Symphonic Splendor essays

Symphonic Splendor essays The concert conducted October 6, 2002 at the Pensacola Saengar Theatre consisted of orchestral pieces composed by Richard Strauss and George Gerschwin. The show commenced with Strausss symphonic poem Don Juan, and continued to move on to Gershwins Concerto in F for piano and orchestra. The solo pianist for the piece was a man by the name of Christopher Taylor whom has earned much respect from other musicians and listeners over the years by displaying dedication and exquisite knowledge of the musical language. Taylor began his musical career at the young age of seven years as he began to learn piano theory. Although it is considered a late start by the man himself, his accomplishments and awards prove that he has acquired the skills needed to perform at a much higher standard than the average pianist. Christopher has recently graced the air with a sweet succession of tones in countries around the world including France, Korea, Spain, the Philippines, and the Caribbean. A membership to the American Pianists Association was granted to him in 2002 to compliment his previous awards such as the Irving Gilmore Young Artists Award, an Avery Fischer Career Grant, and a first place trophy from the William Kapell International Piano competition. In addition to Mr. Taylors career as a performer, he is currently holding the position of Assistant Professor of Piano at the University of Wisconsin in Madison so his techniques can be passed on to up and coming musicians. The list of things this man has done in his lifetime is extremely impressive to the extent that anyone can appreciate the time and effort he has spent on making beautiful, complex pieces of music history come alive. Richard Strauss, born in 1864, enjoyed early success as both conductor and composer. He developed the symphonic or tone-poem to an unrivalled level of expressiveness and after 1900 achieved great success wi...

Death with Dignity Essay

Death with Dignity Essay Death with Dignity Essay Response to Death With Dignity writing They call me a leader. They call me an innovator. They call me a miracle. In my lifetime I have achieved incredible things, done outstanding deeds and have surpassed every expectation thought-out for me. I have gone the extra mile to prove to myself, others and society that I am no different. I have sang in front of hundreds, spoken before thousands, and impacted a countless number of people. I have led schools, classmates, cities and states towards a common goal of unity. I have achieved so much in my mere eighteen years of life, that the majority of people don’t ever take the opportunity to experience. What is it that drives me to be so focused, you may ask? My drive is simply the will to live. I have had this zest for life from the day I was born. Over the years I have achieved greatness, understanding that my years may be short. Having a terminal illness has placed perspective on my life and the way in which I view it. I have learned to monitor my health and to have a great understanding as to its current standing. By judging me, you may say that I am an exception and that I have a clear mind of what is right and wrong, therefore could rightfully judge when the appropriate time may be to give into my illness and end the pain. My question to you is, why? Why make an exception? Why deem one action right for one person and not another? Who is to judge what is right versus wrong? Who is to judge what is best for another being? Who is to judge how one individual enters or exits the world. Our whole lives we have been told that we as individual beings have the freedom to decide ‘our destiny’ and what our life will come too, but your argument undermines exactly that . I find it to be my responsibility to speak for my peers in saying the points in your writing â€Å"What about do no harm?: Suicide is not health care, and prescribing death is not a doctor’s role† are far from accurate, valid or supported. Your point supports the government’s involvement and ability to force people to remain living just to suffer terrible pain, finishing the greatest times of their lives with the worst of days of agony. When all said and done, under current law people have no control over their death and instead are inverted back to helpless beings. As an adult with a terminal illness, this issue

Causes of the Civil War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Causes of the Civil War - Essay Example Civil wars are common among early nations seeking growth and expansion. Almost all countries in the world has went through civil wars at one some point in their history, where some have experienced it earlier than the others. There was the Irish civil war from 1922-1923, the Lebanese civil war which lasted more than two decades from1975 to 1990, the Russian civil war which began in 1918, the Spanish civil war which happened between 1936-1939, and other countries as well. The American Civil War was a war fought between two organized groups - 23 northern (Union) and 11 southern (Confederate) – seeking power within the same country - America. The Confederacy would have been content with gaining control over part of America; the Union insisted upon maintaining authority over all of it. It was also a time when the Confederacy sought to establish itself as a separate nation. The Civil War was the culmination of forty years of intense sectional conflict and reflected deep-seated economic, social, and political differences. Historians have coined a number of titles for the war such as â€Å"War of Southern Independence,† â€Å"Brother’s War,† â€Å"American Iliad† and â€Å"Second American Revolution.† Although each of these titles merit the attention to some aspect of the struggle, still, the term Civil War remains to be most appropriate in both sense and usage; and besides, this was the term generally used by both North and South during the war. The American Civil War grew out of deep differences between the north and the south, notably over slavery – opposed by President Lincoln, but an important part of the economy of the south. Underscoring sectional differences, the labor force in the South included nearly 4 million enslaved blacks (Reader’s Digest, 1995). An important element in the war’s background was sectionalism, which may be defined as the tendency of one area within the nation to conceive of itself as being significantly different

KFC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

KFC - Essay Example This is essential in the company's operation as consistency and reliability of its products are at stake. Consistent processes across the company's outlets ensured that each of the branches is operating at a predefined standard. Also, the image of the company which is already instilled in the company's market should be met by all the outlets. All of the above measures are instrumental to KFC's success. 2. At first, Loy made a mistake in the strategies that he employed to conquer the Japanese market. This was evidenced by the huge losses he incurred during KFC's operation of its first restaurant in Osaka. However, as he got to know the Japanese market, he proved to be effective. Loy was able to identify a target market which is the group of trendy Japanese. This new market required fresh marketing strategies. It called for the modification of the product line, place, promotion and pricing. Fortunately, Loy had essentially adopted strategies which were just appropriate for his target market. Loy's strategies involved offering products which appealed more to the Japanese market.

US Correctional System Essay Example for Free

US Correctional System Essay A correctional system is a network of legal agencies with granted authority to make pronouncements on legal issues geared toward administration of justice within a prison setting or a parole system. The goals of this system are to punish the perpetrators of criminal activities through various mechanisms, to protect the general population from harms associated with crimes, and finally to transform criminals into responsible, law abiding and productive citizens through well structured rehabilitation programs. This paper will focus on how the correctional system is utilized to achieve the above mentioned objectives and investigate which strategy between punishment and rehabilitation is the most effective in reducing crime. Punishment of those proved guilty of bleaching the law is a major goal of the correctional system and serves as a deterrent against one repeating an offence in addition to suppressing criminal thoughts of others who might be contemplating evil (eHow, Inc, 2010). A good number of mechanisms are applied and incarceration is the most common. It entails imprisonment or confinement of criminals in facilities such as prisons, local jails for persons convicted in state courts, federal prisons for those convicted in federal courts, and several residential institutions including training schools for juveniles. Another form of punishment is probation which is a sentencing option for offences of lesser magnitude and offers a second chance to first time offenders to reconstruct their behavior. Criminals who serve under this sentence have been convicted of crimes but have served only a part of the sentence in prison or not at all. Persons on probation are required by the court to adhere to certain conditions and guidelines under the supervision of a probation officer. These conditions include abiding to a curfew, living at a specified place or not leaving the jurisdiction at all, subjection to community service, and obeying the orders of the probation officer among other conditions. Probation can be seen as a suspension of a sentence during which, the offender is accorded liberty conditioned on behavior change with the state having the obligation of assisting the offender to maintain commendable conduct (Sutherland, Cressey Luckenbill, 1992). Death penalty as a form of punishment was re-instated in 1976 and it is almost exclusively used for crimes of murder (Bryant, 2003). Over the course of time, several amendments on this law have been made with several states implementing new laws which allow death sentence for the rape of a minor. Other statutes allow death penalty for non-murder crimes including treason, placing a bomb near a bus terminal, aircraft hijacking, and drug trafficking, among others. Different methods of execution have been prescribed by the federal government and the 37 states that have statutes allowing death penalty (Regoli Hewitt, 2009). These methods are electrocution, lethal injection, firing squad, hanging, and lethal gas, though no states provide for either of the last three as the sole method of execution. Rehabilitation is an approach entrenched within the correctional system and is meant to punish offenders in a more positive way with the understanding that the offenders are sick and require gradual cure and reconstruction of their moral and social discipline before their release. This strategy is taken to be an effective mechanism of shifting a criminal from being a liability to the society to being an asset. It can be accomplished through vocational training, drug rehabilitation treatment, and counseling (eHow, Inc, 2010). Vocational training for instance offers criminals a chance to acquire a variety of job skills which consequently shapes them into productive members of the society and helps them to fight hopelessness, lack, and low self esteem which they might be struggling to overcome. Counseling is also a viable method of rehabilitating criminals and can be done either individually or in groups. Group counseling aims at triggering a positive influence among criminals by sharing the wide niche of experience from its members. Group activities and interactions also help significantly in providing solutions to the problems among peers such as how to break links of ealier relationships with undesirable people. Drug addiction and alcoholism is also a menace that has jeopardized cohesive existence and has threatened state security. There are a staggering number of drug rehab centres whose goal is to assist drug addicts and alcoholics heal physically, mentally, socially and spiritually and re-establish themselves in a drug and alcohol-free setting (treatment- links. net, 2010). To a great extent, capital punishment and long term imprisonments play a significant role as deterrent and incapacitation approaches against crimes. However, these strategies do not serve to heal the society from all facets of social relationships. According to Braithwaite, a legal system that relies on punishing criminals as the major approach of curbing crime, is destined for failure since it does not incorporate the voice of the victim (2002). From my point of view, the rehabilitation approach carries a lot of potential in reducing criminal activities as it provides the criminal with a second chance of becoming a better and resourceful person through acquisition of skills and advice that fits his or her needs. Rehabilitation scores a major goal of ensuring that the offender gets a chance of acquiring some form of education, phsycological support, and treatment in case of drug addiction. Consequently, this can be more effective in eradicating the urge to go back to criminal activities. In addition, rehabilitation generates a sense of healing and new life both to the offender and to the community after successful reformation. With regard to punishment, fear of being punished does not offer any better solution to criminal activities Braithwaite(2002). Rehabilitation therefore goes an extra mile in meeting the goals of the correctional system. References Braithwaite, J. ( 2002). Restorative justice and responsive regulation. Newyork: Oxford University Press US. Bryant, C. (2003). Handbook of Death and Dying. New Orleans: SAGE. eHow, Inc. (2010).Role of the Correctional System. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www. ehow. com/about_5087269_role-correctional-system. html Regoli, R. , Hewitt, J. (2009). Exploring Criminal Justice: The Essentials. Boston: Jones Bartlett Learning. Sutherland, E. H. , Cressey, D. R. , Luckenbill, D. (1992). Principles of criminology. Newyork : Rowman Altamira. treatment-centers. net. (2010). Drug Addiction Treatment Centers, Alcohol Rehab Programs, Dual Diagnosis and Addiction Treatment Resources. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www. treatment-centers. net/

The Puerto Rican Community in Hartford :: Culture Puerto Rico Spanish Essays

The Puerto Rican Community in Hartford Social Mobility is a hard term to define because it can be interpreted in an infinite amount of ways. My group has the responsibility of reporting how the Puerto Rican community in Hartford has evolved or changed in the past eighteen years. We are using a special section produced by the Hartford Current as our starting point. From there we are suppose to document how, if at all, the idea of transnational identity and mobility for Hartford’s Puerto Ricans has changed. I am writing about social mobility because my group is interested in knowing if in fact the idea of moving up on the social ladder is a motivation for Puerto Ricans to move to Hartford. Sal Enriquez has already shown that Puerto Ricans have moved to Hartford in the hopes of attaining economic success but what about social success? Before an answer can be provided I must try and define what social mobility is. In the context of this paper social mobility is the ability or opportunity for people within a certain to move up or down. I will assume that those that we are discussing are trying to move up, and not down in social class. It might be argued that social class ascension is directly related to economic success. If one wants to move up the social ladder then they first must move up the economic ladder. Since Puerto Ricans travel to the United States to attain economic stability are they also looking for social stability or improvement? There is no clear answer to this question. There are some Puerto Ricans in Hartford who have migrated so that they can maintain their social class standing. One student here at Trinity College is a good example of such mobility. Luigi Dessy a junior, engineering major, and active participant in school activities says that he came here for a good education and new experiences. He is appreciative of the fact that he has been able to attend private schools his whole life.

Applications of virtual simulation and their impact in education and training Essay

By replicating experiences, simulations hold great potential for educating people or training professionals for almost any task. Research shows more learning is acquired through virtual reality than through reading or lectures. Different from other visual technologies such as film, television and photography, virtual simulation is very effective in education and training because it can provide interactive experience with theories and concepts. Students learn while they are situated in the context where what they learn is to be applied. They get immediate feedback as they explore their understanding of the material (Hitlab). Virtual reality transports learners and lets them explore places they are not able to visit or experience in the real world and could also allow them to visit different places in different time periods that they could not experience in one lifetime. Indeed, virtual reality evokes many possibilities for education and training across a whole range of disciplines. Despite prohibitive costs, more and more educational institutions are exploring simulation technologies as teaching aids and research tools (Byrne, 1993). However, the benefits far outweigh the high costs of simulation technologies. For example, virtual simulation could be used to avoid the physical, safety, and cost constraints that limit schools in the types of environments they can provide for learning-by-doing. To expose them to situated learning, Nuclear Engineering students could learn more about the nuclear reactor by studying simulated models with HMD and 3D gloves instead of a real nuclear reactor. Virtual reality technology facilitates constructivist learning activities and also supports different types of learners such as those who are visually oriented. Virtual simulation could also solve the limitations of distance learning in science and engineering education by providing virtual laboratories in place of hands-on experiments. Physical phenomena that are not easily perceived or measured in usual experiments can be presented in a virtual world and can be viewed in many different perspectives in a VR laboratory. Furthermore, virtual simulation could also address the problems of high costs and hazards of complicated experiments (Kim, et al. , 2001). Figure 2. Simulation offers interactive demonstration of the AC and DC generators (from Kim, et al. , 2001) Simulations in education focus on specific lessons or tasks and allow the replication of abstract concepts and ideas. Simulation techniques are used to create a microworld that simulates an abstract concept and allows the learner to experiment or construct objects to facilitate understanding. A good example of a microworld is the Global Challenge Award online STEM learning web site that teaches science concepts related to global warming and the future of energy. Virtual simulation could also be used, for example, by an ecology to study hydrology and population growth and decay for wildlife species in a given geographic region. An astronomer could also simulate the collision of galaxies and the formation of dark matter. Virtual simulation allows professionals to explore their fields without having to run extensive and costly physical, on site, experiments (Fishwick, 1995). The use of simulation environments has been found to be very effective educational tools because they support self-driven learning (Trindade et al. , 2002). Figure 3. Interactive demonstration of different types of waves (from Kim, et al. , 2001) Multisensory immersion would be the best way for science students to learn complex scientific concepts. In a study of virtual reality physics simulation (VRPS) conducted by Kim, et al. (2001), it was found out that students who were exposed to VRPS programs that provide rich interactive learning environments showed higher academic achievement and felt more satisfaction and interest in the learning process. In another study done by Jensen, et al. (2004), it was shown that 3D visualizations can improve learner satisfaction due to the vivid presentation, and at least maintain learning efficacy.

Mental Health and Social Inclusion

Title: An examination of social exclusion policy and its effect on adults of a working age with serious mental health problems To begin, this essay will briefly define the term social exclusion and its historical background. It will then move on to the political history of social exclusion in the United Kingdom. Particularly the essay will focus on the reasons behind unemployment, and the resulting effect of excluding people from society.The policies around employment and the benefit system will be discussed in some detail, and their consequences on working age adults, including those with serious long term mental health issues. The French socialist government termed the phrase ‘social exclusion’ in the 1980’s; it was used to define a group of people living on the edge of society whom did not have access to the system of social insurance (Room, 1995 citied in Percy-Smith 2000). The concept of social exclusion has been defined in many different ways since then.The European commission defines social exclusion as referring to the â€Å"multiple and changing factors resulting in people being excluded from the normal exchanges, practices and rights of modern society† (Commission of the European Communities, 1993 quoted in Percy-Smith 2000 p. 3). This was a move away from using the term underclass in the UK, which was not an acceptable phrase to some, as it was more related to poverty (Lavallette et al, 2001). The term social exclusion pointed at a much more complicated problem rather than just money, if you were excluded something or someone was excluding you and that could be sorted out.Although for some this new phrase just represented a ‘new’ form of the word poverty (Room, 1995 citied in Lavallette). In the UK the New Labour government set up the interdepartmental social exclusion unit in 1997 (Percy-Smith, 2000). Its aims were to â€Å"to find joined-up solutions to the joined-up problems of social exclusion† (No10 Website, 2004). The social exclusion task force works within a number of government departments such as work and pension, children school and family and the ministry of justice (No10 Website, 2004)The social exclusion unit published a series of reports in 1997 that criticised the way both central and local government had failed deprived groups and areas (Batty, 2002). It found that deprived area’s had fewer basic services such as GP surgeries and that little effort had been made to reintegrate some who had been excluded through unemployment (Batty, 2002). Unemployment is seen as one of the main causes of social exclusion (Percy-Smith, 2000). Being unemployed can have serious effects on a person’s confidence, sense of purpose and motivation (Percy-Smith, 2000).The person who works is seen as a full citizen, paying tax and contributing to society (Baldock et al, 1999). Unemployment can also be linked to mental health; a person is twice as likely to suffer from depressio n if they are not working. (Department of health, 1999). The period since the 1960’s saw a distinct decline in the British manufacturing industry leading to a shift in the type of work available, the service sector and office based jobs replaced the manual jobs and altered the pattern of demand in the labour market. Baldock et al, 1999) The unemployment rate for semi skilled / unskilled workers if four times that compared to managerial / professional workers (Percy-Smith, 2000). Those people who live in area’s with low demand for low skilled workers are highly likely to be unemployed for a very long time, leading to a near permanence in exclusion from the labour market (Percy-Smith, 2000). Welfare to work policies were the answer from the Labour government in 1997, `They set out plans to encourage people back into the labour market.Labour came up with the New Deal family of policies. These where aimed at specific groups. For example young people, adults and new deal fo r people with a disability (Percy-Smith, 2000). One of the results of this policy was to create Job centre plus from a merger of the Employment Service and the Benefits Agency. (Hoben, no date given) The Tories previously had set up the job seekers allowance, which had changed the Insurance-based unemployment benefit. (Baldock et al, 1999).With this allowance you had to prove you were actively seeking employment or you would not get your allowance. People who became unemployed would have to go for an initial interview where an adviser prepares an action plan, then short interviews are conducted every two weeks to review the claimants success at gaining new employment and to look at new job vacancies (Percy-Smith, 2000). New deal gateway is aimed at 18 – 24 year olds who had been out of work for 6 months. This offers subsidised work experience within the voluntary sector or with an employer with a ? 0 a week incentive. Also full time education/training is offered to those who did not have sufficient qualifications up the recognized NVQ level two. Young people also have an allocated personal advisor who offers assistance around job seeking, careers advice and in some circumstances drugs/homelessness advice (Percy-Smith, 2000). Anyone who refuses to take up these incentives will have their benefit cut. As Gordon Brown put it (the then Chancellor of the Exchequer) there will be no option â€Å"to stay at home in bed and watch television† (Baldock et al, 1999 p149).For people aged twenty five and above who have been on job seekers allowance for over six months then become eligible for a different set of measures, before becoming eligible for the ‘New Deal’. This is called ‘restart’. Work trials are offered as well as help with interview techniques and CV’s writing skills. After twelve months if the individual has not found work they attend a five-day ‘job plan workshop’ to assess the individuals job prospe cts. This happens again at eighteen months. If after two years they are still unemployed this is when ‘New Deal’ applies. New Deal’ offers training grants as well as an employment credit similar to that of the new deal gateway of sixty pounds a week and the benefit of a personal advisor. The budget for this was ? 250 million for the three years between 1999 and 2002 (Percy-Smith, 2000) It can be argued that jobseekers allowance forces people back to work or forces them to appear to be looking for work in a desperate attempt to keep their benefit. It can be seen as punitive (Percy-Smith, 2000) and with no option to opt out, and it does not actually increase the amount of jobs available.Without the creation of a sufficient number of jobs, people may lose their benefit, though not through lack of trying (Baldock et al, 1999). Also critics have commented on the cost of the new deal strategy with some say this money could be better used creating more jobs. (Percy-Smit h, 2000) Other arguments against new deal look at the timescale difference between the young people and adult services, it cost a lot less to intervene early when someone becomes unemployed so why wait for two years in the case of the adult new deal. (Percy-Smith, 2000).The new deal policy has been quite effective, particularly at getting young people back into the labour market. However, for people with long term significant mental health problems finding paid work can be very difficult. (Layard, 2005) If social exclusion can be linked to unemployment then for people with mental health issues they are excluded by default, with not only unemployment but with the social stigma associated with their mental health difficulties (Layard, 2005). â€Å"There are now more mentally ill people on incapacity benefit than there are unemployed people on jobseekers allowance† (Layard, 2005 p1).Evidence suggests that work can be very therapeutic for people with mental health problems, but i t seems doctors are sceptical about their patients finding and holding down jobs. (Layard, 2005) The problem gets worse the longer the person is on benefits, and as time passes social isolation increases and motivation decreases (Layard, 2005). Ninety percent of people on incapacity benefit say they would like to return to work but would find it very hard to find a job that pays as much as the benefit they receive (Layard, 2005).However, it has been an underlying trend in welfare policy that low paid work should always be the better option than state handouts. This goes way back to the poor law of 1832 where the workhouse provided the last option for very poor families, providing food and shelter for the exchange of labour. For most of those who lived in these workhouses life expectancy significantly dropped upon entering these desperate places (Higginbotham, 2008). In current times, however, sacrificing benefits and returning to work may mean a compromise in quality of life.People receiving incapacity benefit may also claim housing benefit, council tax benefit, free prescriptions and discretionary loans from the social fund to buy large more expensive items (Alcock, 2003). With all this help in place it is quite easy to see why people with a mental illness are unlikely to want to go back to full time employment and run the risk of losing money. This is known as the benefit trap. There is another problem, people who have been on benefits for a long time lack the right qualifications to join the labour market (Dummigan, 2007), increasing social exclusion.If a mentally ill person wanted to find a job but had little or no skills, the choices are very narrow normally leading to a low wage job, again making it unlikely for the individual to want to come off his/her benefits (Dummigan, 2007). The government has tried to rectify this problem by offering further incentives to get people back to work, such as disability tax credits that offer a tax break should some on e find work but there is limited awareness of the financial incentives to return to work (Percy-Smith, 2000).Pathways to work is a recent government initiative with the aim of getting the recipients of incapacity benefit back to work, the claimant will have to take a personal capability assessment which is used to determine whether or not the person is eligable for the benefit, but will focus on â€Å"what the customer can do rather than what they cant† (Department of work and pensions, 2007).A mandatory work focused interview will also take place eight weeks after making the intial claim followed by a screening tool to establish who will have to have more work focused interviews and those who will be exempt from further manditory participation (Department of work and pensions, 2007). Pathways to work will offer a range of programmes to support the â€Å"customer† in preparing for work with a fourty pounds a week incentive or credit for twelve months if their salary is below fifteen thousand pounds a year (Department of work and pensions, 2007).Pathways to work is currently operating in fourty percent of the country. In an interesting move, the remaining sixty percent of pathway to work providers will be from the public sector leading to critism that the government is privatising the welfare system. The government's chief welfare to work adviser, David Freud, said recently: â€Å"I worked out that it is economically rational to spend up to sixty thousand pounds on getting the average person on incapacity benefit into work, somebody will see a gap in the market and make their fortune. † (Quoted in Vaux, 2008).Some voluntary sector organizations have criticized the rather aggressive approach taken by the public sector organizations in winning the contracts, and feel that the voluntary sector would be in a better position to deliver the contracts (Vaux, 2008). Mind charity has criticized the pathways to work initiative stating it â€Å"place s all the emphasis on the individual to find work†, yet, it said  there  was no obligation on employers to actively recruit people with mental health problems. It would also seem that if you disclose to an employer that you have a mental health problem you are more likely to be sacked before your sane colleagues.Also there is a lack of support in the work place for mental health sufferers, which lead to higher sickness rate, which in turn puts off employers recruiting future pathways to work employees (Lombard, 2008). In the recent action plan on social exclusion â€Å"Reaching out† the government recognizes the need for encouragement in the workplace for recruiting people with mental health issues and supports employer based anti-stigma campaigns. It also states that the government alone cannot address social exclusion, and that the wider community has a role to play.But most of all, the individual must want progress for themselves and those around them (Reaching O ut, 2008). In the last five years mental health services have improved greatly (Layard, 2005) Better treatment and early intervention have empowered people to control their own lives, but though these services have improved the medical condition, mentally ill people still suffer from exclusion from society. The association with dependency that being on benefits brings leads to a segregation (Percy-Smith, 2000). In conclusion, social exclusion is a far reaching problem and not an easy task to overcome.Evidence suggests that the government still identifies the problem with unemployment and poverty, and has taken a great deal of measures in providing policies that aim to get people back into the work place. Unfortunately for some, as has been shown, work is not always a viable or the best option, and people who fall under this category may stay on the boundaries of society due to no fault of their own, or be forced into working at the detriment of their health. The changes around the i ncapacity benefit rules may leave some people worse off than when on benefits and this may increase the chances of a relapse in mental ealth issues, which in turn will make them less employable, continuing the cycle of social exclusion. As we enter another recession and unemployment rises again, this is likely to be a huge focus, and the government will have to rethink existing policies around unemployment. Those who are recently unemployed must be given sufficient support to regain employment to avoid falling into the benefit trap in order to avoid the danger of becoming socially excluded. Bibliography Alcock, P (2003) Social policy in Britain, Basingstoke, PalgraveBaldock J, Manning N, Miller S & Vickerstaff S (1999) Social Policy. Oxford University press, Oxford Lavalette,M & Pratt A (2001) Social Policy a conceptual and theoretical introduction. Sage publications London Percy-Smith, J (2000) Policy responses to social exclusion. Open university press. Oxford Batty, D (2002) Soci al exclusion: the issue explained (Online), available at http://www. guardian. co. uk/society/2002/jan/15/socialexclusion1 (accessed on 28/10/08) Department for work and pensions, (2008) Pathways to work process. (Online) Available at http://www. dwp. gov. k/welfarereform/pathways_process. asp (accessed on 5/12/08) Department of health, (1999) National service framework for mental health, modern standards and service models. (Online) available at http://www. dh. gov. uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4009598 (accessed on 1/12/08) Dummigan, G (2007) The benefit trap. (Online) available at http://news. bbc. co. uk/1/hi/programmes/politics_show/6403329. stm (accessed on 4/12/08) Higginbotham, P (2008) Poor laws (Online) available from http://www. workhouses. org. uk(accessed on 4/12/08)Hoban,M & Thomas, J (No date given) DW response to welfare to work – discussion paper. (Online) available at http://www. voicefromthewheelchair. co. uk/ pages/dw-response-to-welfare-to-work (accessed on 1/12/08) Layard, R (2005) Mental health: Britain’s biggest social problem? (Online) Available from http://cep. lse. ac. uk/textonly/research/mentalhealth/RL414d. pdf (accessed on 1/12/08) Lombard, D (2008) The replacement of incapacity benefit. (Online), available at http://www. communitycare. co. uk/Articles/2008/10/27/109795/incapacity-benefit-reform-will-leave-some-disabled-people-worse-off. tml (accessed on 5/12/08) Reaching out, (2006) An action plan on social exclusion (Online), available from http://www. cabinetoffice. gov. uk/media/cabinetoffice/social_exclusion_task_force/assets/reaching_out/chapter1. pdf (accessed on 28/10/08) Social exclusion trends show success (2004) Online, available from http://www. number10. gov. uk/page5544 (accessed on 28/10/08) Vaux, G (2008). Pathways to work, to help those unfit for work. (Online), available at http://www. communitycare. co. uk/Articles/Article. aspx? liArticleID=107551&Pr interFriendly=true (accessed on 1/12/08)

Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek colonisation during the archaic period Essay Example

Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek colonisation during the archaic period Essay Example Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek colonisation during the archaic period Essay Does Herodotus offer adequate explanations for Greek colonisation during the archaic period Essay Essay Topic: History In order to assess how adequate Herodotus explanations for Greek colonisation in the archaic period are it is necessary to first look at Herodotus’ reasons behind the establishment of Hellenic settlements, the attitudes of modern historians. Herodotus relies heavily on religion as a main factor behind Greek colonisation, most notably the Delphic Oracle at the Temple of Apollo. Herodotus and modern historians also mention political motivation for the foundation of new colonies however the latter prefer to focus more on ‘land hunger’ and trade developments as being the main reasons behind the institution of apoikia. Lastly it is important to examine the reliability of Herodotus himself; assessing whether The Histories is dependable on its own as source or whether other information is required along side it to paint an adequate picture for the true purpose behind Greek colonisation during the archaic period. The most important reason Herodotus uses to explain Greek colonisation would be down to instructions relayed by the Delphic oracle. Herodotus writes how the â€Å"Phocaean’s made Cyrnus their destination, because twenty years earlier, on the advice of an oracle, they had founded a community there called Alalia†[1] and also how the colonisation of Cyrene involves the apparent founder Battus consulting the Pythia[2]. These examples therefore show that Greeks placed great stock in the predictions made by the oracle which they believed were messages being relayed by the Gods. Dillon and Garland agree with this assessment by stating that â€Å"men of former times†¦ would not found cities, or surround themselves with walls, or kill anyone, or get married before they had learnt all they could from the seers†[3]. Descoeudres agrees that â€Å"consultation of the Delphic oracle was a normal, even mandatory prelude to a colonizing venture†[4] but later goes on to argue â€Å"but was sought from the Gods was a sanction for action already decided upon†[5]. This idea that Greek cities wanted approval for expeditions that they had already planned is concretized by Dillon and Garland who state that â€Å"most mother-cities would have known their destination in advance†. Therefore it could be argued that Greeks did not require the Delphic oracle as a director of the expedition, but for divine authorisation, one which could not be contested by rival claimants to the newly establishment settlement. This is particularly evident in the case of Cyrene where both the Therans and the Lacedaemonian accounts of the settlements origin differ widely except from the involvement of character known as Battus and his consultation of the Delphic oracle in their attempt lay claim to that territory. Dillon and Garland state that â€Å"while it was important by the fifth century to ensure a colony had the backing of Apollo at Delphi there are no recorded foundation oracles for several colonies of the 8th and early 7th centuries†[6] which could be used to support Demand’s assertions that â€Å"the participants (of the colonisation movement) would have wanted to have a clear title to their land, and this could only be provided by the Gods†¦ some oracular responses may even have been invented at a later time by poleis tidying up their local histories†[7]. Therefore, there is ample evidence to suggest that Herodotus’ testimony that the Delphic oracle was a motivation behind Hellenic expansion is not an adequate explanation for Greek colonisation during the archaic period but instead can be used to examine the attitudes of those reporting to the father of history. On the other hand, both modern and ancient sources agree that political differences had its part to play regarding Greek colonisation during the archaic period. Herodotus explains how the entire Tean populace â€Å"took to their ships and sailed away to Thrace where they founded the city of Abdera†[8] due to pressure from the Persian forces under the command of Harpagus. The impeding nature of a larger, more powerful army aiming to conqueror a city would arguably be a good reason for that group of people to move to a safer area in order to survive. Along with external political enemies being the reason for colonisation amongst the Hellenic peoples, internal political strife was also evident; one example being Dorieus failed attempt to colonise in Libya and later Sicily due to his brother Cleomenes I being crowned King of Sparta[9]. Dillon and Garland assert that along with other factors â€Å"political problems at home were the primary social and economic factors that impelled cities to send out settlements elsewhere†[10] which corresponds with Speake who argues â€Å"the foundation of Tarentum and Cyrene both refer to political strife, while Phocaea was a response to Persian expansion†[11]. Therefore political conflicts did also contribute to the Greek colonisation movement however it could be argued only on a smaller, more specific scale. The threat of a Persian invasion laying waste to cities and placing its inhabitants in captivity would seem like a reasonable excuse to relocate however this does not explain motivations behind colonisation before and after the conquests of Darius and later Xerxes I. The fact that Herodotus says â€Å"the Phocaeans and the Teans were the only Ionians who emigrated from the native lands rather than endure slavery† implies that external political pressure was limited as a reason for Greek colonisation. Colonisation stories similar to that of Dorieus would mainly have been restricting to only a few mother-cities like Sparta who abided by the Male Primogeniture rule of inheritance (the entire estate of the father going to the eldest son) rather than partible inheritance (equal division of father’s estate amongst children) whereby which led Dorieus to seek foreign land. In summation, political motivations were minor reasons for Greek colonisation during the archaic period. A more extensive argument for Greek colonisation during the archaic period, maintained by modern historians, would be economic factors, chiefly land hunger and trade benefits. A combination of partible inheritance and population rise meant that less land was being divided between more people and that ultimately â€Å"there was not enough arable land in the existing Greek world to support the growing population by agriculture and pasturage alone†[12]. This assessment is accepted by Crawford who concurs that â€Å"shortage of land as a result of the growth of population in the eight century mainly lies behind the need to found settlements overseas†[13] and Dillon and Garland who agree that â€Å"it is important to realize how significant population size could be in Greek cities throughout this period†[14] and later go on to mention Thera’s colonisation of Cyrene due to drought and population increase, a settlement Herodotus problematically explains as being a result of an oracular prophecy. This view seems more concrete given archaeological finds such as increased amounts of graves being dated to around that period and urbanisation of large cities during that time. In conclusion, the reasons Herodotus gives for Greek colonisation during the archaic period are useful as a starting point but not adequate as an entire description of the movements made by the Hellenics. Tales of divine instruction to establish new settlements and heroic singular efforts against the odds given to us by Herodotus hold less weight compared to the economic practicality of creating new communities to relieve the increase of population, a view upheld by most modern historians. Although factors such as religious zeal and political strife were possibly involved in the decision to set up new colonies they are not as significant as the economic advantages concerned. However this view of Herodotus as an inadequate source is by no means a criticism of his ability as a historian, rather a limitation on the reliability of the information he was given. It is clear that Herodotus’ resources were flawed and he himself implies that there are restrictions on their usefulness[15]. Luraghi agrees with this assessment of the passage and the Histories as whole by stating â€Å"Herodotus explicitly says a couple of times that his task is to report what is said, regardless of whether he believes it or not†[16]. Therefore Alone, Herodotus offers adequate explanations of the views of locals regarding the founding of settlements and their attitudes towards religion and heroes but must be used alongside archaeology and the views of modern historians in order to paint and adequate picture of Greek colonisation during the archaic period.

Battle of Monterrey in the Mexican-American War

Battle of Monterrey in the Mexican-American War The Battle of Monterrey was fought September 21-24, 1846, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and was the first major campaign of the conflict conducted on Mexican soil. Following the initial fighting in southern Texas, American troops led by Major General Zachary Taylor crossed the Rio Grande and pushed into northern Mexico with the goal of taking Monterrey. Nearing the city, Taylor was forced to launch assaults against its defenses as he lacked the artillery to conduct a siege. The resulting battle saw American troops capture the city after taking heavy casualties as they fought through Monterreys streets. American Preparations Following the Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, American forces under Brigadier General Zachary Taylor relieved the siege of Fort Texas and crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico to capture Matamoros. In the wake of these engagements, the United States formally declared war on Mexico and efforts began to expand the U.S. Army to meet wartime needs. In Washington, President James K. Polk and Major General Winfield Scott commenced devising a strategy for winning the war. While Taylor received orders to push south into Mexico to capture Monterrey, Brigadier General John E. Wool was to march from  San Antonio, TX to Chihuahua. In addition to capturing territory, Wool would be in a position to support Taylors advance. A third column, led by Colonel Stephen W. Kearny, would depart Fort Leavenworth, KS and move southwest to secure Santa Fe before proceeding on to San Diego. To fill the ranks of these forces, Polk requested that Congress authorize the raising of 50,000 volunteers with recruitment quotas assigned to each state. The first of these ill-disciplined and rowdy troops reached Taylors camp shortly after the occupation of Matamoros. Additional units arrived through the summer and badly taxed Taylors logistical system. Lacking in training and overseen by officers of their choosing, the volunteers clashed with the regulars and Taylor struggled to keep the newly-arrived men in line. General Winfield Scott. Photograph Source: Public Domain Assessing the avenues of advance, Taylor, now a major general, elected to move his force of around 15,000 men up the Rio Grande to Camargo and then march 125 miles overland to Monterrey. The shift to Camargo proved difficult as the Americans battled extreme temperatures, insects, and river flooding. Though well-positioned for the campaign, Camargo lacked sufficient fresh water and it proved difficult to maintain sanitary conditions and prevent disease. The Mexicans Regroup As Taylor prepared to advance south, changes occurred in the Mexican command structure. Twice defeated in battle, General Mariano Arista was relieved from command of the Mexican Army of the North and ordered to face a court-martial. Departing, he was replaced by Lieutenant General Pedro de Ampudia. A native of Havana, Cuba, Ampudia had started his career with the Spanish but defected to the Mexican Army during the  Mexican War of Independence. Known for his cruelty and cunning in the field, he was ordered to establish a defensive line near Saltillo. Ignoring this directive, Ampudia instead elected to make a stand at Monterrey as defeats and numerous retreats had badly damaged the morale of the army. Battle of Monterrey Conflict: Mexican-American War (1846-1848)Dates: September 21-24, 1846Armies and Commanders:AmericansMajor General Zachary Taylor6,220 menMexicoLieutenant General Pedro de Ampudiaapprox. 10,000 menCasualties:Americans: 120 killed, 368 wounded, 43 missingMexicans: 367 killed and wounded Approaching the City Consolidating his army at Camargo, Taylor found that he only possessed wagons and pack animals to support around 6,600 men. As a result, the remainder of the army, many of whom were ill, was dispersed to garrisons along the Rio Grande while Taylor began his march south. Departing Camargo on August 19, the American vanguard was led by Brigadier General William J. Worth. Marching towards Cerralvo, Worths command was forced to widen and improve the roads for the men following. Moving slowly, the army reached the town on August 25 and after a pause pressed on to Monterrey. A Strongly Defended City Arriving just north of the city on September 19, Taylor moved the army into camp in an area dubbed Walnut Springs. A city of around 10,000 people, Monterrey was protected to the south by the Rio Santa Catarina and the mountains of the Sierra Madre. A lone road ran south along the river to Saltillo which served as the Mexicans primary line of supply and retreat. To defend the city, Ampudia possessed an impressive array of fortifications, the largest of which, the Citadel, was north of Monterrey and formed from an unfinished cathedral. The northeast approach to the city was covered by an earthwork dubbed La Teneria while the eastern entrance was protected by Fort Diablo. On the opposite side of Monterrey, the western approach was defended by Fort Libertad atop Independence Hill. Across the river and to the south, a redoubt and Fort Soldado sat atop Federation Hill and protected the road to Saltillo. Utilizing intelligence gathered by his chief engineer, Major Joseph K. F. Mansfield, Taylor found that while the defenses were strong, they were not mutually supporting and that Ampudias reserves would have difficulty covering the gaps between them. Attacking With this in mind, he determined that many of the strong points could be isolated and taken. While military convention called for siege tactics, Taylor had been forced to leave his heavy artillery at the Rio Grande. As a result, he planned a double envelopment of the city with his men striking at the eastern and western approaches. To carry this out, he re-organized the army into four divisions under Worth, Brigadier General David Twiggs, Major General William Butler, and Major General J. Pinckney Henderson. Short on artillery, he assigned the bulk to Worth while assigning the remainder to Twiggs. The armys only indirect fire weapons, a mortar and two howitzers, remained under Taylors personal control. Major General William J. Worth. National Archives and Records Administration For the battle, Worth was instructed to take his division, with Hendersons mounted Texas Division in support, on a wide flanking maneuver to the west and south with the goal of severing the Saltillo road and attacking the city from the west. To support this movement, Taylor planned a diversionary strike on the citys eastern defenses. Worths men began moving out around 2:00 PM on September 20. Fighting began the next morning around 6:00 AM when Worths column was attacked by Mexican cavalry. These assaults were beaten off, though his men came under increasingly heavy fire from Independence and Federation Hills. Resolving that these would need to be taken before the march could continue, he directed troops to cross the river and attack the more lightly defended Federation Hill. Storming the hill, the Americans succeeded in taking the crest and capturing Fort Soldado. Hearing firing, Taylor advanced Twiggs and Butlers divisions against the northeastern defenses. Finding that Ampudia would not come out and fight, he began an attack on this part of the city (Map). A Costly Victory As Twiggs was ill, Lieutenant Colonel John Garland led elements of his division forward. Crossing an open expanse under fire, they entered the city but began taking heavy casualties in street fighting. To the east, Butler was wounded though his men succeeded in taking La Teneria in heavy fighting. By nightfall, Taylor had secured footholds on both sides of the city. The next day, the fighting focused on the western side of Monterrey as Worth conducted a successful assault on Independence Hill which saw his men take Fort Libertad and an abandoned bishops palace known as the Obispado. U.S. Army troops attack through the streets of Monterrey, 1846. Public Domain   Around midnight, Ampudia ordered the remaining outer works, with the exception of the Citadel, to be abandoned (Map). The next morning, American forces began attacking on both fronts. Having learned from the casualties sustained two days earlier, they avoided fighting in the streets and instead advanced by knocking holes through the walls of adjoining buildings. Though a tedious process, they steadily pushed the Mexican defenders back towards the citys main square. Arriving within two blocks, Taylor ordered his men to halt and fall back slightly as he was concerned about civilian casualties in the area. Sending his lone mortar to Worth, he directed that one shell be fired at the square every twenty minutes. As this slow shelling began, the local governor requested permission for noncombatants to leave the city. Effectively surrounded, Ampudia asked for surrender terms around midnight. Aftermath In the fighting for Monterrey, Taylor lost 120 killed, 368 wounded, and 43 missing. Mexican losses totaled around 367 killed and wounded. Entering surrender negotiations, the two sides agreed to terms that called for Ampudia to surrender the city in exchange for an eight-week armistice and allowing his troops to go free. Taylor consented to the terms largely because he was deep in enemy territory with a small army that had just taken significant losses. Learning of Taylors actions, President James K. Polk was irate stating that army’s job was to â€Å"kill the enemy† and not to make deals. In the wake of Monterrey, much of Taylor’s army was stripped away to be used in an invasion of central Mexico. Left with the remnants of his command, he won a stunning victory at the Battle of Buena Vista on February 23, 1847.

Ethical Responsibilities of Australia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Ethical Responsibilities of Australia - Essay Example Television journalists are also the personalities seen on TV who report on sports, weather, and current events for local and even international television stations (â€Å"TV Journalist†, n.d.). They must have the capacity to think fast and improvise if needed because most of the time, the television journalists are broadcasted live on TV. In a study conducted by Nankervis (2005) in Australia, the television newsroom hirers want to recruit journalists that are â€Å"thinkers with inquiring minds.† They want to hire those who have â€Å"old-fashioned† skills of breaking news not covered in another place (Nankervis, 2005). According to Nankervis (2005), television journalists should have the drive for news, ambition and the confidence. But behind the faces aired on television for reports or news, the personalities are bound to fulfil their job responsively. How can television journalists be said to have complied with their responsibilities? What are the responsibili ties of the journalists? In Australia, most of the media journalists are members of the Australian Journalist Association (AJA), a division of Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) (â€Å"Journalist Code of Ethics†, n.d.). The members of the association are required to obey to the code of ethics (â€Å"Journalist Code of Ethics†, n.d). ... They give a practical form to freedom of expression. Many journalists work in private enterprise, but all have these public responsibilities. They scrutinise power, but also exercise it, and should be accountable. Accountability engenders trust. Without trust, journalists do not fulfil their public responsibilities. MEAA members engaged in journalism commit themselves to Honesty Fairness Independence Respect for the rights of others Australian Journalism Association also commit to obey their Guidance Clause which states that: Basic values often need interpretation and sometimes come into conflict. Ethical journalism requires conscientious decision-making in context. Only substantial advancement of the public interest or risk of substantial harm to people allows any standard to be overridden. Giving information to the public such as news or current affairs, the journalists have the responsibility to comply with the legal and ethical responsibilities of the profession. There are instan ces that television journalist are prosecuted by the concerned or affected members of the society who feel that the media journalists libelled them publicly. Thus it is the responsibility of the television journalists to familiarize with the existing code of ethics and media law where the journalists practice the profession. It is the responsibility of the journalists to know what lines they should not cross because there comes a time that the journalists may offend some people but should make sure that they did not violate any law. With the Code of Ethics guiding the Australian journalists including the television journalists, the journalists are restricted to pursue their own political agendas. They must not alter the truth. They should ensure fairness at all times. Their reports

Procurement Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Procurement - Coursework Example Although enacted more than a decade later the Procurement Law was designed to arrest if not prevent a repeat of the era which was considered the lowest ebb the construction industry have experience in the United Kingdom. Although generally applicable in construction project where the government is the primary client, both reports take into consideration one important aspect in construction projects that is the satisfaction of the client. This report shall tackle the procurement process in construction that is designed to deliver projects that will not only address the needs of the clients but also satisfy the requirements of the other leading proponents of the project. This report shall describe the differences and nuances of the different procurement route that is available in the construction industry to achieve the common goals of the clients, the project proponents and the organization tasked to carry out the project to its completion. This report shall likewise attempt to design or come up with a strategic procurement route that could be a hybrid or a combination of the different procurement route that is available to better achieve the requirement of the Principal of Heriot Watt University (HWU). ... This report shall tackle the procurement process in construction that is designed to deliver projects that will not only address the needs of the clients but also satisfy the requirements of the other leading proponents of the project. This report shall describe the differences and nuances of the different procurement route that is available in the construction industry to achieve the common goals of the clients, the project proponents and the organization tasked to carry out the project to its completion. This report shall likewise attempt to design or come up with a strategic procurement route that could be a hybrid or a combination of the different procurement route that is available to better achieve the requirement of the Principal of Heriot Watt University (HWU). The client in this case the Principal of Heriot Watt University (HWU) is contemplating to build a new auditorium, with 200 seats, high specification multimedia theatre with air conditioning and comfortable tiered seati ng that can provide excellent visibility. The auditorium will feature a full size interactive screen and computer driven presentation facilities perfect for conference, lectures and presentations. In developing the best procurement strategy for this requirement a prime consideration would be the complimenting or convergence of technology and the civil construction aspect that would provide the best comfort for the auditorium’s users. A Strategic Approach to Procurement In previous years, the construction industry has taken a passive stance in the delivery of its service to its client that could be from the public or private sector. This resulted not only to failed projects but extremely dissatisfied clients even if the organizations tasked to construct these projects only