Cooperative Learning Advantages for English Language Learners

Concerted acquisition is defined as any group larning activity organized in such a manner that acquisition is dependent on the socially structured exchange of academic content every bit good as other information between the specific group of scholars, and whereas each single scholar is accountable for his/her ain acquisition ( Tinker-Sachs et Al, 2003 ) . Furthermore, Kagan ( 2002 ; 1994 ) states that concerted acquisition will finally take to additions in the acquisition of other members in the group. Kagan postulates ( 2002 ) that concerted acquisition is an first-class instruction scheme that promotes enhanced larning for diverse pupil populations and is particularly good for English linguistic communication scholars. Noyes ( 2010 ) further provinces that English linguistic communication scholars take parting in concerted larning groups non merely increase overall apprehension of the English linguistic communication, they besides develop deeper apprehension of academic content eve ry bit good as academic linguistic communication. Continuing research from Cummins ( 2009 ) suggest that pupils with diverse larning abilities, including pupils with larning disablements improve their accomplishments through the natural staging schemes found in concerted acquisition groups. What is Concerted Learning? Concerted propensity is basically a instruction method that utilizes little groups of pupils or squads where, each pupil has a specific occupation or duty in the group. The instructor structures pupils of assorted ability degrees in a little group, so that effectual staging for the English linguistic communication scholar will augment and heighten pupil larning. Students of different ability degrees participate in a assortment of larning activities designed by the instructor to better their overall apprehension of specific academic content or capable ( Noyes, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . Additionally, each member of the squad is responsible for a specific part of the content, but is besides compelled to assist other members of the group learn the needed content aim ( Noyes, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . Even modern-day research suggests that concerted acquisition creates favourable larning results for English linguistic communication scholars ( Murray, 2010 ) . Further more, by delegating unequivocal occupations or undertakings to each pupil, the group as a whole plant through the assignment and/or undertaking until each group member is able to successfully complete the activity and addition deeper apprehension of activity ( Noyes, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . Cooperative acquisition has four basic rules with the acronym PIES. The P stands for positive mutuality, the I stands for single answerability, the E stands for equal engagement, and the S stands for coincident interaction ( Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . Kagan ( 1994 ) states that if any one of these four BASIC rules is non implemented, no concerted acquisition will be involved. Therefore, it is indispensable that all four rules are utilized for the academic content country in order for concerted acquisition to happen with fidelity. Therefore, it is important that the instructor to the full understands the basic four basic rules and chorus from extinguishing any of the cardinal constituents of concerted acquisition ( Noyes, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . Both Kagan ( 2002 ) and Sharan ( 2010 ) further province that the concerted acquisition theoretical account leads to additions and expeditious apprehension for English linguistic communication scholars because group unwritten treatments lead to additions in the usage of the English linguistic communication through both colloquial duologue every bit good as written linguistic communication. By leting pupils to utilize and keep academic English conversations for pupils whose primary linguistic communication is non English, their develop more meaningful experience with the English linguistic communication, which in bend, leads to higher order believing accomplishments ( Sharan, 2010 ; Shaaban, 2006 ; Tinker-Sachs et Al, 2003 ) . Concerted acquisition is rather different from the direct direction learning theoretical account, every bit good as other traditional teaching methods. Traditional direction relies on the instructor to leave direct direction or talk to the pupils, while they sit passively, purportedly absorbing academic information in their encephalons, every bit good as understanding the English linguistic communication. However, even though the instructor may be patterning academic English linguistic communication throughout direct direction, research indicates that there are far excessively few chances to utilize the English linguistic communication for pupils whose primary linguistic communication is non English. Besides, with traditional instruction theoretical accounts, diverse scholars have small chance to increase academic vocabulary and content ( Chang, 2008 ; Gaith and Bouzeineddine, 2003 ) . Concerted Learning and English Language Acquisition for ELLs As antecedently mentioned, by utilizing concerted acquisition constructions, the English linguistic communication scholar will develop and better their overall English linguistic communication ( Cummins, 2009 ; Shaaban, 2006 ; Kagan, 2002 ) . When farther analyzed, Sharan ( 2010 ) states that English linguistic communication scholars use the English linguistic communication in its natural context. Further, utilizing the English linguistic communication to heighten functional interaction and real-life conversations increases understanding and increases transference. Besides, pupils working together in concerted acquisition constructions tend to modify their degree of address to suit each other ( Murray, 2010 ; Chang, 2008 ) . Plus, pupils in concerted grouping are able to modulate their ain English linguistic communication end product to guarantee that each squad member comprehends and understands each other ( Sharan, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ) . Another linguistic communication benefit for English linguistic communication scholars is they are speaking to a group member, as opposed to the full category, which allows the English linguistic communication scholars to derive some assurance with English. When concerted acquisition is implemented suitably, the squad members are supportive of one another during English linguistic communication acquisition ( Tinker-Sachs et Al, 2003 ; Kagan, 2002 ) . Other Benefits for English Language Learners There are several other benefits to cooperative larning for English linguistic communication scholars in add-on to greater academic accomplishment. Kagan ( 2002 ) states that pupils in concerted constructions develop improved self-esteem and beef up their societal accomplishments in category. Furthermore, pupils build community in their schoolroom by cultivating societal relationships and credence of pupils from other ethnicities or pupils with disablements ( Cummins, 2009 ) . With active pupil engagement, concerted larning Fosters increased enthusiasm for the category, school, and instruction ( Murray, 2010 ) . Teaching Cautions Teachers must be aware of the basic principals of concerted acquisition and really pass instructional clip learning the pupils how to efficaciously utilize non merely the scheme, but besides their single functions and duties ( Noyes, 2010 ) . The instructor is responsible for non merely academic content, but must vouch that the concerted group ( s ) will forbear from any negative remarks or comments directed toward any teammate and/or work merchandise. Students must experience safe and secure in the concerted acquisition construction in order to accomplish maximal benefit and deeper apprehension of academic content ( Kagan, 2002 ; Kagan, 1994 ) . It is besides critical that all pupils understand their function in the group, every bit good as group and instructor outlooks ( Sharan, 2010 ) . Another consideration the instructor must turn to is the noise degree in the schoolroom. Good schoolroom direction is important for optimal pupil success. The instructor will hold to supervise the groups to be certain that pupils are on undertaking and that each squad member is an active participant. Furthermore, pupils need to actively listen every bit good as participate ( Noyes, 2010 ; Kagan, 2002 ) . Decision Cooperative acquisition has been the topic of much research that continues today. Cummins ( 2009 ) posits that pupils have much higher happenings of unwritten English linguistic communication use throughout the instructional twenty-four hours when utilizing concerted acquisition schemes. Noyes ( 2010 ) concurs with several research workers sing the many benefits of concerted larning with English linguistic communication scholars. By leting pupils to actively listen and take part in group acquisition, the belief among outstanding research workers is that concerted acquisition will shut the accomplishment spread so that all pupils will be able to win in school and so travel on to go successful members of the community. Concerted acquisition Teachs pupils non merely increased English linguistic communication accomplishments, but besides societal accomplishments, credence and tolerance of others, increased pupil duty, and additions in self-pride ( Sharan, 2010 ; Cummins, 2009 ; Kagan, 20 02 ) .

Okonkwo “Falls Apart”: The Tragic Hero Essay

Psychology teaches us that we retain information presented to us in an emotional and  compelling manner.   Facts and figures may speak to the mind, but stories speak to the  heart—.the heart of individuals and the heart of humanity as a whole.   Why have books and  authors endured for centuries, outlasting nearly every other form of entertainment? Books are  the faithful guardians of humanity’s timeless bonds, and in their words and their images resonate  core human principles.   For this reason, novels are among humanity’s most powerful history  books.   Emotions are, after all, what make us human.   Who better to speak to these unstop-  pable forces than tragic dramatists, who capture the universality of human emotions in their  timeless â€Å"life-in-capsules†:   .their stories.   Classic masters like Sophocles and Shakespeare may  have introduced us to the tragic hero, but contemporary storytellers have transcended race,  regions, and centuries   to gift modern society with its own tortured messengers. In Chinua  Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, the struggle between the late nineteenth century Igbo people of  Nigeria and the white colonialists who sought the tribes’ conversion to Christianity are docu-  mented.   However, it is the rise and fall of one great Igbo warrior, Okonkwo, that truly drives  this modern tragedy†¦. and demonstrates how a â€Å"tragic   hero† is often anything but â€Å"heroic.† Much like Shakespearean tragic hero Macbeth and many others, Okonkwo is a multidimensional blend of light (good) and dark (evil).   The clan leader is admirable in his self-made status (a unique fulfillment of the tragic hero’s usual noble nature) and his determination to create a better future by shunning his father’s questionable actions. Achebe presents Okonkwo and his tribesmen as a people who value thought and artistry:   â€Å"Among the Igbo the art of conversation is regarded very highly, and proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten† (12).  Ã‚   During the era of imperialism and romanticism, many dismissed indigenous Africans as the â€Å"noble savage†Ã¢â‚¬â€beings high in morality but low in intelligence.   Achebe’s tale challenges both of these assumptions.   Achebe peppers his tale with Igbo language and words, to illustrate the vital role which communication played in the Igbo community and culture.   Such a representation is a far cry from the dull-witted and language-less â€Å"savage† of popular lore. Despite these positives, the reader may be left with an uncomfortable feeling—and even an active dislike—of the novel’s protagonist.   He beats his wife (although he is punished for it); he constantly berates his son for not being masculine enough; he wishes his daughter (although he adores her character and strength) was a son; he rarely shows emotion (because he perceives feeling as weakness)—and that very fear leads him to remorselessly participate in the premeditated murder of his favored surrogate son Ikemefuna. Two of the aforementioned events are particularly crucial in Okonkwo’s path of development, demonstrating the cruel interaction of fate and choice that guides the tragic hero.   During his formative years, Okondwo firmly captains his own destiny by building himself up as a respected and well-regarded warrior and provider, although these actions are fueled by the disrepute of his dishonest father, a background over which Okonkwo has no control. This secret shame is the first mark of the warrior’s spiritual wounding (parental issues similarly drive other celebrated tragic heroes such as Hamlet and Oedipus).   Spiritual hurt instills Okonkwo with a tragic flaw that damages his decision-making process.   And, as with all tragic heroes, the crossroads (the point of decision) is everything.   When the warrior is faced with a choice regarding how to handle his wife’s presumed negligence, his pride leads him to one brutal conclusion:   a beating.   The action shatters a sacred time for Okonkwo’s tribe, and, more importantly, fractures their trust in an important leader. As a result, the warrior has only wounded himself more, a fact for which he repents but does not yet truly recognize.Only Okonkwo’s second crossroads will irrevocably alter the story, and the man himself.   After all, how could a man look into the eyes of a child whom he has sheltered, mentored, and admired—a child, with no blood ties, who is still no less a â€Å"son† to his â€Å"father†Ã¢â‚¬â€how could such a man look into the past and future and allow his pride to deal that child a fatal blow? How could a piece of that man—of his soul—not die with his child?   For Okonkwo, the answer is clear, and his tragic recognition of the consequences of this action (his moment of truth) sets the ensuing chain of events on its inevitable—and unavoidable—course.   The warrior has further severed the tenuous connection with his family; more death befalls his family; the â€Å"fates† punish him with a tragic accident, which leads to his exile; and he must watch passively as his people are swindled by questionable outsiders. Yet the repeated emotional pummelings have reawakened within the warrior two important virtues:   honor and courage.   Through his revolution of one (his final choice, his final act of defiance), Okonkwo both finds himself and, ultimately, loses himself forever.     In some regards, Okondwo’s self-murder is the murder of humanity’s hope: The fall of the Igbo people—and their once mighty warrior—represents a slower,   more devastating form of humiliation and subtle slavery.   Two passages in particular speak to the colonialist impact:   â€Å"And at last the locusts did descend. They settled on every tree and on every blade of grass; they settled on the roofs and covered the bare ground† (71); â€Å"He came quietly and peaceably with his religion. We were amused at his foolishness and allowed him to stay. Now he has won our brothers, and our clan can no longer act like one. He has put a knife on the things that held us together and we have fallen apart† (164).   The first passage indicates how suddenly these indigenous peoples found themselves in the midst of colonialists (like the locusts), while the second passage laments how easily the outsiders were able to turn loyal tribesmen against one another. In the story, the tribesmen were at first seduced by the kindly ways of Mr. Brown (who respects the tribesmen yet lures away the tribe ‘outsiders’ first), but then they fall victim to the much more aggressive Reverend Smith.   Once under Smith’s leadership, the tribe converts’ actions become much more disreputable and disloyal (such as when Enoch unmasks the egwogwu), and the leaders of the tribe eventually lose their will to fight the colonialists, leading to Okonkwo’s suicide.   But it is perhaps the final lines of the book which most symbolize the â€Å"falling apart† of this once proud people: â€Å"He had already chosen the title of the book, after much thought: The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger† (224). The tribe is reduced to some white man’s conquest, while the very symbol of that tribe’s former strength, Okonkwo, becomes â€Å"a paragraph or two†Ã¢â‚¬â€a mere footnote in colonialist history.     In this sense, Okonkwo’s suffering (like many tragic heroes) is instilled with greater meaning because he serves as a symbol—a symbol of his culture’s greatness and its inevitable, tragic demise. Two words best summarize the complex creation of Okonkwo:   tragic hero.   Within this man is a piece of every individual, past and present.   The audience relates so well because they see themselves in Okonkwo’s shortcomings, flaws, and basically imperfect human nature.   In watching this memorable character’s own struggles against the   Ã‚  insurmountable, generations of audiences have found an outlet for their own hopes and fears.

Equity Theory of Motivation Essay

As the cliche goes, no man is an island. Everything man does is influenced by other men and his environment. Be it in school or at work, the reason why people persevere lies on the desire to achieve a certain goal. Hence, motivation is essential to keep the drive of doing things passionately and effectively. However, the enthusiasm to sustain the dream and keep the motivation alive can be tampered by life’s uncertainties. Given the unique characteristics that each student possess, the amount of effort exerted by an average student does not always equal the amount of effort exerted by an outlier in class, yet the results are the same or sometimes exceeded by the outlier. Perhaps there are instances when studying overnight and not studying at all yielded the same result. These situations affect the level of motivation a student harness when studying. The feeling of unfairness affects how he/she will prepare for the next exam. In the workplace setting, motivation is likewise an i mportant factor to increase productivity. For example, an employee who worked overtime to get the job well done vis-a-vis an employee who slacked off and produced a mediocre output both received the same salary and the same praises from their boss. The hardworking employee might feel wronged upon seeing how his extra effort was overlooked. To give justice to the unfairness he feels, he opts to mimic the other employee, thus also producing a mediocre output. The equity theory of motivation, developed by workplace and behavioral psychologist John Stacey Adams in 1963, is grounded on the concept that employees tend to seek equity or balance in the amount of input they give to their job or relationship with their bosses, and the output they receive. The inputs referred in this theory include college degree, hard work, effort, committment, ability, adaptability, determination, flexibility, skill, loyalty, tolerance, enthusiasm, trust in superiors, support from colleages, personal sacrifi ce and the like. On the other hand, outputs come in the form of financial benefits like salary, bonuses, and perks, and also intangible benefits such as recognition from superiors, praises, responsibility, job security, good reputation, sense of achievement, personal growth and the like. When an employee’s inputs outweigh his or her outputs, he or she becomes demotivated and unhappy. To achieve equity, the behavioral response is to balance out the input-output equation by asking for an increase in the output side, or  simply diminishing his or her input. The state of equity lie on the perception of an employee in relation to another employee’s input and output ratio, which shows that employee motivation is subjective nature. However, an employer or manager’s role of keeping employees motivated should not be deterred by this notion. Instead, understanding the sources of employee dissatisfaction and demotivation can help managers address the issues surrounding t he workplace to allow for a more productive and work-conducive environment. The equity theory is more commonly known as the social comparison theory or the inequity theory since an employee compares his input-output ratio with another employee’s input-output ratio to determine equity, and an employee who feels inequity or unfairness reduces this through his behavior and attitude towards work. The â€Å"exchange relationship† between work and compensation in comparison with a colleage draws forth discernment of what is fair and unfair. To grasp the intuition behind the theory, four objects must be present which include the person, whose aim is to reduce whatever inequity feeling he or she has; the comparison to other, which pertains to the benchmark person from whom equity and inequity is determined; the inputs and the outputs. According to the theory, a person first compares inputs and outputs with a comparison other, then determines if there is inequity or unequal input/output ratio between himself/herself and comparison other. Basically, the theory assumes that an individual addresses his/her inequity feeling after comparison to others, and remains at the level where equity is achieved. Several ways a person does in reaching equity include altering his/her inputs, altering his/her outputs, distorting his inputs and outputs cognitively, finding a new job, or changing the person of comparison. (Gogia, 2010) In line with this, Huseman, Hattfield and Miles (1987) dissected the equity theory into four basic ideas. First, the notion of fairness is conceived through comparing an individual’s input and outcomes ratio with others. The other does not necessarily require a colleage, because it can also be his/her old self. Comparing the amount of effort exerted and the amount of salary received to a colleage’s or an old job facilitates the judgment of what is fair to an individual. Second, if the compared ratios are not equal, then there is inequity. The two kinds of  inequity are underpayment inequity and overpayment inequity. Underpayment inequity happens when an individual deems that his/her ratio is smaller than others, or in other words, his great effort mismatches with the benefit received as compared to another employee. On the contrary, overpayment inequity occurs when a big compensation is received from the little effort exerted, as compared to other coworkers. Third, the greater the difference in inequity, the greater tension and distress the individual feels. The different attitudes people have toward life’s unfairness in general brought about the three kinds of equity-sensitive people namely the benevolents, the equity sensitives and the entitleds, with the benevolents being the most tolerant of underrewards, and the entitleds having the most preference of over-rewards. The equity sensitives just want their ratio to be the same with others, but the entitleds believe that the world owes them, so it is just rig htful for them to receive more. Forth, the more intense feeling of tension brought about by inequity, the harder an individual will work to restore equity. This is just like how a more oppressed victim is more thirsty he is to seek justice, if not revenge. The ways in achieving equity varies from person to person. Upon experiencing the feeling of unfairness, the assumption of this theory is that employees will find ways to reduce inequity. The two most typical ways are through behavioral options and cognitive options, where the latter is used more often used since it is both less riskier and easier to do than the former. For behavioral options, the employees change their input to match outcomes like slacking off or leaving work early, changing outcomes to match input by asking for an increase, or perpetrating a crime like theft or fraud, persuading others to change inputs by complaining to superiors, and withdrawal through tardiness, absenteeism or quitting the job. As for the cogni tive options, the employee distorts his own inputs or outcomes by underestimating his own performance so that the inputs will match the output; distort the inputs or outcomes of others by thinking that others earn more because they probably deserve it; change the comparison others by choosing a different benchmark for them to feel better. (â€Å"Motivation theories†, 2009) Applying this theory in the government office place gives a clearer understanding as to why in general, government employeees are unmotivated and unhappy with their jobs. Perhaps they have once tried to work dilligently, but only end up with having the same  across-the-board incentive as fellow workers who do not work as hard as them. Hence, the Aquino administration came up with the performance-based incentive system to allow a fair compensation to those who deserve to be rewarded. By altering the outcome through a performance-based bonus, government employees try to match their performance to the amount of bonus they wish to receive. Motivation Theories. (2009, April 26). Why Do Employees Take More Initiatives to Improve Their Performance After Co-developing Performance Measures? A Field Study (Groen, Wouters & Wilderom, 2012)  Usually, people work more conscientiously when their performances are being monitored, be it in school, at work, or even in playing games. Knowing how grades, scores or output are obtained help an individual’s goal setting and invoke the determination and commitment to achieve the said goal. What more if the employees themselves determine how they are to be rated? Having an opinion and first hand experience in developing performance measure criteria make employees not only feel valued, but also feel a sense of fairness because they know that the criteria they set are attainable and reasonable. Groen, Wouters and Wilderom (2012) conducted a field study to investigate why employees perform better when they are involved in developing peformance measures. The study used the theory of planned behavior, which states that beliefs predict how individuals behave or plan to behave. Gathering data from meetings, interviews, company information data, quantitative questionnaire and first-hand experience in the field in a beverage manufacturing company, bottling line employees were found to be more motivated, have more initiative, and more positively affected by social pressure when they were involved in developing performance measures. The  variables examined in the study included attitude towards the job, social pressure from coworkers, capability from personal skills. All these variables were found to positively and significantly influence an employee’s intiative towards his job, thus increasing his productivity. The study showed that productivity and initative of the employ ees who were aware and had a say on performance measurement criteria improved the departments’ overall performance. 7. Models of Performance-Measurement Use in Local Governments: Understanding Budgeting, Communication, and Lasting Effects (Melkers & Willoghby, 2005) Since performance measurement has been emphasized in various literatures, the importance of having them adopted and implemented is no longer debatable. Performance measurement schemes help in understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, and it also serves as an objective basis of planning the budget to be used to fund government projects. The study of Melkers and Willoghby (2005) paid close attention to the usefulness of performance-based information on the operations of the local government in the US, communication, and budgetary decisions. The pervasiveness of performance measurement implementation in the US was also studied through the results obtained from a national survey of city and count y administrators and budgeters of nearly 300 governments. Multiple regression analysis was implemented to find out whether dependent variables budget effects, communication effects and lasting effects index were individually affected by independent variables community characteristics, respondent characteristics, organizational culturea and performance measurement characteristics. The results showed that although the use of performance indicators was pervasive, the respondents were apathetic with regards to the effectiveness of these performance measurements for budgetary concerns and operational processes within the government unit. Promoting the Utilization of Performance Measures in Public Organizations: An Empirical Study of Factors Affecting Adoption and Implementation (Julnes & Holzner, 2001) It is true that performance measurements are vital for making informed decisions. Both public and private firms need to be guided on a set of parameters that help them determine where they have done well and what areas need improvement. If the government departments are serious  in improving their service to the public, then coming up with a set of criteria and implementing these evaluation criteria would be essential in determining where to start the change. Despite recognizing the importance of having performance measures, there are several issues that impede the development and usage of a performance measurement scheme. The empirical study by Julnes and Holzner (2001) examined the factors that hamper the utilization of performance measurement in public organizations in the US. A sample of state and local governmen t employees were drawn from the Government Financial Officers Association, International City/County Management Association of College and University Business Officers obtained from GASB. A total of 934 questionnaires were sent to state and local government employees across the nation in 1997. The variables used in the survey included adoption and implementation for the dependent variable, and external requirements, internal requirements, internal interest groups, external interest groups, attitudes, risk taking, information, resources, goal orientation, percent unionized, government type and position. Using ordinary least square mulitple-regression analyses, the results of the study revealed that output measures were developed for various programs, but efficiency measures and outcome measures were less developed. Looking at the performance measure usage, the researchers found out that efficiency and outcome measures were less used for strategic planning, resource allocation, progra m management, monitoring and evaluation, reporting to internal management, electec officials, citizens or media. Aside from these, the researchers’ findings showed that internal requirements, external requirements, goal orientation and access to information positively and significantly affect the adoption of performance measures, while external interest groups and internal requirements positively affect implementation of performance measures, but unionization negatively affect implementation. Overall, the policy of using performance measures would more likely be adopted if it were an internal requirement wherein top management commits to the effort of evaluating government programs. On the contrary, external requirement would not automatically merit the implementation of performance measures since factors such as organizations’ ability, politician’s support, sufficient resources and commitment to the purpose were lacking if not missing. The study suggests that p ublic administrators be aware that  performance measure is a two-step process namely adoption and implementation, wherein factors affecting adoption include mostly rational and technocratic theory, while actual implementation are determined by political and cultural factors. (Julnes & Holzner, 2001) The Use of Performance Measurement Systems in the Public Sector: Effects on Performance (Spekle & Verbeeten, 2013) Performance measurement information are collected and used in various ways such as strategic planning, budgeting, and employee bonus planning. The immense benefits of measuring performance outweighs the costs of collecting such data, which is why most government agencies have already instilled in their system a peformance measurement mechanism for reference. In the study of Spekle and Verbeeten (2013), the researchers explored whether the pefromance measurement system actually improves or deters organizational performance. They also introduced the concept of contractibility, which means clear goals, undistorted pefromance metrics, managers’ knowledge and control of the transformation process. Public sector organizations that have high contractibility were expected to be better than those organizations with low contractibilty in terms of performance. The test was d one through a survey of 101 public sector organizations in the US. The results showed that contractibility influences the way incentive-oriented use of the performance measurement system and performance. More interestingly, the researchers concluded that usign the performance measurement system for incentive purposes negatively influences organizational performance, unless contractibility is high. Disregarding contractibility, performance measurement system tends to enhance performance. Hence, the effect of the performance measurement system in public sector organizations are greatly affected by the level of contractibility and managers’ usage of the system. Determinants of Incentive Intensity in Group-Based Rewards (Zenger & Marshall, 2000) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the Public Sector: A Study in Malaysia. Economic Incentives and the Choice of State Government Accounting Practices (Ingram, 1984)

Awareness of Censorship Moment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Awareness of Censorship Moment - Essay Example It is as if they are treating the people as horses by putting blinders so that they can only look one way. They think that by doing this they are exposing the people to just the positive views on the state or government, when in fact, they are inciting anger within the community because they are taking away the people’s freedom to decide for themselves what they want to believe in and support. This is what I think censorship means, although I was still very young when the government was still applying censorship tactics on television. I grew up with unrestricting parents and so I was able to watch whatever I wanted, provided of course, that there was no nudity or portrayals of sex. And so, I did not really experience what it was like to encounter censored materials. However, I experienced censorship firsthand just a few years back. In the summer of 2006, like any other teenager, I was always on the internet—just surfing and downloading games and songs. Nicholas Cage is one of my favorite actors and the movie he did then that was to be released in the next couple of months was â€Å"World Trade Center,† which depicted what happened during the September 11 Terrorist attacks and how the last men that were pulled out alive from the rubble of the building survived. Of course, I know about September 11 and how it caused a negative view on Islam. Nevertheless, I still tried to research further so that I will be able to better understand what happened because I was just 12 years old on that tragic day. So, I entered ‘September 11 attacks’ on Google and it gave me thousands of hits. I was able to surf and open websites until it came to a particular one about Islam and how extreme its followers’ views are. When I clicked on the link to open the page, preparing myself to be shocked at how our religion was being portrayed just because some extremists decided to go on a suicide mission and kill

The Royal Prerogative is a feature of the UK Constitution in need of Essay

The Royal Prerogative is a feature of the UK Constitution in need of radical reform - Essay Example Analysis The exercise of the royal prerogative powers has been curtailed. These days, there has been clear demarcation of powers that has been have been delegated to both the prime minister and the crown, though much of these powers are exercisable by the prime minster. However, leaving bit of these powers in the hands of the crown has little or no effect, to such an extent that it does not make sense having these powers vested in the crown1. It is important for the people of the United Kingdom to realize that times have changed, and circumstances are different. The needs that led to bestowing such powers to the crown have now become non-existent. This leaves the royalty as a toothless bulldog that can no longer bite. In order for the United Kingdom to fully deliberate itself from the shackles of history, the royalty’s expansive powers should be fully relegated to parliament and only act as a ceremonial organ2. The monarch’s constitutional presence should no longer be a reason for debate among the intellectuals. The independence of the judiciary is achieved by ensuring that the judiciary does not act as a mouth piece of the executive. In the past, the exercise of such powers has failed to reflect the wishes of the larger interest of the people of United Kingdom, rather has been used as a tool for the monarchy to meet its personal ends3. The judiciary, on the other hand was ripped off its independences it could not question the exercise of such powers of the royalty. These tainted and undermined the performance of the judiciary. Thus, the judiciary should be guaranteed protection from the crown in order to be act without fear or favour4. The power to deal in matters of foreign affairs should be retrieved from the hands of the crown and be left with the legislature , who are in a better position to enact laws that protects the sovereignty of the united kingdom and its people and to also promote the good neighbourliness with other countries. It also advocates for better and efficient interdependence, in cases where the countries involved come in to form a major economic block5. Historically, the legislature was also at the hands of the crown and has not fully barred the monarch from exercising these powers as she still has the sole mandate to appoint the prime minster6. This greatly affects the powers and functions of the prime minster, as he or she has to act in bias, of the crown who appointed him. The prime minister then becomes a puppet for the monarch to act according to the whims of the monarch. The result is that the entire legislature is tailored to meet the desires of the crown at the expense of the interest of the citizens of the United Kingdom7. The legislature should therefore be freed from the chains of the crown, and equipping it through laws, to be able to run its affairs and make its appointment without any interference from the monarch. The bills that also come before parliament will be focusing on the larger i nterest of the people of the United Kingdom rather than a smaller minority which is the crown8. The ancient practice invoking the United Kingdom to be ruled according to divine rights of kings has caused the United Kingdom to lag behind from attaining democracy for its people. The prerogative power of the monarch has often been

Social Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Entrepreneurship - Essay Example For example in monotheistic business environment, a business is more likely to be favored in terms of business performance since it can manipulate market forces to its advantage. Share our Strength's faces great competition from competitors and has only succeeded in that, it has continually applied strategic measures in all its important decisions. Share our Strength's performance has been termed as sterling by many business analysts. The chain of businesses has recorded an after taxes profit of above $1 million. By applying concepts like vendor managed inventories as well as just-in-time concept, Share our Strength's has continued to maintain leadership in the wines and foods market in the US Share our Strength's, endeavors to remain a low-cost retailer, and by that it has been very effective in maintaining market attractiveness. By all means, Share our Strength's has achieved low cost retail prices something which has contributed to client faithfulness. This is core in terms of ensuring that, by utilizing this strategy, Share our Strength's is able to save extra costs associated with poor planning. By keeping products and services as low as practically possible, Share our Strength's can afford to lower prices since there are less expenditures. In long term this contributes to industry attractiveness. The other area in which the company has achieved competitive advantage is in terms of adapting information systems. By choosing to be a low cost producer the organization has set out to be a market leader. In terms of incorporating information technology, Share our Strength's has computerized its purchasing systems to incorporate E-purchasing. As purchasing strategy e-purchasing is economical, reliable and cost effective. Compared to a competitor who does not recognize the e-business concept, Share our Strength's has been able to save a lot by embracing e-business as a marketing strategy as well as incorporating ebusiness in its internal and external processes. In the case of Share our strength, competitive advantage is also dependent on how company utilizes and takes advantage of buyer power at its disposal, the threat of substitutes, supplier power, ease of entry as well as the intensity of intra-industry activity and convert all of those factors to its advantage. By integrating IT through out the whole retail chain Share our Strength's ensures that, its partners are free and feel respected and therefore trade is done in an environment of cordial relationships. Share our Strength's principal functions and activities include; purchasing, distribution

Contemporary Parenting in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contemporary Parenting in Europe - Essay Example empower them to help themselves (Bernardes, 1997). Studies suggest that the nuclear family unit is essential for the good development of children and thus society. The contempoarary trends in modern European society showthe increase in numbers of single parenting. Consequently, the areas of concern were also studied. Bernardes has used his findings about the negative consequences of single parenting to highlight that children from solo parenting families face problems in school performance, behavior, psychological development and social interactions. After the awareness of these problems, what steps can be taken to deal with them The state can and does provide certain welfare assistance to aid families. In contemporary parenting, fathers become more than breadwinners. This is the generation of the "new man". His role is a proactive and involved one. He gets involved to connect to his offspring. If this is the good from the modernization of fatherhood, why then are there still problems for contemporary parents Gender relations have changed and said to be modernized out of necessity. Working mothers, the pressure and stress of modern urban living are some of the factors that have brought about this modernization. Studies advocate the use of dynamic, interdependent family policies to help the children as well as the parents (Kaufmann, 2002). Children naturally crave attention and welcome this modernization of fatherhood. As fathers are encouraged by this positive response, they cement bonds with their children. Children benefit from the good father figure. On the flip side, they may suffer when the father is less than a good role model (Bjornberg, 1992). As for divorced and nonresident fathers, they are also... Children naturally crave attention and welcome this modernization of fatherhood. As fathers are encouraged by this positive response, they cement bonds with their children. Children benefit from the good father figure. On the flip side, they may suffer when the father is less than a good role model. The media loves controvesy. With the recent highlight on same-sex relationships,many gays and lesbians are given opportunities to work in the high profile entertainment industry. Children who are easily influenced will perceive same-sex relationships as being glamorous and might imitate their choice of role models. This relates to the same arguement that critics have referred to. These opponents say that studies show a tendency for children from same-sex families to copy their parents and orientate towards same-sex couplehood later in life. Good contemporary parenting is about effective parenting. Statistics show that crime is rising among youths. Parents and family support can create a buffer that deters the easy downturn towards crime. A stitch in time saves nine. The family is the first to notice abnormal changes in the child and can act quickly to arrest this negative influence. Contemporary parenting is very challenging. The evolution of civilisation makes society dynamic. There will always be new situations to deal with. Published research can identify trends and assist people in making informed decisions to aid contempoaray parenting.

The role of Perceived risk in sustainable consumption contexts Essay

The role of Perceived risk in sustainable consumption contexts - Essay Example Research and development projects have found out that most car demanders have perceived risks about hybrid cars; however, marketing can address the perceived risk barriers to change the attitudes of consumers towards these vehicles. Barriers Associated with Perceived Risk in Decision-making for Hybrid Cars The first barrier associated with perceived risk is lack of warrants. Hybrid companies do not give customers warrants in most cases. This causes lack of guarantee among the customers concerning the functionality of the hybrid cars. Consumers find it difficult to trust hybrid cars because they are not afforded some period of protection should the car fail to meet all dimensions of product quality (Blackwell, Miniard and Engel 101). Sometimes, hybrid car manufacturers offer extremely short period of warrants, which leaves consumers with doubts; customers tend to belief that the reason for this is that these cars could be having short Mean Time To Repair (MTTP) periods. Additionally, hybrid manufacturers fail to avail information concerning earlier purchases that could encourage customers to buy these cars. According to the social learning theory, human beings are naturally attracted to things that society members demand most because they believe that many people demand good things. Car buyers hold a belief that the speed and distance covered by the hybrid cars leads to excessive consumption of fuel and energy during driving. The general assumption is that the higher the speed, the more the engine consumption of fuel. Car consumers, therefore, have a perception that these cars may cause them spend more on fuel than they could spend in conventional cars. The hybrid cars typically attempt to increase the mileage while overcoming the shortcomings of an electric and gasoline car. Apart from the energy costs, hybrid cars are believed to cause accidents easier than conventional cars. The braking system of a hybrid car is automatic and highly sensitive to slight paddle s. Drivers believe that this may encourage them to over-depend on emergency brakes, which may expose them to fatal accidents. The root causes of these perceptions are lack of proper information and false generalizations. Marketers and manufacturers have not invested in consumer education to ensure they have clear knowledge of hybrid cars and their functionality (Blackwell, Miniard and Engel 80). Despite hybrid cars being environmentally friendly and offering great savings on gas than their conventional counterparts, they are associated with several risks. Hybrid cars have gigantic sizes and high voltage batteries. When accidents occur, the high voltage batteries pose a risk of causing acid spills and electric shocks. The force involved in accidental collision or falling of cars causes the high voltage batteries to burst and spray hot acids. Acids may lead to burns of victims while shocks may make it difficult for volunteers who are attempting to save the victims. Sometimes excessive sprays of acids and shocks lead to fires that burn the whole car and victims who might not have escaped. Further concerns arise from the fact that the large battery pack at the rear can accumulate up to 300 volts (Swanson 27). The cables connecting this battery to the engine may rupture or leak and deliver a nasty wallop. Marketing Recommendations to

MANAGING FINANCIAL INFORMATION ( part 2 ) Essay

MANAGING FINANCIAL INFORMATION ( part 2 ) - Essay Example The results are also analysed for the prospects of growth and the ability of further development. The major competitors with which the company has been compared are J Sainsbury Plc, Morrisons and Marks and Spencer. The company secured net revenue of  £60,931million for the 2011 financial year end. The revenue grew from  £56,910 million as the company showed a growth in revenue of over 7% for this particular year. The gross profit of the company also increased from  £4,607 million to  £5,060 million indicating a growth in the gross profit of 9.8% compared to last year where the growth in the gross profit was marginally over 10%. The following chart sheds light on the growth in revenue and gross profit of the company for the past 5 years (in millions). (Tesco Plc, 2011) The company was able to secure a net profit before tax of  £3,535 million for the year ended February 2011, which rose from  £3,176 million in 2010. The net profit after tax saw a considerable growth as the company sustained a net profit after tax of  £2,655 million for 2011 which was an increase of 14% since 2010 from  £2,327 million. The adjacent chart shows the trend of the net profit before and after tax for the past 5 years (in millions). The total current assets of the company amounted to  £11,438 million which rose from  £11,392 million for the previous year. On the other hand, the total current liabilities were  £17,731 million which rose considerably from the previous year as they were  £16,015 million in 2010. This shows that the company’s ratio of current assets to current liabilities indicates a lack of liquidity to finance the current liabilities. A trend of current assets and liabilities is shown which indicates that the current liabilities have always been over and above the current assets of the company, due to the nature of the company’s business which is a retail business. The

The leadership style of Catherine the Great Research Paper

The leadership style of Catherine the Great - Research Paper Example The empress Catherine II is one of the brightest phenomena of the Russian history. The first half of her life, up to the accession to the throne, is represented as a series of fortunes, which did not depend on personal qualities of the modest German princess. But she managed to play the results of each of her successes in the best way, showing the rare ability to overcome any constraining circumstances as well as a moral ban, if was necessary for the achievement of a specific goal. The second half of the biography of Catherine The Great, a Russian Empress, is a series of the episodes, which arose spontaneously, not due to someones conscious will, and quite often had the most improbable endings. A motley round dance of events, in which the wisest plans and projects stuck and broke up, and instinctively made situational decisions often led to historically important consequences. This chaotic kaleidoscope developed a majestic picture of an eminence of the Russian Empire. Having headed t he triumph of her second homeland, the Empress Catherine II occupied a deserved place among historical heroes (Cronin, 1978). Catherine was not tall, but always held her chin highly lifted, and her back ideally straight. One her glance was enough to show his place to an impudent. â€Å"The double doors opened and the Empress appeared. I have said that she was quite small, and yet on the days when she made her public appearances, with her head held high, her eagle-like stare and a countenance accustomed to command, all this gave her such an air of majesty that to me she might have been Queen of the World; she wore the sashes of three orders, and her costume was both simple and regal; it consisted of a muslin tunic embroidered with gold fastened by a diamond belt, and the full sleeves were folded back in the Asiatic style. Over this tunic she wore a red velvet dolman with very short sleeves. The bonnet which held her white hair was not decorated with ribbons, but with the

Gender Differences in Fundamental Movement Patterns Essay Example for Free

Gender Differences in Fundamental Movement Patterns Essay Raudsepp and Paasuke (1995) tested 60 8-year olds (33 boys and 27 girls), finding that there are no sex differences in the kinematics of running. However, they found that boys perform better in overhand throwing and in tasks evaluating motor performances and muscle strength. Girls outperformed the boys in two tasks: sit and reach and balance (p. 294). This study merits discussion on several fronts. First, the researchers hypothesize that factors other than biological account for the gender differences in motor skills that they found in their tests (p. 301). Second, the researchers note that biological variables had been considered in previous studies (p. 294), and they made this point a significant aspect of their own investigation. Third, the children were given classes before the testing sessions (p. 295). In trying to account for the results of their study, the authors hypothesize that factors other than biological could account for the gender differences. Biological factors include age, height, weight, and body fatness (p. 294). A factor that could explain these differences is experience. Indeed, the authors note that, in the case of overhand throwing, girls do not have the same amount of experience as boys, and that boys have more memories of practicing overhand throwing (p. 295). In trying to eliminate biological factors from the results of their study, Raudsepp and Pausuke standardized the age factor, as they chose only 8-year olds for their study. They also measured the height, weight, and BMI of their subjects, finding that there were no significant sex differences in height and BMI. However, the boys were heavier than the girls (p. 297). In their choice of subjects, the researchers have chosen groups that differ only in the biological factor of weight. This is a significant point for their study, however, there are other biological factors that could have been considered and that possibly might account for some of the differences the authors observed. For instance, could joint length (in proportion to height) account for the difference in stride lengths in the running kinematics test? Also, if the boys and girls are similar in height and BMI, what aspects of the body composition of boys accounts for their heavier weight? An intriguing aspect of this study is that the researchers gave the children classes before the testing sessions. In these classes, children were taught the proper techniques of running and throwing (p. 295). As these classes likely impacted the children’s performance in the tests, additional information should have been provided to the reader. Who taught these classes? Were the instructors male or female? Were the children separated by gender in the classes, or were boys and girls taught together? An additional component that could make an ideal subject for future investigation would be to test the children both before and after the training sessions. In this way, the elements of experience and technique could be weighed against performance, particularly in the task of overhand throwing. In summary, this study largely confirmed findings from previous studies. The authors, in their attempts to standardize biological factors, bring up important questions to consider in future studies. In the area of biological factors: What accounts for the boys’ heavier weight? Does limb length account for differences in stride length? Is there a difference in body composition or limb length that accounts for girls’ increased flexibility and balance? In respect to environmental factors: How did the technique classes affect the children’s performance?

History-failure of Italian Revolutionaries Essay Example for Free

History-failure of Italian Revolutionaries Essay There were several factors affecting the failure of the Italian revolutionaries in the years 1820-49. Although the lack of popular support was a contributing factor, it is far less significant when compared to other aspects of the failure such as the intervention and military strength of Austria, the lack of unity between various revolutionary factions and the lack of outside help from other countries. One of the key factors of the revolutionary’s failures was due to the repeated involvement by Austria and its imposing army, who were a major force in Europe and the world at the time. Led by Metternich, the Austrian’s quashed revolution after revolution. For example, in 1821, where King Ferdinand had granted his state, Naples, a constitution out of ‘fear’, he appealed to Metternich for help, who duly obliged as he opposed the revolutionaries because they ‘disturbed the peace’ in the whole region. Therefore, in March 1821, Austrian troops marched into Naples and easily overran the rebel forces with a superior army in strength, training and weaponry. This made it almost impossible for any revolutionary group, whether united or separate, to outmatch the Austrians, whose military strength was far greater than the revolutionaries. This also occurred in 1848, when Charles Albert, revolutionary king of the most powerful state, Piedmont was twice devastated by the Austrian’s. First, in June, he was defeated in Custoza and forced to sign an armistice withdrawing from Lombardy and again in March 1849 where he was heavily defeated in Novaro. This was a theme throughout the entire time period of 1820-49, with Metternich crushing revolutions in Piedmont, Lombardy and Sicily among others, with this trend only declining when revolutions arose in Vienna, forcing Metternich to focus on events closer to home. Therefore Austrian military might was an overwhelmingly strong factor in the failure of every revolution in this time period. Another reason for the failures was a distinct lack of unity in almost all of the revolution, with the groups from different states and areas refusing to cooperate with each other as they were in the main more concerned with local affairs than the bigger picture of a united Italy. For example, in 1832, Modena appealed for help from the  revolutionary government of Bologna for no particular reason other than they didn’t want to communicate or cooperate with one another. Another example is the Sicilian revolutions. They started a revolution in their capital city of Palermo and had soon ousted the previous regime to replace it with a revolutionary provisional government. However, when revolutions spread to the mainland of Naples a few days later, they had no plans of assisting them; instead making their policies clear by breaking away from Naples and becoming an independent state. Instead of national or regional unity, they instead, from the entire period of 1820-1848, wanted a free and sovereign country of their own. The fact that the different groups didn’t cooperate with one another, and in some cases, such as this, had entirely dissimilar aims for having a revolution, meant that they could easily be overridden one by one because individually they were very weak. A lack of outside help from other countries that were meant to be enemies with Austria did not help the revolutionaries cause. At the beginning of the revolutions in 1820, fresh off the back of the establishment of the new republic in France after the French revolutions, there was the hope that they would support the Italian revolutionaries in overthrowing their reactionary rulers, just as the French had done to their own monarchs less than 30 years before. In 1831 as well, despite appeals for French help, their pleas were ignored and Austria swept the isolated revolutions aside. In fact, instead of assisting the revolutionaries, in 1848 they instead intervened seemingly on the other side of the revolutions in order to assist the Pope, but in doing so they overpowered the Roman Republic, a revolutionary area headed by Giuseppe Mazzini. The French military brought hardship upon the people of the Rome after defeating Mazzini, seemingly in a hypocritical way as they themselves had fought to rid themselves of an iron grip previously but were instead now the iron grip rulers. On the Popes return, the repressive regime present before the Roman Republic returned. This shows that the French were far more against the revolutions than for them. They would’ve been the natural protector of the revolutions due to their recent history and their hatred of Austria, but it wasn’t to be and this was a key reason in why the uprisings ultimately all failed. Despite these reasons, the lack of popular support was no doubt a contributing  factor into the revolutions failure. The fact that in most states, around 90% of the population were peasants, but were not included in any decisions or contributed to the fighting effort meant that there was never likely to be popular support, because peasants views were not heard so their living conditions wouldn’t necessarily change no matter who was in charge. They would most likely have very little idea of what was even happening in their state. For example, in 1831 the peasants were deliberately excluded from taking part in any form of the revolutions, except for in Sicily where peasants were involved. This was due to the fact that the middle class professionals believed that the poorly educated peasants would end up being detrimental to the cause and would spark their own revolution fighting for their rights and eventually leading to the rule of the mob. Overall, there were several key factors in the failure of the revolutions between 1820 and 1849, such as the might of Austria, the distinct lack of unity between revolutionary divisions and the lack of allies from the international community. Despite the importance of these factors, the lack of popular support cannot be ignored as a factor, but the middle classes had a steadfast fear that if they permitted peasant help, they would turn the cause into riots. This was seen in Sicily where peasant assistance was encouraged, but ended in the masses destroying property, freeing prisoners and burning tax collection papers, as they had the sole intention of causing anarchy. Therefore, the lack of popular support was not a crucial factor but merely a side point in the revolutions failures.

Media Representation of Violent Crimes | Race

Media Representation of Violent Crimes | Race The thesis of the paper is, the media representation of violent crimes by African Americans. It has indeed been proven that the media portrays a very negative image on violent crimes as perpetrated by black Americans and this to a large extent ÂÂ  impacts on the law, regulations, and public perceptions on the violent crimes. For instance, a violent crime such as rape has been painted as a grim reality that all of us need to be aware. This has had the effect of even influencing the way law makers perceive rape. It has eventually led to stringent laws being developed to deal with the crime by the blacks. The most notable law in the US history was the one restricting the way in which the sex offender moves through the sex offenders restrictions Act. This paper will succinctly focus on the various media perceptions about the violent crimes and especially the way the media represents violent crimes thus influencing the public perception of the same. The result of the media representation of violent crime by black Americans has been more strict measures being taken that is aimed at curbing the propagation of such crime. Previously as noted, such crimes were often silent and thus the public did not know much about the violent crimes. However, due to the media representation of such violent crimes, crimes such as assault, wife battery have now become more pronounced more than ever. It has therefore become clearly known that the violent crimes are treated with more weight as a result of increased knowledge by the public especially of the violent crimes (Lind, 2004). The media has often been faulted for propagating violence in many forms. The violence that is portrayed by the media actually encourages the vice to continue instead of helping to educate the public in order to avert future problems. It was revealed that most of the news that sells in the media and attracts much attention is news pertaining to violent crimes by the black Americans. We would often turn the volume of our television or radio sets up in order to listen to some shoot out news in which a gangster or police officer was killed or more so to listen to testimonies by witnesses in a rape or robbery case. The body of this paper shall consider the impacts of the media representation on violent crimes by the black Americans. Indeed, criminology theories are often contemporary theories and not standalone theories as perceived by most scholars (Croteau Hoynes, 2000). The theories help to explain the rationale behind what most criminology researchers put forth. In this paper, we shall explain how the media representation of violent crimes impacts on the law and generally on the US regulations in light of the classical criminology theory. Several researchers have explored the media representation of various phenomena, with very few suggesting that the media rarely imparts positive impact on the law and public perceptions on violent crimes. Furthermore, it is imperative to note that the media indeed influences different aspects of the law by painting a stern picture of the violent crimes through emphasizing on the consequences of such crimes and the reality in terms of victims that are left after the perpetration of such violent crime. We shall first begin by looking at the positive impact that the media has on its representation of violent crimes to the society at large. Firstly, it is important to note that most of the violent crimes go against the societal values and core beliefs. This has indeed made the media to point out the reality behind such violent crimes. It is often common to see the media emphasizing on the effects of such violent crimes such as rape. Sometimes, the media even uses real victims to succinctly convey the message. This has left several impacts as insinuated by several researchers. A lot of research has been done to determine the spate of media influence on the violent crimes to the society. Critics suggest that the media has made the publics perception about violent crimes by the black Americans to change. This has observably changed for the worse. Consequently, research has shown that violent crimes could be effectively be dealt with at a higher level by the law enforcement agencies. What is most important is the awareness by the general public. The media therefore plays a pertinent role in fostering this. Maguire, Morgan and Reiner (2007) reveal that the picture painted by the media on violent crimes by black Americans such as rape has made the law makers to realize how serious the violent crime can affect the society. In particular, law makers have become more aware of the factors that actually lead to the propagation of violent crimes so that they may effectively pass laws that will ensure that the activities that lead to the violent crime or at least contribute to the violent crime are kept in check. For instance, rape in the media was portrayed as emanating from the activities of idle boys and the youth who apparently did not have anything to do. This in turn made the law makers to seek ways of preoccupying the youth in a more constructive manner. Therefore, the youth development projects were formed to take care of the needs of the youth. Apparently, the youth in California were found to be engaged in various activities (Greer, 2003). Some of these activities were not so construc tive as such. Therefore, the law makers formulated laws that effectively ensured that the youth were well occupied. This therefore meant that the youth could be engaged in educational as well as community activities. Consequently, the media representation of the violent crimes made it easier for the public to perceive violent crime as an emerging crime that was previously hidden under the pillow. This therefore apparently enabled crimes such as assault and domestic violence to emerge and become topical issue in the media as well as in the public forum. The result of this therefore was that the public became more aware of the effects of violent crime, specifically, domestic violence and assault as well as rape. Thus, the media has been extremely successful in exposing such crimes to the public knowledge. The public has responded by being more vigil in terms of fighting the crime through community oriented initiatives. The media in conjunction with the police bring to the attention of the public certain crimes that they would have otherwise been ignorant of. The media continues to be ardent in exposing criminal activities and syndicates. The most recent syndicate to be exposed was that of track it which apparently fleeced unsuspecting citizen of millions of dollars. Apparently some of the renowned black Americans were connected to this syndicate which was accused of defrauding the public of their innocently earned money. This way, the media ensures that unscrupulous business entities are busted and their licenses ceased. Lind (2004) suggests that the spate of crime by the Black American is on the rise and if nothing is done to address the root cause, then it is likely that this could escalate beyond repair. The society at large subsequently instigated steps that were meant to curb the growing trends in the violent crimes. The trends of such violent crimes can thus be monitored and steps taken by the law makers and the public to mitigate it. This has therefore had the positive effect of reducing the incidences of violent crime within the society setting. Stenson and Sullivan (2001) insinuate that the media alert on violent crime has helped the public to specifically improve their response to such crimes thus reducing the occurrences of such crimes. In particular, the public has become more receptive in helping the police to monitor such kinds of crime through the community oriented policing modules. In her book, Lind (2004) reveals that the media indeed portrays race as a contributory factor towards the violence as seen in most of the scenes of violence. The black Americans are particularly faulted for being boisterous in terms of their propensity to propagate violent crimes. In the United States, nearly half of those individuals who are incarcerated are black Americans. This indicates a worrying trend that must be mitigated. The media also revealed that the state of Texas had been coarsely affected by the increase in the number of inmates who had been incarcerated by the federal government. The federal government on the other hand has the relevant statistics necessary to formulate the necessary measures aimed at averting the vice of violent crimes. Media is the mouthpiece of the society. The society has come to believe the media in most of the aspects pertaining to the society in general. Therefore, it is the onus of the media to ensure that they consistently inform the public of the various happening and to subsequently effectively warn the public of a growing trend. The public is therefore receptive of such happenings that will affect its perceptions as propagated by the media. More often, the media simply According to Davies, Francis and Greer (2007), crime occurs where the benefits outweigh the costs. This is the definition of the classical theory of criminology. The classical theory of criminology therefore goes ahead to state that when people are after self interest, with the lack of presence of punishment that is tangible or even intangible, crime occurs. Therefore what this means is that the violent crime occurs as a result of lack of knowledge by the general public. This also means that the media serves as an important vessel in mitigating crime by the blacks through effectively monitoring crime prevalence. Media has been very successful due to its ability to reach multitudes of people at the same time thus ensuring that information is conveyed to masses. The law makers also serve to formulate laws that ensure violent crime by black Americans is kept in check (Miller, 2003). This could not be possible without the contribution of the media in highlighting the areas of violent cri me that the law makers need to focus on. Moreover, this will have a ripple effect in ensuring that the violent crime does not continue and is effectively put under check. The classical theory also states that crime, and violent crime for that matter is a free will and upon an individuals choice. The people who propagate crime are therefore people of sane mind, body and spirit. Therefore, what this means is that violent crime by the black Americans has indeed been a matter of choice. According to Muncie and Wilson (2004) issues regarding choice can only be eliminated through publicity and increasing awareness. This as earlier mentioned can best be done by the media. The media has for ages painted a grim picture of violent crime and been against it in totality. This has therefore meant that the violent crime incidences have been shunned by the society in general and thus led to a decline in cases involving violent crime. On the other hand, the media has negative impact in terms of the image that it paints in relation to the violent crime on the society as well as the impacts that it has had on the laws and regulations. Greer (2003) notes that the media has overblown the issue of violent crime beyond proportion thus making it difficult for the determination of the true magnitude of the violent crime and the extent to which it should be shunned The consequences of this have been thorough in terms of influencing the way law makers perceive violent crime. It is also true according to the classical theory of criminology that the violent crime by black Americans is the brain child of a society that lacks direction. This is indeed a wakeup call for the law makers and the relevant administrators to take up the challenge and rise up to the occasion as pertains to ensuring that the perpetrators of violent crime are dealt with. Maguire, Morgan and Reiner (2007) concur by suggesting further that the law makers have accorded strict punishment to some of the violent crimes such as assault thus putting the perpetrators who may have acted under self defense to thorough capital punishment. Similarly, the law makers have been very mean in terms of passing amendments meant to reduce the punishment accorded to the perpetrators. Critics suggest that the best form of punishment that would be suitable for the perpetrators of violent crimes would be serving several years behind bars and then community service for a couple of years (Davies, Francis Greer, 2007). The media representation of violent crime by blacks Americans has therefore left very stern action taken by the law makers. Furthermore, the public at large have been left with a very bad perception. Greer (2003) suggests that the public now view most of the violent crimes by the black Americans as gross. This has made the public to take very stern action while dealing with the perpetrators of such violent crime such as rape. The public has therefore become autonomous in terms of judging a person suspected to have perpetrated the violent crime and subsequently played the part of the court or judicial system. This has made the public to take law into their own hands and set ablaze or even brutally killed the perpetrators. The classical theory of criminology further supports the fact that violent crime is caused by an individuals volition. This volition should be turned for the good of the individual through encouraging good behavior within the community and thus effectively rehabilitating a violent crimes perpetrator. Stenson and Sullivan (2001) suggest that the media has effectively denied the perpetrators of violent crime the chance to change and be part of the society. This theory further supports a no-crime environment through solving crime from its roots. Therefore, the law enforcement agencies will have a very smooth ride due to the implementation of these theories. The other important negative impact of the media representation of violent crime by the black Americans has been that individual especially the teenagers who are apparently below the age of majority have been exposed to violence at a tender age. The media has therefore succeeded in changing the perception of such age groups of violent crimes since they view this as a normal happening and therefore they grow up knowing that violent crime by the black Americans is part of the society. Muncie and Wilson (2004) suggests that it is usually very difficult to change such perception. In fact, the teenagers perception of violent crimes by the black Americans is so grim such that some of them even aspire to perform the same acts that the media condemns. Too much exposure to violent scenes is not good for the development of the teenagers. Recently, there has been a huge outcry on how the media portrays violent crimes by the black Americans without discretion to the populace. It is important to note that the populace consists of diverse ages. It is ethically wrong at least according to Greer (2003) from the media to show violent crimes to the youth. It can therefore be concluded that the classical theory is indeed the most effective in explaining the media representation of violent crime by the black Americans and advancing the ways that we can deal with such perception and representation to develop more positive laws and regulation as pertains to curbing the incidences of violent crimes. Therefore, the media has been more beneficial more than detrimental to the general public through the various sensitization programs that it advocates for in totality. Crime rates by the black Americans have been effectively reduced due to the proactive nature of the media towards informing the public and the police together with other law enforcement agencies of the impending violent crimes and their consequences.

Loss of Innocence :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Innocence is usually associated with youth and ignorance. The loss of one’s innocence is associated with the evils of the world. However, the term â€Å"innocence† can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Similarly, the loss of one’s innocence can be interpreted in more than one way, and, depending on the interpretation, it may happen numerous times. The loss of innocence is culture specific and involves something that society holds sacrosanct. It is also bounded by different religious beliefs. Still, no matter which culture or religion is at hand, there is always more than one way to lose one’s innocence, and every member of that particular culture or religion experiences a loss of innocence at least once in their lives. In addition, the individual’s loss of innocence will impair him or her emotionally and/or physically.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Committing a crime of some sort will certainly cause an individual to lose his or her innocence with emotional scars and perhaps with physical scars. In Native Son, by Richard Wright, Bigger Thomas accidentally suffocates his boss’ daughter to death. Suddenly, Bigger feels a strength that had been dormant in him, a sense of control and power over another person. Although the murder is accidental, Bigger Thomas experiences a loss of innocence that enables him to kill others also, including his own girlfriend. Yet, with the power he believes he had acquired from his loss of innocence, he also obtains an abundance of guilt and fear. Bigger knows that he had performed a terrible act, and because of this he feels guilty. Also, he begins to fear that he would be caught. Bigger becomes very paranoid after the murder and ultimately is caught and executed anyway. The case of Bigger Thomas is almost tragic. His loss of innocence, an accident, causes him to become a d ishonest and dishonorable person. He is unable to forget the event and bears guilt and fear until he is executed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Knowing a victim of an unforgettable and unforgivable crime will cause a person to lose a type on innocence. However, witnessing the heinous violation of the victim is much stronger. After the witness sees and hears the exact event, it is nearly impossible to disregard his or her memory. This is true in the short story â€Å"In the Shadow of War.† The protagonist of the literary work, a young boy named Omovo, witnesses the killing of a woman.

Parallels between The Movie, The Matrix and Platos Allegory Of The Cav

Parallels between The Movie, "The Matrix" and Plato's Allegory Of The Cave In Book VII of The Republic, Plato tells a story entitled "The Allegory Of The Cave." He begins the story by describing a dark underground cave where a group of people are sitting in one long row with their backs to the cave's entrance. Chained to their chairs from an early age, all the humans can see is the distant cave wall in from of them. Their view of reality is soley based upon this limited view of the cave which but is a poor copy of the real world. In addition to the chained people, there are other people in the cave. Plato refers to them as the puppet-handlers and they are the ones holding those in the cave captive. (It is important to realize that the prisoners do not realize this--in fact, the prisoners do not even realize that they are being held captive since this existence is all they have ever known.) Walking behind the prisoners, the puppet-handlers hold up various objects found in the real world. Due to a fire that is burning the mouth of the cave, the prisoners are able to see the objects and each other only as distorted, flickering shadows on the cavern wall in front of them. Unfortunately, the prisoners can not see the actual objects or the puppet-makers because they are unable to turn their heads. From childhood, "...their legs and necks [have been] in bonds so that they are fixed, seeing only [what is] in front of them.... As Plato goes on to later explain, "the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images." The movie, "The Matrix," parallels Platos's Allegory Of The Cave in a number of ways. Similar to the prisoners of the cave, the humans trapped in the matrix (the cave) only see what the machines (the modern day puppet-handlers) want them to see. They are tricked into believing that what they hear in the cave and see before them is the true reality that exists. Furthermore, they accept what their senses are telling them and they believe that what they are experiencing is all that really exists--nothing more. However, Neo is forced to face a painful truth when he is removed from the pod that has kept him trapped in the virtual reality of the matrix. Neo discovers that what he has been presented with his entire life is only reflections, or merely shadows of the truth. This theme is carried throughout the movie as we see ... ...yone to take them out of the cave. They would fight to stay in the cave because it is the only world they have ever known and it is where they feel safe. In "The Matrix," Cypher kills several people in his quest to go back to the matrix (the cave). Morpheus tells Neo the same thing in regard to the humans still plugged or trapped in the world of the matrix. "You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged [forced out of the matrix--the cave]. And many of them are so inert, so hopelessly dependent on the system that they will fight to protect it." Society's Role In Our Lives In conclusion, Plato's story of the cave brings up many philosophical points and most importantly, addresses the issue of society's role in our lives. To some degree, we are all influenced by the thoughts and actions of others; however, at the same time, we have the ability to question, draw our own conclusions, and ultimately make our own choices. As Trinity tell Neo, "The Matrix can not tell you who you are." By being courageous enough to turn around and take the red pill, we, just like Neo and the Freed Man, are making the first step towards personal independence.

Allen Iversons Olympic Selection Essay -- essays research papers fc

Olympic Iverson April 2003 Word Count: 574 Allen Iverson has continued to plague us with the same thought during this 2002-03 Philadelphia 76ers season, â€Å"Why isn’t he under consideration to be an Olympian?† Iverson, seemingly a man on a mission, continues to show us why he should receive an invitation to participate on the 2004 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball team. Night in and night out he shows us why he is Allen Iverson, â€Å"The Answer.† Now Iverson can add another nickname to his acclaim, â€Å"Allen Iverson the Olympian.† With three games left in season Iverson finally got his wish. This past Thursday, Iverson, 27, was told he would receive an invitation to play. The team will be coached by the 76ers’ and Iverson’s head coach Larry Brown and the summer games will take place in Athens, Greece starting August 14, 2004. Upon after word of his invitation, Iverson said, "It's just a great feeling to be able to represent (the) USA. It's an honor and it's something that I will cherish for the rest of my life." Following a 25-point outburst that night in Philadelphia's 99-78 win over the Boston Celtics Iverson continued, "It has a lot to do with respect. Only the elite players represent their country." Iverson has consistently...

My Dream, My Future

My Dream, My Future Do you pay attention in how fast time goes by? Before we realize, time has passed by and all the dreams we had for our future have not yet come true. The reason is because our dreams are just dreams and haven’t yet become goals. Life is no Nintendo game. You live only once. Therefore, we must fulfill those precious one called Dream during the rest of our short Life. As for me, I have my own dreams too. If you ask me this in my childhood, I would say: â€Å"I want to be a teacher†¦ I want to be an actor†¦ and so on†¦Ã¢â‚¬ .But if you ask me now, I will tell you I have three major dreams. First, I want to graduate this school with the Best grades ever! So, my parents can be proud of me. Second, I want my life to be colorful and beatific. Enjoying life doesn't waste money, we should use many to do some significative things. For instance, we can contribute our money to help the poor and homeless children, we can travel to somewhere to see the n ature scene, we can buy book or collect your interested things to enrich our life, we also can have time to play with your family.Third, I want to travel all around the world. I have always been curious about other cultures and the differences between people in other countries. It would be amazing to travel the whole world. Just realize that you are Riding an Elephant which is the Biggest terricole being, or standing on the Highest spot of magical Pyramids in Egypt, or maybe wandering Deep in the sea and seeing unidentified creatures.Furthermore I would love to bungee jump or swim with sharks, experiencing life to the limits. In the future I may have new dreams, but the first goal I have to achieve is getting my diploma. This is one of the keys to accomplish my other goals and dreams. After becoming a professional, I want to start a family, one lovely wife and maybe three children’s and have one beautiful cozy home to raise my kids and grow old with the people I love the most . I hope to achieve†¦ Written by: B. Davaasuren

Coffee in World History

Coffee in World History Coffee in world history has changed many things from its first appearance in 1635 up until today. Its effects were seen in the people, on the economy, and on the social aspect of life. These effects were mainly beneficial with some exceptions. Documents 1,3,5,7,8, and 10 show positive social effects on the people. While documents 1,3,4, and 9 show how the effects of coffee were seen positively on a worldwide scale.Whether looking close up in social communities, or looking at it as a global impact, coffee proved to have a very large and beneficial influence on how people lived their lives throughout history. Socially, coffee has changed history in very positive ways. In the Ottoman dynasty, people flock to these coffee shops and basically live on coffee as it has become a new daily routine for them as it has appeared in towns (Document 3). People gather at these shops, talk, conduct business, and to be social, thus spreading new ideas and news faster through th e city.Coffee has also brought many jobs to the people (Documents 5, 7, and 8). Document 5 shows all the people that coffee must go to, to get to their drinkers and shops, all the people who are involved in this process were given jobs because of coffee. The details of the jobs were shown through how the people were effected by them (Documents 7 and 8). The did effect the people in positive ways because the workers were able to all get fair and equal pay for the job without any social discrimination.Finally, the social bonuses of coffee are shown, while being biast, stating that coffee is a ready and east source of money, showing that you could benefit from it because of the high value of coffee (Document 10). A document that would help better prove the point to show that coffee changed the society in a positive way would be a document by a ruler stating all the positive effects and all the accomplishments the dynasty has made because of coffee. Coffee proved to be a very beneficial factor in society through popularity, jobs, and money made from it and would help you if you were involved with it.Coffee also showed up in worldly affairs, positively changing things such as relationships and trading between countries. Document 1 can not only be used as a social plus, but can also be seen as a worldly plus. This Document shows us the world’s views and first reactions to coffee, which turned out to be very good. Everyone loved it and it’s popularity exploded worldwide. Document 3 can also be used in both situations because it shows how people still reacted to coffee 145 years after it first appeared and people still seemed to be addicted.This Document could be seen as biast in one way such as it says that without contradiction, the drink has formed the workers’ breakfast, some workers still may not be able to reach shops that sell coffee or may not be able to afford it. Different country’s views on the actual total consumption and export s were also shown in Document 4 and Document 9. Annual consumption (Document 4), was shown in 50 different countries ranging from 0. 1 kilograms per person in Kenya, to 9. 2 kilograms per person in the Netherlands. The countries total exports (Document 9), had 19 countries included, ranging from Brazil with 7. % coffee exports to Uganda with 94. 5% coffee exports. Another Document that could be added to help support the positive effect that coffee had on the world would be a document written by different Kings scattered across the world about how much their kingdom has improved by the invention of coffee and how economy, and jobs, and the social aspect of life has gone up. These documents were important to the world’s benefit from coffee because it showed that since the trade of coffee went up, economy went up, helping money fluxgate throughout the world.Although document 1 could be seen as a positive for both social and worldly benefits, it has yet another side, a negative f or the communities. As more and more people began to become attracted to these coffee shops, they began to attend work and the temples less and less, creating the beginning of a problem for some people. Other than the problem of some people avoiding jobs in exchange for time spent drinking coffee, its impact was mainly positive.This document could also be biast because of if the people in that particular place actually have time and money for coffee, or if they enjoy their jobs, they wouldn’t be flocking to this tiny shop to socialize and to drink. If another document were to be added to this picket, it would need to be a document written by people in different jobs such as a priest, a coffee shop owner, a merchant, or a trader of coffee. The point of this document would be to better understand coffee’s effect on different jobs and really determine if the effect on the job changed the job holder’s take on coffee.This document would help really tell if the effect s on the social aspect were beneficial according to the people, not just the overseers. From the beginning of when coffee first appeared, until now, there has been many coffee influences on history. Through society, coffee has changed the way we live, and how coffee has changed our jobs. In worldlier views, coffee has changed our economy, trade, and relationships with other countries. Coffee proved to have a very large and beneficial influence on how people lived their lives throughout history.

Analyse item 1 a newspaper article from ‘ The Guardian’ Essay

I am writing an assignment which is on media. The two sources I have been given to analyse is a leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’ and a newspaper article from ‘ The Guardian. ‘ Both are based on the subject of homelessness. The problem of homelessness is a very unsettled issue. It is evident in many countries but in the UK it is concentrated in London. The two items are different, as one is an article from a broad sheet newspaper whereas item 2 is a leaflet asking for donation for a charity which helps the homeless. The article on homelessness states many facts on the reasons why homelessness is an issue which is faced by many people today. It is estimated that â€Å"419, 400† individuals have been accepted homeless by the local authorities in which many are living in a â€Å"sub standard† condition and are not even included in the statistics. This means that there are many out there who are regarded homeless and are yet not to be found. The main reason that people are homeless is the fact that most of them are â€Å"rough sleepers† who go about during the day and sleep wherever there is a dry place. It is mentioned that the majority are â€Å"single people†. This may have been due to the fact that many of them leave home at a young age and are unable to support themselves financially and resulting in not having kids. It is estimated tat â€Å"90%† of the homeless population is male. One may think why? The answer to this is due to the fact of excess consumption of alcohol resulting in spending a huge amount of money and leading to bankruptcy and not affording to a good life. People who are † dependant on non prescribed drugs† are also homeless because they spend most of their income on drugs. It is also stated that those who suffer from â€Å"multiple social problems† are mostly either family problems or are kicked out due to other problems. They suffer mentally as these problems mount up leading them to leave home and run away with no benefits and live on the streets without a fixed home. As homelessness is increasing, government intends to abolish the problem by setting up plans for the future, which may help in development. The newspaper states that in order for this plan to work out successfully, the government proposed many new acts since 1980’s Due to â€Å"public outcry† against â€Å"doss houses† many of these houses were closed down, in return new warm â€Å"hostels† were opened; the downside to this improvement was that it was â€Å"insufficient† as by 1989 they were, â€Å"5000 fewer beds than there were 10 years ago. † By 1990 the government estimated 1000 to 2000 people were sleeping rough in central London. Along the government response to this was the Department of the Environment had launched a â€Å"three year i 90,000,000 rough sleepers initiative (RSI) in which they funded resettlement workers, temporary cold workers and a permanent accommodation† for rough sleepers to move on. Other authorities like the Department of Health launched a â€Å"homeless mentally ill initiative† to provide a more high care hostels for those with mental problems. Because of its success, the initiatives were â€Å"renewed† for a further 3 years in 1993. By 1995, the government reported that the number of rough sleepers in London dropped to around â€Å"270† which means it was successful. The problem of homelessness was reported in the newspaper article in the Guardian. Now I will analyse an extract of a leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’ which helps to tackle the problem of homelessness. ‘The Salvation Army’ is an agency, which works on people’s contributions to continue the agency’s work on helping homeless people. ‘The Salvation Army’ is â€Å"a provider of accommodation† for those who are single and homeless all year round. This group has â€Å"developed† a † successful programme† for helping people to find â€Å"permanent homes. † This means that ‘the Salvation Army’ is not only working on short-term projects but also on long term projects to ensure safety for the future and help build their lives. An example of a successful help project is Jim. It is stated that Jim was a success because of many people’s â€Å"generosity† which enabled a â€Å"brighter future for Jim. † Home for Jim was not good. He lived on a hill amongst â€Å"brambles†, because of the reason that his life living on the streets was disappointing, and also the reason about the time he got is hopes high of getting a job that was refused, because of â€Å"the interviewer took one look at his crumpled clothes† his hopes of living a good life with a fresh start was shattered and he was left where he started from. But then ‘ the Salvation Army’ stepped in. Once the Army hears a person in need like Jim, they send someone to investigate the matter. After that incident an officer visited him. With a helping hand and a shoulder to cry on Jim was taken to a hostel where he â€Å"enjoyed a hot bath, a shave† and most of all â€Å"friendship. † From then, Jim had been living in the local ‘Salvation Army’ hostel. Building up his confidence with the dedicated help of the officers he has open up his hope and is determined to find a job and build up his life once again. As this story was successful in Jim’s case it may mean many other cases which are there must be successful too. With this story as an example ‘the Salvation Army’ is a charity which is there to â€Å"lend a sympathetic ear and a comforting arm† and most importantly it is there to offer â€Å"true friendship† to those who are lonely and scared. ‘The Salvation Army’ is not there just to provide a temporary home but also to offer a long-term programme which enables a better future for the unfortunate homeless people. As ‘The Salvation Army’ is a charity which helps to build long term projects for the homeless, they have to find a way to make people pay attention and one strategy used is the use of emotional language. There are many examples in which emotional language is used but the main ones are: â€Å"Once in the streets, homeless people become prey to all sorts of illnesses, all potential killers. In fact over 600 people a year on the streets die on the streets. † In this sentence the word â€Å"prey† is used. The literal meaning of â€Å"prey† is a victim. This tells the reader that homeless people are victims of cold weather and the use of this word is emotional and used to make a point; it is also supported by a fact â€Å"600† making this statement true. Another sentence where the use of language is strong is † With your generosity we can give vulnerable people not only a happier Christmas but a brighter future too†. The word â€Å"generosity† is used to give an opinion of being helpful or kind. This suggests that with the help of the people outside giving donations it can give â€Å"vulnerable† people a happier Christmas and give a lifelong help of a good future. Another sentence which captures the reader’s eye is â€Å"We are the ones to lend a sympathetic ear, the ones with the comforting arm, the ones offering true friendship and support during difficult times†. The words â€Å"comforting, sympathetic† are both very emotional. They are used here in order for the reader to be aware of the good nature of ‘The Salvation Army’, how at difficult times they can offer â€Å"friendship† and show support to those who are in â€Å"difficult times†. The Salvation Army is there to help people who can’t help themselves and those who do not show help to others. The use of emotive words gives an impression of a sad tone to the story about Jim and to the life of homeless people. The two items about homelessness are very unlike as item 1 is an article from a broadsheet newspaper ‘The Guardian’ whereas item 2 is a information leaflet from ‘ The Salvation Army’. The newspaper article follows a parliamentary debate which is going to take place on the issue of homelessness. The article begins with a subheading getting to the key point about † the size of the problem†. It begins with the historical past of homelessness. A lot of statistical information is given; it also states what kind of people is most likely to be found homeless â€Å"single people, childless couples†. It also shows previous parliament records † over 8,000 people† which tells you that this debate has taken place once before. There are many facts given to show evidence of the controversial issue of homelessness. The newspaper article finally shows what the government has done to overcome homelessness; an example of this is doss houses which were â€Å"closed down†. The leaflet from ‘ the Salvation Army’ begins with an opinion, of how sleeping rough you can dread bad weather. It states a fact about living outside in the cold weather can feel like. Compared to the newspaper article which is not biased about who is to blame for being homeless, the leaflet states a biased opinion on how homeless people are â€Å"blameless† for their situation. It also states what kind of people is likely to be homeless, which is different from the newspaper article. It gives a reason for publishing the leaflet but does not give a lot of statistical information. There is a blend of facts and opinions like â€Å"over 600 people a year die on the streets† which is a fact. It also gives a reason for why they are successful by giving the story about Jim, which was a success. It does not show background information on the issue of homelessness. It ends with a paragraph on requesting help from the readers by donating money. The newspaper article gets to the point on what the article is about with a large heading in bold and capitals † HOMELESSNESS† which later is followed by sub- headings. It is set out in vertical columns which are not fully justified. It has short paragraphs and sub-headings. The paragraphs give much information in a compact place. In comparison to the leaflet which begins with bold highlighted blocks giving little facts. The paragraphs are set like tabloid newspapers also in vertical columns. There are very short paragraphs and some of them are in Italics; the font of the letters varies in style like Italics â€Å"with your generosity†¦ â€Å". It does not give substantial information on the issue. The newspaper article’s use of language is formal and direct; it is very informative stating many facts on the issue and the historical background. Like the parliament debate, the sentences are easy to understand and the sentences are balanced with connectives like â€Å"however, or†. It gives a lot of statistical information to show evidence of how homelessness is a very big issue. No emotional language is used. The leaflet’s use of language is very straightforward and easy to understand. The sentences are very simple. It has information but not in a great amount. There is a case study shown in the story about Jim and how ‘ the Salvation Army’ was a success and this can draw a person’s attention. Many financial appeals are requested using emotive words â€Å"with your generosity† and â€Å"become prey† which also catches the reader’s attention. The leaflet is based on appeal rather than factual information like the newspaper article. The Salvation Army’s main motive’s to ask for donations to help resolve homelessness whereas the newspaper article is informative and has a lot of statistical information in a more formal manner. The article appeals to me as a more informative packed story. It gives more amount of statistical information to prove many facts; the sentence which caught my eye was â€Å"90 per cent were male† as I did not think that most homeless people were male. It also begins on with what kind of people are most likely to be homeless which can tell the reader how homelessness has begun. The information on how homelessness has increased during the years shows the reader how it has become a more highly regarded issue and is something to think about. It also shows what the government is doing to tackle the problem and how at a yearly basis new initiatives have been introduced. The reader is left to make their own opinion about homelessness whether it is an issue worth thinking about and, make a public stand to it or leave it to the government to sort it out. The leaflet has a more emotional tone for public appeal on donating for a charity which is helping to reduce the problem of homelessness. The Salvation Army is a charity which is based on people’s donation to help the homeless and develop long term projects for a good future. It gives information on what kind of conditions the homeless have to sleep in. it also shows a case study to support their success. It is not as informative as the newspaper article. It has no fixed presentation device unlike the newspaper article which is all set in columns. Towards the end of the leaflet the reader is left to make a choice of feeling sorry for the homeless and donate money or is left untouched by the story about Jim.