The World Of Human Trafficking Essay - 1954 Words

Why Countries are Reluctant to Effectively Combat Human Trafficking It is a crime that involves 21 million people worldwide, affects all areas from the slums and tribal villages to the skyscraper-filled metropolises, and pervades gender, ethnicity, and class (International Labour Organization 2014). Villains in the narrative range from prominent political figures, internationally organized rings, and even a victim’s own family members. The modus operandi? Emotional, mental, and physical abuse; fear and sedation by drugs. The motivation? Money, and the twisted desires of mankind. And as if it couldn t get any worse, this industry shows no signs of slowing down. It is the inhumane world of human trafficking. Human trafficking is the sale and enslavement of human beings for forced labor, pornography, or prostitution. Like most crimes, it is motivated by money. According to the International Labour Organization, the trafficking industry is estimated to make around US $150 billion annually from the buying, selling, and exploitation of human beings (International Labour Organization 2014). The profits gained from the human trafficking industry have given it the title of the fastest rising organized crime in the world. Now, more than ever, men, women, and children alike are becoming enslaved in this deplorable crime - living a life in which they are seen by their captors as mere commodities to be used for profit. Although it can be found close to home here in the US,Show MoreRelatedThe World Are Victims Of Human Trafficking1566 Words   |  7 PagesIt is estimated that more than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking citation?. The United Stat es is one of many countries that is a source and destination for these men, women and children of all nationalities. When most think of human trafficking, most think of sex trafficking. There is more than one way to traffic a human being though, whether it be through forced labor, debt bondage, or forced serving. Citation?. The first thing I asked myself beforeRead MoreInside The World Of Human Trafficking Essay1999 Words   |  8 PagesInside The World of Human Trafficking Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against his/her will. (â€Å"Human Trafficking.†) Differing definitions of sex trafficking in state laws make it difficult to know if the studies on sex trafficking are including consensual, adult sex workers, who are not victims of trafficking under federal or international lawRead MoreHuman Trafficking And Its Effects On The World3313 Words   |  14 PagesHuman trafficking has been present in the world for many years. Such practices date as far back as the Romans. Trafficking has drastically increased, especially in profit around the world for those who benefit from the sales. Since then, tough practices and evolved technology have grown and aided in the growth of the trafficking trade. Human trafficking is not just meant for selling people for sex or selling them for work as some may believe, both take place. Especially here in the United StatesRead MoreThe Disturbing World Of Human Trafficking999 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Man is a wolf to man.† This Latin proverb starts the reader on a harrowing journey into the disturbing world of human trafficking. John Bowe speaks to the typical American as he investigates the often hidden and dangerous side of globalization. Humans have a natural desire to get ahead in life, even if sometimes others have to suffer as a result. This attitude is the catalyst for what is known as modern day slavery. The author sums up his book perfectly when he says, â€Å"We all seek control. ControlRead MoreHuman Trafficking And Its Effects On The World1105 Words   |  5 PagesResearch Paper There is a depression notion that the human race is willing to do anything to make money. Across the world, people are creating illegal markets at the expense of other in order to achieve profits. Some have small environmental impact while others affect the world significantly. Some markets that are well documented in media, and are more well known throughout society are drugs, human trafficking, and slavery. These are serious markets that need to be abolished, but have a small impactRead MoreHuman Trafficking And Its Effects On The World1103 Words   |  5 PagesThere is a depression notion that the human race is willing to do anything to make money. Across the world, people are creating illegal markets at the expense of other in order to achieve profits. Some have small environmental impact while others affect the world significantly. Some markets that are well documented in media, and are more well known throughout society are drugs, human trafficking, and slavery. These are seri ous markets that need to be abolished, but have a small impact on the environmentRead MoreWorld History And Geography : Human Trafficking1414 Words   |  6 PagesAmy Jia Shevlin World History and Geography November 20, 2015 Child Trafficking According to Global issues, human trafficking is the illegal transportational trade in people for the purpose of servitude. Human trafficking has become an increasing problem around the world. It is seen as the modern equivalent to slavery. According to Arkofhopeforchildren.org, 600000 to 800000 women, children, and men are bought and sold across international borders every year and exploited for forced labor or commercialRead MoreHuman Sex Trafficking Throughout The World2642 Words   |  11 PagesHuman Sex Trafficking Reflects the Continuing Inequalities and Conflicts in our Modern World The image above helps illustrate this issue as it portrays the essence of how a human being is used and abused as a commodity as a result of the sex trafficking industry in the world. The bar code symbolizes various aspects of the capitalist world we live in. It represents a product, a good to be sold, traded, used and consumed. The bar code on the arm of a human being is degrading and shocking, butRead MoreSlavery in the Past vs. Human Trafficking in the Modern World909 Words   |  4 PagesSlavery What are the differences and similarities between slavery in the past and human trafficking in the modern world? Over the last several years, the issue of human trafficking has been compared with the slave trade. This is because both are focused on taking someone against their will and forcing them to engage in demeaning activities. Yet, the practices of modern traffickers are different from slave traders. To fully understand the similarities and disparities requires contrasting them withRead MoreHuman Trafficking Is The World s Third Largest Illegal Industry1837 Words   |  8 Pagesthat battle is to stop drug trafficking, but what if I told you that there was a trafficking crime that was just as bad if not worse? This, however, doesn’t involve any illegal narcotics, but the transportation of actual human beings. Trafficking in persons refers to the illegal trade or sale of human beings for sexual exploitation or forced labor through abduction, the use or threat of force, deception and fraud. Human trafficking is one of today s most egregious human rights violations. The lives

Common Factors Between Oedipus and Okonkwo Essay - 993 Words

The similarities between Okonkwo and Oedipus, of Things Fall Apart and of Oedipus the King are displayed on numerous occasions and are easy to recognize. Both men possess an egotistic nature and have an overwhelming sense of pride of their accomplishments, their successes of rising to power are short lived as they will lose along with their legacy as respected men, and Okonkwo and Oedipus were short tempered and were angered easily. The latter would contribute greatly to their downfalls. The tragedies of both Things Fall Apart and Oedipus the King link the protagonists regardless of the thousand year gap. As highly regarded members of their community, Okonkwo and Oedipus never admitted to ever acting unjustly or being wrong and misjudging†¦show more content†¦Nwoye reciprocated his father and refused to acknowledge he has a father when confronted about it. In terms of the two protagonists legacy, they generally started in the same situation, both men having to work to achieve success. Oedipus was saved by a shepherd as a newborn when he was sentenced to death by his father solely on the notice that when Oedipus grew up , he would kill his father and bear children with his mother. To escape execution, he was taken to Corinth and was then adopted and raised as the child of the king and queen. Never knowing of the identity of his true parents, he fled when he was told of his unchanging fate and left his home in pursuit to try to escape the path set for him by the gods. Once he felt he was protected from those disdainful occurences, he becomes very prideful of his triumph over the gods and loses his trust and loyalty to those he thought he refuted as does his wife. They arent true believers of the ancient Greek gods and only worshiped when it proves to be most convenient to them not because they truly seek guidance from a higher power. The y present sacrifices and pray when they were in times of need, otherwise they would mock the gods and prophecies. You prophecies of the gods, where are you now? This is the man who Oedipus feared for years, he fled him, not to kill

Benefits of the University Model Free Essays

In Stephen Joel Tractenberg article, † Education Is Not a Luxury† (p. 211-216) states his argument that our current school calendar does a disservice to both students and teachers. Tractenberg conveys that even though this last century has seen an incredible renovation in our society, there is an agrarian calendar that dominates our education that was complimentary in times of agrarian society when school was only an option part time for most Americans. We will write a custom essay sample on Benefits of the University Model or any similar topic only for you Order Now Our educating the youth is not considered a necessity and in our society today and time of luxury and we take this extra (crucial) time for granted, but we maintain a calendar that reflects up to ten thousand years ago. Tractenberg also states that we will never take school seriously if we operate an ancient agrarian calendar. I agree with the Tractenberg and his promotion of the university model calendar to replace the agrarian calendar. Replacing the agrarian calendar means a fulltime student, will take school more seriously. It will define school as a job and will prepare students for college. With the agrarian calendar removed from the system students can have more time to thoroughly learn everything that is meant to teach to the students and have more time to talk to teachers during office hours. Stephen has a friend who disagrees with sex education â€Å"One of the problems, he said, was that the schools were doing things that they should not be doing teaching sex and drugs and driver’s education, as he put it. These things, he pointed out, should be the business of Maan. 2 the family† Sexual education is very important to learn in school and prepares students for the adult world, and is something that is not taught by all families to the students. I had learned things in sex education that my conservative family had not taught me or ever will. Some schools may not have the time to teach this subject without compromising time for other subjects. He states that we should lengthen the school year to have more time subjects that are academic and afterschool help for students who need it by proposing the extension of time â€Å"I’ve been suggesting, by lengthening the school year, say, to eleven months, and the school day from 9 to 5, or a full shift, whatever the starting and quitting times may be. This, I think, would have a number of benefits. † He goes on and says that teacher are permitted more prep time and students get explore extra-curricular activities in their favor. I agree with his strategy and I believe it makes efficient use of time and students will be able learn everything thoroughly and a 9-5 schedule will make school a first priority. I believe with this new schedule students will be better prepared for college. The type of schedule he proposes gets students ready for the endeavors of college because it is in fact a university model. He goes on by saying, â€Å"What I am proposing may look very much like the university model. That’s exactly what it is. Universities, like schools, are driven by their double missions of learning and service. But universities are also driven by the compelling need to be efficient† He goes on about the cost of an idle school building and how it can be utilized after school hours and I believe it’s a convincing idea. He also supports his University model by saying. â€Å"applying the university model to schools would help to create what university administrators like me spend a lot of time and effort doing—promoting an atmosphere of learning† I agree with his conclusion and he further strengthens this by admitting that school boys and girls do not feel like school is their real occupation. This is true for many high school students, they don’t see the potential in their education and don’t realize how unprepared they are for college with a short schedule. I remember my first full load of college I almost flunked every class because I was almost spoiled with high school schedule I was still adjusted to. Introducing the university model to students not yet in university will greatly prepare them and they go into universities with confidence in their success as new student because they have become accustomed to this schedule. Tractenberg explains further reasoning as to why longer hours will be beneficial to students and teachers and goes into the expanded offerings the much needed extra time can bring. He further goes on by supporting his augment by saying, â€Å"It is dismaying to me that many students come to us without any training in foreign languages, or that only a couple of languages, typically Spanish and French, were offered to them; they were offered no classics, no Russian, no Arabic, no Asian languages. I could say the same about other subjects, including art istory, advanced math, and so on. The result, in any case, is a deficit. † This is a matter of concern and putting the extra time into expanded offerings can help learn these subject thoroughly and not just a brief overview of the subject. In order to learn these subjects thoroughly, time outside of school will be needed with our agrarian schedules. The extra time will also allow student to ask teachers for outside help and in my college classes I found emailing my teachers to be a very useful tool and it has made me a better student. He further goes on and supports the occupation of teaching and conveys to us that creating a full time schedule will create future teachers. He promotes this idea by questioning the readers by asking, â€Å"Are our teachers better at their professions because they work at other jobs during the summer—often menial jobs with trivial pay and befits? Would our youngsters be better off learning from teachers who devote their full effort to teaching rather than scrabbling for a living? † This means the teachers get the chance of full time job and the pay they deserve. I notice when I do very well in a class without much effort, it is because I have a passionate teacher who loves her/his job. Tractenberg concludes his augment by saying, â€Å"education is not a luxury for subsistence farmers but a box full of tools for a lifetime, an endless series of points of departure, and a full-time joy†. With the evolution of our society changing so should our schedules. We are no longer the agrarian society we once were and Tractenberg gives an efficient university model we can use to match the present time needs of students. School is not a luxury , it is a necessity we can afford that prepares us for the future. How to cite Benefits of the University Model, Papers

Knowledge Management International Conference

Question: Describe about the Report for Knowledge Management of International Conference. Answer: 1. HP is a hugely successful company (HP, 2016). It has its global presence. HP adopted several knowledge management initiatives. They are listed as below- Trainers Trading Post- This is a discussion database on the various training topics (HP, 2016). This helped the internal educators as well as trainers to exchange ideas, methods and materials. Creating a network of experts- The objective of this project is to guide human resource Training Library- It consists of a collection of the various documents used for training purpose (HP, 2016). For example, course binders are a training document. Training Review- It was merged with the trainers trading post. It comprised of a collection of the evaluations of the training resources. It can also be called as a collection of Consumer Reports (HP, 2016). HP Network News- It is a database of questions which are frequently asked by Computer Products Organization or the authorized dealers. The dealers can read through them if they face any issues. It has increased the knowledge base of the dealers which reduced the number of calls to the technical support of HP (HP, 2016). 2. HP is popular for its decentralized organizational structure as well as decentralized mode of operations. There are individual departments in which there is a minimal exchange of information (HP, 2016). The departments are self sufficient and function on an independent basis. There are interdepartmental transfers in the organization which makes it possible for transfer of informal knowledge. There were no formal knowledge transfer mechanisms in HP. During 1995, HP started implementing knowledge management initiatives (HP, 2016). The company introduced knowledge sharing networks through various workshops and organizational change management. These initiatives made the company highly successful (HP, 2016). The company enjoyed a competitive advantage due to the introduction of the knowledge building process. The knowledge transfer databases are managed carefully so that it provides maximum benefit to the organization (Ceptureanu, 2016). The introduction of HP Network News presented a n exhaustive database of frequently asked questions (HP, 2016). It helped the dealers to answer their own queries, thereby decreasing the need to call technical support. This made the employees in technical support to concentrate on more important tasks. The introduction of knowledge management systems fostered the productivity of the employees. 3. The Lotus Notes is a desktop client that provides sufficient information to the people in a business scenario. It is an easy to use option that provides a one point access to all the vital elements that one require getting the work done quickly. This is an important tool for the enhancement of knowledge in a professional environment. The Lotus Notes is useful in the sharing of knowledge through the use of ComNotes (HP, 2016). Every person in the department is allowed to gain knowledge through the knowledge base. The knowledge is important for performing the day to day work in an excellent manner (Nishinaka and Umemoto, 2015). The discussion databases are used for the purpose of posting information online so that it can be retrieved by the users. The knowledge base consists of the storage of information in a centralized manner where it is easy to retrieve the information (Hung, 2015). It is important for improving the productivity of the employees as they have enhanced knowledge regarding the job role. It also facilitates employee collaboration and increases the engagement of the employees at the workplace. The knowledge base in knowledge management process gives an excellent opportunity to the employees to hone their skills and expertise. 4. The Training Review comprised of a record of the evaluations that are performed on the training resources. The different scrutiny, evaluations and surveillance documents were compiled into a single report known as Training Review (HP, 2016). There was a lack of participation from the employees. The educators were not comfortable in giving their valuable opinions regarding the value of the course. They were also not interactive regarding the course content and the external providers. The lack of feedback from the educators resulted in non-evaluation of the training tools. The human resource of HP did not design any reward structure for the employees who are participating in the evaluation process. There was no motivation level of the employees to participate in the feedback process. This prevented the Training Review from the actual implementation. Karney could have encouraged people to participate in the evaluation process (Ritzmann, Hagemann and Kluge, 2013). There should have been attractive incentives for people who are contributing towards Training Review. Karney should have offered additional perks for more participation of the people. This could be a free movie ticket, dinner vouchers or free merchandise. The employees who participated in the process should have been appreciated so that other employees would have drawn inspiration. 5. There are a variety of incentive schemes used by Karney for the purpose of promotion of the knowledge base (Reddy and Karim, 2014). He used different strategies for encouraging educators to read various posts. There were also rewards for people who made valuable submissions in the knowledge base. This enhanced the quality of the knowledge database. Karney offered 3000 airline miles absolutely free, for the first 50 readers of the knowledge articles (HP, 2016). An additional 500 miles were offered to people who submitted a document (HP, 2016). The educators also got rewarded for posting valuable comments in the online knowledge database. The comments were made for various reasons such as an appreciation of the articles, addition of essential information or seeking clarifications on any topic. This also led more educators to engage with the knowledge base and perform various activities. The introduction of incentives fetched significant results for the company. During 1966, more tha n 66.6% of the educator community was actively involved in the knowledge forum (HP, 2016). They performed various activities such as reading the published postings (HP, 2016). There was a large section of the educators who made fresh submissions or commented on an existing posting (about one-third of the educators). 6. Karney had the vision of creating a knowledge base community that would foster the exchange of knowledge. He trained the educators regarding knowledge sharing processes. He devised incentive schemes for bringing in more people in the knowledge base. He identified a risk with the knowledge base- limited number of fresh submissions. The foundation of the knowledge base rested on the diversified and rich content (Chen and Liu, 2014). Karney feared that if there were minimal or no fresh submissions from the educators, then the knowledge base would cease to serve its purpose. He was also afraid of a meager number of participations from the educators and the employees. The less number of participants could cause the management to discontinue the whole idea of a knowledge base. This was the biggest risk factor. Karney emphasized on the presence of a person (or evangelist) that can convince people to participate more in the knowledge base (HP, 2016). The designated person should exhibit great enthusiasm while encouraging others to connect with the knowledge base at the individual level. He wanted to share responsibility with another person. This is because he wanted the knowledge sharing process to continue and expand, even if he was not present physically. 7. The knowledge management process involved with the PPO function had a mission of enhancing the development of new products and their introduction (Si and Yakhlef, 2013). It was involved with different job functions, such as Product marketing, procurement, corporate quality, organizational change and others. The PPO organization of HP decided to implement Knowledge Link, which consisted of knowledge regarding the function of product development gathered from various stakeholders (HP, 2016). The knowledge was mainly contributed by the knowledge editors and reporters. They interviewed experts and gathered the knowledge. The objective was to summarize the diverse information collected from different entities and formulate a single knowledge gathering platform. This caused increased complexity in the system. This seemed to be an easy job at first but proved to be really difficult at the time of actual implementation. The collection of information from various sources was not so tough; however the compilation of the vast range of information was cumbersome job. This led to the failure of the knowledge management model involving PPO customers. 8. The knowledge management group of PPO is presently working on three projects. They are discussed below- Project involving competitors information- This is a project which is based on the information of the competitors. The competitors information gives crucial data which is needed for HP to formulate strategies for gaining competitive advantage (HP, 2016). Web based interface- This project is concerned with creation of a web based interface for the purpose of collection of various kinds of information (HP, 2016). The primary and secondary information is collected and made available in the web based interface. Project involving international marketing intelligence- The third project is a lucrative project that is based on the international marketing intelligence data. The information collected is used by HP to identify the market opportunities in international markets and facilitate accurate decision making (HP, 2016). There might be several risks involved in the implementation of the knowledge management process (Mojibi, Khojasteh and Khojasteh-Ghamari, 2015). The first project may be difficult to implement as it contains sensitive information. The data on competitors products as well as services may be difficult to collect, compile and implement in real life (Li, 2013). This issue can be solved by creating reliable sources for gathering information. The second project that involves a web based interface may be complicated and the users would not be able to follow it. The educators or the users should undergo proper training for the ease of use of the web based interface (Liu, Gang and Ma, 2014). The third project involving market intelligence data may not find suitable analyst for it correct analysis. This may be resolved by the recruitment of suitable market analysts (Flores and Villalobos, 2013). References Ceptureanu, S., 2016. Knowledge Cycles and Knowledge Management.International conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION, 22(1). Chen, Y. and Liu, L., 2014. The Knowledge Base Development for the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.International Journal of Intelligence Science, 04(01), pp.29-37. Flores, H. and Villalobos, J., 2013. Using market intelligence for the opportunistic shipping of fresh produce.International Journal of Production Economics, 142(1), pp.89-97. HP, 2016.HP Official Site | Laptop Computers, Desktops, Printers and more. [online] Hp.com. Available at: https://www.hp.com [Accessed 4 Aug. 2016]. Hung, H., 2015. Influence of knowledge networking, knowledge base, and knowledge strategy on innovation capability.IJBSR, 9(2), p.138. Li, H., 2013. Publishing Security Policy of Digital Library's Sensitive Data.Information Technology J., 12(24), pp.8040-8044. Liu, S., Gang, J. and Ma, H., 2014. The Design of Web User Interface Based on Dynamic Re-Components.AMM, 539, pp.424-428. Mojibi, T., Khojasteh, Y. and Khojasteh-Ghamari, Z., 2015. The Role of Infrastructure Factors in Knowledge Management Implementation.Know. Process Mgmt., 22(1), pp.34-40. Nishinaka, M. and Umemoto, K., 2015. Project Knowledge Management.Knowledge Management: An International Journal, 13(4), pp.15-30. Reddy, S. and Karim, S., 2014. Impact of Incentive Schemes on Employee Performance: A Case Study of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, Kothagudem, Andhra Pradesh, India.Sci. Technol. Arts Res. J., 2(4), p.122. Ritzmann, S., Hagemann, V. and Kluge, A., 2013. The Training Evaluation Inventory (TEI) - Evaluation of Training Design and Measurement of Training Outcomes for Predicting Training Success.Vocations and Learning, 7(1), pp.41-73. Si, L. and Yakhlef, A., 2013. The Passion for Knowledge: implications for its Transfer.Know. Process Mgmt., 20(1), pp.12-20.

Education in South Africa Essay Example

Education in South Africa Essay South Africa has 12. 3 million learners, 386,000 teachers and around 48,000 schools – including 390 special needs schools and 1,000 registered private schools. Of all the schools, are high schools (Grade 8 to 12) and the rest are primary schools (Grade 1 to 7). School life spans 13 years or grades although the first year of education, grade 0 or reception year, and the last three years, grade 10, 11 and grade 12 or matric are not compulsory. Many Primary schools offer grade 0, although this pre-school year may also be completed at Nursery school. Recently, great advances have been made in the introduction of new technology to the formerly disadvantaged schools. Organizations such as Khanya,[1] (Nguni for enlightenment) have worked to provide computer access in state schools. A recent national initiative has been the creation of FOCUS schools. These specialise in specific curriculum areas (Business Commerce, Engineering, Arts Culture) and are very similar to the UK specialist schools programme. For university entrance, a Matriculation Endorsement is required, although some universities do set their own additional academic requirements. South Africa has a vibrant higher education sector, with more than a million students enrolled in the country’s universities and universities of technology. All the universities are autonomous, reporting to their own councils rather than government. Pre-colonial education Many African societies placed strong emphasis on traditional forms of education well before the arrival of Europeans. Adults in Khoisan- and Bantu-speaking societies, for example, had extensive responsibilities for transmitting cultural values and skills within kinship-based groups and sometimes within larger organizations, villages, or districts. We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Education in South Africa specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Education involved oral histories of the group, tales of heroism and treachery, and practice in the skills necessary for survival in a changing environment. Colonial education The earliest European schools in South Africa was established in the Cape Colony in the late seventeenth century by Dutch Reformed Church elders committed to biblical instruction, which was necessary for church confirmation. In rural areas, itinerant teachers (meesters ) taught basic literacy and math skills. British mission schools proliferated after 1799, when the first members of the London Missionary Society arrived in the Cape Colony. Language soon became a sensitive issue in education. At least two dozen English-language schools operated in rural areas of the Cape Colony by 1827, but their presence rankled among devout Afrikaners, who considered the English language and curriculum irrelevant to rural life and Afrikaner values. Throughout the nineteenth century, Afrikaners resisted government policies aimed at the spread of the English language and British values, and many educated their children at home or in the churches. After British colonial officials began encouraging families to emigrate from Britain to the Cape Colony in 1820, the Colonial Office screened applicants for immigration for background qualifications. They selected educated families, for the most part, to establish a British presence in the Cape Colony, and after their arrival, these parents placed a high priority on education. Throughout this time, most religious schools in the eastern Cape accepted Xhosa children who applied for admission, and in Natal many other Nguni-speaking groups sent their children to mission schools after the mid-nineteenth century. The government also financed teacher training classes for Africans as part of its pacification campaign throughout the nineteenth century. By 1877 some 60 percent of school-age children in Natal were enrolled in school, as were 49 percent in the Cape Colony. In the Afrikaner republics, however, enrollments remained low—only 12 percent in the Orange Free State and 8 percent in the Transvaal—primarily the result of Afrikaner resistance to British education. Enrollments in these republics increased toward the end of the century, after the government agreed to the use of Afrikaans in the schools and to allow Afrikaner parents greater control over primary and secondary education. By the late nineteenth century, three types of schools were receiving government assistance—ward schools, or small rural schools generally employing one teacher; district schools, providing primary-level education to several towns in an area; and a few secondary schools in larger cities. But during the last decades of that century, all four provinces virtually abolished African enrollment in government schools. African children attended mission schools, for the most part, and were taught by clergy or by lay teachers, sometimes with government assistance[. Higher education was generally reserved for those who could travel to Europe, but in 1829 the government established the multiracial South African College, which later became the University of Cape Town. Religious seminaries accepted a few African applicants as early as 1841. In 1852 the independent state of Transvaal and in 1854 the Orange Free State established their own institutions of higher learning in Dutch. The government established Grey College—later the University of the Orange Free State—in Bloemfontein in 1855 and placed it under the supervision of the Dutch Reformed Church. The Grey Institute was established in Port Elizabeth in 1856; Graaff-Reinet College was founded in 1860. The Christian College was founded at Potchefstroom in 1869 and was later incorporated into the University of South Africa and renamed Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education Independence to Apartheid Following the British victory in the South African War, the new representative of the Crown, Sir Alfred Milner, brought thousands of teachers from Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to instill the English language and British cultural values, especially in the two former Afrikaner republics. To counter the British influence, a group of Afrikaner churches proposed an education program, Christian National Education, to serve as the core of the school curriculum. The government initially refused to fund schools adopting this program, but Jan C. Smuts, the Transvaal leader who later became prime minister, was strongly committed to reconciliation between Afrikaners and English speakers, and he favored local control over many aspects of education. Provincial autonomy in education was strengthened in the early twentieth century, and all four provincial governments used government funds primarily to educate whites. [ The National Party (NP) was able to capitalize on the fear of racial integration in the schools to build its support. The NPs narrow election victory in 1948 gave Afrikaans new standing in the schools, and after that, all high-school graduates were required to be proficient in both Afrikaans and English. The NP government also reintroduced Christian National Education as the guiding philosophy of education. [2] Education under ApartheidStructure of South Africa’s Educational System Academic Year: January to December Primary School: Reception to grade 6 Secondary School: Junior Secondary,Grades 7-9; Further Education and Training (10-12) Higher Education Certificates and Diplomas (generally 1-2 years of study) Bachelors’ Degrees (from 3 years to 6 years of study, depending on course) Honor’s Degrees (1 further year of undergraduate study, requiring a thesis) Master’s Degree (2 years of post-graduate study) Doctorate (variable in duration with a minimum of 2 years, following a Master’s) Language of Instruction South Africa has 11 official languages, but schools and universities generally use either English or Afrikaans as the language of instruction. Students who have attended an English-medium high school or university and have performed well academically can reliably be granted a waiver from the TOEFL. Secondary Education Schooling is compulsory through grade 9, but under the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) students may opt at the successful completion of grade 9 to obtain their General Education and Training Certificate and to pursue employment or technical training at Further Education and Training (FET) institutions. Those continuing into senior secondary school for grades 10-12 sit the nationally set and moderated matriculation examinations, or an approved alternative such as the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) test series, to obtain the National Senior Certificate (NSC) at the end of grade 12. From grade 10, senior secondary students must take 7 subjects, 4 of which must be English, a second South African language, Life Orientation, and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy. The remaining 3 courses are selected from 27 options, which range from Accounting, Art (which includes theory and history), Business Economics and Computer Technology, to Tourism and Woodworking. Courses in science (Physical or Life Science) are optional, as are the social sciences (History, Economics and Geography). Students wishing to pursue university studies, however, are often constrained in their choices at tertiary level unless they take the more rigorous Mathematics (rather than Mathematical Literacy), and Physical or Life Science. The notion of a Liberal Arts and Sciences education is very foreign to most South African students, and thus they often focus early on in their high school years on a particular set of subjects. With a total population of approximately 49 million people, South Africa has 6000 secondary schools. In 2009, 580 577 candidates wrote their matric final exams. Of these, 61% passed to obtain the National Senior Certificate. Of these, just over half achieved a ‘bachelor’s pass’ making them eligible to apply for university study in South Africa. A bachelor’s pass requires, at a minimum, a rating of 4 (or a C) in four subjects from a designated list of subjects. The Outcomes based Education (OBE) curriculum in place since the mid-2000’s aims to develop the critical thinking skills necessary to success at tertiary level. Due to the legacy of apartheid and resource constraints, however, many public schools are severely challenged to meet the bars set for introducing ‘OBE’. This can be seen in the fact that among independent or private schools, students achieved a 97% pass rate, with over 75% of students achieving a bachelor’s pass. Reports show that the average achieved for most examinations in most subjects across South Africa is now between 50% and 60%. Any mark over 70% is considered to be very good and a result over 80% is excellent and rare. The new grading scale using numbers instead of symbols appears below: US Grade A B+ B C D F F SA Grade* 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Based on SA Score of 80-100% 70-79% 60-69% 50-59% 40-49% 30-39% 20-29% Note the Higher Grade/Standard Grade distinction of earlier years has been dropped. Higher Education in South Africa South Africa’s higher education system consists of 23 publicly funded universities, consolidated since 1994 down from 36 separate institutions. Some of these are considered comprehensive and others are universities of technology (see www. studysa. co. za for a complete list). Both types of instit utions offer Bachelor’s, Honors, Masters and Doctorate degrees, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas. Several of South Africa’s comprehensive universities are internationally recognized for their research in areas such as astronomy, business, paleontology, and public policy in Africa, as well as the caliber of student produced. The Higher Education Act of 1997 stipulates that all higher education institutions come under the authority of the national government, while the FET colleges (listed at www. education. gov. za) report to the provincial governments. Together, these institutions enroll over a million students per year, many from neighboring African nations. Students are admitted on a competitive basis, upon their admissions points score (APS) calculated from their matriculation examination marks. The required APS varies from course to course, and between universities. Students without the matriculation endorsement, or bachelor’s pass, from Umalusi (South Africa’s council for quality assurance) may enroll at universities of technology. Education Contacts in South Africa: Higher Education of South Africa: http://www. hesa. ac. za/ Council on Higher Education: www. che. ac. za South African Qualifications Authority: www. aqa. org. za Umalusi: www. umalusi. org. za National Qualifications Framework: www. nqf. org. za The Matriculation Board: www. sauvca. org. za/mb South African Department of Education: www. education. gov. za Minister or Basic Education: Mrs Angie Motshekga Tel: 27 12 (012) 357 3000 Minister of Higher Education and Training: Dr Blade Nzimande (012) 357 3000 The International Education Association of South Afr ica (IEASA): www. studysa. co. za EducationUSA South Africa: http://southafrica. usembassy. gov or www. EducationUSA. info South Africans in the United States According to the 2009 Open Doors, there were 1703 South African students enrolled for study in the US in the 2008/09 academic year, 57 % of which were undergraduates. This overall figure represents an increase of 5. 1 percent from the previous year. The Opportunity Funds Program began in South Africa in 2008, enabling three students from disadvantaged economic backgrounds to pursue studies in the US. Testing in South Africa The SAT is offered six times a year in nine locations around the country, and the TOEFL, GRE and GMAT are offered in Cape Town and Johannesburg twice weekly. Education USA in South Africa The Education USA advising centers in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban are based in the Public Affairs Sections of the respective US Consulates. Together, the advisors serve approximately 24,000 students a year by equipping them to assess themselves for US study, to select institutions for application, to prepare sound applications, and to receive pre-departure orientation, at both the undergraduate and the graduate levels. They also provide assistance to visiting US university representatives conducting outreach among South African students. The Bantu Education Act The Bantu Education Act (No. 47) of 1953 widened the gaps in educational opportunities for different racial groups. Two of the architects of Bantu education, Dr. W. M. Eiselen and Dr. Hendrik F. Verwoerd, had studied in Germany and had adopted many elements of National Socialist (Nazi) philosophy. The concept of racial purity, in particular, provided a rationalization for keeping black education inferior. Verwoerd, then minister of native affairs, said black Africans should be educated for their opportunities in life, and that there was no place for them above the level of certain forms of labour. The government also tightened its control over religious high schools by eliminating almost all financial aid, forcing many churches to sell their schools to the government or close them entirely. Christian National Education supported the NP program of apartheid by calling on educators to reinforce cultural diversity and to rely on mother-tongue instruction in the first years of primary sc hool. This philosophy also espoused the idea that a persons social responsibilities and political opportunities are defined, in large part, by that persons ethnic identity. The government also gave strong management control to the school boards, who were elected by the parents in each district. Official attitudes toward African education were paternalistic, based on trusteeship and segregation. Black education was not supposed to drain government resources away from white education. The number of schools for blacks increased during the 1960s, but their curriculum was designed to prepare children for menial jobs. Per-capita government spending on black education slipped to one-tenth of spending on whites in the 1970s. Black schools had inferior facilities, teachers, and textbooks. Soweto and Its Aftermath Tensions over language in education erupted into violence on June 16, 1976, when students took to the streets in the Johannesburg township of Soweto. Their action was prompted by the decision of Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of the Bantu education system, to enforce a regulation requiring that one-half of all high-school classes must be taught in Afrikaans. A harsh police response resulted in the deaths of several children, some as young as eight or nine years old. In the violence that followed, more than 575 people died, at least 134 of them under the age of eighteen. Youthful ANC supporters abandoned school in droves; some vowed to make South Africa ungovernable to protest against apartheid education. Others left the country for military training camps run by the ANC or other liberation armies, mostly in Angola, Tanzania, or Eastern Europe. Liberation before education became their battle cry. The schools suffered further damage as a result of the unrest of 1976. Vandals and arsonists damaged or destroyed many schools and school property. Students who tried to attend school and their teachers were sometimes attacked, and administrators found it increasingly difficult to maintain normal school activities. Some teachers and administrators joined in the protests. The National Policy for General Affairs Act (No. 76) of 1984 provided some improvements in black education but maintained the overall separation called for by the Bantu education system. This act gave the minister of national education authority to determine general policy for syllabuses, examinations, and certification qualifications in all institutions of formal and informal education. But responsibility for implementing these policies was divided among numerous government departments and offices, resulting in a bewildering array of educational authorities: For example, the Department of Education and Training was responsible for black education outside the homelands. Each of the three houses of parliament—for whites, coloureds, and Indians—had an education department for one racial group, and each of the ten homelands had its own education department. In addition, several other government departments managed specific aspects of education. Education was compulsory for all racial groups, but at different ages, and the law was enforced differently. Whites were required to attend school between the ages of seven and sixteen. Black children were required to attend school from age seven until the equivalent of seventh grade or the age of sixteen, but this law was enforced only weakly, and not at all in areas where schools were unavailable. For Asians and coloured children, education was compulsory between the ages of seven and fifteen. The discrepancies in education among racial groups were glaring. Teacher: pupil ratios in primary schools averaged 1:18 in white schools, 1:24 in Asian schools, 1:27 in coloured schools, and 1:39 in black schools. Moreover, whereas 96 percent of all teachers in white schools had teaching certificates, only 15 percent of teachers in black schools were certified. Secondary-school pass rates for black pupils in the nationwide, standardized high-school graduation exams were less than one-half the pass rate for whites. As the government implemented the 1984 legislation, new violence flared up in response to the limited constitutional reforms that continued to exclude blacks. Finally, the government began to signal its awareness that apartheid could not endure. By 1986 President P. W. Botha (1984–89) had stated that the concept of apartheid was outdated, and behind-the-scenes negotiations had begun between government officials and imprisoned ANC leader Nelson Mandela. The gap between government spending on education for different racial groups slowly began to narrow, and penalties for defying apartheid rules in education began to ease. Restructuring The apartheid regime created different universities for different race groups, often in close proximity and offering the same courses, but neglected the development of historically black institutions. In a country with scarce resources, with institutions of uneven capacity, there was an urgent need to cut down on costly duplication and improve quality across the sector. After several years of investigation and consultation, the government announced plans to radically restructure higher education through mergers and incorporations that was completed by January 2005 and created 22 institutions out of an existing 36 universities and technikons. Out of the 36 institutions 22 were selected for mergers, four for major incorporations (or loss of facilities), one was being dismantled and its multi-sites slotted into other institutions, and there are 10 new university names. In South Africa, education plays a huge role compared to other countries. [citation needed] The government usually spends 20% of their expenditure on education. Black Africans were perceived to have the role of laborers and servants. During the 1980s the young population was committed to destroying the education system due the apartheid. There were strikes and violence which firmly restricted its ability to function in an orderly manner. Even though the government spends 20% annually on education the apartheid theory still sticks around. Among the South African population, only 14% of blacks have an education of high school or higher, whereas 40% of Indians and 65% of Whites have an education of high school or higher. Technology has become an increasingly important component, especially in the Western Cape and Gauteng. Khanya has led the way in bringing the formerly disadvantaged schools into the global classroom, sometimes with the support of the UK based, Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. 3] In South Africa, you can find the concept of public and private school which vary according to character, size, quality of education, and financial advantages. With both public and private institutions, the education in South Africa is very promising. Most of the schools are supported by the state, but private schooling is also widely common. 2. 8% of the total school population is private equaling 340,000 students. Today the literacy rate is 86%. [citation needed] That education is an essential ingredient of prosperity i s at once obvious and contentious. Obvious because any person able to read this text knows what a difference it makes in their lives to have gone to school, to have learned to read, write and calculate. Contentious because when social scientists try to â€Å"prove† that education is a cause of economic growth it turns out to be quite difficult to decide which came first, the chicken or the egg. What is more, even the basic terms such as â€Å"what is education† and â€Å"what is prosperity† become vast and cloudy terrains for the technical experts like economists, sociologists, education specialists and policy analysts. This article offers one way of arriving at a single overarching generalization about the relationship between education, defined as the classroom school system that has been the predominant way of organizing formal education throughout the 20th century, and economic growth, defined as the monetary aggregate GDP (gross domestic product) that is used widely by economists and the press to measure the economic performance of industrial societies. Over the following pages it is argued that the specific form of education system, characterized by universal compulsory classroom schooling, is an indispensable component of an industrial growth society. This is a broader, more historically grounded hypothesis that aims to encompass the wide range of economic, social and political reasons for associating education with growth. It is a hypothesis that rests on clarifying the role of one specific way of organizing learning, universal mass compulsory classroom schooling and the preponderant kinds of knowledge that emerge from this process, with the creation of one particular form of prosperity, typically summarized by the metric of gross domestic product (GDP). The hypothesis is that making investments in all the elements of a school system (teachers, buildings, text books, information technology, curriculum, supervision, testing, etc. ) and then forcing young people to attend them (i. e. give up the income they might otherwise earn) is a necessary but not sufficient condition for expanding the gross domestic product of an industrial society. To be clear, the massive systems of universal compulsory schooling pioneered in the 19th century and â€Å"perfected† as well as extended to post-secondary education in the 20th century do not encompass all human learning—far from it. What people learn and know, the practices that are informed and inspired by experience and reflection, arise from all kinds of human activity. However the argument here is that the specific cognitive, behavioral and social knowledge, that is the basic result of a specific form of schooling introduced in the 19th century, played and continues to play a crucial role in spectacular feats of industrial development. Economic Growth There can be little doubt that the performance of industrial societies has been nothing short of amazing when it comes to generating monetary wealth. As Angus Maddison (2001) shows in his publication: The World Economy—A Millennial Perspective, GDP per capita in industrial nations exploded from around 1,000 US$ in 1820 to over 21,000 US$ by the late 1990s. Figure 1 below, also from Maddison (2007), provides a detailed global breakdown for the period 1950 to 2003. The evidence is overwhelming. Where industry triumphed so did GDP growth. In Western Europe GDP per capita jumped from just over 4,500 US$ to almost 20,000 US$. In Japan the leap was even greater, from around 2,000 US$ in 1950 to over 20,000 US$ in 2003. With the exception of China, where the recent growth spurt is impressive when seen from the perspective of such a low starting point, those parts of the world where the development of industrial society either stagnated or declined show much lower growth rates of GDP per capita. Figure 1: Growth of per Capita GDP: the World and Major Regions, 1950–2003. Level in 1990 Internationl PPP $ Source: This chart is based on data from: Angus Maddison, Chapter 7, Table 7-3, Contours of the World Economy, 1-2030 AD, Oxford University Press, 2007, forthcoming. www. ggdc. net/Maddison Cisco Public Education Growth A similarly spectacular expansion of participation in education as measured by school enrolment rates can be seen over the same period. Historical estimates for the year 1900 put participation rates in primary education at under 40% of the corresponding age group in most parts of the world, except North America, northwestern Europe and Anglophone regions of the pacific, where the rate was 72% (Cohen and Bloom, 2005, p. 10). Now, more than a century later the â€Å"net enrollment rate†Ã¢â‚¬â€which is a stricter definition of participation—shows that most of the world is above level of the â€Å"high education† regions at the dawn of the 20th century. Figure 2 shows that by the early 21st century (2004) every part of the world had achieved, at a minimum, the level attained by the most industrialized countries at the start of the 20th century and most far exceeded the levels of a century earlier. Of course, as is underscored by the important efforts to realize the United Nations Millennium goals of Education for All, there is still a long way to go. The 2007 Report (UNESCO, 2006) indicates that worldwide, in 2004, 781 million adults (one in five) still do not have minimum literacy kills and that close to 77 million children of school age are not enrolled in school (Table 1). Table 1: Estimated Numbers of Children Out of School 1999–2004 (thousands) Source: UNESCO, Education for All, 2007, p. 28 Figure 2: Net Enrolment in Primary Education Worldwide 1999 to 2004 Sources: Education for All, UNESCO, 2007, p. 1. Cisco Public Looking at the degree of educational attainment in terms of the average number of years of schooling for the adult population—a measure that tells how many years of schooling have been accumulated—shows that in OECD countries the average stands at just under 12 years (Figure 3). Worldwide progress is being made towards this level but as UNESCO reports there are still many parts of the world where the obstacles are very significant—including problems with enrolment rates, gender inequality, and school quality (UNESCO, 2006, p. 64). The Overall Argument As the previous two sub-sections indicate, there is strong evidence from the recent past that economic growth has been accompanied by growth in both spending and participation in schooling. Economists, as reported in a brief overview in the next section, have examined this association quite carefully and come to the conclusion that, through a variety of different avenues and in a number of different ways, investment in school systems does have a strong economic pay-off. This is an important conclusion that is highly relevant to individual, corporate and government decisions regarding investment. For all spheres of decision making there is good evidence that the rate of return is high, even relative to other investment opportunities. However, the two main components of this relationship—schooling and income growth—are both very specific, even narrow ways of looking at two broader questions: learning and well-being. Indeed neither GDP nor schooling emerged full-blown on to the stage of history. There were many experiments, many reactions and much reflection before today’s familiar indicators and institutions gained universal currency. It may seem like a long-forgotten historical story, but measures of national income like GDP are the result of protracted economic and intellectual processes. In the same way that universal compulsory schooling did not always exist nor did it become a fixture of social life over night. GDP and schooling, each in its time, was a radical idea, perhaps more radical than any of the policy initiatives that are commonly debated today. Now, however, it is becoming clear that the way we think of learning and economic wealth are changing. There is little controversy over the observation that the many kinds of knowledge acquired through industrial era schooling are only part of what a person knows. Equally accepted is the notion that industrial wealth as measured by GDP is only part of overall societal wealth. Such conclusions may seem obvious as attention shifts to concerns about quality of life, community caring, the environment and other often non-monetary aspects of people’s lives. But this recognition also underscores the historical specificity of these ways of looking at the world around us. And it also signals that the construction of basic ways of doing things, like schools for learning, and measuring things, like GDP for wealth, are time specific. Figure 3: Educational attainment of the adult population: average number of years in the educational system for the OECD countries 2004. 1. Year of reference 2003. Countries are ranked ind ecending order of average number of years in the education system of 25-to-64 year-olds. Source: OECD, Education at a Glance, 2006, p. 28. 16 Cisco Public Neither schooling nor national income accounts were prescient constructs, built with a foreknowledge of how each would serve to facilitate the achievements (and failures) of industrial societies. On the contrary, history is too rich and complex, the future too unknowable, for anything but ex-post accounts of the â€Å"inherent† logic of choices in the past. Even though it is now clear that both metrics, years of schooling and GDP, are particularly well suited to the way production, consumption and, in a general way, daily life are all organized in industrial society. It would be wrong to see either as eternal or self-evidently useful. Hence what will serve in the future must remain an open question. Part of being open to such questions involves situating, on the basis of hypotheses and analysis, why and how relationships like that between years of schooling and GDP exhibit particular patterns over particular periods of history and phases of socio-economic development. In other words, as discussed in the next section, the analysis of the relationship between years of schooling and GDP offer important insights precisely because these concepts depended on and contributed to the emergence and evolution of industrial society. With the obje

Learning from My First Job Essay Example

Learning from My First Job Essay Example Learning from My First Job Essay Learning from My First Job Essay When I was in high school the social norm or cool thing to do was to go out and spend money. Me, being the typical full-time high school student, meant that I had to get money through my parents. I can still hear the voices of the various people all telling me the same corny objections: â€Å"If you want something earn it† or â€Å"You can buy whatever you want with your own money†. I realize now, in retrospect, that it was all just to teach me to be more independent and responsible with money. Before I realized all this, My mom and I discussed different job choices I could lean towards. She told me that even if it was a volunteer job, the experience is what matters and you will learn what is it like to be in a job setting. We pondered upon many local places hiring, and then she made a suggestion of working as an unpaid CIT (counselor-in-training) for a year, and then go on to work as a paid counselor for the rest of the years on, making more money each year I am employ ed. I rolled my eyes as every snobby teen does to their parents suggestions, said, â€Å"I guess,† thinking how hard could watching a few kids play in dirt be?I went to my room only to forget about the summer job coming up in just a couple months. As summer rolled around I started thinking about all of the things I was going to miss out on during my summer vacation, to work at some camp that wasnt even paying me. This made me feel frustrated and bummed that I would be wasting so much time. Little did I know that I would eventually learn to appreciate the experience and expertise I acquired through the training, and then later apply it to my work as I continued on. I was just a 15 year old, spending my vacation â€Å"learning how to be a counselor† at The Jewish Community Center camp my mom signed me up for. During the car ride to my first day on the job, I was having memories from when I was as a camper their at the JCC. I have only a few memories of my time at camp.

Macroeconomics Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macroeconomics - Article Example It deals with the aggregated indicators such as price indices, GDP, unemployment, inflation, savings, investments, national income etc. It looks at prices of all goods and of all services. In short, it looks at whole economy. Macroeconomics also deal with the exchange rates. The higher will be the exchange rate, the lower will be the international demand due to expensive products. Macroeconomics deals with the critical economy issues such as inflation rate, unemployment rate, recession state etc. Recession is a period of two or more successive quarters of decreasing production. Scarcity of any resource becomes a cause of rise in price while access availability of any resource causes a fall in price of that commodity. Before we discuss U.S inflation, we must know the role of inflation. Inflation is basically an increase in average price level of a country while deflation is totally opposite to inflation. Deflation is the downward decrease in average prices level. Inflation in United States is also due to record oil prices that had increased the petrol price. Inflation is also caused by excessive money creation. Consumer Price Index (CPI), Consumption Expenditures Index (CPI) are tools to keep a check on average prices. One must thoroughly look into the average rise case because rise in the price of any one commodity may also cause a rise in price index. An average rise in the prices of food and beverages, apparel, energy prices, education, transportation, housing etc shows the horrible picture. As Inflation decreases the money value, countries consider it as a key issue. Change in prices of goods and services at domestic level is also measured by GDP deflator. Demand-pull inflation, Cost-push the ory (Supply shock inflation), Money Supply etc are the causes of inflation in a country. Economy of United States is also known for being rich in mineral resources and fertile farm soil. Five large, inland lake flow along with the US border with Canada. That has been a reason of economic growth in the last few years and maintained a high overall GDP rate, a low unemployment rate but in the end of 2007, growth was hit by the troubles in the housing and credit market. Unemployment is also considered as one of the key factor in macroeconomics. Unemployment refers to people who are jobless and are seeking some work. The unemployment rate is obtained by dividing the number of unemployed persons by the number of persons in the labor force. It is mostly expressed in percentage as its value is less than one. It has been suggested that US growth could be cut to nearby 1.5% in 2008. Unemployment is also higher than it was at the end of the last boom in the l990s. The fall in the value of US dollar is also a hot topic nowadays. The Federal Reserve has cut rates in 2008 to control the situation. Investors seem least interested in dollar due to lower interest rates and due to significant trade deficit.

How People Accept Second Hand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

How People Accept Second Hand - Essay Example Robinson laments that schools stifle creativity by undervaluing â€Å"mistakes† and promoting certain intellectual norms. Lightman wants people to stop being lazy in consuming second-hand information, because this is a medieval way of learning, and to start becoming active and creative producers of primary information, which can be the only true source of knowledge. People lazily consume second-hand information and treat them usually as knowledge often automatically and blindly, as if by faith. Scientists and educators tend to go out and test their theories, but people in general, sit back, receive information, and rarely test the latter's veracity. Lightman asks if people have â€Å"personally verified† (17) if the earth is flat or round. He discounts the existence of the â€Å"globe† and â€Å"Apollo pictures† as proof that the earth is round (17). These are not enough evidence that the world is round, because someone else has made them or collected them , and this does not mean that their proof is immediately true. Lightman does not also hold what geodesists say as true, though their whole profession may lie on understanding the â€Å"detailed shape of the earth† (17). Lightman does not easily believe them, because they have their own â€Å"measurements,† which may be wrong too. ... Ariely investigates why people seldom change what they do and how they think. He conducts several experiments and comes up with his theory, the â€Å"personal fudge factor,† where people accept a certain form of irrationality, which they believe is enough to help them still believe that they are â€Å"correct.† The problem with the â€Å"personal fudge factor† is that people no longer test their â€Å"intuitions,† says Ariely. Being incorrect to some degree may be enough to make an intuition entirely incorrect. When people just accept intuitions and never test them, that is plain laziness. That laziness, nevertheless, sacrifices the pursuit and attainment of tested information that may be the only basis for correct information. This laziness brings people back to the medieval-period approach to learning, when the masses accept what people in power say is right. Philosophers once dominated the production of knowledge because of their influence, but the prob lem with them is that they rarely apply the â€Å"scientific method† in their practice (Lightman 19). As a result, they have theoretical conceptions on the shape of the earth. People then believed for centuries that the earth was flat without even testing its validity. People in power also use history to tell their own versions of the story. For instance, it is only until recently that people learn how Columbus and other European settlers in the Americas had killed millions of Native Americans, because of the former's colonization goals. Before, people live in comfortable knowledge that the European invaders brought â€Å"civilization† to the native â€Å"heathens.† The same promotion of ignorance can be said with schools. Schools had also

Compliance of Apple Inc Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compliance of Apple Inc - Research Paper Example Companies have shifted their operations to developing countries in order to curtail their costs and improve through economic ways. With such an approach, businesses have saved heavy taxes that could be imposed while operating in their homelands. The Economic factor is most influencing for the businesses as it directly affects revenues and profitability. Apple Inc has suppliers from China, India and other parts of the world that serve the company virtually or provide the required hardware, supplies, etc. The company has to assure compliance with standard ethics and variable economic obligations that exist in each country. It attempts to choose most reputed suppliers from around the globe so that economic and legal compliance may not be compromised while quality is maintained throughout operations (King, 2011). In the present era, societies are driven through global values and the gulf between different societies is contracting due to expanding embrace of international social values. H owever social circumstances differ geographically (Zylla, 2013). Apple Inc behaves as socially responsible entity and endeavors to aid workers as and when required to bring them in pace with the rapidly changing dynamics of the world. Apple does not allow the suppliers to overburden employees and limits the working hours per week so that they stay in good health and work efficiently in the long run. The company attempts to educate manpower of its suppliers through SEED (Supplier Employee Education Development) program.

The Different Flood Myths

The Different Flood Myths In the following essay, I am going to examine the flood myth that is written in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and compare its similarities and differences to the one that is found in the Book of Genesis. In both works, there is an immense flood that engulfs the earth. The question that remains to be answered is, is this the same flood recorded in both texts? The corresponding elements that occur between both texts have been somewhat of a puzzling issue for some researchers. On first speculation, it would be fair to say that both coincide with each other due to the major similarity between them. However, subtle differences could prove otherwise. The flood myth in The Epic of Gilgamesh was written somewhere around 2750 and 2500 BCE  [1]  , whereas the Book of Genesis 6-9 was written around 500BC  [2]  . It could be said that the Biblical authors were aware of the flood recorded on Tablet XI and may have adapted it to correspond with the writings of the Biblical text. Alexander Heidel explores three central theories about how the two accounts may be linked. He states that first, the Babylonians borrowed from the Hebrew account; second, the Hebrew account is dependent on the Babylonian; third, both are descended from a common original.  [3]  Heidel goes on to say that because The Epic of Gilgamesh was written before the Book of Genesis The most widely accepted explanation today is the second, namely, that the biblical account is based on Babylonian material.  [4]  However, a theory of this nature causes some controversy within the Christian faith as it could be said that it mat question the reliability of the Bible. As I have previously stated, both myths share many of the same elements. Merrill F. Unger believes that when comparing the two, there are certain components that have to be looked at, in order to create and understanding of both accounts; the first being that the flood was planned by the god in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis . Secondly, that a warning was given to both protagonists prior to the flood happening. Thirdly, is that the flood is connected with the destruction of mankind. Another being, the protagonist and his family were allowed to escape from the disaster. The building of the vessel to protect various life-forms is another. Also, what should be noted is the physical destruction of each flood and the duration of it. The landing place of the boat should also be mentioned and the releasing of the birds. Finally, the last similar element that should be discussed are the sacrifices the heros presented to their gods and what they received in return.  [5]  Although these similarities cannot be ignored, Kenneth A. Kitchen says that there are also many differences that run through each of the flood accounts, even though the general similarities suggest a definite relationship between the two traditions.  [6]  Kitchen goes on to say that it is these differences that provides a clear view of w hy the flood happened, that they define the characters of the gods and protagonists. By using specific details such as, the landing places of the ships, the releasing of the birds, numbers and genders of the surviving animals and humans and the building of the ships, we can compare the differences, enabling one to study the relationship between the flood accounts in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis.  [7]  Both stories tell a tale about a righteous figure who is informed by divine beings that a great flood is going to destroy the earth. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the main protagonist of this myth, Utnapishtim, is met by Gilgamesh whilst on his journey in pursuit of immortality. Utnapishtim is asked by Gilgamesh how he became immortal and that is when he tells him about the flood that happened in a city called Shurrupak, which stands on the banks of the river Euphrates.  [8]  It is the noise that man makes the Gods deem to be intolerable, so they decide to eli minate all of mankind. The god of waters, Ea, is the one to warn Utnapishtim of what is about to come.  [9]  In the Book of Genesis, God recognises how man has become wicked, so in turn, God feels it necessary to flood the earth and be rid of man. We learn that Noah is seen by God as a righteous man and is spared, [Noah]found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  [10]  Noah is then told by God to build an ark and take both his family and two of every animal with him. The first similarity to notice here is the use of divine involvement in both myths. However, it is here where a difference occurs. In the Book of Genesis, it is evident that monotheism (only one god) is present. Whereas, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, it is clear to see that polytheism is visible (more than one god). As stated previously, the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh want to flush out mankind because of their noise. The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reasons of the babel  [11]  . While in Genesis, God floods the earth because of the wickedness of man. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  [12]  I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. . . .  [13]   In addition to this, mans fate is to die in the epic, yet in Genesis, Noah tries to save the evil by preaching to them. This again is a striking difference between the two myths. Additionally to this, in both the Book of Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero of the story is warned prior to facing the major disaster and vessels are built to shield them from the catastrophic flood, to maintain the life of each species. Utnapishtim is told not to take anything of worth on the boat, but does so anyway. Like in the Book of Genesis, animals are taken on the boat and the storm continues for six days and nights.  [14]  In the epic, Utnapishtim is warned though a dream by Ea, whereas God tells Noah about the coming flood in G enesis, and it rains for forty days and forty nights. Something that can also be found in both accounts is the use of the number seven. In the Book of Genesis the world was created in seven days. The number seven also appears in the flood account. After seven days the waters of the flood were upon the earth  [15]  . This is also apparent in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Although the rain only lasts for six days and six nights, when the storm calms and the boat lands, it remains there for seven days. In the epic, the storm calms on the seventh day and the boat stops at the mountain of Nisir. After a week, Utnapishtim releases birds from the boat. This is also parallel to what happens in the Book of Genesis. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim releases three birds from the vessel. First he releases a dove which returns because there is no food or resting place. A wallow is then sent out, but still returns. Then finally, a raven is set free and does not return, meaning it has found land and food. I loosed a dovebut finding no resting-place she returnedthen I loosed a swallow, and she flew away but finding no resting-place she returnedI loosed a ravenand she did not come back  [16]  . In the Book of Genesis, Noah also does this but only using two birds. First a raven that returns and secondly a dove that brings back an olive branch. It could be said that the olive branch is used as a symbol of peace and that mankinds suffering has now come to an end.  [17]  In addition, a raven could be seen as a messenger of the gods, so by using this particular species of bird in each myth, it highlights the powers that the deities have in both texts. However, the subtle difference is that in the Book of Genesis, the raven was unsuccessful, whereas in Gilgamesh it was the raven who found land. This could link to my earlier point that in the epic, that the fate of mankind will always lay in the hands of the gods. Yet, in Genesis, the symbol of peace, suggests that God has put an end to the punishment of mankind and will let them begin a new life. Another similarity is that both Utnapishtim, in the epic, and Noah, in Genesis thank the Gods for sparing them from the flood. However, they offer their thanks in different ways. In Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim pours out a libation on the top of the mountain.  [18]  Yet, Noah builds an altar for God. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord  [19]  . Furthermore, both protagonists make a sacrifice once the flood had ended. In the Book of Genesis, Noah is told by God to leave the ark, Leave the ark, you and your wife, your sons and their wives  [20]  Noah then makes a sacrifice to God by burning some animals on the altar that he made. In The Epic of Gilgamesh a sacrifice is also made to the Gods. Yet, when Utnapishtim offers a sacrifice, Enlil is enraged because Utnapishtim was excluded from the destruction of all man. Then Ea persuades Enlil that Utnapishtim escaped through his own means, and Utnapishtim is then granted immortality by Enlil. Finally, there is a symbol shown, in both texts, to indicate that the earth will not be flooded by the gods again. In Gilgamesh there is a necklace and it is exclaimed that the gods will not forget these days  [21]  . Whereas in Genesis a rainbow appears. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  [22]  Both flood accounts in The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis are extremely alike as well as possessing major differences. As the source of each flood story differs between the two, there can be some conclusions brought up about the Babylonian culture in comparison to the Hebrew culture. As stated previously, polytheism is apparent throughout the Babylonian culture and they believe that the gods are separate from each other and that they have restricted power. So, the people cannot always rely on the gods to be rewarding to the serving and the just. Additionally, monotheism is u sed within the Hebrew culture, where God is seen as almighty, that his power is unrestricted and he is good. The belief is that God created the world that is orderly and therefore rewards men who worship him. However, this theory is dependent on each individuals personal moral grounds. What I wanted to examine throughout this essay is the relationship between the flood myths that occur in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis. There are three theories that could possibly link the two that I would like to discuss; the first being that The Epic of Gilgamesh may have been derived from the Genesis account. However, the epic flood myth was written long before the one found in Genesis. So, because of the dates in which both of the flood accounts were written, this theory has been disproved. Another hypothesis that may link the two is that the account found in the Book of Genesis may have been taken from the one found in The Epic of Gilgamesh and altered slightly. Conversely, this theory poses some major complications. If this were true, then the writer of the Genesis account would have had to thoroughly go over the Epic and change many of its components. Things such as the reason why the gods decided to cause the flood, changing it to a righteous motivation. Also, descriptions of the flood would have had to be altered, making it to be universal so the whole account would be credible. Lastly, changing the use of polytheism to a completely monotheistic world would have been very difficult. So, even though there are major mirroring images between the two, this would have been almost impossible to recreate, rendering this theory to be inconceivable. The most plausible possibility is the third theory, that both of the flood accounts may have come from one event. Kenneth A. Kitchen believes that it is probable that The Hebrew and Babylonian accounts may go back to a common ancient tradition, but are not borrowed directly from each other.  [23]  After cons idering all of the similar and dissimilar elements of both texts, it seems that in The Epic of Gilgamesh, a warped account of an event was recorded, which lost its historical precision and it could be said, that the version recorded in the Book of Genesis may be a more precise report of the disaster. So, to conclude, after comparing the two accounts of the flood in each text, it is evident that there is a relationship between the two, despite the many differences. Each story provides a learning curve from culture to culture about historical events though the medium of storytelling. Separate cultures develop over time, and it would be fair to say that it inevitable that some events are going to become overlapped and repeated throughout different historical and religious texts.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals.

The Cuban Embargo: An Economic Sanction that Never Achieved its Goals. Close, But No Cigar. History of Events Before beginning my paper, I will give a very brief summary of the actions which caused the original embargo against Cuba in 1960 and the actions the US has taken since then. Reviewing this brief timeline will help to examine and critique the reasoning behind the embargo. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a nation in constant political turmoil ruled by militant dictators. Prior to the elections of 1952, Fulgencio Batista took power of Cuba in a bloodless coup. His rule left the island in discontent and led to many movements to return the country to its constitutional rule of 1940. On January 1st, 1959 Batista and his family fled Cuba. On January 7th, the United States officially recognized a government that Fidel Castro had taken control of with promises of a return to a constitutional government and democratic elections. Soon, Fidel began nationalizing all private businesses and land. When US refineries refused to refine oil from the Soviet Union, Castro ordered the nationalization of all US businesses on July 5th, 1960. In immediate response, President Dwight Eisenhower cancelled Cuba’s sugar quota on July 6th. On April 16th, 1961 Castro declares Cuba a Socialist state. The very next day, the United States, in a mission codenamed â€Å"Bay of Pigs,† backed a failed attempt by Cuban refugees to overthrow Castro. Immediately after this failed coup, the United States began progress in another operation to overthrow the dictator. This was known as Operation Mongoose, which was conceptualized in November 1961. The mission was not immediately carried out, as the military was constantly trying to reasse... ...he Politics of Passion. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX 2000. Horowitz, Irving Louis. Searching for the Sould of American Foreign Policy: The Cuban Embargo and the National Interest. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Lopez, Juan J. Democracy Delayed. The Case of Castro’s Cuba. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD 2002. Suchlicki, Jaime. The U.S. Embargo of Cuba. Institute for Cuban and Cuban- American Studies Occasional Paper Series. University of Miami, Miami, FL 2000. Internet References Embassy of India. Havana, Cuba. Selected Economic Statistics of Cuba. March 11, 2005. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. < http://apps.fao.org/> March 11, 2005.

Kaiser Wilhelm II and The First World War Essay

The British postcard illustrates Kaiser Wilhelm II in a bath, where he is about to grab a bar of soap labelled â€Å"Europe†, with a caption quoting â€Å"He won’t be happy till he gets it.† This suggests he is willing to use force to capture Europe. Wilhelm is wearing a military helmet and has a greedy expression on his face, which gives us the impression he is willing to fight for what he wants. Sources B and C both differ, but both of them agree that Wilhelm’s attitude towards the war was very violent. In source B, Wilhelm’s speech seems to be taken over by his emotions: anger, aggression, passion and lots of determination. He refers to certain phrases such as â€Å"take no prisoners†, â€Å"must be destroyed† and â€Å"ruthless violence.† Words such as these show us that he wants trouble. However in source C, there is more talk of peace. It seems to be a more subdued and more thoughtful speech. â€Å"I was always a supporter of peace.† But then he goes on to say how peace â€Å"has its limits.† And he can â€Å"no longer just look on, but must draw the sword!† This giving the final conclusion that Kaisers attitude towards the war has not changed since 1900 although he has become more diplomatic. This postcard may be biased, as the British whom were about to go to war with him produced it. Britain wanted to portray him in as much negative light as possible, therefore this postcard might not be truthful. But using my own knowledge, I know that Kaiser Wilhelm II was an aggressive man who came from an aggressive country and to control Europe was his sole ambition. Also, Britain was aware of Wilhelm’s objectives and to some extent holds him responsible for the Moroccan Crises. They therefore have a good reason to portray him in this way. â€Å"The Kaiser was a warmonger and caused the Great War.† The evidence given in the sources supports this statement and also disagrees with it. Source A clearly supports this view. The cartoon shows Wilhelm greedily snatching Europe, along with the war helmet, which indicates war. Source B backs this statement too. There is no sign of peaceful man in his speech. In this he says he wants Germans to acquire a similar reputation as Attila’s Huns did in the fifth century. Attila was the King of the German tribe the Huns who ravaged Eastern Europe. But there is talk of peace in his later speech (1913), although this hopeful thought is dampened by the indications of war â€Å"Must draw the sword.† However, using my own knowledge I know that the Great War was not only the fault of Wilhelm’s, there was many other reasons. In my opinion, rivalries were the main factor, which brought about the First World War. Without rivalries, no one would have a cause to start a war. There were many rivalries; Britain and Germany; France and Germany; Austria-Hungary and Russia and Serbia and Austria. These rivalries helped to cause war between the powers of Europe because they all wanted to fight for one reason or another. Another factor was alliances. With alliances, everyone was dragged into war, whether they liked it or not. In this case, it couldn’t be avoided. And lastly, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand was the catalyst. This gave Austria a perfect opportunity to declare war on Serbia. With this, Austria and Serbia were at war along with their allies. It caused great destruction as most countries were involved. This is proof that the Kaiser did not cause the Great War, as you need two countries to have a war. Cause the war he did not, but a warmonger he may be.

Lehman Brothers Failure Questions Essay

Having taken part to the events occurring in this scenario only in a few occasions, and as the ultimate guarantee of rescue, the FED,in conjunction with FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, made decisions aimed to save those institutions, for instance AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, whose failure would have had a greater impact on financial system’s wealth and perspectives of recovering from the crisis were reliable. This was the main reason for declining any proposal of action in favor of Lehman. Some argued that the company’s bankruptcy was an intentional choice rather than a â€Å"genuine error†, aimed to induce the restoration of higher degrees of financial discipline. However, had the government disposed a plan in favor of Lehman Brothers, this would have prevented investors from losing faith towards financial institutions, the financial system from freezing and economy from carrying the weight of the crisis Notwithstanding, further attempts to save Lehman Brothers did not came to completion for several reasons, not only due to Government stillness, but the giving out of other financial actors i. . Bank of America and Barclays. In an ultimate analysis is thus important to consider that the â€Å"unfair† practices were not carried on by the sole Government, but by all financial institutions acting in the system as a whole: every actor placed a risky bet, whose consequences seem difficult to be addressed to just one responsible. Do you think that the U. S. government should have allowed Lehman Brothers to fail? Although Lehman Brothers was the fourth-largest U. S. investment bank, it was seen by many analysts as the weakest of Wall Street’s biggest firms. It is plausible therefore to think that the government willfully took the decision to let it go bankruptcy, in the purpose to restore a certain degree of indipendence from the market, and serving as threat for other institutions preventing them from adopting hazardous behaviours. The government decision of non-intervention had immense costs both in terms of financial losses inflicted to the credit market operators and institutions, and of lost in confidence in the market itself, that eventually turned into terror and paralyzed the credit market worldwide. Indeed investors’ confidence in th market and general concerns about the security of the banks continued to plumb during Lehman Brothers’ stock value erosion and afterwards. Nonetheless, consequences from Lehman Brothers’ bankruptcy had spread in a broader sense affecting all clusters of stakeholders: for instance, it could be mentioned the forced lay off of up to 1,500 people, which amounted to about 6 percent of Lehman’s work force. With hindsight, the decision of the US Government to allow such a giant as Lehman to fail is difficult to support, especially considering the devastating negative impact it had in a long-term perspective. Almost no objection that it should have been a critical decision to take at that time. It indeed brought the evidence that the financial market needed a shock, which unveiled some crucial problems and send a clear message to the banking system, proving that â€Å"too big to fail† companies were likely to face collapse as well, though no one would have believed this before. Many experts argue that when the government bails out a private financial institution it creates a problem called â€Å"moral hazard,† meaning that if the institution knows it will be saved, it actually has an incentive to take on more risk, not less. What do you think? Moral hazard, or, in other words, the willing of companies to act recklessly, bearing large risk exposure, has the consequential effect of distorting competition, thus mitigating risk perception and allowing excessive risk-taking, which is ultimately transferred from financial institutions to the society as a whole. This had been a controversial argument , largely discussed in the light of the financial crisis of 2008. The core of the debate was to what extent did moral hazard caused the crisis, and to what extent did government’s guarantees of rescuing perpetuated an hazardous behavior among market players. The moral-hazard argument is not only due to eventual interventions from governments, but is increasingly being considered by expertise as an inner element of a company’s strategic policy, drawing the shape of the decision making process in the interest of the company itself. However, corporate decisions are rather made in the interests of individuals than for the company as a whole, which causes a loose the connection between those interests and the company’s long-term health assumption. The possibility to gain short term benefits, at a relatively low cost, leads to reckless behavior regardless of eventual bails out from governments, with long term costs that hardly find responsibles to pay them back. One key factor is indeed limited liability, which allows investors and executives, ultimately liable for companies’ decisions, to enjoy the benefits of their risk-taking, while eventually limiting their exposure. The Government is responsible for contrasting moral hazard practices and maintaining investors’ confidence in the stability of both financial and economic activity, ensuring that the system don’t suddenly shut down in a panic. It can happen that, indeed, the expectation of further intervention from regulators and politicians may be an incentive for hazardous practices itself. However, moral hazard is an intrinsic disease of corporate strategies, thus of the financial market, whose antidote only relatively depends on government rescuing hand upon financial institutions. References James K Glassman ,The Hazard Of Moral Hazard. Commentary. New York: Sep 2009. Vol. 128, Iss. 2; Pg. 28, 5 Pgs James Surowiecki ,Hazardous Materials; The Financial Page. The New Yorker. New York: Feb 9, 2009. Vol. 85, Iss. 1; Pg. 40 John M. Berry, When Too Big To Fail Gets Too Chaotic To Manage,The Fiscal Times, May 10, 2010

Essay Sample on Separation of Church and State

Essay Sample on Separation of Church and State Free sample essay on Separation of Church and State: In 1789, the First Amendment established that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This meant the Federal and State Governments could not be partial or show support for any certain denomination or religious organization. One example being the nation’s early attachment to the Church of England. Three years after this amendment was written, it was ratified by the states of the union. James Madison, also referred to as the â€Å"Father of the Constitution†, was greatly worried about the church’s influence on the Federal Government. He once voiced his concern in 1785 when Patrick Henry proposed a bill requiring all citizens in the state of Virginia to pay a tax that would support religion with each taxpayer being able to choose which church they would like to support. Those non-religious individuals would pay a tax that helped fund secular education. To show his disapproval concerning this bill, Madison wrote and published â€Å"Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments† and used several logical, realistic, and even clever analogies and comparisons in his essay to support his views. This essay, which gave sound arguments to maintain the separation of church and state proved to be a good weapon against Patrick Henry’s persuasive oration and prevented any advances from being made concerning the union of church and state. The few constitutional religious references concerning the federal government such as â€Å"In God We Trust† and â€Å"†¦one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.† are considered constitutional because they were accepted by our founding fathers and written into the constitution. Also, the public is not required or forced to know, recite, or respect these phrases. Even though the separation of church and state is understood and respected in the United States; infringements on this amendment are still taking place today. Some examples being the displaying of nativity scenes, crosses, and other religious insignia in, outside, or on the premises of state or federal government buildings. The public opinion concerning the separation of church and state is fairly evenly divided and differs from region to region. Most people in small, rural communities are against the separation of church and state while those in more densely populated areas favor the separation and believe that the church should not be involved in governmental affairs. Religious displays and references are rarely seen in federal buildings, but are often shown in state and local courthouses and other government establishments. An example of this would be a district judge in Alabama beginning his court sessions with a prayer and his refusal to remove the Ten Commandments displayed on the wall in his courtroom. The judge’s views were shared not only by the community, but by the entire state as a whole and the governor of Alabama even went as far as to threaten to deploy the Alabama National Guard to prevent the Ten Commandments from being removed. This is in violation of the separation of church and state, but rarely much action is taken against these offenses. In the public school system, the separation of church and state is strictly enforced although events of a religious nature on school grounds are not entirely prohibited. Students are allowed and welcome to participate in a range of activities as long as their actions do not disrupt, influence, or pressure other students. Private, silent prayers at the lunch table and students gathering around the flagpole for a group prayer if done so voluntarily are completely acceptable. On the contrary, group prayers said by athletes and lead by the team coach are not allowed. The constitution clearly specifies that facilitators must never push religious views on students but instead promote unity amongst students of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. Students should be sensitive of other’s views and beliefs and not try to pressure or belittle individuals with view and opinions unlike their own. Often times religious references and practices are present in public schools and usually both facilitators and fellow students are unaware of how certain individuals might feel toward participating in that particular activity. For example, many songs sang by high school choirs are spirituals that contain themes of heavenly deliverance and salvation. Some students might not believe in these ideas but are forced to participate due to either peer pressure, the threat of a failing grade, or public humiliation or ridicule from the teacher and other students. This scenario is rarely seen but both facilitators and students should be informed and educated to prevent such cases from ever happening. In my opinion, I believe that church should be separate from state. I feel strongly about my faith and have deeply rooted Christian beliefs; but also feel that our faith should not influence our government and schools. Not everyone in government and not all who attend public schools share the same religious beliefs. It is not fair to those who have different views to be forced to accept the views of others. The United States is rich in culture due to the diverse people who inhabit the country. Every American is different and being asked to conform to a single religion would lessen our individuality and make our culture less unique. America should be for all Americans, not just Christian Americans. Also, the men and women who founded this country did so in the name of freedom from religious persecution and we should do our best to keep it that way. After the devastation of September 11th, the country was in a time of crisis and need to be unified more than ever. Having common religious views might have actually strengthened the country and this was evident by the words â€Å"In God We Trust† on every marquee and the many paintings, pictures, posters, and many other religious depictions concerning September 11th. According to the First Amendment, all government buildings are prohibited from displaying such forms of expression. Also, it states that individuals associated with the government should refrain from openly supporting these forms of expression. President Bush often makes religious references, but he has the same basic rights of every citizen and is able to openly express his views and opinions. A common religion supported by the government could possibly help bring our nation together; but a strong, unbiased government is the key to a successful, productive nation. I fell that the common bond all Americans should share is that fact that we are all Americans. No matter our ethnic or religious background.