Origin of Sin Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Origin of Sin - Thesis Example It is not always that people come up with one agreed upon explanation on the origin of whatever they were trying to address. For again, it is human nature to disagree, and this explains why there are very many views that try to explain the origin of a single phenomenon. There are those who believe that the world was created, while others believe that it evolved. Every side of the debate is backed by what they believe to be irrefutable evidence to back their claims. The same applies to the debate that surrounds the origin of evil. It is a fact that evil exists in our society. To understand it, it is important to first discern its origins. Many views exist on the origin of evil. The most notable ones are the Christianity and scientific views. Christian or what is commonly referred to as Augustinian view contends that when God created the world, it was good and perfect, devoid of evil. But something happened down the line that polluted the serenity of the universe. This school of thought credits the devil as been the source of all evil in the world. The second school of thought believes that there is a gene that causes men to behave wickedly. It is what they refer to as the evil gene. This paper is going to compare and contrast these two views. Augustine, and in extension all those who subscribe to this view, base their explanation on the writings to be found in the bible. ... "To know the truth about origins, we have to consult the bible".1 This is to be found in the book of genesis, where the story of the creation is told. According to MacArthur, the first and second chapters of the book of genesis explain on the origin of the universe2. This means that these two chapters explain the story of the creation. But the chapter that is of interest when it comes to origin of evil is the third one. In genesis Chapter 1, we read "everything God has made was very good. He rested on the seventh day of creation"3 (verse 31). This goes to show that God had created an evil free universe. But that is not the case today. We live in a world where evil reigns. So what happened If God, the creator of all things, did not create evil, where did it come from The answer to this question is to be found in chapter three of the same book. We read here that Satan took the form of a serpent and convinced Eve to eat the forbidden fruit. This was where the evil began, since the tree was banned for the duo's consumption by God. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve went against the will of God. This was the original sin, the cradle of all evil. From this reading, we can see that evil originated from Satan. The problem with the story of creation when it comes to explaining the origin of evil is that God is the creator of all things. This is well captured in the bible. The reasoning progresses through three premises. The first is that "God created all things"4. The second premise is that "evil is a thing"5. The third premise connects the previous two by stating that "God created evil"6. If the previous two premises hold, then it is only logical that the third premise is also true.

Employment Law, First Examination (Essay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Employment Law, First Examination ( - Essay Example To be noted, Momma Mia operates through a total of around 1000 employees, which is greater than the minimum required size to be classified as a Title VII included company, whereby the employees are protected under the provisions of the Civil Rights Act (US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, â€Å"Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964†). Security, Inc. However, in doing so, she will have to prove few elements, which will support her action of whistle blowing. Laws and elements that Jill needs to prove. In order to avail the benefits liable to her for whistle blowing against the sexual harassment she had to face in Momma Mia, Jill has to prove that she is an employee in the company and not an independent contractor by policy as was mentioned in her contract. In order to prove that she was an employee and correspondingly, justify the contractual term ‘independent contractor’ as void, Jill needs to satisfy the 6 silk criteria as was declared in accordance to the case of [Schultz v. Capital Intern. Security, Inc. No. 05-1192. 460 F.3d 595 (2006)] (Leagle, â€Å"Schultz v. Capital Intern†). ... o share the profit/loss of the company depending on their managerial skills, which signifies the second silk factor and hence should be proved by Jill to obtain the legitimate rights in the case. The third silk factor states than an independent contractor and not an employee will have rights to invest in the resources to make the work done in the best interest of the company. As Jill did not make any such investment and also because no such clause was mentioned in her contract, she can prove that was an employee in Momma Mia. However, a critical understanding to the factors depict that the fourth and the fifth silk factors do not clearly advocate in favor of Jill but also do not oblige Momma Mia to suffice the conditions required to prove Jill as an independent contractor to the company. In the sixth silk factor, Jill can prove the significance of her job role in the company as a public relations manager, which in turn would suffice her stance as an employee and not as an independent contractor to Momma Mia (Juffras, 2008). Jill can furthermore prove the selection process of the company, through which she was hired, as unjustifiable and irrelevant for the position on offer. In the selection process, the employers intended to select candidates on the basis of their physical appearances where the educational merits along with other professional skills commonly argued as mandatory for such a job role became decorative features. Additional preference to females rather than to males also indicates towards the fallacy of the selection process, which might turn the case in favor of Jill. Correspondingly, taking the advantage of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Jill can also file for privacy rights violation conducted by the employer in her interview

Stress And Burnout In Criminal Justice Criminology Essay

Stress And Burnout In Criminal Justice Criminology Essay Comparison between Law Enforcement and Correctional. Stress and burnout occur in all different types of jobs and careers. However, some vocations are more prone to job stress and burnout than others are. Both police officers and correctional officers are exposed to work environments that are characterized by high levels of stress. Stress and burnout for both police officers and correction workers can greatly affect the field of criminal justice. According to Karen Hess (2009), stress can be both positive and negative, and this stress or excitement is why many police officers enter the law enforcement field (p. 464). Any given day, a police officer may have to shoot someone, be shot at, chase down a robber, deal with child abuse, and see death. Additionally, a correctional officer may also have to encounter a violent prison conflict or riot, encounter dangerous offenders and numerous other potentially dangerous situations. With the increasing prison population and never end sprees of crime, the stress for correctional officers and police officers is also increasing. Both law enforcement and the correctional field are widely considered some of the most stressful occupations, and both are associated with high divorce rates, alcoholism, suicide and other emotion and health problems. According to O. Ramos (2010), stress in the law enforcement field is unique because it is a constant factor with only changes in the degree and duration of the stress. Over the years, numerous research studies and projects have been performed to investigate how stress affects police officers and correctional workers physical and mental health by agencies such as the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the National Institute of Justice. Through this research and studies, researchers have been able to indentify stress factors that are unique and more pronounced in these career fields, as well as their effects on the lives, jobs and the field of criminal justice. Stress can have numerous causes and can differ from individual to individual. According to Lambert, Hogan, Hiang, and Jenkins (2009, July), stressors are conditions that place excessive demands on an individual and can lead to discomfort, strain and conflict for the individual. While both the police officers and correctional officers are frequently faced with high levels of stress, the causes of the stress differ between the two groups with the job differences they face. Causes of Stress for Police Officers Issues in the officers personal life, the pressures of law enforcement work, the attitude of the general public toward police work and officers, the operation of the criminal justice system, and the law enforcement organization itself can all be stress factors for numerous police officers. According to Burke and Mikkelsen (2005), police stressors fall into two major categories. The first category stems from the nature of the job, and the second category involves the organizational aspect of law enforcement. The stress of the job involves the physical aspects of the job and includes threats, use of force, exposure to violence and danger, dealing with uncertainty, shift rotations, inadequate or broken supplies, low pay, excessive overtime, and constant fear of injury or death. On the other hand, the organizational aspect of law enforcement that contributes to job stress invovle the poor management, inflexible hierarchical structures, roles, inadequate communication, and organizational structure (Burke et al. 2005). In fact, Burke et al. (2005) discusses how the bureaucratic nature of the law enforcement organization obstructs police officers from feeling as if they have input in changing the policies sand procedures. There is also conflicting policies, poor supervision, and endless rules that create a tense and stressful work environment. McCarty, Zhao and Garland (2007) also discuss how job stress can differ between male and female police officers. For instance, female officers may be subject to gender discrimination from male officers and supervisors, which could increase their job related stress. Female officers also feel additional pressure that they have to prove themselves more on the job, as well as feel their male partners provide inadequate backup and question their abilities more frequently (McCarty et al., 2007) Additionally, individual stress factors can play a factor in a police officers stress levels due to their personal life. Some individual stress factors include family problems, financial problems, health problems, and taking on a second job for extra income. In fact, many officers are willing to put their health at risk for overtime or another job for the additional income (National Institute of Justice). Causes of Stress for Correctional Officers Correctional officers face some of the same and similar job stressors as police officers as well. Correctional officers have to deal with the never-ending demands of inmates. Correctional officers are also responsible for large array of responsibilities and duties to ensure the correctional facility is properly maintained in an organized manner. Aside from police officers, the workplace nonfatal violent incidents are higher per 1,000 employees for correctional officers than any other profession (Finn, 2000, p. 2). Additionally, according to Childress, Tallucci, and Wood (1999), while a correctional officer operates in a high stress work environment much like a police officer, there have been minimal examinations of the correctional environment in comparison to the voluminous research conducted on the causes and consequences of stress for law enforcement officers. However, it has been determined that some of the job related stresses include inmate demands, low pay, excessive overtime, poor public image, shift rotations, threat of violence, understaffing, amount of contact with inmates, role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload. The major forms of stress in the work environment can be categorized into organizational structure and job characteristics (Lambert, Hogan Allen, 2006). According to Lambert et al (2006), organizational structure deals with how an organization or agency is arranged, managed and operated, and it normally throughout the entire work environment and therefore influences all employees that work there. Lambert et al (2006) cite a study by Stohr, Lovrich and Wilson that the lack of participation in decision-making caused increased stress for correctional officers. Additionally, the lack of control over the work environment due to the centralization of decision-making can increase the levels of stress. In fact, Lambert et al (2006) performed a study at a Midwestern correctional facility that showed workers who perceived a lack of input into decision- making or a lack of job autonomy had increased levels of stress. Furthermore, lack of information or being kept in the dark is another stress factor for correctional staff caused by the organization structure. Inadequate communication about their jobs is major stress factor. Correctional staffs need clear communication about their tasks, jobs, and issues in order to complete their job and be an effective member of the organization (Lambert et al, 2006). Additional organization-related conditions that can cause increased stress for correctional officers are understaffing, mandatory overtime, understanding, and unreasonable demands. Finn (2000) describes how understaffing can create different types of stress such as lack of time to complete tasks, overload of work, apprehension, and inability to get time off (p. 12). Understaffing also causes the need for extensive overtime from the correctional staff. On the other hand, there are job characteristics that cause stress. Job characteristics are specific to certain jobs; therefore, they are not always found throughout the entire field. Job related stressors included the threat of inmate violence, inmate demands, and problems with coworkers. Lambert et al. (2006) identify some job characteristics as job variety, skill variety, role conflict, role ambiguity, task significance, task identity, and supervision. The roles that correctional officers have to assume can create considerable stress for the officer. According to Lambert et al (2006), role strain is liked to increased stress and role conflict occurs when behaviors for a given job or position are inconsistent with another. Correctional officers also face stress from outside sources other than the prison or jail that they work at. One cause of outside stress is their public image. A lot of the time correctional officers or prisons and jails in general are portrayed in a negative light. This negatively comes from the fact that many people do not know or understand the role and jobs of correctional officers. Sometimes this negatively even forces correctional officers to discuss or talk less about their jobs with others. Another outside source of stress is their pay. Correctional officers do tough work for little pay. Effects of Stress Burnout Possible Solutions to Job Stress and Burnout Law Enforcement Officers Correctional Officers According to an article written in Corrections Today, correctional agencies are losing money, losing good employees, and jeopardizing officer and public safety due to work-related stress. (Anonymous, 2007) Conclusion

Malaysia Essay examples -- Knowledge Management

A. INTRODUCTION Malaysia has developed Knowledge Management program since 1957 after Independence Day. In early stage 1970’s development a growth was concentrated in the agriculture and natural resources sectors. The official of Knowledge Economy started a few years ago by Former Minister of Malaysia Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad emphasised the knowledge can growth productivity in Knowledge rich economies. In their speech mentioned skill and speed comes from the depth of knowledge that one has of the different elements and technology capacity can be made to work yield desired result. One of the most important to ensure successful KM an organization needs to encourage individuals in the organization to share not only their explicit knowledge but also the tacit knowledge that they have. Smith (2001) was argued if the management does make clear statement employees are likely to share only explicit knowledge because it is easier to encourage the knowledge. Implementing a KM system can be complex and dynamic, no matter how well planned and developed as it involves people and other organizational factors (Bixler, 2002). B. WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT? Many large, medium and small organizations are now engaging in KM in order to gain a competitive advantage in the market place. KM has a significant influence on the success or failure of organizations. According to Call (2005), many different definitions exist for KM and it is often defined as anything someone or organization wants it to be in order to understand the basis of KM at least a broad definition of knowledge. It is a common belief that by leveraging knowledge, an organization can stay competitive in the more globally oriented market of today. Gartner Group Inc. (1996)... ...iatives have centered on nation building, enhancement of the marketplace, promotion of the workplace, customer care, education, community support and environmental conservation to achieve multiple objectives such as community development, human capital development and environmental conservation. As a long-term business strategy, they will continue to invest in staff development to enhance staff core competencies to sustain superior performance and prepare them for career progression. 3. Overview activity based Knowledge Management approach The focus of the Public Bank’s KM initiatives during 2004 shifted from infrastructure development to the more challenging task of embedding knowledge processes within the Bank’s business process operations. Latest KM initiatives activity was launched in order to make KM a natural part of all employees daily activities.

Differences Between Hinduism and Buddhism

Religion is the basic belief which one practices. It determines the life of an individual. Religions evolve from different customs, traditions, practices and values. Among these religions, Buddhism and Hinduism are one of the two most influential religions with a philosophical element in them. Both of the religions are closely related to each other and hence originated from South Asia. Since they were generated from different parts of India, the basic beliefs and practices are same, though they differ on major grounds.Commenting upon the type of philosophy they practice, one would easily discern the difference of Hinduism being more stable and Buddhism relying more on humanitarian philosophy. However, Buddhism is considered to be a more universally accepted religion as compared to Hinduism. Both the religions spread from India reaching the corners of the World.HINDUISMHinduism is religion which generated and expanded through different groups in India from 1500 BC. Hinduism dates back to the time of Indus civilization. There is no one person who found this religion, unlike Buddhism, whose origin is accredited to Gautama Buddha, a Hindu himself.that is why, Hinduism is generally considered to be a collection of different ideas of groups sharing a common background, culture, traditions and beliefs. Hinduism is divided into different categories such as Brahmanic Hindus, Vedic Hindus, Reformed Hindus, Devotional Hindus and more. Hinduism has many interesting features. This includes the captivating culture, the myths and the stories from the past which is present in their Holy Scriptures. Important Hindu books include the Bhagwad Gita, Ramayan and more which are essential for the guidance of Hindus. Hindus worship several Gods each accredited to a certain value.However, it’s the Brahman who is considered to be the Supreme Authority. Hinduism, a theistic religion, often regarded to be a polytheistic religion, generally prevails throughout India. Hinduism is oft en regarded as the ‘eternal religion’. it is the third largest religion in the world with 837 million followers. Hindus practice the caste system, value meditation and entertain festive occasions such as Diwali, Holi and more. Other beliefs universally practiced by Hindus include the faith in Vedas which is the ancient sacred text, the priests, reincarnation and the law of Karma which determines the destiny of birth and death.The basic purpose of life is to attain liberation from reincarnation where as they live a life according to the rules of Dharma.BUDDHISMBuddhism, as compared to Hinduism, is a non-theistic religion which is divided into two major schools- Mahayana and Theravada which differ on certain religious grounds yet practice certain same beliefs. Buddhism focuses on the individual spiritual development. However, Buddhism is based on the teachings of Gautama Buddha who was born in Nepal in 563 BC. His birth proved to be a milestone in history which amused peo ple not with his origin but his character.They used to ask questions such as are you God or an angel and Buddha used to give a simple yet intriguing reply that ‘I am awake’. (Huston Smith). 1 Buddha generally means The Enlightened One or The Awakened One. With his birth, a sense of serenity developed over the country and everybody rejoiced except the evil Mara. He was an epitome of perfection who was blessed with everything from family to wealth, from knowledge to understanding, yet there was a feeling of discontentment which outlasted during his twenties. He belonged to a wealthy family and led a luxurious life.His father was worried about his future and to end this fret he consulted the fortune tellers. They told him the reality of Buddha’s oncoming life. If he remained with the world he would end as the Universal King of India, it conqueror but if he forsook the world, he would eventually become a world redeemer. Keeping this scenario in view, his father put a ll his efforts to provide Gautama with every existing pleasures of life inorder to keep him intact with the world. He was provided with a number of palaces and around 40,000 dancing girls.All efforts were put forward to keep him away from the ugliness of life but despite these efforts he came in contact with the truth of old age, poverty and death which eventually ended the glitters of the worldly pleasures. Finally, he bid a silent goodbye to the worldly pleasures and led a pure life thereby keeping away from the luxuries of the world. Buddhists do not worship any deity. As per the teachings of Buddha, they believe that one should concentrate on issues which could be practiced or be divulged. However, he never denied the belief in God.Buddhist scriptures comprise different myths and stories which circulated throughout the world . Buddhism follow certain practices and beliefs such as the idea of Karma, rebirth, Dharma, the path of enlightenment and more. The important concepts are T he Four Noble Truths and The Eightfold Path. The Four Noble Truths include Dukkha which tells us that all existent happenings are associated with suffering, Trsna is all about the origin of suffering, Nirvana enfolds the concept of bringing a possible end to the sufferings and the EightFold Path which is a way of ending these sufferings through a possible solution.However, other customs related to Buddhisim include meditation, Buddhist worship and more.SIMILARITIES BETWEEN HINDUISM AND BUDDHISMSince both of the religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, originated from the same piece of the world, they constitute a wide range of similar teachings, beliefs and practices. It is even said that Buddhism originated through Hinduism therefore, it’s obvious that both of the religions would have a number of similarities. 1. Smith Huston, The Worlds Religions: Our Great Wisdom Traditions, chapter 2, 3, Harper Collins Publisher.Critically evaluating, one would easily say that the basic doctrine s are same for the two religions but still they differ a lot when it comes to practicing those beliefs. Both of the religions have a faith on the deceptive power of the nature. The religions are ruled by the laws of Karma which is applicable to every being. According to this law, every living thing is rewarded or punished according to his deeds and intentions. Along with this, the religions even belief in the cycle of birth and death. They even place their faith in the fact of the presence of a number of hells and heavens.According to Buddha, personal desires result in severe suffering. This concept is entertained by Hindus as well, as found in some Hindu texts. Both of the religions do believe in the concept of worshipping a God but on different planes. The idea of compassion and non-violence is entertained by the two religions. Moreover, the two religions deal with the benefits of the community giving it a higher priority then an individual. However, Buddhism focuses more on the i ndividual development then the society. Both the religions reject the evil of selfishness.The two religions follow certain common spiritual practices such as meditation, cultivation and other states of mind related to the purity of mind and soul.DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BUDDHISM AND HINDUISMHinduism and Buddhism generally follow the same concepts yet differ on many circumstances. Some doctrines which are help important for the Hindus are not valued much by the Buddhists and vice versa. Buddhism has a more practical approach as compared to Hinduism. The major difference between the two religions is its origin and its founder. Buddhism was founded by a single leader, Buddha, where as Hinduism has no one leader.There are many groups behind the generation and expansion of Hinduism. The Vedas, which is the sacred text of Hindus, is of wide importance for Hindus whereas Buddhist do not consider the Hindu scriptures essential. The idea of individuality and belief in God is different for both th e religions. There is a conspicuous variance in such philosophical pursuits among the two religions. Buddhism does not belief in the existence of souls and on the Supreme Authority- God. Whereas, believe in Atman which is the inner self. it is the ingredient of every individual which experiences the philosophical, spiritual and physical realm of life.The Hindus place their belief and worship the Brahman who is considered as the omnipotent, omnipresent and the eternal self. The three Gods of Hindus are Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. For Buddhists, Buddha is the Supreme Authority and they do not consider any other being equal to him in any aspect. on the other hand, since Buddha was a Hindu who resorted to the Hindus for knowledge and guidance, he is believed to be the incarnation of one of the Gods of Hindus, Mahavishnu. According to the Buddhists, the chief purpose of life is to end the suffering since the world is filled with sorrow and grief.However, Hindus consider four major tasks to be fulfilled when in the world, the religious duty, issues related to wealth, fulfillment of desires and salvation. Hindus inculcate this idea in the human mind, that the passions are not supposed to be suppressed but intelligently fulfilled. Moreover, Hindus deem the four stages of life i. e. the stage of studentship, householder, forest dweller and the stage of renunciation, whereas the Buddhists deny these concepts. Buddha encourages his believers to reach to the end of suffering whereas Hindus lay greater emphasis upon the enjoyment and bliss of life.The religions even differ on social aspects. Hinduism is practiced individually whereas the Buddhists are divided into a monastic Order. Another major difference between the two religions is that the Hinduism is divided into 4 castes such as Brahmins, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas and Sudras. On the other hand, there is no distinction in Buddhisim on the basis of color, caste and creed. Buddha obtained enlightenment through meditation whereas the general concept prevalent among Hindus is that an individual can attain God through meditation. Hinduism and Buddhism are widely practiced and one of the two most influential religions of the world.Since both of them arose from the same part of the globe, they do have a number of similar beliefs but they differ on other practices and doctrines. Buddhism starts from where Hinduism ends. Buddhism is based upon the teachings of Gautama Buddha who left no successor but spread the message of love and peace, or in short enlightenment, through a group of monks and nuns. Technically speaking, Buddhism is a more developed, organized and established religion which is based upon the belief of Dhamma in association with concepts of The Four Noble Truths and the eightfold Path.On contrary, Hinduism has been originated through a number of groups sharing common interest, traditions, history and beliefs. Moreover, it can be evaluated from the fact that Buddhism is a more positive religion sinc e it was generated as result of Hindu uprisings. The two religions are similar as well as different on the major beliefs such as Karma, Dharma, Mantra, Meditation and Reincarnation. In association with these concepts, certain features are entertained by Buddhism and certain by Hinduism. Thus the two are no doubt closely linked to each other.

Is the Media Biased? Essay

What is media bias? Media bias is the one-sided perspective of the broadcasters and journalists of the news. I believe that major broadcasts and newspapers can be biased because the opinions of journalists and newscasters can influence the way people view information based on the way it is presented. If we base our views on what’s reported in the media, it can affect our outlook on national and global issues. As I observed news broadcasts between FOX and CNN, I’ve noticed that FOX seems to have a more conservative perspective while CNN and other news broadcasts have a more liberal or balanced way of reporting the news. One of my observations between FOX and CNN was how they reported the CIA scandal of General Petraeus. FOX news seems to place more emphasis on the White House knowing about the scandal but covering it up until the election was over. They show bias towards the Republican Party and seem to illustrate favoritism toward their own political views. CNN focused more on the relationship between General Petraeus and Paula Broadwell and how the FBI began its investigation. Another national issue where there appears to be bias in the reporting was Hurricane Sandy. FOX news analysts felt like White House should have received more criticism on the response of Sandy, as the Bush administration did for Hurricane Katrina. CNN focused more on interviewing victims of Sandy that were affected in this disaster. CNN also questioned several people on the response of the Red Cross assistance. The overall goal of media outlets is to generate revenue and increase viewers, but being bias can sometimes hurt those goals. Media in the format of television, radio, newspapers, and also the internet, are in the business of providing information as well as entertaining viewers, readers, and listeners. The truth of the matter is†¦ Goldberg says â€Å"there is no greater sin than to bore the audience†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Government in America 227) That uninteresting information and honest facts is not always what attracts a huge audience. â€Å"Ratings are the reason television people do almost everything. (Goldberg 213)† Goldberg states that liberal networks such as CNN, NBC, and CBS, control most of the news market. FOX news has increasingly become more popular over the last years because of the controversial views and bias opinions. This has turned out to be an excellent news marketing concept because viewers that may not agree with FOX news will watch just to hear what the other side has to say. I believe that media can bore people unless there is some sort of controversy, conspiracy theory, or conflict of interest. A media outlet that has become one of the strongest forms of media is the internet. The internet has opened the floodgates to the world which allows anyone to express their opinions. â€Å"The internet is certainly changing the nature of our media system.†(Oligopoly 283) With the rise of the internet, people are able to express their bias opinions using social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and blogging. Broadcast news does not always report the important issues or what is factual in daily society. The worldwide web has become a more dependable source of daily news where people can find information that may favor their own views. It gives anyone the ability to blog, post content, or videos about our own bias opinions on politics, our government, and other global issues. It also provides us a platform to speak out against the bias news media to whoever wants to listen to our side in our individual way of thinking. There are tons of bias videos on YouTube, such as 9/11 conspiracy theories, President Obama being a terrorist, or the Tea Party being racist against blacks. Even though media outlets can come off as being bias, it is more profitable for networks, and newspapers to have more open-minded journalists that will attract more viewers and readers. The news should be based on real-life incidents and facts but there always appears to be distorted information from different media broadcasts. When the 9/11 attacks occurred, there were many conflicting stories about bombs going off in the streets, more airplanes that were possibly hijacked, and whether or not U.S military fighter jets shot down civilian aircraft. Do interest groups strengthen democracy? An interest group is an â€Å"organization of people with similar policy goals who enter the political process to achieve those aims.†(Government in America 325) They allow particular interests and causes to be heard and to use influence in public decision and decision-making. I think that without these groups, our democracy would be weaker and many voices would not be heard. A theory that strengthens democracy would be the pluralist theory. It claims that interest groups do well to Democracy by â€Å"bringing representation to all† (Government in America 325) and it can increase participation and access to the political system; where it can make democracy stronger. These interest groups want to help the voice of the minorities to work with the political parties and influence them. It gives a voice to many that may feel excluded from the political process. Interest groups represent various social issues from women’s rights, saving the environment, the NRA to Mom’s Against Drunk Drivers. They place emphasis on issues such as economics, the community, and the constitutional rights of all people. The government’s aim should always be to please the public, or to do the best for the state so that these groups can show the government what their group wants to change. In some ways, interest groups can also weaken American democracy because if there are several different factions, no specific interest group will have more power than the other. One positive aspect I see in interest groups is that they encourage more political participation. Some people believe that interest groups can become too powerful causing the general public to suffer as a result. For example, the NRA promotes gun ownership and a right to bear arms while other interest groups are fighting for stricter gun laws to decrease the murder rate in the country. Interest groups are a necessary part of our free society; however the influence of some interest groups may not be the common good for everyone. The 1st Amendment of our Constitution encourages freedom of speech, and the assembly to petition the government, which is what interest groups are based on. It is important to understand that these interest groups can be both helpful and damaging for democracy. Today, I believe that the problem of our government is that they pay more attention to special interests more than the public interests. People are becoming more disappointed in our political system. Instead of people in these groups having an equal say in this process, some organizations are giving an unfair advantage than others. These organizations may have more power and influence to support their issues; however the other groups may not able to fully support their cause due to lack of funds, and also influence. Interest groups can help the democratic process, but only if our lawmakers in Washington listen and fight for these groups. If we want our democracy to be stronger, our citizens must have political power to be shared by all. We should all have a voice in determining our policies in the government, because that is the main goal of democracy. As said by Lincoln in the Gettysburg Address, (â€Å"government of the people, by the people, and for the people.†) If the interests of the people become a major concern across the nation, our government will take action to give the country what they need to move forward towards a united nation. Works Cited Goldberg, Bernard. â€Å"Bias† Faultlines: Debating the Issues in American Politics. Ed. David T. Canon, John J. Coleman, and Kenneth R. Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2004. 209-212. McChesney, Robert W. â€Å"Oligopoly: The Big Media Game Has Fewer and Fewer Players.† The Enduring Debate. Ed David T. Canon, John J. Coleman, and Kenneth R. Mayer. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2003. 282-287 Fox News – Latest News Headlines. 16 November 2012. Television. CNN Newsroom. 16 November 2012. Television. Edwards, George C., Martin P. Wattenburg, and Robert L. Lineberry. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy, Twelfth Edition.United States: Pearson, 2006. Print.

Pyrmaids essays

Pyrmaids essays Throughout the ages, people of the world have been perplexed by the pyramids of Egypt. This great wonder of the world has always interested me, as it has others. One question that arises is that, who, why, and how were the pyramids built. There are many hypotheses for this perplexing question, but three main ones are brought forth: they were made for tombs of pharaohs, aliens built them, or its a passage to and from planet to planet. The first and most well known hypothesis is that the Egyptians built the pyramids to house their pharaohs during their afterlife. This is taught in schools, it is read about, and seems the most logical and sane explanation for why the pyramids were built. In my opinion this is the truth and is the right answer to the why the pyramids were built. I dont really see what other explanation would work. There is so much evidence that points to this hypothesis. Such as, that the Egyptians made the pyramids because many of the tools have been found. It is said that Egyptians didnt have the tools to make the pyramids, obviously, this is false. The Egyptians have a history that supports why they built the pyramids, they thought that by making the pyramid they could go to the afterlife as well as the pharaoh. That is why this hypothesis is the most well known and excepted, as it has a right to be. The second reason is that alien architects built the pyramids. It is said that they built pyramids to line up with the stars of Orions belt. Okay, why did they build them on Earth? It really makes no sense to me, but a lot of people actually believe this hypothesis. There is a lot of evidence such as; that if a diagonal line is extended North-East and North-West of the pyramid, the lines incorporate the Nile river neatly and entirely. Another piece of evidence is that the pyramid is lined up exactly to the magnetic North pole. They say coin ...

Free Essays on Black Holes

Black Holes Everyday we look out upon the night sky, wondering and dreaming of what lies beyond our planet. The universe that we live in is so diverse and unique, and it interests us to learn about all the variance that lies beyond our grasp. Within this marvel of wonders our universe holds a mystery that is very difficult to understand because of the complications that arise when trying to examine and explore the principles of space. That mystery happens to be that of the ever clandestine, black hole. This essay will hopefully give you the knowledge and understanding of the concepts, properties, and processes involved with the space phenomenon of the black hole. It will describe how a black hole is generally formed, how it functions, and the effects it has on the universe. In order to understand what exactly a black hole is, we must first take a look at the basis for the cause of a black hole. All black holes are formed from the gravitational collapse of a star, usually having a gre at, massive, core. A star is created when huge, gigantic, gas clouds bind together due to attractive forces and form a hot core, combined from all the energy of the two gas clouds. This energy produced is so great when it first collides, that a nuclear reaction occurs and the gases within the star start to burn continuously. The Hydrogen gas is usually the first type of gas consumed in a star and then other gas elements such as Carbon, Oxygen, and Helium are consumed. This chain reaction fuels the star for millions or billions of years depending upon the amount of gases there are. The star manages to avoid collapsing at this point because of the equilibrium achieved by itself. The gravitational pull from the core of the star is equal to the gravitational pull of the gases forming a type of orbit, however when this equality is broken the star can go into several different stages. Usually if the star is small in mass, most of the gases will be consumed while s... Free Essays on Black Holes Free Essays on Black Holes Black Holes Everyday we look out upon the night sky, wondering and dreaming of what lies beyond our planet. The universe that we live in is so diverse and unique, and it interests us to learn about all the variance that lies beyond our grasp. Within this marvel of wonders our universe holds a mystery that is very difficult to understand because of the complications that arise when trying to examine and explore the principles of space. That mystery happens to be that of the ever clandestine, black hole. This essay will hopefully give you the knowledge and understanding of the concepts, properties, and processes involved with the space phenomenon of the black hole. It will describe how a black hole is generally formed, how it functions, and the effects it has on the universe. In order to understand what exactly a black hole is, we must first take a look at the basis for the cause of a black hole. All black holes are formed from the gravitational collapse of a star, usually having a gre at, massive, core. A star is created when huge, gigantic, gas clouds bind together due to attractive forces and form a hot core, combined from all the energy of the two gas clouds. This energy produced is so great when it first collides, that a nuclear reaction occurs and the gases within the star start to burn continuously. The Hydrogen gas is usually the first type of gas consumed in a star and then other gas elements such as Carbon, Oxygen, and Helium are consumed. This chain reaction fuels the star for millions or billions of years depending upon the amount of gases there are. The star manages to avoid collapsing at this point because of the equilibrium achieved by itself. The gravitational pull from the core of the star is equal to the gravitational pull of the gases forming a type of orbit, however when this equality is broken the star can go into several different stages. Usually if the star is small in mass, most of the gases will be consumed while s... Free Essays on Black Holes Black Holes Astrophysicists, for the most part, agree that black holes do exist. There is observational evidence from X-rays and the Hubble telescope that black holes do exist and might be in the center of some galaxies. The properties of a black hole are defined by its mass, charge, and spin. A black hole is a part of space that has so much mass concentrated in it that nothing could escape its gravitational pull. Black holes have so much concentration of mass that their escape velocity id so high that even light can not escape. Since nothing is faster than light, that means that nothing can escape from a black hole. Scientists in the 1930’s showed that when a massive star runs out of its hydrogen fuel, it could not support itself against its gravitational pull and collapses into a black hole. Massive objects can distort space and time, making the usual rules of geometry not applicable. Near a black hole space is extremely distorted and causes black holes to have strange properties. Black hole will have an â€Å"event horizon†. This is the boundary of the black hole. Once you pass the horizon you can not get back. Once you cross it you will keep moving to the center until you are ripped apart from the extreme gravity. There is no limit to how big a black hole can be. Technically any amount of mass can be made into a black hole if it has enough density. Since most black holes are believed to be made from dead stars, it is believed that black holes will weigh as much as massive stars. Astronomers also think that many galaxies might have very big black holes at their centers. These are thought to weigh about a million times bigger than the sun. If you were to travel to a black hole you would not feel anything at first. You would feel like you are in free fall and weightless. As you get closer and closer to the center you would start to feel the gravitational pull. The gravitational pull gets stronger the cl... Free Essays on Black Holes Today in astronomy, black holes are one of the most talked about subjects because astronomers still don't have all the answers to them. You may ask why it would be important to study something that has no effect on us and is astronomical distances away. One reason is to get a further understanding of the universe, its creation, and its possible future. A second reason is some scientist believe that it is possible to use black holes for incredibly fast space travel or even time travel. In this paper I will explain more about black holes and how they may be used it the future. A black hole is a region of space whose attractive gravitational force is so intense that no matter, light, or communication of any kind can escape. There are only three parts to a black hole. The event horizon, the singularity, and the Schwarzschild radius. The event horizon is the black hole's surface. It is in the shape of a sphere and has no matter at its location accept for the instant that matter crosses it into the black hole. Once past the event horizon nothing can escape the black hole, not even light. The singularity lies in the center of the black hole and is where matter is crushed into infinite density. The Schwarzschild radius is the distance from the center of the black hole to its boundary. Since black holes take in everything that crosses its path, scientist can't get a better look at the inside of a black holes because no electro magnetic radiation can escape it. But they have discovered that a lot of the time the gas around black holes can be very bright a s illustrated in the picture. Once matter enters a black hole, it keeps only three properties that it had before entering the black hole, its mass, angular momentum, and electrical charge. All other concepts like protons, neutrons, atoms, electrons, and molecules no longer apply. There are two types of black holes, ones that rotate and ones that don't. Schwarzschild black hol...

False Friends in Spanish and English

False Friends in Spanish and English Learning Spanish vocabulary can seem so easy: Constitucià ³n means constitution, nacià ³n means nation, and decepcià ³n means deception, right? Not quite. True, most words that end in -cià ³n can be translated into English by changing the suffix to -tion. And the pattern holds true for the first two words listed above (although constitucià ³n refers to how something is constituted more often than does the English word, which usually refers to a political document). But una decepcià ³n is a disappointment, not a deception. Cognates in Spanish to English Spanish and English have literally thousands of cognates, words that are basically the same in both languages, having the same etymology and similar meanings. But combinations such as decepcià ³n and deception are so-called false cognates - known more precisely as false friends or falsos amigos - word pairs that look like they might mean the same thing but dont. They can be confusing, and if you make the mistake of using them in speech or writing youre likely to be misunderstood. Following is a list of some of the most common false friends - some of the ones youre mostly likely to come across when reading or listening to Spanish: Actual: This adjective (or its corresponding adverb, actualmente) indicates that something is current, at the present time. Thus the days hot topic might be referred to as un tema actual. If you wish to say something is actual (as opposed to imaginary), use real (which also can mean royal) or verdadero.Asistir: Means to attend or to be present. Asisto a la oficina cada dà ­a, I go to the office daily. To say to assist, use ayudar, to help.Atender: Means to serve or to take care of, to attend to. If youre talking about attending a meeting or a class, use asistir.Basamento: You wont run across this word often, but its the base of a column, sometimes called a plinth. If you want to visit a basement, go down to el sà ³tano.Billà ³n: 1,000,000,000,000. That number is the same as a trillion in American English but a billion in traditional British English. (Modern British English conforms with U.S. English, however.)Bizarro: Somebodys whos this way is brave, not necessarily strange. The English word bizarre is conveyed better by extraà ±o or estrafalario. Boda: If you go to a wedding or wedding reception, this is what youre going to. A body (as of a person or animal) is most often cuerpo or tronco.Campo: Means a field or the country (in the sense of living in the country, not the city). If youre going camping, youll probably be staying at a campamento or even a camping.Carpeta: Although this can refer to a type of table cover, it doesnt have anything to do with carpets. It most often means a file folder (including the virtual kind) or a briefcase. Carpet is most often alfombra.Complexià ³n: This refers not to your skin, but to ones physiological build (a well-built man is un hombre de complexià ³n fuerte). To speak of skin complexion, use tez or cutis.Compromiso: Meaning a promise, obligation, or commitment, it does not usually convey the sense that one has given up something to reach an agreement. There is no good noun equivalent of compromise that would be understood that way out of context, although the verb transigir conveys the sense of giving in to, yielding to, or tolerating another person. Constiparse, constipacià ³n: In verb form, it means to catch a cold, while una constipacià ³n is one of the words that means a cold. Someone who is constipated is estreà ±ido.Contestar: Its a very common verb meaning to answer. To contest something, use contender.Corresponder: Yes, it does mean to correspond, but only in the sense of to match. If youre talking about corresponding with someone, use a form of escribir con or mantener correspondencia.Decepcià ³n, decepcionar: Means disappointment or to disappoint. To deceive someone is to engaà ±ar a alguià ©n. Something deceptive is engaà ±oso.Delito: Theres seldom much delightful about a crime. (Delito usually refers to a minor crime, as contrasted with a serious crime or crimen.) The feeling of delight can be a deleite, while the object that causes it an encanto or delicia (note that the latter word often has a sexual connotation).Desgracia: In Spanish, this is little more than a mistake or misfortune. Something shameful is un a vergà ¼enza or una deshonra. Despertar: This verb is usually used in the reflexive form, meaning to wake up (me despierto a las siete, I wake up at seven). If youre desperate, theres a true cognate you can use: desesperado.Destituido: Someone who has been removed from office is destituido. Someone without money is indigente or desamparado.Disgusto: Derived from the prefix dis- (meaning not) and the root word gusto (meaning pleasure), this word refers simply to displeasure or misfortune. If you need to use a much stronger term akin to disgust, use asco or repugnancia.Embarazada: It might be embarrassing to be pregnant, but it isnt necessarily. Someone who feels embarrassed tiene vergà ¼enza or se siente avergonzado.Emocionante: Used to decribe something thats thrilling or emotionally moving. To say emotional, the cognate emocional will often do fine.En absoluto: This phrase means the opposite of what you think it might, meaning not at all or absolutely not. To say absolutely, use the cognate totalmente or comple tamente. Éxito: Its a hit or a success. If youre looking for the way out, look for una salida.Fbrica: Thats a place where they fabricate items, namely a factory. Words for cloth include tejido and tela.Fà ºtbol: Unless in a context that indicates otherwise, this means soccer. If you want to refer to the popular U.S. spectator sport, use fà ºtbol americano.Fà ºtil: This refers to something trivial or insignificant. If your efforts are futile, use ineficaz, vano or inà ºtil.Insulacià ³n: This isnt even a word in Spanish (although you may hear it in Spanglish). If you want to say insulation, use aislamiento.Ganga: Its a bargain. Although ganga may be heard in Spanglish as a word for gang, the usual word is pandilla.Inconsecuente: This adjective refers to something that is contradictory. Something inconsequential is (among other possibilities) de poca importancia.Introducir: This isnt truly a false cognate, for it can be translated as, among other things, to introduce in the sense of to bring in, to begin, to put, or to place. For example, se introdujo la ley en 1998, the law was introduced (put in effect) in 1998. But its not the verb to use to introduce someone. Use presentar. Largo: When referring to size, it means long. If its big, its also grande.Minorista: Means retail (adjective) or retailer. A minority is una minorà ­a.Molestar: The verb doesnt usually have sexual connotations in Spanish, and it didnt originally in English either. It means simply to bother or to annoy. For the sexual meaning of to molest in English, use abusar sexualmente or some phrase that says more precisely what you mean.Once: If you can count past 10, you know that once is the word for eleven. If something happens once, it happens una vez.Pretender: The Spanish verb doesnt have anything to do with faking it, only to try. To pretend, use fingir or simular.Rapista: This is an uncommon word for a barber (peluquero or even the cognate barbero is more common), being derived from the verb rapar, to cut close or to shave. Someone who attacks sexually is a violador.Realizar, realizacà ³n: Realizar can be used reflexively to indicate something becoming real or becoming completed: Se r ealizà ³ el rascacielos, the skyscraper was built. To realize as a mental event can be translated using darse cuenta (to realize), comprender (to understand) or saber (to know), among other possibilities, depending on the context. Recordar: Means to remember or to remind. The verb to use when recording something depends on what youre recording. Possibilities include anotar or tomar nota for writing something down, or grabar for making an audio or video recording.Revolver: As its form suggests, this is a verb, in this case meaning to turn over, to revolve, or otherwise to cause disorder. The Spanish word for revolver is close, however: revà ³lver.Ropa: Clothing, not rope. Rope is cuerda or soga.Sano: Usually means healthy. Someone who is sane is en su juicio or in his right mind.Sensible: Usually means sensitive or capable of feeling. A sensible person or idea can be referred to as sensato or razonable.Sensiblemente: Usually means perceptibly or appreciably, sometimes painfully. A good synonym for sensibly is sesudamente.Sopa: Soup, not soap. Soap is jabà ³n.Suceso: Merely an event or happening, sometimes a crime. A success is un à ©xito.Tuna: Order this at a desert restaurant and youll get edible cactus. A tuna is also a college musical glee club. The fish is atà ºn. Especially in the United States, Spanish doesnt exist in a vacuum. In the United States, you may hear some speakers, especially those who frequently speak Spanglish, use some of these false cognates when speaking Spanish. A few of these usages may be creeping into the language elsewhere, although they would still be considered substandard.

Two Different Art Forms Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Two Different Art Forms - Assignment Example Two sculptors namely, Daphnis of Miletus and Paionios of Ephesus designed the statue. The dying gladiator portrays an injured Celtic fighter in anticipation of death in the arena. The sculpture depicts a living-dimension marble of a singular amidst the sculptures of bronze bestowed at Pergammon. King Attlos I erected the statue to honor his wins over the Gladiators who had raided Asia during the 239 B.C. The dying Gaul imitates a miserable gladiator sitting on his shield tired and given up. The sculpture shows a perforation on the warrior’s right lung on its lower lobe. The Gaul is either dying because of the bleeding wound or the enemy might inflict another fatal injury at any moment. The sculptors are sensitive in the application of the principle of proportion. The warrior is seated at the middle with his sword and shield dropped besides him. The viewers would focus on the main statue of the gladiator and his weapons. Michelangelo designed the Pieta sculpture between 1498 and 1499, which is currently housed in Vatican City. The sculpture exposes Mary holding the body of Christ in her laps immediately his body was taken down from the cross. The statue outstands amongst others because of its inability to express proportionality. In common situations, it would be specious for a woman to hold a man in her laps due to the size and weight. Mary’s body is concealed with Christ’s body in her arms. Nevertheless, the statue is magnificent, and other artists commend it for the outstanding manifestation of creativity (Ragionieri, 2008). According to Giorgio Vasari, the sculpture will remain as the best despite other artists’ innovations. Michelangelo employs the harmony principle to outline the homogeneity of the sculpture throughout the work. A painting refers to the technique of art that incorporate the application of paint on other surfaces either in an image or as a beautification. Paintings have meanings

Recycling Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recycling - Assignment Example We are tuned to wants being unlimited and deprivation is not a word that's welcomed. So let us equate the word Reduce with 'No Wastage.' This is something that is understandable and manageable and can be immediately implemented. Mass media's Hidden Persuaders [2] have trained us to reach out for the new. It makes good commercial sense, to them, to have products flowing from the manufacturing line, straight into the hands of the consumers. It has made us to imbibe a false sense of dignity, by privately or publicly discarding the partially used, a form of squandering actually, to deal with the new. Let us then look at the word Reuse to be consistent with 'getting the money's worth' by being a good steward. There is one great notable point to be derived from all these three strategies. To extend and save the planet Earth by every act of Reduction or Reusing or Recycling, YOU are important. When you serve the purpose you are worthy to be emulated. When that happens, you are to be celebrated. Dear Ones, the fast pace at which precious scarce resources are being used up Reduce, Reuse or Recycle may not remain a choice. It may just become mandatory that we exercise it. Believe me we are not very far from such a situation. If we show concern NOW, we may surely be able to postpone it for some time in the future. Or else it may tantamount to committing hara-kiri. Let us look in some detail as to what we... It may just become mandatory that we exercise it. Believe me we are not very far from such a situation. If we show concern NOW, we may surely be able to postpone it for some time in the future. Or else it may tantamount to committing hara-kiri. Let us look in some detail as to what we can do with these three recommendations. So that it becomes a way of life for us. So that our conscious efforts continue to yield the desired results, and that we impact the world in a positive manner. I would like to get on with the first two, Reduce and Reuse very briefly. For you will find when I elaborate on Recycle how these two interweave with it to make it an essential composite whole. REDUCE When we introduced the word here we decided to look at it as 'No Waste.' If we gear our activities towards waste minimization the immediate effect will be fall in procurement. The less we buy the less waste or garbage is generated. Truly the discipline exercised will stand in good stead in time to come. Be an informed and aware consumer and your shopping selections will begin to fall in place. 4 REUSE One advantage of this is that it requires no further processing for it to be used. It is good the way it is and has the latent potential to serve the purpose it was bought for. All that we need to do is reach out for it again. Donating things and stuff to charities fall in this bracket too. So does garage sales! Some one is going to buy and reuse it. Reusing products postpones it from becoming a waste. RECYCLE When waste is perceived as a valuable resource the re-cycle process begins from that moment. This generates a host of environmental, financial, and social benefits when it is followed through.

Group Leadership and Reflection Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group Leadership and Reflection - Assignment Example On the other hand, Goldman Sachs represents the Bad and Ugly side of Capitalism. Through the discussion questions, it is established that a socially responsible corporate culture is manageable and profitable. Discussion Questions 1. 2. 2.1. What is the role of corporate culture in promoting social responsibility? 2.2. What are the challenges a company can face when they try to integrate CSR policies in their corporate culture? 2.3. Do you think this article is another attempt at bad publicity of the corporate culture of a successful company such as Goldman? 2.4. The article suggested that â€Å"Goldman’s attitude has been: This, too, shall pass.† But will it? Can they continue believe this without changing their corporate culture and making it more socially responsible? 2.5. What practices of leadership and corporate culture distinguish Starbucks from Goldman Sachs? Overview of Group Discussion 1. 2. 2.1. Corporate Social Responsibility presents itself as a strategic op portunity and obligations, thus it is very important for organizations to evaluate CSR with the same business acumen and skills as they would any market strategy (Husted & Alen, 839). The enterprise is considered as a cornerstone for implementing all cultural projects (Storey, 2007, p.190). Thus a corporate culture of socially responsible business practices would have a company-wide impact. The employees mirror the corporate culture of an organization to all stakeholders. The stakeholders of the company communicate within the corporate culture and jointly they contribute towards sustainability in an organization (Arnorld, 2010). 2.2. The very dynamic nature of CSR and the fact that the CSR values and implementations vary from culture to culture create problems for the organizations. The 1789 Law of Alien Tort Claim Act, forces US firms to be accountable for their actions in international operations (Werther & Chandler, 2010). Thus MNEs are confronted with the mammoth task of integra ting a corporate culture that meets global expectations. MNEs can tackle this problem by treating CSR policies in a similar manner as they would any marketing or organizational policy—compliant with the cultural expectations of the host country (Husted & Allen, 2006). 2.3. This article refers to an article by Greg Smith, a former Goldman Sachs employee who quit his job because of the low-moral corporate culture that had become prevalent at Goldman (Smith, 2012). Goldman has the culture of treating clients as â€Å"pigeons† that need to be hunted down rather than the â€Å"valued customer†. Usually such an article would have low credibility. But looking at the questionable business ethic practices prevalent in the corporate culture of Goldman Sachs that encouraged the company to push risky loans onto their clients which led to the financial crises, such accusations hit close to home (Norcera 2012). 2.4. The culture of corporate social responsibility is constantly evolving and business practices that were acceptable once may fall short of CSR standards prevalent in the societal and legal environment (Werther and Chandler, p.11). So Goldman Sachs need to get over their dinosaur-approach of believing that their corporate culture and business practices are above ethics and policies. Werther and Chandler evaluate the impact of the such unethical policies in the corporate culture and identify significant litigation costs and public relation fiascos. The recent

Business Environment and Society Buyer Behaviour Essay

Business Environment and Society Buyer Behaviour - Essay Example The possessions that we have to tell much about us and the psychology behind consumer behavior hence should be central to understanding consumer behavior. This is mostly because people use possessions to define themselves or create their identities (extended self) especially in contemporary society based on materialism. As such, we are what we have and possessions are an extension of our selves. This has implication for marketers as they should strive to understand the value attached to possessions by consumers in order to develop effective marketing strategies. There are many theories put forward to explain customer behavior. Economic theory views the customer as a rational and self-interested decision maker hence consumes to maximize utility. The theory thus concentrates on the buying action. The psychodynamic approach is attributed to Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and posits that the instinctive forces of Id, Ego, and Superego are drivers of behavior. The behaviorist theory views beha vior as being driven by external forces or events. The cognitive theory attributes behavior to information processing in one’s mind while humanistic theory stresses the role of emotions in consumer behavior. This essay will utilize the theories of consumer behavior to discuss the concept of extended self and its effects on consumer purchasing behavior. The idea of extended self is based on the fact that we are what we have; that is, we define ourselves based on the things that we possess. Belk (1988, 139) argues that â€Å"our possessions are a major contributor to and reflection of our identities.† He came up with this conclusion after collecting a variety of evidence and regarded it as the ‘extended self.’ The major categories of extended self according to Belk are a body, internal processes, ideas, experiences and those persons, places and things to which one feels attached.  

Advanced financial accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Advanced financial accounting - Essay Example The use of Fair value of in the UK’s Financial Reporting Standards appears to take the position of the US Academics which is conservative in character. This is supported by the statement of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) which stated that the UKs Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has put itself in a potentially serious conflict with the International Accounting Standards Board over the use of fair value.1 ACCA reported the response the IASB’s discussion paper ‘Fair Value Measurements’, where the ASB made clear it rejection of much of the underlying rationale of the IASB’ paper’s proposals. The ASB seemed to have asserted that the use of the US approach to fair value was not appropriate in Europe. While the US standard SFAS 1572 could useful as a methodology to know market-based exit prices, as admitted by the ASB, the UK board is not fully convince that the assumption that fair value3 should necessarily be equated with exit value.4 ASB does not also accept to have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to fair valuation as it suggested instead ‘standard by standard’ basis. It also criticized the statement â€Å"that fair value should always be assessed from the perspective of a market participant, rather than the entity† as it asserted more prominence to be given that would address the importance of entity-specific measures.5 Given the position taken by the ASB in its statement or comment concerning the fair value accounting, it is doubtful if UK will recognize the importance of fair values, with reference to international accounting standards the same way that IASB is giving the same issue in accounting. 2.2 Describes the alternative methods by which assets and liabilities could be measured, and critically assesses the performance of each method against the Qualitative Characteristics of financial information described in the ASB’s Statement of Principles (the Conceptual Framework). The

Design And Analysis Of Algorithms For Obtaining Super Resolution Essay

Design And Analysis Of Algorithms For Obtaining Super Resolution Satellite Images - Essay Example The paper tells that the launching of satellites nowadays, experience transformations due to the increasing need for High Resolution images. History shows that once satellites are launched, updating of its captured images faces a challenge due to resolution problems. Some algorithms have been developed, which assist in transforming Low Resolution images to High Resolution images. High Resolution (HR) images have a wide range of usage in the various fields, for example, medical imaging, video surveillance, and satellite imaging. However, due to limitations of hardware, many Low Resolution (LR) images are obtained than High Resolution images. As a result, researchers have come up with new techniques that help them in obtaining HR images from LR images. Researchers have come up with a reconstruction technique known as Super-resolution (SR) technique. The technique solves the problem of developing HR images from LR images since it allows the recovery of high resolution images from low re solution images. The technique allows recovery of HR images from several LR images, which are blurred, noisy and down-sampled. The SR technique uses some algorithms in order to solve the resolution problem. These algorithms use LR images that are related to each other’s through random translations and rotations in order to create a single HR image of the original scene. In order to reconstruct the HR image, the LR images must be first registered relative to a specific frame of reference. Secondly, the pixels from the LR images are used to sparsely populate some of the pixels of the high resolution image. ... This may include the implementation of set of super resolution algorithms and comparing their performances. Although there is the quest of obtaining high resolution images, there are some challenges that go hand in hand with the high resolution. In acquiring high resolution imaging systems, one runs into the problem of diminishing returns. The optical components and imaging chips necessary for high resolution imaging are very expensive since they cost millions of dollars. Potential Benefits High image resolution is beneficial since there is an increase in image detail. In addition, image resolution results in images that do not contain noise or with reduced noise and images with increased smoothness in interlaced video. Chapter Two Fundamentals of Image Processing Introduction and definition Image processing refers to any kind of signal processing, where the input is an image, for instance, a video frame or a photograph and the resulting output of the image may be either an image or a set of parameters or characteristics that are related to the image. In most image processing techniques, the image is treated as a two-dimensional signal. The image processing techniques usually apply standard signal processing techniques to the image being processed. During image processing, various operations may be carried out on the image; such operations include Euclidean geometrical transformations that may take the form of reduction, rotation and enlargement, color corrections that may involve color balancing, color mapping, quantization and contrast adjustment (Burge & Burge, 2009). Image processing operations may also include interpolation, image registration, and image segmentation.

Advanced financial accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Advanced financial accounting - Essay Example The use of Fair value of in the UK’s Financial Reporting Standards appears to take the position of the US Academics which is conservative in character. This is supported by the statement of The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) which stated that the UKs Accounting Standards Board (ASB) has put itself in a potentially serious conflict with the International Accounting Standards Board over the use of fair value.1 ACCA reported the response the IASB’s discussion paper ‘Fair Value Measurements’, where the ASB made clear it rejection of much of the underlying rationale of the IASB’ paper’s proposals. The ASB seemed to have asserted that the use of the US approach to fair value was not appropriate in Europe. While the US standard SFAS 1572 could useful as a methodology to know market-based exit prices, as admitted by the ASB, the UK board is not fully convince that the assumption that fair value3 should necessarily be equated with exit value.4 ASB does not also accept to have a ‘one size fits all’ approach to fair valuation as it suggested instead ‘standard by standard’ basis. It also criticized the statement â€Å"that fair value should always be assessed from the perspective of a market participant, rather than the entity† as it asserted more prominence to be given that would address the importance of entity-specific measures.5 Given the position taken by the ASB in its statement or comment concerning the fair value accounting, it is doubtful if UK will recognize the importance of fair values, with reference to international accounting standards the same way that IASB is giving the same issue in accounting. 2.2 Describes the alternative methods by which assets and liabilities could be measured, and critically assesses the performance of each method against the Qualitative Characteristics of financial information described in the ASB’s Statement of Principles (the Conceptual Framework). The

AP language rhetorical terms list Essay Example for Free

AP language rhetorical terms list Essay Look up the words and fill in the chart as best as you can. Some of the terms are review and some are new. We will use this list throughout the year so keep an updated copy with you in class. You may choose to make note cards for study but they are not required for a grade. Periodically, you will be quizzed on how well you know the terms by using in your writing and recognizing in text. Terms When do I use it? Define it Can I recognize it? Can I use it in my writing? ad hominen argument appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect ad populum fallacious argument that concludes a proposition to be true because many or most people believe it. allegory literary device The representation of abstract ideas or principles by characters, figures, or events in narrative, dramatic, or pictorial form. alliteration style The repetition of the same sounds or of the same kinds of sounds at the beginning of words or in stressed syllables allusion rhetoric device reference ambiguity tone Doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation analogy Similarity of functions or properties; likeness antecedent grammar A preceding occurrence, cause, or event. antithesis opposite aphorism A tersely phrased statement of a truth or opinion; an adage apostrophe The direct address of an absent or imaginary person or of a personified abstraction, especially as a digression in the course of a speech or composition. attitude essay A state of mind or a feeling; disposition atmosphere A dominant intellectual or emotional environment or attitude begging the question type of informal fallacy in which an implicit premise would directly entail the conclusion; in other words, basing a conclusion on an assumption that is as much in need of proof or demonstration as the conclusion itself chiasmus A rhetorical inversion of the second of two parallel structures clause A group of words containing a subject and a predicate and forming part of a compound or complex sentence. colloquialism Characteristic of or appropriate to the spoken language or to writing that seeks the effect of speech; informal. conceit A favorable and especially unduly high opinion of ones own abilities or worth. concrete detail Specific details that form the backbone or core of the body paragraphs. Synonyms for concrete details include facts, specifics, examples, descriptions, illustrations, support, proof, evidence, quotations, paraphrases, or plot references. connotation An idea or feeling that a word invokes person in addition to its literal or primary meaning denotation The action or process of indicating or referring to something by means of a word, symbol, etc descriptive detail devices A turn of phrase intended to produce a particular effect in speech or a literary work diction Word choice didactic ntended to teach, particularly in having moral instruction as an ulterior motive euphemism Mild expression in place of a severe one extended metaphor An extended metaphor, also called a conceit, is a metaphor that continues into the sentences that follow. It is often developed at great length, occurring frequently in or throughout a work, and are especially effective in poems and fiction. false analogy An informal fallacy applying to inductive arguments, in which the similarity in one respect of two concepts, objects, or events is taken as sufficient to establish that they are similar in another respect in which they actually are dissimilar figurative language Language that communicates ideas beyond the ordinary or literal meaning of the words. figure of speech A figure of speech is a use of a word that diverges from its normal meaning, or a phrase with a specialized meaning not based on the literal meaning of the words in it such as a metaphor, simile, or personification. genre A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter hasty- over/ generalization A general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases homily genre type of sermon, serious talk, speech or lecture hyperbole exaggeration imagery Visually descriptive or figurative language, esp. in a literary work inference/ infer A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning invective diction Strong use of language used to attack irony/ironic The expression of ones meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect verbal Relating to or in the form of words situational A term denoting a tactic or combo that can only be used under certain circumstances and cannot be done in a neutral state where both characters are on the ground. dramatic Sudden or striking juxtaposition The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect language The method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way loose sentence A loose sentence is a type of sentence in which the main idea is elaborated by the successive addition of modifying clauses or phrases. metaphor in literature and rhetoric, an analogy between two objects or ideas, conveyed by using a word instead of another word metonymy Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by the name of something associated with that thing or concept. mood the affective setting of a piece of literature narrative A narrative (or story) is any account of connected events, presented to a reader or listener in a sequence of written or spoken words, or in a sequence of (moving) pictures. narrative devices Methods to help convey the message in the story narrative technique The methods involved in telling a story; the procedures used by a writer of stories or accounts. Narrative technique is a general term (like devices, or resources of language) that asks you to discuss the procedures used in the telling of a story. onomatopoeia the use of imitative and naturally suggestive words for rhetorical, dramatic, or poeticeffect. oxymoron a figure of speech by which a locution produces an incongruous, seemingly self-contradictoryeffect, as in â€Å"cruel kindness† or â€Å"to make haste slowly. † paradox a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in realityexpresses a possible truth. parallelism Parallel comparison parody Mocking imitation pedantic tone Overly scholarly, academic, or bookish periodic sentence A periodic sentence is a sentence that is not grammatically complete until the final clause or phrase. Personification the attribution of human nature or character to animals, inanimate objects, or abstractnotions, especially as a rhetorical figure. persuasive devices Techniques the author uses to influence the way you feel persuasive essay Persuasive writing, known as creative writing or an argument, is a piece of writing in which the writer uses words to convince the reader that the writers opinion is correct with regard to an issue. point of view(know all) narrative mode, the perspective of the narrative voice; the pronoun used in narration post hoc fallacy Post hoc ergo propter hoc, Latin for after this, therefore because of this, is a logical fallacy (of the questionable cause variety) that states Since that event followed this one, that event must have been caused by this one. prose Prose is a form of language which applies ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure (as in traditional poetry). red herring Red herring is an English-language idiom, a logical fallacy that misleads or detracts from the issue. It is also a literary device that leads readers or characters towards a false conclusion, often used in mystery or detective fiction. repetition Repetition is the simple repeating of a word, within a sentence or a poetical line, with no particular placement of the words, in order to provide emphasis. rhetoric Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. rhetorical appeal Ethos, pathos, logos logos Originally a word meaning a ground, a plea, an opinion, an expectation, word, speech, account, reason, ethos Cultures guiding ideals pathos Appealing to the audience’s emotions rhetorical features his may involve the use of elaborate words or phrases that create a particular set of sounds. Perhaps puns, double meanings,alliteration, assonance or unusual grammatical forms may be used. rhetorical modes describe the variety, conventions, and purposes of the major kinds of writing. compare/ contrast Evaluate differences and similarities definition Expressing the nature of something cause/effect Cause is why something happens and effect is what happens division/ classification Organize into category example/illustration or type of composition intended to give information about (or an explanation of) an issue, subject, method, or idea. exposition type of composition intended to give information about (or an explanation of) an issue, subject, method, or idea. process analysis A method of paragraph or essay development by which a writer explains step by step how something is done or how to do something. argumentation/persuasive Social influence description a statement, picture in words, or account that describes; descriptive representation. rhetorical question A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked in order to make a point. rhetorical situation The Rhetorical Situation is the context of a rhetorical event that consists of an issue, an audience, and a set of constraints. sarcasm harsh or bitter derision or irony. satire a literary composition, in verse or prose, in which human folly and vice are held up toscorn, derision, or ridicule. simile a figure of speech in which two unlike things are explicitly compared sentence structures Grammatical arrangement of words in sentences simple Easy to understand compound combinations of two or more elements complex In general usage, complexity tends to be used to characterize something with many parts in intricate arrangement. inverted word order style variation in language use to which social meanings are attributed stylistic devices In literature and writing, a stylistic device is the use of any of a variety of techniques to give an auxiliary meaning, idea, or feeling to the literal or written. syllogism a piece of deductive reasoning from the general to the particular symbol/ symbolism something used for or regarded as representing something else; a material object representingsomething, often something immaterial; emblem, token, or sign. synecdoche a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole or the whole for a part, the special for thegeneral or the general for the special syntax the study of the rules for the formation of grammatical sentences in a language. theme the unifying subject or idea of a story thesis Central argument tone a literary technique which encompasses the attitudes toward the subject and toward the audience implied in a literary work that is compatible with the other drive transition general aspects of writing style that signal changes in a story understatement Understatement is a form of speech which contains an expression of less strength than what would be expected. litotes In rhetoric, litotes (or) is a figure of speech in which understatement is employed for rhetorical effect, principally via double negatives. meiosis reproduction wit Wit is a form of intelligent humour, the ability to say or write things that are clever and usually funny.

Analysis of the DOTS Programme in Nigeria

Analysis of the DOTS Programme in Nigeria Chapter One 1.0  Introduction to TB: Characteristics of Tuberculosis: Tuberculosis is a disease caused by the bacteria known as Mycobacterium tuberculosis.[1] Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in 1882 by Robert Koch.[2] It is an acid-fast bacillus and obligate aerobe which grows in about 15 to 30 days at a  temperature of 35 to 37 degrees centigrade in an enriched media with a moderately acid base medium. It has no natural reservoir and its antigenic properties are similar to the leprosy bacillus, the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and other typical types of mycobacterium[3]. M. tuberculosis is pathogenic and virulent in nature. Its ability to cause disease depends on the susceptibility of the host as well as the aggressiveness of the invading organism[4] . An electron scan of the bacterium is highlighted below[5]: Considered one of the most dreaded diseases of the 19th and 20th centuries, TB was the 8th leading cause of death in children between the ages of 1 to 4 years old during the early 1920’s especially in the developed countries of the world like the United States and Britain.  As the general standards of living improved in the industrialised nations of the world so too did the decline in TB related incidences. TB is often classed by the â€Å"infection of one of the two variants of the tubercle bacillus which is known to commonly affect man. They are Mycobacerium tuberculosis and bovis†[6]. In Nigeria, majority of the TB related disease is due largely to the M. tuberculosis variant of the tubercle bacillus. The TB infections caused by Mycobacterium bovis which is associated with milk are rare and few and far between[7]. TB can take an â€Å"active and an inactive† state of infection. The Word Health Organisation (WHO) describes an active case of TB as â€Å"a symptomatic disease due to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis†[8].  TB cases are generally classified as either pulmonary or extra-pulmonary. Patients with pulmonary TB are further sub-divided into â€Å"smear-positive† and smear-negative cases[9]. Smear-positive cases are the most important sub-groups for control programmes as they are the source of infection.  The WHO has defined a smear-positive patient as: A patient with at least two sputum specimens positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by microscopy A patient with at least one sputum specimen positive for AFB and radiographic abnormalities consistent with active pulmonary TB. A patient with at least one sputum specimen positive for AFB, which is culture-positive for M. tuberculosis. A smear-negative patient; on the other hand is also defined by the WHO as:  ·Ã‚  A patient with at least two sputum specimens negative for AFB by microscopy, radiographic abnormalities consistent with active pulmonary tuberculosis and a decision by a physician to treat with a full curative course of anti-TB chemotherapy  ·Ã‚  A patient with a least one sputum specimen negative for AFB, which is culture-positive for M. Tuberculosis; and finally Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis is defined by the WHO as:  ·Ã‚  A patient with a histological and (or) clinical evidence consistent with active extra-pulmonary TB and a decision by a physician to treat with full curative course of anti-TB chemotherapy[10] 1.10  Mode of Transmission: The transmission of Tuberculosis is done mainly through â€Å"droplet infection and droplet nuclei† which is said to be generated when a patient with tuberculosis coughs[11].  For the infection to be transmitted the droplet particles must be fresh in its constituency to carry a viable organism. The spread and transmission of tuberculosis is heightened even further depending on the vigorous nature of the cough and the ventilation provisions in the environment concerned. 1.11  Signs Symptoms: The element of signs and symptoms in Tuberculosis is often misleading in the sense that the human body may harbour the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, and the immune system in the body suppresses the resultant effect and prevents the host from becoming sick. It is as a result of this scenario that the medical profession and doctors make a distinction between what is referred to as â€Å"Latent TB and Active TB† Latent TB is a condition where the patient has a TB infection but the bacteria (†¦) remains in the body in an â€Å"inactive state† and therefore causes no symptoms to be shown.  Latent TB which is often referred to as â€Å"inactive TB† is not known to be infectious. Active TB on the other hand is the contagious wing of tuberculosis and can make its hosts sick.[12] The state of active TB develops some clear signs and symptoms in its diagnosis and they include: Chills and cold spells Fatigue Fever Loss of Appetite Night Sweats Unexplained weight loss[13] Medical evidence has shown that there are varying degrees of Tuberculosis depending on which part of the human body it affects. Tuberculosis often attacks the lungs and its signs and symptoms include:  ·Ã‚  Coughing that laughs for three weeks or more  ·Ã‚  Coughing up blood  ·Ã‚  Chest pain or pain resulting from breathing or coughing[14] Tuberculosis is known to affect other parts of the body of which include the brain, spine or kidneys. The symptoms depend on the organs that are affected. Tuberculosis of the kidney tends to show signs symptoms of bleeding in the patient’s urine whilst Tuberculosis of the spine shows cases of back pain. 1.12  Incubation Periods source http://www.aarogya.com/index.php?option=com_contenttask=viewid=834Itemid=853 1.2  Public Health Importance Standard of Living State of Health In Nigeria The United Nations Human Development (UNDP) programme has through the early 1990s paid greater emphasis in human development, welfare and poverty research.  Through its Human Development Report, it has published the Human Development Index (HDI) which looks beyond GDP to a broader definition of a nation’s well-being. The link in welfare is a determinant index to health conditions, well being of persons and an insight onto their susceptibility and immunity to disease infection[15]. The economic condition of a nation is a guiding factor to growth, development and living standards of a nation’s citizen. The assumption that a citizen who is paid more per capita has his or her standard of living higher than those who are paid less is not often the case.  Levels of livelihood and poverty are not necessary elevated through higher income.   Nigeria has seen a steady rise in its income per capita over the years.  However, a sharp incline in its inflation rate to the economy, poor standard of governance coupled with a dilapidated health care system has seen a decline in its overall standard of living.[16] The graph below shows this comparison when we see the income per capita of a nation like Madagascar over Nigeria whose citizens receive a higher pay package but have poorer living standards which trigger health concerns[17]. The Human Development Index (HDI) provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development. These areas include:  ·Ã‚  Living a long and healthy life which is measured through life expectancy  ·Ã‚  The level and degree of education and literacy of nation’s citizens.  This is measured by adult literacy and enrolment at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels; and finally,  ·Ã‚  Levels of a decent standard of living which is measured by an individuals level of purchasing power parity (PPP) and income base analysis.[18] Critics of the process have adhered to the fact that the index is not in any sense a comprehensive measure of human development and a way of monitoring standard of living. It does not, for example, include important indicators such as gender or income inequality or other indicators such as respect for human rights and political freedoms. However, what it does provide is a broadened prism for viewing human progress and the complex relationship between income and well-being. In Nigerias context, this index measures the countrys standard of living and state of health by comparing certain key sectors such as life expectancy rates and adult literacy rates.  The chart below gives a unique view to Nigerias position. In this chart, Nigeria has been ranked 158th out of 177 amongst the developing nations of the world with an HDI rating of 0.470.[19] The evaluation of a standard of living is relative, depending upon the judgment of the observer as to what constitutes a high or a low scale. Another relative index to the standard of living of a certain economic group can be gathered from a comparison of the cost of living and the wage scale or personal income. Factors such as discretionary income are important, but standard of living includes not only the material articles of consumption but also the number of dependents in a family, the environment, the educational opportunities, and the amount spent for health, recreation, and social services. Nigeria as a nation has a GDP range of 6.4 as at 2008[20] and the number of dependants vary within the populations in the Northern Southern part of the country. A key example on health grounds are the lifestyles of community citizens in Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and Bauchi States.  The cultural and religious trends of having a male occupant look after both siblings and relatives within a nuclear family as well as the extended family puts a large burden on cost of living, health standards and living quarters. The research conducted by International medical associations and bodies such as CDC, UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International through the Polio vaccination programme in Kano State are key resources showed a dilapidated and sub-standard level of livelihood amongst the locals in urban regions[21]. Unemployment, low wages, crowded living conditions, and physical calamities, such as drought, flood, political instability, malnutrition etc has brought a drop in the standard of living within such regions in Nigeria. While standard of living may vary greatly among various groups within the country, it also varies from nation to nation, and international comparisons are sometimes made by analyzing gross national products, per capita incomes, or any number of other indicators from life expectancy to clean water. Overall, industrialized nations tend to have a higher standard of living than developing countries. Nigeria is no exception to this theory.   Records have shown that since the mid-1970s almost all regions have been progressively increasing their HDI score.  A key region that has seen a tremendous rise in their standard of living since the early 1990s are East South Asia.  Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS); especially Russia and its former Soviet colonies initially had a catastrophic decline in the first half of the 1990s but have recovered and improved their standard of living.[22] The major exception is sub-Saharan Africa in areas such as Niger, Togo, Cameroon and Nigeria. Records have shown that since 1990 standard of living has not improved but stagnated.  Experts believe that this is partly due to economic reversal but principally because of the catastrophic effect of HIV/AIDS on life expectancy.[23] Poverty is the major consequence of the dilapidated and chronic failure in Nigeria’s healthcare and social service system.[24] The access to standard resources such as good education, improved water supply, good nutritional standards and adequate shelter provisions has rendered Nigeria being ranked 80th amongst 108 developing countries with an HPI-1 value of 37.3 as evident in the chart below.[25] These key trends in life expectancy, standard of living and health conditions explains why the 22 nations targeted and responsible for 80% of the world’s TB infections are found in impoverished and developing nations with a poor level of standard of living and health concerns.   1.3  Housing and Poor Sanitation Nigeria; especially Lagos State has had the in-dignified commercial label of being the most expensive slum in the world. This gives a clear insight into the high magnitude of housing inadequacy in both urban rural centres in Nigeria. The dilapidated state of infrastructure and a poor maintenance culture has aggravated the spread of disease and risk in healthy living standards of the vulnerable masses especially in impoverished regions within the country. This can be proven and manifested in both quantitative and qualitative terms. In developed societies such as the United Kingdom (UK), the local authorities are responsible for things like planning permission needed before erecting structures. Nigerias UDB (Urban Development Board) commissions do have rules and regulations in place for buildings, drainage facilities and proper infrastructural displacement but the problem is one of implementation, corruption and share disregard for social, health and economic concerns. This has over the decades given rise to poor sanitary conditions which can be seen through the severe overcrowding and unsanitary environment characterized by housing in the urban centres. The only resultant factor are the culminating effect and growth of slum areas. The deficiency in housing quality, building materials and the design and spacing of buildings is a key aspect of why the spread of diseases such as Meningitis, Cholera, Malaria and Tuberculosis are rampant in the region. Take for example the Northern city of Kano State. A city known for its ancient history and strict adherence to Islamic principles, is also known for its vast close knit network of shanty mud houses that lie in close proximity to one another with barely no room for cross ventilation, proper drainage or sewage facility[26]. Sewage is surface borne with the refuse and excreta of humans and livestock being displayed in the open. The health hazards this poses are many. The question of housing and poor sanitation is nothing new to the African continent and is indeed a key feature in its rural regions which has spread into the urban developed areas of the countries within Africa. The United Nations in 1969 confirmed that the average annual growth rates were 4.7% and 4.6% between the period 1960 and 1980, and 1980 and 2000 respectively. A confirmation of this can be found in the table annexed below.[27] Average Annual Growth Rate Population (Millions) 1960-1980 1980-2000 1960 1980 2000 % % Africa 31 77 190 4.7 4.6 Studies have shown that the rapid rate of urbanisation in Nigeria and the consequential explosion of urban population have not been matched by a corresponding commensurate change in social, economic and technological development[28] The economic down town in the early 1980s saw a break in the level of growth and development with the nation’s economy to that of its population boom[29]. The lack of proper adequate public infrastructure and social services has suffered tremendously and this has affected the process and level of urban planning and zoning in many cases.  A practical example of this can be seen in the newly created Nigerian capital the Federal Capital territory, Abuja. The capital was built by foreign contractors; Julius Berger, with the idea and layout of a suburban aristocratic society with well spaced buildings proper social and infrastructural amenities and health concerns taking into consideration.  But the key problem lay with accommodation and transportation of the work force and working class within the city.   No provisions were made which forced locals to build shanty accommodations unaided by proper planning authorities with little or no regard for health safety issues, sanitary considerations or even building regulations. This idea coupled with the population growth had outpaced the rate of housing provision and created a dilemma in the housing standards and sanitary conditions of millions of its inhabitants.  The spread of diseases both air water borne became eminent and this has been a key problem and contributory factor to disease control in Nigeria.   1.4  Housing and Poverty: The spread of disease can be said to be the resultant consequence of a number of socio-economic factors as well as the action and inaction of government over the years.  Rural areas and indeed some urban regions in Nigerian States, generally lack vital social services and infrastructure services such as clean water, electricity, and good roads. The absence of these amenities constitutes push factors which can be said to have facilitated the migration of rural dwellers into urban centres.   It is note a surprise that the rate of urbanisation in Nigeria far outpaces the rate of economic development.  Despite the enormous amount of money proposed for urban investment in the National Development Plan, very limited investment is made in urban infrastructure.  An increasing shortage of urban services and infrastructure characterize the urban areas, and these are only accessible to a diminishing share of the population.   The existing urban services are overstrained which often times lead to total collapse.  A large proportion of the population does not have reasonable access to safe and ample water supply, and neither do they have the means for hygienic waste disposal. It is eminent that these two services are essential for a healthy and productive life and the lack of it are a key contributory factor to the causes of Tuberculosis.   The quality of the environment in most urban centres in Nigeria is deplorable.  This is not so much dependent on the material characteristics of the buildings but on their organization as spatial units.  The slow process of urban planning and zoning, in the face of rapid urbanisation in most urban centres, has resulted in poor layout of buildings with inadequate roads between them and inadequate drainage and provision for refuse evacuation.  Thus there is a high incidence of pollution through water, solid waste, air and noise and inadequacy of open spaces for other land uses[30]. Studies over the years have shown the deplorable conditions of urban housing in Nigeria. They affirm that 75% of the dwelling units in Nigeria’s urban centres are substandard and the dwellings are sited in slums[31].  This is attributed to the combined effects of natural ageing of the buildings, lack of maintenance and neglect, wrong use of the buildings, poor sanitation in the disposal of sewage and solid waste, wrong development of land, and increasing deterioration of the natural landscape. There are moderate building facilities in Nigeria but the high level of poverty of most urban households places the available housing stock out of their economic reach.  Many of the households resort to constructing make shift dwellings with all sorts of refuse materials in illegally occupied land.  This has led to the growth of squatter settlements in many urban centres.  The buildings therein are badly maintained and lack sanitary facilities with little access to light, air and good water.[32]   The United Nations Standard for Nigeria’s room occupancy is 2.20. The World Health Organization (WHO) stipulates the average rating to be between 1.8 and 3.1, whilst the Nigerian Government prescribed a standard of 2.0 per room.[33]   However, the reality is different as overcrowding is thus a visible feature of urban housing in Nigeria.  It is symptomatic of housing poverty and consequential of poor economic circumstances. 1.5  Prevalence of TB: The term â€Å"prevalence† of Tuberculosis usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Tuberculosis at any given time.  Prevalence and mortality are considered by the WHO as direct indicators of the burden of Tuberculosis which indicate the number of people suffering from the disease at a given point in time and subsequently those dying each year.[34] A balance and understanding of these terms aids the improvement of the level of control and effectiveness in treatment thereby reducing the average duration of the disease.  The Stop TB Partnership link spearheaded by the WHO is aimed at reducing by 2015, the per capita prevalence and mortality rates by 50% in comparison to records in 1990.[35] The optimism is reassuring in most regions of the world with the exception of the African continent. The key factors derailing the efforts will be highlighted in the next chapter. In order to determine prevalence levels within a region, resort to statistic by way of a â€Å"population based survey† is often adopted. These surveys are used to estimate prevalence for those countries with proper census records. Another option is to adopt the method of â€Å"estimated incidence† ratings. Estimates of this nature on TB incidences, prevalence and mortality rates are based on a consultative and analytical process proscribed by the WHO and published on an annual basis. Records vary from country to country, however the general formulae used is derived from the following key factors: Estimates of incidence combined with assumptions about the duration of the disease.   The duration of the disease is assumed to vary in accordance with whether or not the disease is â€Å"smear-positive and whether or not the individual receives treatment in a DOTS programme or in a non DOTS programme or is not treated all; and finally Whether or not the individual is infected with HIV[36] According to the WHO, nearly two billion people; about one-third of the world’s population, are infected with TB.[37] In developed regions of the world such as the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA), the prevalence levels are much lower than those recorded in high risk regions of the developing world. Statistic records rendered in 2003 from the Department of Health within the UK suggests the following:  ·Ã‚  42 years was the mean age of patients hospitalised with Tuberculosis in England between 2002-2003  ·Ã‚  69% of hospitalisations for Tuberculosis was for 15-59 year olds in England between 2002-2003  ·Ã‚  10% of hospitalisations for Tuberculosis was for over 75 year olds in England between 2002-2003.[38] The goal for Tuberculosis elimination in the United States of America (USA) is a TB disease incidence of less than 1 per million US population by 2010. This requires that the Latent TB Infection (LTBI) prevalence level should be less than 1% and decreasing by 2010.   Current prevalence rate levels of Tuberculosis in the United States are between 10 and 15 million people. In 1998, a total of 18,371 active TB cases were recorded in all 50 states and the District of Columbia[39] A comparison level of statistical studies in the prevalence levels of patients between 1999-2000 was compared to those of patient’s way back in 1971-1972 and the results were as follows: LTBI prevalence was 4.2% with an estimated 11,213,000 individuals diagnosed with LTBI Amongst 25 – 74 year olds, prevalence decreased from 14.3% in 1971-1972 to 5.7% in 1999-2000 Higher prevalence’s were seen in the foreign borns which accounting for 18.7%, non Hispanic blacks and African Americans accounted for 7.0%, Mexican Americans accounted for 9.4% and individuals living in poverty accounted for 6.1% A total of 63% of LTBI was among the foreign born A total of 25.5% of persons with LTBI had previously been diagnosed as having LTBI or TB; and Only 13.2% had been prescribed treatment[40] The chart below; as well as that in â€Å"the annex†, shows the level of new TB cases per 100,000 population and that of prevalence levels in HIV+ people worldwide for the year 2007.[41] 1.6  How Rapid Does TB Spread In Nigeria?: Part of the Federal Governments programme in curbing the spread has been initiated through the National TB and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) which is seeking to achieve a 70% TB detection rate and an 85% cure rate by the end of 2010 The programme also aims to ensure that TB patients receive adequate drugs and comply with the slated 8 months period of treatment.   Mr Omoniyi Fadare; an NTBLCP Programme Officer is quoted to have said in 2005 that the DOTS programme was being implemented in 584 out of 774 local government areas with the country recording between 700,000 to 1 million TB cases annually out of which 105,000 are TB related deaths.[42] Ideally, the spread of TB should be less bearing in mind that the Nigerian Government has implemented the DOTS strategy in all antiretroviral treatment centres nationwide in an effort to control the spread of Tuberculosis..   However, this is not the case as in 2009 the rate of prevalence had risen to over 1.2 million with an annual mortality rate of 150,000. These statistics question the reasons behind the spread of TB in Nigeria. The spread of TB is made rampant through factors such as poverty and outdated testing equipment which contribute to Nigeria’s high TB prevalence. The lack of awareness, early detection and failure to render immediate treatment are also key factors to the spread of TB in Nigeria as corroborated by Dan Onwujekwe; a Senior Fellow of the Lagos based Nigerian Institute of Medical Research.[43] A recent study carried out by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in 2007 found out that of the 620 HIV/AIDS patients surveyed in June and July, 2006, about 160 had TB without knowing they did have the disease.[44]  Other factors which contribute to the growing spread of the disease include: The lack of sufficient drugs and clinics within close proximity of affected regions has heightens the spread of the disease as infected persons and those willing to undergo medical check ups are discouraged from seeking help. Poor laboratory infrastructure needed for testing as well as insufficient man power also plague the success and undermine the effective implementation of the TB control activities. Also worthy of note is limited funding for TB control efforts from the Federal and Sate government authorities. The failure on the part of the authorities stalls the programmes ability to execute necessary activities when due.  The issue of funding is a paradoxical point as it points also to issues of embezzlement and corruption that has plagued the country over several decades of mismanagement. The DOTS programme and TB drugs are relatively cheap and free to the public and yet with adequate funding from NGO’s and governments like the EU and the United States; as indicated in the diagram below[45], the problem of funding still remains a key factor that continues to fuel the spread of the disease. 1.7  Aim: The aim of this study (dissertation) is:  ·Ã‚  To provide an insight into the terminal disease of Tuberculosis on an International and national level  ·Ã‚  To evaluate DOTS implementation in Nigeria using a series of case detection and treatment outcomes as indicators  ·Ã‚  To analyse and evaluate the resulting consequences of the DOTS programme in Nigeria within the 21st century and see if its adoption has favoured a positive control of TB over the years 1.8  Obejetive: The following are the objectives of this study (dissertation):  ·Ã‚  To evaluate case detection rates of smear-positive TB cases in selected areas implementing the DOTS programme within Nigeria  ·Ã‚  To evaluate case detection rates of all TB cases notified in Nigeria within the 21st century  ·Ã‚  To compare Nigerian experiences, failures and progresses to other developing nations and developed countries of the world affected by TB  ·Ã‚  To identify potential weaknesses, strengths and developments in the DOTS programme in Nigeria  ·Ã‚  To create, deliver and analyse a survey on the Nigerian public on the implementation of DOTS in Nigeria within selective states and compare the resulting outcomes with available data 1.9  Research Question: Research questions will be focussed on whether or not the DOTS programme has achieved its object and mandate of reducing the rate of TB infection in Nigeria. Whether or not the target of 2015 by the WHO is a realistic target that can be met by Nigeria? Whether or not Nigeria has made progress over the years with the amount of funding hey have had and the exposure the healthcare system has had to curb the growing threat of TB in the country Whether factors such as cultural, religious, economic and social elements are the cause of the drawback in the successful implementation of the DOTS programme in Nigeria? Chapter Two 2.0  The Federal Republic of Nigeria: Nigeria is located in Western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea and occupies a total area of 923,768 km ² making it the 32nd largest country in the world.[46] It is comparable in size to the South American country of Venezuela and is about twice the size of the State of California in the United States of America.[47] It is bordered by Benin in the West, Niger in the North, Chad in the North West, Cameroon in the East and has a coastline of at least 853  km with the Atlantic ocean.[48] The countrys climatic regions are broken down into three categories – the far south which is defined by tropical rainforest climate with annual rainfall of between 60 to 80 inches per annum, the far north where majority of the TB epidemics and polio incidences have been recorded is defined by its almost desert-like climate where rain fall records are set at less than 20 inches per annum and finally the rest of the countrys region between the far south and far north is characteristic of the savanah grove land with annual rainfalls of between 20 to 60 inches.[49] The country has over 250 ethnic group divisions.[50] The main tribes are the Hausa’s in the Nothern part of the country where majoriy of the TB pandemic is recorded, the Yoruba’s in the Southern part of the country known for is thick mangrove swambs and malaria manifestation and the Igbo’s in the Eastern part of the country where majority of the nations oil explorations and severe environmental degredation oil spilllages are found.[51] In a country ranked as the 8th most populous country in the world, the United Nations (UN) estimated Nigeria’s population at 131,530,000 in 2004.[52] The latest censors in Nigeria in 2006 put the countrys population at 150 million; that is almost 3 times the population of the United Kingdom in an area mass of about less than half the size of Nigeria. It is estimated that by 2050, Nigeria will be one of those countries in the world; like China, India and Brazil, that account for majority of the world’s population.[53] It is indeed a statistical nightmare when one considers that most of the world’s current populous nations are amongs the 22 nations in the DOTS programme. Nigeria as a confederation of states is divided into thirty six (36) states and one Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) which are further divided into 774 LGA’s.[54]  This gives you an idea of the logistical difficulties and task ahead of the DOTS programme in curbing a disease that is catalysed by such vices as poor sanitary conditions and tightly spaced housing plans. Nigeria has six major cities with a population of over 1 million people. They are the cities of Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Benin City.[55]  The city of Lagos alone accounts for 8 million people[56]; a region of about the size of Cardiff. This demography and health hazards surrounding a region in comparision to the capital of Wales which accounts for only 2.9 milion citizens.  A map of the region showing its states and geographical lo