A Critcal Analysis of W. James Work on Varieties of Religious Essay

A Critcal Analysis of W. James Work on Varieties of Religious Experiences - Essay Example James defines religious experiences as feelings and acts of men that are dependent on what is considered to be divine. His method of studying religious experiences is based on the definition. He relies on four forms of experiences (Totor2u, 2009). The first form explains that experiences are unique to an individual and can only be explained by the person who goes through them. The second form gives an insight to the truth while the third one is short lived. Finally, the last experience is supernatural in nature, and it takes over the human body (Totor2u, 2009). His study on varieties of religious experiences addresses the usefulness of religion in human experiences. Given the fact that he does not dismiss the important role played by science in people’s lives, he tries to create a science of religion with the aim of authenticating religion. For James, it is through varieties that unscientific phenomena can be addressed (Pomerleau, 2002). According to his explanation, science cannot be sure whether religious phenomena are genuine or fraudulent. As such, means of dealing with such discrepancies must be developed. However, he agrees that religious accounts may not always be reliable because people tend to profile their experiences around that which they consider most significant (Cho, 1996). James notes that there is a gap between scientific explanation of phenomena and religious reasons that is hard to understand. The level from which situations can be explained through philosophy is different from religious understanding. He acquires evidence from people believe in supernatural forces to control events. The occurrence of unexplainable events is enough evidence to prove that these forces are real. Since it is what an individual believes in, it is perceived to be the truth (Boston, 2000). The point at which things happen without explanation takes the form

WRAPUP 1 Bullish U.S. manufacturing construction data bolster growth outlook Essay Example for Free

WRAPUP 1 Bullish U.S. manufacturing construction data bolster growth outlook Essay America has always wanted to see growth within its system. Therefore with the growth in the manufacturing sector, the citizens are expected to benefit from it. The article has three points which in my opinion will be able to ensure that the country’s economy changes in a positive way; for instance, the ideology of the manufacturing activities rising from 2011 means that the global market will be bombarded with the goods from America. It also means that the workers in the manufacturing sector will have to benefit from this rise. At the same time, the rise in new orders will have to give room for the innovators to come up with new products to be manufactured. Therefore, the construction sector will also have to employ more people meaning that the country will have to curb unemployment. Why Main Street isnt creating jobs For a very long time the main street had been seen to be the leading sector in job creation. However, the small businesses are fighting for better market making it impossible for growth in the sector. The market is also flooded with the small businesses making the competition to be stiff. The entrepreneurs have also been made not to create more jobs with the rise of healthcare cost, red tape and minimum wages debate. For instance, the government has set up policies of minimum wages while the business might not be able to attain the threshold making it impossible to employ people in accordance to the policy. Fed keeps record-low rates for now, but investors, consumers, businesses face the inevitable The Fed has insisted on keeping these low records in the market while the people who are having problems are the employers and business owners. For instance, the market enjoys a growth within the construction and manufacturing sectors whereby people expect the employment rate to also be on the rise. Therefore it is expected that the job market should be high and layoffs should be low. This is why the middle class cant get ahead The middle class society has the highest number of individuals across the globe. However, during the recession they were the individuals who felt the pinch and it has been difficult for them to recover. At the same time, there are some of them who have not been able to recover citing that they are still facing recession. Downturn has made it impossible for business ideas to be implemented as majority of the people are yet to recover. This means that it would be impossible for median household income to sustain families or even give room for recovery. US job growth is rising solidly, so why isnt pay? From the look of things, individuals expected to have a lifestyle change after it was reported that the hiring rate in the United States was on the rise. However, after being employed things have been worse since the wage is minimal. One thing that the people need to understand that the five years of recession has made it difficult for companies to recover. At the same time, the companies are not capable of hiking the pay since it would interfere with their budget of running their businesses. The problem might not be hitting the employees alone, but rather also the government as the trend does not give room for the economy to strengthen. Investors gird for scarier days in markets Business individuals always have the best forecasting techniques for the market. This time their predictions might be right as the market has become volatile for them to withstand it. Their worry is related to the stock market that indicates weakness. As the stocks lower, the other regions might take advantages of the loopholes and beat the U.S. market. The hazardous nature of the market has made it impossible for the more investors to venture into the market or even new products. This would mean that the market will remain stagnant with the same products and lack of innovation. World economies warn of global risks, call for bold action It is important for bold action to be taken in aid of bolstering the global economy. The main aim is to ensure that there is a smooth recovery in the different economies across the globe. This will make government to have budgets that will be able to sustain their people and their businesses. The International Monetary Fund declared the call for action after it had realized that the governments were running under tight budgets that might not sustain their economies. Low budgets for the governments makes it impossible for governments to maintain some of its infrastructures, health sectors and better governance. The tight budgets are also associated with the high levels of poverty within a country. Why deflation is so scary The only individuals who are scared with the rise of deflation rate are the investors and the business owners. The prices of goods are seen to be dwindling. The consumers have a lot to celebrate but the entrepreneurs are afraid that soon they would be counting their losses. On average, majority of the goods in the market are having their prices lower to fit the budget of the buyers. Individuals should not be happy with the whole idea of deflation, as it would interfere with their economy. The price for production would have to be lowered making the companies to come up with goods that are not of good quality. Top economist looking for Fed to surprise market The Fed has been known to come up with policies, which strengthen the country’s economy. However, the entrepreneurs have seen it fit to give everything to the Feds. This might be a bad thing for the feds, as they will be held accountable if the economy goes the wrong way. The economists have seen it fit to put the blame on the feds incase the business does mistakes. They had noticed that there is a looming inflation rate and they needed someone to blame. Chinas October factory growth unexpectedly hits five-month low: official PMI From the look of things, it seems that all the economies around the world would have to come with different strategies to fit the market. For instance the drop in the manufacturing sector in China might be a big blow for their economy. The country is known to have the biggest market around the globe when it comes to having products in the market. However, the biggest reason as to why the growth is not being felt is due to the nature of the products they bring into the market. There have been numerous complains indicating that the goods from the region are not standardized. However, it is essential for the manufacturers to look at the market and know the type of goods required by the consumers. Annual China trade growth slows in October in further sign of fragility If the second largest economy is dropping in growth, then their strategy would have to change. It is understandable if Chinas imports reduce but a bad sign if the exports reduce. The reason for this statement is that, the country has been known to innovate and manufacture products that they acquire from other countries. The domestic demands for their own products is on the rise making it impossible for the export market to hit the region. Therefore, the policy makers venturing into china are supposed to come up with a product that the region does not have. Falling inflation a worry for Europe but also the world The European market has always been understood to be a mature market. This would mean that if it is hit by inflation then the global market would also have to suffer. The European Central Bank would lose in taxes and fall of the property market. Therefore, if inflation is curbed in Europe than the rest of the world will be at ease. U.S. crude down seven percent to May 2010 low on OPEC, new low likely The traders in the crude oil business estimated that their output had fallen by 7 percent. This might be true since the market has experienced emergence of other producers who have lower prices. Another reason for this is the decision by Saudi Arabia to block the United states to sell their products to the U.A.E. the only regions benefitting are the African and Arab nations that deals in crude oil. References http://www.cnbc.com/id/101963506#. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-main-street-isnt-creating-120034955.html http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/fed-signals-it-plans-to-keep-key-interest-rate-at-record-low-for-considerable-period-275482001.html http://finance.yahoo.com/news/this-is-why-the-middle-class-is-still-reeling-170441453.html http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-job-growth-rising-solidly-180238861.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/investors-gird-scarier-days-markets-012706729.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/imf-warns-global-economy-risk-175450932.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-deflation-is-so-scary-202724649.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-economist-looking-fed-surprise-205358922.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/chinas-october-official-pmi-edges-011829371.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-october-exports-11-6-023116488.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/falling-inflation-worry-europe-world-093023683.html?soc_src=copy http://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-steadies-near-four-low-162038436.html?soc_src=copy Source document

The Problems of Doing Good :: Politics Political Essays

The Problems of Doing Good In 1938 Mao Zedong summarized one of the most important problems with warfare in Problems of War and Strategy: "War can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun." American intervention in Somalia began as a peacekeeping mission to ensure that food donated by goodwill organizations got into the hands of the civilians who were starving; since the theft of these donations by Somali soldiers was widely reported in the international press. As the conflict progressed, our presence shifted and evolved into nation-building. The United States was essentially living out Zedong's warning, and we were soundly criticized for it. Was the mission ethically justified? The only reasonable and logical conclusion that can be reached is that entering the conflict in Somalia was the product of very poor judgment. Before entering a conflict a nation should, at the least, stand to gain something if she wins. Everyone lost during the Somalia hostilities: statistically we did not save many Somali lives, we increased our notoriety throughout the world for getting involved in things that don't concern us, American soldiers died, and funds that could have been appropriated elsewhere were spent without concern for their investment. As if this weren't bad enough, it was clear from the start that the only reason we got involved was out of a sense of pity. Humanitarian support through military intervention is as much of a paradox as George Bush caring about a poor third-world nation. The action raises this ethical question: is the act of saving Somali lives worth the loss of American lives? Historically our armed forces have served only to protect the freedom of democracy and maintain national security. Humanitarianism falls into neither of those categories. The problem lies in the reality that the United States has no vested interest in the outcome of a civil war in Somalia. It does not affect us economically, politically, socially, it does not affect our allies, the integrity of trade agreements, and it had no bearing on national security or foreign policy. The truth is that conflict in Somalia should not have even made its way onto the Whitehouse agenda because it does not affect us at all. Equally important as the fact that American men and women died to bring food to Somalis, is the ethics from the standpoint of the Somalis.

Virus Eradicates Through Mosquitoes Essay -- Essays Papers

Virus Eradicates Through Mosquitoes Have you ever heard of a killer mosquito? In Alicia Campbell and H. Michael Dreher’s article, â€Å"A New Transcontinental Disease: The West Nile Virus,† they describe the virus’s origination, transmission, symptoms, treatment, how to avoid it, and the danger. The article was published in June of 2002 in Medsburg Nursing Journal, because the virus is growing rapidly throughout America. The virus first hit United States in New York in 1999, infecting sixty-two people. The authors inform us that it is still a mystery how the virus came to America. One thing is for sure, mosquitoes carry the virus, and they are responsible for the infections in humans. West Nile’s origination first surfaced along the West Nile district of Uganda in Africa in 1937. It’s first reported epidemics took place in Israel during 1951 through 1954, and again in 1957. The largest reported epidemics occurred in South Africa in 1974. There were tens of thousands of infections. A more recent outbreak was in 1996, in Romania where there were over f...

Fear of the Power of Science in Frankenstein

Some readers have seen the novel as an illustration of the fear of the power of science. To what extent do you agree with this view of the novel? There are many different readings of ‘Frankenstein’ by Mary Shelley, first published in 1818. The traditional reading sees the novel being about a man getting punished by God for crossing his domain. Many different Gothic themes are used in the novel to create a sense of fear in the audience, not just in the fear of science but the fear of the power of science and the influence this power has on Victor’s character. Frankenstein’ serves as a warning to others of the power of science and creates a sense of fear in the audience. One of the key ways Shelley creates this fear is through the juxtaposing references to nature, helping to serve as a warning. In the midst of Chapter Four, when Victor is engrossed in his work, a paragraph is added describing the beauty and nature around him. Through describing the outside wo rld as ‘beautiful’, Victor is admitting that the world is already beautiful and by ignoring that, he is being ignorant.If Victor had left his house, maybe the beauty of the world could have lifted him out of his depression and stopped the future events. This sense of foreshadowing in the novel creates the sense of fear in the power placed in Victors hands; he knows he is wrapped up in his work ‘neglect the scenes around me’, and through this unhealthy obsession is left with nothing. By adding the beauty of the summer months it further highlights how obsessive Victor had become as time speeds up and months pass within a short section of the novel. The language used in ‘Frankenstein’ to describe his task is interesting to note.The opposing views throughout the novel, adds the retrospective notion towards the story, as he is telling the story having learnt his lesson. ‘If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your af fections and to destroy your taste†¦ then that study is certainly unlawful’. The sense that Victor has learnt from his mistake, creates the interpretation that ‘Frankenstein’ is a morality tale. Morality tales flourished in the 16th century and were often seen as personifications of good and evil usually involved in the struggle for a man’s soul. Victor, the rotagonist, can be seen as a representative of society as a whole, with Victor representing the many scientific discoveries at the time. During the 19th Century, Science was controversial as it questioned many fundamental religious beliefs such as Creation and God. Shelley uses the novel of ‘Frankenstein’ to address the problems with advancements in science and the fundamental consequences of those playing God, thus creating a sense of fear of the power that many were acquiring at the time. The setting is an important feature in Gothic literature and the fact that Victor has isolated himself is influential in the structure of the novel.Victor describes where he works as a ‘solitary chamber’ or ‘cell’ implying he has trapped himself there. This fuels his obsession in creating his ‘monster’ as he has little or no contact with the outside world. The negative description of the room where he works, ‘workshop of filthy creations’ and ‘slaughter house’, creates a dark and creepy atmosphere in the novel, with this use of darkness evident throughout and a key concept in Gothic Literature such as ‘Dracula’. The isolation he creates adds a sense of fear not only to science but a fear towards Victor as his obsession could lead to him becoming crazy.Although one could presume that a fear of science is being created, this can be argued. Many would argue that actually it is the fear of the unknown that is evident in ‘Frankenstein’. Victor is exploring something that no one has ever done and thus the path to his discovery, although with good intentions, is flawed. During the 19th Century, the new scientific discoveries were controversial with many going against Religion. The description used such as ‘fire tissue’ and ‘sizzling light’ of lightning, reflects Victors experiments with conducting electricity through organisms.During the time, Johann Willhelm Ritter, had done experiments whereby he would pass electricity from metal conductors into frog’s legs and this is referred to in the novel. Ketterer says that Shelley’s awareness and fascination with the big scientific discoveries of her day is highlighted in the 1831 version of Frankenstein, where Victor asks his father to demonstrate that lightning is electricity. The novel ‘Frankenstein; is a response to these scientific advancements acting as a warning to those playing god ‘How dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge’ creating fear in the unknown not j ust in science.Following on from the fear of the unknown, some would argue that it is also the fear of change in ‘Frankenstein’. Religion was a fundamental part of society and many believed that Science was a usurper to Religion and many would still believe that today. ‘In other studies you have gone to where others have gone before’. Unlike subjects such as History, Victor believes Science is about change and therefore oversteps the boundaries of discovery; it is the reference to the sublimeness of his task that makes this more evident. ‘In scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder’.The fear not only in the power of science but in the ‘discovery’ is clear in ‘Frankenstein’ with continual conflict between the two. The novel describes the ultimate consequence of those attempting to cross two of Gods domains, ‘man’ and ‘God’. Victor creates the monster, which challenges the advancement of technology during the industrial revolution and thus a fear of industry and scientific advancement, not necessarily the direct fear of science. The fear of the power of science is a concept that can be seen clearly in ‘Frankenstein’.Although, it can be argued that it is the fear of the unknown or change, the real fear is in the power of Science. Victor’s obsession with science allows him to feel powerful and thus make mistakes, that when retrospectively telling the story he is able to recount and acknowledge. The power placed in Victors hands when he is able to create life, is ultimately the one to be feared. Shelley’s ability to subtly create fear through setting, language and structure is important in creating the fear of the power of science which is crucial in this Gothic text.

University of the People - A Tuition-Free Online University

University of the People - A Tuition-Free Online University What Is UoPeople? The University of the People  (UoPeople) is the worlds first tuition-free online university. To learn more about how this online school works, I interviewed UoPeople founder Shai Reshef. Heres what he had to say: Q: Can you start by telling us a little bit about the University of the People? A:  University of the People  is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. I established UoPeople to democratize higher education and make college-level studies available to student everywhere, even in the poorest parts of the world. Utilizing open-source technology and materials with a peer-to-peer pedagogical system, we can create a global chalkboard that does not discriminate based on geographical or financial constraints.   Q: What degrees will the University of the People offer to students? A:  When UoPeople opens its virtual gates this fall, we will offer two undergraduate degrees: a BA in Business Administration and a BSc in Computer Science. The University plans to offer other education options in the future. Q: How long does it take to complete each degree? A:  Full-time students will be able to complete the undergraduate degree in approximately four years, and all students will be eligible for an associate degree after two years. Q: Are classes conducted entirely online? A:  Yes, the curriculum is internet-based. UoPeople students will learn in online study communities where they will share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments and take exams, all under the guidance of respected scholars. Q: What are your current admissions requirements? A:  The enrollment requirements include proof of graduation from a secondary school as evidence of 12 years of schooling, proficiency in English and access to a computer with an Internet connection. Prospective students will be able to enroll online at UoPeople.edu.  With minimal admission criteria, UoPeople aims to provide higher education to anyone who welcomes the opportunity. Alas, in the beginning stages, we will have to cap enrollment in order to best serve our students. Q: Is the University of the People open to everyone regardless of location or citizenship status? A:  UoPeople will accept students regardless of location or citizenship status. It is a universal institution that anticipates students from every corner of the globe. Q: How many students will the University of the People accept each year? A:  UoPeople anticipates tens of thousands of students to enroll within the first five years of operation, although enrollment will be capped at 300 students in the first semester. The power of online networking and word-of-mouth marketing will facilitate the growth of the University, while the open-source and peer-to-peer pedagogical model will make it possible to handle such rapid expansion. Q: How can students increase their chances of getting accepted? A:  My personal goal is to make higher education a right for all, not a privilege for the few. Enrollment criteria are minimal, and we hope to accommodate any student who wants to be a part of this university. Q: Is the University of the People an accredited institution? A:  Like all universities, UoPeople must comply with the rules set forth by accreditation agencies. UoPeople intends to apply for accreditation as soon as the two year waiting period for eligibility is met. UPDATE:  University of the People was accredited by the  Distance Education Accrediting Commission  Ã‚  (DEAC) in February 2014. Q: How will the University of the People help students succeed in the program and after graduation? A:  My time at Cramster.com has taught me the value of peer-to-peer learning and its strength as a pedagogical model in maintaining high retention rates. Additionally, UoPeople plans to offer guidance and support for students upon graduation, however specific programs are still in the development phase. Q: Why should students consider attending the University of the People? A:  Higher education has been a pipedream for too many people, for too long. UoPeople opens the doors so that a teenager from a rural village in Africa has the same opportunity to go to college as one who attended the most prestigious high school in New York. And UoPeople doesn’t just provide four years of education for students worldwide, but also the building blocks for them to go on to create a better life, community and world.

Free Essays on Crazy In The Streets

Term Paper: Crazy in the Streets There is a difference when you are homeless because you’re bankrupt, you have no job, no where to look to, and because everyone that you have known has abandoned you, and homeless, simply because you have a psychotic illness that cannot be controlled and has to be treated because the illness could be a threat to your life or to the people that come in contact with you. The difference between these two types of homeless people is that one type has a choice and the other doesn’t. The homeless person that is bankrupt and has no job can always turn his life around and try to start from somewhere to get his life back in control, but what the homeless person with the psychotic illness do? Obviously they can’t just say, Ok I’m all better now, let me get my life back together, no, they would need some serious psychiatric treatment to turn their life around. But how do they come to the conclusion that they need psychiatric treatment? Or better yet why is this pe rson who has a serious psychotic illness living on the streets without any supervision? The answer is deinstitutionalization, which Paul S. Appelbaum talks about in his essay Crazy in the Streets. Appelbaum talks about how deinstitutionalization came about and how the wrong approach was taken, how it affected communities, and how the mental patients coped with living in a sane area. This paper will give you a summary of Crazy in the Streets and my opinions and evaluations about all that is written in Appelbaum’s essay. Deinstitutionalization was an experiment involving the release of about 800,000 mental patients. This idea was very well liked by liberals and conservatives because by decreasing the state mental hospitals by over 50% mental patients were receiving their freedom, and also because of the large amount of money that would be saved by cutting the mental health budget. Before the concept of deinstitutionalization however, the ... Free Essays on Crazy In The Streets Free Essays on Crazy In The Streets Term Paper: Crazy in the Streets There is a difference when you are homeless because you’re bankrupt, you have no job, no where to look to, and because everyone that you have known has abandoned you, and homeless, simply because you have a psychotic illness that cannot be controlled and has to be treated because the illness could be a threat to your life or to the people that come in contact with you. The difference between these two types of homeless people is that one type has a choice and the other doesn’t. The homeless person that is bankrupt and has no job can always turn his life around and try to start from somewhere to get his life back in control, but what the homeless person with the psychotic illness do? Obviously they can’t just say, Ok I’m all better now, let me get my life back together, no, they would need some serious psychiatric treatment to turn their life around. But how do they come to the conclusion that they need psychiatric treatment? Or better yet why is this pe rson who has a serious psychotic illness living on the streets without any supervision? The answer is deinstitutionalization, which Paul S. Appelbaum talks about in his essay Crazy in the Streets. Appelbaum talks about how deinstitutionalization came about and how the wrong approach was taken, how it affected communities, and how the mental patients coped with living in a sane area. This paper will give you a summary of Crazy in the Streets and my opinions and evaluations about all that is written in Appelbaum’s essay. Deinstitutionalization was an experiment involving the release of about 800,000 mental patients. This idea was very well liked by liberals and conservatives because by decreasing the state mental hospitals by over 50% mental patients were receiving their freedom, and also because of the large amount of money that would be saved by cutting the mental health budget. Before the concept of deinstitutionalization however, the ...

Word Choice All Together vs. Altogether

Word Choice All Together vs. Altogether Word Choice: All Together vs. Altogether What happens when two words become one? Sometimes, like with â€Å"all right† and â€Å"alright,† both terms mean the same thing. But then we have â€Å"all together† and â€Å"altogether.† These terms have a shared origin, but they have also developed distinct meanings in modern English. How, then, should we use them? And how can you avoid errors in your writing? Let us explain. All Together (All in One Place or All in Unison) Written as two words, â€Å"all together† usually means â€Å"all in one place†: My family and I were all together on vacation last year. A slightly different use is to mean â€Å"all in unison† or â€Å"all at the same time†: Let’s sing a Christmas carol. All together now! We can also separate the â€Å"all† and â€Å"together† in some sentences. For example: All of my family and I were together on vacation last year. Let’s all sing a Christmas carol together! These mean the same as the equivalent sentences above, but they have been restructured. The key factor is that â€Å"all† is a determiner and â€Å"together† is an adverb in all of these sentences. Altogether (Entirely or Taken as a Whole) Written as one word, â€Å"altogether† usually means â€Å"entirely† or â€Å"completely†: I’m not altogether sure you used that word correctly. Another use is to mean â€Å"takes as a whole† or â€Å"all things considered†: Altogether, it was the best Christmas we ever had. Finally, especially in the UK, â€Å"in the altogether† is a slang phrase for being nude. You probably don’t need to know this, as it’s quite rare. But we find the phrase amusing, so we thought we’d share. All Together or Altogether? These terms have developed distinct meanings over time, so make sure not to confuse them. Remember: The two-word phrase all together means â€Å"all in one place† or â€Å"all in unison.† Written as a single word, altogether means â€Å"entirely† or â€Å"taken as a whole.† If you are unsure which to use, try replacing it in the sentence with â€Å"entirely† or â€Å"taken as a whole.† If the replacement fits, â€Å"altogether† will be correct. Otherwise, â€Å"all together† will be correct. And if you’d like any help checking the spelling in your writing, feel free to get in touch.

Islamic Republic States Influence on Islamic Secular States Essay

Islamic Republic States Influence on Islamic Secular States - Essay Example The Islamic Secular State was declared the "compatibility of Islam with a secular state based on liberal democracy" (Aykol, 2007) in the Abant Platform held in Instanbul, Turkey. Meanwhile, the Islamic Republic State is another organizational body "seen as a compromise between a purely Islamic Caliphate, and secular nationalism and republicanism. In their conception of the Islamic republic, the penal code of the state are required to be compatible with some laws of Sharia, and not a monarchy as many Middle Eastern states are presently" ("Nation Master"). The Islamic Republic State is therefore, a larger influence towards the Islamic Secular State. It is the purpose of this paper to identify the influence of the Islamic Republic States toward Islamic Secular States with short explorations on the political organization in the countries of Turkey and Lebanon to achieve an enlightened The political issue in the Islamic world remains in conflict because of the cultural and ethnic differences which results to diverse interpretations of the law in the Muslim world. Religion is faithfully adhered in the Islamic community that it guides the decisions of Muslim leaders based on their interpretation influencing the political affairs. The religious leaders in Muslim community are highly respected that their opinion substantially matters to affect political decisions. The Republic States in the Muslim World adopted by countries like Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Mauritania follows a theocratic form of government which requires compatibility with the laws of Sharia shaping the political and legal decisions of the state. These states although guided with one religion, Islam, vary in their governmental approach and implementation of laws. To understand the religious influence on politics, it is necessary to understand the Sharia law which is adhered to by the Republic States in their legal execution and political affairs. The Sharia "is a common-law system in the sense that it's not written down in just one place. You have the Qur'an itself, where the words of God are recorded. You have the words of the Prophet as told to his companions, who reported them down through the years. Then you have a human practice of evaluating and analyzing the meanings of those texts. Then you have a large body of legal interpretation of lawyers and jurists trying to make sense of this material" (Feldman and Surname 3 Myers, 2008). Such is the system that is promoted to manipulate legal decisions in the Islamic world. It is the interpretation of these laws that creates a conflict in the decision making of leaders of different states in the Islamic community. RISE OF ISLAMIC SECULAR STATE In June 1998 was the date that the Islamic Secular State was declared fully operational and ready to execute its assigned duties for a universal understanding between members of the Islamic group. One issue that the Islamic Secular State dutifully attempts to bridge up for a common understanding and interpretation is the issue on the Shariah law whereby, even Pakistanis known to identify Islam within their culture, do not recognize the Shariah law. Politics and religion in the Islamic wo

The Nature of Beauty in Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray Essay

The Nature of Beauty in Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray - Essay Example At the studio of the painter, Basil, was Lord Henry who heard Dorian’s wish to remain youthful and grants him the wish (Wilde 26). Lord Henry Wotton uses sweet words to lure Dorian Gray into retaining his youth and beauty by exchanging the aging effects with the portrait made by the painter Basil. This fascination Gray receives from Basil makes him jump into a life of falsification. Many characters in the book are shown to admire the beauty of Dorian Gray. He does not age but instead the portrait painted by Basil is the one that changes and fringes in place of Gray. Due to this falsified beauty, Dorian wins the love of an actress called Sybil whom he dumps after learning that she has stopped acting. The story outlines how beauty is adorned in times of Wilde by the characters of the book. The nature of beauty is that it cannot be preserved in other things such as art. To this the adoration of youthfulness and beauty continues to define the lives of many who risk for their lives and morals in the name of beauty as it is depicted in the theme of the book. First, the nature of beauty is demonstrated through art in the book. ... es the notion that art is used to express morality and values of humanity as it were taken in the Hellenistic age, however he acknowledges that art is for beauty and the artists do not necessarily have morals and the ethics while designing the arts. This symbolically associates art with beauty as whatever the artist creates will be beautiful. Basil admires the beauty of Dorian and even tells him â€Å"I worshiped you†. â€Å"I grew jealous of everyone to whom you spoke. I wanted to have you all to myself. I was only happy when I was with you" Basil tells Dorian (Wilde 26). He does all this out of the admiration he has for the beauty of Dorian Gray. As a result, Basil has no better way of appreciating how much he adores the beauty of Dorian other than through art, and he goes ahead and paints a picture of Dorian. The author clearly elaborates the distinctions between art and real life. Dorian admires the painting of Basil and associates it with beauty and regrets that he is go ing to frown with age, but the picture will remain beautiful as it is. He continues to regret that the portrait will be reminding him of the beauty that he had during his youthful stage. As he regrets, Lord Henry, a noble man in those times who admired the beauty of Dorian Gray, offers to make Gray’s wish to come true (Wilde 26). He persuades and lures Gray into accepting his charm and retain his youth and beauty forever. Lord Henry through his charming talk and brilliant wit as described in the story tricks Dorian to suspending the aging effect into the portrait and he remains beautiful. Henry wants the young beautiful man to live his life as if he was a piece of art. This is symbolic of how the nature of beauty was believed to be found in art. In contrast, the book views life as the contrast of

The slave trade in Latin America. Profit and human misery Research Paper

The slave trade in Latin America. Profit and human misery - Research Paper Example As early as the 15th century the Spanish were gaining a stranglehold on Mexico and the various tribal lands of Latin America. A series of conquistadors, essentially privateers, more adventurers than soldiers, struck out on their own to secure the spoils and riches of the new lands. Up to the 16th century activities in this part of world were predominantly exploratory treasure hunts. Standing in their way, however, were the multitude of sedentary and fierce nomadic indigenous tribes which had to be overcome if the land was to be subjugated. By 1502 the first shipload of Africans had been landed in Hispanola. By the time of the full conquest of Mexico in the 1520 and Peru in the 1530s, all the elements of the colonial system of Latin America were falling into place. In Mexico, farming and mining were underway. In Brazil, under the Portuguese, the initial period of some coexistence through bartering and trade with the Indians was morphing into formal Spanish and Portuguese royal control .1 Along with it came the beginnings of a plantation economy. On the main land, as in the Caribbean, indigenous resistance and subsequent depopulation was spreading throughout Latin America, and by 1570 war and disease had taken its toll. Traditional sources of free labor diminished, and within thirty years of the Spanish landing tribes had been decimated. Along with depopulation and the emerging economy came the recognition that a large labor force would be needed to work the mines, ranches and sugar plantations cropping up like seedlings throughout Latin America.... rld, the need for slaves expanded, prompting the Portuguese traders to explore new markets for their â€Å"product.† Within thirty years of Columbus’s discovery, the Portuguese, beginning in Brazil, tapped into the growing market and before long were supplying an unending cache of slave workers for a burgeoning sugar industry. Assessing the northeastern coast of Brazil as particularly adopted to sugar growth, they began importing thousands of African slaves to that area, each of which was â€Å"not a mere captive but a commodity†¦ an investment†¦[that]†¦ impelled a vast expansion of the American sugar dominions. 2—an expansion that would eventually evolve as a lucrative commercial enterprise over the next three centuries via numerous other European slave traders. Estimates say that â€Å"By 1700 nearly three-quarters of the population of the British West Indies was African.† 3 Many countries including the French, Dutch and British eventuall y became prominent in the slave trade. The details of the actual practice seem today stunningly inhumane. And least it be forgotten, the truth remains that â€Å"The slave trade [its practices] was so awful in itself that one is apt to forget that it was merely a means to an end.† 4 That end was profit. Life on the Slave Ship Numerous accounts exist of the misery, suffering and dehumanizing environment of the slave ship that defy all modern sense of morality â€Å"as a brutally efficient piece of technology and site of struggle.† 5 All of the Europeans—Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, British, French and Italians--freighted ships laden with barter to trade with Africans for African slaves. To those slave traders 16th through the 18th century, practices that would now be condemned universally as nothing short of â€Å"deliberately concealed

Code of Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Code of Ethics - Research Paper Example This paper’s focal point is to create an appropriate code of ethics that would be perfectly suited for any business. All the staff, board members, and volunteer members that work within an organization must encompass virtues that illustrate integrity in their personal and professional relations. Honesty and transparency are the most important virtues in this regard. The focal point of existence for an organization needs consideration. For instance, in an online banking organization, this could be to ensure that clients receive banking service provision of the highest quality from the comfort of their homes. The organization’s code should be well within & aims to fulfill all the requirements sets within the State’s /Country’s Constitution. It ought to regard of the necessary laws and regulations (Bailey, 2011). Information concerning financial and social dealing of an organization should be provided to the media, public, and all stakeholders in an efficient and timely procedure. Any variations in management or strategies are to be provided to the parties stated with immediate effect (McCloskey, 2006). An organization should be conscious to ensure that there is no discrimination in the processes of hiring, firing, retention, and promotion. All the staff, volunteers, clients, as well as board members of the organization ought to be accorded, given equal opportunity. While in the process of solicitation, an organization must maintain truthfulness when relating with its donors. The organization must respect all the concerns of donors, with regard to privacy, and only expect funds that are in direct inclination with intents of the donor. The statement of values regarded above is based solely on humanity. Formulation of the principles occurs after incorporation of the process of social imagination. This is whereby one

Insurance Fraud-Busting System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Insurance Fraud-Busting System - Essay Example There are two case studies which were referenced within this current assignment. One is a case involving an insurance claim to replace a computer network, after a company experienced an unexpected energy surge. The second involved a woman who had unnecessary dental work, after an unethical dentist advised her that she needed filings. Both of these instances are, unfortunately, not uncommon these days. An additional insurance scam that I am familiar with is one involving chiropractors. A relatively healthy person will visit a chiropractor’s office and receive multiple chiropractic adjustments and massages. The patient, in many cases, will not pay any out-of-pocket costs for these services. Instead, the chiropractor will claim that the person has a problem and is in need of constant care. The office assistant will bill the insurance company for each visit made by the patient. The patient enjoys multiple massages and chiropractic adjustments for however many visits the health ins urance allows. The reason why this is a fraud is because it is expressly stated within the policy that a patient must have a legitimate medical condition and be in need of treatment, in order to receive benefits. This type of fraud is rampant as well. Still there are other insurance scams that many people are familiar with. Some people stage car accidents or leave their own keys in the car so that it will be stolen. Others fake an accident at work so that they can file a worker’s compensation claim and/or file for short/long-term disability. All false claims have a profit motive of some type. If the claim is not filed for actual cash, the purpose of the claim may be to replace a valuable damaged item. The attitude of Americans towards fraud is disheartening. On the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud website, there is a statistic cited from a survey conducted by Accenture Ltd, that â€Å"one of four Americans say it’s ok to defraud insurers† (Accenture, 2002). Ano ther study, cited on the same website by Progressive Insurance, stated that â€Å"Nearly one of 10 Americans would commit insurance fraud if they knew they could get away with it. Nearly three of 10 Americans (29 percent) wouldn't report insurance scams committed by someone they know† (NICB, 2011). This is a startling statement of American lack of morality. The proceeding information leads to a very important question. How do insurance companies combat fraud at the present time? Most insurance companies have an in-house Special Investigation Units (SIU). They normally seek to hire those with a law enforcement background for such positions. These groups are specifically tasked with attempting to uncover and investigate cases of fraud, specifically as it relates to claims filed through the insurance company. The group specifically will look for holes in a customer’s story. If there was an auto accident, for example, and both parties’ statements do not match, this can raise a red flag.

Code of Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Code of Ethics - Research Paper Example This paper’s focal point is to create an appropriate code of ethics that would be perfectly suited for any business. All the staff, board members, and volunteer members that work within an organization must encompass virtues that illustrate integrity in their personal and professional relations. Honesty and transparency are the most important virtues in this regard. The focal point of existence for an organization needs consideration. For instance, in an online banking organization, this could be to ensure that clients receive banking service provision of the highest quality from the comfort of their homes. The organization’s code should be well within & aims to fulfill all the requirements sets within the State’s /Country’s Constitution. It ought to regard of the necessary laws and regulations (Bailey, 2011). Information concerning financial and social dealing of an organization should be provided to the media, public, and all stakeholders in an efficient and timely procedure. Any variations in management or strategies are to be provided to the parties stated with immediate effect (McCloskey, 2006). An organization should be conscious to ensure that there is no discrimination in the processes of hiring, firing, retention, and promotion. All the staff, volunteers, clients, as well as board members of the organization ought to be accorded, given equal opportunity. While in the process of solicitation, an organization must maintain truthfulness when relating with its donors. The organization must respect all the concerns of donors, with regard to privacy, and only expect funds that are in direct inclination with intents of the donor. The statement of values regarded above is based solely on humanity. Formulation of the principles occurs after incorporation of the process of social imagination. This is whereby one

How management team can have a goog fight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

How management team can have a goog fight - Essay Example The article outlines the authors’ purpose of identifying possible conflicts in the management and the adverse effects they will have to the organization. There are research findings that the authors analyzed to elaborate on their project. The authors discovered that managers’ exhibit authoritative powers vested on them by the organization so that the subordinates realize their positions and mandate in the organization. The authors identify different phases whereby, the managers exhibit personal behaviors based on personal motives and not the organization’s set goals and objectives. They briefly analyze and realize that organizations are vulnerable to the conflicts, and the most harmful is the fact that, challenges arise whenever the company seeks to coerce managers to deliver their functions jointly with lesser conflicts (Eisenhardt, et al 77). Kathleen and coauthors research depicts the conflicts should alternate from unethical to ethical, and to that extent, will be beneficial for to the organizational performances. On a different expedition, the authors researched on conflicts of managements in technology-based organizations. They undertook the project throughout technology-based companies, whereby they interviewed executives at the individual capacities. They established that the top-management teams faced challenges in the dynamic environment, despite managing conflicts in the organization. They met the threats of uncertainty and discontinuity of operations lest they resolved internal conflicts. The researchers depicted that, most of the managers would argue out on the conflicts technological dynamics tend to call for faster approaches in resolution and adoption respectively, which tends to strain the organization beyond the capacity. The findings depict that emotional and egocentric characteristics will unlikely inhibit the negative influence of conflicts and adaptation to vulnerable changes

Elementary School Conduct Essay Example for Free

Elementary School Conduct Essay Keeping in mind the fact that the beginning years of a child’s academic education build the foundation of his future life, this school holds certain policies, which aim to provide an effective learning climate where students are trained to develop social skills and gain responsibility. This paper outlines those policies as well as presents a number of academic and behavioral standards that should be maintained by the school members at all times. Academic Standards The academic syllabus of our school stresses on three chief study courses: †¢ Skill development of different forms of communication, which include comprehensive reading and listening, good legible handwriting, and speaking power. †¢ Providing an appropriate understanding of the use of numbers and the significance of basic calculations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) in our daily lives. †¢ Development of relationship building skills, which give the students a chance to interact with people outside their home and expand their social circle. Moreover, as these students are new to the academic world, our school makes it mandatory to construct such a syllabus that widens their conception of the world they live in. In view of this notion, students from Grade-1 to Grade-6 are taught about love at home, neighbor and classmate relationships, relationship between one’s own society and the others, the state and country they live in, and lastly, information about the rest of the world, respectively. In addition, character building and teamwork is encouraged throughout the elementary level. (McCarthy, 1990) Behavioral Standards In order to create a disciplined and comfortable learning environment for the students, our school requires all school members to appreciate and conform to the following rules and regulations regarding their conduct at the facility: †¢ Honor the attributes and integrity of themselves and other people present at the school. †¢ Hold a fair attitude to everyone at school avoiding any form of discrimination whether it is racial, cultural, gendered, ethnic, etc. †¢ Communicate in a decent fashion avoiding any form of profanity or obscene gestures. †¢ Avoid an attitude that is hurtful, discriminatory or unacceptable in any other form, to anyone at school. †¢ Everyone should be dressed in compliance with the dressing code of the school. †¢ Commodities belonging to the school or any other person should be dealt with proper care. †¢ Appreciate the different tasks assigned to the various employees working at the school. †¢ Avoid carrying any form of harmful instruments inside the school building. †¢ Avoid consumption of any substance that could cause to lose your actual demeanor. Members of the school failing to comply with the above rules will have to face consequences in accordance with intensity and frequency of their offences. (Student Services Division, 2001) Professional Relationships The teachers at our school are trained to cooperate and work jointly with the parents in order to augment the learning abilities of students both at school and home. Moreover, our school works conjointly with various professionals and organizations to build a healthier learning climate for the students. Roles Responsibilities Students: †¢ Should avail every chance to learn offered to them, and study to the best of their abilities. †¢ Should come to school regularly and attend all classes, reporting any reason for an absence. †¢ Should understand and follow all the rules, and face the consequences of any misconduct. †¢ Should handle school or any other individual’s property with appropriate care. †¢ Should participate in creating a secure and suitable learning climate for the pupils. Parents: †¢ Should extend any hand required to expand their children’s learning abilities. †¢ Should encourage their students to comply with all the rules and standards of the school. †¢ Should have regular meetings with the teachers on their child’s overall progress. †¢ Should make sure that their children are well fed and physically fit for school. †¢ Should cooperate with the teachers in providing their children with quality education. Teachers: †¢ Should provide a keen knowledge and understanding of the syllabus assigned to them. †¢ Should use techniques that provide a quicker and better understanding of the subject. †¢ Should compare the results and use the more influential teaching method. †¢ Should devise various plans and strategies for students that require special attention. †¢ Should discuss with students their academic progress, and give advice for its enhancement. †¢ Should take every action necessary to maintain a healthy and disciplined working climate. †¢ Should make an effort to create respect, in the minds of the students for any race, minority, religion or country found anywhere in the world.†¢ Should maintain a healthy classroom at all times (Student Services Division, 2001) Works Cited 1. McCarthy, William G. (1990). Elementary School. In The World Book Encyclopedia (Vol. 6, pp. 223). Chicago: World Book, Inc. 2. School Code of Conduct. (2001). Student Services Division. Retrieved July 27, 2008, from Nova Scotia Department of Education. Website: http://www. ednet. ns. ca/pdfdocs/studentsvcs/code_of_conduct/conduct. pdf

Analysis Of The Efficient Market Hypothesis

Analysis Of The Efficient Market Hypothesis The Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), one of the most prominent conjectures in finance, emerged in the 1950s due to early application of computers in analysis of time-series behavior of economic variables. A vast body of research literature on this problem has been produced since the first studies attributed to Kendall (1953). The first articles dealing with market efficiency generally were supportive of the idea that securities are priced rationally and stock prices reflect all available at the moment information. However, with the development of advanced econometric techniques and powerful computers a new breed of literature emerged: researchers started to produce evidence debunking the EMH. Nevertheless, despite significant success in finding anomalies which clash with the EMH this great idea has remained to be a hypothesis since neither supporters nor opponents could produce reliable enough evidence to finally confirm or reject it. This essay elaborates on the question of validi ty of the EMH and shows that there is no simple answer which could end the debate about market efficiency. There are three forms of the EMH that are usually tested by researchers: weak form, semi-strong form and strong form. The main difference between them is contained in the information which can be used to predict future price movements of the stock. The weak form of market efficiency states that past prices do not have any influence on the current prices. In other words, it is impossible to use past price information to predict future prices since all this information is already reflected in the prices. The semi-strong form of market efficiency takes into account, besides past information about prices, publicly available information, i.e. financial reports, public announcements etc. And finally, the strong-form of market efficiency states that all available information, including that of insiders, is reflected in prices and, therefore, cannot be useful in price forecasting. Thus, usually researchers specify which type of market efficiency they test as the methods used are different. F ama (1991) presents a slightly different categorization of tests of market efficiency: tests for return predictability, event studies and tests for private information. However, all these tests have one purpose to find out if that is possible to develop profitable strategies based on the different kind of information which could produce significant abnormal returns. If the answer to this question is yes then opponents of the EMH obtain additional advantage in the debate about the EMH. On the other hand, the results testifying to validity of the EMH are generally regarded as common and do not get significant public attention. Before proceeding to critical evaluation of the particular anomalies which are supposed to refute the EMH it can be useful to consider general shortcomings of the tests employed in these procedures. First of all, all tests of market efficiency are based on a particular model which is used to predict normal returns. This leads to the joint-hypothesis problem, i.e. it is impossible to determine whether the obtained results are due to real market inefficiency or just reflect poorly specified model for normal returns. Second, the data-mining problem is especially pronounced in the tests of market efficiency. In other words, for every reported profitable strategy there can be dozens of unprofitable strategies which were not reported due to the fact that they did not produce any sensational result. And finally, all theoretical findings should be tested practically in order to determine the real income which can be generated on the basis of theoretical strategies. Otherwise, even very profi table strategy can be an artifact due to factors that remained unaccounted during the research. The strong form of market efficiency has become the weakest form in terms of the number of its supporters. It is generally believed that insiders can use their information to earn significant profits from trading. Jaffe (1974) finds that insiders have information that is not reflected in the stock prices. Moreover, he documents that outsiders can profit from the publicly available information on insiders trading up to 8 months after this information was released to the general public. However, Seyhun (1986), while confirming that insiders can use inside information to make significant profits, does not confirm that outsiders can earn significant abnormal returns using publicly available information on insiders trading. He argues that Jaffe used misspecified model for normal returns. Another type of studies of the strong form of market efficiency tests whether professional portfolio managers have access to private information. First evidence (Jensen 1969) testifies to the strong form of market efficiency and suggests that managers do not have access to private information as returns to investors in funds in 1945-1964 turn out to be 1% below the market line. On the other hand, Ippolito (1989) states that during 1965-1984 mutual funds outperformed the market line by 0.83% on average every year. This evidence, however, is not confirmed by the tests of the performance of pension funds and endowment funds. More recent evidence (Malkiel 2003) shows that for the twenty years ending December 31, 2001, the average actively managed large capitalization mutual fund performed worse than Standard Poors 500 large cap index by 2% annually. Therefore, it is not clear whether the EMH hypothesis can be refuted with respect to the strong form of market efficiency as various tests demonstrate different answers to this question. Tests of the semi-strong form of market efficiency are accomplished by means of event studies. This type of studies gives the cleanest picture of market efficiency since if the event date can be clearly specified and new information has a significant effect on prices, the models of normal returns do not influence the result to the extent observed in other forms of market efficiency studies. The opponents of the EMH believe that stock prices may underreact to new events. Therefore, purchasing (selling) stock when good (bad) information arrives at the market may produce significant abnormal returns (Gregory 1997). For instance, it is widely documented that companies accomplishing an IPO experience short-term overshooting and long-term negative performance. Another example is negative performance of bidding companies and positive performance of target companies during the process of mergers and acquisitions. These patterns, arguably, can be used to generate abnormal returns. However, as Fama (1998) demonstrates, the apparent underreaction to events is as common as overreaction and post-event continuation of abnormal returns is as frequent as post-event reversals. He also shows that the methods, long-term anomalies measured, play an important role since latter tend to disappear if reasonable changes are introduced in the test. Therefore, most of the anomalies discovered by researchers can be attributed to chance. It turns out that these anomalies do not allow investors to earn significant abnormal returns. The studies of the weak form of market efficiency generally test the Random Walk (RW) hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, stock prices exhibit unpredictable behavior and the best estimate of tomorrows price is todays price of the stock. Early studies in this area showed that prices indeed followed the RW and even if it were possible to find some predictability in price paths it would not be possible to exploit it in order to earn abnormal returns. Discovered patterns explained just up to 2% of the total variation of returns not enough taking into account bid-ask spreads. More recent studies started to use other variables (dividends, earnings per share, term-structure variables) to explain variation in returns. However, even these studies obtained positive first-order autocorrelations of weekly returns at the level of 0.3 (Lo and MacKinlay 1988). Apparently, such low predictability power could not be used to make significant profits. Nevertheless, further research led to revela tion of a number of anomalies. For instance, so-called January effect referred to the situation of abnormally generous returns on stocks of small companies during the first few days of January. Unfortunately, when transaction costs were taken into account (which are substantially higher for small companies than for large corporations) it turned out that this effect could not be exploitable by ordinary investors. Moreover, the January effect was not pronounced every year. A number of other effects were discovered during the course of research. They, however, also were non-dependable and disappeared when transaction costs were accounted for. Overall, it turns out that the idea of the EMH is still alive in spite of numerous facts that could refute it. The absence of the reliable theoretical model which could explain variation in normal returns does not allow one to be sure about discovered anomalies. Moreover, even anomalies which are strongly pronounced disappear as more and more market participants find out about them. This fact testifies to validity of the EMH. This means that even when information is not reflected in prices at the particular moment, as time passes arbitrageurs use the opportunity to earn risk-free profits and gradually correct market. This correction may take a long time (as, for instance, the Internet-bubble of the 2000s) but eventually all prices come to their fair level.

JFK Assassination :: essays research papers

Conspiracy: The Killing of a President In 1976, the US Senate ordered a fresh inquiry into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, who was murdered in 1963 during a motorcade in Dallas, Texas while campaigning for re-election. People who had been involved in the original Warren Commission investigations were asked to make fresh statements. The FBI and the CIA were persuaded to release more of their documents on Oswald. New lines of inquiry were opened and individuals who had not previously given evidence were persuaded to come forward. Most important of all, pieces of evidence such as photos and sound recordings were subjected to scientific analysis using the most up-to-date methods and equipment. The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) completed their investigation in 1979 and they finally came to a discrete verdict that Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots at Kennedy, one of which killed the president. A fourth shot was fired from the grassy knoll, which was contradictory to the statement printed by t he Warren Commission 16 years earlier. They concluded that John Kennedy was assassinated as the result of a conspiracy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The investigation was ordered directly after the assassinations of two other major political figures; the civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King and the Presidents brother Robert Kennedy, in 1968. Naturally these incidents aroused immense suspicion and the American public started questioning why so many key US figures had been assassinated in the space of just four years, when previously this type of incident had been rare. The HCSA was interested in looking into the possibility that the assassinations were related. At the time there was also an increasing awareness of corruption and scandal within the government. The Watergate Scandal in 1974 involving President Nixon had clearly shown that American government was not entirely free of foul play. As a result of this, people started questioning the behavior of the government, and how much it was holding back from its people. This is most likely why Americans became more receptive and attracted to the idea of a conspiracy behind Kennedy's death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The public became even more interested in the Kennedy assassination after books such as Rush to Judgment, by Mark Lane and Inquest, by Edward Jay Epstein began to come off the press. They immediately became best sellers and played a large role in raising awareness regarding the assassination. As a result people started to inquire more and theories arose that other people or organizations had been involved in Kennedy's assassination than had been previously thought.

big lots :: essays research papers

Big Lots Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Big Lots Inc. is not your everyday retail store such as Wal-Mart or K Mart. Big Lots, Inc. is the largest broadline closeout retailer in the nation. Big Lots’ theme is â€Å"Brand names at closeout prices!† This motto is the foundation of what the company is built upon. More than 3,000 manufacturers provide the company’s stores with brand-name products at prices 20-40% below traditional discount retailers. Big Lots meets the needs of customers by providing an assortment of merchandise, including consumables, seasonal products, furniture, housewares, toys, and gifts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Big Lots was established in 1982 through Consolidated Stores Corporation. The stores name was called Odd Lots which made its debut in Columbus, Ohio. In 1985, the company made its initial offering on the American Stock Exchange. At this time Big Lots was first launched. Thanks to their buyers, managers, associates, and other supporters, the company celebrated its first billion dollar year in 1993. In 1994, the company acquired Toy Liquidators which added 82 stores in 38 states. Two years later Consolidated Stores Corporation doubled its size and sales with the purchase of KB Toys. Big Lots Furniture became one of the fastest-growing furniture retailers after it began with 9 freestanding stores and 53 in-store departments in 1997. After gaining shareholder approval, Consolidated Stores Corporation changes its name to Big Lots, Inc. in 2001. After rebranding was complete in 2002, the company made many improvements in the Big Lots shopping experience, including updat ed, attractive stores and even better customer service. The changes bring record-setting increases in customer transactions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most closeout retailers rely on the distribution of weekly or monthly circulars to inform customers of the latest deals. Big Lots uses targeted mixtures of circulars to drive immediate customer traffic along with network television advertising to build awareness with consumers. In 2003, launched it’s first-ever $50 million television advertising campaign. Commercials can be seen all over daytime and nighttime television. With a host of different types of products to market, Jerry Van Dyke plays the lead role in promoting the company’s products. Consumers also receive a weekly sales promotion in the mail that brings to life what Big Lots has to offer in its â€Å"Here today, gone tomorrow† deals. Advertisement strategies have the potential to make or break a company. Fortunately, the company seems to be moving in the right direction. Location on the other hand is also a key factor in a company’s success.

Poverty Revised Essay

Introduction Disability is recognised as one of numerous factors, for example gender, age and class that interact to deprive individuals and keep them poor. Nonetheless, with several competing main concerns on the development agenda, the relevance of disability to America’s national goals of reducing unemployment and poverty and attaining growth can not be ascertained. However it is clear that the poverty and disability are correlated. This paper will try and analysis the following question: Although poverty is both a cause and a consequence of disability, poverty and disability reinforce each other. Poverty Poverty is an imperative and an emotional problem. In 2006, the Census Bureau released its yearly report on poverty in the America stating that there were almost 36 million poor people living America in a small increase from the previous year. To comprehend poverty and disability in America, it is vital to look behind these figures and to look at the real living situation of the persons the government consider to poor to get the whole picture of the situation that is created by poverty and disability. Today, the issue of poverty and disability in America is creating a major concern as an issue that hinders the economic development goals of America. The issue is both an economical and a social problem. (Riis, pp120) What is disability? Defining the word disability is intricate and controversial. There is no collectively agreed upon meaning of disability. In the past disability was viewed as primarily a medical situation, with the medical or physical problem located in an individual. This medical or physical model was disputed by disability activists who later re-conceptualised disability as mainly a social occurrence. Although resulting from intellectual or physical impairment, disability as got social repercussions and also health ones, a full accepting of disability acknowledges that it has a great human rights aspect and is frequently connected with social segregation, and increased level and susceptibility to poverty. Disability a result of intricate interaction between the practical limitations resulting from an individual’s physical, mental or intellectual state and the social and physical surroundings, It has several dimensions and is far-off than a person medical or health problem. (Hoogeveen, pp 86) The impact of disability on poverty Poverty is both a consequence and cause of disability. The connections between poverty and disability are well known. Disabled people many amongst the poor according to the World Bank estimates, 20% of the world’s poorest people are disabled (Elwan, pp66) Disability affects both the individual and also their families and also carers too. Disabled persons are more susceptible to poverty- The beginning of disability normally has severe, bad financial costs for an individual and his/her household. One disabled person in America summed it up like this: â€Å"If people become disabled, they have to pay a lot for health care and rehabilitation† (Thomas 2005) The economic expenses of disability have got three aspects: direct expenses of treatment; foregone earnings from disability; and indirect expenses to others who offer care. A study in California found out that the average expenses of disability were more than 9% and it amounted to 2 – 3 times the output losses from poor nutrition (Colin. Pp98) Disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty. Eliminating poverty is unlikely to be attained except the rights and requirements of people having disabilities are responded to. According to the U.N one person in 60 people has a disability in America in many cases the young ones and the poor are many among the disable. The reason why disability contributes to poverty is that it; Disability confines access to education and employment, This results to economic power and social exclusion. Poor persons who have disabilities are then caught in a vicious cycle of disability and poverty, each one of them being both a cause and consequence of the other. A large amount of disability is avertable. Attaining the global development objectives for economic, social and also human growth will without doubt decrease the levels of disability in America.   Specific issues are still needed, not only for deterrence, but also to make sure that people having disabilities are able to take part wholly in the development course, attain a just share of the of development benefits, and assert their rights as complete and equal members of community. (Colin, pp100) Rights & Social Exclusion There is a significant and essential distinction between disability and other kinds of disadvantage. Individuals with disabilities can organise themselves to assert their human rights after their extra practical requirements, for example, mobility aids have been availed.   Persons with disabilities have got a right to be incorporated in all issues of life. For them to fight for the right of inclusion, persons with disabilities require to reside in an environment where they are  Ã‚   empowered.   However, persons with disabilities encounter several barriers in achieving equal openings; environmental and accessibility barriers, lawful and institutional obstacles, and attitudinal obstacles which result in social exclusion of these people. Social exclusion is frequently the toughest obstacle to surmount, and is typically associated with one feeling ashamed, fear and rejected. Negative stereotypes are normally associated to disability. People with disabilities are usually consigned a low social standing and in some other cases are considered worthless. Such treatment of people with disability in turn denies them opportunities thus increasing their level of poverty. More so as stated earlier the family members are left with the burden of carrying for these groups hence spending their income on health, medical and upkeep of such a person consequently reducing economic empowerment to the family. (Groce, pp32) The â€Å"social model† of disability An increasingly general criticism of conventional approaches to disability in America, mainly from persons with disabilities is that, their requirements are marginalised by being classified as â€Å"special† or â€Å"different† from those of the populace as a whole. These conventional approaches are being criticised for being motivated by a view that persons with disabilities require assistance to adjust to society’s demands. Such an approach runs the danger of favouring technological or medical resolutions which emphasise variation rather than promoting inclusion. In return such an approach also may hinder the disabled to purse certain opportunities thus enhancing or confining economical status. (Groce, pp33) Increased level exclusion and vulnerability Poverty and disability strengthen one another hence, contributing to an increased level exclusion and vulnerability. The bulk of persons with disabilities discover their situation have an effect on their probability of schooling, working for a livelihood, enjoying their family life, and taking part as equals in the social life. Consecutively, disability aggravates poverty, through increasing seclusion and economic hardship, not only for the person but in times for the affected family also. Kids with disabilities are most possibly to pass away young, or be neglected, emaciated and poor. Persons with disabilities who can no get good education are later unable to find good/no employment, pushing them more severely into poverty. Getting out of the vicious cycle of poverty and disability turns out to be very hard, the consequence of the cycle of poverty and disability is that persons with disabilities are generally among the poor and their literacy levels are significantly lesser that the rest of the nation population. (Riis, pp120) Figure 1: The disability and poverty vicious cycle   Women with disabilities Women with disabilities experience a twofold discrimination on the basis of gender and of impairment; their literacy levels are lower than that of male. Recent researches illustrate that women having disabilities are twice or three times more probable to be victims of sexual and physical abuse compared to women without disabilities. More so the are likely to suffer greater susceptibility to reproductive health issues. There is some lack of responsiveness as regards to women with disabilities and reproductive health requirements. In many times, it is assumed that they are not part of the target groups since being disabled is linked with being sexless. Such discrimination and stereotype of way thinking condemn such women to poverty and thus increase the level of poverty they are already experiencing. In cases where disable women are sexual abused it becomes so difficult to handle physical and psychological instability at the same time. Thus many well be highly affected by such an issue and they may not recover they psychological stability this only compounds there present state. (Hoogeveen, pp 87) The costs of disability Disability not only affects the person, but it impacts on the whole society. The price of excluding persons with disabilities from getting an active participation role in community life is costly and has to be carried by society, in particular   those who take on the weight of caring. This segregation many times results to losses in productivity and individual potential. The United Nations estimates that 15% of the entire national population is negatively affected in one manner or another as a consequence of disabilities. The expenditure of disability has three aspects; The direct expenses of treatment which includes costs of travelling and access; The indirect expenses to those who aren’t openly affected (‘carers’); The opportunity expenses of earnings foregone from inability. Some of the major factors creating this association (on top of the capability limitations imposed by the disables themselves) are the incorrectly limited prospects and self-underpinning combinations of economic and social prejudice, unreachable built surroundings and costly, socially isolations, and counterproductive disability national policies and establishments usually faced by persons with disabilities. As an outcome, they are regularly denied access to learning and employment opportunities, and thus, are usually forced to depend on others especially in their families and also communities for support and economic sustenance. As a result, disabled persons, irrespective of their financial environments, seem to experience a higher than average probability of living in poverty (Riis, pp122) Conclusion Persons with disabilities seem to be amongst the highly economically and socially marginalized populations in America. Poverty and Disability seem to go hand in hand, creating a cycle of increasing causation (Ann, pp56) Disabled individuals are more possibly to be poor than those who are not disabled and individuals living in poverty are highly likely to turn into disabled than those who are rich (Ann, pp56) Many national, international aid organizations and scholars concurs that poverty and disability are underlying intertwined. In America the level of poverty has been on the increase and this is causing a lot of concerns to the society and the federal government. Basically this will continue to be an issue and it needs to be tackled as an economical and social issue.    Reference: Ann, E.: Poverty and disability: A review of the literature. Background Paper for the World Development Report 2002/2003 Washington, DC: World Bank; 2004, pp56 Colin, B: A Legacy of Oppression: A History of Disability in Western Culture. In Disability Studies: Past, Present and Future edited by Len Burton and Mike Oliver. Leeds, UK: The Disability Press; 2005, Pp98-100 Groce, N: Global Survey on poverty and Disability Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; 2004, pp33 Hoogeveen, J: Measuring Welfare for Small but Vulnerable Groups: Poverty and Disability in America; Journal of America Economies 14, no; 2005, pp86- 87 Riis, J (2001): How the Other Half Lives; New York: Dover Press; 2001, pp120-122

Market Potential Index Essay

What are the indicators used in developing this index? Market Potential Index was developed to help companies compare emerging market with each other so they can determine which market to enter and the appropriate marketing strategies for those countries. Eight dimensions were used to create the index; each measured using different indicators (Global EDGE). Market size is measured using indicators such as urban population and electricity consumption. Market growth rate is measured using Average annual growth rate of primary energy use and Real GDP growth rate. Growing markets will show increase demand for products. Market intensity is measured using GNI per capita and private consumption as a percentage of GDP. Market Consumption Capacity is measured using Percentage share of middle-class in consumption/income. Commercial Infrastructure is measured using indicators like Cellular mobile subscribers, Main Telephone lines, Number of PC’s bought, number of internet users, Paved road density, percentage of household with TV and population per retail outlet. Economic freedom relates to the degree of economic and political freedom residents enjoy. It is measured using indicators such as economic freedom index and political freedom index. Market Receptivity related to amount of imports a country consumes and the willingness to try forging products. It is measured using Per capita imports from US and Trade as a percentage of GDP from country trade data. Country risk is measured using the indicator country risk rating from country risk survey Which of the indicators, in your opinion, would have a greater impact for a company that markets laptop computers? I think the dimension of Commercial Infrastructure would have a greater impact for a company that markets laptop computer because it is measured using a very relevant indicator of number of Pcs (per 1000 habitants). This dimension also created using indicators such as number of cellular mobile subscribers, main telephone lines and number of internet users. All these indicators are very useful in determining if the market is favorable to enter because if the market has high number of internet users or telephone  and PC owners, it might show the company that the market has already been tapped by other companies and maybe prompt them to look at other markets, where commercial infrastructure is moderate or low. Using the MPI, which countries would be ideal for this company to enter? Why? I think that China would be ideal for the laptop company to enter because it has a high market size and market growth rate but a moderate to low commercial infrastructure. The way I am reading the MPI, It means that china has room to grow in the commercial infrastructure area and a laptop company could capitalize on this great opportunity. Whereas, Hong Kong, Czech Republic and South Korea are rated high for commercial infrastructure, which could means that those markets might have well established laptop companies and not worth it for this company to enter and compete. On the other hand, you also have to take into account other seven dimensions because a market might have low commercial infrastructure and potential to grow but also have very high country risk, low economic growth and market size for this laptop company to enter. Using the same logic and taking into account other seven indicators, I think some other ideal countries for this company to enter along would China would be Turkey, India, Singapore, Peru, Mexico, and Malaysia.

A part of an author's life that heavily influenced their writing Essay

A part of an author's life that heavily influenced their writing - Essay Example Sylvia Plath was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1932(â€Å"Sylvia Plath Biography,† 2011). Her early life was marred with tragedy when, at just eight years old, her father died(â€Å"Sylvia Plath Biography,† 2011). Plath’s experience with her father’s death influenced many of the poems that she wrote as both a child and an adult. It was due to this realism that she incorporated into her written works that an eight year old Plath received a measure of success when she had her first poem published in The Boston Herald(â€Å"Sylvia Plath Biography,† 2011). Her poems and stories are said to be primarily autobiographical which illustrates that Plath lived by the motto of writing what she knew. Perhaps the best example of Sylvia Plath’s writing being influenced by her own life can be found in her most famous work The Bell Jar. This novella is about a severely depressed woman who seeks help from a psychiatric hospital. The main character ends up being able to conquer her mental illness by the end of book and appears to go on to live a happy life(â€Å"Plath, Sylvia : The Bell Jar†). The book is said to be largely autobiographical and many of the experiences that the main character has in the book are similar to those experienced by Plath who attempted suicide in 1953 and received treatment at a hospital in Massachusetts(â€Å"Plath, Sylvia : The Bell Jar†). The main character deals with common treatments of the time such as electroshock therapy and psychoanalytic therapy which mirrors Plath’s ordeal at the hospital(â€Å"Plath, Sylvia : The Bell Jar†). Plath dealt with chronic mental illness, and it was her own life experiences that influe nced this particular book as well as her poetry. The happiness that the main character in The Bell Jar displays at the end is likely wishful thinking on Plath’s part as she

Individualsm and collectivism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individualsm and collectivism - Assignment Example Collectivism advocates for the importance of social groups always having cohesion. Therefore collectivists will focus mainly on the society or the nation or even the community and not on individuals (Donohue, 1995, p.7). In the United States, individualism and collectivism can be seen in many ways. Individualism can be dated back to the 17th and 18th century in United States. A perfect event of individualism in American history was the frontier. A person was believed to fail or to succeed based on their own individual effort. Many people actually died during this period trying to prove to them that they can be individualists in the frontier farms and the forests. Certain people like Franklin and Washington succeeded based on their own intelligence and ambition and they are perfect examples of individualism (Kim, 1994, p.23). Collectivism is something that was mainly practiced in United States after the world war. Events like United States gaining its independence from Europe in 1776 also shows that individualism worked really well for America. Today, United States wants to be a bigger part of something by practicing collectivism. An event of collectivism in United States was the political system whi ch happened to be representative democracy. In such an event when a president is elected by the majority the people are all expected to embrace their new leader. An ideal case in point would be the choice of Barack Obama as the president in 2012. The totality of the votes casted in the college showed the collectivism of the people in the election of the president (Kitayama, & Cohen, 2007, p.259). In the real world experience some people believe that individual work is what will make them successful while others believe working collectively in a society is what will bring about success. These two aspects help one understand the cultural differences of people. In individualist culture they put the

Fallacy Spotting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fallacy Spotting - Assignment Example Essentially, this is a straw man argument; due to the fact that a given television show was only ever a recent reproduction and historical interpretation of fictional events – not a documentary record of the way in which individuals segued into adulthood and portended themselves. Likewise, the article itself is also indicative of what is known as a â€Å"false dilemma†. Essentially, numerous other indications why the current generation might be exhibited certain signs of â€Å"immaturity† has to do with the fact that extremely difficult economic times have acquired individuals to move in with their parents, provided them with relatively few opportunities, and restricted the level of maturity that might have otherwise developed. As such, the dilemma that has been represented is one that is seemingly of choice; namely that the adults of the current generation do not wish to be adults. However, the fact of the matter is that the adult the current generation oftentim es constrained by very real economic realities that define nearly each and every aspect of the way in which they live their

The Applicability of Case Study Findings and the Main Components of Research Paper

The Applicability of Case Study Findings and the Main Components of Historical - Research Paper Example There are a number of reasons that can be attributed to this. In the first place, the unique characteristics of the research setting where the case study was carried may be difficult to find in other areas and so applicability of findings in other context becomes challenging (He and Opposs, 2012). Again, most of the variables in case studies have been noted to change very rapidly with time. This is another condition that affects that applicability of case study findings negatively. On historical researches, Gall, Gall and Borg (2007) noted that there are very specific components of these that make them unique from other forms of research. More importantly, the approach to conducting historical research has been said to be an important factor that affects outcomes. To get very accurate outcomes that can be considered applicable to present situations, it is admonished that there will be the extensive use of primary resources of data for historical research. The idea is that using primary sources of data makes it possible to have evidence that justify the occurrence of events in the historical contexts within which the research is performed (Dorn et al., 2013). For example to undertake a historical research on the abolition of slave trade, it will be important to use such primary sources of data such as books or newspaper articles that were produced at the time of the event. Doing so helps in finding the real validity behind the claims that are made in such

A study on the interpersonal challenge that leaders face in their Research Paper

A study on the interpersonal challenge that leaders face in their professional lives - Research Paper Example Leaders are required to be sincere as well as fully committed to their professions as well as to their leadership. However, sometimes, a leader fails to fulfil both responsibilities due to certain reasons. In order to overcome such issues, the leader follows certain principles and theories, determined to turn around the crisis they face in their professional lives. In 2007, the researchers of Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL) conducted a study on the leadership trends in business and found that the leadership face various challenges as a result of new innovations, competitors with greater talent and potential, collaboration and globalization. OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH: To understand the challenges of risk management that the leaders face in business. To examine the trends in leadership. To understand the various impacts of challenges of risk management. To find solutions to these challenges. To draw a conclusion by justifying the solutions for these challenges Here, the paper emp loys various scholarly journals and other resources for the purpose of research, and the study is based on interpersonal challenges the leaders or business executives face in the organization. This project relates with SI as it is one of the topics, which students can understand through SI by way of discussion and such other forms. This topic must be a taken in Peer Assisted Study Session (PASS) and the ideas of this study can be taken from the SI programs. The various challenges the leaders face in their professional lives are one among the popular topics of debate currently. Hence, the relevance of this study is understood and acknowledged. RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH: In the modern economy, all areas in leadership face several challenges. In the business context, there are mainly two types of challenges: internal and external. Here the research focuses on the external interpersonal challenges faces by the leaders in their professional lives. These challenges are experienced due to la ck of direct control in areas such as market segment and other fluctuations within the industry. The organizations all around the world aim to go for the best leadership approach, as it is one of the fundamental as well as crucial elements responsible for the overall performance of a business. All types of business are interconnected with the present economy, thus demand, inflation, deflation, market etc influence the business to a large extent. Therefore, even a slight fluctuation in these factors can impact the performance of the organization. In these cases, the leaders do not have control over such factors, thus it transpires that a business concern faces more external changes than internal ones. Based on the study, various results have been obtained, and a crucial factor identified was the global economy. It is a fact that the global economy is still a little unstable since the economic crisis of 2007. The crisis occurred as a result of huge amounts of debt and as a consequence , political issues also emerged. A lot of fiscal adjustments had to be made due to the impact caused by the economic crisis. †The challenges posed by the Global Financial Crisis have impacted leaders of all major Businesses† (Anwar 2). Of these challenges, faced by the leaders, risk management is one of the most important factors to be considered. Risk management includes low prices of assets, diminished liquidity in markets

Group Development Essay Example for Free

Group Development Essay The first stage is the forming stage. During this stage, things are characterized by much uncertainty. There is uncertainty as to what the purpose of the group is, what the structure of the group is, and who the leadership of the group is going to be. Members of the group will want to test the waters and try to determine how far they can go and what they can get away with during this stage of the group development process. The second stage is the storming stage. During this stage of group development, the members of the group accept the existence of the group but are against the restraints put on individual creativity. This can lead to serious problems if there is not some sort of compromise or agreement put in place on allowing individuals to be creative within the guidelines of the project. The third stage is the norming stage. During this stage, relationships among team members are becoming closer and group cohesiveness is coming together. The group identity is really becoming clear. This stage is considered complete when the structure of the group is completely solidified and the members of the group have decided on what is considered proper behavior for members of the group. In my opinion, this is one of the most critical stages in group development. The fourth stage is the performing stage. This stage of group development is really when things start to happen. Members of the team have fully accepted the structure and the team is working towards accomplishing the goals that were set forth initially. The group has gone from getting to know each other to complete understanding and working on accomplishing the  task at hand. The fifth and final stage of group development is the adjourning stage. This is only true for groups that are temporary. Permanent work groups are finished after stage four. This stage is normally when the group finalizes and wraps up the tasks that they have been asked to perform and then they go their separate ways. This stage is hopefully where the project is finalized and the group has been successful at accomplishing the goals that were initially set forth. Problem Identification There are two major problems that I see in this situation. The first problem that I see with this group is that there is going to be conflict of interests from each of the different groups. Each of the groups have different agendas as to how to fully accomplish the goals of the project. This can lead to problems or possibly a severe conflict between one or more of the groups. This differing of opinions and attitudes by the groups could also possibly lead to an overall failure to achieve any of the objectives of the group. The second major problem that I see with this project is demographic diversity. There are such wide and varied demographics in the school district that this project is going to take place. There could be conflicts that one demographic is being favored over another. There could also be problems that stem from this. If one demographic seems to think that another is being favored, then they could cause problems for the overall project and the goals of that project. Retrospective Evaluation The solution for the first problem will be the easiest of the two problems. During the formation of the development group for this project, common goals need to be decided upon by the development team. These goals need to be approved by all of the different entities that have an interest in this project succeeding. There should be one major common goal for the project and all of the groups should agree to this goal. If they cannot agree to a common goal, then there really is no need to go forward with the project. The solution for the second problem is going to be a little harder to solve. I believe that a non-interested third party group should be brought in to oversee the project. This will allow for an impartial representative to make decisions and also to ensure that no one demographic group is being favored more than another. If one groups interests are being pushed and another group see this favoritism, it could lead to problems and thus an overall failure of the project. Therefore, a third party should be placed in charge and there should be no conflicts because they should not favor any one particular group. Reflection The project is all about making things better for the kids of this school district. This could lead to better educational opportunities for all involved within the district. However, there are possible issues that need to be solved for this project to move forward and be a success. If these issues are addressed in the beginning then there should be resolutions and no problems should arise. This will allow a successful project and the enhancement of educational opportunities for the children of the school district.