A Critique of The Use of Petrol essays

A Critique of The Use of Petrol essays Kevin Brown as a citizen in the United States who is curious as to why we are still using petroleum to fuel much of the United States makes his case by first asking the question, Why do we continue to use petrol as a fuel if we are so worried about our environment? Afterwards he poses a unique solution to the problem and finally he provides an explanation as to why his solution would be safe, productive, and economical. Brown first discusses his disgust in the fact that the United States is still using fuel from a country that it walks a tight rope with, and the fact that we also continue to pollute our environment as a result of doing so. First Brown gives a brief summation of the history of petrol and the damages it causes to both our wallets and our surroundings, and then he offers a remedy to the problem by suggesting that we use another fuel which has no damaging side affects and is completely free. With these two points Brown makes it clear that the United States is doing itself an injustice by continuing to both use petrol as its main source of fuel and by continuing to associate itself with Saudi Arabia. Browns solution to the use of petrol is that we instead use water as a form of gasoline. He admits that water alone will not fuel our country, but makes it clear that hydrogen will. Brown suggests that we use engines with hydrogen generators made of marine grade steel to power our vehicles. Afterwards he explains the responsibility and maintenance that will have to be assumed by the owner and finally in closing that he gives a brief summary of how this technique would be both more economical and safer to the environment. The use of background material in this article helps to make the reader of this article understand and recognize the problem with petrol that we now have here in the United States. However the effective use of argu ...

Edwin Howard Armstrong, Inventor of FM Radio

Edwin Howard Armstrong, Inventor of FM Radio Edwin Howard Armstrong (December 18, 1890–February 1, 1954) was an American inventor and one of the great engineers of the 20th century. He is best known for developing the technology for FM (frequency modulation) radio. Armstrong won numerous patents for his inventions and was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1980. Fast Facts: Edwin Howard Armstrong Known For: Armstrong was an accomplished inventor who developed the technology for FM radio.Born: December 18, 1890 in New York, New YorkParents: John and Emily ArmstrongDied: February 1, 1954 in New York, New YorkEducation: Columbia UniversityAwards and Honors: National Inventors Hall of Fame, Institute of Radio Engineers Medal of Honor, French Legion of Honor, Franklin MedalSpouse: Marion MacInnis (m.  1922-1954) Early Life Armstrong was born in New York City on December 18, 1890, the son of John and Emily Armstrong. His father was an employee of Oxford University Press, while his mother was deeply involved in the Presbyterian Church. When he was still very young Armstrong became afflicted with St. Vitus Dance- a muscular disorder- which forced him to be home-schooled for two years. Education Armstrong was only 11 years old when Guglielmo Marconi made the first trans-Atlantic radio transmission. Enthralled, the young Armstrong began studying radio and building homemade wireless equipment, including a 125-foot antenna in his parents backyard. His interest in science and technology took Armstrong to Columbia University, where he studied at the schools Hartley Laboratories and made a strong impression on several of his professors. He finished college in 1913 with a degree in electrical engineering. Regenerative Circuit The same year he graduated, Armstrong invented the regenerative or feedback circuit. Regeneration amplification worked by feeding a received radio signal through a radio tube 20,000 times per second, increasing the power of the received radio signal and allowing radio broadcasts to have a greater range. In 1914, Armstrong was awarded a patent for this invention. His success, however, was short-lived; the following year another inventor, Lee de Forest, filed several applications for competing patents. De Forest believed that he had developed the regenerative circuit first, as did several other inventors who became involved in the legal dispute that lasted many years. Although an initial case was resolved in Armstrongs favor, a later decision ruled that De Forest was the true inventor of the regenerative circuit. This was Armstrongs first experience with the legal system that would later cause him so much turmoil. FM Radio Armstrong is most commonly known for inventing frequency modulation, or FM radio, in 1933. FM improved the audio signal of radio by controlling the static caused by electrical equipment and the earths atmosphere. Prior to this, amplitude modulation (AM) radio had been extremely susceptible to such interference, which was what prompted Armstrong to investigate the problem in the first place. He conducted his experiments in the basement of Columbia Universitys Philosophy Hall. In 1933, Armstrong received U.S. patent 1,342,885 for a Method of Receiving High-Frequency Oscillations Radio for his FM technology. Again, Armstrong was not the only one experimenting with such technology. Scientists at the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) were also testing frequency modulation techniques to improve radio transmissions. In 1934, Armstrong presented his latest finding to a group of RCA officials; he later demonstrated the power of the technology using an antenna at the top of the Empire State Building. RCA, however, decided not to invest in the technology and instead focused on television broadcasting. Armstrong had not lost faith in his discovery, though. He continued to refine and promote FM radio technology, first by partnering with smaller companies such as General Electric and then by presenting the technology to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Unlike the RCA officials, those at the FCC presentation were impressed by Armstrongs demonstration; when he played them a jazz recording over FM radio, they were struck by the clarity of the sound. Improvements to FM technology over the 1930s made it more and more competitive with existing technologies. In 1940, the FCC decided to create a commercial FM service, which launched the following year with 40 channels. However, the outbreak of World War II limited the resources that could be put toward new radio infrastructure. Conflicts with RCA- which was still using AM transmissions- also prevented FM radio from taking off. It was not until after the war that the technology began to win popular support. In 1940, RCA, seeing that it was losing the technological race, tried to license Armstrongs patents, but he refused the offer. The company then developed its own FM system. Armstrong accused RCA of patent infringement and began litigation against the company, hoping to win damages for lost royalties. Death Armstrongs inventions made him a rich man, and he held 42 patents in his lifetime. However, he also found himself embroiled in protracted legal disputes with RCA, which viewed FM radio as a threat to its AM radio business. Much of Armstrongs time, as a consequence of the litigation, was devoted to legal matters rather than work on new inventions. Struggling with personal and financial problems, Armstrong committed suicide in 1954 by jumping to his death from his New York City apartment. He was buried in Merrimac, Massachusetts. Legacy In addition to frequency modulation, Armstrong is also known for developing a number of other key innovations. Every radio or television set today makes use of one or more of his inventions. Armstrong even invented the superheterodyne tuner that allowed radios to tune into different radio stations. During the 1960s, NASA used FM transmissions to communicate with its astronauts while they were in space. Today, FM technology is still used throughout the world for most forms of audio broadcasting. Sources Sterling, Christopher H., and Michael C. Keith.  Sounds of Change: a History of FM Broadcasting in America. University of North Carolina Press, 2008.Richter, William A.  Radio: a Complete Guide to the Industry. Lang, 2006.

The Plight of the honeybee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Plight of the honeybee - Essay Example Ethos on the other hand is the use of authority be it moral or technical expertise to make an authoritative argument while logos is the use of reason to make a persuasive argument. The article is littered with the use of logos or logical reasoning to make an argument. This is expected because the author discussed a scientific phenomenon which is the mass deaths in bee colonies. This was very obvious with the use of factual figures to quoting studies by experts in the field both by individuals and institutions. This may make the paper a difficult read but it was necessary to make the case convincing why the mass deaths of honeybee is alarming. The paper began in this note to establish credibility using hard figures such as citing 237 items out of 453 items vanished when honeybees are removed from the produce section of Whole Foods store in Rhode Island making a thesis that honeybees "are the glue that holds our agricultural system together" (Walsh). The phenomenon of honeybees mass deaths were also assigned a scientific term by the experts as colony-collapse disorder (CCD) where the number of honeybee colonies that disappeared had increased causing honeybee kee pers money and their business as well as endangering our staple food from the perspective of science. The research leader at the U.S. Department of Agricultures Bee Research Laboratory says that â€Å"we are very close to the edge† (Walsh). Another aspect in the article that used the logos approach is the discussion of the causes of such mass deaths among honeybees which are the pesticides particularly the compound neonicotinoids, the Varoa mites and poisoned environment. The destructive mites Varoa was explained as a microscopic mite that kills billions of bees by burrowing into the brood cells that host baby bees and also on how to kill it such as â€Å"Monsanto’s RNA-interference technology that

MIS 2200 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

MIS 2200 - Essay Example It would help them to be equipped with advancing knowledge and skills so that they can better meet the organizational goals and objectives. Another very critical issue is that of our organizational culture which promotes cross cultural understanding and high ethical considerations within work environment. These are important factors for creating value based credibility amongst all our stakeholders. At the same time, it also helps to develop mutual respect and understanding and promotes effective communication to resolve workplace conflicts, if any. Shared goals and collective responsibility are important ingredients that significantly contribute to higher performance. The facilitating platform of continuous learning through system resources and external exigencies are major elements that help create benchmark for improved outcome. Indeed, we believe in empowering workers with knowledge and understanding so they can make decisions based on informed choices. Last but not the least important are the entrepreneurial initiatives of the workers which add value to the organizational visions and goals. The effort of the workers towards continuous improvement through constant learning and creative input is intrinsic to the organizational output and success. We hope that each of you will continue to contribute towards creating highly credible image of the organization amongst all our

The Natural Born Citizen Essay Example for Free

The Natural Born Citizen Essay The President of the United States of America is the most powerful man in the world. The decisions that he makes and the policies that he enforce are things that have direct or indirect effects not only on the U. S citizenry but also on people living in other countries. This fact makes it imperative that a man or a woman who is going to assume the office as the President of the United States must have full control of his mental, physical, and emotional faculties when he takes over this important position. This is the primary reason why individuals who intend to hold office as president of the United States should be a â€Å"Natural Born† citizen. The wording â€Å"Natural born† means that the candidate should have been born into this world via natural birthing methods. THE NATURAL BORN CITIZEN THE FACTS ABOUT NATURAL BIRTHING Being born via a Natural birthing method ensures that the child has a huge probability of having full control over his Mental, physical and emotional faculties in comparison to those born via unnatural birthing methods (Caesarian method). Being born via Caesarian method has the following adverse effects namely: (a) The change that may take place on a child’s brain because of the chemical effects of anaesthetic drugs like morphine and lidocaine. These are drugs that are administered on laboring mothers to counter the immense pains associated to childbirth. Effects may include but would not be limited to cognitive and behavioral problems like long term Brain damage, ADHD and Autism (Stacey 2008). (b) Psycho social problems have a higher risk of occurrence on Caesarian born children than those who were born via natural means. According to Dr. Stanislov Grof, caesarian-born children often displays particular attitudes and personality traits like low self esteem, and difficulty in completing a task. CONCLUSION There is no question that the Position as Chief Executive of a country is a very demanding position that entails commitment and sound mental faculties. A person who is bound to get this office should have mental, physical and emotional resources that he could call upon to serve his country especially in troubled times. Caesarian born individuals are not fit to hold this office because there is a huge possibility that they are not intrinsically, physically and mentally fit enough to assume their duties as the president of the most powerful country in the World. This office demands that the person who holds office should have a nearly perfect if not fully unblemished mental and physical faculties. The THE NATURAL BORN CITIZEN position is not created by the constitution to be a testing laboratory for a potentially unfit individual. This position is not for the feeble minded, and the weak of heart. Any possibility of handing this position over to an individual who may be emotionally and mentally unstable is an unjustifiable risk that the most prominent country in the world cannot take. Such an undertaking is untenable and prejudicial to the best interest of the United States of America and her citizenry. The individual that should lead this great nation should have a sound body and mind at his disposal to best serve his country and his fellowmen. Anything less is a travesty to Democracy and Good Governance. References: Common Drugs Used During Labor and Their Side Effects. Retrieved May 22, 2010, from World wide web: http://natural-childbirth. net/tag/effects-of-drugs-on-baby/ Emerson, W. (1993). Treating birth trauma during infancy: Dynamic outcomes. CA: Emerson Training Seminars. Emerson, W. (1996). Treating birth trauma during infancy: Cord trauma. [Video-tape]. CA: Emerson Training Seminars English, J. (1985). Different doorway. Adventures of a cesarean born. CA: Earth Heart Press. Grof, S. (1998). Realms of the human unconscious. New York: Viking Press.

Stonehenge :: essays research papers

Can''t find it here? Try Research Assistance world hunger World Hunger Every day an estimated 24,000 people die from hunger or hunger related causes. Three-fourths of these deaths are children under the age of five. One may wonder how this can be living in a country were it seems so much food is wasted everyday. Food restaurants and grocery stores throw away food every night before closing. Many Americans waste food every day within their own homes. With so much â€Å"left over† food in American how is it that an estimated 800 million people around the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition?1 Well, first we must define the word hunger. Hunger, in this case, is not just the rumbling in ones stomach that most of us feel if we have not eaten for a few hours. For this purpose, hunger is defined as â€Å"a condition resulting from chronic under-consumption of food and/or nutritious food products. It may be precipitated by an inability to obtain sufficient quantities of food to eat or a failure to consume adequate quantities of nutritious food products, regardless of the ability to obtain sufficient food supplies.†2 The problem of world hunger is not that there is not enough food produced in the world. â€Å"World production of grain alone is over 1.5 billion tons, enough to supply the entire world population with two pounds a day.†3 This grain combined the current production of other foods such as meat, fruits, vegetables, and nuts is enough to provide each adult and child on earth 3000 calories a day which is what the average American consumes.4 Americans are not the only ones who waste food. People all over the world are doing the very same thing. And the though it seems that America has too much food, we Americans have hungry people living right here in our own country. The world hunger problem lies within the changing environmental conditions, population, and most of all, poverty. This paper will discuss the causes, effects and possible solutions of world hunger. There are three major causes of world hunger, changing environment conditions, population, and poverty. The environment, of course, is the major element in the production of food in most countries across the globe. The environment in which one lives decides what types of food can be produced and how much of that food can be produced. The weather or climate in any particular environment can change and affect what people eat and how much of it they are able to eat. One change in the environment that adversely affects agriculture is soil erosion.

A Comparison of Special Education Philosophy, Policies an Dpractice Essay

The focus of this study is to compare the educational philosophies, policies,and practices between Malaysia and Japan, with regard to the education of children with special needs. Malaysia and Japan have some common historical experiences in that both countries were involved in the Second World War, both were colonised and given independence by Anglo-American powers. Geographically they are both in Asia. A significant difference between the two countries is the homogenous nature of Japan’s population and the pluralistic multicultural, multi lingual, multi ethnicity and religions of Malaysia. Japan is a developed and industrialised country whereas Malaysia is developing and targeting to be an industrialised one. Japan’s population of 127 million dwarfs Malaysia’s 29 million. It is needful to examine the set up of other countries, discover the root of the problems and analyse their solutions so as to better understand one’s own education system, avoid mistakes made and adopt suitable models accordingly. Hence, in this comparative study, an Asian country was chosen over an Anglo-American one, because Japan and Malaysia are both culturally group-oriented, power concentrated, inclined to be replicative and relationally holistic. As such it is probably easier to relate to contextually in matters relating to adapting globalised best practices in a culturally sensitive way. This paper seeks to look at the special educational policies and philosophies of both countries, study their practises, identify key issues and challenges faced, and to discover possibilities for mutual exchange, growth and development. There has always been a personal interest in Special education probably from parental influence and also from exposure to special people at a very young age. The increasing awareness of Special Education in Malaysia can undoubtedly be attributed to regular reporting by the media and the escalating pervasiveness of information technology available to the masses. In recent years, Special Education has given more attention to a wide range of learning difficulties, including dyslexia, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], Asperger’s syndrome and so on, with focus somewhat moving away from visual, hearing impairment and physical, mental impairments. This is probably because in most developing and developing countries, visual and hearing impairments have already well-established special educational practices. For example, Special schools where various learning aids, such as sign language, Braille and magnified letters are used to accommodate the students’ teaching and learning needs. Some countries such as Japan and the United States of America (USA), have advanced to providing not only basic education but also pioneering tertiary education for the visually and hearing impaired. Different forms of learning difficulties have emerged over the past 25 years and are probably still emerging. In the past, these special needs (learning difficulties) were all classified under mental retardation, but as discoveries continue to be made and learning difficulties are classified differently, statistics show that mental retardation worldwide has dropped considerably. As these conditions are discovered and researched, some theories about these conditions change and some evolve due to these theories being challenged or disproved and new theories being proposed. For example there is a wide range of autism, from highly-functioning to deeply autistic. Some children who were diagnosed as autistic ten years ago, are now discovered to have Asperger’s disorder. Disorders along the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continuum include autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Rett Syndrome (American Psychiatric Assocciation, 1995) and Asperger’s disorder. Since ASD exists along a spectrum, intervention especially communication intervention must be highly individualized ( Schreibman, koegel, Charlop, & Egel, 1990), thus intervention-wise, a child with Asperger’s Disorder is to be regarded quite differently from an autistic child. The field of special education has seen growth that has been unprecedented and it is likely to continue with more contemporary curricula, programmes, materials and resources evolving at a rapid rate, driven by a developmental theoretical perspective. In response to the increasing number of children diagnosed with special needs and especially that of learning difficulty, it is imperative that policies, philosophies and practice of special education need to be redefined, reviewed and refined to cater for the development and nurture of these children. Common special needs include challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders. There are many famous personalities who have special needs and disabilities but have excelled in sport, fine arts, physics and in the music and movie arena. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps made history by breaking records and winning eight gold medals. He also inspired thousands by speaking candidly about having ADHD. His mother has also been very public about telling their story. Professor Stephen Hawking, a renowned Physicist, is a well-known example of a person with multiple neurone disease who has against all odds, succeeded in life. Hawking cannot walk, talk, breathe easy, swallow and has difficulty in holding up his head. He could have well been classified as mentally retarded and severely physically handicapped and discharged to a home of the Spastics, yet he defied his doctor’s prognosis of not surviving more than 21 years. Stevie Wonder was born prematurely and as a result, he was never able to see. Wonder stands out as one of the most celebrated American musicians of all time. To his credit, he has won 26 Grammys and an Academy Award. This has earned him rightful standing in the Rock and Roll and Songwriter’s Halls of Fame. Phelps was told that he could never focus on anything, Hawking, that he wasn’t an exceptional student and Wonder, that he could never make it in life. They are an inspiration to one and all, both stakeholders and non-stakeholders alike. On this note let us look at Japan. JAPAN [pic] Figure1. 1 Map of Japan For many, the word Japan conjures up mystical Samurais, beautiful, graceful and demure kimono-clad geisha girls, sashimi (Japanese raw fish), beautiful spring apple-blossoms, ancient temples, lightning–fast bullet trains, Toyotas and Hondas, even the Iron Chef competitions and the list goes on; but education is certainly not an image that fills your mind when you hear the word Japan! Japan is an island country located in the Pacific ocean. It’s an archipelago of over six thousand islands, the largest being Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku accounting for 97% of Japan’s land area. Japan is often referred to as the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ because the Japanese characters that make up Japan’s name, Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku means ‘sun origin’. Most of Japan’ s islands are mountainous and many are volcanic which is not surprising as Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and an active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08. Japan has a population of 127 million people, ranks the tenth-largest populated country in the world. Tokyo is the capital of Japan with a population of 12 million. It is the Japan’s centre for culture and education and also the nation’s economic and industrial hub. The main language spoken is Japanese and most Japanese are of the Shinto-Buddhism faith. Since 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected Prime Minister as head of government, with an elected parliament called the Diet. It is a highly industrialized, developed country and a major world economic power. Japan has the world’s second-largest economy and the third largest in purchasing power parity. It is also the world’s fourth largest exporter and fifth largest importer. It is the only Asian country in the G8 and a current non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) security council. According to both the UN and World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world, and the third lowest infant mortality rate. History of Education Japan’s education maybe conveniently divided into pre-World War II(WW),post WW II, and modern Japan. On the whole, pre-WWII education was controlled centrally by the government, the education philosophy was guided by the Imperial Rescript Education (1890), Japanese values and Confucian principles were taught and stressed by society. Primary education was available to all but secondary and tertiary studies were elitist and discriminatory. This old system collapsed at the end of WWII and the United States Education Mission (1946) introduced new ideas and structures into the Japanese system such as extending free but compulsory education from six to nine years, higher education became more non-elitist, social studies was emphasized above moral studies, school boards were locally elected as opposed to being appointed under the old system, and teachers unions were formed. In 1952, Japanese sovereignty was restored and many reforms reverted back to the old system; school boards were by appointment, Japanese ideals moral studies were put back into the curricula but the 6-3-3 structure intended at democratizing education remain until today The University Control Law (1969) and other reforms emerged in the 70’s. Education in Contemporary Japan is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (known also as the Monbukagakusho or MEXT). Three tiers of administration attend to the financial and supervisory educational services; namely the national (MEXT0, Prefectural (upper tier) and municipal (lower tier). There are five levels of schooling in Japan: Preschool which is free to all but not compulsory, Primary and Lower Secondary levels which are free and compulsory, and Upper Secondary and Higher Education which are neither free nor compulsory. The Fundamental Law of Education, the School Education Law and the Social Education Law provide the philosophies, policies and practices throughout the nation. The Japanese value educational excellence at all levels and their education system is thought to be extremely prestigious. Japan is consistently ranked at the top internationally in both Maths and science by the TIMSS (Trends in Interntional Maths and Science Study). Japanese education helps build student motivation. Their philosophy emphasizes effort over ability hence in the Japanese classroom, everyone is taught the same concepts and students are engaged in higher-order thinking skills. Correct answers are withheld and students are presented with material such as puzzles and encouraged to think of as many ways as possible to solve the problem. Fast and slow learners are not separated and advanced students help the less able, cooperation, a sense of belonging and oneness are fostered. This attitude is particularly important when it comes to special children. Special Education in Japan A brief history In 1878, the first special school for children with visual and hearing impairment was established in Kyoto. The first special class for children with intellectual disabilities was set up in 1890 in Matsumoto City, in Nagano Prefecture. To date Japan has 222 and 210 years of history respectively in the area of Special education, a figure to be proud of indeed. The number of special schools and special classes for children with various kinds of disabilities increased favorably until around 1930, but thereafter the WWII devastated special education. At the end of the WWII, the external number of special schools for children with blindness and deafness was still more than 100, but most schools were burned by air raids. In the case of special classes, all were closed except one in Tokyo, at which the children were also moved to rural areas without schools, let alone special classes. Special education had to be reconstructed after the WWII based on the philosophy of democratic education, which was introduced by the educational policy the United States who was then the occupation army. In 1947 compulsory education for primary school and lower secondary schools was introduced. Special education was rapidly rebuilt beginning with visual and hearing impairments schools and classes, followed closely by schools for intellectual disability, physical and health impairment. The development of special education since the end of WWII maybe seen as (1) Development of special schools and special classes. 1947- 1979 (2) Movement of integrated education – 2000 (3) Development of special needs education. – Present day The motto of the Special Needs Education System of Japan (SNES) – Where children with disabilities learn – is bold and apt. Looking at Figure 1.2, it is clear that special-needs children are given due consideration at all levels from pre-school right up to upper secondary school. Figure 1. 3 show that as the degree of disability goes from mild to severe, the children are correspondingly moved from regular classes with team-teaching, achievement-based teaching ,small-group classes, Special Support Service in resource rooms, to special classes and then on to Special Needs Schools. The four categories of special needs, the blind, the deaf, the intellectually disabled, the physically disabled and the health impaired in figure 1. 4, show the ratio of children with multiple disabilities in Special Schools in elementary and lower secondary levels. Due to increasing number of students with multiple disabilities, there is a move away from of schools catering only for single disabilities for example the blind or deaf. Japan has a national curriculum standards for children with disabilities called ‘the Course of Study or Gakushyu-shido-yoryo for schools serving the blind ,the deaf, children with physical and mental disabilities and health impairments. It can be amended when necessary to tailor to specific needs for these children. Parents, school board members and or medical and social personel are consulted in order to determine which curriculum suits the child best, be it one to one teaching, small group teaching, individual teaching plans or inclusive integration onto regular classes. Even when there is profound disability, the child is eligible for education according to their needs. In some cases teachers visit homes or institutitions to provide home tutoring. In major hospitals classes are available for children necessitating hospital treatment. Only 0. 001% of children in Japan are allowed postponement or exemption from school education. Teachers in Special education are required to have a license for special education in addition to their basic teaching license. The NISE provides highly specialized training courses. Local Special Education Centers in prefectures offer programmes to upgrade or learn new skills. Case conferences and Teacher’s study-meetings are conducted at school level. The NISE conducts research such as nationwide surveys to assist in making future national policies with regard to special education. At prefecture level, research and development schools and model schools are present throughout the country. Local Special Education Centers, Colleges and Universities conduct ongoing research on teaching methods to enhance Special Support Education. As part of the 2007 reform, the SNES aims to have schools for Special Needs Education where staff are competent in knowledge and understanding on more than one disability, so that students with multiple disabilties are be accepted and integrated into each local community. By mid 2010, Japan plans to launch their first graduate school for students with visual or aural impairments at the state-run Tsukuba University of Technology, their only University for the deaf. According to the university, it will be the world’s first graduate school for visually- impaired students and the third for hearing-impaired ones, following the footsteps of such schools as Gallaudet University in the United States, Master’s degrees will be offered: Industrial technology for visually challenged students and health science courses for hearing-impaired students. Academia is possible to all, those with special needs and those without, unless there is brain injury and the cognitive abilities are damaged. As the adage goes â€Å"There is no learning disability only teacher inability†. MALAYSIA [pic] Map of peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo)Fig 1. 2 Malaysia, is made up of West Malaysia (peninsular Malaya) and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak states) in nothern Bourneo. It is a land of beauty in its diversity, located in the heart of South East Asia, see figure 1. 2 which had for centuries attracted merchants and traders plying the ancient, lucrative spice and silk route between India and China. It is therefore no surprise that Chinese, Indian and Malays are the major contributors to Malaysia’s rich and vibrant cultural heritage, together with the indigenous people. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi lingual and multi-religious society, known for their warm hospitality, interesting and delicious variety of food and a delightful fusion of cultures making Malaysians attractive and unique. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, but English is taught as a second language and many Malaysians are tri lingual: proficient in their mother tongue, in Malay and in English. Malaysia is well endowed in natural resources such as minerals,[ mainly tin and petroleum] agriculture and forestry. It is one of the world’s top exporters of natural rubber, palm oil, sawn timber, coca and pepper. Malaysia boasts of rich biodiversity and a wide habitat range, in the Gunung Mulu National Park, and in the Mount Kinabalu district of Sabah. Both have been marked as World Heritage Sites. In 2009 two interesting and historical townships, Malacca and Penang were also given World Heritage status. Today Malaysia is an independent nation state with a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Kuala Lumpur is the largest city and the capital of Malaysia. It is also the main financial and commercial centre of the country. Malaysia is recognized as an emerging industrialized country with a GDP per capita PPP ranking at 48th in the world and second in South East Asia. For the past 20 years, Malaysia has been on a fast track development drive with measurable physical and economic success. Unfortunately, services and facilities enabling tangible inclusion of People with Disabilities (PWDs) into their communities were not developed in tandem, resulting in Malaysians with Disabilities excluded from enjoying a barrier-free environment and normal enriching independent lifestyle. There is a pressing need to firstly look at the education commitments of Malaysia to the children with disabilities so that indeed the mission of the Ministry of Education ‘To develop a world-class quality education system which will realise the full potential of the individual and fulfil the aspiration of the Malaysian nation† can achieved, and to reach their objectives stated below: – To produce loyal and united Malaysians. – To produce happy, well mannered individuals who have faith, knowledge and vision. – To prepare the nation? s human resource for its developmental needs. – To provide educational opportunities for all Malaysians. HISTORY OF EDUCATION Pre WWII, secular schools were mainly an innovation of the British colonial government, and English-Language schools were considered prestigious at that time. Post WWII, education was mainly aimed to feed the needs of the colonial government though the Malay, Chinese and Indian communities fought hard for their mother tongue to be used as a medium of instruction. Post independence (1957) in accordance to the national language policy, the government began to change English-medium primary and secondary national-type schools into Malay-medium national schools. In 1970, the language change was made gradually starting from the first year in primary school, was completed by the end of 1982. Malaysia’s belief that (NEP),New Economic Policy 1960-1970, the National Development Policy,1071-1990, The first to ninth Malaysia Plan, 1991-2010, ensure adequate funds to the Education sector for the development of the nation’s human resource and capital. It is through this course of action that the Malaysian Education system succeeds in responding to the issues of access, equity, quality and effectiveness of education for all Malaysians in a 6-3-2 structure. Education in Malaysia is overseen by two government ministries: the Ministry of Education for matters up to the secondary level, and the Ministry of Higher Education for tertiary education. Each state has an Education Department to help coordinate educational matters in their respective states, although education is the responsibility of the federal government. The Education Act of 1996 is the main legislation governing education which designates six years of primary education as compulsory. Pre-school is optional and most pre-schools are for profit and privately run. Five years of secondary schooling is not compulsory. For their pre-university studies, students have an option of doing two years of Form six or the Matriculation. Free education is provided from Primary one right up to Form six. A Brief History of Special Education Jabatan Pendidikan Khas (JPK) or the Department of Special Education, from being just a unit in the Education Department was established as a Department in its own right in 1995. It plays a major role in curricula planning and implementing the quality of special education programmes in both the primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. However the programmes for the deaf have a much longer history, the first residential school for the deaf was established in 1954. Interest towards Special Education in Malaysia began in 1920s among volunteers who were involved in the opening of schools for the hearing and visual impaired. The Cabinet Committee Report that studied the Implementation of Education Policy through the Recommendatory 169 was the beginning of a clearer focus and emphasis on the development of Special Education in Malaysia. The recommendatory says that: â€Å"With the awareness that the government should be responsible towards the  education of disabled children, it should then take over all the responsibilities from the organizations handling it currently. Moreover, the involvement of volunteers in developing the education for disabled children is encouraged. † SPECIAL EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY. The MoE Philosophy for Special Education states that ‘Education is given to develop the students physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually so that students can be educated to the highest possible level to enable them to obtain employment and live independently’. Programmes are based on the following policies: †¢ Education Act 1996, Chapter 8. †¢ Education Act (Amendment) Act 2002. †¢ Education Regulations (Special Education) in 1997. †¢ Policy Committee decision, the Ministry of Education [Education Planning Committee (SRC), Meeting Management Ministry of Education, Centre for Curriculum Committee (DFA) and Department of Management Meeting Special Education]. International Declarations: †¢ United Nations’ World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1983). †¢ The World’s Declaration on Education for All (1990). †¢ The United Nations’ Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (1993). †¢ The Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (Salamanca Statement) in 1994. †¢ Biwako Millennium Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (2002). Three ministries service children with disabilities. They are, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (WFCD) and the Ministry of Education, but education for these children are only under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of WFCD. The Ministry of Education provides educational services for students with special needs who have visual and hearing impairment, learning difficulties, and those needing special remedial help. Learning disorders are categorized as follows: – Downs Syndrome – Mild autism – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Mild Mental Impairment and – Specific learning disabilities (eg. Dyslexia). The Ministry of WFCD provides services for children with the following problems: – severe physical disability – moderate and severe mental retardation – various other defects such as and – defects that do not allow the children to learn in schools provided by the Ministry of Education. Special Education Department’s Vision and Mission JPK’s vision statement is ‘Quality Education Generates Excellence Among Students with Special Educational Needs in line with the National Education System’, with the mission to develop excellent special needs human capital based on a holistic, relevant and quality education system so that there is – Optimum development the individual’s potential – Ability to compete and be marketable. – Moral values as a responsible citizen – Smart partnerships with various parties The Special Education services provided by the Department of Education are: †¢ Special schools for pupils with visual and hearing impaired and learning (secondary). †¢ Special Education Integration Programs for students with special needs and learning disabilities, impaired hearing and sight impaired. The program is available in non-residential, normal primary and secondary schools as well as in Technical/Vocational training (secondary) schools which adopt withdrawal or semi-inclusive approach. Programmes such as the Special Education Integration Programme and the Special Rehabilitation Programmes are fully administered at state levels by the State Education Department, whereas the Integration of Special Education Programs in Technical and Vocational Education is administered by the Department of Technical Education. The Malaysian Education for All Mid-Decade Assessment Report 2000-2007 states that one of the strategies is to expand preschool places for children with special needs from 32 integration classes to 100 classrooms in order to integrate children aged 5-6 with single disability, usually the learning disabled. Expansion necessitates therefore training the necessary preschool teachers and teacher assistants and also the proviso to amend the Special Education Regulations Act 1997 to accept students with two disabilities. UNICEF, working together with the Ministry of Health’s Development Division (MHDD) devised a standardised screening tool in 2006 to improve the early detection of autism amongst toddlers so that early intervention can be instituted. Issues with Sexual and reproductive health for children with special needs are also looked into, in response and recognition of their high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation, because it directly impacts their learning and overall development. ANALYSIS Japan as a leading economic power and highly industrialised country and Malaysia as a developing and emerging industrialised one, have commonalities in that were both affected deeply by WWII, and both were dominated by a foreign power, so it is interesting to see each country recovered, rebuilt and developed post-war and how Special education has evolved since then. Looking at the philosophy with regard to Special Education mentioned earlier on, both Japan and Malaysia are very similar in that both are highly commendable, comprehensive and impressive, subscribing also to many international special-education charters such as The United Nations’ Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (1993). |Mission and Vision of JPK Malaysia |Mission and Vision of the NISEJapan | | |The mission of our institute as the National Institute of | |JPK’s vision statement is ‘Quality Education Generates Excellence |Special Needs Education is to contribute to:Improving the | |Among Students with Special Educational Needs in line with |quality of education for children with disabilities and to | |the National Education System’, with the mission to develop excellent|make educational provision to meet individual educational | |special needs human capital based on a holistic, relevant and quality|needs. We aim to do this by working with the national and | |education system so that there is |government organizations. Our vision is | |- Optimum development the individual’s potential |Research Activities that contribute to National | |- Ability to compete and be marketable |Administrative Needs | |- Moral values as a responsible citizen |-To undertake research that contributes to the formulation | |- Smart partnerships with various parties |of National Policy for Children. | |- Providing education opportunities and facilities for students |Practical Research that contributes to Education | |with special educational needs. |- To undertake advanced and practical research that | |- Providing relevant education to every student with special |contributes to education | |educational needs. |Specialized Programs for Teacher Training | |- Providing opportunity for students with special educational needs |- Provide systematic and special training for the school | |to develop their talent and potential. |staff who plays the role of leadership in special needs | |- Providing sufficient and up-to-date teaching and learning |education from local public organization and support them. | |material. |Training Programs that Respond to New Challenges | |- Ensuring sufficient trained teachers in special education. |- To implement training program for the major issue of | | |National Policy and/or urgent issue at educational site | |- Planning and managing all primary and secondary special schools. |flexibly and promptly. | |- Planning and coordinating all special schools integration program. |Counseling and Consultation that Provide Activities that | |- Planning, coordinating and evaluating policies and regulations, to|Supports Local Public Organizations | |ensure education is well-balanced, to help, service and support |- To conduct consultation and provide the information for | |students with special educational needs and implement the special |counseling and consultation to the organizations. | |education vocational policy. |Provide Information for Special Needs Education | |- Planning curriculum, activities and special education affairs. |-To collect, analyze, arrange and make database of the | |- Providing special education planning, research and evaluation. |information on special needs education from domestic and | |- Providing training plan and staff development; and |overseas and provide comprehensive information to teaching | |- Coordinating Special Remedial Education Program. |site. | | |Cooperation and Partnership with Universities and | | |Organizations in Domestic and Overseas. | | |- to collaborate and cooperate with universities and | | |organizations locally and abroad through seminars, to | | |research, analyze and evaluate the issues, and to share our| | |practical research results in special needs education. | One difference in their philosophy is that when it comes to learning, the Japanese put value and emphasis in effort over that of natural ability, resulting in primary school students being taught in classes that have not been streamlined into good, average or poor students, whereas stream lining students according to their academic performance is practiced by Malaysia and many other countries. It follows then that, if effort is put into the education of a special-needs child, the child can reach its full potential given all the necessary support. This attitude has given Japan an advantage of having an over 200 year history in educating people with special needs, which began with addressing the visual and hearing impaired. The Japanese School Education Law places special education firmly within the framework of the total education system by emphasizing that it is not separate from ordinary education. Japanese special education now officially recognizes seven categories of disability: the blind and partially sighted, deaf and har.

Exploring Section Essay

Abstract Since the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 came into effect the South African labour market has undergone numerous changes. Such a consequence is the rise in the number of employees engaged in atypical or non-standard employment. This paper responds in the affirmative to Cheadle’s assertion that the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 provides inadequate protection to vulnerable workers such as non-standard employees. I explore the recent attempts to extend the protection of certain labour and social security laws to some categories of non-standard employees and I recognise their shortcomings. I suggest that senior and middle management employees no longer require statutory protection from unfair labour practices as such protection can be attained through contractual means. I propose that there is presently an urgent need to create a statutory arrangement which affords adequate protection to non-standard workers. 1. Introduction The current South African labour legislation is one which affords too much protection to those who do not need it and far too little to those who require it most. In his paper Cheadle explores the consequences of the changes to the labour market since 1994 and recognises that the current conceptual structure has failed to accommodate these changes. The first source for reform is that there is â€Å"a huge protection hole – casual workers are not protected, informal workers are not protected, marginalised workers are not protected. † This results from the changes undergone by the labour market and the fact that the current remedies for unfair labour practices in the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995 have â€Å"never been subject to careful scrutiny†. The most effective response to this problem is a re-evaluation of the current labour legislation. Cheadle’s main argument is that there is no longer a need to protect the working class against unfair labour practices as they are able to protect themselves through contractual means. I concur with Cheadle’s affirmations and in strengthening my argument I focus firstly on the brief history and development of the concept of an unfair labour practice. Through this exploration I evidence how the lack of proper scrutiny of unfair labour practices has resulted in an ill conceived provision. I argue that the current labour legislation does not extend protection to non-standard workers this based on the fact that protection rarely goes beyond the employment relationship. I further argue that if middle and senior employees can contractually negotiate â€Å"their hours of work and rights to any payment for overtime work† then surely this is possible for purposes of unfair labour practices. 2. Origins of unfair labour practices The first observation made by Cheadle is that the ‘jurisprudence relating to the individual employment relation was fully codified in respect to dismissal but only roughly codified in respect of the residue. † Cheadle questions the lack of scrutiny applied to the definition of section 186(2) and argues that there is a need to revise and reconsider the practicality of unfair labour practices listed in section 186(2) of the LRA. The idea of unfair labour practice was first introduced into the South African labour law by the Industrial Conciliation Amendment Act. Under The Industrial Conciliation Amendment Act unfair labour practice was widely defined follows: â€Å"any labour practice which in the opinion of the industrial court is an unfair labour practice. † This wide definition was a mechanism intended to protect white workers against â€Å"less favourable conditions of employment in the face of an extension to black workers of access to occupations previously reserved for whites. † Because of this wide definition the legislature was obliged to intervene and in 1980 the concept of an unfair labour practice was more comprehensively defined. The protection regarding the right to strike, refusal to negotiate in good faith, selective dismissal or re-employment, and the use of derogatory language were then built in to the jurisprudence. However this was considered a rather strange jurisprudence as it governed both individual employment relationships and collective bargaining relationships. By 1995, in devising the Labour Relations Act, the unfair labour practices were built into the Act by way of the whole portfolio of organisational rights. The LRA was then negotiated and a set of transitional provisions relating to unfair labour practice where deferred until the Basic Conditions of Employment Act would be dealt with. When the time came the drafters failed to incorporate unfair labour practices and it was left as a transitional provision. It was finally incorporated through the 2002 amendments, where as Cheadle states, â€Å"a couple of words were changed† and it now constitutes the body of the statute known as a â€Å"charter for middle and top management. The history of unfair labour practice therefore strengthens the argument for the need to re-view the current legislation and to align it with the protection of vulnerable workers. 3. Regulated flexibility One of the underpinnings of the Labour Relations Act is the concept of regulated flexibility. Cheadle explains that in formulating the LRA the focus was channelled at achieving â€Å"efficiency, productivity and adaptability, but within the parameters or th e limits of protection. This ties in with the concept of labour market flexibility which gives rise to â€Å"new types† of employment which include but not limited to, â€Å"non-permanent employment for instance fixed-term and part-time work, through labours broker, tele-work, seasonal work, student jobs, working from home, self-employment and subcontracted work. † The current position is that there is insufficient statutory protection for workers employed in a typical work. Difficulty is further encountered in that the protection afforded under collective agreements does not extend to these forms of employment. Employers’ attempts to avoid protective labour legislation and restraints of the traditional employment relationship have also contributed to the rise in atypical employment. This constitutes the crux of the discussion in that law reform should rather shift its focus from increasing regulation to the achievement of labour market flexibility in order to adapt to the changing economic environment as well as to extend the protection under labour legislation to marginalised workers. 4. Contract of Employment and the â€Å"protection whole† The contract of employment creates a standard form of employment. It is the source from which protection and social security afforded under South African labour law is derived. According to the definition of employee in the LRA and BCEA this would mean that workers employed in a typical or non standard employment are ultimately excluded from the protection afforded under current labour legislation. Despite the wide definition of employee in that it includes â€Å"any other person who in any manner assists in carrying on or conducting the business of an employee†, non-standard workers such as part-time workers or home workers are still not protected by current labour laws. Cheadle argues that the reason labour law legislation does not extend protection to these non-standard worker is based on the history of labour law and the contract of employment. He makes an interesting argument in that the link to the contact of employment must be severed so as to accommodate any worker who works in a sector irrespective of the existence of a contract of employment. I fail to see the rationale behind this assertion. Cleansing the labour legislation of the employment contract would only open up the flood gates for unwarranted litigation and confusion as this is the only source for structure and order. Rather than tearing down well serving structures law reform should rather work on incorporating protective provisions into the legislative framework. A recommendation made by Mathias Nyenti is that trade unions should become more actively involved in extending protection to non-standard workers. However, trade unions are of two minds, on the one hand there is the need to promote the working conditions of non-standard workers but on the other is the fear that supporting labour flexibility will only increase non-standard employment and potentially corrode their support base. . Anti working class law? The next argument made by Cheadle and perhaps the most controversial is that, it has become unnecessary to protect middle and top management against unfair labour practices. The assertion is that these categories of workers can protect themselves through contractual means or otherwise through the common law. However, I question whether the common law is adequately equipped to deal with fai rness in the workplace? For instance, if an employee is presented with a situation where there is no contractual rrangement in place providing for promotional prospects, such an employee cannot claim that the employer acted unfairly in not promoting that an employee. Cheadle further argues that there â€Å"is no need for the judicial regulation of the selection decisions (hiring, training, promotion) and those aspects of discipline short of dismissal (suspension, demotion and other disciplinary measures). † In his breakdown of statutory unfair labour practice Cheadle first addresses the issue of recruitment and hiring and questions the reasoning behind its exclusion from the list of unfair labour practices. He concludes that the legislation has put mechanisms in place to protect against victimisation, discrimination, and corrupt appointments and those should therefore constitute the parameters in which the legislation should operate. Simply put legislation should not interfere with the operational personnel decisions of the employer. The issue of promotion is an interesting one. Cheadle questions why senior and middle management are given the right to challenge a promotion whereas this has never been a problem for ordinary workers. This mirrors the position in appointment and hiring. Which brings us back to the question–do senior and middle management really need such protection? The next unfair practice is the issue of demotion and I question why such a practice is regulated because as Cheadle asserts one cannot be demoted without their consent. If a worker is given an alternative between demotion and dismissal and the worker refuses to be demoted, that can be challenged under the law of dismissal. â€Å"Cheadle’s argument is therefore not for greater inclusion but rather an acknowledgement of the remedies and relief under existing common law and contract law. 6. Business perspective From a business perspective it is argued that an increase in labour market flexibility will attract foreign investment resulting in high employment levels and the mitigation of poverty. The argument is that over-regulated labour markets tend to have the opposite effect, reducing global engagement and the prospect of employment. â€Å"However, trade unions believe tha t government needs to protect its vulnerable workers against exploitation if it is to achieve its social transformation objectives. † 7. Conclusion The recent changes in the labour market have thrown vulnerable workers in a â€Å"protection hole† and the current labour legislation unfortunately fails to remedy this position. The bottom-line is that labour reform should be focused on protecting those employees who need protection the most such as workers in atypical employment. There is a great need not only for legislative reform but also reform of the institutions which implement the legislation such as the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration. While I am in agreement with Cheadle’s assertions on the most part, the suggestion that the employment contract should be done away with is a highly controversial and one which I do not agree with. One provision which should be reviewed or even removed however is one which offers unwarranted protection to senior and middle employees who are able to protect themselves through contractual means. Section 186 no longer has a place in the legislative framework and should either be re-evaluated to include vulnerable workers or removed in its entirety. Bibliography Books Van Jaarsveld et al 2001 LAWSA 8

Free Essays on Crime

Crime Causes Poverty Throughout America there are it’s ghettos, the poverty stricken, the poor, or may you say the less fortunate. Everyone isn’t always fortunate enough to be mid-class, or rich with a two door garage and a white picket fence. Many people wonder why there are such ghettos, why there is so much poverty in America when America continues to hand out opportunities. The main issue is what causes poverty, crime causes poverty, making the poor even poorer, the unwise more ignorant etc. It was once a myth that poverty causes crime, but today I think it is clear that crime is causing poverty. Businesses are driven away from theses areas , taking jobs and opportunities with them. Potential investors and would-be employers are scared away. Existing owners are deterred from making improvements on their property, and as property values go down, owners disinvest in their property. What needs to occur for this to not happen is for the police to be more abundant in these areas. Do you see crime causing poverty in â€Å"white† mid-class areas? The answer to that is NO! Do you always see the police there, cruising the streets? The answer to that is Yes! Therefore there is no crime, causing more investors to come to their suburbs or cities. Causing more employment, more jobs, more money into people’s pockets and more economic welfare. This is the answer to the problem, the urban ghettos need more protection within their streets and maybe those cities wouldn’t be so poverty stricken.... Free Essays on Crime Free Essays on Crime Are juveniles as under control today as they were in the past? Crime plays a major role in today’s society. The government follows the policy and has always followed the policy that no crime goes unpunished. The controversy that surrounds the United States courtrooms today is whether or not a minor needs to stand trial as an adult for committing a serious offense. These decisions made by the judge or jury in the preliminary hearing affect the rest of the suspects life. The opposing argument to the issue of juveniles being tried as adults remains that the minor is too young and immature to understand the consequences of what he or she did wrong. Juveniles need to be punished according to the severity of the crime in which they committed. Ultimately, juveniles should stand trial as adults. The opposition believes that holding court cases where juveniles remain tried as adults undoubtedly violates the rights of the juvenile. Initially, the age of a person when the alleged crime occurred decides whether or not he or she will be tried as a juvenile. â€Å"Definitions of who is a juvenile vary for different purposes within individual states as well as among different states† (Rosenheim 36). Children, ages seven to seventeen, who are suspected of crime, must be treated as children in need of guidance and encouragement, and not as vicious criminals (Emerson 6). Also, the opposition feels that the juvenile cannot accept full responsibility for his or her actions. Some people insist that each minor who committed a crime was influenced in some way or another (Emerson 8). Not only does the opposition believe that the minor was influenced, but they also believe that the juvenile was not able to control his or herself (Emerson 8). In addition, juveniles have not yet reached the necessary maturity level to share a prison amongst other adults. Minors, isolated for punishment, do not deserve this radical treatment (Staff Report C13). Numerous lawsuit... Free Essays on Crime America's prisons have been called "graduate schools for crime." It stands to reason: Take a group of people, strip them of possessions and privacy, expose them to constant threats of violence, overcrowd their cell-block, deprive them of meaningful work, and the result is an embittered underclass more intent on getting even with society than contributing to it. Prisons take the nonviolent offender and make him live by violence. They take the nonviolent offender and make him a hardened killer. America has to wake up and realize that the current structure of our penal system is failing terribly. The government has to devise new ways to punish the guilty, and still manage to keep American citizens satisfied that our prison system is still effective. Americans pay a great deal for prisons to fail so badly. Like all big government solutions, they are expensive. In the course of my research dealing with the criminal justice system, I have learned that the government spends approximately eighty-thousand dollars to build one cell, and $28,000 per year to keep a prisoner locked up. That's about the same as the cost of sending a student to Harvard. Because of overcrowding, it is estimated that more than ten-billion dollars in construction is needed to create sufficient space for just the current prison population. And that’s not it, what about the future explosion of the prison population? Crime in the United Sates is rising. More prisons and more money will be spent if the crime rate keep rising and the inefficient way in which the government manages its prisons stays constant. The plain truth is that the very nature of prison, no matter how humane society attempts to make it, produces an environment that is inevitably devastating to its residents. By letting violent and nonviolent prisoners share cells they only produce more violent criminals. Violent criminals; murderers, rapists, and misguided youths sharing cells to... Free Essays on Crime Crime Causes Poverty Throughout America there are it’s ghettos, the poverty stricken, the poor, or may you say the less fortunate. Everyone isn’t always fortunate enough to be mid-class, or rich with a two door garage and a white picket fence. Many people wonder why there are such ghettos, why there is so much poverty in America when America continues to hand out opportunities. The main issue is what causes poverty, crime causes poverty, making the poor even poorer, the unwise more ignorant etc. It was once a myth that poverty causes crime, but today I think it is clear that crime is causing poverty. Businesses are driven away from theses areas , taking jobs and opportunities with them. Potential investors and would-be employers are scared away. Existing owners are deterred from making improvements on their property, and as property values go down, owners disinvest in their property. What needs to occur for this to not happen is for the police to be more abundant in these areas. Do you see crime causing poverty in â€Å"white† mid-class areas? The answer to that is NO! Do you always see the police there, cruising the streets? The answer to that is Yes! Therefore there is no crime, causing more investors to come to their suburbs or cities. Causing more employment, more jobs, more money into people’s pockets and more economic welfare. This is the answer to the problem, the urban ghettos need more protection within their streets and maybe those cities wouldn’t be so poverty stricken.... Free Essays on Crime Crime has been a defining characteristic of modern America. It has claimed thousands of lives and has cost billions of dollars. The U.S. â€Å"correctional† population is at a record high. During the past two decades, the prison population has grown more rapidly than at any noted time in history. This growth resulted in the massive new prison expansion program, which was implemented in order to deal with overcrowding in prisons. The present day role of our prison system is one of deterrence. By being â€Å"tough on crime† with stiffer drug laws, tougher parole requirements, mandatory minimum sentences, â€Å"three strikes† laws and other legislation, our nation, supposedly, strives to lower the crime rate. The millions of Americans behind bars, the majority of them nonviolent offenders, means jobs for depressed regions and major profits for private contractors wanting to â€Å"cash in† on the opportunity. Our current prison-based rehabilitation prog rams have not kept up with this growing number of offenders. Our â€Å"corrections† system is failing; we are not rehabilitating prisoners. Instead, we are simply housing inmates, then releasing them back into society having received little or no job training, drug treatment, or education. Many are unable to find jobs and are barred by law from living in public housing projects, so they quickly return to crime. This pattern is a major factor in recidivism rates which have barely changed in over twenty years. (The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.) There are many promising therapeutic programs that, if properly and sufficiently implemented, could deal with these issues. These programs have the potential to help maintain control of and improve the safety in prisons, reduce recidivism rates, and help inmates address a range of problems that can affect their ability to become productive members of society. Almost 6.6 million men and women made up the correctiona... Free Essays on Crime A crime is a wrong involving the violation of the peace and dignity of the state. In theory, it is committed against the interest of all of the people of the sate. Accordingly, the prosecutor in the name of the state, people, or commonwealth prosecutes crimes. A person who commits crime must not be punished. We must adopt a therapeutic attitude towards crime. People who commit crime must be cared for so that their willingness and behavior be treated. All too often many people view the study of deviance and criminology synonymously. Though the two are related they are not the same. Yes, those who commit crime are considered deviant by those who do not commit crimes, Yet the members of any given â€Å" criminal† subculture (ie: Gangs, organized crime) do not necessarily consider themselves deviant, rather it is their way of life, just as the law-abiding citizens consider their own behavior to be just and normal. Whether or not a criminal is considered a deviant is a matter of perspective. To the criminal, committing the crimes is usually seen as a normal whereas this type of activity is considered deviant to the non-criminal. Taking this one step further, Emile Durkheim, though not condoning criminal behavior, explained how crime is normal in society and actually serves many functions. This too is deviant behavior in general. However, the study of deviant behavior is far more than an analysis of crime and criminals. All humans are, or have been deviant is someway, whether or not has committed a societal- defined crime, we all will continue to be considered deviant by others so long as we live on Earth. As with criminal behavior, the nature of deviant behavior is a matter of perspective In order for us to function as a society crime must occur but at the same time we all must work to keep it down for our own safety. Crime prevention is defined not by intentions or methods, but by results. There is scientific evidence, for example, th... Free Essays on Crime How does Class, state ,and social controls within a capitalistic society lead to increase crime due to the criminal laws and criminal justice system imposed on the lower middle class. Social conflict theory is the only one out of the vast number of criminology theories that deals directly with this problem. From out of it’s Marxist roots arose a theory which challenges the way in which today’s society views it’s legal system and the implications it has on it’s working class citizens. The nature and purpose of social conflict theories is to examine the social controls made by the ruling class and imposed on the rest of society. Some theorists say that class order has nothing to do with crime rates in society, but Richard Quinney have made great strides in proving that social class has a direct correlation with crime due to the social controls of a capitalist government. Social conflict theory focuses on why governments make and enforce rules of law and mora lity then why an individual violates the law. Conflict theorists do not view those who commit deviant behavior as rebels who can’t conform to social norms, they show how criminal law is used as a mechanism for social change. Conflict theory flourished during the widespread social and political changes of the 1960's, because it challenged the legitimacy of the government’s creation and implication of laws designed to keep the middle- class down. Social Conflict Theory came out of the Marxist thought. â€Å"Marx believed that the character of every civilization is determined by its mode of production the way its people develop and produce material goods.†( Senna, pg 226) This concept has two main components: productive forces and productive relationships. Productive forces include things such as technology, energy sources, and material resources. Productive relationships are relationships between the people producing the goods and services. The most important rela tionship in ... Free Essays on Crime TMA7 X3112220 When attempting to explain the question of what is crime? Two predominate theories emerge, that of a structural explanation and that of an agency. These theories form one of the fundamental debates in Social Science and each offers its own perspective on how free individuals are to act as they chose with out social intervention. As such in this essay I intend to illustrate the key points of each explanation and in turn highlight key methods of evidence used to support them. Those who would describe crime with the foundation on social structures, focus on the collective influences, which drive individuals to behave or conform in certain manners. These structures can vary from an individual’s family background and genetics to their cultural surroundings and beliefs. Even with in this one branch of explanation there may be several contrasting opinions. However, essentially they all believe that â€Å"it is possible to identify structures, constraining and determining forces which are beyond the control of individuals or groups, and that these structures dispose us to behave in certain ways.† (Introductory Chapter, 2004, p28). This explanation can then be used to explain crime with the notion that people can be influenced into crime by structures, which exist around them. For example one structure, which could be considered to pressure people into crime, is the family structure. Social Psychologist David Farrington has conducted in-depth research into the way that â€Å"pathological or problem families can transmit criminal carers within them.† (Farrington, D, 1994, p31). His claims put focus on the concept that families are able to pass criminal careers through generations and that children can from an early age display behaviour, which can predict a future criminal lifestyle. Before these claims can be considered a reasonable explanation there must be supporting fact and evidence to maintain them. With out the ...

Guide to Using Visual Basic for Applications

Guide to Using Visual Basic for Applications One of the most outstanding qualities of Visual Basic is that its a complete development environment. Whatever you want to do, theres a flavor of Visual Basic to help you do the job! You can use Visual Basic for desktop and mobile and remote development (VB.NET), scripting (VBScript) and Office development (VBA !) If you have tried VBA and you want to know more about how to use it, this is the tutorial for you. (This course is based on the version of VBA found in Microsoft Office 2010.) If youre searching a course in Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, you have also found the right place. Check out: Visual Basic .NET 2010 Express - A From the Ground Up Tutorial VBA as a general concept will be covered in this article. Theres more to VBA than you might think! You can also find articles about the Office VBA sisters: There are basically two way to develop programs that can work with Office applications: VBA and VSTO. In October 2003, Microsoft introduced an enhancement to the professional programming environment Visual Studio .NET called Visual Studio Tools for Office - VSTO. But even though VSTO leverages the considerable advantages of .NET in Office, VBA remains more popular than VSTO. VSTO requires the use of the Professional or higher version of Visual Studio - which will probably cost you more than the Office application youre using - in addition to the Office application. But since VBA is integrated with the host Office application, you dont need anything else. VBA is used primarily by Office experts who want to make their work faster and easier. You seldom see large systems written in VBA. VSTO, on the other hand, is used by professional programmers in larger organizations to create Add-Ins that can be quite sophisticated. An application from a third party, like a paper company for Word or an accounting firm for Excel, is more likely to be written using VSTO. In their documentation, Microsoft notes that there are basically three reasons to use VBA: - Automation Repetition - Computers can do the same thing over and over much better and faster than people can. - Extensions to User Interaction - Do you want to suggest exactly how someone should format a document or save a file? VBA can do that. Do you want to validate what someone enters? VBA can do that too. - Interaction between Office 2010 Applications - A later article in this series is called Word and Excel Working Together. But if this is what you need, you might want to consider Office automation, that is, writing the system using VB.NET and then using the functions from an Office application like Word or Excel as needed. Microsoft has stated that they will continue to support VBA and its featured prominently in the Official Microsoft Office 2010 Development Roadmap. So you have as much assurance as Microsoft ever provides that your investment in VBA development wont be obsolete in the near future. On the other hand, VBA is the last remaining Microsoft product that depends on VB6 COM technology. Its over twenty years old now! In human years, that would make it older than Lestat the Vampire. You might see that as tried, tested and true or you might think of it as ancient, worn-out, and obsolete. I tend to favor the first description but you should be aware of the facts. The first thing to understand is the relationship between VBA and Office applications like Word and Excel. The Office application is a host for VBA. A VBA program can never be executed by itself. VBA is developed in the host environment (using the Developer tab in the Office application ribbon) and it must be executed as part of a Word document, an Excel workbook, an Access database or some other Office host. The way VBA is actually used is different too. In an application like Word, VBA is used primarily as a way to access the objects of the host environment such as accessing the paragraphs in a document with the Words Word.Document.Paragraphs object. Each host environment contributes unique objects that are not available in the other host environments. (For example, there is no workbook in a Word document. A workbook is unique to Excel.) The Visual Basic code is mainly there to make it possible to use objects customized for each Office host application. The fusion between VBA and host specific code can be seen in this code sample (taken from the Microsoft Northwind sample database) where purely VBA code is shown in red and Access specific code is shown in blue. The red code would be the same in Excel or Word but the blue code is unique to this Access application. VBA itself is almost the same as it has been for years. The way it integrates with the host Office application and the Help system has been improved more. The 2010 version of Office doesnt display the Developer tab by default. The Developer tab takes you into the part of the application where you can create VBA programs so the first thing you need to do is change that option. Simply go to the File tab, Options, Customize Ribbon and click the Developer box in Main Tabs. The Help system works much more smoothly than it has in previous versions. You can get help for your VBA questions either offline, from a system that is installed with your Office application, or online from Microsoft over the Internet. The two interfaces are designed to look a lot alike: Click Here to display the illustration If your Internet connection is fast, the online help will give you more and better information. But the locally installed version will probably be faster and in most cases its just as good. You might want to make the local help the default and then use the online help if the local version doesnt give you what you want. The fastest way to go online is to simply select All Word (or All Excel or other app) from the Search dropdown in the help. This will immediately go online and perform the same search, but it wont reset your default selection. Click Here to display the illustration On the next page, we get started with how to actually create a VBA program. When VBA is hosted by an application like Word or Excel, the program lives in the document file thats used by the host. For example, in Word you can save your Word macro (its not a macro, but we wont quibble about terminology right now) either in a Word document or a Word template. Now suppose this VBA program is created in Word (this simple program just changes the font to bold for a selected line) and is saved in a Word document: Sub AboutMacro() AboutMacro Macro Macro recorded 9/9/9999 by Dan Mabbutt Selection.HomeKey Unit:wdStory Selection.EndKey Unit:wdLine, Extend:wdExtend Selection.Font.Bold wdToggle Selection.EndKey Unit:wdStory End Sub In earlier versions of Office, you could clearly see the VBA code stored as part of the document file in the saved Word document by viewing it in Notepad where everything in the Word document can seen. This illustration was produced with a previous version of Word because Microsoft changed the document format in the current version and VBA program code doesnt show up clearly as plain text anymore. But the principal is the same. Similarly, if you create an Excel spreadsheet with an Excel macro it will be saved as part of an .xlsm file. Click Here to display the illustration VBA and Security One of the most effective computer virus tricks in the past was to insert malicious VBA code into an Office document. With previous versions of Office, when a document was opened, the virus could run automatically and create havoc on your machine. This open security hole in Office was starting to impact Office sales and that really got Microsofts attention. With the current 2010 generation of Office, Microsoft has thoroughly plugged the hole. In addition to the improvements mentioned here, Microsoft has enhanced Office security in ways that you might not even notice right down to the hardware level. If youre hesitant to use VBA because you heard that it wasnt safe, be assured that Microsoft has gone the extra mile to change that now. The most important change was to create a special document type just for Office documents that include VBA programs. In Word, for example, MyWordDoc.docx cannot contain a VBA program because Word will not allow programs in a file saved with a docx file extension. The file must be saved as a MyWordDoc.docm for the VBA programming to be allowed as part of the file. In Excel, the file extension is .xlsm. To go along with this enhanced document type, Microsoft created a new security subsystem in Office called the Trust Center. Essentially, you can customize how your Office application treats documents containing VBA code in fine detail. You open the Trust Center from the Developer tab in your Office application by clicking Macro Security in the Code section of the ribbon. Click Here to display the illustration Some of the options are designed to harden your Office applications so malicious code doesnt run and others are designed to make it easier for developers and users to use VBA without having security unnecessarily slowing things down. As you can see, there are a lot of ways that you can customize security and going through all of them is far beyond the scope of this article. Fortunately, Microsofts site has extensive documentation on this topic. And its also fortunate that the default security settings are good for most requirements. Since VBA is tied to the host Office application, you have to run it there. That topic is covered starting on the next page. How Do I Run a VBA Application Thats actually a very good question because its the first one that users of your application will ask. There are basically two ways: - If you decide not to use a control, like a Button, to start the program, then you must use the Macros command on the ribbon (Developer tab, Code group). Select the VBA program and click Run. But this might seem a little too much to some of your users. For example, you might not want the Developer tab to even be available to them. In that case ... - You need to add something that the user can click or type to start the application. In this article, we will look at the Button control. But it could be clicking a shortcut, an icon on a toolbar or even the act of entering data. These are called events and what we will write in this and later articles is event code - program code that is automatically run when some specific event - like clicking a Button control - happens. UserForms, Form Controls and ActiveX Controls If youre not just selecting a macro, the most common way to run a VBA program is to click a button. That button can either be a form control or an ActiveX control. To a degree, your choices depend on the Office application that youre using. Excel provides slightly different choices than Word, for example. But these fundamental types of controls are the same. Because it offers the most flexibility, lets look at what you can do with Excel 2010. A simple text message will be inserted into a cell when several different buttons are clicked just to make the differences more clear. To get started, create a new Excel workbook and select the Developer tab. (If you have another Office application, a variation of these instructions should work.) Click the Insert icon. Well work with the Form Controls button first. Form controls are the older technology. In Excel, they were first introduced in version 5.0 in 1993. Well work with VBA UserForms next but form controls cant be used with them. Theyre also not compatible with the web. Form controls are placed directly on the worksheet surface. On the other hand, some ActiveX controls - which we consider next - cant be used directly on worksheets. Form controls are used with a click and draw technique. Click the Button form control. The mouse pointer will change into a plus sign. Draw the control by dragging over the surface. When you release the mouse button, a dialog pops up asking for a macro command to connect with the button. Click Here to display the illustration Especially when youre creating a control for the first time, you wont have a VBA macro waiting to be connected with the button, so click New and the VBA Editor will open with the suggested name already filled into the shell of an event subroutine. Click Here to display the illustration To complete this very simple application, just type this VBA code statement inside the Sub: Cells(2, 2).Value Form Button Clicked An ActiveX button is almost exactly the same. One difference is that VBA places this code in the worksheet, not in a separate module. Heres the complete event code. Private Sub CommandButton1_Click() Cells(4, 2).Value ActiveX Button Clicked End Sub In addition to placing these controls directly on the worksheet, you can also add a UserForm to the project and place controls on that instead. UserForms - about the same thing as Windows forms - have a lot of advantages in being able to manage your controls more like a normal Visual Basic application. Add a UserForm to the project in the Visual Basic editor. Use the View menu or right-click in Project Explorer. Click Here to display the illustration The default for a UserForm is to not display the form. So to make it visible (and make the controls on it available to the user), execute the Show method of the form. I added another form button just for this. Sub Button2_Click() UserForm1.Show End Sub Youll notice that the UserForm is modal by default. That means that when the form is active, everything else in the application is inactive. (Clicking the other buttons does nothing, for example.) You can change this by changing the ShowModal property of the UserForm to False. But this is getting us deeper into programming. The next articles in this series will explain more about this. The code for the UserForm is placed in the UserForm object. If you select View Code for all of the objects in Project Explorer, you will see that there are three separate Click event subroutines that are contained in three different objects. But theyre all available to the same workbook. Click Here to display the illustration In addition to forcing an event by clicking a button, VBA is also used to react to events in the objects in the hosting application. For example, you can detect when a spreadsheet changes in Excel. Or you can detect when a row is added to a database in Access and write a program to handle that event. In addition to the familiar command buttons, text boxes, and other components that you see in programs all the time, you can add components that are actually part of your Excel spreadsheet in your Word document. Or do the reverse. This goes way beyond copy and paste. For example, you can show an Excel spreadsheet in a Word document. VBA allows you to use the whole power of one Office application in another. For example, Word has relatively simple calculation ability built in. But Excel - well - excels at calculation. Suppose you wanted to use the natural log of the Gamma function (a relatively sophisticated math calculation) in your Word document? With VBA, you can pass values to that function in Excel and get the answer back in your Word document. And you can use much more than the Office applications! If you click the More Controls icon, you can see a considerable list of things that are installed on your computer. Not all of these work out of the box and you should have the documentation for each of them available, but it gives you an idea about how broad the support is for VBA. Of all the features in VBA, there is one that is clearly more useful than any other. Find out what it is on the next page. Ive saved the best for last! Heres a technique that applies across the board to all of the Office applications. Youll find yourself using it a lot so were covering it here in the Introduction. As you start to code more sophisticated VBA programs, one of the first problems you will run into is how to find out about methods and properties of Office objects. If youre writing a VB.NET program, youll often look for code samples and examples to solve this problem. But when you consider all the different hosting applications and the fact that each of them have hundreds of new objects, you usually cant find something that exactly matches what you need to do. The answer is the Record Macro ... The basic idea is to turn on Record Macro, go through the steps of a process that is similar to what you want your program to accomplish, and then check the resulting VBA program for code and ideas. Many people make the mistake of thinking that you have to be able to record exactly the program you need. But its not at all necessary to be that exact. Its usually good enough to record a VBA program that is just close to what you want and then add the code modifications to make it do the job precisely. Its so easy and useful that I will sometimes record a dozen programs with slight differences just to see what the code differences are in the result. Remember to delete all the experiments when youre finished looking at them! As an example, I clicked Record Macro in the Word Visual Basic Editor and typed several lines of text. Heres the result. (Line continuations have been added to make them shorter.) Sub Macro1() Macro1 Macro Selection.TypeText Text: _ These are the times that Selection.TypeText Text: _ try mens souls. The Selection.TypeText Text: _ summer soldier Selection.TypeText Text: _ and the sunshine patriot Selection.TypeText Text: _ will, in these times, shrink from Selection.TypeText Text: _ the service of their country. Selection.MoveUp Unit:wdLine, Count:1 Selection.HomeKey Unit:wdLine Selection.MoveRight Unit:wdCharacter, _ Count:5, Extend:wdExtend Selection.Font.Bold wdToggle End Sub Nobody studies VBA just for itself. You always use it along with a specific Office application. So, to continue learning, there are articles here that demonstrate VBA used with both Word and Excel: - Getting Started Using VBA: The Word Working Partner - Getting Started Using VBA: The Excel Working Partner

Extra Credit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Extra Credit - Assignment Example From this I learnt that Cultural background are inherited and developed which in return forms a collective and individual behavior that are socially acceptable or not (Tierney & Stephen, 65). These issues that are developed may be based on values, traditions, dangerous mitigations such as threat of an individual or public health or even knowledge availability. From this, I learnt that the cultural background is the major determinant of variance in cultures in different communities. In addition, I realized that human activities are the major factors that influence and have high impact on the development of cultural capacities. This is based on the fact cultural drivers are education and learning, art and heritage activities, architecture, urban and land shaping, information and amusement, structured occasions for social interactions, regulations of social behaviors such as marriage (Tierney & Stephen, 57 ). Having understood this, I am now able to appreciate diverse backgrounds and value their cultures and norms. Commemoration, whether involving, only you or your family can be very good as it brings people together. Often these events are very important such that we take pictures or souvenirs that will remind us of these events. One of the events that I can recall is a visit to the some archeological monument in our landscape. From my studies, on these monuments I found that there representations that were commemorated events of people. Among the monuments visited include the Drombeg Stone Circle in West. From my findings this is associated with the winter season that manifest a major incident in the ancient winter calendar and more so a burial indicator (Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques, 87-91) This was interesting as it had two hut sites and cooking site. Besides it there were stone circles that could signified a ritual dining site where large number of people met to mark winter season and celebrate