Actual Outcomes of Paris Peace Conference Essay

Down and out in Paris and London is the work of an elite author by name George Orwell which was published in 1933. It explains in two parts, the subject of poverty about two cities. It gives an account of his survival in Paris and his experience as a casual laborer. In his second part he tells of his life in London. This he uses the viewpoint of a tramp and what accommodation is available. This book so compelling as it is written in a way that it gives a personal touch as Orwell tells of his opinions. George Orwell visualizes how poverty can pull people together as they try to find a solution to their predicaments. He gives a picture of how people in need and of course the peasant’s takes friendship seriously. Coming together is the only way to get a solution for their almost similar issues. George Orwell in his writings addresses the needs of the poor and their issues but he uses his experience to show that poverty is not permanent. Orwell life in the streets taught him that it’s not everybody in the street that is lazy but it’s just that their hard work is hardly rewarded. One can have beautiful plans but he never knows what lies ahead. See more:  Capital budgeting essay His efforts for the first year only brought him twenty pounds and just as he had plans to save and maybe redeem himself an obstacle in form of a thief shattered his dreams. The poor have a way of sticking together and are easily moved by the experiences of the others. Orwell never became a radical but rather he took an outside position, as he probed into the environment of the workers and the poor. He was skeptical of the working class capacity in politics. Though he emphasized of middle class failure to mingle with the working class, he had a kinship attraction to the working class. He was in love with their culture and defended them as decent people defied by economic factors. Orwell is criticized for putting more emphases on confidential social characteristics as preferred to the material discrepancies and conflicts among the labor and the owners of capital. He imagined the common people still lived lives of absolute morals and bad from which intellectuals had escaped long ago. Orwell rejects anti-essentialist pattern. This leads him to a suspicion that the intelligentsia never sought to mingle with the working class but rather to overrun them. Orwell appreciates the low housing values like tactless, stupid, sexist humor, and bawdiness not for what it represents but for what it is. He hails beer and those who take it. He legitimizes the culture of the working class that is the racist and sexist themes. Their loyalty to guns and capital punishment must not be marked as impacts of alienation but can be made regal by the culture. The middle class have had a lot of feedback from Orwell as ties to identify with the working class. The great depression was a serious economic crisis between 1929 and 1933. It led to so many people loosing their jobs and even the farmers were not spared. Businesses went bankrupt and industries were incapacitated. In his book down and out in Paris and London, George Orwell tells of his experience in while living with the unemployed and the miners. However, the most significant thing between the Great depression and George Orwell, is that this is when he was â€Å"born†. Just to give an insight, a child Eric Blair was born to a family of British middle class in 1903 in India. In his child hood, he had experienced the good side of the British empire and had the best education. Blair’s future seemed bright and naturally he was expected to follow in his dad’s footstep. Thus in 1922, he linked up with the imperial police who were stationed in Burma. However, Blair had gotten his suspicion for the ruling class and their unlawful authority as he was undergoing education in Eton. After working for five years, his conscious could not stand the oppression and exploitation in Burma. Thus he returned back to Britain influenced to be anti- imperialist. Upon his return, he was obviously not taking sides with the rule of the day and thus, to avoid bringing shame to his family, he was reborn through a change of name to George Orwell. His rebirth was marked by the documentations he wrote outlining the poor and the working class oppression. Among these documentaries was the book Down and Out in Paris and London 1933. The book Down and out in Paris and London has great connections with the history of Europe. First the writer gives a candid experience of the lives of the working class in London and in Paris. These cities are in Europe and thus a rather raw picture of Europe during the depression which has a great mark in European history is painted. The book literally talks more of the European history but in other words. The casual houses or the spikes are terms synonymous with the European world. It is in this book that George fighting in the Spanish war for the republicans during the Second World War. Some of these experiences are what we learn in the European history but they sound more convincing when they come from a man who really had an upper hand as they happened. In conclusion This book is a perfect picture of the specific historical details about the political and economic circumstances of Europe in the 1920s and early 1930s. Orwell describes poverty as he saw it and experienced it. It is brutal, debilitating, full of suffering and demeaning to the core of one’s being. It was almost impossible for George to publish his book. It is disputed as to whether the original publication really came to see the light of the day. Many publishers could not agree to publish George’s book as the reality covered in it was really a sore to the authorities. The authorities could agree to face the reality that some of its people in the lower levels were being mistreated. They would rather stick to their belief that it was out of their own fault that they had to lead so miserable live. George had a tough time trying to convince that the lower class was decent people facing economic obstacles. The empathy exhibited by George was vey touchy. Some pessimistic argue the fact whether George was merely taking journalistic adventure. However, we get to learn the virtue of empathy in its essence.

Homeostasis and Pain Management in Patient with Multisystem Failure Essay

A. Assessment of Patient The assessment of Mrs. Baker should include vital signs including pulse oximetry. Given her difficulty in breathing, lung sounds should be auscultated. Because she is on two different medications that could affect blood pressure, lisinopril and hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), hypotension could be one cause of her collapsing. In addition to vital signs, decreased peripheral pulses and capillary refill can also be indicators of hypotension. Also, because HCTZ is a diuretic, dehydration should be considered. Since she was in her backyard when she collapsed, it could be that she was doing yard work. Thus, it is important to know what she was doing before she collapsed. The outside temperature and whether Mrs. Baker became overheated or drank enough fluids could be useful factors in assessing her fluid-electrolyte balance. Serum electrolyte levels and vital signs should be taken, and color and skin turgor should be assessed. Dehydration could also contribute to hypotension. Mrs. Baker should be placed on a cardiac monitor and an EKG obtained to rule out any dysrhythmias. Given Mrs. Baker’s respiratory symptoms and her history of hypertension and diabetes (which are the two biggest risk factors for congestive heart failure), a chest x-ray should be done. Arterial blood gases could assist in further assessing her oxygenation, as well as acid-base balance. Also, since Mrs. Baker is a diabetic, a blood glucose level should be done, since hypoglycemia could be a cause of her mental status changes. When Mrs. Baker is alert, pain can be assessed through a verbal â€Å"numbers† scale, or a â€Å"faces† scale if she is mildly confused. When she becomes unresponsive, non-verbal indicators of discomfort should be observed, such as muscle tension, grimace, and grunting. B. Technological Tools A stethoscope is an essential assessment tool. It is needed to assess breath sounds, heart sounds, and perhaps assist in taking the blood pressure. A stethoscope works by amplifying internal sounds through a diaphragm and transmitting them through a hollow tube to the earpieces. (Schunk, p. 1) The sounds can be interpreted by a skilled assessor and used to make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment. In Mrs. Baker’s case, it would be extremely important to listen to her lung sounds to determine if there are changes associated with atelectasis, or more likely, to assess for fluid sounds in the lungs, which would be an indicator of congestive heart failure. If a manual blood pressure measurement is being taken, the stethoscope would also be essential to listening for restored peripheral blood flow as the pressure in the cuff is being released. The benefit of a stethoscope is that it is a simple tool that can be used to easily obtain an initial assessment of a patient’s breath sounds while waiting on more complicated assessments, such as blood gases and chest x-rays. If a manual blood pressure cuff is not available, blood pressure will probably be obtained using an electronic blood pressure device such as a Dinamap. A blood pressure measurement, as well as other vital signs, would be key in determining whether Mrs. Baker was suffering from hypotension related to her new medication, lisinopril. A manual blood pressure cuff has the benefit of being more accurate at extremely high or extremely low pressures, while an electronic device, such as a Dinamap, can be set to automatically check blood pressure at regular intervals. Many cardiac monitors also have blood pressure capabilities built in, so that may be an option for obtaining blood pressure. A cardiac monitor would be used for Mrs. Baker to watch for arrhythmias, which could be caused by lisinopril, or be another sign of congestive heart failure or an acute myocardial infarction. Mrs. Baker has a history of hypertension and diabetes, which are the two greatest risk factors for heart disease. An electrocardiogram (EKG) would be useful for diagnosing heart disease or damage as well. A cardiac monitor is essential in continuous monitoring of the patient, but a 12 lead EKG has the benefit of being able to better pinpoint the specific areas of the heart that are affected or damaged. Blood sugar can be obtained from a drop of blood with a glucometer such as One Touch, or it may be obtained along with the serum chemistry and electrolyte analyses from the lab. A glucometer is a quick and easy way of determining the blood glucose level. Mrs. Baker is a diabetic, and is on an antidiabetic drug, Metformin. Her change in mental status could be due to low blood sugar. This would be easily diagnosed with a glucometer, and easily treated with IV glucose, so it should be one of the first assessments made. A glucometer has the benefit of being a quicker and easier way to obtain a blood sugar level, while a serum glucose may be more accurate at extremely high or low levels. Pulse oximetry can be done with a dedicated pulse oximeter, or it may also be built in to the capabilities of the cardiac monitor. Since Mrs. Baker is suffering from respiratory difficulty, it is essential to find out her blood oxygen saturation level. An arterial blood gas would not only be helpful in giving a more precise measurement of arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide, it would also give useful information about the pH of her blood and the bicarbonate level. Pulse oximetry has the benefit of alerting caregivers to acute changes in blood oxygenation level, while arterial blood gases gives a more detailed picture of the of the state of gas exchange in the lungs Serum electrolytes would be measured by the laboratory. These would be helpful in diagnosing dehydration and/or kidney function. Electrolytes are also essential in cardiac function. In fact, serum electrolytes are a good overall way to assess homeostasis in a patient. A radiographer will use an X-ray machine to obtain the chest x-ray, either in the radiology department, or will use a portable model. A chest x-ray is another way to assess respiratory function. A chest x-ray could show fluid in the lungs, as well as atelectasis or infiltrate. It would also show cardiomegaly, which is another indicator of congestive heart failure. A portable chest x-ray would be beneficial, as it would not require Mrs. Baker to be taken from the emergency department. Finally, if Mrs. Baker has been a patient at this facility before, the Electronic Medical Record can make it easy to find information on her past medical history. This is an improvement over medical records of years past, which usually had to be located in extensive file cabinets or even on microfiche. Sometimes these records were lost or misfiled. Electronic Medical Records are usually easy to locate. C. Data Collection Prioritization Vital signs, pulse oximetry, and a visual assessment should always be the first assessments performed on a patient. The severity of the vital signs will determine whether emergency life-support interventions need to be initiated at once, and will give the caregivers clues to what needs to be looked at next. Since hypoglycemia is an emergency situation, a finger-stick blood sugar should be the next assessment formed. And since Mrs. Baker is having respiratory difficulty, breath sounds should be assessed as soon as possible to determine what measures need to be taken to insure adequate ventilation. Lab work, x-rays, and other tests should be done after the initial assessments, since the results will take longer to obtain. D. Pain Assessment Comparison In alert and oriented patients with no cognitive impairments, the best way to measure pain is to use the â€Å"numbers† scale. Using this scale, you have the patient rate their pain on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being no pain, and 10 being the worst pain they can imagine. Pain is subjective, meaning that it can only be judged by the person in pain, and not by an observing party. The numbers scale gives an easy way for a person to tell her nurse the level of her pain, and to judge how much it is relieved by interventions. A geriatric patient who is alert but has mild cognitive impairments may be confused by numbers, but can be given the Wong Baker faces pain scale to help to measure their pain in the same way as the numbers scale. A patient who is not alert or who is unconscious is obviously not going to be able to describe her pain to her caregiver. In this case, the caregiver will have to observe the patient for non-verbal signs of discomfort. These include grimace, muscle tension, increase heart rate, respirations, or blood pressure, and moaning or grunting. E. Pain Management If Mrs. Baker was not alert enough to respond to questions but was showing signs of pain, and given the standing orders of acetaminophen or morphine, I would elect to give the patient morphine. The patient is not alert enough to take any medication by mouth, and an oral medication will take longer to work. Intravenous Morphine works very quickly, and may decrease the work of breathing in patients with congestive heart failure. The caregiver should reassess the patient’s pain after giving any pain medications. In the case of a non-alert patient, the caregiver would look for signs such as stabilization of vital signs and muscle relaxation. I have learned that the geriatric patient has a decrease in physiologic reserve, and therefore there is a shorter time between changes in homeostasis and a state of shock. Because of this, when an elderly patient is showing signs of distress, assessment and interventions should be done quickly to improve outcome. I also learned that an elderly patient may live their everyday life with a certain level of chronic pain, so when they complain of acute pain, it should be taken seriously and treated promptly. F. Team Members Mrs. Elli Baker may have been assessed initially by an EMT or paramedic, if emergency medical services had been called to transport her to the emergency room. Upon arrival, she would have been assessed by a nurse, and at the same time or shortly thereafter, the emergency room physician. The nurse would have obtained vital signs, applied the cardiac monitor, and obtained the finger stick blood sugar, while the physician would have given an initial set of orders. A respiratory therapist would have probably been called, given her respiratory difficulties, and an EKG technician would have been called to do an electrocardiogram. Labs may have been drawn by a phlebotomist or a nurse, and the arterial blood gases would have been obtained by the respiratory therapist or a phlebotomist, depending on the facility’s policy. Finally, a radiology technician would have performed the chest x-ray. When the nurse noticed that Mrs. Baker became unresponsive and started having more difficulty breathing, she would have notified the physician of the changes and called any necessary support staff to assist with Mrs. Baker’s immediate care.

Steve Jobs Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Steve Jobs - Research Paper Example Jobs was smart but lacked vision and direction and hence he experimented with various pursuits before teaming up with Steve Wozniak in 1976 and therefore invented one of the first personal computers (Elliot & Simon, 2011). In addition, Steve Jobs was again a smart businessperson and therefore became a multimillionaire before attaining thirty years of age. Steve Jobs formed NeXT computers in 1984. He later purchased the division of computer graphics of Lucas film Ltd in 1986 and then started Pixar Animation Studios (Quinn & Tayal, 2012). Steve Jobs together with Steve Wozniak, who was the main designer, co-invented the Apple I and Apple II computers and others. The first line of personal computers that was noted as commercially successful is Apple II (Blumenthal, 2012). Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and others, in 1984, co-invented the Apple Macintosh computer, which was again the first successful personal computer that had a graphic user that is mouse-driven (Isaacson, 2011). From the above introduction it is evident that Steve jobs is one of the people who came up with innovations that changed the world in one way or another. Due to his influence music industries and mostly in the technology, he received several honors and public recognitions. He has been therefore referred to with numerous titles, according to Young, 1998, such as "legendary", a "futurist" and a "visionary" person, and has also been described as the "Father of the Digital Revolution", a "master of innovation", "the master evangelist of the digital ag e" and a "design perfectionist"(Blumenthal, 2012). He was born to two University of Wisconsin graduate students, Abdulfattah "John" Jandali and, Joanne Schieble, who was later known as Joanne Simpson on 24th February, 1955, in San Francisco, California (Isaacson, 2011). His parents gave him up for adoption and was therefore adopted and raised by Paul jobs and Clara who named him Steven Paul Jobs. Paul was

Tate & Lyle Sugar to Be Fair-Trade Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 15

Tate & Lyle Sugar to Be Fair-Trade - Case Study Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that during the growth stages of a product, the product manufacturers should focus more on devising specific strategies for maintaining growth. During this stage; â€Å"more competitors will enter the market, companies increase the number of product offerings in order to differentiate themselves from competitors, the prices may begin to fall and the emphasis may shift from moderate to heavy advertising and promotion activities†(Planning: Middle Growth Stage, 2010). Tate & Lyle’s product Granulated white sugar is in the growth stage of its product life cycle and hence it may severe completion from the market as more and more competitors may enter the market for reaping the profit. It is difficult for Tate & Lyle to sell their product for a higher price even though the sales volume and public awareness may increase.  Tate & Lyle needs to elaborate on their distribution or logistics channels in order to reach more remote customer s during the growth stage of their product, Granulated white sugar. Moreover, the expenditure on promotional activities and advertising should be increased in order to tackle the efforts of competitors. Even though the sales of Granulated white sugar may increase during the growth stage, the expenditure for maintaining the growth phase would be more than any other stages of the entire life cycle of the product.

The purpose of food protection and safety Research Paper

The purpose of food protection and safety - Research Paper Example This has been taking root in developing countries due to parasite stimulated food borne illnesses, and presence of many industries that lead to emission of chemical into water sources contributing to the high level of food borne diseases. These factors have led to the formation of rules relating to food protection, and tribal and local agencies to inspect and oversee food establishment, to ensure food protection. The purpose of food protection is essentially to control the number of patients who undergo diagnostics related to poor food protection. This has been through the introduction of models of the food code, program evaluation and scientifically-based guidance. This is in regard to a study carried out by Knechtges (2012). The aim of this food protection strategy is to ensure that people are productive, rather than getting ill from food related health complications, which retards national development. Food protection is purposeful to ensure that there is no burden on communities and their health systems. This is because food contamination leads to a colossal economic and social burden on the people who suffer from the complication and those that care for the sick. This is because – according to a research study by NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Advances in Food Security and Safety against Terrorist Threats and Natural Disasters & Hefnawy (2011) – there is an indication that thirty five billion US dollars were set to cater for medical costs thus causing loss of productivity. Food protection has also to protect the reputation of a nation. This is because illnesses arising from food contamination like cholera and typhoid demean a country in that; it cannot protect its nationalities from food related diseases, hence the country cannot be helpful in terms of regional cooperation and exchanges (Thomasson, 2009). This is due to the suspicion that the foods they sell are not pure. Food protection through biotechnology measures such as crop

Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family - Essay Example The alcohol that is carried from the mother into the placenta reaches the baby inside the womb thereby introducing the mother to the risk of giving birth to a baby with "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or FAS" (Parsons). According to Parsons, babies born with FAS have "deformities in the brain and skull" and are "physically shorter and underweight compared to normal babies." Apart from this, they have "difficulties in learning, attention span, judgment, memory, problem-solving" (Parsons), and usually exhibit behavior problems. These physical and behavioral limitations are carried over to adulthood leading to difficulties in relationship establishment and making these affected children socially impaired and incompetent to live a normal existence. In physically healthy children of alcoholics, "learning disorders, behavioral problems and emotional disturbance" (Burge & Schneider) are apparent. According to G. Berger, many of them have "low self-esteem" and carry feelings of "loneliness, guilt, helplessness, fears of abandonment and chronic depression" (qtd. in Parsons). These children's ability to read and learn slows down as alcoholic parents neglect their important role in the family. Moreover, as the home becomes a venue for conflict due to constant arguments about the issue of excessive drinking, the home becomes no longer conducive to study and learning. According to Ferguson, as performance in the school gets adversely affected, children experience problems academically and have "difficulty establishing relationships with teachers and classmates" (Parsons) thereby resulting to feelings of inadequacy and isolation. Other children manifest "behavioral problems [such as] lying, stealing, fighting, and truancy" (Parsons). This is mainly due to the "extremely unstable home environment" (Parsons) they live in. As children "can not predict the behaviour of the problem drinker" (Walker) in the family or know not what to expect from an alcoholic parent, they develop erratic behaviors and become unpredictable themselves (Parsons). On Marriage The attitude of the problem drinker negatively alters as the dependence on alcohol increases. According to Burge and Schneider, excessive alcohol use does not only lead to clinically significant physical impairment as the drinker's health deteriorates, it also leads to distress as the family gets exposed to common scenarios among alcoholic families such as car accidents due to intoxication or arrests for alcohol-related violations or misconducts (Burge & Schneider). These situations more often than not trigger arguments between spouses and other family members about the risk of intoxication that result to domestic tension. As the alcoholic individual fails to fulfill major obligations at work, relationship between spouses gets affected. For instance, "repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use" (Burge & Schneider) leads to inefficiency and eventual job loss. Unemployment then leads to "financial difficulties" (Parsons) which is another formidable domestic issue that couples deal with on a regular basis. Liquor addiction also makes the alcoholic parent neglectful of children or household. Feelings of "hatred and self-pity" (Parsons) thrive as the nonalcoholic spouse feels

To be Determined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

To be Determined - Essay Example The kradin is the soul-name, which gives the person his/her spiritual identity whereas the cultural or physiological identity is known as Abusuakuw and Abatumm (Afuraka Afuraitkait). The belief surrounding the kradin however is more common in other cultures such as the Akan than amongst the Swahili. The Swahili group is one of Africa’s largest. It is derived from the Bantu group but was later heavily influenced by the Arab culture and language, and the Islamic religion. It actually comprises of a number of sub-ethnic groups of which there are many. The Swahili speaking region of East Africa comprises of the following countries in which Swahilis can be found in significant numbers: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. In addition, the region â€Å"also extends into southern Somalia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, and parts of northern Mozambique and the Comoros Islands† (African Studies Center). The language (Ki-Swahili), a Bantu language, is spoken by the Swahili people but also functions as a widely used lingua franca. Thus, â€Å"it embraces diverse life styles, economic and aesthetic practices, religions and ideologies† (ibid) although our focus is on the ethnic Swahili group. The population numbers for the main five Swahili countries are given below based on figures provided by the Population Reference Bureau for mid-2008 and rounded to the nearest 100,000, Amongst these wider populations, the ethnic Swahilis live alongside other ethnic groups such as the Maasai, Mijikenda, and Turkana. Most et hnic Swahilis are Muslims. In the video ‘Rites of Passage’ by Mary Ann Watson and Suki Montgomery, Athnam Lali Omar describes the traditional naming ceremony in Swahili culture based on indications at Gede, a ruined village occupied between the twelth and seventeeth centuries. After birth, the baby was protected and kept in

Psychogeography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Psychogeography - Essay Example In some cases, psychogeography is also concern on how the environment could influence how a person thinks (Prescott-Steed, 2013, p. 46). The study of psychogeography is significant in the profession of engineers and architects. Specifically the common elements associated with the study of psychogeography include: cultural and social critique, marginalized urban experiences, past experiences, re-enchantment of cityscape, space, spatial history, trauma, and walking. In relation to the common elements of psychogeography, this report aims to critically analyze and compare the context of Alan Bennet’s â€Å"A life like other people† (2009) with Matt Condon’s â€Å"Brisbane† (2010). Psychogeographic Comparison between the Text Written by Bennett (2009) and Condon (2010) In relation to the elements of psychogeography, there are similarities in the context of extracts take from the works of Bennett (2009) and Condon (2010). One of the most obvious similarities bet ween these two context is that the past experiences, regardless of whether or not the said experience is traumatic or a happy event a person has on a specific place, can last for a lifetime. For instance, Bennett (2009) mentoned that after so many years, he remembered a man who drowned in a canal situated close to the university boathouse at Calverley. This particular event has created a negative experience for Bennett. Bennett (2009) also remembered the hill that runs down to Rodley, the canal that runs parallel the railway, and in between the canal and the railway runs the Aire river. All these fixed environmental features brought back some old memories to Bennett. At the age of 20, Condon (2010) left Brisbane – the place where he was born. After 47 long years, Condon (2010) decided to go back to his hometown again. He live in the same house which is situated hundreds of metres away from the ponds. Condon mentioned that he remembered or at least he was able to imagine his c hildhood days within the same geographic area. Despite all the significant changes that took place within the same environment (i.e. the presence of computer stores, tanning salons, office buildings, and the bitumen road), Condon (2010) felt that nothing much has significantly changed due to the fact that the river, hills, and gullies are still situated in the same place. Basically, these two (2) entirely different scenarios clearly strongly suggest that the act of going back to the same geographic environment, regardless of the changes that took place in the city, could bring out the same old memories and/or the same old feeling each person had while staying in the same place. Change is the only thing that is constant in this world. In relation to the concept of urbanization, psychogeography is commonly used in the process of enabling human beings to change the urban life (Coverley, Psychogeography, 2010, p. 10). Within this context, psychogeographers usually aim to examine the imp act of different ambience of urban places on the feelings, emotions, mental stability, and socializing behaviour of people (Del Casino et al., 2011, p. 285; Prescott-Steed, 2013, p. 46). This further explains why most of the modern architects today are carefully analyzing how light can significantly affect positive ambience in space when creating a new architectural design (Knabb, 2007, p. 4). Re-enchantment of the cityscape is another

Adventures as an Exchange Student in Germany Essay Example for Free

Adventures as an Exchange Student in Germany Essay Deliberately placing yourself outside of your comfort zone will do one of two things; make you into a stronger better person, or cause you to shutdown and not accomplish the task at hand. While most high school juniors spend their year studying, excelling in sports, hanging out with friends, and thinking about colleges, I pushed my boundaries and embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. No, I did not go skydiving or join the US National Volleyball Team. I accepted the challenge of the Congress Bundestag Scholarship program to spend a year in Germany living, learning, and experiencing life in another land. The life skills and memories that I acquired in the past twelve months have put me a step ahead of my peers and shown me that if I put my mind to it, anything is possible. In October 2002 as I was sitting in my first year German class, my teacher recommended that I apply for what she called the prestigious Congress Bundestag Scholarship to spend a year in Germany. Taking into consideration that I would have to leave everything I had going for me behind, made me a little leery of the idea. However, when I realized what an honor and opportunity it was to take part in an exchange, the mounds of paperwork seemed to shrink into a small homework assignment with a twist. After the final interview, reality hit me. I might actually spend a year in Germany! Along with the excitement came the panic: I cant actually speak German. What should I pack? How do I say goodbye to everyone? What if I get homesick? Do the Germans really only shower once a week? These questions all came at once, and no matter how much I searched, the only answers I could find told me to wait and see. Before I knew it, I was boarding a 737 an route to Frankfurt with 60 of my new best friends who, like me had the courage to enter into the unknown and spend a year in Germany. It was this group of teenagers that I spent a month in language camp with trying to learn the basics about German life and culture. We were like infants who had to do 18 years of growing up in 30 days. We worked together trying to learn the basics such as learning to eat and trying to work a toilet; to understanding the most complicated issues such as diplomacy, political debate, and how to be an ambassador for America. During this time, I grew as a person, learning empathy for those  who were homesick and becoming open minded to people and activities that to me were not the norm or routine. Little did I know, these kids would be my lifelines in times of need. They could always relate to what I was experiencing, and they were also flying on the roller coaster of emotions. When the time came to leave my new friends and move on, I was extremely excited to immerse myself into the German culture. The language, a new school, new friends, and a new family seemed like a dream come true, but in reality it turned into a nightmare. When my host family picked me up, we had a three-hour ride home. Make that a SILENT three hours without air conditioning and five people plus four suitcases crammed into a small Passat. At home, we unloaded the car and I went to see my new room. As I looked out of my window something white and black caught my eye, whoa cows less than ten feet from my window. I could not believe it, my organization said I would live in the country, but I did not realize that the next closest town was an hour away. As my stress level hit a high, my new host mom put me over the edge. She began to unpack my suitcases that were filled with unwrapped gifts for her and the family. It was at that point that I counted to ten and reminded myself that it was a different culture, and possibly that was one of their customs. The only problem was, my German skills were not good enough to politely ask her to stop. So she continued and I smiled and hoped my rocky start would smooth into a healthy open relationship. Three weeks later, I was getting into the swing of things. Going to school, riding my bike and the bus, making friends, and yes getting used to the smell of cows. I was adapting well, being responsible and beginning to understand the German spoken in school. I had gone beyond everyone elses expectations and mine. Life was good, even though the Germans only showered twice a week. After the honeymoon phase was over, my host mother turned on me. She thought I was being disrespectful and not telling the truth, where as the problem was that I couldnt fully understand what she was saying, causing a lack in  communication between us. When I realized this, I worked extra hard to regain her trust and persevere through what I perceived as a small bump in the road. When things worsened and I could no longer adapt to the situation, my community representative intervened and placed me with a new family. Even though my first host family was a challenge, the experience showed my true character. In the face of adversity, I was able to handle myself maturely and attempt to find a solution to the problem. It was not a failure by any means, but an opportunity to grow. Not only did I develop in times of trial and hardship, but I learned just as much in a nurturing situation. During the last six months of my stay in Germany I stayed with a truly wonderful family. I was treated as an adult, and I assumed full responsibility for myself. My host parents generosity of welcoming me into their heart and home made me appreciative of all I had accomplished in the last year, and encouraged me to give back. Through this pattern of giving and receiving I gained a sense of compassion and consideration for others. I surrounded my self with positive people which in turn brightened my spirits and reminded me that when the going gets tough an optimistic attitude can make a world of difference. When I boarded the plane at the end of my year there were only 52 of the original 60 students who completed the program. My commitment and perseverance helped me overcome adversity and succeed in a situation where the odds were against me. Not only did I accomplish the task at hand, but I had the time of my life while doing it. The rewards of spending a year abroad are endless, but I was most affected in a few ways. I learned compassion and acceptance first hand by being treated by others with kindness when I was down. I have become accountable beyond my age by being entrusted with responsibilities that are typically given to a person 22 and over. Now as I move on, I am better prepared for what awaits me. I have a whole new set of life skills and memories to keep in my quiver and use when called on. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone was the best thing I could have done, I was up to the challenge and I passed with flying colors.

Artemis Temple Essay Example for Free

Artemis Temple Essay She presided over the transition of a woman from virgin (parthenos) to married woman (gyne) and protected the virginity of those who were unmarried or wished to remain virgins (2). Artemis also oversaw marriage, childbirth and assisted with child-rearing (3). Virginity was especially emphasized in the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus: only virgins and men were allowed access and married or sexually active women were excluded under penalty of death. Artemis is commonly regarded as a fertility goddess, mostly because of the multitude of ‘breasts’ that cover her cult image (4). This essay will discuss three aspects of the Ancient Temple of Artemis, the style, the restoration of its architecture and its importance. The temple of Artemis was built around 550 BC and was the first temple to be entirely of marble and the largest temple ever built. The temple was financed by the wealthy king of Lydia and was designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron. Marshy ground was selected for the building site as a precaution against future earthquakes. The foundation was laid on a bed of packed charcoal and sheepskins, the column drums and architraves moved from the quarry, relates Vitruvius, by fitting them with large wheels and then, like rolling axles, having them pulled by oxen (5). It resembles the classical Greek temple: a stoic rectangular structure with mighty columns (6). The temple measured 350 by 180 feet and from the outside, its most striking feature was its more than 100 marble columns. Since it was built in the Ionic architectural style, the columns were decorated with sculptural reliefs at their bases and rosettes in their capitals (7). There were two rows of columns stretched across the front of the temple, standing about 21 feet apart and extending from the front to the back of the temple at 17 feet apart. The door in the pediment along with two windows was intended for Artemis own use (8). Inside the temple was the statue of Artemis herself, which was built from gold, silver, ebony and other stones. The temple brought in merchants, kings, and sightseers, many of donated jewellery and other treasures to Artemis and her temple. Its splendor also attracted many worshipers and pilgrims, strengthening the cult of Artemis (9). Since she was an influential figure, her fame went higher as soon as her temple was built. The Temple of Artemis was a very famous and attracted visitor from far and near. Its purpose was both a religious institution and market place. The market place itself had small models of the temple and its goddess Artemis for the fellow tourists as souvenirs to take with them. The columns at the front were decorated with intricate sculptures. It was built to honor Artemis as inside the temple was an inner room called the sanctuary that housed  a magnificent statue of the goddess. The temple was destroyed and rebuilt several times, each time it was built more impressively than the time before it. The first time it was destroyed was on the night of July 21, 356 BC, a man named Herostratus set fire to the temple in an attempt to immortalize his name (10). It caused the roof to cave in, the columns collapsed, and the statue of the goddess crashed to the ground. After the town created a law stating whoever mentioned his name would be put to death immediately. In the following two decades the temple was restored with the help of Alexander the Great. But then again in 262 AD, the temple was destroyed by the Goths and later swamped by floods, but still the residents of Ephesus vowed to rebuild it (11). However this time it was not rebuilt due to the high construction costs. A little later the temple began to lose its importance and many people were switching to Christianity and the town was completely isolated. There were attempts made to reconstruct the temple, but so far only a couple columns have been erected upon the remaining foundation.

Effects of Counterfeit Goods on Customer Preferences

Effects of Counterfeit Goods on Customer Preferences The purpose of this research is to observe the Customer preferences of Pakistani people towards the counterfeit products in regards of fashion accessories and their purchase behavior and how does it affect the original brands. The people of Pakistan are considered to have distinctively different views towards the international brands as all of them want to use those brands but cannot afford it. Therefore they shift towards the counterfeit product of those brands. The main purpose is to see which factors play important role in shaping the customer preference, how it effect their purchase behavior and find out which factor helps the original brand in combating against counterfeit product. This research would help to understand the collaboration among counterfeit products and their respective original brand. Background: People of Pakistan are becoming more and more aware of brands due to the globalization. People are exposed to many brands and that is leading towards a trend that everyone wants to use a branded product and if they cannot afford it they switch towards the counterfeit products of that brand. Fashion industry has boomed over the years which means many different brands are introduce into the market. Pakistani youth is following fashion and brands are there to guide them. Our country has a huge power distance in the economy which means that not all of us can afford to get branded products to fulfill our need to follow fashion, therefore due to this sole reason counterfeit industry is increasing day by day. Pakistan is ranked as 44th country in total losses in net income due to counterfeit products. Total of $358 million losses in net income is recorded due to counterfeiting which shows that counterfeit industry has grown in past few years. This indicate that the purchasing behavior of the customers has shifted towards the counterfeit products rather than the original brand, but to which extend that cannot be determined. (Havoc scope, 2012) Pakistani fashion industry is rapidly grown industry with all of its commercial and cultural aspects. Interestingly, like other industries in Pakistan, Pakistan fashion industry has never seen the fall in its history. The popularity, success and liking of this huge enterprise are because of the urge of men and women to look stylish and up to dated. So it has been widely accepted, appreciated confessing the positive role of Pakistani fashion industry in raising awareness about the latest fashion among people of all classes. Certainly, Pakistan fashion industry is touching its height, striving to get more and more appreciation on international level, but on the other hand, it has to focus more on the marketing tactics (besides improving more and more) to occupy international market. (Fashion47pk, 2012) The growing menace of counterfeit products has become a serious problem for buyers and producers of fast moving consumer goods, so the countrys law enforcement agencies must acquire the ability to investigate this white-collar crime, says an expert. According to an international report about 65% of the goods being sold in the country are fake, which are harming the consumers, producers and the economy, said by a leading Intellectual Property Lawyer, who was appointed by World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to draft rules for intellectual property laws of Pakistan. (APP, 2012) Basically this research is a tentative study of Pakistani customer preference towards counterfeit products, their purchasing behavior and how does it affect the original brand, thus helping us to understand the relationship between the counterfeit products and the original brand. Chapter 1 Introduction: The purpose of this research is to understand the consumer preference criteria of the counterfeit products of the original brand. Pakistans fashion industry is growing and everyone is getting aware about the brands and the need is driven to accessorize in the daily life. Due to the social media and social networking the peer pressure is increasing and the youngster would do anything to fit in. Economic conditions of Pakistan are fluctuating due to which everyone cannot afford to buy branded accessories so they switch to counterfeit. Price is the major factor in the usage of counterfeit but the question rises that which factors contribute in developing the customer preference, customer purchasing behavior and how does they affect the original brand. Our research would be the combination of different research methods. In correlational research method we would conduct a systematic investigation of the impact of counterfeit products on the preference of customer, their purchasing behavior therefore its effect the original brand and the survey tool will be used. Experimental research method would be used to conduct the quasi experiment and double blind testing as there result would provide a conclusive result of the interdependence of the variable include in the research. In general our research would be the mixture of both qualitative and quantitative research therefore we will use the method of triangulation thus giving us a broad spectrum for finding their absolute results. In triangulation approach we will use both the technique that is the data and methodological approach because by using different methods, data sources we can counterbalance bias characteristic in a specific data source. Now coming towards the industry in which our research would be conducted and that is Fashion industry. Fashion industry is very vast; it includes cloth, make up, shoes, accessories, furniture and body piercing. Fashion industry started booming in Pakistan and the big advantage it gained was that it had the glimpse of various civilizations in it. The remarkable change in the Fashion Industry of Pakistan started with the beginning of 21st century, when the young designers tried to give a new direction to fashion in Pakistan. Our research would focus on the accessories segment of the fashion industry. Due to globalization every country is bombarded with international brands and the level of competition has gone up. Now Pakistani designers are known in international markets and many international shows feel proud to invite them, this not only improves the content of their runway, but also projects the soft image of the country as a talented young generation. In Pakistan both the domestic and international brands of this segment has created a buzz; which in result created a wave in the youth of our country. Everyone is accessorizing to fit in and using these different brands helps them to acquire a status co which would otherwise take time without these brands. Therefore our research would help us in determining the factor that drives the customer preference, the factors that control their purchasing behavior and would identify their roles which would be a set of guidelines for the original brands that will not only provides them information to combat with counterfeit but also how to avoid the process on the whole. Scope: Our research would be steered in accessories segment of fashion industry because in this segment counterfeiting is most common in our country. Our population would be the twin cities (Islamabad, Rawalpindi) because in both cities major markets the counterfeit products and original brands are coexisting. This research would be beneficial to major brands whose market share is being damaged by these counterfeit products. Objective: Our research revolves around the effect of counterfeit products on specific attributes and their impact on original brand so our objective would be: General objectives: Find out the factors that affect the perception of a brand or counterfeit products. Find out reasons for a customer purchasing behavior towards a brand or counterfeit products. Notice external factors that may take role in the relationship among counterfeit products and their respected brands. Specific objectives: Conduct a double blind test Conduct a quasi-experiment (per and post design) Arrange a focus group Research model: The model that is going to be used in this research would be a blend of elements that are affecting the major attributes. The structure of the model would start form the counterfeit products factors or aspect that are going to influence the customer. Customer main perspective that would be looked upon is their preference and their buying behavior then their effect onto the original brand. The main model would be like; This model can further be break down into smaller model explaining the processes and proving the assumed hypothesis. Definition of terms: The main terminologies used in this research can be defined as: Counterfeit Product They are the fake replicas of the original brand; it includes any product containing an unauthorized representation of a trade mark or logo. Counterfeit product tricks the customer in making them believe that they are purchasing a legitimate product as it has similarities with the original brand and they are not easily differentiated. They are created to take advantage of the established worth of the original brand and grab their market share. In general it is the practice of manufacturing goods, often of inferior quality, and selling them under a brand name without the brand owners authorization. Customer Preference It can be define as the likeness or the choice of selecting product over the other product. If a customer generally likes a product, it can stay around for years and sell millions of copies. However, if customer do not likes the product, it could disappear very quickly. Customer preference is no doubt dependent upon culture, education, and individual tastes and among a plethora of other factors. It permits the customer to rank products according to the levels of utility they give the consumer. Customer Purchasing Behavior It can be assumed as the decision process by which customer search, select, purchase, use, and dispose of goods and services, in satisfaction of their needs and wants. This behavior is driven by the cultural, social, personal and psychological factors. Since every person in the world is different, it is impossible to have simple rules that explain how purchasing decisions are made. So put it simply it comprise of how people buy, what they buy, when they buy and why they buy it. Research Question: This research would emphasis on these simple questions that are: Do counterfeit products create such a habitual buying behavior that consumers dont revert back to original brands even if they are offering better features? Determine what factors play important role in shaping customer preference with respect to counterfeit products? Determine which factors play important roles in influencing customer purchasing behavior with respect to counterfeit products? What are the factors shifting customer preference towards counterfeit goods? Effects of counterfeit product on customers who are used to buy original brands? What factors will improve the image of original brand and help in combating against counterfeit product used by different companies? Hypothesis: H0: Counterfeit products dont effect the customers who buys original brand H1: Counterfeit products does effect the costumers who buys original brand H0: Customers who are appearance conscious do not have a positive relationship with intensity to buy counterfeit product H1: Customers who are appearance conscious do have a positive relationship with intensity to buy counterfeit product H0: Counterfeit products appearance do not effect customers preference towards the original brand H1: Counterfeit products appearance do effect customers preference towards the original brand H0: The use of counterfeit product do not shift the customers preference of original brand H1: The use of counterfeit product do shift the customers preference of original brand H0: Materialism towards counterfeit product has positive influence on customer purchasing behavior H1: Materialism towards counterfeit product has negative influence on customer purchasing behavior

The Definition of Cyberpunk Essay -- Science Fiction Literary Genre Es

The Definition of Cyberpunk In Bruce Sterling's article, "Cyberpunk in the Nineties," he explained how public opinion had defined himself, Rucker, Shiner, Shirley, and Gibson as the cyberpunk "gurus" in the 1980's. Because of being labeled cyberpunk "gurus," the public had come to understand the definition of cyberpunk as "anything that cyberpunks write." To break this definition of cyberpunk established by popular public opinion, I will pursue giving cyberpunk a more definite definition. After reading numerous cyberpunk fiction stories, I noticed reoccurring themes in these stories. I believe these themes can form a criteria under which a story can be defined as cyberpunk. These criteria are total enhancement and integration of everyday life by technology, some degree of pleasure (by the author) in explaining this technology, cyber-lingo, and some degree of global connectiveness. The first criterion or theme, total enhancement and integration of everyday life by technology is probably the most obvious and vital in order for a story to be deemed cyberpunk. Why is it the most obvious and most vital? It is the most obvious because cyberpunk writers use the "everyday," that is, objects, concepts, or places we causally shrug off as normal, and integrate/enhance the normal with technology. A good example can be found in John Shirley's "Freezone." Upon entering the "Semiconductor" the scene is unusual but appears to be a everyday freak club. An occasional flare dots the audience. They have multi-colored hair that is styled straight up. In reaction to the flares and much more frequent than the flares are minimonos; they have ultra-straight hair falling down past their shoulders and uniform monochrome colored clothes. Anyway, the ... ...d projecting its evolution in the future, he is not intimidated, therefore he is able to enjoy himself in explaining this concept or technology. Furthermore, because the author is reflecting off of a society so obsessed with detail, he is obligated to present his story is such a detailed fashion. Basically, I think, that if cyberpunk fiction fulfills its purpose then the four criteria will fall naturally into place and therefore these four criteria build the backbone of the definition of cyberpunk. Works Cited Sterling, Bruce, Ed. Mirrorshades. New York: Arbor House, 1988. Cadigan, Pat. "Rock On" Shirley, John. "Freezone" Browning, Tonya, Ed. Writing About Cyberpunk. Austin: Abel's Copies, 1995. McCaffrey, Larry. Storming the Reality Studio Gibson, William. "Johnny Mnemonic" Tiptree, James Jr. "The Girl Who Was Plugged In"

Freedom of Expression Must be Upheld in America Essay -- Argumentative

Freedom of Expression Must be Upheld in America It's the amendment all United States citizens know: the first. This amendment is so huge that there is even an organization dedicated to protecting the rights guaranteed by it called the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Some people nowadays disagree with the idea that freedom of expression is guaranteed, believing only freedom of speech and religious practices are express rights given by the constitution in the first amendment, and that the term "freedom of expression" is too broad an interpretation. Art, clothing, and other forms a person uses to express themselves can be severely limited some people argue; however if they were to take a look at some of the important events in the world's history, they would see that people, if they are not given the right of freedom of expression, don't express their opinion in a pacifistic manner. The Vietnam War is a perfect example of this; it shows many different ways of freedom of expression and how, if suppressed, the can get ugly. For instance, when people were peacefully protesti...

Alternative solutions for internet censorship in Australia Essay

This report was commissioned to elaborate other alternative methods that can be used to monitor internet information in Australia without incorporating internet filtration as the Australian government proposes. The future of Australian children has been compromised by the immoral vices that the use of the internet perpetuates. Moreover, organizations, customers and innovators have also suffered from this paradigm which advocates for phishing, on-line identity theft and piracy among others. Therefore, the report advocates for the use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarians. These methods are not liable to scrutiny and criticism as they do not impede the first amendment bill of the constitution which advocates for freedom of expression among other concerns explained in the report. Furthermore, the report evaluates this range of methods and concludes that it would be ideal to implement the technology method. Introduction Advancement in technology has increased the reliance of internet as a means of entertainment and education source. It has also encompassed the education curriculum, social, economic and political activities creating both a positive and a negative impact. We have been able to succeed and are actually grateful because most of the information and technological know how can be retrieved with ease. However, our children and business enterprises have been adversely affected by the increased internet sexual harassment, privacy invasion, cyber-bullying, on-line identity theft, piracy and phishing just to mention a few in the unending list. In the event our children have developed aggressive attitudes which advocates for delinquent behaviours. On the other hand children that have experienced internet sexual harassment and bullying among others become depressed and thus are cut out from social life and its benefits. This explains the increased rates of teenage suicidal attempts in Australia (Australian Government 2007). Therefore, the government has taken a further step in an attempt of curbing this predicament by introducing mandatory internet filtration to all internet services at home, in schools and public computers used by he Australian children. The government also plans to prepare the Australian children on strategies of being responsible cyber-citizens, protecting their identity while on-line, understanding the impact of their actions on others while using the internet, responding to cyber-bulling and invasion of their privacy among other negative internet vices. To achieve this the government plans to launch education curriculum that provides first rate cyber-safety education programs and educate parents on the negative vices prevailed by the internet thus ensuring their children use the internet responsibly. Furthermore, the government plans to use the blacklist formulated by the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to ensure harmful information is not availed to the children, establish a Youth Advisory Group (YAG) to easily access information affecting children on-line and to do further research on cyber- safety issues in Australia among others (Australian Government 2007). This initiative has been met with mixed reactions as some citizens support the idea while others reject the move critically analysing it. Critics view the move as a lash to the development and welfare of the citizens in terms of internet use because internet censorship will reduce the speed of the internet, the initiative is not effective because people will still be able to access the prohibited information through the use of proxy services and web services just to mention a few. The initiative will also violate the first amendment bill which advocates for freedom of expression. The country will waste a huge sum of its capital through the implementation of this impractical solution because approximately USD 22billion of tax payers’ money will be used to implement this initiative. Furthermore, the criteria that will be used to determine the appropriate age to use the internet, the appropriateness of information on the internet and determining a comprehensive blacklist are in question. Therefore, to anal the dilemma the government is facing this report will elaborate on alternative methods of internet censorship other than internet filtration that can be used (Harvey 2009b). Alternative solutions To end the conflicts that have arisen because of the proposal of incorporating compulsory Internet Service provider (ISP) filtering in the country the government should implement other alternatives such as use of technology, political power, moral ethics and civil libertarian to implement internet censorship as outlined below. Technology The government can utilize the available technology to help implement their strategies on internet censorship rather than using internet filtration. It can establish websites that teach and warn adults and children on the dangers prevailed by the internet and how to avoid them. Alternatively it can take the initiative of funding such programs that have already being established. This method will be effective as the probability of people using the internet to access such information is high. The method is also cost effective as such initiatives have been implemented in other countries for example USA and proved to be efficient. Also the government will easily be able to avail on-line safety rules to the vicinity of children such as using passwords, meeting people met through the internet with the consent or accompaniment of parents and avoiding giving out personal information. For instance the Business Software Alliance (BSA) has enable to alert and educate e-tailers and customers on the dangers of internet such as auction site frauds, counterfeiting, identity theft and phishing among others and effective ways of preventing being victims of the above vices. BSA has established a website were they offer their learning and safe guarding tips by displaying stories from victims and tips of avoiding such incidents (Lindroth 2008). Moreover, programs that allow parents to personally regulate internet information availed to their children should be used. This will prevent the government from formulating legislations that violated constitutional rights such as freedom of speech and expression. It will also allow the development of this technology thus benefiting the country and improving the welfare of the population at large. For example US citizens have been able to enjoy the benefits of using glubble a Firefox browser plug-in that has enabled parents to create a safe browsing environment for their kids. The technology is easy to use, fast to install, helps parents to manipulate internet information at the vicinity of their children and enable their children to have the appropriate on-line experience. Furthermore, it does not limit internet information that is important to adults but harmful to children such as family planning tips. Therefore, the government should capitalize on such mechanisms by offering their support either politically or economically (Gary 2009). Political power The government is politically empowered thus has the power to control legislations and policies that regulate this country. Therefore, it should use this opportunity to formulate policies that will enable attainment of cyber-security without contradicting on legislations that had been previously formulated. For instance use of plug-ins and programs that will allow parents and public utilities where children are predominate users of the internet will increase intellectual property infringement therefore, legislations that will protect owners innovation should be stipulated allowing effective use of trade marks, patents and copyright laws among others thus expand the rights of these intellectual property holders. This will encourage innovators thus increase the variety of the advanced technology to consumers. Furthermore, it will increase the competitive nature of the economy of Australia both locally and in the world market. The government should also stipulate mechanisms that will take stern action against culprits who are caught perpetuating cyber-bulling, internet sexual harassment and stealing peoples’ identity. The government should also avail easy mechanisms for reporting vices that curb cyber-safety. This will serve as a warning to prospective culprits and thus decrease the number of such incidents. Also children will grow up morally as they will avoid practising such vices because this initiative will effectively tame them. Victims of such vices, parents, and children will willingly surrender information concerning such culprits to the relevant authority because of the assurance that effective action will be taken (Harvey 2009a). Moral ethics Most of the activities and information in the internet are morally wrong as they violate ethics and human norms. Therefore, another mechanism that can be used to increase cyber-safety is educating and guiding the population and children in particular on moral vices that can be adopted, thus enabling the adherence and respect of business, religious, social and moral ethics. For example more incidents of school children participating in social networking sites that perpetuate immoral behaviour such as pornography and prostitution are evident therefore, learning institutions should formulate policies that will effectively deal with school children that participate in such incidents and break school rules. Parents on the other hand should develop engaging relationships with their children to be able to further instil the moral principles that they learn and adopt from their school environment. Therefore, the school administration should work hand in hand with the government to clearly outline guidelines that will discipline students in regards to information availed and collected from the internet. The collation that will be formed will also help parents and the general Australian population to access such guidelines thus further perpetuate adherence to moral ethics and human norms (Madson 2005). It is quite evident that teachers nowadays use social networking sites for education purposes. Therefore, teachers should ensure that they effectively elaborate to their students how they intend to communicate to them and the necessary instructions that they should follow when logged into such sites to prevent them from accessing information that is not related to education and perpetuates immorality. Alternatively the school administration should establish websites which should be regularly monitored where teachers and students can communicate. Moreover, the learning institutions should implement educative programs that will educate the students on issues related to on-line- safety and the responsible ways of using Facebook and MySpace among others. Furthermore, policies that will effectively deal with students that perpetuate and practice cyber-bullying should be enacted. This responsibility should not only be left to the school administration and the government, other bodies such as religious institutions, public conferences and gatherings, activists and ethicist should also advocate for the adherence of moral ethics and human norms through the use of mechanisms such as safety conversation (McMahon 2008). Civil libertarian The government should also not ignore the role played by civil libertarians rather they should work hand in hand with them. This will further help them to ensure cyber-safety in Australia is emanated and thus protect the innocence and rights of children. This is because civil libertarians fight for the rights and respect of computer and network users by encouraging those involved to register with them thus regulates their activities. Therefore when formulating new legislations or changing those that already exists the government should engage such organizations thus the policies that will be formulated will be at the best interest of all stakeholders. For instance the Electronic Frontier Foundation in US provides legal assistance to companies or organizations that have out rightly been denied their constitutional rights by implementation of impractical legislations. In the event the organization promotes the US laws and allows efficient incorporation of advanced technology into the country. However, it indirectly regulates the information in the internet by offering legal support to organizations that avail useful information which is not harmful to the social being and economic welfare of the community and the country. Therefore, Australia should implement this example and follow suit as cyber-security will be enhanced while protecting and respecting the constitutional and human rights of its citizens (Swidorski 2003). Conclusion From the above facts it is quite clear that all the above principles should be implemented to effectively implement internet censorship. Each principle covers a specific area of enhancing cyber-safety in the country and among the citizens. The role that the government and politicians in general can play in the attempt of protecting Australian children from internet immoral vices without developing conflicts is outlined. However, the government also needs to work hand in hand with the school administration, teachers, parents and civil libertarians to efficiently enhance on-line security and educate Australian children on mechanisms of being responsible cyber-citizens. Also as we aim to be a world class country we will have to incorporate more sophisticated technology which is mainly attained from the reliance of the internet therefore, this subject should be researched regularly to enable formulation of policies that are relevant to the current technology in the country. In the event the country will be able to attain the technology without restrictions that may curb its development. Therefore, from my own opinion it is ideal for the government to implement the technology method which will go hand in hand with the development objective of the country because it will be cheaper to incorporate, it will be easier to regulate internet information at the disclosure of children while still gaining access to information that will help in improving the welfare of the community and country at large and human rights will not be violated as a result of internet censorship which I do not support. Word Count: 2189 List of references Australian Government (2007), Attitudes and behaviour of young people on-line, Research Summary. Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009]. Gary, J. (2009), â€Å"Short range plug-ins work best in US,† Automotive Engineer, 34(3), p. 49. Harvey, S. (2009a), Australian internet censorship in practice, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Harvey, S. (2009b), Issues with re-establishing identity after natural disasters, Available at < http://www. pingudownunder. com/blog/index. php> [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] Lindroth, L. (2008), â€Å"How to improve on-line safety,† Teaching Pre K-8, 28(7), p20. Madson, W. (2005), Internet censorship, Available at [Accessed on 28th, May, 2009] McMahon, F. (2008), â€Å"Smooth operator,† Digital Content Producer, 34(11), pp. 30-33. Swidorski, C. (2003), â€Å"Political science, the Labour Movement, and the struggle for freedom of expression,† New Political Science, 22(3), pp. 319-340.

How to establish respectful, professional relationships with children Essay

3.1.1 Describe how to establish respectful, professional relationships with children. It is essential that teachers establish positive relationships with all children. You can establish respectful professional relationships with children and young people by doing the following: Give children the opportunity to put forward their ideas and provide children with opportunities to express themselves in their own time and using their own words – give children thinking time and talking partner’s time. Give children your full attention when listening to them; this can be achieved through body language, facial expression, speech and gesture. Listening to children is key to establishing a positive relationship; it is essential that teachers listen to children and then respond appropriately, these skills can be modelled to children through speaking and listening. 3.1.2 Describe with examples how to behave appropriately for a child stage of development. Children like to think they are grown up so they will tend to push the boundaries, they maybe talking to you about school or their friends and slip in a naughty word, when you ask ‘where did you hear that word from’ they will say ‘i heard it from ( say ) another adult’. When you are communicating with children and young people you need to communicate with them at their ‘age related’ stage of development, because children develop at different stages some might be more advanced than others, children with ‘special needs’ will need more help from other professionals who will assess their stage of development and areas that will need focus on. Foundation stage and key stage 1 Children of all ages and stages will have varying levels of attention span, the younger children will need more reassurance than the older children, especially when they first start school. These children are very young so they will be developing their communication and language skills. When you are addressing them you need to come down to their level otherwise they could get frightened if you are standing over them while trying to communicate with them. You have to make sure you have their full undivided attention when communicating with them as their attention span is very limited and they tire very quickly with them being so young, you could also ask them to repeat back the conversation you have had with them so you know whether they understand what you have spoken about, you will also get an idea of what level of an understanding they are at. Key stage 2 When the children go into key stage 2 they have already started to mature especially the way they communicate with each other and their teachers, they will have a level of understanding and will be more considerate of the needs of others especially with children with ‘special needs’ they tend to protect them alot more and interact with them and help to keep them on the right path. You will at some point still have to remind them not to interrupt when others are talking but this could be due to immaturity. Key stage 3 and 4 Now the children are older they will know how to communicate effectively with other people. Teenagers will start to feel more self conscious especially if they have to do a speech in front of other peers and may show signs of embarrassment, they will often need plenty of time to prepare themselves both mentally and physically this will in turn help them to steady their nerves and also help them to grow in confidence. 3.2.2 Describe the main differences between communication with adults and  communicating with children. When we are communicating with adults it is important to address them by their preferred title this in turn is showing respect, for example ; With adults you are communicating with you can use more complex language, whereas with children you have to keep it clear and to the point so they understand what you are talking about, it is important for them to feel comfortable with you, especially since you are going to be working closely with them in the classroom, you have to show them; That you are a caring individual, Respect their wishes in the setting, Communicate politely and courteously, Give them all the support they need, Listen to their views, Ask questions on a need to know basis, Always try to handle disagreements with adults in a way that will maintain a positive relationship, This will make it easier to work in a team and therefore less likely to cause friction in the setting, this will also make you a good role model for children aswell as the adults When your in a discussion with an adult it is fair to say everyone will have different views, some adults expect you to have the same views as themselves, your not always going to agree on matters, as long as you show mutual respect and be professional the best way to get over this is to communicate effectively and respect each others views, as long as you are able to support other adults then you are on the right path, when the compromise has been met you can for example ; Show you’re approachable Demonstrate positive behaviour Give support as and when it is required Demonstrate your listening skills Show commitment Show respect Don’t gossip about work colleagues Respond politely.

Is It Possible for Organizations Operating in Dynamic Environments to Achieve Person-Organisational Fit to Improve Organizational Effectiveness?

Today we live in a world where change is inevitable. Organisations today face dynamic environments characterized by substantial and often unpredictable technological, political and economic changes. The key to survival and succeeding is adaptation, in dynamic environments often an organisations only option is to literally â€Å"do or die† with regard to change. Tyagi & Gupta (2005) indicates that the central point of personal and organisational effectiveness is a sense of being able to make contributions and make somewhat of a difference in any way possible. As individuals we feel content and fulfilled when we make positive contributions to our communities, families and organisations. Similarly organisations can only achieve their potential when they positively impact the lives of various stakeholders and related entities. However the opportunity to contribute only arises if there is a fit between what people want to achieve and what the organisation wants to achieve. Thus creating a fit between the person and organisation allow both to be effective. In the past few years the concept of Person-Organizational fit (P-O) has been in a state of flux, with many theorists putting forward conflicting views on the conceptualization of fit, its measurements and its boundaries. In the broad sense of the word it is defined as the compatibility between the person and the organisation (Li, 2006). As many organisations operate in dynamic environments; many changes take place and organizations have to cope with these changes by adapting their business and strategies to the turbulent environments. This essay goes on to explore the effects the changes mention have on the P-O fit and if dynamic environment allow organisations to achieve person-organisational fit in order to enhance and reach organisational effectiveness. According to evidence it can be seen that it is possible to achieve P-O fit in dynamic environments however it would not be the ideal tool to implement to improve effectiveness due to the evolving nature of the environment as it hinders growth and discourages innovation which would not lead to organizational effectiveness (Tyagi & Gupta, 2005). P-O fit refers to the extent to which and individual and the employing organization are compatible. There are however many definitions that have been put forward over the years such as value congruence (O’Reilly et al. , 1991), Goal congruence (Vancouver et al. , 1994), needs and supplies demand abilities (Edwards,1991) in addition a personality-climate fit (Ryan and Schmit, 1996). However the most commonly used definition is the value congruence perspective. Verquer et al (2003) value congruence as the extent to which individual and organizational values match. Rynes and Gerhart have gone a step further and pointed out that the P-O fit is more than a mere match, as it usually implies a sense of chemistry (Bellou, 2009). Another way of conceptualising the compatibility between the person and organisation uses the distinction between supplementary and complementary fit. Supplementary fit occurs when a person supplements or possesses characteristics that are similar to other individuals in an environment. This congruence can be differentiated between complementary fit, which occurs when a person’s characteristics make whole the environment or add to what is missing (Tyagi & Gupta, 2005). Further more Cable and Parsons (2001) states that P-O fit is a crucial factor in maintaining a flexible workforce and creating a high degree of organizational commitment in a tight labour market and a competitive business environment. Supporters of P-O fit state that the construct is crucial in the study of organizational effectiveness because it has made improvements to the traditional view of matching skills, knowledge and abilities in predicting if an individual will be successful in a particular organization (Chuang & Sackett, 2005). Ambrose et al, 2008 posit that individuals whose values will result in positive contributions to organizational effectiveness and lower turnover. These models may be under the assumption of static environments; one must apply the dynamic nature of the current environments organisations operate in today. Kammeyer-Mueller (2007) proclaims that even though static and dynamic perspectives are portrayed as mutually exclusive alternatives, they need not be opposed to one another. Research goes on to show that constant external shocks injected into the organisations may result in changes been implemented that affects the P-O fit. These changes may sometimes lead to negative results such as turnover and intention to leave as the employees feel they no longer â€Å"fit† with the organisation. In addition Chatman et al (2008, p. 64) notes that, because a lack of congruence is aversive, â€Å"misfits† are unlikely to remain with that organization. There are also instances when individuals no longer are compatible or unhappy with the fit between the organisations and themselves due to adaptations the company undergoes however choose to remain with the organisation solely because they have no other job options. In instances where â€Å"misfits† remain as they perceive that it is their only choice they bring about many negative aspects into the organisation such as demotivation, low commitment, this is mainly because they try to overcompensate and manipulate the work input output equation to fill the missing void. On the other hand the Social identity theory suggests that another mechanism by which individual dispositions might influence fit within a dynamic context. The social identity argues that the self-concept is a patchwork of various identities, such as demography, occupation, organization, department and workgroup which provide proscriptions for behaviour (Ashworth & Johnson, 2001). It also states that depending on the pressures applied the identity a person adopts will differ. This however does not change the fact that the individual still has within himself or herself, the same core set of identities. Interestingly at least in Oriental Chinese societies, leaders or managers may change their leader behaviours to create a better person-organisation value fit. This study shows that behaviours have positive effects on person-organisational fit. A crucial finding in this study was that even among employees who have been below average O-P fit can be influenced in terms of motivation commitment and trust in their leader by leader behaviours. For example employees working under high team oriented leaders had higher motivation and commitment and trust compared to those under low team oriented leaders. This goes on to show that even though the dynamic environment may affect and the person-organisation fit and sometimes lowers the P-O value fit , organisations can still effectively operate and manage those employees with the proper management and leadership methods (Li, 2006). However this method might not an appropriate universal method to implement as business environments vary across nations due to cultural, legal and other aspects that are followed. However the P-O fit may not be in the best interest of the organization at times and lead to negative results. For example, extremely high levels of person-organization value fit may lead to high levels of conformity and homogeneity. High levels of conformity and homogeneity will bring about a range of adverse effects which may hinder the success of the organisation, by making the organisation and its members far less adaptable to the changes surging in the dynamic environment as well as less innovative (Li, 2006). Some evidence even go to the extent of pointing out that organisations with slight internal variation in employees perspective lead to better performance in the short run but worse in the long run , presumably as a result of inferior adaptation (Li, 2006). Person-Organisation Fit in theory sounds like a tool that should be implemented by every organisation. Taking a closer look one can see that even though initially achieving a fit will lead to organisational effectiveness in the long run it will cause the organisation more harm than good. This is due to the fact that organisation operating in dynamic environments thrives on adaptability and innovation which is opposed by the negative by products of long term P-0 which include homogeneity and high levels of conformity. This does not mean that the concept of P-O should be completely ignored as evidence shows that it has a greater impact on individuals in an organisations resulting in positive results in comparison to organisations as a whole. In an ideal situation the individuals should adapt with the environment and perceive the changes as a learning experience to mould them to achieve the best, keeping in mind that sometime change is the key.

Anti-Intellectualism at College Universities

Education once existed as something very valuable, and something that only the very wealthy obtained. You were considered lucky to have the opportunity of getting an education, and not many took it for granted. Today, nearly everybody receives an education of some degree, and things have definitely changed. Students simply get educations because they are expected to or are required to. As the years have progressed, less and less students actually enjoy their education. You get labeled by many other students as weird or a freak if you enjoy learning. These kinds of ideas have led to and continue to lead to many problems relating to anti-intellectualism. Student’s anti-intellectualism has been increasing throughout the years, especially at college universities. This is a major problem because the trend is spreading around that it isn’t cool to put forth an effort or to enjoy your classes. Many college professors are very concerned that every year students have less and less motivation and are just attending college because they want a high paying salary after college. One English professor from the East coast said â€Å"most students nowadays are reluctant to learn and to think and resent being awakened from their stupor. I shudder when I consider the future of this country† (Trout). It scares a lot of people that this enormous group of unmotivated students is to someday be in charge of the country. The future of American society is at risk because of anti-intellectual ideas that are passed onto students because of the idea of wanting to be â€Å"cool†, students just going to college to make more money later, and university expectations decreasing because money has became the main priority rather than education. Firstly, the understanding of what an intellectual is has to be clear. According to Richard Hofstadter, who is a very famous American historian, he considers an intellectual someone who lives for ideas instead of someone who lives off of ideas. His input is significant because anti-intellectualism is basically his thing, and he was one of the first Americans to write about it. He goes onto say that two basic traits that intellectuals comprise of are playfulness and piety. By playfulness, he is referring to an individual’s curiosity and what makes their mind active. Piety is similar o an individual’s intensity and how passionate they are about their ideas and beliefs. All intellectuals should demonstrate these two traits according to him. (Hofstadter, 259-60) Using this definition, an anti-intellectual would be someone who isn’t curious or serious, so at colleges that would translate to students being uninterested in their classes/education. One important thing to look at is what education was like in the far past. Education was once valued very highly and you were considered lucky to have the opportunity to get an education. Mainly, only the rich and selected children received it. It meant a good future, and most kids took it very seriously. In the beginning of the 19th century, a primary education was the end of schooling for the greater part of students. Towards the 1830s, there started to become a demand for all children to have an opportunity of having an education. The 1870s marked when the United States had started to create education for the general public (Bradbury, 10). Today, education is more valued as something you have to get and something that the majority of people obtain, at least in the United States. As you can see, the opportunities for education have greatly opened up as time has progressed. This changing trend has caused students to take their educations for granted and develop a hatred towards school work. Overall, this growing trend is causing more and more students to avoid thinking for themselves and furthermore avoid having intellectual ideas because learning isn’t cool. Moving onto modern times, a survey taken at UCLA showed that a record high amount of high school students entering college were losing interest in their academic experiences. These same students surveyed also had committed less time to their homework/studying than before and had become bored with the idea of schooling. If students aren’t interested in their education, then why are they going to college? College is designed to be a place to receive a post-education. There are a lot of students who attend college because their parents made them or they think you have to or for the â€Å"fun. † Students who go to college without a desire to learn won’t get anything out of it. These kinds of students have a negative impact on students who actually value their education. They spread anti-intellectual ideas to students and give them the impression that they are unusual for aking pride in their education and cause them to become anti-intellectual because that is clearly the cool thing to do. More and more kids than ever before are arriving at colleges (Trout). This is good in a way because it means that many more people are getting a post-secondary education, but not all students are at college for the right reasons. The kind of students who go to college just to party or for reasons besides obtaining further education spread their anti-intellectual ideas around. Paul M. Levitt, professor at Colorado University, plainly says â€Å"many college kids are a sorry lot. Preoccupied with their hair, their clothes, their cars, they have never developed a critical turn of mind and have no interest in doing so. It does not bode well for higher education that many students entering college do not have anything resembling an intellectual life† (Trout). Students who don’t want a higher education shouldn’t go forth and attempt to get one if they aren’t serious about it. College should be a place that welcomes intellectuals and people who want to think for themselves rather than a place where you have to conform to thinking negatively about your classes. What is to become of our country if our generation all conforms to the same ideas? Professor of English at the University of Virginia, Mark Edmundson, suggests that students try very hard to fit in and not stand apart from others. He further goes onto say that for some reason showing your emotions, doing something different, or doing anything different than the norm will cause you to be disliked (Edmundson, 290). Obviously this is a problem because students have a desire to be â€Å"cool† by being like everyone else. Less and less students want to be different because they don’t want others to look down on them for not being like them. The idea of wanting to be cool has caused less intellectual ideas in a place where they should be booming. Another developing problem with anti-intellectualism at college universities is that kids are going to college solely so that they can make more money after college. Students think just because the majority of students go onto college that they should as well, which makes them anti-intellectual for just following others instead of doing what they wanted to do. About sixty ercent of high school graduates are estimated to go onto college or some form of higher education (Trout). A lot of times students may not even want to go to college, but they feel like if you don’t go to college, you are at a disadvantage. This is partially true because a lot of occupations that a degree is required for offer more money, but a lot of people end up going to college and end up not even using their degree because they find another job they enjoy more. Some people end up getting jobs that make a lot of money anyways though and hate their jobs, so that is hardly an advantage. Not everyone is meant to go to college, but for some reason the idea that you have to go to college to be successful has been portrayed. Also, President Obama has announced that he thinks every American should have at least one year of higher education, but on the contrary, high education experts agree that not everybody succeeds at college or belongs there (Olson). The president shouldn’t be saying things like this because it puts pressure on students to feel like they have to attend college. This has caused more anti-intellectuals who don’t belong at college to go and influence others. The next huge contributing factor to anti-intellectualism developing at universities is the universities themselves. Because of the growing amount of students bringing anti-intellectual ideas to the classrooms, universities have responded by lowering their standards. The reason for this is simply the more students the more money (Trout). Administrators have also been starting to create more interesting classes because of students disinterest in other courses (Bradbury, 14). The administrators are starting to create things to attract anti-intellectuals and are serving them instead of the intellectuals. College universities have become more interested in the money that the individuals bring rather than the individuals educations. Universities are setting up their campuses to be ideal for anti-intellectuals to succeed at. The fact that colleges are conforming to how the students act is a serious problem, and it concerns many experts about what is to happen in our countries future. Colleges have also started introducing a grade inflation to make it easier for students (Trout). College faculties are to blame mostly for that. The most likely reason for grade inflations would be because it keeps more students on campus. Students are earning higher grades for less work, which isn’t how it should be at all. Grade inflation and money are not related at all, so they shouldn’t have effects on each other. If this trend continues, the concept of a college degree is going to be lost because a college degree will become essentially something you can just buy. Something else that should be very alarming to intellectuals is that studies show many teachers are either anti-intellectualist to begin with or their career turns them into one. Studies have proved that the majority of teachers do not even read very much, and if they do it is normally not scholarly. Reading is something that makes individuals think and come up with intellectual ideas and teachers are starting to turn toward students habits of not reading. Further studies show that teachers who start their careers as intellectuals lose their passion over the years. These teachers either find a new job to avoid becoming an anti-intellectual or they continue teaching in a way that is unbeneficial to intellectuals. Also, many teachers do not encourage intellectualism because it teaches their students to question ideas and think things out thoroughly. Teachers see this as a threat to themselves if students start questioning them on their ideas. (Bradbury) If there aren’t any teachers to promote intellectualism, then more and more intellectuals will disappear. College universities are to blame the most for anti-intellectualism growing at their campuses. I say this because they are the ones that are encouraging the conditions by dumbing down their universities for the sake of money. Also, if they kept their standards high, that would mean less anti-intellectuals overall. College should be a place for intellectuals to strive, but universities have made it a place where people who hate it can succeed just the same. Universities ultimately can control their campus and who they let in and as of now, many universities are letting in about anybody who has a high school diploma and money. One of the first reforms that needs to be made at college universities is eliminating student evaluation of teachers. This whole concept of having the students evaluate a teacher’s ability is absurd. Seeing as how students today want a minimum amount of work, they will simply rate teachers who make it easy for them as excellent teachers. In reality, those teachers aren’t helping the students and rather are just obliging to what students want. The teacher then who gives students a lot of work and challenges them gets a worse rating from students. If universities are so interested in how the teacher is doing, I see no problem in the heads of departments just observing the class. They can make their own judgment based off what they saw, and it would most likely take less time than it takes to review all of the student evaluations. Student evaluations end up promoting anti-intellectualism more than it promotes good teaching methods. An alternative opinion to this would be that students are to put at blame because they are after all responsible for their own education. This is a valid argument because nobody can force a student to be an intellectual/anti-intellectual. The student is partially at fault if they attend a college for post education and then don’t even attempt to learn further. The flaw in this opinion is that most students coming into college are around the age of eighteen, so influences and their environment greatly affect them. If students show up to college, and the standards are set high and everybody knows that, then they are probably most likely going to try to put forth the same effort as everyone else. However, if they come to college, and they see students partying all the time because standards are set low, then that makes them want to put forth the minimal effort to get by. Putting forth a minimal effort and not living for anything would be an anti-intellectual lifestyle, which is the environment of many colleges. If our country continues along this path of intellectuals dominating, there will be numerous effects considering what has already happened over the last few decades. In 2002, it was recorded that sixty seven percent of college graduates read books for pleasure, while in 1982 it was eighty two percent. The decline of reading books is related closely to the incline of video games and the internet. The overall effects of anti-intellectualism are affecting more than just college students. Our country has changed a lot in a short period of time. From 1968 to 2000 the sound bites for presidential candidates has been dramatically reduced from 42. 3 seconds down to 7. 8 seconds. The public overall has lost a desire in obtaining knowledge. An example of this would be that twenty percent of Americans believe the Sun revolves around the Earth. (Jacoby) As you can see, our country has a dangerous future if these kinds of standards continue to be acceptable. In summary, the number of anti-intellectual students at colleges has been increasing from year to year. Students need to quit conforming to the ways of other students because they think not caring is the cool thing to do, and more importantly, the colleges need to accept the right kind of students instead of just anyone who has the money for it. The future of American society is at risk because of anti-intellectual ideas that are passed onto students because of the idea of wanting to be â€Å"cool†, students just going to college to make more money later, and university expectations decreasing because money has become the top priority rather than education, and ultimately the universities are required to incorporate intellectual ideas and challenges into their classrooms if anything is to change. If anti-intellectual ideas are continued to be brought to college by students and encouraged by universities, our country has a frightening future.