Cin the Aztec Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cin the Aztec Civilization - Essay Example Much of what has long thought to be true about the long-lost Aztec empire, including their sacrificial rituals involving cannibalistic practices, traces back to the information compiled by a Franciscan monk named Bernardino de Sahagun. Sahagun's work, the Florentine Codex, was a detailed accounting of the cultural beliefs and practices of the Aztec people, designed primarily for the purpose of instructing other Christian missionaries in how best to facilitate the conversion of the indigenous tribes to Christianity. It is certainly interesting, of course, if not necessarily truly ironic that the one of the fundamental doctrines of Catholicism is transubstantiation, or the consumption of bread and wine that has been transformed into the actual flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. An argument can therefore be made that the religious conversion of the Aztecs was ignited in part due to their practices of human sacrifice and cannibalism was instructed by Europeans who themselves practiced a fo rm of cannibalism and whose entire religion is based on the necessity of a human sacrifice. Almost everything that is known about Aztec human sacrifices and cannibalistic practices is, therefore, filt... s have been forwarded to offer an alternative to Sahagun's original observations of Aztec rituals that had been distorted following the original publication due to misinterpretations, exaggeration and the natural human desire to simplify actions one has trouble understanding. Although the Aztec civilization was deemed to be a violent one, the Europeans were themselves no stranger to violence, therefore it was the human sacrifice more than anything else that assaulted their sensibilities. Perhaps s this assault was intensified by the justification and rationale of the natives that it was done in the name of religion. Huitzilopochtli was the Aztec god of the sun, viewed as the source of all life. The Aztecs believed that this source must be kept moving in order to keep it from disappearing forever into the darkness of night and so to accomplish this (Alves 43). The way to accomplish this task had to do with the belief that the sun needed to be nourished with blood; as a result, human sacrifice was a necessary ingredient for prolonging the existence of all humankind. In fact, there is an eschatological element to the ritual in that the Aztecs believed that appeasing their gods not only ensured life, but also staved off chaos. "In most cases, the victim was dressed, painted and ornamented so as to represent the god who was being worshipped; and thus it was the god himself who died before his own image and in his own temple, just as all the gods had accepted death in the first days for the salvation of the world. And when ritual cannibalism was practiced on certain occasions, it was the god's own fl esh that the faithful ate in their bloody communion" (Soustelle 98). Therefore, it was probably not necessarily the idea of consuming a human heart that so perturbed

Project Report On Head And Shoulders Shampoo Marketing Essay

Project Report On Head And Shoulders Shampoo Marketing Essay INTRODUCTION: Procter Gamble  (PG) is an American  company headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. Its products include foods, beverages, cleaning  and  personal care products. In 2011, PG recorded $82.6 billion dollars in sales.  Fortune  magazine ranked PG at fifth place of the Worlds Most Admired Companies list, which was up from sixth place in 2010. Procter Gamble is the only Fortune 500 Company to issue C Share common stock. As of July 1, 2011, the company structure is categorized into two Global Business Units with each one further divided into Business Segments according to the companys 2011 Annual Report. Dimitri Panayotopoulos is Vice Chairman of Global Business Units. The following segment constitutes of PG business: Beauty segment Grooming segment Health Care segment Snacks Pet Care segment Fabric Care Home Care segment Baby Care Family Home Care segment Manufacturing operations are based in the following regions: United Sates of America, Europe, Canada, China (31 wholly owned factories and other part of Asia, Philippines, Africa, Mexico, Australia, Latin America. About the Brand: Head Shoulders  is a  brand  of anti-dandruff  produced by  PG Matt Elliott got Procter Gamble researchers to start making a new anti-dandruff shampoo in 1950. Nearly a decade of research went into making a new formula, which introduced  pyrithione zinc into the shampoo. It was first introduced to the U.S. market in November 1961 as a blue-green shampoo formula. Head Shoulders is the worlds number one anti-dandruff shampoo. A power brand from PG, this brand made it debuted in India in year of 1997. In the highly competitive shampoo market, which is estimated to be worth around Rs.1800 Cr, HS is a major player in the anti-dandruff niche. The entire shampoo market was dominated by HUL with whopping market share of around 46% when the brand was launched in India, the anti-dandruff market was in its nascent stage and dominated by Clinic-All-Clear. The high profile launch of HS fueled the growth of this specialty market. Now anti-dandruff segment constitute around 15% of the shampoo market moreover PG is the global market leader in the retail hair care market with over 20% of the global market share behind Pantene and Head Shoulders. According to PGs annual report of 2011, the Beauty and grooming market share which primarily deals with the beauty segment constitute of % of net sale of 24% and percentage of net earning account to 23% for PG. The prominent brand is Head and Shoulders in this segment. Strategic Planning Models: SWOT analysis of Head Shoulders: Strength Weakness International brand with great brand equity. Only segmented as an anti-dandruff shampoo whereas the competitor has wide range of shampoos with different features. Strong financial position in market. Mostly perceived as a harsh shampoo. Brand loyalty. Less emphasis on other new research based ingredients and formulas. High quality Services. More specific to male gender. Availability of products in different demographics areas, pricing and market good-will. Large network for distribution. Opportunities Threat With the inclusion of FDI policy, PG can revive its brand equity. Inflation in Indian economy. Expansion of market aimed towards all age groups, including middle aged women which has significant market share. High competitive market with new entrants like Loreal and Dove in shampoo segment. Have a great opportunity in new developing areas of India. BCG matrix of Head Shoulders: BCG matrix stands for Boston consulting group. This is also known as Growth-Share matrix. This matrix helps us to classify a business of a company in four categories namely- Star, Question mark, Cash Cows and Dogs. The details of each are given as follows: Stars: This tiles represents the high growth rate and high market share i.e. the business is leader in its area. Cash Cows: This tile represents high relative market share and low market growth rate. Question mark: Here the growth rate is high but the market share is relatively low. Dogs: This is segment where the growth rate is slow and has low market share as in the business is lagging behind considerably. Head and Shoulder can relatively be positioned in between the cross-sectional area of Question mark and Star. The reason can be: The market share of HS is low but the growth rate is high. HS needs to re-plan and revise it marketing plan as the opportunity is ample which can make into star category completely. Customer Value: Customer value can be defined as the consumer get in return to their money. The performance of a company is measured how the product or services gives the customer value in compare to what the competitor are offering. Here HS claims that the shampoo delivers 100% dandruff-free hairs even with low price, hence we can state that HS delivers good customer value and satisfaction level. The value delivery chains relates it-self to supply chain i.e. how it partners with suppliers and distributions from formulating raw material and distribution of its produced. HS being a PGs daughter company, takes a good leverage of good distribution channel and supply chain. Prominently HS sold in India is mostly shipped from Gulf countries. With the introduction of sachets of denomination Rs.1 and Rs.3, HS reached the rural market easily. With more and more free sample distribution and blind-test, the company is quite successful in value delivery chain. Marketing plan: HS is basically a product for men and women with dandruff and scalp problems. The want to acquire proper hygiene, maintain a healthy scalp and hair to gain the right confidence and have a sense of belongingness as they socialize/interact with other. The gap is that the other shampoo brands focus on enhancing or improving hair-condition. Marketing mix and Strategy : HS removes dandruff and stops it from coming back in just one wash, with a product range that suits various hair and scalp needs. It uses T.V ads, print ads, sponsorship, sales promotion and social media. HS hired actor Saif Ali Khan and actress Kareena Kapoor for their promotional activities. Nationwide distribution of HS is good. Marketing environment- Micro and Macro: There are two types of environment which company deals with macro environment and micro environment. Micro environment are as follows: Customer Stakeholder Media Public Competitor Supplier Employee Macro Environment Political Environment Technological Environment Socio-cultural Environment Economical Environment Consumer Buying Behavior: Men and women need to address their: hygiene, scalp health, social needs, self-actualization needs. They choose HS over other anti-dandruff shampoos because of the following reason: Product awareness, effectiveness, technology used, price, packaging, popularity of endorses, credibility of the manufacturing company. Men and women expect the following when the use HS: Dandruff elimination Revitalize scalp Remove itchy scalp Stop root cause of dandruff Stops dandruff from coming back Cools and refreshes the scalp Remove visible flakes More confidence in interacting and socializing with other people. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs: It probably safe to say the best theory of motivation is Maslows. Maslow hypnotized in every human being there exist a hierarchy of five needs. Physiological Safety Social Esteem Self actualization. Untitled.png Marketing Research: Marketing research tools used by HS- Quantitative tools- HS undertook research to generate new ideas for the product and market development. The researches engaged the customers in detailed discussion over different features of their products. As a result the personal interaction between the researches and the consumers was high, the major qualitative tools used by HS included focus group discussions in-home visits in context visits in-store interviews Focus group discussions: Here, a group of people who uses the HS shampoo in brought under a discussion about the every aspect of it including quality, after-use satisfaction, thoughts of the user etc. The discussion is presided by a moderator who takes notes and feedback of the customers. In-Home visits: This technique is more used in western countries where the product is taken to a home and then feedback is taken from a individual. In context visits: To observe to practical difficulty consumer faces. Apart from gaining information on the way consumer actually uses a product, the researcher elicits theirs opinions on the product and weather they wish to suggest any modification. In-Store visits: HS used this strategy extensively to gather the information from the consumer right from where it buys the product. The surveyor uses some questionnaires to know the consumers opinions which helps the company to develop further strategy. Segmentation, Target and Positioning: Segmentation: A market segment consists of a group of customers who share a similar set of needs and wants. Rather than creating the segments, the marketers task is to identify them an decide which ones to target. The available segments of HS can be found based on demography, geography, pshychography or life style. But being an FMCG product a shampoo brand like HS the demographic and geographic segmentation is not as important as it based upon the life-style as well as customer preferences despite of their above segmentation. The core segments are Anti-dandruff black hair shiny hair low-price HS started operating in the anti-dandruff segment. As a added benefit it also emphasized on smooth hair. In India, shampoo of HS mostly segmented on basis of age and their wants. Its choose men and women of twenty to thirty-five age. Here they targeted them with different strategy like mind-set, social need and other factor. Target Market: Target market is the section of consumer which the business has decided to put marketing efforts. Target market is done after segmenting where they filter out the localized group and choose a particular section of consumer so that their product provides adequate brand equity and brand value. The target market for HS are the higher middle class people who are brand conscious, early adopter and who care about the overall health of their hair. HS targets the people of middle age men ( in the beginning) having scalp and dandruff problems. At the initial period of its marketing strategy, it showed advertisement which show the facts with only one use of the product, the shampoo gives almost 100% relief from shampoo. It introduced many other features like menthol, volume boost, hair-fall therapy for the college going youth and young professional with hair conscious. HS took the advantage of physiological mentality of this user group with adopting ads where prominent actors were used. Positioning Brand positioning refers to target consumers reason to buy your brand in preference to others. It is ensures that all brand activity has a common aim; is guided, directed and delivered by the brands benefits/reasons to buy; and it focusses at all points of contact with the consumer. Brand positioning must make sure that: Is it unique/distinctive vs. competitors ? Is it significant and encouraging to the niche market ? Is it appropriate to all major geographic markets and businesses ? Is the proposition validated with unique, appropriate and original products ? Is it sustainable can it be delivered constantly across all points of contact with the consumer? Is it helpful for organization to achieve its financial goals ? Is it able to support and boost up the organization ? HS is positioned as anti-dandruff product which clear flakes with one wash. As the market leader it has successfully acquired the niche market of anti-dandruff segment. The effective distribution channel and deep penetration in the rural market has boosted up the sales in past year making it a leader. According to annual report of HS 2011 the quote states HS was relatively small, primarily north American brand a decade ago. We invested in combination of marketing and product innovations and began to expand the brand globally. Since then w have more than tripled sales and HS is now the largest shampoo brand in the world. Questionnaires How often do you use a shampoo ? a. Daily b. Alternate c. Weekly d. Not in a regular basis From the 5 shampoo listed below which one you use? a. Sunsilk b. Pantene c. Clinic All Clear d. Head Shoulder e. Dove f. If any other, please specify: ______________ While buying a shampoo, which option you keep in mind ? a. Price b. Quality c. Brand d. Hair Type. While buying a shampoo, which of the below listed options, do you consider in hair type? a. Smell b. Moisturizing Capabilities c. Clarifying Capabilities d. Shine factor e. Shampoo Colour f. Volumizing Capabilities g. Other please specify ____________________ How many different shampoos have you used in the past 6 months? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4 e. 5 f. Will you care to specify _______ 6. Do you prefer to buy a sachets or bottled one? a. Sachets b. Bottled 7. Are you concerned about any chemicals that could be considered harmful to your scalp? a. Yes b. No c. Please specify ___________ 8. How do you perceive Head Shoulder brand? Specify ________________________________ 9. Would you be interested in a free sample? a. Yes b. No 10. Have you ever taken a scalp or a hair quality test clinically? a. Yes b. No If yes, would you like to share you outcome? ___________________________________ 11. Who influence you to purchase a brand ? a. Family b. Doctor c. Advertisement d. Self e. Other Name: _______________________ Gender: Male/ Female Mobile Number: _______________ Email ID: _____________________

Shirley Jacksons The Lottery Essay -- The Lottery Essays

â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson has been criticized, but its longevity and durability prove it stands the test of time. In the article, â€Å"Jackson’s The Lottery,† the author A.R. Coulthard finds a deeper meaning in the story which other critics have not. Coulthard believes the story is a â€Å"parable of the evil inherent in human nature† rather than â€Å"an assault on mindless cultural conformity,† as other critics have suggested (Coulthard 226). Coulthard shows how something that most likely began as a primitive and ignorant way to ensure prosperity, evolved into a complete need for sanctioned violence and murder. Coulthard offers valid points to support her argument. Coulthard finds that the actions and demeanor of the villagers are evidence of an underlying enjoyment in the killing. Her analysis shows that the villagers mask their anticipation for the killing under false and thinly veiled social gestures. Coulthard points out the contrast between Mrs. Delacroix and Tessie Hutchinson’s social friendship and how quickly the shallow friendship unravels when Tessie is chosen for the sacrifice. Mrs. Delacroix â€Å"selected a stone so large she had to pick it up with both hands,† which is in stark contrast to how a true friend would behave (Jackson 393). Participation in the lottery causes the villagers to lose the ability to be empathetic and their bonds of family and friendship suffer for it. The lottery encourages them to abandon ties of love and loyalty and tap into the deepest recesses of the darkness that hides in humanity. The lottery does not offer them prosperity, but strips them of all that is good in humanity. The villagers are masked behind the evil that awaits them each year on a sunny day in June. The other 364 da... ...kill too much to mourn inconsequential losses like love, friendship and the bonds of family, community, and humanity. Works Cited Coulthard, A.R. "Jackson's THE LOTTERY." Explicator 48.3 (1990): 226. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 26 Oct. 2010. Jackson, Shirley. â€Å"The Lottery† The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 387-393. Print. Jackson, Shirley. "The Morning of June 28, 1948, and â€Å"The Lottery† "The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. 8th ed. Compact. Ann Charters. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2011. 950-952. Print.

Athens VS Sparta Essay

Athens and Sparta were two of the greatest Greek city states ever. Not only do these two cities have many differences but they also have some things in common too. But only one could be the best, was it Sparta or Athens? Many people think that Sparta and Athens were completely different, but this is not true, they had many similarities. To start off they were both two of the most powerful and important city states in ancient Greece. Sparta with it amazing army and Athens cultural legacy, they both set the stage for the history of ancient Greece. These two cities’ also had very strict social classes, for example in both city’s wealthy land owners were the top class and slaves were the bottom class. Sparta and Athens were both strong in certain militaristic areas. Athens had very powerful Navy, while Sparta had one of the best Army’s in ancient times. Lastly, both belonged to leagues of allies. Sparta belonged to the Peloponnesian league and Athens belonged to the Delian League. Although Athens and Sparta have things in common they were more different than they were alike. For example the lives of the Spartans revolved around war, preparing for war, educating their kids for war and conquering other countries during war. While Athens had other priorities, like culture, art, education and unification. Spartan children were only educated in the art of battle and taught how to fight, while Athenian children were educated in math, music, poetry and sports. Spartan women also had more rights than Athenian women. Women in Athens were not allowed to leave their homes or participate in any events; they were considered property of their husbands and were responsible for the household duties. On the other hand Spartan women were educated in reading and writing, could participate in sports, own their own land and were treated more as equals. Sparta was one of the first places in the world to start women’s rights. The governments in these two city states were also very different. In Athens there was a direct democracy, meaning all the male citizens of Athens could vote on the laws being passed. Athens believed that all citizens should be included in government decisions and tried to unite the people. Sparta though, had an Oligarchy which was ruled by 2 kings who were usually in command of the armies. Lastly, the cultures of Athens and Sparta were very different. Athens was a united beautiful city full of art, architecture, literature, philosophy, science, medicine and they enjoyed a variety of luxurious foods in their diets. Although, Sparta on the other hand was not very unified, extremely military based and the people didn’t enjoy many luxuries for example the Spartan diet mainly consisted of pork, blood, salt and vinegar. Athens and Sparta were both wonderful cities but only one could be the best, and that was Athens. Athens was the better city in pretty much all aspects of life. The people prospered in Athens they enjoyed fine dining and art, unlike those in Sparta. Athens focused on so much more than just war; this is why Athens was the city that had some of the best cultural achievements in ancient society. They made beautiful art, medical advancements and were one of the first democratic governments, paving the way for countries today like the USA. Athens was cleaner, nicer and prettier which would have made it a much more enjoyable place to live. Athens may not have had as good of an army as Sparta but in the end cultural and society advancements are more important than having the best army in the world. All these reasons and more just shows how much better Athens is than Sparta. Two of the most powerful cities’ in the ancient times, Sparta and Athens were alike and different. They were both unique in different ways and each thrived in different areas. But in the end, it is an obvious choice that Athens was clearly the better Greek City State.

Cost Accouting Essay

Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of bringing a product or service to the market without fully understanding the total costs involved and the prices they can charge. As a result, they discover they can’t sell enough of the product or service to make a profit. One of the most important tools you can use to make better business decisions is the break-even analysis; it enables you to determine with great accuracy whether or not your idea is a profitable one. Best of all, you can use this tool to evaluate every product or service you offer. The break- even point is the starting point for CVP analysis because before a company can earn profits; it must first cover all of its variable and fixed costs. What is CVP? Cost-volume-profit analysis is a tool that can be utilized by business managers to make better business decisions. Among the tools in a business manager’s decision-making arsenal, CVP analysis provides one of the more detailed and objective ways by which a manager can assess and even predict the course of business for the company and its employees. Another major benefit of CVP analysis is that it provides a detailed snapshot of company activity. This includes everything from the costs needed to produce a product to the amount of the product produced. This helps managers determine, very specifically, what the future will hold if variables are altered. For instance, transportation expenses and costs for materials can change. These variable costs can affect the bottom line. CVP analysis allows the manager to plug in variable costs to establish an idea of future performance, within a range of possibilities. This, however, can be a disadvantage to managers who are not detail-oriented and precise with the data they record. Projections based on cost estimates, rather than precise numbers, can result in inaccurate projections. Cost Volume Profit (CVP) Analysis Model says: (Sales – variable costs) – Fixed costs = Operating income TC = VX + F * If the sale minus all costs (variable and fixed), we can make a profit * The contribution margin (revenue – variable costs) helps to pay fixed costs * The contribution margin = fixed costs break

History and Background of the Kashmir Conflict

History and Background of the Kashmir Conflict Kashmir, officially referred to as Jammu and Kashmir, is an 86,000-square-mile region (about the size of Idaho) in northwest India and northeast Pakistan so breathtaking in physical beauty that Mugal ​(or Moghul) emperors in the 16th and 17th century considered it an earthly paradise. The region has been violently disputed by India and Pakistan since their 1947 partition, which created Pakistan as the Muslim counterpart to Hindu-majority India. History of Kashmir After centuries of Hindu and Buddhist rule, Muslim Moghul emperors took control of Kashmir in the 15th century, converted the population to Islam and incorporated it into the Moghul empire. Islamic Moghul rule should not be confused with modern forms of authoritarian Islamic regimes. The Moghul empire, characterized by the likes of Akbar the Great (1542-1605) embodied Enlightenment ideals of tolerance and pluralism a century before the rise of the European Enlightenment. (Moghuls left their mark on the subsequent Sufi-inspired form of Islam that dominated the subcontinent in India and Pakistan, before the rise of more jihadist-inspired Islamist mullahs.) Afghan invaders followed the Moghuls in the 18th century, who were themselves driven out by Sikhs from Punjab. Britain invaded in the 19th century and sold the entire Kashmir Valley for half a million rupees (or three rupees per Kashmiri) to the brutal repressive ruler of Jammu, the Hindu Gulab Singh. It was under Singh that the Kashmir Valley became part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The 1947 India-Pakistan Partition and Kashmir India and Pakistan were partitioned in 1947. Kashmir was split as well, with two-thirds going to India and a third going to Pakistan, even though Indias share was predominantly Muslim, like Pakistan. Muslims rebelled. India repressed them. War broke out. It wasnt settled until a 1949 cease-fire brokered by the United Nations and a resolution calling for a referendum, or plebiscite, allowing Kashmiris to decide their future for themselves. India has never implemented the resolution. Instead, India has maintained what amounts to an occupying army in Kashmir, cultivating more resentment from the locals than fertile agricultural products. Modern Indias founders- Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi- both had Kashmiri roots, which partially explains Indias attachment to the region. To India, Kashmir for the Kashmiris means nothing. Indian leaders standard line is that Kashmir is an integral part of India. In 1965, India and Pakistan fought their second of three major wars since 1947 over Kashmir. The United States was largely to blame for setting the stage for war. The cease-fire three weeks later was not substantial beyond a demand that both sides put down their arms and a pledge to send international observers to Kashmir. Pakistan renewed its call for a referendum by Kashmirs mostly Muslim population of 5 million to decide the regions future, in accordance with a 1949 UN resolution. India continued to resist conducting such a plebiscite. The 1965 war, in sum, settled nothing and merely put off future conflicts. (Read more about the Second Kashmir War.) The Kashmir-Taliban Connection With the rise to power of Muhammad Zia ul Haq (the dictator was president of Pakistan from 1977 to 1988), Pakistan began its slump toward Islamism. Zia saw in Islamists a mean of consolidating and maintaining his power. By patronizing the cause of anti-Soviet Mujahideens in Afghanistan beginning in 1979, Zia curried and won Washingtons favorand tapped into massive quantities of cash and weaponry the United States channeled through Zia to feed the Afghan insurgency. Zia had insisted that he be the conduit of arms and weaponry. Washington conceded. Zia diverted large amounts of cash and weaponry to two pet projects: Pakistans nuclear-weapons program, and developing an Islamist fighting force that would subcontract the fight against India in Kashmir. Zia largely succeeded at both. He financed and protected armed camps in Afghanistan that trained militants whod be used in Kashmir. And he supported the rise of a hard-core Islamist corps in Pakistani Madrassas and in Pakistans tribal areas that would exert Pakistans influence in Afghanistan and Kashmir. The corps name: The Taliban. Thus, the political and militant ramifications of recent Kashmiri history are  intimately connected with the rise of Islamism in northern and western Pakistan, and in Afghanistan. Kashmir Today According to a Congressional Research Service report, Relations between Pakistan and India remain deadlocked on the issue of Kashmiri sovereignty, and a separatist rebellion has been underway in the region since 1989. Tensions were extremely high in the wake of the Kargil conflict of 1999 when an incursion by Pakistani soldiers led to a bloody six-week-long battle. Tensions over Kashmir rose dangerously in fall 2001, forcing then-Secretary of State Colin Powell to de-escalate tensions in person. When a bomb exploded in the Indian Jammu and Kashmir state assembly and an armed band assaulted the Indian Parliament in New Delhi later that year, India mobilized 700,000 troops, threatened war, and provoked Pakistan into mobilizing its forces. American intervention compelled then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who had been particularly instrumental in further militarizing Kashmir, provoking the Kargil war there in 1999, and facilitating Islamist terrorism subsequently, in January 2002 vowed to end the presence of terrorist entities on Pakistani soil. He promised to ban and eliminate terrorist organizations, including Jemaah Islamiyah, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Musharrafs pledges, as always, proved empty. Violence in Kashmir continued. In May 2002, an attack on an Indian army base at Kaluchak killed 34, most of them women and children. The attack again brought Pakistan and India to the brink of war. Like the Arab-Israeli conflict, the conflict over Kashmir remains unresolved. And like the Arab-Israeli conflict, it is the source, and perhaps the key, to peace in regions far greater than the territory in dispute.

Affirmative Action Essays (300 words) - Social Inequality

Affirmative Action Essays (300 words) - Social Inequality Affirmative Action Affirmative action works. There are thousands of examples of situations where people of color, white women, and working class women and men of all races who were previously excluded from jobs or educational opportunities, or were denied opportunities once admitted, have gained access through affirmative action. When these policies received executive branch and judicial support, vast numbers of people of color, white women and men have gained access they would not otherwise have had. These gains have led to very real changes. Affirmative action programs have not eliminated racism, nor have they always been implemented without problems. However, there would be no struggle to roll back the gains achieved if affirmative action policies were ineffective. The implementation of affirmative action was America's first honest attempt at solving a problem, it had previously chosen to ignore. In a variety of areas, from the quality of health care to the rate of employment, blacks still remain far behind whites. Their representation in the more prestigious professions is still almost insignificant. Comparable imbalances exist for other racial and ethnic minorities as well as for women. Yet, to truly understand the importance of affirmative action, one must look at America's past discrimination to see why, at this point in history, we must become more color conscious. History Of Discrimination In America: Events Leading To Affirmative Action. The Declaration of Independence asserts that all men are created equal. Yet America is scarred by a long history of legally imposed inequality. Snatched from their native land, transported thousands of miles-in a nightmare of disease and death-and sold into slavery, blacks in America were reduced to the legal status of farm animals. A Supreme Court opinion, Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), made this official by classifying slaves as a species of private property. Bibliography etywetyety

Self Assessment and Writing a Graduate Admissions Essay

Self Assessment and Writing a Graduate Admissions Essay The  admissions essay  bewilders most graduate school applicants yet it is a vital part of the application that cannot be ignored.  The  admissions essay serves an important purpose because it permits you to speak directly to the graduate committee. This is an important opportunity thats also a big source of stress for applicants. Most admit that they dont know where to begin. Writing your admissions essay is a process, not a discrete event. Writing an effective essay requires preparation  You must gather the information needed to compose the essay, understand the task at hand, and decide what you would like to convey. Here are some tips to help you gather the information needed to compose a graduate admissions essay that sets you apart from the rest. Conduct a Personal Assessment The first step is to conduct a thorough self-assessment. Leave yourself plenty of time because this is a process of self-exploration that you dont want to rush. Sit down with a pad or at the keyboard, and begin writing. Dont censor yourself in any way. Just write what feels natural. Begin taking notes on what drives you. Describe your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. What do you hope to gain from graduate study? Granted, most of this information may not make it into the essay, but your goal at this point is to brainstorm. Identity as much of your personal history as possible so that you can carefully sift through and sort out events and personal items that will strengthen your essay. Consider: HobbiesProjects that youve completedJobsResponsibilitiesAccomplishments in the personal and scholastic arenaMajor life events that have changed youChallenges and hurdles youve overcomeLife events that motivate your educationPeople who have influenced you or motivated you  Traits, work habits, and attitudes that will ensure your success your goals Carefully consider your academic record and personal accomplishments. How do the attitudes, values, and personal qualities that youve listed correspond to these experiences? Try to pair them up. For example, your curiosity and thirst for knowledge may have led you to conduct independent research with a professor. Consider how each pair of attitudes/personal qualities and experiences show that youre prepared to excel in graduate school. Also, consider these questions that will help you gather information that will be useful in writing your essays. Once you have a master list, carefully examine the information that youve listed. Remember that the information that you chose to present can portray you as a positive and upbeat person or as a tired and discouraged student. Think about the image that you want to portray and revise your master list accordingly. Use the revised list as a basis for all of your admissions essays. Carefully consider  what you should (and should not!) include in your essay. Do Your Research Research the programs that interest you. Read the brochure, check the website, gather all information possible to help you determine what the admissions committee is looking for from potential students. Your research should provide enough of a knowledge base about the school to tailor your essay to it. Show that youre interested and that youve taken the time to learn about the program. Take careful notes on each program and note where your personal interests, qualities, and accomplishments coincide. Consider the Questions Posed If youre truly interested in the  graduate programs to which youre applying (and with a $50 application fee for most schools, you should be interested!), take the time to tailor your essay to each program. One size clearly does not fit all. Many applications require that students address specific questions in their admissions essays, such as  these common admissions essay topics. Make sure that youre answering the question. Take time to think about the question, the central theme asked, and how it corresponds to your master list of experiences/personal qualities. Some applications offer a string of questions. Pay attention to your responses and try to avoid being redundant. Consider How to Organize Your Essay Before you begin your essay,  familiarize yourself with the basic structure of admissions essays. As you begin to write, remember that this is your chance to present your strengths and really shine. Take advantage of it. Discuss your accomplishments, valuable experiences, and emphasize the positive. Make it involved and engaging. Show that youre motivated. Remember that the committee is composed of professionals who have read hundreds, even thousands of such statements over the years. Make yours stand out. Your admissions essay is a story that tells the graduate admissions committee who you are and what you can offer. Granted, the questions posed will differ by program, but the general challenge is to introduce yourself and describe your potential as a successful candidate. A careful self-assessment and consideration of the program and the questions posed will aid in your endeavor to write a winning personal statement.

The factors that affect the likelihood and sustainability of collusion Essay

The factors that affect the likelihood and sustainability of collusion in a specific industry - Essay Example Fundamentally, collusion is aimed at restricting or distorting competition within the market that the firms in that industry serve, and thereby reap the benefit of high and uncontrolled profitability. Therefore, this analysis seeks to establish the factors that affect the likelihood of collusion within the Air Travel Industry, and how such collusion is sustainable. Factors that affect the likelihood of collusion and sustainability in the Air Travel Industry Hypothetical Case: Air Canada and West Jet have been accused in colluding on fares on direct flights from Edmonton to Fort McMurray. The Air Travel Industry is an industry that is fairly competitive, considering that there are various airlines that operate within any given country or region, thus making the business of air travel fairly competitive3. Nevertheless, the Air Travel Industry also presents the opportunity for creating a monopoly or an oligopoly, considering that it is an industry that has low number of players. ... Therefore, there are high barriers to the entry for new firms, considering that economic barriers such as the high cost of entry prevent investors from being able to enter the Air Travel Industry4. Thus, barriers to entry form one of the structural features of the market and industry that make collusion more common and sustainable in this industry. The market and industry structure of Air Travel entails a high initial cost of entry, because purchasing and licensing an aircraft to be used for Air Travel purposes is a costly affair, in addition to the legal barriers that are brought about by the government tight control of the industry5. Further, the Air Travel Industry depends highly ion the benefits of the economies of scale in order to survive and thrive to profit earning levels, which requires that the firm operating in the industry should have several aircraft that operates in different destinations, both locally and internationally, to ensure that the route that earns low profits is compensated for, by the one earning high profits, thus the average profitability of the firm becomes substantial6. This is an aspect that serves to reduce the threat of new entrants, since the new entrants will be required to purchase several aircrafts, and undergo the restrictive government legislation procedures in order to finally enter into the industry, thus making the threat of competition low7. It is this low threat of competition that serves as an incentive to encourage the collusion between the few firms that have managed to operate in the industry, and thus make such collusion sustainable, considering that virtually all the firms operating in this industry have overcome the market challenges involved, and thus no single firm

Gender discrimination and women's promotion in workplaces Research Paper

Gender discrimination and women's promotion in workplaces - Research Paper Example hrough participation in the civil rights movement and as advocates for the community based groups that grew up around that movement and President Johnson  War on Poverty. The ideas were an attempt to make sense out of the labor market problems as the people in these communities experienced them (or at least described their experiences) and to describe the labor market as these people saw it.  1. As Blau and Jusenius have pointed out, because structured internal labor markets treat workers as members of groups and tend to treat workers within these groups consistently, differentiation between women and men is likely to take the form of segregating women and men into different jobs, rather than paying them unequally for the same job.  17.  In general, in structured internal labor markets, all individuals in the same job are likely to be equally paid, except for performance or seniority differentials. This leaves open the reasons women and men are likely to be differentiated, but it does suggest that entry-level jobs are likely to be different for men and women and arranged in different job families so that segregation will be maintained throughout ones career in the firm. This is precisely what  Kelley  found. Beyond that, womens job ladders may be shorter, and other ways of maintaining differentiation in the firm may exist. For example, Osterman suggests that in a pu blishing firm he studied differential opportunity was maintained by keeping women in the lowest grade levels of various occupation groups.18.  Institutionally, that type of differentiation could be aided by placing women in job titles that differ from related jobs that men hold or possibly by locating them in different departments. Such observations suggest that the effects of internal labor markets differ for men and women, despite their emphasis on consistent rules. The rules of the game are neutral on their face but disparate in their impact. The rules may also differ in different parts of the

Implementing Cloud Computing Programs Research Paper

Implementing Cloud Computing Programs - Research Paper Example The process of implementing cloud computing programs is detailed particularly because of the several steps that the interested parties need to go through in the course of undertaking the project. As such, all entities should consider employing strategies that are in line with their ventures. The next section highlights some of the strategies that are far-reaching in ensuring a successful implementation of cloud computing programs. Â  Planning is particularly imperative because it provides the interested parties with the opportunity to analyze and re-evaluate their ability to handle the key steps of the implementation process contentedly. This includes forecasting on the entire process and the parties who will be involved in procuring all the needed hardware and software as well as the mechanism of going about the installation process. Similarly, planning entails forecasting on how the installed software, hardware, and the backup systems will be tested (Gulla, 2013). Also, planning is far-reaching given that it enables the interested parties to understand the alternatives at its disposal, the scope of technology and the business model. Â  Given the number of cloud installation programs that are currently going on as well as the planned ones, it is important to take note of the fact that there may be lack of enough expertise and talent to handle all of them. In that regard, it is imperative for organizations to ensure that they have key cloud computing experts at their disposal. Interested entities should, therefore, consider not only recruiting, but also training and retaining available staff.

Brand Portfolio Project (advertising) Case Study

Brand Portfolio Project (advertising) - Case Study Example In 1964, the first year of its operation, the company sold about1300 pairs of shoes generating revenues of about $8000 dollars. The company acquired a full-time employee in 1965, with an annual turnover of close to $20000. With the increased sales volume and growth in stock, the company opened its first retail store in 3107 Pico Boulevard in Santa Monica, California in 1966. Because of the rapid growth in revenues and demand for the company’s products, the company in 1967 expanded its operations to the East Coast in Wellesley, Massachusetts. As the relationship between Blue Ribbon Sports and Onitsuka Tiger approached its final stages in the year 1971, Blue Ribbon Sports was preparing to launch its new footwear designed by Carolyn Davidson (Frisch 6). In June 1971, Blue Ribbon Sports, branded as Nike first used the Swoosh designed footwear, subsequently registering for a trademark and patents of the products. Over time, the company has grown tremendously due to the extensive us e of television advertising for their products. Getting into a number of partnerships with different individuals such as John Brown and partners and Wilden+Kennedy, the later who has remained the official advertising agency for the company, Nike has successfully managed to transform its operations from a small company to a multi-billion dollar enterprise (Google finance Web). In the fiscal year 2012, Nike managed revenues in excess of US $24.1 billion. With the increase in product quality and focus on customer satisfaction, the once small distributor of athletics wear and apparel currently has a market value of approximately $10.7 billion (Nike Inc. web). This makes Nike the biggest company in the sports and athletics brands, ahead of companies such as adidas. Nike’s Mission The company’s mission statement drives its growth and success, making it a profitable and high performing organization in the sports business. This forms the ultimate goal of its operations, gearin g its management and employees to work in an enthusiastic way. According to Nike inc. (web), the company’s mission is, â€Å"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.† Objectives and Strategies Although initially the company used TV as the dominant advertising strategy, in the recent past a number of strategies drives the advertising campaign of Nike. Among the most significant advertising methods forming the company’s current advertising strategy, include internet marketing, email management technologies and broadcast, methods that the company believes directly influences its target customers. The ability of the company to select reliable media to convey its messages and sell its products to the right people is the main reason for its success. Additionally, the company creatively uses these media forms to complement each other, creating a bigger impact in the market than any other sports company does. As the world started embracing adve rtising and corporations started using internet as an advertising tool, Nike too launched its website in the year 1997 in a bid to market its products. As the company took its products to the internet-advertising platform, it adopted an email management system called EchoMail that integrated its emails into one database center. In order to offer its loyal customers personalized services, the company decided to

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeland Security - Essay Example The suddenness of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the manner in which America was caught off guard, would shape our perception of the war on terror and frame America's response. Previous wars had unfolded methodically in the public's eye, such as the extended debate that preceded the Civil War. However, the War on Terror had no such incubation period to give the American public time to orient themselves to the new face of war. America was thrust into war "without any troops or plans in place to confront this particular enemy. Just as important, it occurred in a context of public indifference to or ignorance of the threat posed by terrorists" (Callahan, Dubnick, and Olshfski 555). The US had made few, if any, plans to deal with a terrorist arrack on US soil, and the discussion of terrorism was largely restricted to the law enforcement, investigators, and prosecutors that had confronted domestic terrorism such as the Unabomber and the attack on the Murrah Federal Building (Calla han, Dubnick, and Olshfski 555). The Congress took aggressive action and on October 4, 2001 introduced HR 3026 "To establish an Office of Homeland Security within the Executive Office of the President to lead, oversee, and coordinate a comprehensive national homeland security strategy to safeguard the Nation" (HR 3026). On November 25, 2002 George Bush signed into law PL 107-296, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which established the Department of Homeland Security (Gressle CRS-2, CRS-6). ... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would consolidate intelligence efforts, provide for broad powers of investigation, and limit specific legal standards in regards to terrorism. The Homeland Security Act and the formation of the DHS gave the government sweeping new powers to patrol the US borders and took a more liberal approach toward domestic surveillance. The DHS was formed to consolidate intelligence and investigations when "The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security brought under one authority 22 federal entities with vital roles to play in protecting our Nation and preventing terrorist attacks within the United States (The National Security Strategy). Border patrol and customs has been especially challenged with 500 million people crossing our borders each year, and 21,000 containers entering the US through 350 commercial ports of entry every day (Bodenheimer). Bender reports that, "The Secure Border Initiative, costing more than $2 billion this year alone, is a major effort to increase Customs and Border Protection personnel, introduce detection technologies, and construct a fence along the border with Mexico". The DHS has also placed sp ecific priority on the increased use of 'tamper-evident' containers, biometric identification technology, and radiation, chemical, and biological threat detection equipment (Bodenheimer). In addition, there has been an increased level of domestic intelligence activity designed to weed out suspected terrorist cells. Marrin describes these increased efforts as: Additional controversial domestic intelligence programs include the Justice Department's proposed Operation TIPS for public reporting of suspicious activity, the modification of

The Greenhouse Effect Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Greenhouse Effect - Essay Example Most scientists worldwide accept the sufficient evidence that suggests global warming is already well underway and cannot be reversed anytime soon. They and reasonable people of all backgrounds and nationalities agree that if CO2 emissions are not greatly reduced and soon, the resulting greenhouse effect will alter the climate and possibly the sustainability of humankind. Essentially, the greenhouse effect functions in the following manner. When sunlight pierces the atmosphere and hits the earth’s surface, not all of the sun’s solar energy is absorbed. Approximately a third of it is reflected back into space. Specific atmospheric gases serve in much the same way as does the glass of a greenhouse, thus the terminology. These gases allow sunlight to penetrate then trap some of the solar energy which heats the earth (Breuer, 1980). It is a delicate balance and because these greenhouse gases have been artificially augmented by man-made sources, more build up in the atmosphere has occurred thus trapping more of the sun’s energy and reflecting less back in to space. This occurrence is causing the earth to warm. If the balance between the CO2 levels in the ocean and atmosphere is disturbed by interjecting increasing amounts of CO2, the oceans would continually absorb higher concentrations than it does naturally. The subsequent warming ocean waters are less effective in their ability to absorb CO2 and when the oceans can no longer keep pace with the intrusion of this naturally equalized cycle, then more CO2 will remain in the atmosphere. Increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere is expected to result in a warming of the Earth’s surface accelerating the greenhouse effect.

Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Homeland Security - Essay Example The suddenness of the attacks on September 11, 2001, and the manner in which America was caught off guard, would shape our perception of the war on terror and frame America's response. Previous wars had unfolded methodically in the public's eye, such as the extended debate that preceded the Civil War. However, the War on Terror had no such incubation period to give the American public time to orient themselves to the new face of war. America was thrust into war "without any troops or plans in place to confront this particular enemy. Just as important, it occurred in a context of public indifference to or ignorance of the threat posed by terrorists" (Callahan, Dubnick, and Olshfski 555). The US had made few, if any, plans to deal with a terrorist arrack on US soil, and the discussion of terrorism was largely restricted to the law enforcement, investigators, and prosecutors that had confronted domestic terrorism such as the Unabomber and the attack on the Murrah Federal Building (Calla han, Dubnick, and Olshfski 555). The Congress took aggressive action and on October 4, 2001 introduced HR 3026 "To establish an Office of Homeland Security within the Executive Office of the President to lead, oversee, and coordinate a comprehensive national homeland security strategy to safeguard the Nation" (HR 3026). On November 25, 2002 George Bush signed into law PL 107-296, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which established the Department of Homeland Security (Gressle CRS-2, CRS-6). ... The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would consolidate intelligence efforts, provide for broad powers of investigation, and limit specific legal standards in regards to terrorism. The Homeland Security Act and the formation of the DHS gave the government sweeping new powers to patrol the US borders and took a more liberal approach toward domestic surveillance. The DHS was formed to consolidate intelligence and investigations when "The establishment of the Department of Homeland Security brought under one authority 22 federal entities with vital roles to play in protecting our Nation and preventing terrorist attacks within the United States (The National Security Strategy). Border patrol and customs has been especially challenged with 500 million people crossing our borders each year, and 21,000 containers entering the US through 350 commercial ports of entry every day (Bodenheimer). Bender reports that, "The Secure Border Initiative, costing more than $2 billion this year alone, is a major effort to increase Customs and Border Protection personnel, introduce detection technologies, and construct a fence along the border with Mexico". The DHS has also placed sp ecific priority on the increased use of 'tamper-evident' containers, biometric identification technology, and radiation, chemical, and biological threat detection equipment (Bodenheimer). In addition, there has been an increased level of domestic intelligence activity designed to weed out suspected terrorist cells. Marrin describes these increased efforts as: Additional controversial domestic intelligence programs include the Justice Department's proposed Operation TIPS for public reporting of suspicious activity, the modification of

Religion, Media and Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Religion, Media and Ethics - Essay Example Media ethics as such is a complex subject, as it is formulated on the basis of the concurrent culture, economy and national policies. It has been observed by a number of researchers that the media symbolizes societal values. Slinger (1983) has mentioned a number of examples in which media comes up with advertisements which prompts the views to connect the product being advertised to societal values specific to the viewers. One important value that a person relates to is his personal beliefs and religious beliefs. It’s generally considered that the popular programs in the secular media do not have religious intentions. Considering the recent development of secularizing of religious broadcasting sponsored by religious organizations, the identification of religiously persuading content becomes difficult. Programs and specifically labeled content dealt by religious media are the ones which are bracketed as of the ones which influence the public religiously. However, there are arguments that this is not the case. Mark Pinsky (2001, p.5) observes that he ‘found God, faith and spirituality in abundance on Th e Simpsons’.Jana Reiss (2004, p.xii) claims that Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel ‘are two of the most religious programs on network TV’. These arguments suggest that cartoon programs and other popular programs may also be considered as religious. I agree with this argument. The earlier argument that only religious media can contain religious content is based on the assumption that religion is associated with religious institutions and organizations. Schultze (1990) has argued that being religious does not mean belonging to a religion but it’s a way of life with its own world view. Anything which would influence this world view thus must be considered religious persuasion. Thus there is no wonder in Pinsky finding spirituality and god in the cartoon

The Relationship Between Philosophy And Education Religion Essay

The Relationship Between Philosophy And Education Religion Essay Children are born illiterate; the Empiricists would even go to the extreme of saying that we are born in a state of tabula rasa. Jean Jacques Rousseau in this regard says, We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment.  [1]  Rousseau would argue that this ignorance can be overcome by teaching  [2]  ; the second oldest profession  [3]  . The domain of education, a fragment of the larger field of philosophy, incorporates the study of the purpose, process, nature and ideals of education. It comes without a surprise that it has attracted the attention of philosophers and thinkers from every generation. Plato, a leading giant in the field, who set the discussion in motion, through his works especially the Republic, together with Meno and the Laws, summed up the history of educational thought and of philosophy of education.  [4]  Together with Plato, one has to mention in the same respect other figures such as Aristotle, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, John Dewey and Immanuel Kant among others. In this assignment I aim to highlight the mutual relationship between Philosophy and Education. Moreover, I shall show how the two can only be separated merely for convenience sake and my ideas will be supported by the words of leading figures in the field. Something that is very particular to the study of philosophy is the study of what philosophers from different times thought. This methodology cannot be applied to other disciplines such as chemistry or maths. If a particular hypothesis is disproved, it is immediately discarded from its teaching and it only survives, as a historical curiosity. Philosophy is different and particularly unique since its study is, not in the ordinary sense of the phrase a body of knowledge but rather an activity of criticism or clarification.  [5]   Philosophy, again compared to science, does not give us as such new knowledge. Rather it gives a new view point, a different perspective of what we already know. Philosophy provides a comprehensive understanding of reality, and it can be helpful and I would say vital in making the best choices among goals, values and priorities. Sometimes philosophy is classified as being the critical eye. This should not be understood as a sort of intellective demolition; rather its role is more as, a sort of inspector or assayer who rejects those theories and arguments which can be shown to be faulty by the logical touchstone or gauges which are his stock in trade.  [6]  Philosophy can give more positive guidance to educational theorists and can therefore be more than placed in a very restricted scenario of being like a censorship. There are ways in which philosophy as a specialized discipline is predominantly relevant to education. Philosophical methods and findings can be of a particular service to educational theorists, just as for arguments sake being of the same service to other sciences. It can be of major help in sorting and analyzing concepts like cause, self, being; that play a major part in our scientific, moral and political thinking. Edward Alsworth Ross would continue to argue that, Philosophy and educatio n are like the sides of the same coin, present different views of the same thing and that one is implied by the other.  [7]   So what is exactly education, or Education theory? What is implied in the word education? Education theory according to D J OConnor is, an established hypothesis, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a logically connected set of such hypotheses whose main function is to explain the subject matter.  [8]  A theory that, does not grow like Topsy, but rather comes from an attempt to understand various practices.  [9]  Education is more than just directing the students to draw on subjects such as reading, writing, mathematics, science or history. The word education, derived from the Latin word educare means, bring out, bring forth what is within the individual, and ducere, to lead  [10]  . Education refers to a set of skills and attitudes that impart knowledge. These techniques are provided with the backing of various theories which purport to explain or justify their use. After all, the whole system is derived from a set of values or ideas embodied and expressed in the purpose for which this knowledge, attitudes and modus operandi is imparted and should direct the training that is given. Education aspires to pave the way for living life; and life with a purpose. It must help the students (in organized education) to live not only by being placed in society and earn a living but live with a wider sense of life. Although the main age group, that are primarily concerned with education are children and young adults, education is a preparation; the foundation of a lifetime. It also concerns adults that wish to orient the directions of their lives. The basic intent of education nowadays, more than ever before, requires an educational method that shall be efficient as possible. It must help the individuals to accomplish the day-to-day working, which are compulsory skills and attitudes, which unfortunately for various reasons today children more than before, are no longer successfully achieving from their family. Education should also provide the learner with a vocational training that will enable them to live as useful members of their thrust society, to be more capable as much as possible to support oneself. Education involves the acquisition of a body of knowledge and understanding which surpasses mere skills, know-how or the collection of information. Such knowledge and understanding must involve the principles which underlie skills, procedural knowledge and information, and must transform the life of the person being educated both in terms of his general outlook and in terms of his becoming committed to the standards inherent in the areas of his education.  [11]   Education, just sharing the obvious, must awaken interest in knowledge; intelligence that can be achieved by various studies especially in involving oneself in the study of philosophy. Together with this, man as an individual should be aware and appreciate the cultural and moral achievements of mankind. The main characteristic of Homo-sapiens is the relay of their knowledge from one generation to another that kept not only the wheel turning but changed the spin in energy. It speaks of the facts that man managed to evolve in creating havens for himself to live life easier, more comfortable and nevertheless more meaningful. Bear in mind that the wonderful things that you learn in your schools are the work of many generations, produced by enthusiastic effort and infinite labour in every country of the world. All this is put into your hands as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honour it, and add to it, and one day faithfully hand it on to your children. Thus do we mortals achieve immortality in the permanent things which we create in common. If you always keep that in mind you will find meaning in life and work and acquire the right attitude towards other nations and ages.  [12]   Albert Einstein talking to a group of school children, 1934 Non scholae, sed vitae discimus  [13]  (We do not learn for the school, but for life), is a particular catchphrase used remarkably in school learning environments that abridge the following point in my next discussion  [14]  . This ethos responds, more than ever, to the needs of the universal education in the industrial democracy we are living in this day and age. Todays children are being faced with the unknown, with situations that challenge all of our understanding, that make it particularly impossible for schooling to prepare adeptly for these influxes. The theory stems largely from arguably the most influential figure in educational Progressivism, John Dewey and continued by other Progressive educational thinkers that developed effectively the educational consequences of Deweys thought. Life adjustment education is basically, opening the doors of knowledge to help children organize and select facts and develop skills in ways in which these can be useful for life. Therefore it means that Educational theories must look at the constants -persistent situations of life, and our education leads to actions based on understanding and uses programs that minimize the artificial barriers between schooling and living. It must help in achieving the interests of individuals when confronted with problems arising from time to time in their communities. Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself  [15]  , would argue Dewey and therefore education for him, is a process of living and not a preparation for future living.  [16]   One of the wrong judgements with regards to this theory is that life adjustment education teaches children to adjust to the particular society without the stipulation of educating a change in society. However, the teaching that Life adjustment education tries to implement is not conformity or mediocrity but rather aims clearly to a forward movement towards a more complete realization of the goals of each society. The development of Education is determined by the social conditions of nations and epochs in history. Although there is a sense that educations telos can be summed up by all societies and ages, this is not completely accurate since the sum total of human skills and knowledge will certainly be greater with every generation. Further more in a brief overview of history one can realize this, and at the same time does not suppose that the teaching given in ancient times was much less than that of our present-day-schooling, different for sure but not necessarily todays education proves to be superior. Educations aims progress with the necessities of the particular culture. In societies distressed by constant attacks of enemies, the highlighted aims of education were to inculcate virtues, strict discipline, fearlessness, bodily powers, courage, patriotism, and a spirit of self sacrifice at the call of the state. Athenians society focus was a sense of appreciation for the objects of beauty especially the beauty of physique and of character. The Medieval times were characterized with the development of morality and building ones character. In the Modern period, emphasis is more on the development of the inherent qualities, aptitude and capacities of the children; influenced predominantly by the awakening studies in Psychology. The aim continues to develop particular focus on the development of the childs personality to the fullest extent. Hence the aims of education are in continuous change and the living of these aims change the outlook of life. Thus the shift in the philosophy of life changes like a spiral transformation the aims of education. This makes Education and Philosophy a dynamic sphere, changing continuously onto each other through diverse generations. Sir John Adams was particularly right when he supposed that, Education is the dynamic side of philosophy. It is the active aspect of philosophical belief.  [17]   Plato once said that Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.  [18]  A good educational value should maintain moral concepts that can be explicit in terms of character traits. These desirable traits such as kindness, courage, friendship or fairness are known as virtues and should be cultivated through moral learning. The virtue theory is inspired mainly from Aristotle, especially in his best known work on ethics, Nicomachean Ethics. He argues that, Good habits formed at youth make all the difference.  [19]  Values achieved in doing the right habits are an essential part of what people think makes their lives worthwhile. The Virtue Theory was followed latterly by Alasdair MacIntyre, and maintains that children need to be educated on ethics initially through a process of training and subsequently through the increase of reflective practice. Freedom is one of the perennial goals of human civilization and one of the primary measures gauging cultural progress. Modern history emphasized this characteristic of mankind, by the growing recognition that liberty belongs not only to a small privileged class but to all men. Man is condemned to be free  [20]  . Freedom in a special relation to education is focused mainly on personal freedom that is the development of ones own peculiar talents. The real goal of achieving self-fulfilment, is not just through happiness in any small sense, but with a sense of social responsibility to arrive to the point of citizenship. Jean Paul Sartre would continue to state, To be free does not mean to obtain what one has wished but rather by oneself to determine oneself to wish  [21]  . The objective of my train of thought in this assignment was to give a snapshot of the interlock association of philosophy and education; the two sides of a priceless coin. Philosophy, is not so much a discrete discipline occupying a small niche of the intellectual life. It is rather a, terrain on which all forms of thought encounter their most profoundly formative and their most profoundly disruptive ideas.  [22]  An indication of the richness and complexity of the philosophical studies surrounding Education is the critical examination of our more deeply embedded assumptions of the big ideas which run across the wider intellectual culture. This is very briefly the base line of the relationship between Education and Philosophy.

Pollen Analysis :: essays research papers

The remains of ancient plants can provide a wealth of archaeological information about a site, with many methods being available to the archaeologist engaged in extracting this data. Perhaps one of the most widely-known of these techniques, possibly because of its attractive nature, is pollen analysis - a technique developed in the early years of the twentieth century by, like so many archaeological techniques, a geologist -- the Norwegian Lennart van Post. To understand the technique and the uses to which it may be put, we must first examine the biological nature of the material itself. Because of a hard outer shell - the exine - pollen is particularly resistant to chemical attack and will survive in most conditions; the only environments which are truly hostile to this shell are abrasion, such as may be the case on sandy sites, and oxidation. However, the most favourable conditions for preservation of the pollen record are acidic, anaerobic sites such as peat bogs. This high degree of survivability combines with another factor inherent in the nature of pollen - the large amount produced - to make pollen analysis one of the most important tools available to the archaeologist. Though one further factor in the make-up of pollen enhances its value, namely the wide morphological variation between pollen from different plant species, most of which can be detected and classified using normal laboratory equipment. Pollen analysis is a technique which demands a high level of skill on the part of the excavator, scientist and interpreter to enable it to fulfil its potential. Collection of pollen samples can prove troublesome, the risk of cross-contamination is significant and efforts must be made to minimize the effect of any excavational bias. The number and ratio of pollen grains present in a sample can also be skewed by factors such as the orientation of the site and the nature of the pollen grains themselves, for example, trees such as pine produce much greater quantities of pollen than species such as oak and thus have a tendency to overrepresent themselves in the pollen record. Once collected the pollen is extracted from the soil, usually in the laboratory to avoid contamination, and analysed using a light, or scanning electron microscope (SEM). The wide differentiation in the size, shape and colour of the pollen grains enables identification to be made down to genera level. Following identification, the individual exines in a sub-set of the sample are quantified and plotted on a pollen analysis diagram, usually as a percentage of the whole.

Research Psychology :: Graduate Admissions Essays

Research Psychology    I believe I have many characteristics and interests that would make me a good candidate for graduate school. I am a very introspective person; I put a lot of thought into what I do and why I do it. I constantly evaluate myself and my progress in making and reaching goals. One goal I have had for many years is to go on to graduate school. I know I have enough will and interest to make my goal a reality.    I have always enjoyed school and learning. My love of learning has been a key to my academic success and involvement. I am a Social an Behavioral Sciences Scholar, a National Merit Scholar, and a member of two honor societies, Phi Eta Sigma and Psi Chi. I also find I learn a lot by interacting with others. I participate in several clubs on campus. I was a member of the Student Environment Action Coalition (SEAC), and I helped to organize a benefit concert to raise money to save rain forests. I am currently involved in Anthropology Club, and Psychology Club. For Psychology Club, I am Vice President of Special Events; I help come up with topics for meetings, and I was in charge of publicity for our annual Volunteer Open House.    I enjoy being challenged, so I take heavy course loads and variety of classes. I will graduate with two Bachelor's degrees, in psychology and anthropology, after only three years and one summer of undergraduate study. I have been on the Dean's List every semester and have maintained a 4.0 GPA in psychology. I feel the courses I have taken have helped focus my interests and have prepared me for graduate work. Anthropology has given me a broader perspective on human attitudes, feelings, and behaviors than psychology alone. However, psychology as remained my favorite subject. I was a teaching assistant for Research Methods in psychology. This allowed me to work with others on all aspects of research from developing ideas to revising papers. I also had the opportunity to be a research assistant. I helped with data collection and putting it into a computer program. Next semester, I will be taking an honors course called Youth an Children: Issues and Controversies. As part of this class I will be volunteering with the Young Parents Together program and the Family and Children Council.

It is inhuman and offers no solution to unwanted pregnancies

Abortion is the act by which a pregnancy is prematurely terminated to result in the death of a foetus or unborn child. The life of the developing child is destroyed and the child therefore loses the chance of being born into this world.Various methods are used to perform or carry out an abortion such as use of medicine, surgery or any other methods of extraction some of which are very crude. Abortion dates way back into history and has been a social evil that society has had to put up with for a long time. In traditional society such methods as botanical products, exerting pressure on the abdomen and use of sharpened tools were used to perform abortion.With advanced civilization   these methods have changed to result to more modern methods that are medically safe. Crude methods however cannot be ruled as many women will tend to maintain secrecy about the whole issue or they may not afford to visit clinics (Riddle ,John M.).Several reasons lead to abortion but the most common one is unwanted pregnancies. Such pregnancies result from failed methods of contraception, rape, incest or even careless or unprotected sex.Special cases such as complications arising from a pregnancy also result in abortion where the urgency to save the life of the mother becomes inevitable. In the course of medical examination doctors may also detect complications in the development of a foetus and decide to terminate a pregnancy depending on the degree of destruction to the foetus.Pro-abortion activists argue that there is no need of bringing an unwanted child into this world. Children resulting from rape and incest for example come at a time when the mother is least ready for the responsibility. They are not conceived through a relationship and in the event of conception through rape the fathers may not even be known.Many people find it unhealthy to bring such children into the world because of the injustices they are likely to face in society.   Of all the injustices faced by child ren in the world however,   abortion is the worst of them all as it denies an unborn child the most basic human right; to be born and be raised in this world.Denying a child the right to live means that such a child loses the chance to be anybody in society and society has therefore been denied the services of great men and women through abortion (Edward Richards P, Katharine Rathbun C.).Despite rigorous campaigns against abortion, the evil has been on the increase in present day society.. This is due to advance in the field of medicine that has made abortion safer thus reducing the risk of death during the process.As a result, it has become an easy way out for many women especially young adults who engage in careless sex due to the promiscuous nature of society today.   But how safe is safe remains a topic of discussion regarding abortion.Though abortions carried out medically may be safe, the side effects may be far reaching and may not be realised immediately. The reproductiv e system of a woman for example may be destroyed and she may not be able to have children in future.This is traumatic as the woman is unable to overcome the guilt of contributing to her barrenness and the lack of children may lead to the break up of marriage where the woman is in such a relationship. The frustrations and psychological torment may be too much for the woman to bear (Edward R. P, Katharine R.C.).Due to increased number of abortions, a lot of people have come up with the argument that it should be legalised. They argue that legalising abortion will help to reduce abortion related deaths that result from crude methods because clinically induced abortion would now be accessible to those who wish to have it.

Chemistry and Anatomy Essay

My life began as a simple and talented student in Geneva. My father was Alphonse Frankenstein, who was a wealthy, rich and benevolent man. I was the first son of my father, Alphonse Frankenstein. My mother Caroline visited a beautiful orphan girl, Elizabeth Lavenza, fair-haired girl. She was adopted by my family and was my cousin. I had two brothers who were very lovely and they loved me and Elizabeth a lot. My best friend was Henry Clerval, who was a considerate man. I became a student of Chemistry and Anatomy in the quest to determine what gives life. I was a young man who led a happy and peaceful life, but the events happened after, made a great change to my living. The world according to me was a secret of research, creation and experimenting. I learnt the theories of electricity and galvanization. I also initiated a theory of how to create human life using the principles of electricity. I became devoted to the human creation and the spark of life that I had abandoned earlier. I asked my University for specimens to make my creation. I figured out what gives life.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I have begged my University for specimens. They say I’ve had all their best material for years, and produced nothing to show for it.† I feel that I have begged my University for some specimens to make my creation, but they refused to afford me the specimens because they say that they have given all the best pieces of specimens to me for creating nothing. Finally, I got the body parts from the graveyard. Then I went out without my meals to buy some chemicals. I took the body parts from the corpses. I stored my chemicals and specimens in the dissecting room so that it would be safe. I constructed a giant man, 8 feet tall, with super human strength and endurance from harvested body parts that I took from the corpses. I worked secretly without rest for almost a year. I can tell you that I was a bit disappointed with my creation. My perfect creation was a frightening disaster. My creation was a result of horror.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"No, this isn’t what I wanted. Oh, dear god, what have I done?†Ã‚  I was not at all happy with my monstrous creation. So, I rejected, abandoned and left him away. I was also scared, frightened and afraid of him. I also avoided my scientific studies because it remained me about the disastrous experiment. I wanted him to help and like mankind. This was not what I expected. I wanted my creation to be helpful rather than being a nuisance. My excitement soon changed when my creature came into life. My lovely, little brother William was murdered by my creation, the monster. Elizabeth cried a lot and I was not able to convince her. She also told me that my five- year-old brother, William and she went for a walk. She also told me that she saw William disappear. She was searching for him all over. I examined what had happened and found out that it was the monster, who was responsible for the murder of my brother. I was very angry with the behaviour of my creation. I created him to help human life and not to destroy them. He came to my room. I was very angry at him and wanted to destroy him. He told me to control my temper and he asked me to listen to him. He told me that the only person to be kind to him was Agathe, a young blind lady. The other villagers chased him away through their dogs. He also told me that his intention towards William was not to kill him. Then he explained to me about what had happened. He told me, â€Å"I put my hands to his mouth to silence him, because I was afraid.†Ã‚  The monster asked William to play with him for a while. But William shouted and refused to play with him. So, he just kept his hands in William’s mouth to silence him and request him to play with him. He also convinced me by telling the truth, but I am very sad that my brother is being murdered by my creation.  I was asked by the monster to make a bride to the monster. I agreed to him because as a creator, I should have to fulfill the wishes of my creation. He said to me that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create.† He conveyed me his feelings of how it was to be alone without a companion or a comrade. He also gave me two years time to make a complete creation. He also told me that he would not trouble me in the time in between. I repulsed myself to make a bride for the monster. I wanted to finish the bride before marrying Elizabeth. I was also worried that the monster may harm my family. I still found it difficult to make the second monster. I made it because he told me that he wanted to love. I also made it, but this creation was spoilt by the monster, himself. The thing where he went wrong was, giving wrong wire connections to the creation and made it destroy. I explained to him that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"She’ll never live now! Monster, what have you done?†Ã‚  He thought that he knew to make his own creation. He acted over- smart by giving the wrong wire connections and destroying his bride by himself. I beautifully laid out the bride in white colour clothes, to symbolize that she was going to get married. There is no use for him to commit the murders of Elizabeth and Clerval, by knowing that was his fault. I was really angry when he killed my brother, William. Then, he explained to me about what had happened. He told me that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"I put my hands to his mouth to silence him, because I was afraid.†Ã‚  It was my fault to create him and abandon him. Since I have created him I lost my Elizabeth, Clerval and my dear brother William. I got the feelings of how it was to face death. If I think of him, my first thoughts were, why did I create him? I found it like a battle of â€Å"Evil vs. Good†.

School Health Plan

School health programs are becoming more and more popular as health concerns grow. Students need to be aware at younger ages of the concerns that face our society, and the ways that they can combat these concerns through good health knowledge. Several school districts have implemented comprehensive health curriculums and programs, and many states have standards regarding health education. The following articles detail different health programs and concerns. In Michigan, there exists state content standards in the area of health education. The Michigan curriculum calls for health education to occur at least 50 hours per year from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate at every level and builds on skills and knowledge each year. Further, it calls for school staff to collaborate on healthy behaviors with the school health teacher, so that health can be a priority within the school. The article suggests that classroom teachers, gym teachers, cafeteria workers, classroom teachers, and other professionals work together to help students with healthy behaviors and knowledge (Michigan Board). There is a general concern that although students’ unhealthy behaviors are fewer than they previously were, there are still too many students who are engaging in these unhealthy behaviors. The target behaviors the program is looking at are healthy eating, physical activity, social/communication, sexual behavior, alcohol and drugs. The program aims to teach students specific knowledge about how certain behaviors can be harmful, and how they can make healthier choices. It also aims to teach them general health principles and how to apply these in social, school, and family relationships (Michigan Board). This curriculum is to be taught by qualified health instructors. A qualified teacher will have a certification in health education or family and consumer science, in addition to a teaching license, and/or will have undergone another type of training program. The teacher will not act alone, but will collaborate with other teachers in the building in order to incorporate healthy choices into all aspects of the school day. The article is careful to say that this collaboration must not take the place of health classes, but must be in addition to them (Michigan Board). The article’s research shows that students who are involved in effective health classes show fewer risk behaviors and more pro-social behaviors. They are also more on-task in the school environment and less likely to be distracted by health problems (Michigan Board). Two professors of health education wrote an example lesson plan for integrating health into the math curriculum. Students can study the number of fruit and vegetable servings needed in a day, and can practice adding and subtracting the number of servings needed depending on how many have been eaten so far. They can also look at what constitutes a serving, and some basic nutritional information about different fruits and vegetables. This lesson neatly involves both math and nutrition, and ends with students being able to taste fruits and vegetables that they have brought in from home. Lessons like this can be created to integrate health into any subject area (James and Adams). Different student groups have different needs, and educators have different concerns for them. For example, students with special needs may have certain dental concerns that typical students don’t have. Students with disabilities may experience drooling, teeth grinding, problems swallowing, or have to take a lot of sugary medication. There are several other oral issues that may affect them as well, depending on the disability. What’s more, these students may not have the comprehension, or physical skills to engage in typical oral hygiene, and their caretakers may not see it as a priority. For that reason, health teachers need to emphasize the role that oral hygiene plays for these students, and encourage either them or their caregivers to help them maintain good oral health, as appropriate. Health teachers can also help these students to obtain proper dental care and, if necessary, orthodontic care (Perlman and Miller). The authors outline a program that can be implemented for each student to encourage good oral hygiene. Students should be given reinforcers when they complete the target behaviors, i. e. brushing, flossing, etc. This plan can be implemented in a variety of ways to encourage good oral health (Perlman and Miller). Other states have different issues with health care. Texas, for example, has been having problems paying for teachers’ health plans. They have recently begun offering teachers an additional $1000 that can be used for additional health care coverage, or whatever else they want. This is only one measure that is necessary to help the people make good health decisions. Having enough money to pay for health costs will enable people to have more options (Keller). Texas is not the only state that is having problems, however. Many school districts are having issues in negotiations over health care, including districts in Ohio, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Money is tight in all of these districts, and teachers in some cases are going on strike to protect their rights to health care and appropriate salaries. Funding is a serious issue in the area of health care right now (Ponessa). Another major concern in the area of health is that teenagers don’t have enough access to health care, especially preventative services. A recent article details the problems. Students whose families do not have health insurance cannot afford to see regular doctors. Even though who do see regular doctors are at a possible disadvantage, because the doctors are not trained to handle actual preventative care, such as weight loss counseling, cholesterol reduction counseling, sexual health screenings (including for STDs and more routine Pap smears for women), quitting smoking, and HIV awareness. Doctors address these issues in less than 5% of cases in which students go to the doctor for preventative care purposes (Santelli et al). Additionally, teenagers do have access to certain specialized clinics, like public health clinics, Planned Parenthood, etc. Even teens without insurance can go see doctors at these places, but again, preventative care is rare. Also, many of these clinics are set up for adults, and may not be friendly to the teens who enter them. Instead, more health care options need to be available to teenagers so that they can take advantage of preventative care and make healthy decisions with their doctors. Teens see doctors as a reliable source of information, and they trust doctors, so it is obvious that doctors need to be involved in this situation (Santelli et al). Ideally, the authors think, schools should provide health services, because: â€Å"School health programs provide health services, health education, a healthy school environment, social and psychological services, physical education programs, school nutrition program, health promotion for teachers and staff, and integrated efforts with parents and the community† (Santelli et al). That is, schools can provide a totally comprehensive program, which reaches out to all aspects of a student’s life. School-based programs can increase access to health services for students who need them most, including poor and minority students. There is not yet any consensus on how and why schools should provide these services, but the opportunities and benefits are obvious. In addition to reaching certain populations of students, schools also feature a captive environment for students. This means that the delivery of services is easier, since students are already there, and spend several hours in school everyday. For students who may live several miles from the nearest public clinic, school-based services are much more convenient, and much more likely to draw students in (Santelli et al). The study then looks at which health programs are effective, and why. Schools and managed care operations will not want to provide services if they are not cost effective, so the study of benefits is important. One finding is that traditional hearing and vision screening is not particularly beneficial, as these conditions are not considered a threat to the school population. However, newer research shows that when schools attempt to vaccinate students, they are able to get up to 75% to participate. Along these lines, should a contagious disease (like measles) break out among students, schools can quickly identify the source, and vaccinate and/or treat students to stop the spread. Additionally, there is some evidence that STD screenings and pregnancy-prevention education has reduced the spread of STDs and the number of teen pregnancies. The authors recommend that local public health concerns be taken into account when schools are choosing what services to provide (Santelli et al). Schools and managed care organizations continue to be concerned with cost. Because no true studies on cost effectiveness are available, researchers have had to look at how well programs have done in changing behaviors. Also, health expenditures for major issues, like hospitalizations related to chronic conditions or STDs, pregnancy, etc. ay mean that organizations cannot stretch funding to provide appropriate preventative care, even after acknowledging that doing so may reduce these costs. So, further research on cost effectiveness and ways to treat adolescents is needed (Santelli et al). Examples of communities where health programs have been put in place successfully are possibly a mong the most encouraging stories available. A community in Michigan had low attendance rates and test scores, and high dropout, teen crime, teen pregnancy, and suspension rates. Their goal was to turn the school community around. To do so, they consulted community members, and ultimately settled on a plan that reflected Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. They offered better school lunches, more physical education, more health education, counseling services, health screenings and partnerships with local doctors, free daycare for teen parents, and preschool programs for three and four year olds. Over a five year period, the school saw a significant rise in attendance and graduation, and a significant drop in crime rates, dropout rates, and more. Test scores rose as well, because students were feeling better and were better cared for within the school. This community shows that by focusing on the students’ real needs instead of test scores, they were able to improve the quality of their programs and their positive effect on students’ lives (Cooper). The final article looks at how to create a health plan within a school, specifically relating to individual student needs. Many students have chronic health concerns, such as epilepsy or diabetes. In treating student health concerns, schools must be aware of any existing medical conditions their students have, and be prepared to treat them as needed. This includes administering any necessary medication, as well as knowing any specialized emergency procedures (EP). II. School Health Plan In developing a health plan for my own school building, I am looking to all of this research to see what is appropriate. First of all, it is obvious that the school needs a health program, because these show a significant benefit to students at all levels and in all areas of their lives – social, academic, health-wise, etc. When proposing this plan to school employees, the board of education, and the community, I will refer to these studies to show the need for such a plan. First, all students within the school need to have health education on a continuing basis. That is, health education should ideally be offered for about ninety minutes per week (three thirty-minute sessions) throughout the school year. In secondary schools, where schedules are more limited, health education should be offered everyday for one semester per year. Health classes will begin in kindergarten and carry through twelfth grade. Topics are to include current nutritional guidelines, selecting and preparing healthy meals, the role of physical education in health, anti-smoking, anti-drugs, frank information about teen sex and its consequences (to include HIV, all other STDs, pregnancy, and also social/emotional concerns), alcohol consumption, pro-social behavior, eating disorders, and any other community concerns. No students should be excused from these classes unless parents insist on religious grounds. Additionally, all students should attend physical education everyday from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Younger students need only twenty minutes; older students (middle school and high school) should have thirty minutes. Physical education must cover not only the basic sports, but also alternative fitness activities, like weight lifting, swimming (if there is access to a pool), walking, cardio equipment, etc. Physical education should take into account each student’s needs whenever possible (i. e. if a student is already physically fit, more opportunities can be given; if a student is overweight, starting slow should be allowed). Physical education teachers should coordinate with coaches of intramural teams, and encourage all students to participate. Some of these teams should be non-competing. The school should also offer health and counseling services. All students should be screened for any diseases that are spreading within the community (STDs, meningitis, pertussis, etc. as necessary) and immunized if appropriate. Students should also be offered the opportunity to see the school nurse (one should be in every building; ideally, one per every 400 students) if they are ill or have other health concerns. Preventative care should be emphasized and available, especially for athletes. Counseling should be available for any students with concerns about eating disorders, suicide, depression, relationship difficulties, abuse, unwanted pregnancy, or any other reason. Students should be encouraged to seek help if they need it, and if other students report that someone needs help, counselors should follow up with that student within the week. Anonymous reporting should be available for students who are concerned about others. Special programs for students who are seeking to quit smoking, alcohol or drugs, or who are pregnant should be provided. If possible, free daycare should be provided to keep teen parents in schools. Finally, any and all students who have health concerns or preexisting conditions should be able to get whatever help they need, whether it’s a permanent bathroom or nurse pass, or scheduled times during the day to take medication. All school personnel involved with the child (classroom teacher, nurse, special teachers, etc. ) should be aware of the student’s health concerns, including emergency procedures and allergies. With this plan in place, students should have their needs met in all different ways, and this will increase their focus in the classroom setting.