The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by levi h. dowling Essay

The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ by levi h. dowling - Essay Example Jesus’ teachings were a product of a long education process which was not simply handed down from heaven. I learned of Mary and Elizabeth’s study of the laws and other religious doctrines in the first few chapters of the Aquarian Gospel which is inspiring. It states of Mary, (the woman who have been prophesied to be the mother of Jesus) studying not just the sacred books of Jewish law, but of Buddhism, Persian religion, the Great Tao and its philosophy. Moreover, it narrates Mary’? participation in Jesus early education, which was not mentioned at all in the widely accepted bible. It showed Jesus as an ordinary man who has to find his way to attain oneness with God. What are your initial intuitive thoughts about the reading? At first, I find the book very intriguing and questions its authenticity, especially it was explained in the foreword that the book was taken from Akashic Records which â€Å"denotes a collection of mystical knowledge encoded in a non-physic al plane of existence† (Dowling), therefore it does not have material basis unlike the books in the Bible which has been transcribed from Dead Sea scrolls dugged up from archaeological research. But as I go through reading, it no longer matter whether its content did materially exist, but I was impressed to learn that Jesus subjected his own idea and beliefs in dialogue with different sages and priests of different faith and religious tradition, in different parts of the world. Has it influenced your thinking? Yes. I realized people like us; need not busy ourselves looking for the true church. For in the end, our oneness with God will not come from our adherence with a certain denomination or religious tradition. True church will emanate from each one of us, as a consequence of our sincere love and respect for each of God’s creation. This is the very same unending process that Jesus undertakes, while he was here on Earth. Jesus is the LIGHT. Did the reading contradict y our previous ways of thinking, upbringing, cultural background etc. How? In some ways it contradicted to my age long beliefs and knowledge on Christianity but at the same time it enriches my faith. I grew up with a dominantly prevailing patriarchal view that God is male. Jesus reference to the Holy Breath as feminine is an antithesis to it. Moreover, it impresses that Christ death on the cross is not equivalent to the redemption of humanity from sin which we simply need to believe in it to attain salvation as I was made to believe in. Each of us has to work for our redemption and that Jesus Christ is the LIGHT that showed us the way towards oneness with God. Jesus human side than divine which is more precisely presented in this book, gives me a deeper sense of hope for ordinary carnal and mortal man and woman like me ,that it is indeed possible to model our life accordingly to Jesus. Did you feel it was worthwhile reading? Very much, it’s a very enlightening and inspiring boo k. Aquarian Gospel is revolutionary in our time of great divide, where majority of people in the world are wallowing in poverty and a few elites are enjoying the earth’s resources. It is worthy to be reminded that Jesus communed among the sudras, the lowest among the Hindu caste, the outcast and preached the liberation to the sick, blind and the poor and criticized the hypocrisy of high priests, teachers of law, Brahms, Pharisees and scribes. Jesus taking

The Benefit of Games Essay Example for Free

The Benefit of Games Essay A sound education system is one that seeks the overall development of an individual, both in mind and in body. In fact the main purpose of education is to encourage the growth of a healthy mind in a healthy body. A good career that brings a high income alone does not guarantee a happy life. One must also be endowed with good health. Only a healthy lifestyle with a healthy eating habits and lost of exercise can bring about health. Therefore, games should be made compulsory in schools. Games promote positive qualities like team work and sportsmanship. In games which involves in team like football, volleyball and basketball, players must cooperate with one another to ensure the success of their team. There is no place for selfish desires and personal glory. On the other hand, when the team loses, all the teammates share the blame. Games and sport make the school life interesting. They add variety. Imagine having to study a whole day and then having to sit for exams. It will be both monotonous and boring, just as the saying goes ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. ’ Every game has its own set of rules and regulations. Players must adhere to these rules and regulations. If a player goes against any of them, he will be penalized. Games, thus, help students to be disciplined. Similarly, students become aware that as they grow older, they have to conform to the norms of society. If they do not, they run the risk of being ostracized. Games which are held after school hours will keep students occupied. They will not have time to pursue undesirable activities such as loafing and watching blue movies. This proves the adage, ‘An idle mind is the devil’s workshop. ’ Taking into consideration the numerous benefits games and sports have to offer, it is imperative that they be included in the school curriculum.

Portugal :: essays research papers

The republic of Portugal is located in the southwestern part of Europe, situated in the western portion of the Iberian Peninsula, bordered by Spain on the north and east and by the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west. The Azores and Madeira Islands in the Atlantic are independent regions of Portugal, considered integral parts of the republic. Portugal administers one overseas territory, Macau (Macao) in eastern Asia near Hong Kong. Macau is scheduled to return to Chinese administration in 1999. The total area of metropolitan Portugal, including the Azores (2247 sq. km./868 sq. mi.) and the Madeira Islands (794 sq. km./307 sq. mi.), is 92,345 sq. km. (35,655 sq.mi.). The capital and the largest city is Lisbon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Climate varies in Portugal according to the altitude in which you are located. Low temperatures occur only in the comparatively low regions of the south. The mean annual temperature north of the Douro River is about 10 C (about 50 F). Between Tajo and Douro the temperature is about 16 C (about 60 F). The temperatures in the valley of the Guadiana are at about 18 C (about 65 F). Rainfall is very heavy, especially in the north.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Minerals are the most valuable natural resources in Portugal. Much of these resources were developed until after World War 2 (1939-1945). Some of the mineral resources are coal, copper, gold, iron ore, kaolin, tin, and wolframite, which is Acosta 2 source of tungsten. The most sufficient trees are the evergreen oak, cork, poplar, and olive. Portugal is also a home of many kinds of wild animals. some of these wild animals include the wolf, lynx, wildcat, fox, wild boar, wild goat, deer, and hare. Portugal also has big waterpower resources in its rivers and mountain streams.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Portuguese are a combination of several ethnic elements, principally Iberians, Romans, Visigoths, and later Moors. The people still live for the most part, in rural villages. The population of Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira Islands, is 9,931,045. The overall population density is 108 people per sq. km. (280 per sq. mi.). Mainland Portugal is divided into 18 districts for administrative causes: Aveiro, Beja, Braga, Bragnca, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Évora, Faro, Guarda, Leiria, Lisbon, Porto, Portalegre, Santarà ©m, Setà ºbal, Viana do Castelo, Villa Real, and Viseu. The Azores and the Madeira Islands each constitute an autonomous region.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roman Catholicism is the faith of more than 94 percent of the Portuguese people. The Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and some Protestant churches have been established. The official language of the country is Portuguese.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Portuguese culture is closely related to the Spanish culture and has been influenced by the three primary cultures from which

Overview Program Evaluation

Overview of Program Evaluation HCS/549 April 15, 2013 Overview of Program Evaluation Program evaluation is a useful resource to evaluate programs that are currently an organization or an industry is making good use of. Evaluating programs not only bring out the strengths and weaknesses but also identifies the picture of the plans implemented. The purpose of this paper is to examine the purpose for program evaluation and why it can be useful to an organization.This paper will speak of the five most common types of program evaluation models and will select one program evaluation model to describe from week one’s reading. Purpose for program evaluation â€Å"There is only one overall purpose for program evaluation activities: contributing to the provision of quality services to people in need. Program evaluation contributes to quality services by providing feedback from program activities and outcomes to those who can make changes in programs† (Posavac & Carey, 2007, p. 14 ).If there is no feedback, then the programs will be very hard to carry out and be effective. The processes of evaluation require feedback systems; similarly, feedback on behavior in organizations is also crucial for the success of an organization. Delayed feedback, not clearly associated with the examination of behavior, is not very informative. In the readings, the writers have argued that environmental problems are hard to solve because of the long delay between environmentally destructive activities and feedback indicating a weakening of natural systems. Assessing needs, measuring the implementation of programs to meet those needs, evaluating the achievement of carefully formed goals and objectives, and comparing the level of outcome with the costs involved relative to similar programs serve to provide information from which to develop program improvements† (Posavac & Carey, 2007, p. 14). This is useful for organizations because it gives them an idea of their programs and what needs help if there are any issues related to the programs evaluated. Five most common modelsA number of different approaches to evaluation have been put forward to guide the planning and implementation of program evaluations. Each of the models discussed includes emphases that are valid aspects of program evaluation. â€Å"One value of thinking about models lies in developing an appreciation of the range of questions evaluators can consider. The specific questions being addressed by an evaluation or the specific aspects of the program setting often make one or another of the models especially useful† (Posavac & Carey, 2007, p. 23-25).The models: The traditional model, Social Science model, Industrial Inspection model, Black Box Evaluation, and Objectives-Based Evaluation model, are very common and helpful in different types of organizations and environment. The model that is very interesting to use and describe is the Objective-Based Evaluation model. Objectives-Based E valuation In an effort to design an evaluation for a specific program, some approaches emphasize working with clearly stated program goals and objectives so that the degree to which such goals and objectives are achieved can be measured. This has been the most prevalent model used for program evaluation. Examining goals and objectives seems to be an essential aspect of evaluation; it is important to judge a program relative to its particular structure and what it is designed to achieve† (Posavac & Carey, 2007, p. 23-25). It is very important for organizations to clearly and closely examine their goals and objectives to successfully plan for future. At the same time, taking objectives-based evaluation to evaluate the situation is also important to know the points of view of the staff in the organization. ConclusionIn conclusion, evaluation of different types of programs is important in organizations because it bring out the ups and downs of the organization. Purpose of program evaluation is to provide feedback that can be helpful for organizations. Without feedback, the organizations programs cannot be effective or put in proper use. Also feedback on behaviors within the program evaluations is crucial for the success of an organization. The five models: The traditional model, Social Science model, Industrial Inspection model, Black Box Evaluation, and Objectives-Based Evaluation model give a ood idea of what it is like to use these models in different scenarios. The Objective-based model is the most prevalent model to use because it closely examines goals and objective that play an important part in an organization. Using this model a company or an organization can prepare for plans and goals, which can be achieved successfully. Reference Posavac, E. J. , & Carey, R. G. (2007). Program Evaluation: Methods and Case Studies (7th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Expensive Medical Technology Case Essay

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their health budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. You should write at least 250 words. Answer The idea of diverting the money assigned for expensive medical technology and procedures towards health education will not ensure the health of the people. Firstly, health education has only a limited role in dealing with a large number health related problems. For example, in order to treat patients who meet with serious accidents huge expenses are required to diagnose and perform medical procedures. Many diseases like cancers and strokes cannot be avoided just by educating people about preventive measures. Furthermore, there are many diseases that are hereditary, like heart ailments and psychiatric problem which require expensive treatment. Secondly, in spite of continuous awareness programmes through the media or education, many people do not have the discipline to keep away from unhealthy practices. An ideal example would be the increasing popularity of fast foods, which can cause many life style diseases like blood pressure, cardiac problems and diabetes, especially among the young. Educating people about taking precautions against diseases is definitely an important aspect of ensuring the health of the people, but greater importance should be given to treatment of people who are affected by diseases. On the other hand, health awareness programmes have made great contributions in reducing spread of many epidemics like small pox, bird flu and other viral infections. People have realised the importance of living in a hygienic environments in order to keep away from many common ailments. The prevention of AIDS has been made possible through the world wide awareness programme undertaken by WHO and similar organisations. Greater allocation of funds is required in this area of healthcare but it should not be at the expense of reducing the expenses involved in expensive medical technology and procedures. In conclusion, the present system of giving greater budgetary allocation to expensive medical care is reasonable.

Job Spotlight Administrative Assistant

Job Spotlight Administrative Assistant There are currently almost half a million open job postings for qualified administrative assistants- do you have what it takes?Table of contents.What is the job?Where to search for jobs?  Average salary for an administrative assistantHow to get the job?  How to advance your career as an administrative assistantEmployers are seeking applicants with a minimum of an associate’s degree- and the job requirements have evolved from answering phones and fetching coffee. Today’s administrative assistants can expect to not only field incoming calls, but also connect callers to the appropriate contact person, as well as data entry, daily problem-solving, managing office supplies and ordering, coordinating company events, maintaining the boss’ calendar, supervising interns, composing memos and mass emails, and serving as the first point of contact inter-departmental communication.It is an under-appreciated and at times overwhelming role, but it can help prepare you to mo ve onward and upward in administrative jobs in pretty much any field you can think of. [Source: Payscale]Titles for your job searchAdministrative assistantExecutive assistantOffice managerOffice assistantReceptionistCustomer service representativeTellerBookkeeperMerchandiserAccount payable clerkWhere to work?Here are the current top hiring locations for administrative assistants:Spartanburg, SCSpringfield, MAKingsport/Bristol, TNHagerstown/Martinsburg, MDColumbus, GAUtica/Rome, NYMcallen/Edinburg/Mission, TXPeoria, ILHickory/Lenoir/Morganton, NCHuntington/Ashland, WVAnd here are the current top hiring  organizations  for administrative assistants:Wells FargoMacy’sBank of AmericaFamily DollarSeasTargetLowe’sHome DepotHR BlockPetsmartCertifications and skillsIf you’re not already, it’s time to become an expert at Microsoft word, excel, outlook, and powerpoint. Figure out what publications online and in-print contribute to your industry and read them reg ularly. Make sure your written and verbal communications skills are on point- odds are you’ll be called upon for proofreading, at the very least.Though you  don’t have to be great at math, you should definitely be organized enough to handle accounts received and payable, which means tracking bills and checks on their way in and out of the office. If you can, consider taking an accounting course or two- or even getting a certification to bolster your hard skillset. [Source: Wanted Analytics]The bad news is, you have to deal with a lot of personalities, and not all of them will be terrific. The good news is, your skills will be thoroughly transferable, so you can job search by researching companies instead of being limited to a few companies that provide opportunities for a rare specialty.The job can be high stress, until you can master compartmentalizing and set healthy work-life boundaries so your to-do list doesn’t follow you home.Expected salaryThe median ye arly salary for administrative assistants is in the $30k range, and the median hourly rate is under $15. [source: Wanted Analytics]Develop your resumeThe soft and hard skills that make an excellent administrative assistant can come from nearly anywhere- and entry level positions will help polish any skills that you’re still developing. Make sure you frame any experience you’ve had in terms of working with the public, reporting to a busy supervisor, balancing demanding tasks, and communicating efficiently with your colleagues.See also:  3 entry-level job seeking mistakes to avoidAccumulate references/letters of recommendationFor your references, select people who’ve seen you in action at your busiest without cracking under the pressure! Send them a copy of your latest resume and the job posting before you list them as a reference, so they know which of your skills to emphasize when they talk you up.Apply in person or onlineDo your research to find out whether t he company you’re applying to work for accepts applications online (in which case be extra vigilant about uploading the correct and well-proofread versions of your documents; usually saving them as a pdf is most effective), or whether you should drop off a folder with your resume, letters of recommendation, and cover letter.Apply here:  Administrative assistant jobsInterview like a proMany of these basics are widely available online- dress professionally, nothing too flashy or revealing or casual, no cologne, plenty of deodorant, neatly groomed and well-rested. Don’t make the mistake I make nearly every time of over-thinking your handshake or arriving way to early and downing a giant iced coffee while you’re waiting across the street!Research the business ahead of timeKnowing how old the company is, who its founders were, what their mission is, and how your position fits into their overall business will help you answer questions like â€Å"why are you the bes t fit for ABC corp’s downtown office?† or â€Å"what will you bring to ABCs professional atmosphere?† with poise and confidence.In summary: know what you have to offer, and know what they need.Be prepared to highlight 5-7 personal anecdotes that showcase your skills It’s not enough to say you’re organized, describe a project you worked on that required you to exercise all of your organizational skills like planning ahead, coordinating with vendors, tracking payments, running an event, etc.Follow up graciouslyThe morning after your interview, be sure to send a thank-you note or appreciative email to everyone you met with- or if you emailed with only one point person, ask them to pass on your regards. You want to express thanks for their time and information, and reiterate your enthusiasm for the position.See the bigger pictureWhen I first started working as an assistant, I was eager and ready-to-please, but eventually, I got burned out on menial task s and what I perceived as a lack of respect- people talked over me as though I were invisible in meetings and seemed to only think of me when it was time to order things.What I had to realize was that being invisible actually gave me great access to the levels of the company where I wanted to work anyway, and that being the one responsible for keeping everyone in pens and copy paper actually meant everyone relied on me.Be the one everyone wants to knowThe all time great administrative assistants, like Mrs. Landingham on The West Wing or Donna on Suits or Joan Holloway-Harris on Mad Men, thrive because they are the hubs of their offices. If you want to know anything that’s going on, you go to them, and you ask politely, and hope they are feeling helpful. This can be you!As long as you recognize when you’re paying your dues, and are generous with your time and knowledge, people will appreciate your role as gatekeeper.Prove yourselfAnother crucial component is being able to effortlessly pull off the impossible- or at least make it look easy. Assisting is all about anticipating needs, thinking ahead, and taking initiative to make the higher-ups’ jobs run smoothly.I used to get exasperated when my bosses hounded me about small assignments. Eventually I realized the way to avoid follow-up emails with the little urgent exclamation point was to communicate quickly and clearly, even if it was just a quick â€Å"this is still in the works, estimated delivery date is 4/12† note that didn’t even get a response. My bosses learned to trust I would turn jobs around exactly when I said I would, and they could rely on me to communicate if I hit a snag.Be a trusted confidanteI am not going to lie. Office gossip is great. It is fun, it builds work-friendships like nothing else, and seems like a great way to boost your own standing when you’re the one with the intel. But, a truly great administrative assistant knows that loose lips sink s hips- if your boss is trusting you with a big project, or access to confidential information, your career will be better served by keeping a lid on it and being worthy of that trust.Look at tasks that seem more personal than administrative as a sign that you’re becoming indispensible- don’t let it derail your other work, but see what professional benefits come after you demonstrate your ability to keep someone’s confidence.Now that you know what the job looks like, where and how to look for it, and what to do when you get there, you should have everything you need to decide whether a career as an administrative assistant is right for you. Good luck and happy searching!Apply here:  Administrative Assistant jobs

Tun Abdul Razak Essays

Tun Abdul Razak Essays Tun Abdul Razak Essay Tun Abdul Razak Essay On 8 August 1967, five leaders _ the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand _ sat down together in the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document. By virtue of that document, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was born. The five Foreign Ministers who signed it _ Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S.Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand _ would subsequently be hailed as the FoundingFathers of probably the most successful inter-governmental organization in the world today. And the document that they signed would be known as the ASEAN Declaration. It was a short, simply-worded document containing just five articles. It declared the establishment of an Association for Regional Cooperation among the Countries of Southeast Asia to be known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and spelled out the aims and purposes of that Association.These aims and purposes were about cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational and other fields, and in the promotion of regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter. It stipulated that the Association would be open for participation by all States in the Southeast Asian region subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes.It proclaimed ASEAN as representing the collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves together in friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their peoples and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity. It was while Thailand was brokering a reconciliation among Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia over certain disputes that it dawned on the four countries that the moment for regional cooperation had come or the future of the region would remain uncertain.Recalls one of the two surviving protagonists of that historic process, Thanat Khoman of Thailand : At the banquet marking the reconciliation between the three disputants, I broached the idea of forming another organization for regional cooperation with Adam Malik Malik agreed without hesitation but asked for time to talk with his government and also to normalize relations with Malaysia now that the confrontation was over. Meanwhile, the Thai Foreign Office prepared a draft charter of the new institution. Within a few months, everything was ready.I therefore invited, the two former members of the Association for Southeast Asia (ASA), Malaysia and the Philippines, and Indonesia, a key member, to a meeting in Bangkok. In addition, Singapore sent S. Rajaratnam, then Foreign Minister, to see me about joining the new set-up. Although the new organization was planned to comprise only the ASA members plus Indonesia, Singapores request was favora bly considered. And so in early August 1967, the five Foreign Ministers spent four days in the relative isolation of a beach resort in Bang Saen, a coastal town less than a hundred kilometers southeast of Bangkok.There they negotiated over that document in a decidedly informal manner which they would later delight in describing as sports-shirt diplomacy. Yet it was by no means an easy process: each man brought into the deliberations a historical and political perspective that had no resemblance to that of any of the others. But with goodwill and good humor, as often as they huddled at the negotiating table, they finessed their way through their differences as they lined up their shots on the golf course and traded wisecracks on one anothers game, a style of deliberation which would eventually become the ASEAN ministerial tradition.Now, with the rigors of negotiations and the informalities of Bang Saen behind them, with their signatures neatly attached to the ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, it was time for some formalities. The first to speak was the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Narciso Ramos, a one-time journalist and long-time legislator who had given up a chance to be Speaker of the Philippine Congress to serve as one of his countrys first diplomats. He was then 66 years old and his only son, the future President Fidel V.Ramos, was serving with the Philippine Civic Action Group in embattled Vietnam. He recalled the tediousness of the negotiations that preceded the signing of the Declaration that truly taxed the goodwill, the imagination, the patience and understanding of the five participating Ministers. That ASEAN was established at all in spite of these difficulties, he said, meant that its foundations had been solidly laid. And he impressed it on the audience of diplomats, officials and media people who had witnessed the signing ceremony that a great sense of urgency had prompted the Ministers to go through all that t rouble.He spoke darkly of the forces that were arrayed against the survival of the countries of Southeast Asia in those uncertain and critical times. The fragmented economies of Southeast Asia, he said, (with) each country pursuing its own limited objectives and dissipating its meager resources in the overlapping or even conflicting endeavors of sister states_carry the seeds of weakness in their incapacity for growth and their self-perpetuating dependence on the advanced, industrial nations. ASEAN, therefore, could marshal the still untapped potentials of this rich region through more substantial united action. When it was his turn to speak, Adam Malik, Presidium Minister for Political Affairs and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, recalled that about a year before, in Bangkok, at the conclusion of the peace talks between Indonesia and Malaysia, he had explored the idea of an organization such as ASEAN with his Malaysian and Thai counterparts. One of the angry young men in h is countrys struggle for independence two decades earlier, Adam Malik was then 50 years old and one of a Presidium of five led by then General Soeharto that was steering Indonesia from the verge of economic and political chaos.He was the Presidiums point man in Indonesias efforts to mend fences with its neighbors in the wake of an unfortunate policy of confrontation. During the past year, he said, the Ministers had all worked together toward the realization of the ASEAN idea, making haste slowly, in order to build a new association for regional cooperation. Adam Malik went on to describe Indonesias vision of a Southeast Asia developing into a region which can stand on its own feet, strong enough to defend itself against any negative influence from outside the region. Such a vision, he stressed, was not wishful thinking, if the countries of the region effectively cooperated with each other, considering their combined natural resources and manpower. He referred to differences of outl ook among the member countries, but those differences, he said, would be overcome through a maximum of goodwill and understanding, faith and realism. Hard work, patience and perseverance, he added, would also be necessary.The countries of Southeast Asia should also be willing to take responsibility for whatever happens to them, according to Tun Abdul Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, who spoke next. In his speech, he conjured a vision of an ASEAN that would include all the countries of Southeast Asia. Tun Abdul Razak was then concurrently his countrys Minister of Defence and Minister of National Development. It was a time when national survival was the overriding thrust of Malaysias relations with other nations and so as Minister of Defence, he was in charge of his countrys foreign affairs.He stressed that the countries of the region should recognize that unless they assumed their common responsibility to shape their own destiny and to prevent external intervention and i nterference, Southeast Asia would remain fraught with danger and tension. And unless they took decisive and collective action to prevent the eruption of intra-regional conflicts, the nations of Southeast Asia would remain susceptible to manipulation, one against another. We the nations and peoples of Southeast Asia, Tun Abdul Razak said, must get together and form by ourselves a new perspective and a new framework for our region.It is important that individually and jointly we should create a deep awareness that we cannot survive for long as independent but isolated peoples unless we also think and act together and unless we prove by deeds that we belong to a family of Southeast Asian nations bound together by ties of friendship and goodwill and imbued with our own ideals and aspirations and determined to shape our own destiny. He added that, with the establishment of ASEAN, we have taken a firm and a bold step on that road. For his part, S.Rajaratnam, a former Minister of Culture o f multi-cultural Singapore who, at that time, served as its first Foreign Minister, noted that two decades of nationalist fervor had not fulfilled the expectations of the people of Southeast Asia for better living standards. If ASEAN would succeed, he said, then its members would have to marry national thinking with regional thinking. We must now think at two levels, Rajaratnam said. We must think not only of our national interests but posit them against regional interests: that is a new way of thinking about our problems.And these are two different things and sometimes they can conflict. Secondly, we must also accept the fact, if we are really serious about it, that regional existence means painful adjustments to those practices and thinking in our respective countries. We must make these painful and difficult adjustments. If we are not going to do that, then regionalism remains a utopia. S. Rajaratnam expressed the fear, however, that ASEAN would be misunderstood. We are not agai nst anything, he said, not against anybody. And here he used a term that would have an ominous ring even today: balkanization.In Southeast Asia, as in Europe and any part of the world, he said, outside powers had a vested interest in the balkanization of the region. We want to ensure, he said, a stable Southeast Asia, not a balkanized Southeast Asia. And those countries who are interested, genuinely interested, in the stability of Southeast Asia, the prosperity of Southeast Asia, and better economic and social conditions, will welcome small countries getting together to pool their collective resources and their collective wisdom to contribute to the peace of the world. The goal of ASEAN, then, is to create, not to destroy.This, the Foreign Minister of Thailand, Thanat Khoman, stressed when it was his turn to speak. At a time when the Vietnam conflict was raging and American forces seemed forever entrenched in Indochina, he had foreseen their eventual withdrawal from the area and ha d accordingly applied himself to adjusting Thailands foreign policy to a reality that would only become apparent more than half a decade later. He must have had that in mind when, on that occasion, he said that the countries of Southeast Asia had no choice but to adjust to the exigencies of the time, to move toward closer cooperation and even integration.Elaborating on ASEAN objectives, he spoke of building a new society that will be responsive to the needs of our time and efficiently equipped to bring about, for the enjoyment and the material as well as spiritual advancement of our peoples, conditions of stability and progress. Particularly what millions of men and women in our part of the world want is to erase the old and obsolete concept of domination and subjection of the past and replace it with the new spirit of give and take, of equality and partnership.More than anything else, they want to be master of their own house and to enjoy the inherent right to decide their own dest iny While the nations of Southeast Asia prevent attempts to deprive them of their freedom and sovereignty, he said, they must first free themselves from the material impediments of ignorance, disease and hunger. Each of these nations cannot accomplish that alone, but by joining together and cooperating with those who have the same aspirations, these objectives become easier to attain.Then Thanat Khoman concluded: What we have decided today is only a small beginning of what we hope will be a long and continuous sequence of accomplishments of which we ourselves, those who will join us later and the generations to come, can be proud. Let it be for Southeast Asia, a potentially rich region, rich in history, in spiritual as well as material resources and indeed for the whole ancient continent of Asia, the light of happiness and well-being that will shine over the uncounted millions of our struggling peoples. The Foreign Minister of Thailand closed the inaugural session of the Associati on of Southeast Asian Nations by presenting each of his colleagues with a memento. Inscribed on the memento presented to the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, was the citation, In recognition of services rendered by His Excellency Adam Malik to the ASEAN organization, the name of which was suggested by him.

History and Overview of Levittown Housing Developments

History and Overview of Levittown Housing Developments The family that had the greatest impact on postwar housing in the United States was Abraham Levitt and his sons, William and Alfred, who ultimately built more than 140,000 houses and turned a cottage industry into a major manufacturing process. -Kenneth Jackson The Levitt family began and perfected their home construction techniques during World War II with contracts to build housing for the military on the East Coast. Following the war, they began to build subdivisions for returning veterans and their families. Their first major subdivision was in the community of Roslyn on Long Island which consisted of 2,250 homes. After Roslyn, they decided to set their sights on bigger and better things. First Stop: Long Island, NY In 1946 the Levitt company acquired 4,000 acres of potato fields in Hempstead and began to build not just the largest single development by a single builder but what would be the countrys largest housing development ever. The potato fields located 25 miles east of Manhattan on Long Island was named Levittown, and the Levitts began to build a huge suburb. The new development ultimately consisted of 17,400 homes and 82,000 people. The Levitts perfected the art of mass-producing houses by dividing the construction process into 27 different steps from start to finish. The company or its subsidiaries produced lumber, mixed and poured concrete, and even sold appliances. They built as much of the house that they could off-site in carpentry and other shops. The assembly-line production techniques could produce up to 30 of the four-bedroom Cape Cod houses (all the homes in the first Levittown were the same) each day. Through government loan programs (VA and FHA), new homeowners could buy a Levittown home with little or no down payment and since the house included appliances, it provided everything a young family could need. Best of all, the mortgage was often cheaper than renting an apartment in the city (and new tax laws that made mortgage interest deductible made the opportunity too good to pass up). Levittown, Long Island became known as Fertility Valley and The Rabbit Hutch as many of the returning servicemen werent just buying their first home, they were starting their family and having children in such significant numbers that the generation of new babies became known as the Baby Boom. Moving On to Pennsylvania In 1951, the Levitts built their second Levittown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania (just outside of Trenton, New Jersey but also near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and then in 1955 the Levitts purchased land in Burlington County (also within commuting distance from Philadelphia). The Levitts bought most of Willingboro Township in Burlington County and even had the boundaries adjusted to ensure local control of the newest Levittown (the Pennsylvania Levittown overlapped several jurisdictions, making the Levitt companys development more difficult.) Levittown, New Jersey became widely known due to a famous sociological study of one man Dr. Herbert Gans. University of Pennsylvania sociologist Gans and his wife bought one of the first homes available in Levittown, NJ with $100 down in June 1958 and were one of the first 25 families to move in. Gans described Levittown as a working class and lower middle class community and lived there for two years as a participant-observer of the life in Levittown. His book, The Levittowners: Life and Politics in a New Suburban Community was published in 1967. Gans experience in Levittown was a positive one and he supported suburban sprawl since a house in a homogenous community (of almost all whites) is what many people of the era desired and even demanded. He criticized government planning efforts to mix uses or to force dense housing, explaining that builders and homeowners didnt want lower property values due to increased density adjacent commercial development. Gans felt that the market, and not professional planners, should dictate development. It is enlightening to see that in the late 1950s, government agencies such as Willingboro Township were trying to fight developers and citizens alike to build traditional livable communities. A Third Development in New Jersey Levittown, NJ consisted of a total of 12,000 homes, divided into ten neighborhoods. Each neighborhood had an elementary school, a pool, and a playground. The New Jersey version offered three different house types, including both a three and four bedroom model. House prices ranged from $11,500 to $14,500 virtually ensuring that most of the residents were of somewhat equal socioeconomic status (Gans found that family composition, and not price, affected the choice of the three or four bedrooms). Within Levittowns curvilinear streets was a single city-wide high school, a library, city hall, and grocery shopping center. At the time of Levittowns development, people still had to travel to the central city (in this case Philadelphia) for department store and major shopping, the people moved to the suburbs but the stores hadnt yet. Sociologist Herbert Gans Defense of Suburbia Gans 450-page monograph, The Levittowners: Life and Politics in a New Suburban Community, sought to answer four questions: What is the origin of a new community?  What is the quality of suburban life?What is the effect of suburbia on behavior?  What is the quality of politics and decision-making? Gans thoroughly devotes himself to answering these questions, with seven chapters devoted to the first, four to the second and third, and four to the fourth. The reader gains a very clear understanding of life in Levittown through the professional observation made by Gans as well as the surveys that he commissioned during and after his time there (the surveys were sent from the University of Pennsylvania and not by Gans but he was upfront and honest with his neighbors about his purpose in Levittown as a researcher). Gans defends Levittown to the critics of suburbia: The critics have argued that long commutation by the father is helping to create a suburban matriarchy with deleterious effects on the children, and that homogeneity, social hyperactivity, and the absence of urban stimuli create depression, boredom, loneliness, and ultimately mental illness. The findings from Levittown suggest just the opposite that suburban life has produced more family cohesion and a significant boost in morale through the reduction of boredom and loneliness. (p. 220) They also look at suburbia as outsiders, who approach the community with a tourist perspective. The tourist wants visual interest, cultural diversity, entertainment, esthetic pleasure, variety (preferably exotic), and emotional stimulation. The resident, on the other hand, wants a comfortable, convenient, and socially satisfying place to live... (p. 186) The disappearance of farmland near the big cities is irrelevant now that food is produced on huge industrialized farms, and the destruction of raw land and private upper class golf courses seems a small price to pay for extending the benefits of suburban life to more people. (p. 423) By the year 2000, Gans was the Robert Lynd Professor of Sociology at Columbia University. He gave his opinion  about his thoughts on the New Urbanism and suburbia in regard to planners like Andres Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, saying, If people want to live that way, fine, though it is not new urbanism as much as 19th century small town nostalgia. More important Seaside and Celebration [Florida] are not tests of whether it works; both are for affluent people only, and Seaside is a timesharing resort. Ask again in 25 years. Sources Gans, Herbert, The Levittowners: Life and Politics in a New Suburban Community.  1967.Jackson, Kenneth T., Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States.  1985.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lockheed Martin Corporation - Essay Example The operations of the corporation are divided into different segments comprising electronic systems (27%), aeronautics (27%), information systems and global solutions (27%) and space systems (19%). Today, US government contracts account for much of the corporation’s revenue while foreign government contracts also make up a substantial share of the revenue. On the other hand, orders from commercial clients only make up a mere 2 % of the total revenue the corporation nets in a year. In 1996, the corporation finalized the plans to acquire Lorad Corporation which subsequently became part of the Corporation at a cost of $9.1 billion. Like any other global corporation engaging thousands of employees across the world, Lockheed is certainly faced with a myriad of challenges that normally define business operations in the present world. One of the greatest challenges facing the corporation is the need to address employee concerns and effectively tackle the aspects of employee and indus trial relations without many problems like is always the case. On certain instances the corporation has had to face the challenge of striking workers and go slow as employees complained about various aspects relating to their operations in the organization (Terris, 2010). In that regard, the aspect of dealing with these employee concerns has been one of the greatest employee challenges affecting the organization. Like most workers in the industry, most of Lockheed’s workers are unionized under the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace workers and are always part and parcel of the activities steered by the association. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is a worker organization which draws its origin in 1888 when a group of nineteen machinists came together and formed the Order of the United Machinists and Mechanical Engineers. With time, the small organization grew up in membership and adopted the present name. The organization h as had a turbulent history characterized by the growth of labor movements in the twentieth century. The growth of the union went in tandem with the development of the transport industry throughout the years as more and more workers became employed in the industry. During its formation, the organization was generally a secret affair given that employers of the time were very critical and hostile toward organized labor movements. However, the Order rapidly spread beyond its formation zone of Georgia and was soon a recognized affair in the United States. Much of the growth in the membership of the union was mostly evidenced during the World Wars when workers in the transport industry increased owing to the increased demand of vehicles and airplanes. In the course of the 1970s, the union was segmented into several divisions dealing with specific issues affecting the members. These included civil right, organizing, older workers and retired workers and women. At a convection held in 1984 in Seattle, Washington, the delegates voted and decided to use the Placid Harbor Education Center in order to train and educate the members of the union. In 1998, the center was renamed to the Winpisinger Education and Technology Center in order to recognize and honor the late President of the union. Throughout history, the union has always addressed the issues affecting

Watersheds Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Watersheds - Research Paper Example Mississippi river has watershed called Mississippi watershed which flows in the United States of America. The river emerges from the western part of Minnesota and flows southwards at 4,070 km/hr towards the delta of the Mississippi river. It has a number of tributaries that drains to approximately 31 states within the United States of America between the Appalachian Mountains and the rocky extending to the southern Canada region .The River Mississippi-according to the order of rivers-is positioned as the fourth longest and tenth largest river in the world (Carluer and De Marsily 87). Watersheds have since played a key role (Naiman 78) in various scientific studies on the impacts of anthropogenic and natural phenomenon on the quantity and quality of water. The effects of silviculture and agriculture have always been outlined basing on watersheds. Data to evaluate the effectiveness of various ecological regions on the basis of Watersheds have been used by researches in places such as C oweta .A number of people mind less to the safety and source of their drinking water implying little concern is put on domestic water channeled to their homes on the basis of treatment. In addition, prior awareness should be availed to people on treatment process the water they consume undergoes. Since water is life, clean water is paramount to every individual and issues concerning the degree to which water meant for consumption is cleaned should never be looked at with little respect. This view serves to limit the extent to which non-clean or un-treated water affects the livelihood/health of the parties concerned though many people have taken cleanliness of water/non-cleanliness of water at the expense of their health concerns for granted. This essay in particular will give an analysis of Mississippi watershed within Mississippi River with a goal of enlightening the society on the scientific process of water treatment and water resource forms within their reach. Carluer and De Mar sily (95) refer to a watershed as that specific area of land that drains into river, stream, lake or other types of water bodies. Watersheds can either be large or small. For instance a small stream located in neighborhood may consist of a watershed. The Mississippi watershed of the Mississippi river covers approximately 31 states which represent about two thirds of the North America (Naiman 78). Figure 1: Mississippi watershed in Mississippi river (Schertzer, 124) In this case take an example of a small stream located at the top of the mountains. The watershed of this specified stream will be constituted by few underground springs and precipitation runoffs resulting from the lands that are up above the stream. As a result the stream continually flows down the hill and drains far and wide to bigger water bodies which include larger rivers, lakes and streams before finally discharging into the oceans and seas which significantly posses watersheds that are larger. It is important Howe ver, to point out that all watersheds be it large or small have complex processes arising from the presence of chemical compounds that in a way or the other may impact on the quality of water being drawn and used by the human fraternity for various reasons and usages. Sivapalan (2266) argues that the human population does not only use water for their domestic needs i.e. cleaning, cooking and drinking but also for cleaning and draining their waste systems. To attain proper sanctity of water and good levels of hygiene, treatment plants, dams and pipes have to be put in place to safeguard the water before and after it is directed to the homes of people in the society and also to factor

The Various Ways of Financing Educational Boot Camps Research Proposal

The Various Ways of Financing Educational Boot Camps - Research Proposal Example According to the report findings Czech Republic is a country located in the Central Europe and it is landlocked. This country has around 1.3million citizens and out of this there is the youth group, in which many of them do not have basic education but are gifted and talented in many skills. To help these youths/students, there are educational boot camps operating in the country and in the countries around. Boot camps are units that began as government’s initiative or by corporate as a form of social responsibility to provide training for students who are talented and gifted in various skills but cannot afford to go to institutions that provide high education. Czech Republic’s government has taken some measures for it to become a renowned country in relation to human development. Currently, it is among the top 30 countries that have implemented measures to achieve the goal of human development within its borders. According to the World Bank, Czech Republic is a develope d country from 2006. As the research stresses there are many sponsors around the world who try to give back to the society even through charity and providing funds to improve the face of their company or improve their brand image in the market. Therefore, it will be of great importance if such sponsors who can take on this responsibility for a longer period of time and provide support to these students can be approached.

M1A2- Leadership and Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M1A2- Leadership and Ethics - Assignment Example The rumors were about the managing Director embezzle the company’s resources. To add on that, the aspect of mismanagement, where employees were not included in planning and the issue of ethnicity and racism was so much in practice. This caused a lot of unrest among the staff that the managing director went into hiding. The situation was so bad, that even the organizational output decreased tremendously. The breech in ethical principles and etiquette cost the organization a great deal, as they had to come up with strategies on guidance and counseling for all the staff members to reach and address the root cause of the problem. Hence, the inter relationship between values, morals and work ethics was established in a bid to solve the crises. According to Duska (1998), values refer to the definition of the good and bad in society. Moral values are those attributes that are upheld and valued in the society. Typical values include honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, honor, resp onsibility, patriotism, respect and fairness. By that definition, one could categorize the values listed above (honesty, integrity, compassion †¦) as â€Å"moral values† - values derived from a higher authority. When one acts in ways, which are consistent with our beliefs (whether secular or derived from a moral authority), we will characterize that as acting ethically. Hence, for one to be ethical, they need to posses ethics and moral values. According to Naagarazan (2006) the strategies to address the ethical crises apply in real life, whereby one attends therapy sessions and guidance and counseling in case, they face conflicts at home and the workplace. These tactics instill self-confidence in the individual, in that they are able to address and face their problems. This strategy is therefore effective in both the work place and real life situations. Reference List Duska, R. F. (1998). Education, leadership and business ethics: Essays on the work of Clarence Walton. K luwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht Naagarazan, R. S. (2006). Textbook on professional ethics and human values. New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers: New Delhi. A true leader should be able to address the specific organizational requirements while rendering his or her duties of ethical leadership. Discuss how you think virtues of character and leadership skills are acquired or developed within specific organizational contexts. For any given organizational framework, analyze parameters that will help you identify principles of best practice for leadership development. Identify and analyze attributes and competencies of effective leadership that can help implement these principles of best practice. Sucher (2008) wrote that, some of the leadership traits like humility, aggressiveness, and patience are innate, in that one is born a leader. They are nurtured in the day-to-day handling of the people in the organization. On the other hand, there are those traits that are acquired th rough practicing leadership for example, conflict resolution and team building. There are also those traits in leadership that are acquired through training, for example, listening and empathy skills from guidance and counsel ling classes, conflict resolution and team building from the managing people courses that people attend. Peterson & Sondergaard (2008) asserted that an organization that experiences effective ethical leadership, experiences high output. The staff on the other

Careers Service In The New Quasi-Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Careers Service In The New Quasi-Market - Essay Example Within this context, the growth of the new Connexions Service is seriously examined. It is argued that it contains basic design flaws, from which a number of troubles have stemmed. It is concluded that while career direction has an imperative involvement to make in strategies to address communal exclusion, this ought to be secondary to its role in supporting individual sequence and growth inside the societal structures to which addition is being sought (Watts, A.G. 1981, 24-35). This study highlights the models of career management practice for adolescent people in the UK have been built on a partnership among, on the one hand, stipulation made within schools and colleges, and on the other, the exterior role provided by the Careers Service, now the Connexions Service. Lots of countries have had only one of these forms of stipulation. We have had the merits of both, by the characteristic advantages that every of them brings. Furthermore, this study challenge in the UK is to build on this model, to expand a authentically all-age career management service. This is not going backwards: it is driving towards a up-to-the-minute future, building on all that we have achieved. No doubt, In Scotland and Wales, this is what they are doing. In England, we were perched to do so too. In the OECD Career management policy assessment, the UK emerged as one of the world-leaders. But in England, we are at danger of conceding this position by throwing away one of the interior strengths of our system. And we are doing it so not by plan, but by default (Roberts, K. 1971). The enterprise model is still in process. But it has been considerably eroded. Now, with the long-delayed publication of the adolescence Matters Green Paper and the End to End Review of Careers learning and management, it is gravely at risk. From a career guidance viewpoint, the key features of the Green Paper are eight-fold: - Career management is subsumed inside a general concept of 'information, suggestion and direction' (IAG), which covers choices relating not only to learning and work but also to spare time, health, dealings, smoking, alcohol and drugs. - A clear difference is drawn among 'universal IAG' and 'targeted support'. - The main liability for 'universal IAG' is allocated, via local authorities, to schools and colleges, in teamwork through children's trusts. - There is support for schools and colleges to agree limited arrangements on a joint basis; but they will reserve the right to make their own preparations, subject to meeting excellence standards (Andrews, D. 2000). - Moreover, schools/colleges and children's trusts can, if they wish, pay money for in services from Connexions or further providers. - Connexions are efficiently to vanish as a national service, although a few local services will remain, and local authorities are confident to hold the Connexions brand. - Consideration is to be specified to new arrangements for

M1A2- Leadership and Ethics Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

M1A2- Leadership and Ethics - Assignment Example The rumors were about the managing Director embezzle the company’s resources. To add on that, the aspect of mismanagement, where employees were not included in planning and the issue of ethnicity and racism was so much in practice. This caused a lot of unrest among the staff that the managing director went into hiding. The situation was so bad, that even the organizational output decreased tremendously. The breech in ethical principles and etiquette cost the organization a great deal, as they had to come up with strategies on guidance and counseling for all the staff members to reach and address the root cause of the problem. Hence, the inter relationship between values, morals and work ethics was established in a bid to solve the crises. According to Duska (1998), values refer to the definition of the good and bad in society. Moral values are those attributes that are upheld and valued in the society. Typical values include honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, honor, resp onsibility, patriotism, respect and fairness. By that definition, one could categorize the values listed above (honesty, integrity, compassion †¦) as â€Å"moral values† - values derived from a higher authority. When one acts in ways, which are consistent with our beliefs (whether secular or derived from a moral authority), we will characterize that as acting ethically. Hence, for one to be ethical, they need to posses ethics and moral values. According to Naagarazan (2006) the strategies to address the ethical crises apply in real life, whereby one attends therapy sessions and guidance and counseling in case, they face conflicts at home and the workplace. These tactics instill self-confidence in the individual, in that they are able to address and face their problems. This strategy is therefore effective in both the work place and real life situations. Reference List Duska, R. F. (1998). Education, leadership and business ethics: Essays on the work of Clarence Walton. K luwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht Naagarazan, R. S. (2006). Textbook on professional ethics and human values. New Age International (P) Ltd., Publishers: New Delhi. A true leader should be able to address the specific organizational requirements while rendering his or her duties of ethical leadership. Discuss how you think virtues of character and leadership skills are acquired or developed within specific organizational contexts. For any given organizational framework, analyze parameters that will help you identify principles of best practice for leadership development. Identify and analyze attributes and competencies of effective leadership that can help implement these principles of best practice. Sucher (2008) wrote that, some of the leadership traits like humility, aggressiveness, and patience are innate, in that one is born a leader. They are nurtured in the day-to-day handling of the people in the organization. On the other hand, there are those traits that are acquired th rough practicing leadership for example, conflict resolution and team building. There are also those traits in leadership that are acquired through training, for example, listening and empathy skills from guidance and counsel ling classes, conflict resolution and team building from the managing people courses that people attend. Peterson & Sondergaard (2008) asserted that an organization that experiences effective ethical leadership, experiences high output. The staff on the other

Critical analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Critical analysis - Essay Example h her implications that our generation today is self-absorbed, less committed than the previous generation whose capacity for love has shrink and withered as we wait for the perfect one to come along (196). For many generations, women have been forced by society to conform to sets of norms. Even in this present generation, many people still believe that women need to get married and have children to be complete. As Crittenden kindly put it "A woman will not understand what true dependency is until she is cradling her own infant in her arms; nor will she lively achieve the self-confidence she craves until she has withstood, and transcended, the weight of responsibility a family places upon her – a weight that makes all the paperwork and assignments of her in-basket seen feather-light (976)." Yes, motherhood is a big responsibility and caring for a family is something that should never be taken lightly by any woman or even by a man for than matter but the point is, womanhood is not just about making babies and caring for the family. Such idea is too simplistic. Its like putting a woman inside a box and limiting her potentials and capacities. The sense of wisdom and maturity does n ot only come when woman gets married and have children of her own. The author may not be aware of it but a lot of women and men for that matter get married, have children but never really grow up both emotionally and mentally. Growing up should never be tied to the idea of marriage and having children. We are not cows that are grown so that they can breed when they reach maturity. We are human beings and we a have a choice when it comes to these things. Another thing that the author failed to mention here is that marriage is not a means to and end. You do not get married to grow up, to be become more responsible, to be "stronger" or to be happy as the author would like to believe. Besides, a lot of people who are married are not happy at all. Just look at the staggering divorce rate that

Social Class in America Essay Example for Free

Social Class in America Essay Over the course of two hours, the documentary reveals that despite our countrys deeply-held ideals of egalitarianism and fairness, our citizens are in fact subject to sharp class distinctions and often insurmountable inequalities of opportunity. For viewers and students interested in the sociology and culture of the United States, People Like Us provides an entertaining introduction to a controversial topic. It does not offer a Marxian analysis of one groups exploitation of another, nor does it celebrate the virtues of the capitalist system. Rather, this popular history presents an outspoken group of Americans from diverse locales and even more diverse socioeconomic groups: privileged New York WASPS, upwardly mobile African Americans in North Carolina, struggling minimum-wage workers in Ohio, proud Georgia rednecks, blue-collar suburbanites in New Jersey, cliquey Texas highschool students, and more. Through their portraits, People Like Us raises questions about the ways, large and small, in which Americans classify each other, how our inherited social class affects our self-perceptions and our expectations, and how race and other factors complicate an already complex arrangement of social distinctions in our society. Producers Andrew Kolker and Louis Alvarez, who have collaborated on a series of award-winning documentaries on different aspects of American culture since 1979, found People Like Us to be an extremely challenging program to make. Crisscrossing the country to interview hundreds of Americans, they discovered that many of us take our class status for granted, while many others refuse to admit that class differences exist. In making this program, Alvarez and Kolker hope to challenge viewers to rethink their assumptions about class in America and to examine how those assumptions influence their attitudes about their fellow citizens. People Like Us premiered on the Public Broadcasting System and is intended for a general audience. It is also extremely useful for educators who wish to introduce students to basic concepts about social class and bout class distinctions in the United States. People Like Us does not pretend to be the definitive documentary about class in America. But it does aim to be a catalyst for discussion and deeper study about the many different issues of class that affect our country economically, socially, and psychologically. This guide is intended to facilitate that goal. Our suggestions for discussion questions, lesson plans, group projects, theme-based activities, readings, and writing assignments are designed to help viewers explore, in the context of their own experiences and communities, the many thorny issues raised by People Like Us. II. Program Outline People Like Us: Social Class in America is 124 minutes (2:04) in length. While its always best to screen the program in its entirety, it can also be viewed in two separate, hour-long sittings: 1) Parts I and II and 2) Parts III and IV. If class time is limited, you can also show specific short segments to the class. In that case, we recommend that you pre-screen the entire show so that you understand where each segment fits into the whole. Is there a difference between class, status, and lifestyle? 2. Reconsider the question of whether the United States is a classless, egalitarian society. Elicit viewers’ impressions of the range of Americans they saw in the program. Who are the most memorable? Why? What characteristics mark each person as belonging to one social class or another? What were some of their opinions about the class structure of the United States? Were there any statements students strongly agreed/disagreed with? Broaden the discussion: Why do many Americans deny that class distinctions exist in their country? Why do many consider class to be a touchy subject? Why do classes exist anyway? What are the effects of class stratification on Americans? Does growing up in a particular class affect our self-image and our expectations in life? If so, how? 3. Tabulate results of the mini-survey and discuss findings. Ask students to define their terms and explain why they picked a particular social class. (NOTE: since some people may feel uncomfortable about answering this question, participation in this discussion can be voluntary. ) Did they select a particular class because of their parents’ income? Their own lifestyle? Education? Aspirations? Family history? Moral values or religious affiliation? Did they change their minds about their own social rank after seeing People Like Us? If so, how and why? Divide the class into groups. Ask each group to discuss the class structure of their community. Are neighborhoods mixed or segregated by class? Which classes live in which areas and go to which schools? Which groups tend to shop at which stores, worship at which religious centers, belong to which clubs? Does any one group hold the power in local government? Are there any venues where various classes intermingle? Are there any class-based issues the community is currently confronting for example, in housing, job development, or education? 4. Assign a review. Based on their notes, ask students to write a critique, favorable or unfavorable, of People Like Us. What are the programs most important ideas about class in America? Writers should include specific examples of scenes or remarks that were most/least effective in presenting these ideas. Did viewers feel that any one of the classes portrayed was favored over the other? In an introductory essay to his play, Major Barbara, George Bernard Shaw wrote: What a man is depends on his character; but what he does, and what we think of what he does, depends on his circumstances. The characteristics that ruin a man in one class made him eminent in another. Ask students to write their interpretation of this quote. What does Shaw mean? Cite an example of behavior that is considered a virtue in one class and a vice in another. For example, compare the idea of an aggressive real estate developer with an aggressive sanitation worker. Both are in business, but their qualities may be judged differently. Don’t Get Above Your Raisin’ (Washington, DC ; Morgantown, Kentucky) Begins: 01:21. 02 Running Time: 12_ minutes Getting above your raisin is a phrase you hear all the time†¦.. The notion is that you want to change social classes†¦ You try to change social classes, theres this feeling that youre forsaking the family, youre forsaking place, youre forgetting where you came from†¦and heres this real fear that if you leave, that youll become ashamed of where you came from. Dana Felty, an ambitious young woman from a working-class background in rural Kentucky, is pursuing a career as a journalist in Washington, D. C. Despite her success, Felty feels guilty about leaving her class and culture behind. As an Appalachian, shes been taught that moving up the ladder is not as important as allegiance to the community. I think that at the core of a lot of my family, it really felt like I was telling them that I was rejecting them and I was rejecting my home, and everything that had been just the essence of who we were, she says tearfully.

The February 1917 Revolution

The February 1917 Revolution The two revolutions of 1905 and 1917 were both different in their own ways. The 1905 revolution was ultimately crushed but it was crucial and necessary in succeeding to overthrow the Tsar in the February revolution of 1917. Key factors that played a part in the 1905 revolution were exploited by Bolshevik leaders such as Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin in the 1917 revolution. These Bolsheviks who were exiled learned from the 1905 revolution and capitalized on this in the 1917 revolution. The 1905 revolution was caused by a numerous amount of reasons. Discontentment with living conditions in Russia amongst the people was the main instigator of the revolution. While Russias labor force grew, the living conditions of the workers diminished. This saw a need for a better way of life for the workers. The Russo Japanese War between 1904 1905 caused even more discontent between the workers and peasants because of the inflation the war had caused. The workers who just had enough to eat before the war now starved. On January 9 1905, Priest Father Gabon led a unarmed and peaceful march to the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg to present a petition to the Tsar demanding the end of the war, industrial reform, a constituent assembly and more civil liberties for the Russian masses. The petition does not blame the Tsar for all the problems that have been caused rather than blaming those who come between the Tsar and his people. According to Nelson this petition reflects continuing confidence in the Tsar as the source of initiative and change in the system.  [1]  However, the Russian guard unprovoked opened fire on the people killing and injuring many of them. This dramatic event ultimately lead to the erosion of the popular image of the Tsar and the major sustaining myth of the Tsarist structure.  [2]   These two events were the ultimate reasons for revolution in 1905. However, we must examine as to why the 1905 revolution failed to overthrow Tsar. The political parties that were involved in the 1905 revolution shared the same goal of overthrowing the Tsar but they were divided rather than united. Each of the political parties had their own way of tackling Tsardom. Because of this it allowed the monarchy to crush any form of resistance against Tsardom. The political parties also had discontent amongst themselves: the Mensheviks disagreed with the Bolsheviks and also the moderate Socialist Revolutionaries disagreed with the radical Socialist revolutionaries. This also lead to the internal structure of the parties being weak and struggling to overthrow the monarchy. The propaganda programs led by the political parties failed to secure the support from the masses. Their ideas did not represent the wishes of the masses for social and economic reforms. The social democrats promoted the creation of a Socialist State through a class struggle. However, many of the workers failed to understand the revolutionaries ideas and only wanted an improved economic livelihood. The Socialist revolutionaries campaigned for the government takeover of land , even though the peasants wanted just the land to be divided amongst themselves. The 1905 revolution was momentous as it was the first time in Russia millions of people took part in a revolutionary movement. In and around Russia, Soviets were formed and acted as a somewhat government and ordered the workers not to pay taxes and to go on strikes. The peasants also formed a peasant union which was replicated along with the Soviets in the 1917 revolution. According to Lenin, the 1905 revolution was the Great dress rehearsal for the February revolution of 1917.  [3]  These new forms of worker organizations would later be the centerpiece of the successful revolution of 1917. After Tsar Nicholas II signed the October Manifesto in 1905, it seemed as though the needs of the workers and peasants were met. This manifesto gave the people certain civil rights, introduced the Duma and turned Russia into a constitutional monarchy. Even though Tsar Nicholas II promised certain civil rights and the Duma in the October Manifesto, he abused it shortly after the 1905 revolution. This infringement of the October Manifesto also led to the beginning of the February revolution. World War I impacted the February revolution the same way the Russo Japanese War had impacted in 1905. Defeat and causalities in the war disheartened the Russian population and wanted the Tsar to withdraw from the war. Following on in March 1917, workers in Petrograd went on strike demanding food: whereas in 1905 the workers were striking for civil rights. The war had inflated the price of bread and the Russians were unable to afford it. In spite of the strikes, Tsar Nicholas II ordered the army to take care of the strikers but unlike in 1905 on Bloody Sunday were the troops opened fire, this time they teamed up with the people. Unlike what happened in the 1905 revolution, this saw the Duma set up a provisional government to rule the country and consequently the workers and troops followed setting up their own branches of Soviets. The provisional governments ruled as long as it obeyed by the wishes of the Soviets. At this stage in Russia, it created the opportunity for a political party to form and take control of Russia. Lenin who had been in exile, along with Trotsky comprised the Bolshevik party and began to win the support of the masses. Their main slogans were Peace, Land and bread and All power to the Soviets. This attracted the masses which promised them a sustainable way of life: unlike in 1905 were this was not seen. The Mensheviks and the Socialist Revolutionary party lost the support of the people as decided to continue fighting in World War I. Lenin, backed by the Red Guard soon took control over Petrograd and by October the Bolsheviks had complete control of Russia. The revolutions of 1905 and 1917 differed in their own individual way. In 1905, the workers and peasants revolted on their own and even though political parties had tried to seize control of Russia, they failed in each respect to have the organization and support to do so. However, as we see in 1917, the Bolshevik party was far more organized and structured which lead to them taking complete control. While Lenin and other leaders were in exile, they had learned from the 1905 revolution and this knowledge proved invaluable in how to gain support of the masses and the importance of propaganda. Propaganda had made a significant difference from both revolutions. In 1905, the political parties did not promise anything to the people. However, as we see in the 1917 revolution, slogans such as Peace, Land and bread proved pivotal and unquestionably made the revolution successful.

This is Your Brain on God :: Biology Essays Research Papers

"With all your science can you tell how it is, and whence it is that light comes into the soul?" ~ Henry David Thoreau Belief in God has long been held to be a superstition by the scientific community as the existence of such a higher power cannot be demonstrated through objective observation. While science is unable to prove whether or not God is real, the field of neurotheology has instead posed a new question that we can find answers to: is there activity in the brain specific to religious experience? Can science in fact shed light on Thoreau's question? Through the use of brain imaging technology, Dr. Andrew Newberg has conducted research in an attempt to find answers to these questions. The participants in his study were Buddhists well-versed in meditation. Newberg used a SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) camera to make an image of the brain of an individual at the moment he reaches the climax of meditation. Such a picture would enable us to look at the brain as it "experiences God." The "peak" of meditation is clearly a subjective state, with each individual attaining it in different manners and having different time requirements. However, the sensation and meaning behind this moment is consistent among all who reach it. At the peak, the subjects indicate that they lose their sense of individual existence and feel inextricably bound with the universe. "There [are] no discrete objects or beings, no sense of space or the passage of time, no line between the self and the rest of the universe" (Newberg 119). As the river flowing east and west Merge in the sea and become one with it, Forgetting that they were ever separate rivers, So do all creatures lose their separateness When they merge at last . . . (Newberg 6-7) Newberg first took baseline images of the brains of the meditators to use as a standard for comparison (Newberg 5). It was important that these scans of the brain be taken while the subjects were at rest so that brain activity while one is simply relaxed could be differentiated from brain activity while one is having a spiritual experience. The baseline scans showed an "even distribution of activity throughout the brain," characterized by a large amount of activity in the posterior, superior parietal lobe and a moderate amount in the prefrontal cortex (Newberg 4).1 The subjects then meditated. When they reached the peak, they pulled on a string attached at one end to their finger and at the other to Dr.

Definition of Literature Essay

Literature is an outlet of escape from reality. At the end of the day, I open a book and allow the story to take me to a world where my own fades into a distant memory. With every turn of a page, my imagination is free to reinvent a narrative that is better than the reality I live. Literature can be non-fiction and based on facts surrounding real events, people, and places. Examples include history books, memoirs, biographies, newspapers, self-help, devotionals, and textbooks. Literature can also be writings based not on truth, but on the imagination and creativity of the author. This includes fiction novels and children story books. A lot of times authors of fiction will get their idea from a real life event and then they allow their imagination to recreate the characters and plot. Aside from being fiction or non-fiction, literature can also fall into different categories according to the genre, purpose, and style. Some genres include romance, science fiction, Christian, suspense, and western. The authors purpose for writing will likely determine what style and genre they will use. Poetry and drama are forms of literature that are stylistically different from other writings. Every writer wants to engage their audience and capture their attention in order to convey a message. The meaning of the text may hold differing messages within the audience, but it is the goal of the author to captivate the reader and keep them wanting to read more. John Smith wrote historical accounts of life while he was living. His writings brought insight and hope regarding English settlement during the early 1600s. The General History of Virginia is difficult to comprehend in areas because I am unfamiliar with his use and style of language, but nonetheless it is a beautifully written piece of literature. John Smith’s targeted audience was most likely the people of his time, with the goal of informing them of recent events. I appreciate the way he portrays the struggles of daily life realistically and in a way that inspires and intrigues. William Bradford was not formally educauted, yet he was a wise and well-read man. His writings spread throughout the world and have been studied and quoted by many. As with most of the literature from his time period, Bradford’s style is simple, but he writes with such conviction that demands the attention and respect of the reader. Bradford was a man of faith and often expressed this in his writing. In Of Plymouth Plantation he often refers to God’s providence and makes continuous references to God. Bradford may refer to God more than any other author in this colonial unit. Anne Bradstreet was a powerful force in literature during the 1960s because she was one of the first recognized women poets. Centuries later she is a revered writer and her poetry remains enchanting. â€Å"Thou ill-formed offspring of my feeble brain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the opening line to her poem The Author of Her Book and illustrates just how feeble her brain is not. She has the unique capacity to use words to express herself so creatively and with so much emotion. To My Dear and Loving Husband is a great romantic poem that I admire. Bradstreet’s style reminds me slightly of my own. However I need more experience and practice to become nearly as talented as she. Upon the Burning of Our House reminds of my own experience of a house fire and has inspired me to attempt to capture my experience through poetry. Through all Anne Bradstreet’s work, she inspires others to recognize the beauty and power in writing. Edward Taylor was a highly educated, well respected, and devout religious man who used poetry as a private expression of his faith. He did not seek fame or recognition for his writing, rather just the pleasure it brought him. Taylor writes of God beautifully and is a master of creating moving and emotional works of art without intending to. As with most poets, Taylor and Bradstreet used metaphors and had a personal style unique from others. There is also an overflowing of emotion from both Taylor and Bradstreet within all their writings. William Byrd was a very accomplished man of his time. He was well educated, respected, and prosperous. His most famous writings are the journals that he wrote to describe day to day life. In The History of the Dividing Line I was able to pick up on the humor that has lead Byrd to be one of the first distinct comedic writers. The humor is not â€Å"pee your pants funny† rather it is more light-hearted humor that makes the reader smile. It is evident in his writing that Byrd was indeed well-read. A writer is capable of learning a great deal about language, word usage, and style through reading. Byrd’s style is simple, yet he articulates his message very well and although he wrote for himself, he managed to write in a way that would capture an audience’s attention. Jonathan Edwards was an intelligent man of God who served as a preacher. As an author, he wrote popular sermons and other serious works on religion, metaphysics, and philosophy. Edwards’ style of writing is quite different from other authors in this unit because unlike the others he gives the reader an array of possible positions for the topic he is presenting. In the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Edwards develops his view on destruction and punishment from verses in Deuteronomy. Not only does he explain how he interprets the scripture, he also gives other possible views. St. Jean De Crevecoeur wrote about religion but he did not profess or maintain that he believed in God. He was a well-educated humanitarian who served his people and country. I found Letters from an American Farmer difficult to get through because his style of writing is unexciting. I was also turned off by the way he wrote about certain topics particularly African American issues. Crevecoeur was not a racist man, but he lacked some sensitivity in discussing his unique view on negroes and parenting. He believed that negroes should not continue having children because if they did misery would undeniably result for themselves and their offspring. I understand that he is referring to slaves and perhaps even slaves may have wished to not have children in order to save future generations from being forced into slavery. Crevecoeur surprised me with the boldness in his writing. The progression of writing from Smith to Crevecoeur is interesting to track and there are noticeable changes in language and word usage. As defined earlier, literature to me is written art that engages my imagination and takes my mind away from reality. Not every piece of literature will bring me the pleasure of leaving my own world for a moment and that does not mean the author has failed. Genre plays an important role in this element of the definition. For example the writings from the colonies unit are primarily non-fiction history writings that are meant to inform more than entertain. Anne Bradstreet is an exception. As the writer of poetry, her style is most obviously different from the more serious and constructed essays of the other writers. Every writer has a style that is unique, however one similarity in the colonial writings is the purpose of the author’s writing. Many of the writers were writing for the sake of recording daily life and making historical accounts of slavery, war, and developing colony life. Centuries later, authors such as Smith, Bradford, Bradstreet, Taylor, Edwards, and Crevecoeur are recognized as masters in the field of writing. Writers during the establishment of the colonies wrote simple, yet serious and powerful pieces of art. They have a style of writing and voice that still captures the hearts of readers.

Moral, Social, and Political Philosophy Comparison Essay

Philosophy is a vast subject area to talk about. It is already known that philosophy involves the way people think about different things and how we questions things around us. The primary goal of philosophy is to obtain knowledge. To get and understanding of knowledge and question knowledge is what philosophy is all about. Philosophy has been studied by philosophers for years and every philosopher has his or her own take on what philosophy means to them. Sometimes there are agreements and sometimes there are disagreements within the philosophy community but with the debates being raised goes the rise to the knowledge that exists in philosophy. Through studies and debates philosophers have found that there are many different types of philosophy. Three very important types of philosophy are moral, social, and political philosophy. These three philosophy types are examined over and over by many philosophers. There is a lot of insight that can be learned by all three philosophy types. To get a more insight into moral, social and political philosophy one must compare and contrast the differences and similarities in the three types. Moral philosophy is the philosophical study of moral judgments- value judgments about what is virtuous or base, just or injust, morally right or wrong, morally good or bad or evil, ,morally improper or proper. (Moore-Bruder, 2005) For example, if you see an older lady with a lot of groceries in her hand then one would say it would be morally right to help the woman with her groceries. So it would be morally right to help those that are in need of help. Many philosophers study this type of moral philosophy. Asking questions about what makes something wrong or right morally. There are also three different ideas about morals which are skepticism, relativism, and subjectivism. Skepticism would be when people feel that having moral knowledge is not humanly possible. Basically we do not know what moral standards are. This means that any thing goes and there is no right or wrong belief. Relativism is the fact that different cultures have different beliefs and have differences on what is morally right or wrong. Subjectivist basically is what is right or wrong depending on what you might believe as an individual person. Within moral philosophy there is also the use of egoism which is putting your self-interest in front of everything else. The pursuit of pleasure is hedonism. (Moore-Bruder, 2005) Knowing how to seek put pleasure and embracing it is a description of this type of moral philosophy. There is also what is called social philosophy which goes hand in hand with moral philosophy. In social philosophy we bring up questions about social behavior. Basically how is the behavior of a person in different social settings? The legitimacy of different laws socially and the breakdown of revolution. There is the break down of social questions when it comes to things like demographics, culture, and science. Social philosophy helps with understanding changes and different patterns within societies. Then you have what is called political philosophy. This means finding the best form of political existence. (Moore-Bruder, 2005) It helps give an understanding to the nature of political relationships and also authority. This means that there are questions rose like â€Å"How do you determine whether someone is to go to jail or pay a fine? Such questions like that tap into the political environment of philosophy. In political philosophy it is said that the philosopher Aristotle was an ethical naturalist and because of that he was sometimes viewed as the source of natural law political theory. (Moore-Bruder, 2005) That means that there a questions are answered through natural law which is suppose to determine right or wrong. In political philosophy there are four kinds of law which are eternal law, divine law, natural law, and human law. Now eternal law is the idea that God rules over everything and divine law puts people in the direction of his or her supernatural goal which is eternal joy. Natural law is the eternal law God which could be described as happiness on earth or the natural goal of man. Last, human law is the laws that are made through the thoughts and ideas of man. These all show different aspects of political philosophy. Different rights one would have come along the lines of political philosophy. In conclusion, the depth of philosophy goes far beyond each of our understanding and that is why studying the different aspects of philosophy gives those better insights into things that are questioned. Moral philosophy deals with what is morally right or wrong in different individual’s eyes. Social philosophy deals with the social aspect of questioning social ideas and changes. Whether it is laws, science, culture, or demographics, these ideas can bring forth socially motivated questions. Last, political philosophy deals with the different political questions of what is right and wrong and how we determine this through political questioning. All three of these political philosophies are dissected through constant study and debate on what is really the basis of philosophy. Reference:Moore, B. N. , & Bruder, K. (2005(. Philosophy: The Power of Ideas (6th ed. ). Boston: McGraw-Hill (Packaged with PowerWeb). Retrieved: January 14, 2009.

Genetically Modified Food Essay

Genetically modified foods have shaped and formed many debates on whether foods should or should not be genetically modified and there are many reasons as to why. Genetically modified foods are foods that are compromised of organisms which have been genetically altered. There are several reasons being affirmative on genetically modified foods, such as supporting the occurrence of diseases and they are said to be faster in growth. However there is a negative side on genetically modified foods. Genetically modified foods could cause harmful side effects to the body and the (BT) added to GM foods is unsafe for the body. The topic of genetically modified foods is an extremely controversial topic and brings many opinions to whether it is right or wrong. Genetic modification of foods is done by changing the genes of a cell. Genes are a progression of bases which code for a sequence of amino acids. Amino acids make up proteins which we need for our body to function. The DNA is made of the four bases; Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine and Guanine. Genes are then added or taken from the DNA which changes the colour, size, shape, nutritional value or the way in which the plant or animal grows. With support from scientists farmers have been genetically modifying their crops for quite a long period of time. Foods that are genetically modified unusually include and consist of canola, soy beans, rice corn and various others. Genetically modified foods are banned in numerous countries such as France and other European countries. On the other hand, genetically modified foods are a substantial part of society in Australia; it is in most supermarkets and is something we eat daily. GM foods have no labels on products that declare to consumers whether the products have been genetically modified or not. This causes and is due to consumers having to decide and become unsure about the product selling, whether what they are buying is genetically modified or genuinely natural. A reason affirmative why foods should be genetically modified; is that one of the major benefits is they facilitate in controlling the occurrence of certain diseases. There are several foods that cause allergies to certain people when products consumed. By modifying the DNA system of these foods, the properties causing these allergies are eliminated successfully. It has been said that experts and scientists are working on developing foods that have the ability to cure diseases by genetically modifying foods. Gene technology is similar to traditional breeding, and there is a chance of increasing or decreasing levels of naturally occurring proteins, toxins or further unsafe compounds in foods. Foods that are usually developed traditionally are not normally tested for these types of substances; however they often happen naturally and can be affected by breeding. The use of genes from identified allergenic sources in alteration experiments is not prohibited. If a transformed product is found to stand as an increased risk of allergenicity and it should be put to an end. Scientists have the same opinion that normal tests for allergies in foods should be continuously evaluated and improved, plus caution and concern should be practiced when evaluating all new foods, including those resulting from certain crops. Though developers and manufacturers of genetically modified foods make sure that there are mixtures of advantages of consuming foods in society, a lot of the population is entirely against them. A disadvantage of genetically modified foods is that the biggest threat caused is they can have dangerous and harmful side effects on the human body. It is believed by experts that consumption of these genetically modified foods can reason for the development of diseases which are protected by antibiotics. Additionally, people who consume such foods have increased chances of developing cancer. Besides, genetically modified foods are new inventions, not a lot is well-known about their long-term effects on human beings aswell. A reason for harmful side effects may be because of Gene transfer. Gene transfer from genetically modified foods to cells of the body or to bacteria would cause strong concern if the transferred genetic material has harmful effects. This would be mainly important if antibiotic resistance genes, used in creating genetically modified organisms were to be transferred. Though the likelihood of gene transfer is low, the use of technology without antibiotic resistance genes has been encouraged. There are many other things that could cause harmful side effects, however, as the health effects are unknown, many people prefer to stay away from genetically modified foods. It is also been said that genetically modified foods grow faster than the foods that are grown in the normal manner. Due to this, efficiency increases this then provides the population with more food. Several people believe that there is not enough food in the world to feed everybody; this is why genetically modified foods could potentially cure and solve hunger around the world. As genetically modified foods enlarge the size of crops, additional food is produced by farmers. Therefore, this prevents crops going to waste. If pests are unable to eat the crops, this results in nothing going to waste. As a result, farmers make extra money. It is also said that genetically modified foods are extremely fortunate and lucky in places which experience numerous droughts, or where the soil is lacking ability for crop growing. This is why it is difficult to grow normal crops. Now, we can begin to grow foods in different circumstances. For example, strawberries can be able to be genetically modified to grow in frosts. Other foods that grow in cold climates could be engineered and modified to grow in hot climates, such as Africa where much of the continent lacks to provide food. A disadvantage of genetically modified foods is by adding bacterium (BT) to the cells keep insects under control may not be safe for humans. To genetically modify the crops, the type of bacterium that is added is unhealthy for some people to choose to wear cotton clothing or have jobs associated with cotton. Workers in India that had jobs which were involved in handling genetically modifies cotton caused numerous allergies to the workers. They developed itchy and reddened eyes, rashes on skin, blocked noses, nasal discharge and extreme sneezing. This resulted in some workers ending up having to go to hospital or consume antihistamines daily. This was shown by Stephen Lendman, Global Research showing types of harm from GMO. There are many other examples involved with this type of harm from the (BT) cotton plant, additional cases included sheep which grazed on the (BT) cotton. As well, after a period of time they then became sick and then resulted in death. Adding a bacterium to maintain insects away may possibly not be worth impairment of animals and people. Given the evidence shown, genetically modified foods have equally its advantages and disadvantages. If food is continuously genetically modified, it will still have benefits to us; however it comes along with a lot of risks. The decision whether foods should be genetically modified or not is an extremely debatable topic. Aswell, genetically modified foods are a huge part of society and are in our everyday life. Having foods genetically modified has become so common, that most likely it will on no account be stopped, although some people choose to stay away from these types of products as it keeps them healthy and well. http://www. geneticallymodifiedfoods. co. uk/fact-sheet-pros-vs-cons. html http://www. geneticallymodifiedfood. com/ http://www. foodstandards. gov. au/consumerinformation/gmfoods/ http://www. ornl. gov/sci/techresources/. Human_Genome/elsi/gmfood. shtml http://www. csa. com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview. php http://www. buzzle. com/articles/genetically-modified-foods-pros-and-cons. html http://www. ehow. com/info_8115944_pros-cons-genetically-modified-food. html.