The Effects of Global Warming on Rain Forests Essay Example

The Effects of Global Warming on Rain Forests Paper Contents of Paper Global warming is the rise in the average temperature of Earths atmosphere and oceans since the late 1 9th century and its projected continuation. It has affected many parts of our world, most known and some unknown. One area of Earth that has been affected in particular is the rainforests. Although the effects of global warming can seem immeasurable, because humans and forests alike have been blamed for current conditions, global warming is causing plants and vegetation to grow at alarming rates, animals in the rainforests to go extinct, and ultimately it will cause changes in human life. There is no doubt that the tropical rainforests of the world are in danger. Every hour approximately six species of life in our tropical rainforests are strayed. Experts agree that the number one cause of extinction in the tropical rainforests is due to the destruction of the tropical rainforests environment (as cited in Pants (2012). Some scientists believe that the effects of gl obal warming are not easily measurable. According to (Kerry, 2008) we cannot accurately measure the effects of global warming on the rainforests. Kerry (2007) writes, One reason is the complexity of the system, in which land surface processes are tightly coupled to the atmospheric hydrodynamics. Another reason is that the climate has a highly regional hereafter, and the adjacent Andean topography is so steep it cannot be resolved properly. (Para. 2). Although measurements may not be accurate, it is a known fact that we have seen some dramatic changes in the worlds tropical forests. Since global warming causes higher temperatures in our atmosphere, it affects all life on earth. Higher temperatures in rainforests cause plants and trees photosynthesis rates to decline. As a result, this causes stunted plant growth and reduces the forests capacity to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, (Ignition, 2003, Para 5) and carbon dioxide is he most serious agent of global warming (Reuters, 2004). According to Reuters, (2004) studies suggest, Carbon Dioxide levels have risen by 30 percent in the past 200 years. This is due to emissions from automobiles and forest burning (Para. 6). We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Global Warming on Rain Forests specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Global Warming on Rain Forests specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Effects of Global Warming on Rain Forests specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Research also shows that the Tropical Rainforests itself contributes to global warming. According to (Ignition, 2003) because of deforestation, large amounts of CO, Methane, and Nitrous Oxide is released into the atmosphere from freshly cut, decomposing, or burnt trees. Also, live trees release a substantial amount of water vapor. This moisture contributes irately to the greenhouse gases. Research from (Reuters, 2004), shows that, the growth of large trees in the Amazonian rainforests have accelerated over the past novo decades while the growth of smaller ones has slowed. For example, an independent study that was conducted (Reuters, 2004), 18 undisturbed plots in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon were monitored since the asses. Of 115 tree genera, they found that two became significantly more common and 14 became significantly rarer over the 1 5 years of the study. The winners tended to be tall, relatively fast-growing canopy trees, while the users tended to be slower-growing trees that live their whole lives in the dim depths of the forest below the canopy No past anomalies in rainfall Were found that might explain this pattern of change. A second, independent set of study plots nearby showed similar changes (Para. 12). It seems there is a cloud of death that lives among the plant and animal life in rainforests. As a result there is an increasing competition for light, water, and nutrients in the soil. Because oftenest changes, places like the Amazon Rainforests are at risk of being lost much sooner than they ever should. Recently, there have also been numerous animals that have gone extinct in our rainforests. Because of global warming, forests are experiencing warmer climates, which means that animals whose population would thinness be controlled by the colder climates are flourishing. Species that have adapted to the cold depend on mountaintops for shelter. When climate and humans alike ravish their homes, they now have nowhere to go. Additionally, the extinction of tropical species can be attributed to global warming. For example, (Greeters, 2011) list the Golden Toad, the Madeira Large White Butterfly, and the Java Tiger s being extinct currently due to global warming and its affects. Animals in the rain forest are not the only species that are affected by global warming. There are other animals that live in different ecosystems that are in danger of becoming extinct due to these effects. There are far too many to name, but here are a few: Canadian polar Bear; South American Sea Turtles; American North Atlantic Whale; Chinese Giant Panda; Indonesian Orange-tan; African Elephants; and Indian Tigers. (Worldwide Endangered Animal List, 2012) Not only will global warming affect the animals and plants of the rain forest, but unmans will be affected as well. Millions of plants and animals help humans to understand and treat a lot Of disease and ailments that are exclusive to humans. By losing our rain forests to global warming and human activities, humans lose things like maple syrup, peanuts, coffee, strawberries, chocolate, trout, honey, and many, many, more things that are an expected norm for humans. All living creatures, especially humans, will gain more pollen and grass weed which causes allergies, fire hazards which threaten our homes and communities, rising water levels, and a treasure trove of other great and rebel things that can occur. Global warming has many causes and many effects. Although animals and plants dont have the mental capacity to worry about things such as global warming, it is something that humans should be concerned about. Humans contribute to deforestation, and green house gases everyday. The temperature in our atmosphere has risen and is causing the death of forests ATA much higher and alarming rate. This destructive pattern that has been started will eventually compromise the very air that we breathe. Humans have the capacity to learn, understand, and ultimately make changes that will benefit all life on earth.

Personnel Management vs Strategic Hrm Essays

Personnel Management vs Strategic Hrm Essays Personnel Management vs Strategic Hrm Paper Personnel Management vs Strategic Hrm Paper â€Å"Over the past decade a shift has occurred away from ideas of ‘personnel management’ towards HRM and concepts of people management† (Pass, S. Hyde, P. , 2005) This shift has been essential, as with the globalization of the market and more competitors, firms have found it more and more difficult to gain competitive advantage. In order to adapt to this changing environment, the firm’s traditional management system evolved to a more strategic approach towards human resource management. â€Å"Strategy is about building sustainable competitive advantage that in turns creates above average financial performance†. Becker, B Huselid, M. , 2006) (Wielemaker, M. et al, 2005) states that before the shift, firms were seeking competitive advantage from outside, such as in costs of goods and trade prices. But a new belief argues that the principal source of competitive advantage actually lies within the firm itself. It is now thought that the main sources of competitive advantage are dependent on people. This new ideology has caused the role of human resources from being supportive, to being strategic. As (Wielemaker, M. t al, 2005) stated the role of traditional personnel management was mainly supportive and repetitive. Tasks such as training, recruiting and compensation were the usual roles of the human resources department. (Pass, S. Hyde, P. , 2005), argues that now, with strategic human resources management, the role of the human resources department has become more one of to ensure strategic integration, long term planning and a transfer from human resources responsibility to line management. From this, it can be concluded that strategic human resource management now focuses more on its internal people. It can also be argued that it is now regarded as a significantly more important role than previous, where the role of personnel management was seen as an option, it is now seen as a crucial part of a firm’s success. The purpose of this essay is to critically evaluate the initial, traditional style of personnel management to the more recent, strategic approach to human resource management. In order to achieve this, each approach will be closely analysed. First, the history and attributes of traditional personnel management will be overviewed. To help understand why there was a need for a shift’ towards strategic human resource management, the weaknesses of the traditional personnel management will also need to be investigated. Finally, the factors that make the strategic personnel management a more successful way of obtaining competitive advantage will be analysed, along with any problems the new system may have. From these findings, it will be possible to conclude how much of an advantage the internal employees really are to their firms, and what difference strategic human resource management has made to today’s market. Initially, personnel issues were handled by the accounting department of a firm. (Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. , 2003) states that when the issues of recruitment, terms of employment and industrial relations became too time consuming, a new separate department that dealt with employees was created. This was the start of personnel management. The first academic resource that acknowledged this change was written in 1920 by Orday Tead and Henry Metcalf. (Kaufman, B. , 1999), states that these authors deserve to be credited as co founders of the field. (Kaufman, B. , 1999) believes tha t the creation of a new personnel management department was also due to the perception that it would be a ‘solution’ to the labour problems at the time. The attributes of having a separate department for personnel management signified that the accounting department would have had more time to concentrate on making profits. Also having a separate department would have meant that the employees working in the new personnel management department would have been better qualified to undertake such tasks as recruiting and training. The accounting department would have had very limited knowledge and skills regarding these tasks, and therefore it can be argued that it is likely that the new department hired and maintained better quality staff. However, as a whole new department was created, this would have produced a need to acquire more employees, which would have caused a significant increase in the company’s expenses. Also, as the idea of having a separate department was recent, apart from recruiting, training staff, negotiating and compensating, the department did not do much else. Traditional personnel management did not recognise that individual employees had different needs, and did not consider them as an asset, but merely as a tool to complete various tasks. Traditional personnel management also did not adapt to new changes, or to the increased diversity in the workforce. The way the personnel were managed was based on the way it had always been done. (Kanter, E. , 1983) illustrates the old mindset to human resources: â€Å"Many companies have the tendency to do just that: rather than consider the underlying goals or principles, which are often very simple, they prefer to repeat an elaborate system that somebody else used†. This proved to be an issue, as (Kim, P. , 1999) states ‘the cause of yesterday’s success may be the cause of tomorrow’s failure’. For example, a recruitment technique that was proved to be successful in the past, may not achieve the same results in today’s environment. This could be due to other firms gaining competitive advantage through the creation of a more efficient technique, or also to the new workforce diversity being unable to adapt to the past technique. As (Lengnick-Hall, C. Lengnick-Hall, M. , 1988) also noted â€Å"traditional models focus on matching people to strategy, but not on matching strategy to people. † This was the main issue with traditional personnel management. Bechet, T. , 2000) Summarises clearly why there was a need for change: the organisations that used the traditional approaches of personnel management found that they were ineffective, and that the potential of a firm was not fully reached by using those. (Kim, P. , 1999) states that the causes to this are the changes in the modern global economy, which highlighted the numerous challenges facing human resources. Th e industry became more and more competitive with the new firms entering the market and it therefore became harder to be successful. Cook, D. Ferris, G, 1986) highlights that traditional management had so far neglected to view the personnel management department as a strategic asset, as equally important as financial and technological assets. Due to that finding, as (Nkomo, S. , 1988) noted, a significant amount of attention had now been taken to the strategic aspect of human resources, as it has been regarded as a way to link organisational goals and strategies to the human resource objectives and programmes. (Lengnick-Hall, C. Lengnick-Hall, M. 1988) confirms this by stating ‘achieving competitive advantage through human resources requires that these activities be managed from a strategic perspective. ’ It can be concluded that it was at that time that firms began to realise that people were a firm’s most important asset and best source of competitive advantag e. Especially in an ever changing environment. It is important to note, as (Kanter, E. , 1983) explains, that strategy involves more than developing strategies for the whole organisation to use as part of a business plan. The strategic human resource function also concentrates on the internal department planning, and aims to always improve the human resources management side and adapting it to the current issues. Strategic human resource management therefore also focuses on how it should be readjusted to adapt, who else should be involved and what the issues are. From the shift of personnel management to strategic human resource management, it can be argued that many improvements within firms occurred. First, as recruiting and training approaches were modified to fit each new situation, the firms became significantly better at adapting to the constantly evolving environment, and to the workplace diversity. (Kim, P. , 1999) stresses that adapting to the workplace diversity is crucial to gaining competitive advantage, as â€Å"globalisation implies that accepting that cultural diversity in management composition and management style contributes to the competitive advantage of the global agency†. By adapting to the workplace’s need, employees felt that they were more valued and this would have led to a higher job satisfaction. The importance of this, as (Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. , 2003) confirms, is that ‘Financial success is strongly correlated with employee fulfilment. ’ Another result of employees feeling more valued in a firm would increase their motivation to work efficiently. As (Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. , 2003) also states that ‘motivated personnel has a phenomenally higher productivity than employees who have mental dismissal’. So employee satisfaction and job motivation are two internal sources of competitive advantage. A good example of how people can be the biggest source of competitive advantage is highlighted by (Lengnick-Hall, C. Lengnick-Hall, M. , 1988). The authors cite the example of the computer industry. The authors elaborate that this industry is very competitive due to the low switching costs between manufacturers. Firms had found it difficult to retain client due to the low switching costs, meaning that they could change company very easily. In o rder to overcome this, IBM used its employees as a source of competitive advantage. The firm had taught programming skills to the customer’s employees, which created value to IBM as customers felt they were better cared for by IBM. This resulted in customers gaining a stronger tie with IBM. However there are issues with strategic human resource planning. In this instance, as the customer has a stronger tie with IBM, this would cause the customer to be more demanding and expect very good service. Over time, this may be too costly for the company to provide and therefore would not be an efficient source of competitive advantage. Another weakness of strategic human resource management is, as explained by (Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. , 2003) the splits attitude. Strategic human resource management sometimes has to work against the interest of employees. An example cited by the authors is when the firm’s profit drops. For the best interest of its shareholders, the company will have to lay off staff. This would not be positively accepted by the employees. However, if the company did not lay off staff, the company would be in financial trouble and the shareholders would not be pleased. And unfortunately, as (Perez, D. , 2001) states, downsizing has become a way of life and a necessity to remain competitive in today’s market. When comparing traditional personnel management to strategic human resource management, Hoque and Noon, as noted by (Pass, S. Hyde, P. , 2005), argued that there are four differences between personnel management and human resource management. The authors have found that firms which have a human resources department have more qualified specialists, are more involved in strategic planning, are willing to delegate tasks to supervisors and therefore these firms are more likely to perform better. As (Cook, D. Ferris, G. , 1986) also adds, there is proof that the highest performing firms all employed a strategic orientation. By strategic orientation, it is implied that they had longer term goals, consistent with the organisation’s strategy and more ‘horizontal integration among the different activities within the human resource function. ’ In summary, it can be concluded that both methods of management contain strengths and weaknesses, and therefore neither is perfect. However, by evaluating each option, strategic human resource management has proven to be the best way to gain competitive advantage by using a company’s argued most important resource: its people. As (Ropo, A. , 1993) confirms that â€Å"The internal dynamism of the HR function serves as the most critical mechanism to keep the integration process going after it has been started under favourable organisational and strategic circumstances. † Another advantage of strategic human resource management over personnel management is its ability to adapt to new situations. Rather than using the same method for an issue, strategic human resource management analyses the situation, and creates a whole new custom made strategy which will fit that particular issue. This strategy has proven to be essential in today’s changing environment, especially with globalisation significantly increasing the diversity in the workplace. The best advantage for firms that only use the traditional methods of personnel management instead of strategic human resource management is the cost saving. Instead on spending a lot of time analysing each situation and trying to satisfy each employee’s needs, it uses a model that was proven to already work for a previous situation. Also it can be argued that it is ‘safer’ than strategic human resource management. If a situation arises, instead of trying to find a strategy that ‘could’ work, they use a previous technique which has worked in the past. This means that from the past success of that technique there would be less risk of it failing. Something that can be noted about both approaches to management is that, as stated by (Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. , 2003) both start from the belief that individual employees can be controlled. Both techniques imply that they can be controlled by means of authority, agreement or temptation. As previously stated, both approaches see employees as resources and not as people. An improvement could be to perhaps enhance better communication between the employer and employee, and also to encourage more equality. This would make the employees feel more valued and, as they would communicate more, strategic problem solving would be improved. Employers would understand issues within the firm better, which would make the organisation more effective overall. Reference List Bechet, T. (2000), ‘Developing Staffing Strategies That Work: Implementing Pragmatic, Nontraditional Approaches’, Public Personnel Management, Vol. 29, No. 4, Pp. 465-477. Becker, B Huselid, M. (2006), ‘Strategic Human Resource Management: Where Do We Go From Here? ’, Journal of Management, Vol. 32, No. 6, Pp. 898-925. Cook, D. Ferris, G. (1986), ‘Strategic Human Resource Management and Firm Effectiveness in Industries Experiencing Decline’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 25, No. 3, Pp. 441-458. Kanter, E. 1983), ‘Frontiers for Strategic Human Resource Planning and Management’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 22, No. 1 2, Pp. 9-21. Kaufman, B. (1999), ‘Evolution and Current Status of University HR Programs’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 38, No. 2, Pp. 103-110. Kim, P. (1999), ‘Globalisation of Human Resource Management: A Cross-Cultural Perspective for the Public Sector’, Public Person nel Management, Vol. 28, No. 2, Pp. 227-243. Lengnick-Hall, C. Lengnick-Hall, M. (1988), ‘Strategic Human Resource Management: A review of the literature and a proposed typology’, The Academy of Management Review, Vol. 3, No. 3, Pp. 454-470. Liou, D. Lin, C. (2008), ‘Human Resources Planning on terrorism and crises in the Asia Pacific region: Cross-National challenge, reconsideration, and proposition from Western experiences’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 47, No. 1, Pp. 49-72. Nkomo, S. (1988), ‘Strategic Planning for Human Resources- Let’s Get Started’, Long Range Planning, Vol. 21, No. 1, Pp. 66-72. Pass, S. Hyde, P. (2005), ‘HRM or People Management: What Does it Say on the Tin? ’, Management Research News, Vol. 28, No. 9, Pp. 16-18. Perez, D. 2001), ‘Public Personnel Management in the Caribbean: A Comparative Analysis of Trends in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and St Vincent and Grenadaà ¢â‚¬â„¢, Public Personnel Management, Vol. 30, No. 1, Pp. 27-35. Ropo, A. (1993), ‘Towards Strategic Human Resource Management: A Pilot Study in a Finnish Power Industry Company’, Personnel Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, Pp. 35-53. Singh, M. Vohra, N. (2005), ‘Strategic Human Resource Management in Small Enterprises’, The Journal of Entrepreneurship, Vol. 14, No. 1, Pp. 57-70. Smith, J et al, (1992), ‘Human Resource Planning’, Human Resource Management, Vol. 1, No. 12, Pp. 81-93. Tornow, W. De Meuse, K. (1994), ‘New Paradigm Approaches in Strategic Human Resource Management’, Group Organization Management, Vol. 19, No. 2, Pp. 165-170. Van Marrewijk, M. Timmers, J. (2003), ‘Human Capital Management: New Possibilities in People Management’, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 44, No. 2/3, Pp. 171-184 Wielemaker, M. et al, (2005), ‘Why Does HRM Need to Be Strategic? A Consideration of Attempts to Link Human Resources Str ategy’, The Business Review, Cambridge, Vol. 3, No. 2, Pp. 259-264.

The effectiveness of Hong Kong Law on antipirate relating to Essay

The effectiveness of Hong Kong Law on antipirate relating to Information technology - Essay Example In the 1990s, Hong Kong was the piracy capital of Asia, if not even the world. Compared to literature, music and movies, computer software is a comparatively new type of intellectual property. It is universally accepted that information technology piracy is protected by patent, trademarks and copyright laws, therefore the relevant legislation are to be studied to determine if there are any shortcomings, and also the other underlying factors which contribute to this phenomenon of piracy in Hong Kong are investigated before any conclusions are to be drawn. However, software is protected under the very similar legislations that administer music, literature, movies and other copyrighted content. Copying software illegally is not any different than illegally copying any of these forms of intellectual property - and the punishments for doing so are equally harsh (Anti-Piracy). Pirated software could be bought openly, cheaply and safely everywhere from the Golden Shopping Arcade (GSA) and Computer 33 Plaza in Shumshuipo to the "Internet Zone" at Whampoa Gardens and the Sinoplaza in the Mong Kok section of Kowloon (Wong, 2005). Hong Kong retail information technology and computer software piracy was also found in cyberspace. In August of 1996, the Business Software Alliance (BSA), working closely with the Alliance Against CD-ROM Theft (AACT), closed down an Internet site called Sammy Game Center, which offered illegal CD-ROM products for sale and export to the United States, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada, via the net. Over the past several years, advances in computer software have brought us time-saving business programs, educational software that teaches basic skills and sophisticated subjects, graphics programs that have revolutionized the design industry, Internet applications that help connect us with other computer users, and an increasingly compl ex variety of computer games to entertain us (Pramog). As the software industry grows, everyone stands to benefit (Anti-Piracy). The areas of the law which specifically applies to information technology and computer software are closely looked into, and the types of legal remedies on offer are mentioned. The various other factors which affect information technology and software piracy are also discussed. It is noted that the various areas which affects the efficient enforcement of the legislation and explores the reasons why policing of anti-piracy laws are so problematic are also elaborately identified. It is attempts to provide solutions to tackling this problem of information technology related piracy. The purpose of this research paper is to examine the various factors which affect different kinds piracy related to the information technology in Hong Kong, with the aim of hoping to understand the reasons behind such activities, and attempts to suggest ways of tackling the problem. Generally speaking, a piracy in IT dector is someone who copies a program that is normally sold for a price but without paying f or using it. There are different existing piracy scales which been mainly used for examination the effectiveness of anti-pirate

Selected Articles in Finance Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selected Articles in Finance - Term Paper Example For example the CAC 40 Index gets its name from the 40 top stocks dominating the French stock exchange. The index rises and falls in line with the volume of stocks traded and the prices at which the trades are made. When the trend of prices is falling, the market is said to be bearish and when the trend of prices is rising, the market is said to be bullish. Like a business cycle with its peaks and troughs, the stock market also has similar tendencies (www.abcsofinvesting.net). The article by Joe Weisenthal dated 27 Sep 2010 claims that Apple and Microsoft have broken the Stock Market indices. He bases his claim on the Nasdaq 100 index and states that it gives a weight of 20 percent to Apple, and 80 percent to all the other stocks. Similarly it is claimed that the DJIA gives too much weightage to Caterpillar and since it is trading at three times the value of Microsoft, the DJIA is similarly affected. This also impacts on the value of Exchange Traded Funds of ETF, which track the valu e of an index. Michael Corkery in his article of 04 August 2011 comments on the failure of city municipalities in the wake of the financial crisis that has swept America and states that cities like Central Falls in Rhode Island are benefitted by a new State Law that places bondholders ahead of other claimants. Its principal problem remains the pension payments that are due to retired workers. On the other hand, the head of the workers union feels cheated that bondholders are being given a preference over workers in this connection (Corkery, 3). Besides firing workers and raising taxes to create funding, municipalities are now being assisted by firms like New York’s Class Green Capital Partners who not only help cities mortgage their public buildings but also part of the bond proceeds to help promote energy efficiency, which also helps them get around some restrictions regarding public building mortgages. However their opponents maintain that it is just a way to cover deficit financing (Corkery, 3). Raice and Smith in their piece covering technology stocks as of 04 August 2011 write that the lackluster market is making firms reconsider offering their IPOs right now. The US Government too is considering cashing in its share of 26.5 percent of GM owned stock as the auto manufacturer’s stock has performed poorly. Meanwhile there is lack of investor demand and shares of newly floated IPOs like Pandora and LinkedIn –down 22% and 17% respectively- are also taking a beating (Raice & Smith, 1). Talking about interest swap deals, some 700 business entities in Pennsylvania alone had made such deals in the wake of rising interest rates in 2003 and beyond. Under such a deal, the bank would pay them a higher fixed interest rate while the businesses paid back the bank a lower, floating rate of interest. But this scheme backfires when market interest rates begin falling, and the price to get out of such deals can also be prohibitive. Addressing the partic ular case of State College of Pennsylvania, the college had agreed to a swap of $58 million with Royal Bank of Canada in 2007 at a fixed rate of 3.884 percent, while it paid RBC

Symbolism in the swimmer by John Cheever Research Paper

Symbolism in the swimmer by John Cheever - Research Paper Example The real meaning of the story is revealed through the use of symbolic elements. The Story starts with couples gathered near a pool to get rid of the weariness of the cocktail party which they attended the previous night. Neddy Merril is an athlete who wishes to do extraordinary things. The youthfulness in him leads to do adventurous things like reaching his home by swimming in fifteen pools to the south. As he changes pools his total experiences also change. The story begins with realistic note. The energy of the youth, his power etc adds to the initial exhilaration of the story. The pleasant time and mood of the couples symbolizes the optimism, the swimmer has in his mind at the beginning of the journey. â€Å" It was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying â€Å" I drank too much last night â€Å" (Cheever 1) . Thus the story begins with a realistic note. With the paces of the ‘swimmer’, the mood of the story also changes. In the third paragr aph we see the lovely mood again. â€Å"...the day was lovely, and that he lived in a world so generously supplied with water seemed like a clemency , a beneficence. His heart was high and he ran across the grass (Cheever 515). The readers feel the pleasant mood of the writer and also that of Neddy. The’ light green water ‘waiting for such a swimmer symbolizes the freshness of his mind when he started the journey. The swimming pools that Neddy has to go through stand for the journey of life itself. It is essential for him to be adventurous to ‘swim the country ‘. The destiny of man to complete his life journey to reach the end is very effectively symbolized with the phrase â€Å"‘swimming the country’. Neddy expresses the high level of optimism that he considers himself as a legendary figure. Neddy is running from pool to pool. At Graham’s pool he was a guest to whom they want to give drink and share their mind. The image of happiness a nd blissfulness slowly disappears, and Neddy meets emptiness at Welcher’s house.† the pool furniture was folded, stacked, and covered with tarpaulin. The bath house was locked. All the windows of the house were shut , and when we went around to the driveway in front he saw a For Sale sign nailed to a tree† ( (Cheever 518) . The protagonist begins to feel the loss. It is a fact that he is addicted to alcohol and is living in an imaginary world. But now he slowly faces the reality. He sees the board ‘For Sale ‘. Neddy slowly deteriorates. Cheever uses weak dictions to convey the plight of Neddy. Neddy’s arms were lame â€Å". His legs felt rubbery and ached at the joints ( Cheever 520). The slow movement of the time and the resultant transformation occurs to Neddy, is shown in the words. The mind of the readers also moves with Neddy. The weakness in body and mind is the symbol of his social decline. In the words of Hal Blythe and Charlie Sweet; à ¢â‚¬Ëœa montage of Neddy Merrill’s physical and social decline’ is carefully drawn by the writer. Neddy denies the universal fact that disability, both physical and mental, is part of growing old. He is swimming to his own home. But the journey through water symbolizes a kind of escape from the realities he meets in the land. Thus water, in other term alcohol itself, keeps him away from his family and his friends. The different pools he swims across symbolize the

Inclusive Education In Malaysia

Inclusive Education In Malaysia Malaysias move toward inclusion was given impetus by its participation in workshops and conferences set up under the auspices of the United Nations. Inclusive education was introduced in the Education Act (1998) as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the interpretation of policy pertaining to inclusion, its contradictions and its translation into practice within the Malaysian context; and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. This paper also reviews the extent inclusion has brought benefits to children with special needs and their families; as well as examine the problematic issues associated with the interpretation and implementation of inclusive practices at community and school levels. Introduction In line with the global trend toward inclusive education, Malaysia officially began its efforts to include students with special needs in mainstream education through its involvement in workshops and activities initiated by the United Nations (UN) and United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). Standards of several UN policies affirm the right of all children to equal education without discrimination within the mainstream education system. These include the UN Convention on the rights of the Child (1989), the UN Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), the UNESCO Salamanca Statement (1994) and the UNESCAP Biwako Millennium Framework (2002). The Salamanca Statement on Principles, Policy and Practice in Special Needs Education (UNESCO 1994) has stressed the importance to develop national capacities for policymaking and systems management in support of inclusive education and the need to address equal educati onal opportunity and access to all children including those with special educational needs. Subsequently, inclusive education was introduced in the Malaysian Education Act 1996 (1998) together with provisions for children with learning difficulties. Although huge strides have been taken in the provisions and allocations for special needs education in Malaysia, inclusive education seems elusive to many children who need it. The purpose of this article is to examine and analyse the current policy and practices pertaining to inclusive education within the parallel system of general and special education, and to share experiences on how the national context explains and constrains inclusive practices. Concepts and principles in inclusive education will be discussed against the backdrop of Malaysian general education system and school culture. Inclusive education in Malaysia originated from the special education agenda as defined in the Education Act 1996 (1998) and its approach is referred to this tradition. The discussion begins with an introduction to the development of special needs education as a discipline and as a profession in Malaysia, and its influence on the development of policy and practice toward inclusive education. The Evolutionary Phases of Special Needs Education The history of special needs education in Malaysia parallels developments seen in other helping professions in developing countries worldwide (Azuma, 1984). Foreign experts are initially relied upon to provide the knowledge and to encourage its development prior to the emergence of a profession within a country. The first professionals to provide services are usually trained abroad. The second stage followed this first stage, in which colleges and universities established programs and departments to teach the discipline and prepare the professionals. The second stage leads to the third stage, in which colleges and universities import developed from abroad to achieve standards that characterised the discipline in more developed nations. During this stage, the concepts, theories and models of implementation found in the more developed countries are taught, applied and tested; some of which may transfer more successfully than others. The fourth stage sees research initiated in the country to develop the concepts, theories and practices and technologies essential to enhance practice. The fifth and last stage is reached when this new body of knowledge developed in one country is integrated into the larger body of knowledge available internationally. As professions and disciplines of knowledge evolve from one stage to the next, they gain strength and improve qualities associated with the earlier stages of the development. Malaysia embarked on the first stage when the first school for the blind was opened in 1929, followed by a school for the deaf very much later in 1954. These schools were initiated under the programs of the Ministry of Social Welfare with the help of religious missionaries. Malaysia entered its second stage when professional preparation programs for special education were formally established by the Ministry of Education in 1961. Lacking its own expertise and technology, Malaysia entered its third stage when it began importing knowledge and expertise by sending its education professionals abroad for research degrees and in-service attachments in special needs education in the 1980s and 1990s, and attempting to customize what was learned to its national conditions. Malaysias participation in international workshops and activities of the UN and UNESCO and subsequent reforms as reflected in the Education Act (1998) describes the active development of policy and changes in practices duri ng this period. In 1993, the first preservice teacher preparation leading to a Bachelor of Education degree program in special needs education was initiated in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. The program was developed alongside a collaborative project in curriculum development with three universities in the United Kingdom, namely, the Universities of Manchester, Birmingham and Cambridge (Jelas, 1996; 1999). Special needs education in Malaysia is currently in its fourth stage with research being initiated in the local universities with funding from the government to indigenise special needs education as a discipline. The establishment of research degree programs in special needs education has generated interest among students and academics and attempts to integrate local knowledge with the larger body of knowledge internationally have started (Jelas, 1996, 1999, 2000; Azman et al., 2003; Ali et al, 2006). Development of policy: A force for or against inclusion Education for children and youth with special needs is provided for by two government agencies: The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (MWFCD). The MWFCD through its Welfare Department, provides learning and skills training services for children and youths with i) severe physical disabilities, ii) severe and profound intellectual disabilities; and iii) multiple disabilities. These learning and skills training services are implemented in collaboration with non-governmental bodies and community-based rehabilitation centres. The Special Education Department of the MOE is responsible for coordinating all special educations programmes in the regular schools and the administration of all special education schools which cater only to students with hearing and visual impairments. Children who are identified with i) downs syndrome, ii) mild autism, iii) developmental delays, iv) attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, and v) specific learning disabilities, are placed in self-contained special classes in the Learning Disability Programmes in regular schools. The terms special needs introduced in the Education Act 1996 (1998) are defined as follows: Pupils with special needs means pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities And inclusive education is introduced as part of the continuum of services available for children with special needs: Special education programme means A programme which is provided in special schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment; An integrated programme in general schools for pupils with visual impairment or hearing impairment or with learning disabilities; and An inclusive education programme for pupils with special needs and who are able to attend normal classes together with normal pupils (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 341) However, the eligibility for special education placement is based on the educability of children as assessed by a team of professionals. This is documented in the Act, which states: (1) For government and government-aided schools, pupils with special needs who are educable are eligible to attend the special education programme except for the following pupils: physically handicapped pupils with the mental ability to learn like normal pupils; and pupils with multiple disabilities or with profound physical handicap or severe mental retardation. A pupil with special needs is educable if he is able to manage himself without help and is confirmed by a panel consisting of a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD, as capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998, p. 342) The eligibility dilemma A number of issues and contradictions arise when we analyse policies that explicitly state a criterion for eligibility. While the current public policy for children with special educational needs, particularly those categories of children classified as experiencing learning disabilities have access to regular schools as stated in the Act, the educability criteria contradicts the goals of providing equal education opportunities as stipulated in the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities (1993), The Salamanca Statement (1994) and the Biwako Millenium Framework for Action (UNESCAP, 2002). These mandates are intended to promote equal rights and access to education for persons with disabilities. The educability criterion assumes that there are children who are uneducable within the public school system and thus these children are catered to within community-based rehabilitation (CBR) settings (MOE, 2006). CBR programmes are government-initiated, centre-based programmes at the community level aimed to provide education that emphasises therapy and rehabilitation to children with learning disabilities (Kuno, 2007). CBR programmes are quite detached from the mainstream school system. However, in practice, the division between both provisions is less definite, and students who should benefit from them become victims of bureaucratic procedures (Adnan Hafiz, 2001). The true meaning of equal rights and access is still evolving in the Malaysian context, as policy makers and the schools put into practice their interpretation of what they perceive those rights to be. Deciding on who does or does not have a special educational need, or who is educable and who is not poses a major problem. Before special programmes were available, students with special needs were described by their characteristics and by the instructional challenges they presented to teachers. When the education system began to respond to the needs of each emerging group of special needs students, services were established and eligibility criteria determined. From that point on, a child was identified (for school and placement purposes) as having or experiencing a special educational need and if he or she is able to manage him or herself without help (Education Act 1996, 1998), the child will be eligible for a given programme or service. This process was repeated as each new group of special needs students emerged for example, children with visual and hearing impairments in the 1960s, children with mild intellectual in the 1980s and 1990s, and more recently, children with attentio n deficit hyperactivity disorders and children with dyslexia. Thus it is regulated in the Education Act 1996 (1998) that the perspectives of professionals (a medical practitioner, an officer from the MOE and an officer from the Welfare Department of the MWFCD p. 342) have the most power in determining the way children are categorised and whether these children are capable of undergoing the national educational programme (Education Act 1996, 1998). In this context, policy makers and professionals continue to see special schools and classes as well as categories as having an important place in provisions. Responses at the Ministerial level revealed an emphasis on diversity and acceptance of human characteristics as problematic and that learning difficulties are technical problems that require specialised discipline knowledge that cannot be dealt with in the normal classes with normal children (Education Act 1996, 1998 p. 341). In this context, the MOE sees segregation as the right to be educated in a separate environment from the mainstream and i nclusion is implemented on the principle that integrate and include children with special needs where possible, and retain the right to segregate where necessary (Booth Ainscow, 1998). Within the Malaysian context, the belief that the child must be educable to be educated reflects a rigid and narrow interpretation of the concept of inclusion. The requirement reinforced what Peters (2004) referred to as the continuum of placements paradigm; where inclusion is conceptualised as a place that one needs to be eligible and not as a service delivered. Such a narrow and limited interpretation results in the exclusion of SEN students from within the school system. Jelas (2000a) summarised the interpretation of the process of inclusion in the Malaysian context in Figure 1. INCLUSION: MEETING OUR COMMITMENTS Salamanca Statement 1994 Malaysian Education Act 1996 Responses to human diversity Responses to categories Commitment to change Commitment to existing demands Rejection of medical model of disability Coexistence of medical social model perubatan sosial Equity PROCESS OF INCLUSION Educability PROCESS OF EXCLUSION Figure 1. Inclusion: Its interpretaion in the Malaysian context Rationalising exclusion While the literature on inclusive education would be in agreement over the basic philosophical stance of inclusion as it relates to issues of social justice and equity of educational opportunities, its interpretation and translation into practice remains unclear in Malaysia. The National Report on the development of education states: Inclusion in Malaysia subscribed to the concept of placing SEN students into mainstream classes to be educated alongside their peers, either with or without additional support, and within the present school system. This concept of IE (inclusive education) might not be in line with the ideal concept based on acceptance, belonging and about providing school settings in which all disadvantaged children can be valued equally and be provided with equal educational opportunities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (MOE, 2004, p. 28), While the philosophical basis of including SEN students into mainstream schools is accepted as a policy, the continued legitimization of paradigms that exclude SEN students is also acknowledged by rationalising between the ideal and the not-so-ideal concept of inclusive education. This ambivalence is reinforced by the following statements: Prior to inclusion, especially in the early part of their formal education, SEN students are equipped with relevant basic skills and knowledge to enable them to cope with mainstream learning. Only those who are diagnosed capable to cope with mainstream learning would be included fully or partially. (MOE, 2004, p. 29) The emphasis on the ability to cope with mainstream learning seemed consistent with the integration models that came about in the 1980s. Integration models mainly focused on placing students with mild disabilities, identified and diagnosed as having special needs in mainstream schools. In such models, students must adapt to the norms, expectations, styles, routines and practices of the education system instead of the education system adapting to the learner (UNESCO, 2008). The integrated programme is the dominant format for delivering services to special needs students in Malaysia, then and now. Students typically were referred to a medical practitioner to determine their eligibility and to confirm their disability, and if they met the eligibility criteria, they were placed in a special class in a regular school. Once placed, few special education students returned to the regular education class on full-time basis. Although the special classroom and special schools continued as optio ns, integrated programmes (placement in regular classrooms) for students with visual and hearing impairments are available with support from the resource teacher. Within this model, students were pulled out for part-time placement in resource rooms, or a special education teacher comes to the regular education classroom to provide remedial assistance to the student or to assist the classroom teacher. By the mid -1980s special education in the developed countries, specifically in the United States and United Kingdom, no longer relied on segregated special classes to serve students with SEN. Historically, the disenchantment of many special educators and the concern of the efficacy of the prevailing approach (Ainscow, 1994; Meyen Skrtic, 1995; Sorrells, Rieth Sindelar, 2004; Stainback Stainback, 1992) raised questions about how best to assure a quality and equitable education for students with disabilities and spawned the push for a more inclusive approach to special education programming. While these reforms were mandated in the United Nations Declarations and UNESCOs Framework of Actions on special needs education of which Malaysias policy on inclusive education subscribes to, the focus on diagnosis, prescription, and intervention continued to be central to determining eligibility and making placement decisions. Thus, although special education practices had changed, the ground ing assumptions of human pathology and organisational rationality (Biklen, 2000; Oliver, 1996; Skrtic, 1991) have not been critically examined. In this context, special education is used to maintain and legitimise exclusion of students with disabilities within a school culture and system characterised by competition and selection (Skrtic, 1995; Corbett, 1999; Slee, 2001; Kearney Kane, 2006). Inclusive education is seen as problematic; educators and policymakers have serious reservations about the widespread placement of SEN students in mainstream schools because systemic problems in the current provisions and school culture remain unresolved. Malaysia needs to recognise that integration models are not inclusion and that inclusive practices do not just mean placing SEN students into mainstream schools. The pathway to inclusion is fraught with foundational assumptions that support exclusionary processes and practices. Challenges in policy and practice Even though inclusive education was implemented at the policy level more than 10 years ago and school participation has rapidly increased quantitatively, Malaysia is far from reaching its goal of providing a responsive education path for every child and youth with SEN (MOE, 2004). Policy statements and procedural processes and requirements that are seen as safeguarding the normality of the school population (Slee, 1996, p. 25), and that which rest on the basic philosophy of exclusion and segregation as the best way to educate students with disabilities will obviously make inclusion efforts very difficult and counterproductive. There is a need to formulate policies to ensure that segregation is not practiced within the education system. The barriers created by the current policies may have many sources but three of the most critical are: (1) the non-acceptance that all children can learn; (2) the need for a reconceptualisation of special educational needs; and (3) the culture of eliti sm. The acceptance that all children can learn and have a right to education Malaysians in general and educators specifically need to acknowledge that inclusive education is part of the human rights agenda that argues that all children, irrespective of their characteristics, can learn and have access to education. Although special education is seen as a right and as an access to education, school exclusion of children who do not meet the eligibility criteria is made legal and therefore, not the responsibility of the MOE. Labeling children who do not meet the criteria for placement in schools as uneducable and denying them the opportunity to education would be an irony of the education system. Under these circumstances, they are the ones that have the greatest need for education, are the least likely to receive it. Further, denying these children of the opportunity to learn within the public school system is a violation of the childs basic rights (United Nations, 1989; United Nations, 1993). The question of whether all children with disabilities have an unqual ified right to the education system must be addressed. Opportunities for schooling should be extended to all disabled children without specifying any eligibility criteria; the MOE needs to implement a paradigm shift from a charity-based approach to the development of persons with disabilities and to accept responsibility for education for all children. In principle, Malaysia is committed to providing education for all with the implementation of compulsory education in 2003 as evident by a high participation rate of 98.49 per cent (MOE, 2004). This statement of intent towards compulsory education for all which was an amendment of the Education Act 1996, however, did not include children with disabilities: The MOE has reviewed the Education Act 1996 that regulates the provision of preschool, primary and secondary education. The review was to enable the implementation of compulsory education at primary school level. In 2002, the Education Act 1996 was amended and the compulsory education took effect in 2003. This policy ensures that every child in Malaysia beginning at age six, regardless of sex, social and economic background, and residential locality has the right to primary education. Accordingly, every Malaysian parent must ensure that their child has access to primary education when the child reaches the age of six or on the first day of the current school year when the child would be six years old. (MOE, 2004, p.4) International mandates have declared that education is a basic right for all children and have called for the inclusion of all children in primary education by 2015 (UNESCAP, 2002). Malaysia needs to include disability dimensions in all new and existing laws, policy plans, programmes and schemes. In this context, we need to strengthen our national capacity in data collection and analysis concerning disability statistics to support policy formulation and programme implementation. The exclusion of children and youth with disabilities from the broader framework of education results in their being deprived from further opportunities, thereby diminishing their access to vocational training, employment, and preventing them from achieving economic and social independence. This increases their vulnerability to marginalisation in what can become a self-perpetuating, inter-generational cycle. Conceptualisation of special educational needs The current interpretation of special educational needs in Malaysia emanates from a traditional special education framework and knowledge base that emphasise the pathological/medical model of special needs (Skrtic, 1991). The continued emphasis on explaining educational difficulties in terms of child-centered characteristics has the effect of preventing progress in creating policies and provisions for SEN students. Dyson (1990) aptly summarises the argument by saying: The fact remains that the education system as a whole, and the vast majority of institutions and teachers within it, are approaching the twenty-first century with a view of special needs the same as that with which their counterparts approached the present century. That view, for all its avowed concern for the individual child, promotes injustice on a massive scale. It demands to be changed (Dyson, 1990, p. 60-1) The radical perspective that leads to a reconceptualisation of special educational needs have been well documented for the past twenty years (Barton, 1988; Lipsky Gartner, 1989; Ainscow, 1991; Fuchs Fuchs, 1994; Clark et. al., 1998; Donoghue, 2003) and critiques argued and showed evidence how the education system creates rather than remediate disabilities (Skrtic, 1991; Corbett, 1999; Vlachou, 2004; Carrington Robinson, 2006). The new perspective on special educational needs is based on the view that the way forward must be to reform schools in ways that will make them respond positively to pupil diversity, seeing individual differences as something to be nurtured. But, as cautioned by Ainscow (1994): This kind of approach is only possible in schools where there exist a respect for individuality and a culture of collaboration that encourages and supports problem-solving. Such cultures are likely to facilitate the learning of all pupils and, alongside them, the professional learning of all teachers. Ultimately, therefore, this line of argument makes the case that increasing equity is the key to improvements in schooling for all. (Ainscow, 1994, p12) The assessment of the characteristics of the child and the childs total environment call for methods of assessment that build on the positive qualities while recognising areas of weaknesses. The interactionist perspective (Cline, 1992) adopts an ecological approach which recognises that features of the learning context, such as the curriculum, the teaching process, the management of the classroom and other variables are essential factors that influence learning. By accepting the interactionist approach to special needs, Malaysian educators would be able to look at the learning needs of students and how school policies, culture and practices enable or disable, not only students with disabilities, but all students. In identifying educational needs, Noddings (2005) emphasises that it is crucial for educators to balance the inferred needs and the expressed needs of all students, in saying that by ignoring expressed needs, we sacrifice opportunities to develop individual talents, intrinsi c motivation, and the joys of learning (p 147). The human side of education is more than just an ethics of justice issue but an ethics of care which is needs-based. This is of particular importance because it is this grounding principle of care that creates understandings, values, and beliefs that formulate policies and subsequently the practices. The culture of elitism Education in Malaysia is driven largely by an examination-oriented system characterised by curriculum rigidity and rote learning rather than critical and independent thinking. Like schools in Singapore and Hong Kong (Poon-McBrayer, 2004), school leadership are in great pressure to compete for the best examination results in terms of the percentages of passes and the number of As acquired by students in public school examinations. The competitiveness has resulted in students to enroll as many subjects they can in the Malaysian Certificate of Education with the expectations of getting the highest number of As as possible. The culture of elitism compels parents to prepare their children to be accepted into high ranking or fully residential schools which usually achieve high scores in examination results. The introduction of the Tuition Voucher Scheme (MOE, 2004) for students in Year 4, 5 and 6 with poor academic performance exemplifies the need for students to perform academically in the Year 6 Open Certification Examinations. Within the School Cluster Program (MOE, 2007), schools are encouraged to compete to strive for excellence and to be a cluster school that promises, among others, a special status. To be eligible for selection, schools need to fulfill two requirements: (1) certified excellent by the Malaysian Education Quality Standards and (2) three continuous years of excellent examination results at the Primary School Assessment, the Lower Secondary School Assessment and the end of school Open Certificate Examination. Although the intertwining of the standards and inclusion agenda can lead to p ositive consequences (Ainscow et al, 2006), the emphasis on the preparation and drill for the public examinations therefore, left little or no time for teachers to accommodate individual learning needs of students in general. Media reports on schools and students performance intensify competition and further marginalise SEN students, who, to a large extent are not expected to compete. Competing priorities make it more difficult for schools to fully include children with SEN. Conclusion Opportunities for change The Malaysian approach to inclusive education this far has been intertwined and limited to the domain of special needs education. The conception of policy provides the basis for analysing policy implications in relation to critical issues. In this paper it is argued that the current policy and practice toward inclusive education for SEN students are exclusionary and discriminatory. The concept of educability as an eligibility requirement for educational placement is a major issue that needs to be reviewed. Continued advancement of special needs education in Malaysia will require bifocal perspectives. One focus has an international perspective and requires Malaysians awareness of the international body of literature and trends in practice that enables them to take advantage of the knowledge and experience gained by those in other countries. Malaysia may also profit especially from knowledge provided by its Asian neighbours namely Japan, India and China, or other countries that seems to be struggling with many of the same issues. However, effective special needs education services require awareness of social and educational traditions, social philosophies that manifest in schooling and school culture and ways of resolving conflict that may be unique to one country and the impact these qualities have on general and special needs education services (Peters, 2003). The second perspective, thus, takes a more narrow view, one that enables the evolution of special needs education services that reflect the needs and characteristics of Malaysians. The first perspective may identify as viable goals the extension of services to students with learning difficulties, inclusion, garnering additional political support for special needs education through parent advocacy and supporting the further employment of people with disabilities. However, a more narrow focus on issues directly important to Malaysia is likely to clarify more viable future directions for students with disabilities in Malaysia. Further initiatives critical to Azumas (1984) Stage 5 will require considerable research and policy debate among Malaysians.

Christos Fabricated Fun-world :: Essays Papers

Christo's Fabricated Fun-world. Imagine the coast of Little Bay in Sydney, The Pont Neuf in Paris and the foyer of the Art Gallery of NSW, wrapped mercilessly in hundreds and thousands of metres of fabric. They are all the works of the controversial Christo, known to be the world's greatest big-scale artists in history. One of his most recent works, Surrounded Islands, was a contentious issue around the world. The astonishing 603,850 square metres of brightly coloured pink fabric surrounded eleven of the islands of Biscayne Bay. In the two weeks that the amazing installation was exposed, it attracted numerous visitors enjoying the wonderfully luminous fabric that complemented the tropical waters and wildlife. Though constructing this massive work of art was not easy. Hundreds of volunteers were needed to help tend to the floating fabric and 79 patterns were painstakingly stitched together to complete the silhouettes of eleven islands. The bright pink fabric gave a stark contrast to the deeps dark sea and looked as if they were large floating inflatable pool toys. Aerial views of the islands were breath taking as the fabric highlighted the curvy contours of the islands which would not have been nearly as obvious without the magic touch of Christo. The work of the pink fabric gave the islands an almost angelic aura around them. The beautiful pink is wonderfully feminine which can also represent the reason the way the shapes of the islands were portrayed: curvy and feminine. Surrounded Islands is Christo's first attempt in doing a floating fabric art work. Many of his other art works were wrapped around objects, buildings or structures that had significance. He guides the audience into considering the area in a whole new light. That is, compelling the viewers to notice the area more not just when it is wrapped, but even more importantly when it is unwrapped. With Surrounded Islands, Christo truly and utterly pushes the boundaries of traditional and contemporary art forms. His art works have no hidden meaning. He is not depicting the dark and crusty

City Life Verses Country Life

City life v/s Country Life Many people would rather live in the city rather than the country to the fact that the city has more jobs, bus lines to commute to and from. The city life also has a higher crime rate than the country, pollution and a higher cost of living. First of all, I love the country life because I’m able to grow my own garden, raise farm animals compared to the city I wouldn’t be able to raise horses or cows in the city limits.Also living in the country I will be in a less polluted atmosphere away from the noise of the busy streets and people . By living in the country I wouldn’t have to spend as much money on gas I could possibly travel by horse to get to my destination. City living is also known for having high crime rates as to the country is much less, I would rather raise my children in a safe country cottage than a city high rise apartment.Even though it’s harder to receive all the great benefits of the city life such internet/cable television there are a lot of fun things me and my family can do in the country. With all the great benefits of both country and city living I would definitely say that country living is where I and my family will continue to live for now . As for the city life and people it’s hard to give a place I love and called home for so long.

Is Your Son or Daughter an Upcoming High School Senior Start Your College Visits Now!

Is Your Son or Daughter an Upcoming High School Senior Start Your College Visits Now! Summers coming and your high school junior  might be thinking more about trips to the beach than about college plans, but this is the perfect time to start planning college visits!   The earlier the better.   If you havent already, sit down with your son or daughter and think about what colleges he or she might want to attend.   Then plan a trip. Top 4 reasons to visit colleges this summer: The college visit is the best way for you and your son or daughter to get a feeling for what a school is really like, beyond the two dimensionality of a web page or brochure.   Meet students, see dorm rooms and dining halls, and maybe even sit in on a class (though classes are not as numerous in the summer as they would be in the spring or fall).  Ã‚  Your child will get a  sense of whether he or she  wants to spend four years in this place. At schools that offer on-campus interviews, this is your childs chance to meet an admissions representative before even submitting  an application.   It is a chance to make an impression early on so the committee  has a face – or at the very least an interview report to attach to the application.   Alumni interviews don’t happen until after the application is submitted, so the on-campus interview is an opportunity not to be missed. Visiting shows the school that your child is  serious about that school.   Who takes their summer vacation to go and visit colleges?   Not too many people.  Ã‚  Show up at colleges when you could be out on Cape Cod, and you make an impression.   Want to make the biggest splash?   Visit in June or July.   Most families wait until August, when  your son or daughter will  be just one face in a sea of hundreds. Summer visits give you time to revisit.   If you and your child like what you see and want to know more, or if you’re not sure and need a second look, making the first visit in June gives you plenty of time for a second round.   If you visit for the first time in February, your family will have to make decisions based on one visit alone. So   before hitting the beach, sit down for a college conversation, pull out a map, and start planning! Category:College AdmissionsBy Brenda BernsteinMay 16, 2010

Biography of King George VI, Britain’s Unexpected King

Biography of King George VI, Britain’s Unexpected King King George VI (born Prince Albert Frederick Arthur George; December 14, 1895–February 6, 1952) was King of the United Kingdom, Head of the British Commonwealth, and the last Emperor of India. He succeeded to the throne after his older brother, Edward VIII, abdicated. He is the father of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-ruling monarch. Fast Facts: King George VI Given Name:  Albert Frederick Arthur GeorgeKnown For: Served as King of the United Kingdom from 1936–1952, following the abdication of his brother Edward VIII. His reign saw Britains victory in World War II as well as the end of the British Empire.Born: December 14, 1895 in Norfolk, EnglandDied: February 6, 1952 in Norfolk, EnglandSpouse: Queen Elizabeth, nee Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (m. 1923-1952)Children: Princess Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth II (b. 1926), Princess Margaret (1930-2002) Early Life George VI, who was known as Albert until he became king, was born to Prince George, then Duke of York (later King George V) and his wife, Mary of Teck. He was their second son, following the birth of his brother Edward the previous year. His birthday was also the 34th anniversary of the death of his great-grandfather, Prince Albert. To honor the prince- and in deference to Queen Victoria, who was reportedly upset upon hearing the news of the prince’s birth on that day- the family named the child Albert, after the late Prince Consort. Among family, Albert was known as â€Å"Bertie,† like his grandfather the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). As a boy, Albert suffered from several health problems, including bowed knees and chronic stomach ailments. He also developed the stammer that he would struggle with for the rest of his life. When Albert was fourteen, he began attending the Royal Naval College as a naval cadet; like many royal second sons, he anticipated a military career. Although he struggled in his early studies, he graduated in his training and progressed to training on board a ship in 1913. Duke of York In 1910, Alberts father became King George V, making Albert second in line for the throne behind his brother Edward, who quickly developed a reputation for his hard-partying ways. Albert, meanwhile, had just embarked on his full-fledged naval career when World War I broke out. Although he went through an emergency appendectomy in 1913, he recovered and rejoined the war effort, eventually being mentioned in dispatches for his action during the Battle of Jutland, the largest single naval battle of the war. Albert suffered another medical setback when he had to have surgery for an ulcer in 1917, but he eventually transferred to the Royal Air Force and became the first royal to be a fully certified pilot. He was posted to France in the waning days of the war, and in 1919, after the war had ended, he became a full-fledged RAF pilot and was promoted to squadron leader. He was made Duke of York in 1920, at which time he began taking on more public duties, although his ongoing struggle with his stammer made public speaking difficult. That same year, Albert crossed paths with Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, for the first time since they were children. He fell in love with her immediately, but the path to marriage wasn’t quite so smooth. She rejected his marriage proposal twice, in 1921 and 1922, because she wasn’t sure she wanted to make the sacrifices that being a royal would require. By 1923, however, she agreed, and the couple were married on April 26, 1923. Their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret were born in 1926 and 1930, respectively. Ascent to the Throne Albert and Elizabeth lived a relatively quiet life by choice. Albert’s public speaking requirements led him to hire speech therapist Lionel Logue, whose breathing and vocal techniques helped the prince to improve his public speaking abilities. Albert and Logues work together was depicted in the Oscar-winning film The Kings Speech in 2010. Albert supported the improvement of working conditions, served as president of the Industrial Welfare Society, and ran a series of summer camps for boys from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds from 1921 until the outbreak of World War II. In 1936, George V died and Albert’s brother Edward became King Edward VIII. Controversy immediately erupted, as Edward wanted to marry Wallis Simpson, an American who had divorced her first husband and was in the process of divorcing her second husband. The subsequent constitutional crisis was only resolved when Edward chose to abdicate rather than give up Wallis. He did so on December 10, 1936. Since Edward was unmarried and childless, Albert became king, taking the regnal name George VI in honor of his father. He was crowned in Westminster Abbey on May 12, 1937- the date previously slated for Edward VIII’s coronation. Almost immediately, King George VI was pulled into the controversy over the U.K.’s handling of Hitler’s aggression on the European mainland. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain continued to pursue an appeasement policy, and the king was constitutionally bound to support him. In early 1939, the king and queen visited Canada, making George VI the first British monarch to visit. On the same trip, they visited the United States and formed a rapport with President Franklin D. Roosevelt that would help solidify the American-British ties in the coming years. World War II On September 3, 1939, after Germany failed to respond to an ultimatum issued over their invasion of Poland, the United Kingdom, along with its European allies, declared war on Germany. In spite of constant air raids by the German Luftwaffe, the royal family remained in official residence in London throughout World War II, although they actually split their time between Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. In 1940, Winston Churchill took over as prime minister. Although he and King George VI had a rocky relationship at first, they soon developed an excellent rapport that helped bring the U.K. through the war years. The king and queen made many visits and public appearances to keep up morale, and the monarchy hit a high in popularity. The war came to an end in 1945, and the following year, London hosted the first assembly of the United Nations, with George VI making an opening address. Later Years and Legacy In the years after the war, King George VI turned to matters of his own empire, which entered a decline in influence and power on the world stage. India and Pakistan declared independence in 1947, and Ireland left the Commonwealth altogether in 1948. When India officially became a republic, George VI took on a new title: Head of the Commonwealth. King George VI had suffered health problems all his life, and the combination of stress from the war and his heavy smoking habits led to a series of major health scares in the late 1940s. He developed lung cancer, as well as arteriosclerosis and other diseases, and underwent multiple surgeries. Princess Elizabeth, his heir, took on more and more of his duties, although she was recently married and starting a family with her husband, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. On the morning February 6, 1952, King George VI was found in his room at Sandringham, having died in his sleep. His daughter Elizabeth immediately became Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 25; she is the longest reigning queen regnant of all time. He is buried in St. George’s Chapel, and the remains of his wife Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and his younger daughter Margaret have since been interred alongside him. King George VI was never supposed to be king, but he reigned over the later years of Britain as an imperial power and saw the nation through one of its most dangerous eras. Sources Bradford, Sarah. The Reluctant King: The Life and Reign of George VI, 1895 – 1952. St. Martin’s Press, 1990.â€Å"George VI.† Biography, 2 April 2014, https://www.biography.com/people/george-vi-9308937.Howarth, Patrick. George VI: A New Biography. Hutchinson, 1987.Smith, Sally Bedell. Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch. Random House, 2012.

Case study in business competitve strategy Essay

Case study in business competitve strategy - Essay Example The main problem was the hygiene factor that the plant lacked in and CFIA recommended shutting down the plant in Winnipeg for the purpose of deep cleaning and revised cleaning protocols (Ewing, 2006). The external constraints in this case are that after the news became prominent in the media and newspapers, the customers were reluctant to buy their products. The Company CEO however assured the mass that the health and safety of the million Canadian families are their responsibility and they will take care of it. But few internal constraints made it difficult for the company to improve its grounded image before the customers. One of the employee of another plant of Oaktree Mills tweeted confidential news on social networking site. The female employee did not limit herself to the leakage of the confidential news of the company only but also blamed the company for using unsafe practices for processing of meat. She even informed the mass by tweeting not to trust the company and their pro ducts and to beware of the company’s false assurance. The Director of Communications and the Human Resource Head of Oaktree Mills are shocked to see the deed of the employee. The problem that was faced by the company was mainly because it did not have any social media policy. As the company did not have the policy thus they could not take any step against the female employee. The CEO of the company has the least to do other than ordering the director and human resource head to look after the situation seriously and take appropriate steps for handling the situations (Ewing, 2006). Situation analysis Oaktree Mills is a family owned large meat processing company based in Calgary and the processing firms are in Winnipeg, Montreal and Toronto. The company is famous for the product quality it serves to its customers. It has created good relation with their employees and concentrates highly on the retention of the employees, when other companies go for layoffs. It has also undertake n corporate social responsibility activities, so as to take care of the environment it works in and also their neighbours. Recently, the uninterrupted business faced a serious situation, which harmed the image of the company. About 13 peoples in Saskatchewan were hospitalized after being affected from salmonella poisoning. The situation was noticed by Canadian Public Health Authority, who informed the matter to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). CFIA investigated the matter and found that the illness was due to consumption of the sandwich meats. They identified the fact that the methods that are undertaken by the Winnipeg processing plant are not adequate for the hygiene factor that a processing plant should possess. The agency reported that the two industrial meat grinders are not clean and thus it processed the meats in an unhygienic manner. The agency even recommended the company to shut down the plant in Winnipeg for deep cleaning and for revising the cleaning protocols . Oaktree declared the suspension of operation of the plant and assured full cooperation with CFIA. Thus, 1.2 million kilogram of processed meat products was recalled. The Director of Communication, Ashok Fraser worked together with the senior management for controlling the situation and informed the public to avoid causing panic

Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence Assignment

Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence - Assignment Example categories; the first category is leadership which examines senior leadership, how they lead, communicate with the workers, motivate the workforce and how their actions and decisions affect the overall performance of the organization. It also examines governance and social responsibilities that is; how the organization determines and sustains legal and ethical behavior and the execution of the organizations social responsibilities. The second category strategic leadership examines the organization’s strategy development, factors influencing strategy, strategy objectives and strategy implementation. Thirdly, customer focus examines how the organization relates to its customers. It involves evaluating the customer listening of both existing and potential customers, customer satisfaction and engagement as an organization and in comparison with competitors as well as customer dissatisfaction. It also looks at how the organization involves its customers in their business in order to better address their needs and build sustainable relationships. Fourth we have measurement analysis which evaluates the organization’s collection, analysis and management of data to achieve its goals. Such data includes, performance measurements, analysis and reviews and the use of other external information and resources to the organizations advantage. The fifth category work force focus examines the organization’s ability to employ its workforce to its optimum capability and capacity to attain its goals. The next category operations focus evaluates the organizations designs as well as manages and improves its work systems and processes to ensure the organization delivers to its customers. The final category result evaluates the results of all the previous categories in relation to the organizations goals. It reflects the outcomes whether the application of the six categories to the organization (Baldrige Perfomance Excellence Program, 2011-2012). The Baldridge criteria have been