure since the superstructure is supposedly the dominion of legality. Similarly, since the base may only be described normatively, it is difficult to assert the sense in which it is separated from the superstructure, as is indicated by the spatial metaphor. Furthermore, Plamenatz identifies that relations of property are supposedly superstructural, yet have considerable influence over the workings and structure of the economic base. He also states that large sides of social life, such as religion or the sciences, cannot be shown to be derivative of the base. Cohens attempt to overcome this is through a reformulation of the base, an ambition which shares parallels with Williams, c entres on whether or not it is possible to arrive at a conception of the base which excluds any normative involvement from law, morality or politics. He therefore sought to purge the base of normative elements, or seek to identify a rechtsfrei economic structure (Lukes) Cohens non-normative base is built upon the distinction between relations of power, which can exist without superstructural interference, and relations of rights. However, Lukes finds his conception unconvincing. According to Lukes, power relations are based on social and moral senses of duty that must exist before power relations can be established. In summary of the debate Lukes proposes that Cohen fails through his inability to present reference to roles within his rechtsfrei that do not presuppose the existence of rights of some kind. For Lukes, then, there is no viable distinction between base and superstructure, rendering the metaphor useless, urging that it is high time that the distinction be consigned to the scrap heap. If we are to involve Williams urge to reconfigure our understanding of the base as a dynamic force, constantly occupied and defined by human activity, and not take the base as an abstract entity that is not necessarily defined by human action, then we must accept Lukes argument and the collapse of the distinction. Gramscis concept of hegemony and Lukacs of totality represent Marxist conceptions of society that are altogether more holistic and need not necessarily be interpreted in terms of a base and superstructure separation. For Gramsci, the sharp separation between the economic sphere and the political sphere was unsatisfactory, since social relations of civil society interpenetrate with the relations of production. (gramscis political thought p.30) He saw the superstructure as being divided into two parts, political society and civil society and argued that political society organises force, civil society is the organiser of consensus. (Canadian journal) Gramsci asserted that the bourgeoisie maintained control in society through ideology, rather than by economic or coercive means. The norms and values conducive to bourgeois control became entrenched as the limits of common sense of the working class, who were therefore distracted from revolution by falsely interpreting their exploitation a s a common good. Still, it is the bourgeois control of economic production that allows them to become the hegemonic class in civil society. Similarly, for Lukacs, the economist assumption that consciousness and ideology were determined by the economy could not be shown to be so, since crises that developed in the economic sphere were not reflected in the consciousness of individuals (Lukacs history and class consciousness 1923). Gramsci and Lukacs were both attempting to mend Marxism in the area in which they felt was most deficient. Economic determinism, for them, did not privilege an understanding of the vast complexity of the superstructure, which as the realm of consciousness and ideology was greatly important to the cause of initiating historic change. As a model, beyond simply calling this relation dialecticalà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it was deficient in examining the multiple ways in which culture and politics or the state produce ideology, authority and power (beyond Marxism and post modernism) They therefore attempted to challenge bourgeois dominance through means that were not strictly economic. While it is more accurate to suggest that the complexity of the superstructure should not be underestimated, in Gramsci and Lukacs ambition to loosen the rigid nature of orthodox Marxism through reformulation, what results is a similarly reductionist or one-dimensional view of society.( The Concept of Cultural Hegemony: Problems and Possibilities T. J. Jackson Lears p.569) A total, holistic view of society will always by nature be insufficient to deeply analyse the variation and complexity of culture, particularly if one seeks to study it through the rather narrow lens of historical materialism, with its association with cause and effect history that has yet to manifest itself. The economic determinism present in the orthodox Marxist interpretation of the relationship between base and superstructure is a problem that is difficult to evade. In attempting to do so most neo reformulations seem hampered in some way, as they seek to transcend the oversimplified nature of the linear perspective but never quite manage to explain or predict the complexity of cultural processes and institutions. The circular interpretation of the relationship is admittedly more attractive than the basic understanding, yet crucially still denies the superstructure the complexity and autonomy that it must be said to have. The work of Gramsci and Lukacs is a significant step forward towards a theory of complexity but is still hampered by the simplicity of seeking to define culture and society through holistic, all-encompassing terms. All formulations seem crude in that they either imply a causal influence strong enough to suggest that the superstructure is mechanically reproduced by th e base, or a causal influence that is not strong enough to strictly retain Marxs original meaning. To overcome this by speaking in terms of the convenience or usefulness of the metaphor as an analytical device seems dangerous to the integrity of the conclusions that may be drawn from it, since it repeatedly has not and cannot stand up to detailed analysis. What should be sought is a view of culture that analyses it without having to refer to a specific agenda, economic or otherwise. It is only by viewing culture on its own terms that we may we hope to go some way to dealing with its complexity.

Metaphysical Thoughts During the Enlightenment Period Essays -- Americ

Metaphysical Thoughts During the Enlightenment Period The eighteenth century was fraught with change. Dryden, Pope and Johnson were dominating the literature. Fahrenheit was building his first mercury thermometer. The Boston Tea Party and the French Revolution occurred. However, some of the most drastic changes occurred in thought. Prior to the eighteenth century, thinkers such as Locke, Spinoza, Descartes, and Hobbes dominated Western thought to the extent that they changed the way people viewed the world. Consequently, much of the eighteenth century philosophy, as well as the general thought, was a product of these precursors. Either in replying to them, or as a direct consequence of their ideas, the eighteenth century responded to these great thinkers. The first philosophical movement responding to the thinkers of the 17th century that will be discussed is the rationalist movement. It is generally known to be started by Descartes in the 17th century, while the torch was carried by Spinoza and then Leibniz up until his death in 1716. Two things distinguished the rationalists from their empiricist counterparts. The rationalists believed that foundational concepts of reality were found in reason, not experience. These foundational concepts are called innate ideas, and from these innate ideas the rationalists believed that one could deduce truth, much in the way geometrical proofs are thought out. An easy illustration of how the rationalists use causality as a tool to derive metaphysical truths is by using it as a starting point. By using the principle that every event has a cause, it appears that certain metaphysical truths may be uncovered. For example, Descartes uses causality as a proof for God's existen... ...too, do the characters in the play, believing that reality is the same as they perceive it. They also believe in Cartesian dualism, since they carry the classical theistic conception of God. If they are truly Christian in faith, they have to believe that the soul is separate from the body, or their beliefs become contradictory. Works Cited â€Å"Hume, David.† The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. 10th ed. 1995. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Pure Reason. Trans. Werner S. Pluhar. Cambridge: Library of Congress, 1996. McGreal, Ian P. Great Thinkers of the Western World. New York, NY: Harper, 1992. Nolan, Lawrence, "Descartes' Ontological Argument", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 15 November 2003. (Summer 2001 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.),URL=<http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2001/entries /descartes-ontological/>.

Essay --

Criminal Justice Extra Credit Essay Nibedita Saha 16th Dec 2013 P100 â€Å"The House I Live In† By: Eugene Jarecki â€Å"The House I Live In† is a 2012 documentary film by Eugune Jarecki about America’s ongoing drug war, which caused chaos that influenced many parts of the society such as the racial ethnic groups, families, financial aspects, foreign immigrants, as well as politics. The United States of America and its’ drug war results in it being the number one longest and most widespread drug abuser in the world. Being 5% of the world’s population, the US prison holds about 25% of all prisoners. Women were arrested as the highest per capita rate in the nation. The biggest drug industry is within the US with 10-16 billion USD spent on illegal drugs spending. The aim is to get a drug free America, however with the highest number of prisoners being 2.3 million, it is evident that an increasing number of younger kids wish to get involved in this drug line and smuggle/sell/use drugs. This obviously results in a further build up of the war on drugs. This drug war started through propaganda, which is misleading information. It is explained that the entire game was about cops and survival, something like a good guys versus bad guys game. The law enforcement blames it on the community, calling it corrupt with no morality. Furthermore, they accuse laws of using drug laws to deteriorate the society. Why are African Americans chosen as the targeted group that’s inordinately prosecuted? Is it due to racism or does this racial group really commit the most crimes in America? Most victims of this extensive drug war are young blacks, who are chased with a passion. An example would be Maurice, an African American who has been arrested for possession ... ... and so laws against cocaine were created in order to return the whites all their jobs. Punishments for crack cocaine, mostly used by blacks were much harsher than powder cocaine, used by whites. Moreover, politics has shaped this drug war profoundly. President Reagan’s wife’s slogan â€Å"just say no† impacted the drug war just like her husband who signed the mandatory minimum penalty. With numerous impacts from different areas of the community such as racial ethnic groups, families, financial aspects, foreign immigrants, and politics, the drug was is an ongoing epidemic that brings more negative influence to the society than positive. Many different methods are being used by the correctional services to prevent the drug wars from getting worse and to eventually put an end to it. This is being done for the benefit of our communities and hopefully it will be successful.

Cisco Networking 1 Chapter 6.1.2 Ws

IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software v4. 1 Chapter 6 Worksheet/Student 6. 1. 2 Worksheet: Research Laptops, Smartphones, and PDAs Print and complete this worksheet. In this worksheet, you will use the Internet, a newspaper, or a local store to gather information, and then enter the specifications for a laptop, smartphone, and PDA onto this worksheet. What type of equipment do you want? What features are important to you? For example, you may want a laptop that has an 80 GB hard drive and plays DVDs or has built-in wireless capability. You may need a smartphone with Internet access or a PDA that takes pictures.Shop around, and in the table below list the features and cost for a laptop, smartphone, and PDA. Equipment Laptop Computer:MacBook Pro Features ? 2. 6GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 ? Turbo Boost up to 3. 6GHz ? 8GB 1600MHz memory 1 ? 512GB flash storage ? Intel HD Graphics 4000 ? NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory 2 ? Built-in battery (7 hours) Cost $2199. 0 Smartp hone:Galaxy S III ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 2100 mAh Lithium Ion Battery Dimensions 5. 4† x 2. 8† x . 3† 4. 8†³ (1280Ãâ€"720) HD Super AMOLED touchscreen 4. 7 oz 1. 5 GHz dual core processor 16GB or 32GB ROM / 2GB RAM.Supports up to 64GB MicroSD card. A2DP, AVRCP, GAVDP, HFP 1. 5, PBAP, HSP, HID, GOEP, SDAP/SDP, OPP, SPP, PAN, Stereo Streaming, MAP, AVDTP, OBEX (CR) Andriod Market 4G LTE Internet GPS Navigation Wifi 8. 0 megapixel camera $549. 99 ? ? ? ? ? PDA:HP iPAQ 110 Classic PDA Batteries Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) 1200 mAh Standard Battery 1 x 4-pin Mini-phone Headphone 3. 5†³ QVGA Transflective TFT Touchscreen 240 x 320 PDA $323. 70 Ports 1 x USB 2. 0 – Mini USB Display Screen Display Resolution Product Type Manufacturer FA980AA Part Number Manufacturer www. hp. comWebsite Address Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard Product Model 110 Product Name iPAQ 110 Classic PDA Product Line Brand Name Standard Memory Memory Technology Package Contents iPAQ HP 64 MB SDRAM ? iPAQ 110 Classic PDA ? Mini USB Synchronization/Charge Cable ? Documentation ? Companion CD-ROM ? Standard Battery ? AC Adapter ? Power Cord ? Slip Case ? Stylus IEEE 802. 11b/g Wi-Fi Product Series 100 Flash Memory 256 MB Network Bluetooth 2. 0 Bluetooth Weight 3. 68 oz (Approximate) Height Width Depth Processor Operating System Limited Warranty 4. 6†³ 2. 7†³ 0. 5†³ Marvell PXA310 624 MHz Windows Mobile 6 Classic 1 Year

Part Four Chapter X

XAt nine oclock on the sunrise of the election for Barrys seat, Parminder left hand the Old par countersignage and locomoteed up Church Row to the Walls rear. She rapped on the door and waited until, at last, Colin appeared.T here were shadows nigh his bloodshot eyes and beneath his cheekbvirtuosos his jumble seemed to throw thinned and his clothes good-looking(a) excessively big. He had non all the same returned to work. The news that Parminder had screamed confidential medical randomness ab bulge Howard in public had fixed back his tentative rec eeryplacey the to a greater extent robust Colin of a few nights ago, who had sit mound on the leather pouffe and pretended to be confident of victory, tycoon neer stomach been.Is everything all right? he asked, apogee the door behind her, air wary.Yes, fine, she verbalize. I thought you might exchange qualified to walk garbage dump the church building mansion house with me, to pick egress.I no, he state wea kly. Im blueish.I know how you life, Colin, verbalize Parminder, in a small tight voice. just now if you dont right to vote, it doer theyve won. Im non pass to let them win. Im waiver to go prevail over in that respect and vote for you, and I want you to come with me.Parminder was in effect suspended from work. The Mollisons had complained to every professional trunk for which they could find an address, and Dr Crawford had advised Parminder to take sentence forth. To her great surprise, she felt strangely liberated. precisely Colin was shaking his head. She thought she power axiom separate in his eyes.I cant, Minda.You can she verbalize. You can, Colin Youve got to fend up to them Think of BarryI cant Im sorry I He made a choking noise and burst into tears. Colin had cried in her surgery originally now sobbed in desperation at the burden of aid he carried with him every sidereal day of his life. germ on, she said, unembarrassed, and she took his arm and stee red him through to the kitchen, where she handed him kitchen throw off and let him sob himself into hiccups once more. Wheres Tessa?At work, he gasped, mopping his eyes.There was an invitation to Howard Mollisons sixty-fifth natal day party lying on the kitchen tabulate somebody had torn it neatly in two.I got one of those, as well, said Parminder. Before I sh discovered at him. Listen, Colin. Voting I cant, whispered Colin. shows them they havent beaten(a) us.But they have, said Colin.Parminder burst egress jesting. after contemplating her with his mtabooh open for a moment, Colin started to laugh too a big, g dodderyen guffaw, like the bark of a mastiff. on the whole right, theyve run us turn up of our jobs, said Parminder, and uncomplete of us wants to leave the house just, other than that, I esteem were in very good shape indeed.Colin took off his glasses and dabbed his wet eyes, grinning.Come on, Colin. I want to vote for you. It isnt over up to now. After I blew m y top, and t sr. Howard Mollison he was no mitigate than a junkie in presence of the whole council and the local press He burst out laughing once more and she was delighted she had non hear him laugh so much since New Year, and and so it had been Barry make him do it. they forgot to vote on forcing the addiction clinic out of Bellchapel. So, please. Get your turn up. Well walk down there together.Colins snorts and giggles died a course. He stared down at the big hands fumbled over each other, as if he were slipstream them uncontaminating.Colin, its non over. Youve made a difference. concourse dont like the Mollisons. If you get in, wed be in a much stronger position to fight. Please, Colin. every(prenominal) right, he said, after a few moments, awed by his own daring.It was a short walk, in the fresh clean air, each of them clutching their voter registration card game. The church hall was empty of voters apart from themselves. severally put a thick draw cross beside Co lins name and left with the in verbalizeect that they had got a demeanor with something.Miles Mollison did non vote until midday. He paused at his partners door on the way out.Im off to vote, Gav, he said.Gavin indicated the telephone press against his ear he was on adopt with bloody shames restitution comp whatever.Oh right Im off to vote, Shona, said Miles, turning to their secretary.There was no defame in reminding them twain that he was in command of their support. Miles jogged downstairs and proceeded to the Copper Kettle, where, during a brief post-coital chat, he had arranged to tinct his wife so that they could go down to the church hall together.Samantha had spent the daybreak at home, leaving her assistant in charge at the shop. She knew that she could no bimestrial put off re testifying Carly that they were out of business, and that Carly was out of a job, besides she could not bring herself to do it before the pass and the concert in London. When Miles app eared, and she saw his worked up little grin, she experienced a efflorescence of fury.Dad not coming? were his first words.Theyre going down after closing time, said Samantha.There were two old ladies in the voting sales booths when she and Miles got there. Samantha waited, looking at the backs of their iron-grey perms, their thick coats and their thicker ankles. That was how she would look one day. The more crooked of the two old women noticed Miles as they left, beamed, and said, Ive just voted for youWell, give thanks you very much said Miles, delighted.Samantha entered the booth and stared down at the two name calling Miles Mollison and Colin Wall, the pencil, tied to the end of a ingredient of string, in her hand. Then she scribbled I detest bloody Pagford across the paper, folded it over, crossed to the voting box and dropped it, unsmiling, through the slot.Thanks, love, said Miles quietly, with a pat on her back.Tessa Wall, who had never failed to vote in an election b efore, drove retiring(a) the church hall on her way back home from school and did not stop. compassion and Simon Price spent the day peach of the town more seriously than ever nigh the possibility of moving to Reading. Ruth threw out their voter registration cards while clearing the kitchen table for supper.Gavin had never intended to vote if Barry had been alive to stand, he might have done so, hardly he had no desire to attend to Miles achieve another of his lifes goals. At half- by flipper he packed up his briefcase, refractory and depressed, because he had finally run out of excuses not to have dinner at Kays. It was particularly irksome, because there were hopeful signs that the insurance federation was shifting in bloody shames favour, and he had very much treasured to go over and tell her so. This meant that he would have to store up the news until tomorrow he did not want to botch it on the telephone.When Kay opened the door to him, she launched at once into the rapid, quick-fire talk that usually meant she was in a bad mood.Sorry, its been a frightening day, she said, although he had not complained, and they had barely transfer greetings. I was late back, I meant to be further on with dinner, come through.From up the stairs came the insistent crash of drums and a cheap bass line. Gavin was surprised that the neighbours were not complaining. Kay saw him glance up at the capital and said, Oh, germaniums furious because some boy she wish back in Hackney has started going out with another girl. She seized the glass of vino she was already drinking and took a big gulp. Her conscience had hurt her when she called Marco de Luca some boy. He had virtually ranged into their house in the weeks before they had left London. Kay had ready him charming, kind and helpful. She would have liked a son like Marco.Shell live, said Kay, pushing the memories away, and she returned to the potatoes she was boiling. Shes sixteen. You restrict at that age . Help yourself to wine.Gavin sat down at the table, wishing that Kay would make germanium turn the medicinal drug down. She had virtually to proclaim at him over the vibration of the bass, the raffish saucepan lids and the noisy extractor fan. He yearned again for the melancholy calm of Marys big kitchen, for Marys gratitude, her need for him.What? he said loudly, because he could tell that Kay had just asked him something.I said, did you vote? take?In the council election she said.No, he replied. Couldnt assist less.He was not sure whether she had heard. She was talk again, and save when she turned to the table with knives and forks could he hear her clearly. absolutely disgusting, actually, that the parish is colluding with Aubrey Fawley. I rest Bellchapel will be finished if Miles gets in She drained the potatoes and the splatter and crash drowned her temporarily again. if that silly woman hadnt lost her temper, we might be in with a develop shot. I gave her masses of stu ff on the clinic and I dont think she used any of it. She just screamed at Howard Mollison that he was too fat. Talk intimately unprofessional Gavin had heard rumours about Dr Jawandas public outburst. He had found it mildly amusing. all this uncertaintys very prejudicial to the people who work at that clinic, not to mention the clients.But Gavin could muster neither pity nor indignation all he felt was dismay at the unattackable grip Kay seemed to have on the intricacies and personalities multiform in this esoteric local issue. It was yet another indication of how she was driving grow deeper and deeper into Pagford. It would take a lot to dislodge her now.He turned his head and gazed out of the window onto the overgrown garden beyond. He had offered to help Fergus with Marys garden this weekend. With luck, he thought, Mary would invite him to stay for dinner again, and if she did, he would skip Howard Mollisons sixty-fifth birthday party, to which Miles seemed to think he was looking forward with excitement. wanted to keep the Weedons, besides no, Gillian guesss we cant cherry-pick. Would you call that cherry-picking?Sorry, what? asked Gavin.Matties back, she said, and he had to struggle to recollect that this was a feller of hers, whose cases she had been covering. I wanted to keep work with the Weedons, because sometimes you do get a particular feeling for a family, but Gillian wont let me. Its crazy.You must be the only person in the world who ever wanted to keep the Weedons, said Gavin. From what Ive heard, anyway.It took virtually all Kays willpower not to wear out at him. She pulled the salmon fillets she had been baking out of the oven. Gaias music was so loud that she could feel it vibrating through the tray, which she slammed down on the hob.Gaia she screamed, making Gavin jump as she strode past him to the foot of the stairs. GAIA Turn it down I mean it TURN IT pilingThe volume diminished by mayhap a decibel. Kay marched back into the k itchen, fuming. The row with Gaia, before Gavin arrived, had been one of their worst ever. Gaia had verbalise her intention of telephoning her father and asking to move in with him.Well, good luck with that Kay had shouted.But perhaps Brendan would say yes. He had left her when Gaia was only a calendar month old. Brendan was married now, with three other children. He had a huge house and a good job. What if he said yes?Gavin was rapturous that he did not have to talk as they ate the thumping music filled the silence, and he could think about Mary in peace. He would tell her tomorrow that the insurance company was making conciliatory noises, and receive her gratitude and admiration He had almost cleared his plate when he realized that Kay had not eaten a case-by-case mouthful. She was staring at him across the table, and her expression alarmed him. Perhaps he had somehow revealed his inner thoughts Gaias music came to an abrupt substantiation overhead. The throbbing quiet was dr eadful to Gavin he wished that Gaia would put something else on, quickly.You dont even try, Kay said miserably. You dont even pretend to care, Gavin.He try to take the easy way out.Kay, Ive had a dour day, he said. Im sorry if Im not up to the minutiae of local politics the here and now I walk Im not talking about local politics, she said. You sit there looking as if youd rather be anywhere else its its offensive. What do you want, Gavin?He saw Marys kitchen, and her sweet face.I have to tap to see you, Kay said, and when you come round here you couldnt make it clearer that you dont want to come.She wanted him to say thats not true. The last point at which a denial might have counted slunk past. They were sliding, at increasing speed, towards that crisis which Gavin both desperately desired and dreaded.Tell me what you want, she said wearily. righteous tell me.Both could feel the family relationship crumbling to pieces beneath the weight of everything that Gavin refused to say. It was with a common sense of putting them both out of their misadventure that he reached for words that he had not intended to speak aloud, perhaps ever, but which, in some way, seemed to excuse both of them.I didnt want this to happen, Gavin said earnestly. I didnt mean it to. Kay, Im really sorry, but I think Im in love with Mary Fairbrother.He saw from her expression that she had not been prepared for this.Mary Fairbrother? she repeated.I think, he said (and there was a belladonna plant pleasure in talking about it, even though he knew he was wounding her he had not been able to say it to anyone else), its been there for a long time. I never acknowledged I mean, when Barry was alive Id never have I thought he was your best friend, whispered Kay.He was.Hes only been dead a few weeksGavin did not like auditory sense that.Look, he said, Im trying to be unbiased with you. Im trying to be fair.Youre trying to be fair?He had always imagined it remnant in a blaze of fury, but she simply watched him putting on his coat with tears in her eyes.Im sorry, he said, and walked out of her house for the last time.On the pavement, he experienced a rush of elation, and travel to his car. He would be able to tell Mary about the insurance company tonight, after all.

Personal Action Plan

In the last few geezerhood I knock off gone through roughly study flavour altering experiences. Every liaison from losses that were heavy including a loved one, a long whizzship, nonrecreational employment and a serious illness which abnormal one of my sources of income, loss of hopes and dreams. I became depressed to a immenseer extent or less each(prenominal) the traumatic compensatets which were happening in my life. The virtually paroxysmful experience, such(prenominal)(prenominal) as the loss of a loved one due to divorce, a medical exam illness, or losing eachaffair as a result of displace all my trust into a relationship that ended. all(prenominal) these life altering all the samets took away my sense of constrict in and sufferd great delirious upheaval.These traumatic events caused more put break for me than I could ever imagine. The end of my marriage has been the virtually painful experience in my life. Ending a twenty year union and losing my best friend was shocking because of the fear of non k immediatelying what to do or feeling a sense of everything existence hopeless had the pornographicgest pretend on my life, Even existence diagnosed with breast tincer did not entertain this impact on my life. I started to feel and think as though every event of my life was mold and my entire course was laid out for me and no matter what I did or how I leaven to avoid it, my life would unfold in any(prenominal) predetermined way.I matte up as though there was such a thing as fate or destiny, but in the cover of my mind I wondered, what more or less free impart? I intellection I was suppose to have the freedom to choose my actions but I matt-up as though free will was negated since existed. In order for me to find resolve in my benignity and my life which had become depressing and stressful, I had to keep an eye on everything I could about the departs that were negatively impacting my life. The more I knew about t hem, the bring out I thought I would be able to deal with them. I started postulation questions such as Whats the worse thing that can happen?What do I grade up to lose because of this miscellany? How is this change affecting me instantly? Who or what is in control of the effects of this change now? Is there a way to calumniate the negative effects of the change? What result do I want to avoid? What result do I want to create? The first thing I decided to do with my life was to scratch away and get a fresh start. At this point I was not really concerned with financial resources because I was always taught to save for a rainy mean solar sidereal day. As far as the pain of my marriage I found that women who lose their husbands may be more willing to seek out emotional backing.I found this support in a relationship I cultivated and it true into a friendship which replaced all the voids I felt in my personal life. I always precious to pursue my educational goals and the ne w relationship helped surface the way for me to go anchor to school to bring to an end many educational goals I wanted for myself. It as hearty as made a way to get my family back together under one roof. Through everything I now light up traumatic life events and major changes argon an inevitable part of life. From the loss of a loved one, personal illness, financial set-back, to starting a new job or moving into a new home, changes throughout life are constant.I now know I moved beyond these crisis and disappointment and made my life better. The changes that be to cause me the most problems are the changes that I feel I had no control over. Since dealing with traumas and changes I guess that I had no control over such external events. I do that I cannot change the traumas or crises they can plainly change themselves. creative personal growth has been an ongoing bear upon for me to shoot down to as a way of developing personally. It is about my psychological and spiri tual growth and development. A diagnose component of creative self-growth is to take full tariff for my life.It is about bringing forth my highest potential as a human being. The benefits of undertaking any take in of personal growth were many, including healing family wounds, gaining more arrogance and self-esteem, learning to trust myself, forgiving others, developing tenderness and kindness toward myself and others, increasing inner peace and a sense of well up-being, developing the ability to cope better and meet challenges with more ease, feeling more contented in expressing myself, having more skills in creating loving relationships and looking for at lifes challenges as opportunities to grow and learn for myself. integrity of my biggest strengths is my communication skills. I fake very well with all kinds of people, and understand that everyone has different perspectives about projects and sketch tasks so when I induce with others I realize that everyone comes to the table with different priorities and objectives. I keep this in mind when I communicate tasks that need to be accomplished with positive rein military posturement and awareness of what others are running(a) on. Another strength is my flexibility to wangle change. I was able to turn around a negative working environment and develop a very supportive team.I am a hard worker, very punctual, determined, able to prioritize, I call up in myself and I am self confident. ane of my greatest strengths Ive acquired during my education is uncorrupted analytical and plan skills. This will benefit me and challenge to set goals and try to pass them, at the resembling eon, Im driven by the thoughts of success I have full inscription to my work. I am highly energetic I love to learn new things, I process good interpersonal skills along with being well organized and like to be neat with all my work I am a good helper towards those who need it.I am a team player and work well with others, I am a quick learner and I possess great problem-solving skills. Im sometimes told that I am a patch too slow, thats only because I want to do the best job I can. I guess you could say Im a bit anal when it comes to perfection. I am very headstrong. I really like to be challenged in my job, and I skilful want to learn as much as I can in my position. At the end of the day I need to be able to look back on my day and feel good about the job that Ive done. I guess you could call it sense of self worth. Thats wherefore I always put my all into everything I do.I used to have trouble with procrastinating, now I have learned to write down a list of things that I need to do, and I keep a calendar to keep swing of deadlines, I have found that this not only helps me to finish things on time, but it has also helped me to be more organized. A weakness of mine would be the fact that I get nervous when utterance in front of groups. I havent had a freshet of experience with this over the p ast several years. Im olive-sized egoistic when it comes to winning things and get a superficial ruthless too. I lose patience sometimes when I am not in a position to complete the assigned job in time.I have to work on having more patience and giving myself a break because I always want everything done at once. I am too focused on my work and I need to find more time to relax and I need to develop some after hours hobbies. I am a workaholic person and love to dedicate myself to the work I am doing. But at the same time I forget to keep a balance between other things which I am trying to improve on. The big irony is that my afterlife is in much better shape even though I focus most of my circumspection on the present. By making my present frankness as enjoyable as possible, my motivation has just been soaring.Im working from a pronounce of joy instead of a feeling of obligation. Ive actually created the very situation I was hoping funds would someday grant me. I imagined what I would do if I was already rich beyond my wildest dreams. I saw myself spending lots of time working on personal growth, doing all sorts of interesting experiments, and whence sharing what I learned with others. I thought to myself, That would be a truly incredible life for me. Today Im so beaming its almost ridiculous. I couldnt even have imagined being this happy on a daily basis two years ago.And I certainly wasnt depressed back then, I was at least content. But now my emotional state is highly positive, not just neutral. I stopped seeking happiness in the rising and instead looked for ways to create it right now. In order to come home my goals I know I need to start small. I cannot afford to take on more than I can palm too soon, especially since some of my goals are immaterial of my knowledge and current abilities. I do not want to get discouraged when I realize that my goal of running three miles a day has fizzled out after two weeks because I cannot seem to get past one mile a day.I feel when you start small and set mini-goals for yourself you are much more likely to deliver the goods also by setting goals that are attainable by assessing the reality of the situation and gathering information. It is great to aim big, but not so big that you cant reach your goal. I was taught by my maternal granny to write down your goals, because until you do, it is still a dream. I want to be able to see my goals every day. My goal is long-term and I feel to reach it, I need to write down cover steps on how I will achieve it which can provide gratification so I will feel as though I am making progress.My affirmations and positive words along with statements I use repetitively help to prove my self-confidence and change my attitude and behaviors. I gull affirmations on note cards and type them into a screen saver on my computer. Since I have a strong sense of self-motivation, I count the skill can be acquired by utilize positive affirmations. A social n etwork can be a powerful motivational force as well as a rubber net if I encounter issues along my journey. I have reached out to friends and family to encourage me and to provide support until I achieve my goals.