Monday, September 30, 2019

Learning experience Essay

When I think about â€Å"Learning Experiences,† I think of every situation someone finds themselves in as a learning experience. People have not traditionally used that phrase in relating to more formal learning interventions – i. e. classroom, but from a learner’s perspective, both formally and informally, that’s exactly what is happening: learners are experiencing something that, hopefully, results in a change in thinking, understanding, or behavior afterwards. Learning experiences are a way to think about what a learning intervention might be (i.e. – its design) in the context of desired end goals and outcomes. This can then inform our choices about how communication channels and modes, learning activities, and resources come together to best support the end goals and outcomes, and also how these channels and activities may evolve over time. Certainly in this context, a learning intervention is something that is much more than what has traditionally been thought of as â€Å"content. † In thinking about what is currently thought of as learning content, I think of something akin to a page from. a textbook (that has its doppelganger in web-based training) with which one â€Å"reads† and then â€Å"interacts† with in some way. That definition of learning content and learner interaction represents a very narrow and limited view of what a learning experience can be and usually limits the type of learning to that of recognizing or memorizing specific facts, procedures, and concepts exemplified in the deployment of web- based, self-directed individual learning experiences commonly called e-learning. Learning content can be thought of much more broadly and inclusively. This could mean that learning content could actually include not only the â€Å"whats† but the â€Å"hows† of learning. For example, learning content in the context of learning experiences could contain a collection of specific content resources, content pointers, functional tools or tool pointers, activity descriptions, and assessments that, when brought together, embody a particular pedagogical model. In fact, the reverse could also be learning content – a pedagogical model describing the types of learning resources, tools, and activities needed to achieve learning outcomes. So you could think of learning content as collections of pedagogical models and collections of resources that participate in shaping an individual’s learning experience that are aligned with learning outcomes and positive actions that stem from the experience. Another facet of learning content is the artifacts produced during the learning experience. Besides the description above, learning content models should also be collaborative or cooperative with resources and activities supporting the learners working together to produce a learning artifact. A learning artifact could  be anything based on an authentic learning activity or experience such as a model, computer code, diagram or even the ubiquitous PowerPoint presentation. As these artifacts are created and evaluated during the learning process, they then become learning resources that can be used iteratively for others in similar or more advanced experiences. These ideas allow us to merge knowledge management and single/double loop organizational learning into our concept of learning content. Conceptually, this represents a shift from the typical view of content managed by a typical content  management system, with the assumption that when content is simply presented to a learner that he or she will just â€Å"learn† from it – that somehow learning (and especially learning to do or understand) is transmitted from the content to the learner. With that view of content and of the learner’s experience, then it’s no surprise that critics of the pedagogical merits of SCORM view it as being â€Å"limited. † When I think about learning experiences in the context of this effort by ADL, I define them as a model that will allow higher order learning outcomes to be realized. This can occur by expanding on our  understanding of learning content to include specific collections of learning resources, tools, and activities guided by pedagogical models. This is sometimes conceived as a problem-based, collaborative-based approach shaped and tailored to meet specific learning goals but I believe it is even much more than that. Learning experiences as currently being thought of by ADL will be able to provide an interoperable and reusable means for design and/or self organization of learning activities that are pedagogically sound, allowing the attainment, assessment, and tracking of higher order learning outcomes.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

How can leaders motivate staff in order to improve efficiency and job satisfaction Essay

In this essay I shall define – motivate, job satisfaction, productivity and leaders. I shall then give a brief history of motivational theories and then discuss McClelland’s Motivational Needs Theory; to explain some methods of how staff can be motivated by analysing the 3 main factors in his theory and explain how these factors can motivate staff and to see if motivation does lead to improved productivity, I shall then analyse this theory and thoughts of other theorists to see if motivation also leads to job satisfaction and conclude the results of my research. Motivate – The Oxford University Press (2014) states motivate is to â€Å"provide (someone) with a reason for doing something: he was primarily motivated by the desire for profit† 2014, 2014, February 26th, Oxford University Press, http://www. oxforddictionaries. com/definition/english/motivate? q=motivate What is Job Satisfaction? Job Satisfaction is when a person/employee is happy or content in their job. What is Productivity? Productivity is a term used to describe a state, quality or fact of being able to generate, create or improve goods and services. For example at the Chocolate Factory the Work Productivity was increased and 10% more chocolate bars were produced than last year. Or the Council’s Productivity increased after a restructure and they managed to provide more services to customers. What is a Leader? A Leader is someone who leads other people; this could be a manager, director, team leader, politician or anyone who leads people, usually staff or one or more people. Motivational Theories There have been many management theorists throughout the years from 1908 (Henry Ford) to 1990 (Dr Stephen Covey) and other theorists/theories onwards from 1990. David McClelland’s Motivational Needs Theory in 1961 identified that there were 3 types of needs for motivation: †¢The Need for Achievement (Goals, Deadlines etc. ) McClelland believed that the Need for Achievement would motivate staff; for example leaders setting goals, targets or deadlines for staff to achieve can motivate their staff to meet these deadlines (or goals) therefore enabling leaders to increase productivity and performance of staff by setting, planning and/or varying these deadlines, goals or targets. Without any goals or deadlines there is no need for the staff to achieve a certain amount of productivity such as producing/finishing a specific amount of work. Therefore I agree with McClelland that there is a motivational need for achievement to motivate staff and this can lead to improved productivity and performance. Many large companies such as Halfolds and MacDonald’s believe that Achievement motivates staff and they have reward systems in place to motivate their staff. By achieving a good performance or a certain level of productivity they can earn rewards, if a worker meets the requirements they may get praise or a reward from their leader there also may be an incentive for the staff member to achieve their/these targets of which motivates them to work harder therefore increasing productivity by McClelland’s motivational need for Achievement. But also when a staff member meets their work goals, targets or deadlines this may improve job satisfaction as they would know they have done well and their standard of work is sufficient to meet their goals even if there is no incentive, but an incentive for the staff to meet goals can help motivate staff further to meet their goals. †¢The Need for Power (Authority) Staff having authority or power McClelland believed would motivate staff, I believe this is because it gives the staff member a sense of importance by having authority and by would undertaking extra responsibilities that people with authority would usually undertake such as managing staff, it also enables them to motivate staff who they have authority over and therefore they can improve performance and productivity by successfully managing their staff as well as improving their job satisfaction, possibly by making changes. The Need for Affiliation (Good/Friendly Working Relationships/Being a part of a team, group, organisation etc. ) Affiliation/s in McClelland’s theory refers to staff being closely affiliated (or associated) which can refer to family, social, business or working relationships. This Affiliation is a state of being associated or affiliated, for example a staff member may be affiliated with a team or organisation and staff being in a team (therefore having affiliation with a team) McClelland believed staff may be more motivated by affiliation as they are associated with other staff who may most likely be working towards a similar outcome to themselves and as a part of a team they may wish to be or become a team player and motivate themselves and other team members. For instance I have affiliation with the University of West London Business Studies Course and as a student I am affiliated and effectively a part of a group of students, I am motivated to help other students as they wish to achieve the same outcome as me (a degree) and as I have affiliation with this group I am therefore self-motivated to achieve the same standard of work as my group or excel them and therefore I agree that there is a need for Affiliation and I believe this motivates me and my performance and productivity is improved as a direct result of Affiliation. McClelland believed that the majority of people have or show a combination of these 3 types of needs and some favour specific needs or a combination of these needs. Matching the correct needs to the person can strongly improve their work productivity, performance and behaviour but can increasing motivation therefore lead to an improvement in job satisfaction? McClelland does specify in his theory that motivation can improve performance and work productivity, but he does not specify that it can lead to improved job satisfaction but from analysing his theory above you can see that 2 Motivational needs factors in his theory (the need for authority and the need for achievement) can lead to improved job satisfaction, this is backed up by the fact that McClelland’s motivational theory shows that motivation can lead to improved performance of staff and there is a direct link between improved performance and improved job satisfaction. The 3rd factor â€Å"The Need for Affiliation† through personal experience at university and working as a part of team at various work places, I believe can also improve performance and job satisfaction). Naylor, Pritchard, & Ilgen; 1980; Vroom, 1964 state that; â€Å"expectancy-based theories of motivation generally stipulate that satisfaction follows from the rewards produced by performance. † Lawler and Porter (1967) who were â€Å"expectancy theorists themselves argued that performance would lead to job satisfaction through the provision of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. As these authors noted, briefly stated, good performance may lead to rewards, which in turn lead to satisfaction. † The Job Satisfaction-Job Performance Relationship: A Qualitative and Quantitative Review 2001, 376-379, American Psychological Association, Inc, 3 I can conclude that leaders can motivate there staff using motivational theories such as McClelland’s Motivational Needs Theory in order to improve productivity and job satisfaction. I have also came up with my own theory based on McClelland’s Motivational Needs theory and the work of Naylor, Pritchard, & Ilgen; 1980; Vroom, 1964, Lawler and Porter (1967). Josh Albright’s (2014) Motivational Flow Theory I agree with McClelland’s theory; which I have discovered to some extent also agrees with other theorists (such as Naylor, Pritchard, Ilgen, Vroom, Lawler and Porter) that motivation leads to improved performance (productivity) and job satisfaction, In order to increase job satisfaction and productivity you must increase motivation. The diagram I drew below shows that the more motivation is increased or â€Å"poured into staff† the more job satisfaction and productivity will thereby be increased.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Business Ethics and Sustainability Employee

In the present contemporary professional world it is estimated that an employee spend more than 75% of their time in building interpersonal relations in workplaces, so it can be understood why most of the organizational problems have the root in poor munication skills. The need for employees with effective munication skills is growing in business world simply because it is necessary for building rapport both at the interpersonal and organizational levels. An individual success in professional world truly based on one’s ability to municate well. munication is an important process as it allows us to share our interest and take important decisions in our personal as well as in professional career. The purpose of this essay is to engage in reflective practice, using 5 diagnostic munication tools and their feedback, so that I can identify two key areas of personal capability which can be improved to increase my munication effectiveness. Lastly, I have sketched a six month action wi th timeline and success measure included. Every individual has different munication style and most of the time the person is unaware about the strength and weakness in his munication style. According to famous business expert and author Mark Murphy, there are four basic munication style and they are Analytical, Intuitive, Functional and Personal. The tools that I have used in this study to access my munication style are Johari Window, munications Style  Questionnaire, Assertiveness Questionnaires, Interpersonal munication Skill Test and Listening Skills Test. The basic purpose of Johari window tool is for self-awareness and personal development for improve understanding between individuals (Saxena, 2015). In Johari Window, it was found according to the test that it is evident that I am aware that I have a bold and energetic personality and adaptive in situations. Also, I am logical and spontaneous. But I also get self conscious at times. Whereas according to my friends, I am a friendly and approachable person who they can trust and can depend upon but get nervous and tensed when I am in pressure. This tool has helped me to recognize what my view about self and what is the social image I have in friends and acquaintances (Lowy & Hood 2011). Undergoing the test has resulted in better understanding in self awareness. The munication Style Self Assessment test was conducted to strengthen my munication skills and develop my ability to connect with different people with different munication style. According to the test result, I have a balanced score in munication Style Self Assessment. That means I have no problem in expressing myself most of the time but according to situational needs I tend to obviously and honestly convey my needs, requirements and opinions in a way which is thoughtful of others. The Assertive Test results shows that I am a typical self-assured individual, who reasonably let other individual, know my disagreement with them, especially when I feel I am being poorly treated. This trait shows that I have self respect and want others to treat me in that way. As we live in an environment where most of the times people have different munication style and poor munication leads to misunderstanding and chaos. So, the munication diagnostic tools assisted in swift understanding these differences and grow simple strategies to b e an effective and efficient municator. These self assessments will facilitate to understand what really is going on when we experience mi munication at personal as well as professional life. In this test, I found that I have a clear voice when putting an opinion and people mostly get what I try to convey. I have also empathy towards others which helps others in trusting me. But according to this test I have to improve my listening skills.   This will help me to b e more efficient in my munication skills. By this way when I am outlining the impact of their behaviour on others, I am giving them the probability to reflect on their actions and judge on what needs to be improved. This process also facilitates to avoid makin g assumptions which can create confusion and chaos and harm interpersonal relations in workplace (Griffin, 2013). Last by not the list, I took the Listening skills test. According to the result of this test, I found that I do moderately in the listening part. It is a well known fact that in effective munication listening is a significant part as it reduces mi munication, better interaction between the speaker and the receiver, better interpretation of the message and greater productivity with lesser mistakes (Boud, 2013). This test identified that I have patience but sometimes when the situation b es tense, I tend to lose control and b e impatient which is a huge drawback in effective munication. An active listener is always able to municate well with others. According to the above munication diagnostic tool’s analysis, it is evident that I am a Assertive municator. An assertive municator has generally high self esteem and values their time and self (Bishop, 2013). They also strongly promoter for their rights and requirements without disrespectful towards others or other’s rights. I work as a mechanical engineer in a two wheeler automobile organization. Lately in the past one year, I had two professional interactions and drawing reference from there I have identified some of the shor ings in my munication style. Recently, I had an interaction with my superior regarding work progress and promotion. Also, I had an appointment with the distributors regarding market trends, client feedbacks and what aspects we need to improve in our two wheeler automobile so that we can meet customer expectations. Though most of my attributes in munication style indicates towards being an Assertive municator, I have identified that I need to imp rove and develop my listening skills as well as I should also improve my skills to accept difference in point of view and perceptions. Although I am a good municator with persuading skills, I need to improve my persuasive skills because it is one of the basic qualities that successful all leaders and business person have in mon (Nahavandi, 2016). The word munication can be simply explained as the exchange of beliefs and ideas with the objective to convey information with one another. It is a two way process with the basic objective to exchange and convey an individual’s ideas, beliefs, feelings, opinions and necessities with transparency to arrive at a harmony or a mutually acceptable result. In the present professional environment, effective munication skills are assets of an individual (Ting-Toomey, 2012). It is basically an ability which is mainly b e skilled with experience, but when an individual learns to apply, an effective munication can build long term relationships in professional carrier regardless of defensive adversities. Being an effective municator will support me to b e resourceful while taking initiatives and making important decisions in professional career (Griffin, 2013). Also it will facilitate an individual to participate in team work and engage in effective workplace munication. There are various conceptual munication models which mainly explain the human munication process. One of the basic munication models is Continuous Loop Model, which was developed by assuming that munication is a system or machine (Neuliep, 2014). In this process or system, munication acts as the gear so that the system runs properly. Keeping in mind the Continuous loop model, it is necessary that the two ways process of munication has a swift flow of information so that the basic initiative of information sharing b es fulfilled (Spitzberg, & Cupach, 2012). This process is theoretically correct but in practical when the sender stops sending signals, the process ends. Taking reference from the Continuous model, increasing my listening skill will not only improve my munication skills but also will assists in continuous flow of information in the conversation. An active listener has the ability to understand situation and information better and thus capable of giving more accurate feedback or suggestions Booth, 2009). To explain the concept better we will take assistance of the situation- behaviour- impact feedback tool. For instance in my meeting with distributors, we had a discussion on customer’s demand, market trends and how we can improve the braking system in the two wheeler to meet the customer expectation. I had to give feedback about the meeting to my senior and co-workers. If I had said that customer has a liking for our new two wheeler models showing positive results in sales figure but the brake system needs to be improved. This will only convey the half information about the meeting and details about the improvement needed in the braking system does not convey in the conversation. This clearly creates confusion from the conversation. The conversation does not clearly states what’s need to be improved and what nee ds sustenance. The model was developed by The Centre of Creative Leadership which helped me to deliver more effective feedback. It focuses on the ments on detailed circumstances and behaviours, and then summarizes the impact that these behaviours have on others. The model details the feedback structure like situation, behaviour and impact. When I followed my feedback according to this pattern my senior and co-workers tend to understand what I was trying to convey them. Active listening also improves the ability to learn new things and accept different perspective for better decision making (Bodie, 2012). In the contemporary business organizations have diverse workforce and we will meet diverse co-workers with diverse perspectives. B ing a good listener or active listening skills will facilitate in learning new things and also people will tend to trust and naturally drawn towards me (West & Turner, 2010). Also, b ing active listener I will tend to b e more sensitive towards plex laye rs of cultural differences in workplace. As a result, I will keep in touch with the progression of cultural change at global level. Although my munication diagnostic test results shows that I am a good persuader but I believe in contemporary professional world, every individual needs to improve their perusing skills as it is needed in every sphere of professional world. Persuasion is the skill that influences others to agree on a mon idea or goal (Shockley-Zalabak, 2011). Without persuasion skill, I will not be able to get the resources I want or I will not be able to municate my unique ideas and abilities with others. Persuasive skill is also an important ability in negotiations which is very important for job aspirants and also for professionals (Armstrong, 2011).On the other hand with the right approach and persuading skill an individual can achieve amazing results and climb corporate as well as social ladder. The contemporary organizations prises of diverse workforce from diverse cultural and socio-economic background (Spencer-Oatey, & Franklin, 2009). So, it is natural that they will e with diverse perspecti ves and viewpoints. Thus, managing those diverse workforces to bring expected ou e from them is one of the major challenges of resent business leaders. As a result, organizations look for potential candidates with effective munication skills, persuasive power and good negotiator (Hargie, 2010). The basic task is to persuade the diverse workforce to work towards a mon goal or idea for organisational success. In the above essay we have discussed about my munication style and the basic skills that I need to develop to improve my munication skill with reference of the Action plan rubric for effective munication in the appendix. Effective munication skill is one of the basic sets of abilities which are required to succeed in personal as well as professional life. It is a well known fact that many jobs in cotemporary market needs candidates with strong munication skills and candidates with good munication skills are preferred. Effective munication skills can be achieved with experience and regular practicing to improve techniques. Choosing right approach, books, websites and training will facilitate in learning of plicated concepts of effective munication.   That is why I have sketched a six month action plan that I that I have followed to improve my munication skills. According to five different munication diagnostic tool’s test result I possess a assertive munication style, the onl y skills I lack are active listening and maintaining patience in munication process. I have focused on parts like listening, eye contact, smile, humility, gestures, and voice modulation. I have taken part in various debates and public speaking programs in college and university level to improve my public speaking. For resources, I have used different online video sources from YouTube and read online articles on munication skills. I have also visited library to gather information about verbal munication skills from different scholarly articles. To b e an active listener I have developed the strong signs of attentiveness and also learned the art of questing and remembering.   I created a plan to improve my influencing skills by developing varies of skills like emotional intelligence and persuasion power. I also tracked my potential benefits by keeping notes on daily basis about occasions where different aspects of my development plan b e successful or not. Keeping tack on the areas I needed improvement b e very useful because it pin pointed the problem areas. I had also tried to persuade different co-workers at professional levels to work on a project. The basic intend was to increase understanding by taking into account how my messages might be received by my co-workers. Working in a multi cultural business organization, I have experienced how mi munication can build organizational conflict. So, improving my munication skill will also facilitate in building conflict resolution skills. Active listening and good municator are two important aspects that a manager should possess to have effective conflict resolution skill. Also, having empathy towards others and accepting different perspective will facilitate in my professional growth. At the end of this assignment I learned the importance of effective munication skills in b ing successful and maintain a positive attitude with a smile. Armstrong, M. (2011).  How to be an Even Better Manager: a plete AZ of proven techniques and essential skills. Kogan Page Publishers. Bishop, S. (2013).  Develop your assertiveness  (Vol. 10). Kogan Page Publishers. Bodie, G. D. (2012). Listening as positive munication.  The positive side of interpersonal munication, 109-125. Booth, W. C. (2009).  The rhetoric of rhetoric: The quest for effective munication. John Wiley & Sons. Boud, D. (2013).  Enhancing learning through self-assessment. Routledge. Griffin, R. W. (2013).  Fundamentals of management. Cengage Learning. Hargie, O. (2010).  Skilled interpersonal munication: Research, theory and practice. Routledge. Lowy, A., & Hood, P. (2011).  The power of the 2 x 2 matrix: Using 2 x 2 thinking to solve business problems and make better decisions. John Wiley & Sons. Nahavandi, A. (2016).  The Art and Science of Leadership -Global Edition. Pearson. Neuliep, J. W. (2014).  Intercultural munication: A contextual approach. Sage Publications. Saxena, P. (2015). JOHARI WINDOW: An Effective Model for Improving Interpersonal munication and Managerial Effectiveness.  SIT Journal of Management,  5(2), 134-146. Shockley-Zalabak, P. (2011).  Fundamentals of organizational munication. Allyn & Bacon. Spencer-Oatey, H., & Franklin, P. (2009).  Intercultural interaction: A multidisciplinary approach to intercultural munication. Springer. Spitzberg, B., & Cupach, W. (2012).  Handbook of interpersonal petence research. Springer Science & Business Media. Ting-Toomey, S. (2012). municating across cultures. Guilford Press. West, R., & Turner, L. H. (2010).  Understanding interpersonal munication: Making choices in changing times. Cengage Learning.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Customs and Traditions of People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Customs and Traditions of People - Essay Example In the three essays "Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health ",''Do You Want Fries With That?" and "Pass The Butter, Please" they illustrate how the fast food harms our bodies. Fighting against the obsession, advertising is the reason behind the expansion of the fast food industry. The junk food has a lot of negative effects on health. In the essay "Is Fast Food Responsible for a Crisis in Public Health", the author illustrates many reasons for people’s obsession with the fast food and says that in the year 2008, about 65 per cent of the adult Americans were found to be obese. People consuming fast food have become overweight. In addition, several other habits such as drinking beer, eating sweets and not doing the physical work-out are also making people overweight and obese. It is not only the adults who have become overweight, but also a lot of children who frequently consume junk food in school have become overweight and have caught many diseases such as type 2 diabetes. The author says that children as young as six-year olds have become overweight, obese and have caught the diseases. In the Middle East, most people cook food at home throughout the week. The maids or the wives cook the foods at home. When it is the weekend, they either make a big tradition meal at home or go to some restaurant outside to eat. The children also eat the food cooked by the mothers or the maids at home most of the times. There in no lunch at school. People who live by themselves such as guys in Saudi Arabia rely on the fast food a lot, still the percentage of overweight and obese people in the Middle East is significantly lesser than that in America. In my case, I used to eat fast food a lot when I was in America, but when I returned to my country, I quit eating the fast food and spent my vacations trying out my mother's dishes. The rapid advertisement of the fast food sometimes makes it impossible for the people to revert to the home-cooked food. In Emily Rivera's essay "Do You Want Fries With That", the author explains how the advertisement of a new meal especially at a famous restaurant such as McDonald's affects people. In America, you can see the advertisements every where including on TV, billboards and on the internet. The prices are always low enough to attract the costumers. The advertising companies try to convince the American people to consume their products. For example, when the McDonald's restaurant advertises a new breakfast, it says that you should start a new day with the wonderful breakfast available at a low price. Logically, when somebody wants to save time in the morning and also save money, he/she would prefer buying the low-priced food from a restaurant rather than cooking relatively expensive food at home. Advertising companies always make the customers addicted to their products like fast food. People always get attracted to the idea of saving time and money and thus, eat the fast food. In the Middle East, th e fast food is not advertised everywhere like it is in America. However, you do see some advertisement in malls, weekly newspapers and on the TV. In addition, people usually have limited number of famous restaurants, though there are a lot of the local restaurants to choose from. In my case, sometimes I see some advertisement on the TV and buy the product. I enjoy it because I had prepared

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Revising a learning space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Revising a learning space - Essay Example The facilities found in any room can be used as alternatives to the rapidly improving technology (Gee). For instance, a white board may be placed in a class room and this eliminates the need for PowerPoint presentations and the use of projectors. Chairs may be designed in such a way that there is storage at the bottom of each chair where one may place their belongings. This eliminates the need for cupboards. The use of hairs that can easily be folded and stored to create more space in the room may also be implemented (www.oecd.org). Teaching laboratories are essential in any learning institute. These laboratories must have a computers that belong to the facility as they tend to be interactive rooms. Mobile computer laboratories with network printers and wireless access point are employed here. Open laboratories are also required in cases where there is a one on one support. They are equipped with the same software as teaching laboratories and are usually rum by the student workers. I n all these laboratories, the furniture should be movable so as to support various types of learning activities offered (Gee). Classrooms should be designed according to the number of students at the institute. In rooms with more than fifty students the floors are designed in such a way that they are steeply sloped. This is to enable the students in the back to see over the heads of students in front. It should fitted with comfortable chairs, a white board or a projector to aid during teaching process. They should be designed in such a manner that allows the students to see both the board and the lecturer (Gee). The furniture in the lecture halls should be portable and can be easily reconfigured for various learning activities. Lighting is very essential in any lecture room where a combination of both natural and artificial light may be implemented. The lighting should be such that it does not produce glare or hotspots on the white boards. Blinds can

Political Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 13

Political Science - Essay Example Of all the demands of these young revolutionaries, the recurrent theme among those protesting in every nation, was ethical accountability in public life, and transparency in governance and justice. These revolutions refuted the repeated claim of Arab rulers, that their people were not ready for democracy; only proving once again that people everywhere desire dignity and freedom of choice. The common thread that runs through the activists, be it Neila Chaabane of Tunisia, Wael Ghonim of Egypt, Mohammed Nabbous of Libya, Razan Ghazzawi of Syria or Bushra al Mugtari of Yemen; is that they are ordinary young men and women who seized a momentous opportunity to change the history of their nations, through a display of courage and mental strength that defied the rulers who for long had oppressed their people. Chaabane is a law professor who braved death threats in order to put paid to the tyranny of Tunisia’s ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. Other Tunisians followed her example to help in institution building in Tunisia. Wael Ghonim used the tools of social networking to advocate freedom for victims of state brutality in Egypt. His views about revolutionary struggles proved crucial in uniting his fellow Egyptians to participate in a freedom struggle that succeeded in overthrowing Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. In Libya, it was a young journalist Mohammed Nabbous, wh o set up an independent TV station to inform people of the atrocities being committed on civilians in Benghazi. Unfortunately he had to pay the price for his audacity in standing up to Muammar Gaddafi. Razan Ghazzawi, a Syrian blogger managed to mobilise the masses through her facebook and twitter posts in the ongoing uprising against the rule of Bashar al-Assad, till she was arrested along with other rights activists. Young and dynamic Yemeni activists Tawakkul Karman, and Bushra al Mugtari persist against mighty odds in their

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Healtg Across the Life Wellness Project Guide Sheet Essay

Healtg Across the Life Wellness Project Guide Sheet - Essay Example I want to start the whole process by writing down at least five reasons why I should quit this habit with the most important reason being the harm it makes on my health. I will have the list of these reasons wherever I go so that I will always be reminded of how important they are. Secondly, I will set the quitting day to be my birthday that will appear in three months from now. Thirdly, I will inform all my friends and family members of this decision that I will be undertaking to make a change in my life. I will also ask all of them for their support in the whole process as well as identify one friend who is equally thinking of quitting smoking as I do. I will also make sure that all the cigarettes and tobacco products found in my home and everywhere I spend most of my time are removed before the quitting day. After the quitting day, I will keep myself busy at all times to avoid the craving. I will find something to keep my fingers busy as well as drink a lot of water and sugary drinks such as juices that will help increase my sugar levels. I will also stay close to my quit mate whom we shall always encourage each other to stay strong in the process. Cutter, D., Lhrar, J. S., Robinson, L., Smith, M. (August 2011). How to quit smoking: A guide to quitting and kicking the habit for food. Retrieved from

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Latin America and the Catholic Church Case Study - 2

Latin America and the Catholic Church - Case Study Example At the conclusion of the lackluster oration, a BBC reporter stated, that the Pope gave,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦the most unusual mass of his career.†(qtd in Hoyt,1983) Why were so many Catholics so disappointed? What were the reasons for the Pope’s behaviors? What were the consequences in Nicaragua after the papal visit? These are all issues that will be discussed in the course of this essay. Nicaragua in the late 1970s and 1980s was a land of revolution. Many citizens felt that their existing leader, Anastasio Somoza Debayle, was a tyrant. They saw the immense poverty, the hunger, the poor living conditions, the lack of employment available was directly related to the exploitation and oppression by their government; that this is the reason the poor suffered without relief. The plight of the poor Christians brought them to the rebel militias formed by the Sandinistas, who opposed Somoza, encouraged rebellion, and promoted the teaching of â€Å"liberation theology.†(Dillon,1999) This, sometimes, controversial interpretation of Christianity, relies heavily on the need to care for the poor and heavily rebukes traditional capitalist economic systems. These differing spiritual interpretations and differing political perspectives left Nicaragua, as a whole, at odds. Many, likely, thought that the Pope’s visit would aid in resolution and more potential peaceful ou tcomes. Just one day before the Pope’s arrival in the country 17 members of a Sandinistas Youth Group riding a bus were ambushed and killed. Many people cried out for him to say something in regards to the young lives lost, but he did not. Generally speaking whenever a foreign head of state visits another country, where youths have been tragically killed, regardless of the reasons,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦he is expected to say SOME sympathetic remarks.†(Hoyt,1983) Not only did he refrain from such condolences, he, in fact, had scolded members of the clergy for participating in the

Monday, September 23, 2019

Using Technology to Create Strategic Options Essay

Using Technology to Create Strategic Options - Essay Example e human resource of the company, the company survives the competition it is presented with because it gets people who can rightly produce or create computer hardware and software that matches the experiences of users, connect users to the company, and trade out products to consumers. It is important to mention that assessing a company’s competitiveness on the technology market from a demand side should give much attention to user specification. It is for this reason that in the selection of its human resource base, Apple Inc. ensures that it is only the best employees who can predict and forecast the market from a user-based perspective and create technology based hardware and software that meet the demands of users. Another important resource that Apple Inc. has for years used in gaining competitiveness and remains important in competing is financial resources. The computer hardware and software industry has been described as one of the most capital intensive industries in th e world. This is because of the fast changing nature of the industry, where on a rapid basis, the trend of user demands change. As these demand changes happen, companies in the industry have been obliged to also change their marketing mix and manufacturing strategies to ensuring that they become the preferred destination for consumers seeking change (Hannah and Peter, 2013). In such a situation, competition becomes almost impossible in the absence of sufficient funds to compete. For Apple Inc. there remains the need for rapid capital injection so as to compete because most of its competitors continue to become financially viable and strong on the competitive market. In the creation of strategic options for its financial needs, it is strongly recommended that the company undertakes key financial...This is because out of the numerous strategic options, the companies become equipped with the selection of the most preferred and suitable choices that best respond to the dictates of the m arket in which they find themselves. In today’s competitive market, specifically for the computer hardware industry, the need and use of technology in the creation of strategic options has become necessary and relevant than ever before. This is because the computer hardware industry is by nature a technology based industry that has so much responsiveness in the demand side of the technology market. This paper shall therefore explore how Apple Inc. as a player in the computer hardware and software industry has used technology to alter the competitive dynamics of its market space. Resources needed to compete Sampler (2013) identifies three major dimensions of IT progress, out of which is the reach dimension. As far as reach is concerned, three other dimensions can be found, which are user experience, connectivity and commerce. The selection of various options has however been done with particular focus and attention to what prevails with competitors. This is because consumers of products and services offered by the company keep becoming inclined with the choices of products and services they want.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Key Account Team (KAT) Essay Example for Free

Key Account Team (KAT) Essay As a result of the recent meltdown in mortgage-backed securities market, CB’s changed its internal processes so as to react competitively and increase its market share. Two key changes occurred: the creation of a Key Account Team (KAT) and the restructuring of the division-wide performance management system, which would help determine a salesperson’s annual compensation. Although there are some disadvantages to the new system, Winston should recommend the KAT concept to other regional managers. The new system not only helps managers have a well-rounded understanding of its salespeople’s performance, it also helps the company to allocated appropriate resources to money-making accounts. Because the taxable securities group represented 60% of total sales in the office, CB’s created KAT, a group of 5 highly specialized salespeople, to fulfill the need for more product expertise in higher margin segments. The advantage of having KAT was that customers now had salespeople who offered in-depth, technical advice on specific issues. Furthermore, Kat along with the new evaluation system increased the frequency of communication between the New York and Boston offices. Lastly, the new structure allowed the best salesperson to be focused on the product needing the most help. On the other hand, others argued that this change made it more complicated to make large, multiproduct trades because more people needed to be involved. Another con was that salespeople felt too specialized, thus, limiting their career prospects. Nevertheless, the change had generated higher profit per dollar of sales in the Boston Office. Additionally, with the new compensation system, commissions were driven by sales volumes in areas of specialization and not from demand in within the client base. This meant that there was an even higher possibility for salespeople to generate more income. Thus, specialized salespeople were compensated for this so called limitation, meaning that their inclination to leave the firm could be swayed. Although there are some disadvantages to becoming more specialized, CB has to accommodate its clients and their needs in order to be competitive. Therefore, Winston should recommend its new structure to other regional managers because it’ll make the company the one stop for companies looking for specialization in riskier segments.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Standing Firm On The Word Of God Religion Essay

Standing Firm On The Word Of God Religion Essay Within life there are some things over which you have no control. They are the inevitable storms and adverse weather that life brings to us all. They are called seasons of struggle and times of testing. Our goal is not only to go through them but rather to grow through them by developing yourself and becoming a stronger, smart, and skilful person. Storms of Challenges in your life Thank God we have weather storms because, after they come and go, ever thing is brighter, fresher and clearer. Its the same in life, storms and wind may blow through your home, you may face many challenges, life becomes one big turmoil especially at a certain time of the month, you may become discourage by bad news, monthly bills, credit payment, letter from the bailiff, court prosecution; they can all bring anxiety, stress, frustration, depression, (Matt 14:31) Says you become fearful, your faith is weakens, and you doubt Gods Words. The thing is you will always have some sort of payment one way or the other to fork out each month. There is no immediate antidote to sort everything problem, but there is a place of calm, where the hustle and bustle of life challenges cant touch you. * Do you know that there are words in the Bible for every situation in your life?* When storms are blowing in your life you forget that Jesus is with you, you dont stand on His Word. (Matt 8:26) In spite of opposition and persecution, He promise us peace in the midst of suffering (Matt 14:27) He said be of good cheer, be not afraid. (Matthew 28:20) I am with you always, even to the end of the world Real Life Scenario: Before and after I came to Christ, I was a prisoner in my own home. I became frighten to answer the phone because by creditors would be asking for their money; I even went so far as to answer the take messages on my own behalf. When there was a knock at the door I would lower the volume on the television as not to be heard. It was only when I began to apply the scripture verses in my situation that I began to have peace. Look through the scripture for verses that talk about your situation, and speak them out, remind Jesus of his promise. Build a Foundation on the Rock (Word of God) During life there will be times when it may seam that there is an earthquake under you, attempting to shake your life, family and children as you go through one crisis after another (Matt 7: 24-27) Says build your house on the Rock which is the Word (Matthew 7:10) Jesus says A wise man built his house up a Rock, it did not fall, (Matthew 7:26) a foolish man build his house upon sand, flood, wind blew and beat upon it, and it fell and great was the fall of it. When your marriage is on the rocks, thats when you need to get on the Rocks and stand on Jesus and His Word. Build your life, marriage, and career, endeavours in and around the Word. Be careful of preachers, every preacher is not your Rock dont base youre life solely on them because there human beings, if they backslide your still built on the Rock (check what they say against the Scripture). Scenario: My pastor tells his congregation that he depends solely on God and not on his wife, and he advised her to do the same because he is only human. So build a solid foundation on the Rock (word of God), establish a personal relationship with God, and stay rooted in the Word of God, Spend time with God in Pray and in Meditation. He will disclose His thoughts, and help you to understand His word (Bible). Its not about believing, its about knowing God, when you know Him no one can shake your foundation. Fire of Challenges in Life Fiery troubles and challenges that rage around you are test and trials to strengthen you. Sometimes in life there will be a season when God will take you through a process where by He want to mature you, He may separate you from certain people around you, friends or even family, the enemy will be attacking you on all sides, and people may talk against you making falsely accused. There may be times when you feel totally isolated. (Isaiah 43:2) when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, neither shall the flame Kindle upon you, I will be with you. I will never leave you during your time of trial. (1 Peter 5-10) God will restore you, strengthen you, make you strong, and support you as you suffer for a little while) Conclusion We thank God for His goodness and mercies that continue to follow us each day. Regardless of the Storms and winds that blow through your home, earthquakes that attempt to shake your life, and the fires of challenges that rage around you. The Lord Jesus Christ has promised to see you through! So dont be shaken by what you see, simply focus on your Creator and you will have a brighter tomorrow, In Jesus name.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Beowulf and Grendel: The Hall Heorot Is Attacked By Grendel :: Beowulf Epic Poem Poems Essays

Beowulf and Grendel: The Hall Heorot Is Attacked By Grendel Beowulf is one of the greatest surviving epic poems. It was composed by Germanic people more than twelve hundred years ago. Although it is written in Old English, it deals with the Scandinavian forebears of the Anglo-Saxons, the Danes and the Geats. This epic poem concerns itself with Christianity, internal and external evils, and the warriors defeating monsters. The first passage of this story basically describes the building of Heorot. Hrothgar, decides to build a Valhalla-type of sanctuary for his warriors that he names "Heorot", or the Hall of the Hart (deer hall). This is in the first main passage of the story of Beowulf and this is the first place we find the theme of internal versus external evil. The passage implies that internal evil will ultimately destroy the hall, rather than being attacked by monsters: "The hall stood tall, high and wide-gabled: it would wait fierce flames of vengeful fire: the time was not yet at hand for sword-hate between son-in-law and father-in-law to awaken after murderous rage. "(Norton 28) This foreshadows the internal evil that will destroy the Danes. Another theme in this story is the theme of men versus monsters. This theme comes to light when Grendel is described: "The creature of evil, grim and fierce, was quickly ready, savage and cruel, and seized from their rest thirty thanes".(Norton 28) Heorot is a drinking hall, where warriors gather for parties and to get drunk. Heorot is a creation of civilization made by Hrothgar, for men to gather as a meeting place and a place to sleep. Hrothgar builds the biggest hall ever made. Grendel then attacks the hall for twelve winters straight, destroying more and more men every night with no remorse, and the men are afraid to sleep in the hall, thinking that maybe Grendel will eat them. Grendel is a ruthless caniball: "I think that if he may accomplish it, unafraid he will feed on the folk of the Geats in the war-hall as he has often done on the flower of men."(Norton 32-33) Grendel is a savage, and he ruthlessly eats his victims. The Hall Heorot is a drinking hall, and most of the warriors stand no chance against Grendel. They are drunk and are not able to attack Grendel.

The Deer :: essays research papers

It was the middle of summer in a small town called Harvey, in the city of Marquette, Michigan. The road (driveway) to my families cabin is really long it takes about a half-hour just to get to the cabin. Our camp is a very little, quaint, one bedroom in the middle of the woods. There is a creek the flows around our land, which is about 8 acres. About a half a mile away there is a rundown cabin that we call "Jack's house". My dad always said that there was an old man Jack, who lived there. He would tell us that Jack would watch us at night while we were asleep. Supposedly there was a rumor that he ate humans and animals for survival.He even told us that there were bears all surrounding us, but I never actually saw one. We usually go there on weekends during the summer for a vacation away from the city, but sometimes we end up staying longer. There isn't really much to do out there, so if we don't go to town, we go to Presque Isle Island near our camp. It is located in Marquette, Michigan, on Lake Superior, which is one of the coldest and biggest of the five Great Lakes. There are large rocks out there that we climb called Black Rocks. Besides the rocks there are a couple of parks with swings and slides, and a nature path that has a few site lookouts. It is so peaceful out there that all you can hear are the sounds of nature. As I pulled up in my car, I stopped and began to get out to go for a walk on the nature trail. As I looked up, I saw the deer. There was something about the way his helpless eyes gazed at me. I slowly started to approach him. It looked as if he had no hope for his life left. His hair was very thin but rough around his neck and legs. There was dried up blood above his left eye it seemed as if he were in a harmful fight with another deer recently. I slowly and calmly continued to walk towards him trying, as much as possible, not to frighten him in any way." It's ok, I won't hurt you. I want to try to help you live and be healthy." I said.As I got closer to him I could see felt covering two bumps on the top of his head.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Complementary Medicine Formally Provided in HealthCare System Essay

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a treatment or cure that is given additionally along with doctor’s care. There are many different CAMs such as acupuncture, hypnosis, yoga, massage and herbal therapy. They are very popular in Asia, especially among Chinese communities. However, the use of CAM is very limited in the health care system of many Western countries, including Canada, due to several reasons. In my point of view, it should be formally recognized and provided as a part of mainstream health care system. Firstly, people nowadays would prefer complementary and alternative medicine rather than conventional medicine. Secondly, the altitude of healthcare professionals has changed a lot, most of young physicians are now considering the use of CAMs into their practice. Finally, the government needs to regulate some of the CAM treatments so in order to promote the use of CAMs and create a better healthcare system. To begin with, there are four types of complementary and alternative medicine, which are categorized by Tataryn based on their own approaches (Kelner, Wellman, n.d.). While the first one is called Body, which focuses on diets, herbs and manipulation, the second type concentrates on thoughts and visions, called Body Minded. Body-Energy (Kelner, Wellman, n.d.). The third type, is about acupuncture, cure by touch (Kelner, Wellman, n.d.). The last one is Body-Spirit, using faith and prayers to cure (Kelner, Wellman, n.d.). Researches are being conducted by experts to determine whether CAM is safe enough to be in use and its effectiveness. Having said that, it is never easy to conclude these benefits. Experts are having troubles with some treatments like prayer. Despite all of its limitation, Canada is still p... ...h 2014, from National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/yoga/introduction.htm#hed8 Kelner, M. & Wellman, B. (2003). Complementary and Alternative Medicine: How do we know if it works. Healthcare Paper: 3(5). University of Toronto. McFarland, B., Bigelow, D., & Kaplan, M. (2002, October). Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Canada and the United States. American Journal Public Health, pp. 1616-1618. Sewitch, M. J., Cepoiu, M., Rigillo, N., & Sproule, D. (2008). A Literature Review of Health Care Professional Attitudes Toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine October, pp. 139-154. Ventola, C. L. (2010, August). Current Issues Regarding Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in the United States. Pharmacy and Therapeutics, pp. 461-468.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Abuse and Female Criminality

This paper examines the connection between female criminality and the occurrence of abuse.   Abused inmates were more possible to report substance abuse problems, interpersonal problems, emotional problems, and have a negative attitude towards life after prison. The findings propose the need for more study about the relationship between women's criminality and abuse, and the creating of programs for imprisoned women who have been abused.Introduction Nearly all of the available study on the criminality of women suggests that there is a connection between crime and environmental issues such as attitudes towards women or economic opportunity.Nevertheless, many aspects of women's experiences are yet to be examined, particularly in relation to the fast increasing number of imprisoned women. This paper looks at the connection between women criminality and the experience of physical, emotional and sexual abuse.Historical outlook of Women in detention centers and Prison Reform in the US   An assessment of the limited literature on the account of the incarceration of women discloses a complex set of political, social, and personal problems that are experienced by women in the US over the last two centuries.During the nineteenth century, the grounds for incarcerating women and their experience once in prison were of anxiety to prison reformers. According to Freedman (1981) in Their Sisters' custodians, three conditions started to emerge in the 1820s that gave rise to the prison reform pressure group for women.In the beginning, most northern states adopted the prison as a principal means of reducing and punishing criminal activity. Second, a small but important number of women became prisoners of these prisons, particularly after 1940. Finally, middle-class American women inspired both by benevolence and their growing mindfulness as a sex became active in reform pressure groups that brought them into contact with their detained sisters.Freedman (1981) propose that the growing number of women in prison amid 1815 and 1860 can be connected to social change, particularly urbanization, and new agents of social power such as moral reformers and urban police.Under these controls, â€Å"not serious crimes against property or persons, but unlawful personal behavior such as, vagrancy, idle and disorderly conduct, and drunkenness –brought the majority of law offenders of both sexes into the courts and detention centers (Freedman, 1981, p. 14). Still, Freedman states that the ethical codes for women were stricter, and therefore, women were more liable to be convicted of such crimes.To add on, he points out that low job opportunities and lower pays for women brought about economic marginalization and added the need for women to resort to criminal acts such as prostitution, particularly during wars, when men were not capable to sustain their families.  Prostitution was frequently the mainly readily available way for women to sustain themselves and t heir family. Once tried or even suspected of a crime, a woman became even more marginalized.The sentence for the nineteenth century woman criminal was the brand â€Å"fallen woman,† and both men and women rejected anyone suspected of being a â€Å"fallen woman.† due to this stigma, the female detainee was largely neglected and frequently subjected to overcrowding, cruel treatment, and sexual abuse.This approach towards women can be drawn to our European precursors. According to Feinman (1980), in ancient Rome, Greece and medieval Europe, the main function of a woman was to provide successors for her husband to maintain his name and property line. As a result, treacherous women could be executed because of being unfaithful; they threatened the legality of the heirs.In the late 19th century, Lombroso (1900) came up with a theory of criminology which was based on Social Darwinism. Lombroso hypothesized that women, poorer classes and nonwhites, were less evolved than upper -class white men, and so, were more liable to commit criminal offences.He further added that for women to commit crime and drift from the â€Å"usual† path of † piety, maternity, and weakness, her wickedness must have been vast . . . (Lombroso & Ferrero, 1900, p. 150). This theory assisted in speculating the â€Å"fallen woman† concept.To efficiently help women inmates, women reformers had to liberate themselves from the long-held communal biases against â€Å"fallen women.† They had to stair over the â€Å"sexual clarity† line and identify both the imprisoned and themselves women as being part of the same class: These untimely reformers centered on the different conditions women prisoners were subjected to and they were mainly responsible for the creation of separate prisons for women.In the Progressive Era, which is at the beginning of the 20th century, women reformers turned their interest to the basis of female criminality. They discarded Social Darwinism and began to expand a sociological theory of female criminality that attacked the concept of a physiological criminal type, look at the relationship of mental aptitude and crime, and finally â€Å"argued for an economic explanation of women's crime.The latest sociological theory identified environmental foundations of crime, including low-paying jobs, lack of education, and poverty. As a result, it became clear that prisons could not determine the social problems related with women's criminality. Reformers took numerous approaches toward solving the social challenges that were as a result of the incarceration of women and towards helping women once incarcerated.On the one hand, succefull reformers who preferred the extra-institutional, defensive services over incarceration focused on reforming criminal justice practices before the stage of imprisonment.On the other side, other reformers tried to advance the women's prisons via better categorization and education, and div ersified training. Therefore, these growing environmental change theories led to preventive services, mainly aimed at keeping economically marginalized women from using illegal activities such as prostitution to resolve economic problems (Freedman, 1981).

Monday, September 16, 2019

Islam a Religion of Peace Essay

And then there is the question of characterizing Islam as â€Å"peaceful† and doing so under duress. That is, when you are being pursued and hounded by people who brand you as totally irrational and uncontrollably violent. So, you have a knee-jerk reaction, purely defensive and purely self-protective and blurt out that you are a â€Å"peaceful religion. † And you are absolutely and one hundred percent right in saying that. For, Islam is all about peace and truth and justice and kindness and compassion. But that is not what your accusers and tormenters are saying. They are pointing to all the violence that is going on in different parts of the Muslim world, violence in which Muslims are involved in one way or another, and saying that it is all Islam’s fault. But what some of these people conveniently forget is that there are all kinds of background factors and conditions that lead to violence in individuals, groups, nations and societies. They forget that peace is one state of human life and reality. Another is strife and conflict. A third reality of human life is force. Peace is the ideal state to which we all aspire and toward which we all work. Strife is the sad and gloomy reality in which human life is all too often mired. Legitimate, lawful and societally sanctioned force is the instrument that human beings have devised for minimizing and controlling strife and for maximizing peace. The foundation of true and lasting peace on earth and in any society is justice, love, compassion, integrity, truth, reasonableness and sound morality. Where this foundation is absent or weak, and where people’s most basic needs and legitimate rights and aspirations are not met, and are persistently and blatantly denied, chances of stable and lasting peace are minimized or jeopardized. All too often, then, those who have been systematically denied their basic and legitimate rights, and who are not allowed by nations, societies and governments any rightful recourse to the redress of their lawful grievances, begin to resort to force and violence as an instrument of resistance to their domination, subjugation and exploitation by others and for the amelioration of their situation. There are all kinds of university books, full of all kinds of theories, that explain why and how people develop violent tendencies and behavior.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

International Organizations and World Order Essay

After First World War, there was call for formation of international organization to bring order in the world. The notion led to the formation of the League of Nations due to the conviction of the then president of the United States of America, President Woodrow Wilson who was certain that the move would prevent future conflict if only nations would come together to defend the principles of self-determination and independence. The progress of the League of Nations was thwarted when the United States refused to join it. It was also thwarted by the extremist political ideologies and power rivalry that existed at that time in history, which was 1930s. Due to the outbreak of Second World War that ended in 1945, there was more concern that led to the formation of another international organization in the name of United Nations. The Bretton woods conference, which is the reason for the existence International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank as well as the Dumbarton Oaks Conference came to existence in 1944. The foundation do the United Nation was laid by the allies of the organization (Owen, 1996). According to Owen (1996, p. 9) most of the international organizations were formed with an intention of reconstructing Europe, which was seriously devastated after the war against Nazi Germany. Most of the International organizations that were formed after World War II became more active in the 1960 where their activities were expanded to meet the new challenges because of European colonization, which included independent but politically immature and poor nations in Latin America, African and Asia. Most of the international organizations were started in the 19the century. Owen (1996, p. 10) states that â€Å"More recently, with the uncertainties and instabilities which have followed the ending of the Cold War, international organizations have stepped in to cope with the effects of the resulting conflicts and tensions, many of them within states rather than between states n the process, many UN bodies have been found wanting. The office f the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO), for example was founded in 1971. † Some of the international organizations include regional Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), which was formed in 1989 with an objective of establishing common military, cultural and economic policies to ensure free movement of goods, services and people between member states. The Member nations of Arab Maghreb Union include Morocco, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia and Mauritania (Schafer, Verbist, & Imhoos, 2005). Another International Organization is Asia Pacific Economic co-operation Forum (APEC) was formed in 1989 to promote linearization of economy in the Pacific region. Association of South East Asian nations (ASEAN) was formed in 1967 to replace ASA (Association of South East Asia). The member nations of ASEA include Australia, United States of America, Japan and New Zealand. The main objective of the organization is to promote common economic, political and trading policies. There is also another international organization in the name of Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which was formed in 1965 to ensure economic cooperation in Caribbean common market, to put in place common policies in education, health, culture, industrial relation and communication and to coordinate foreign policy among the member nations. The affiliations of the CARICOM according to Owen include â€Å"Caribbean Development Bank; Caribbean Examinations Council; Caribbean Meteorological Organization; Council of Legal Education; University of Guyana; University of the West Indies; West Indies Shipping Corporation†. The Common wealth is another important international organization that is in forefront trying to address contemporary global issues. Commonwealth was formed in 1884 and it grew out of the British Empire. The objectives of the Commonwealth are to enable nations from different parts of the world to exchange opinions in an informal, friendly and intimate atmosphere. Commonwealth has member nations, which according to Owen (1996, p. 11) include â€Å"Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cyprus, and Dominica. Others are: Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia, Zimbabwe. † There are several other International organizations such as Commonwealth of Independent States, Council of Europe, European free trade association (EFTA), European union (EU), gulf co-operation council (GCC), Mercosur (Mercado Commun del Sur-southern common market), African union (AU), Organization of American States (OAS), Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), South Pacific Forum, Southern African Development Community (SADC) among others. According to Mendlovitz (1966, p5) â€Å"Law has too often been conceived in static terms as a system of order designed to uphold the status quo. In any legal system, whether national, regional, or global in scope, law also has a dynamic aspect which allows it to make a contribution to projects for social change. † Saul Mendlovitz further states that â€Å"international law to the postulated goal of a warless world with an excerpt from an article that considers how law might help us move from where we are to where we would like to be; it is this gap that creates what we have called the transition problem. † In this new age, there has emerged a vas and ancient worldwide conspiracy called the New World Order, which aims to unite the entire world under one government. The New World Order concept was introduced into the dictionary of the international politics after the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe (Slaughter, 2004). The former president of the United States of America George Bush was the first who strongly invoke the idea in response to the Gulf crisis. Therefore, the concept traced to 1991, when Iraq invaded Kuwait and when the cold war ended. According to Ismael (1994), he states that â€Å"Thus, the end of the cold war and Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1991 constitute the historical reference points for the concept. This suggests at least two dimensions in its meaning: the end of an international order determined by the struggle for hegemony between the United States and the Soviet Union; and the initiation of a U. S. foreign policy doctrine based on U. S. hegemony in the international order. † When president George Bush was waging a war of words with the then the president of Iraq Saddam Hussein in 1990 he demonized him and referred to his effort as an attempt to establish a new world order (Wells, 2008). Many were excited by the effort of Bush at first because they thought the president of the United States was promoting democracy in the region as he had done in the Eastern Europe. Unfortunately that was not to be realized as Ishmael (1994) says, Bush was determined in establishing hegemony. The region after the gulf war in Iraq and Kuwait has remained unstable politically. According to Lloyd (2002, p. 1) New world Order was a fragile creation that emerged after September 11 attack. Lloyd states, â€Å"Before 11 September, the new (left) world order was a tentative, even fragile, creation. It emerged from new Labor in 1997 as an ethical dimension in foreign policy, announced by the then foreign secretary, Robin Cook, as a natural extension of the globe’s interdependence. The world had become a moral forum through the media and the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). † The world was at peace before the attack on the United States to the extent that most world leaders praised the state in which the world was. Some of the people who were at the forefront of the new idea of new world order are Robert cooper and Anthony Giddens, a senior diplomat and a director of the London school of Economics respectively. Giddens was for the idea that globalization could then take place because there was a state of peace that was a recipe to one global governance. The globalization, he argued would transfer power from the nations into the global space leading to the call for the need of regulation to guide the governance. Copper on the other hand argued that new world order will lead to a shift in value where there will be a victory of values of individual of those of state and those of market over the military ones and foreign policy will no longer to be about war (Lloyd, 2002, p. 1). International court creation came in to being after two attempts to organize an international court had failed (Mower, 1931, p. 616). Before there was, a court called The Hague Permanent Court of International Arbitration, which could not provide the much-needed justice in the international level as the current International Criminal Court. Other international courts deal with different legal issues. For instance, there are courts that deal with human rights at the international level, which include African Court of Justice (ACJ), African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), European Court of Human Rights and International-American Court of Human rights. Others include International Court of Justice (ICJ), International Criminal Court (ICC), and Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), Resource materials on International Courts and Special International Criminal Courts and Tribunals. According to Class Action Publisher (2008), there are seven special international criminal courts and tribunal, which include Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), International Criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). Others are â€Å"Regulation 64† Panels in the Courts of Kosovo, special Courts for Sierra Leone, Special panels of the District Court of Dili (East Timor) and War Crimes Chambers (WCC) in Sarajevo- within the state court. All these international courts have well designed objective and operation guidelines. International criminal Court established in 1998 by Rome statute and it is the first permanent court to hear international criminal claim. The court has a role to hear cases that are regarded as most serious such as crime against humanity, war crimes and genocide (Janis, 1992). It does not deal with cases that occurred prior it its institution but only to those crimes that have been committed after July 1, 2002. ICC does not deal with cases that have been committed by legal entities but natural persons. It can act on cases when the cases have been referred to it by the United Nations’ Security Council or with consent of the affected state. The International Criminal Court takes up a case or jurisdiction only as the last resort when all the national avenues have been completely exhausted (Buhler & Webster, 2005). The nations have been endowed with the responsibility of international crimes but when a state is unwilling to pursue justice, delays in pursuing justice or it shows impartiality of dealing with international crimes then the ICC takes up the matter. This may also result from unavailability of proper judicial system or if the state is unable to carry out the proceeding. Over one hundred nations worldwide subscribe to the Rome statute that established the ICC exclusive of the United States of America. United States revoked the signature of the former president Bill Clinton that was due to lack of checks and balance of the ICC. The ICC gives considerable rights to victims which include attending the proceeding of the court have having their concerns considered; being represented by counsel and interrogating witnesses; seeking monetary compensation after conviction and seeking preservation of defendant assets pending trial. The ICC has four major organs namely judicial divisions, the presidency, office of the prosecutor and the registry, which have different roles that help the court to achieve its objectives (Schafer, Verbist & Imhoos, 2005). The international courts have been able to provide effective enforcement of international legal instruments in different countries. Many countries have suffered from the art of war, which have seen many people suffer thereby depriving them of their human rights. Individuals for their own personal and selfish reasons started some of the wars that have caused suffering to citizens of the affected nations. Being well connected to the political order of the day most perpetrators of the crimes that lead to the abuse of human right cannot be properly persecuted in their respective countries. Other reasons that have made it possible for the perpetrators of the crime of high magnitude is the fact that most countries where such crimes are committed lack proper judicial system that is independent, impartial and ineffective. This has led to transfer of many cases to the international courts or to the ICC (Barker, 2004. ) International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is an existing testimony to the effectiveness of the International Courts. In Rwanda where the conflict started between the Tutsi and the Hutu tribes in 1994, many people belonging to the Tutsi tribe were killed in the Genocide. The total number of the Tutsi that were killed is estimated to be over five hundred thousand people. In response to the crime, the United Nation Security Council created the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in November of 1994 to prosecute crimes genocide and violation of the Geneva Convention. The ICTR is a subsidiary organ under chapter VII of the United Nations Charter of the Security Council under article 29 (Barker, 2004). International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda has completed over fifty trials so far and of the accused persons, 29 have been convicted of crime (Klip & Sluiter, 200). About eleven people are on trial, others waiting trial, some are to be transferred to the national jurisdiction trial while others are still unconfined. The first person was tried three years after the formation of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 1997 and he was Jean-Paul Akayesu. Jean Kambanda also pleaded guilty after wards. The tribunal has also issued arrest warrant to some suspects that are thought to have played a role or orchestrated the genocide like Kabuga Felicien. International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda issued an international arrest warrant for Felicien in 1999 where he was charged with complicity in genocide, genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide. The action of the international court in Rwandan genocide has achieved a lot in the nation and it has sent a clear message to the whole world. With arrest, trial and judgment of the suspects of the unfortunate occurrence, peace and order has been restored in Kigali because the Tutsi who were the main victim of all sorts of crime committed feel that justice has finally prevailed and cannot think of revenge and other notions that might lead to civil war again. The action has also sent a right signal to anybody in Ruanda and all over the world that any perpetrators of such crime will not escape the long arm of justice. Therefore, in reality International Court has succeeded in pursuing justice and is in the right path of ensuring that there is a peaceful planet where the innocent are vindicated while the guilty are condemned (Klip & Sluiter, 200).

Saturday, September 14, 2019

A Case Study on Formulation of the Information Strategy of Timberlodge Essay

Information strategy is an integral part of a business plan to improve the computer/communications architectures, hardware, software, peripherals, and training. The mentioned changes are targeted at refining business operations (Betz, 396). Accordingly, Timberlodge has benefited from restructuring of the technical aspect specifically its software/hardware architectures. Information strategy (IS) of Timberlodge should yield competitive advantage at a lower cost and higher profitability. IS is composed of three components namely information system (IS) strategy, information technology (IT) strategy, and information management (IM) strategy. In Timberlodge’s case study, they are looking to adapt the same innovative and technological approach into the product area of figurines based on the production driven by demand. The said aim is considered to be the company’s IS Strategy. Given the long business and supplier relationship of Timberlodge and Potterville, the company can meet halfway by integrating the new automated production processing system in their existing factory at Potterville. See more: Homeless satire essay In this way, the company and its highly skilled, experienced, and loyal workforce at Potterville that makes up the IM strategy. The company can make use of the same tool called KAPS Associates’ Systems Planning and Analytical Tool (SPLAT) as its IT strategy. Timberlodge can continue to achieve higher production through efficient, automated production system by integrating the new information technology into the traditional set up. The possible adverse publicity of the closure of its factory in Potterville can be avoided through adapting the new technology and retraining of the staff in Potterville. Timberlodge should also consider their loyalty and long standing job employment with the company. While these people are highly skilled, the new automated system requires low skilled people. Thus, workers must be re-assessed and rehired based on their skills.

Friday, September 13, 2019

The Massive Modularity Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Massive Modularity Theory - Essay Example It seeks to identify which human psychological traits are evolved adaptations which pertain to products of natural or sexual selection. The main concept of evolutionary psychology is that the human mind consists of information-processing mechanisms which have evolved through natural selection. These mechanisms are called adaptations that are functionally specialized to deal with problems in certain circumstances and environments, and therefore it must have specific and richly structured contents.1 This type of psychology has also been proposed as a metatheory not just of psychology but also of the fields in social sciences. Evolutionary psychology has also been said to be a predominant theory that has principles which are functional to all of the disciplines of social science. There have been studies that propose evolutionary psychology as the uniting elements present in different fields. The evolutionary psychology’s metatheory is consisted of chain of command in the level of analysis.2 What programs the human mind? Why do thoughts and ideas differ from one individual to another? Is there a specific portion of the mind allocated for a particular action? The Massive Modularity Theory presents the argument that biological systems are designed and constructed in a way that a person would need to have massively modular organization of the mind. In addition to this, it was also said that the human mind is a biological system and is complex so the human mind must be massively modular in its organization.3 This theory is further studied in this paper. Evolutionary Psychology In the past, the branches of social sciences and biology have different opinions towards the subject of how the mind works. With evolutionary psychology in place, connecting biological and social science ideas and theories is now possible by providing conceptual analyses of specific questions: analyses that move step by step and integrating evolutionary biology with psychology, and psychol ogy with social and cultural phenomena.4 Evolutionary psychology is a method of psychology that studies the inherited architecture of the human mind as a product of the evolutionary process. It is a conceptually integrated approach in which the theories of â€Å"natural selection† are used to produce hypotheses about the design features of the human mind.5 There are 3 levels of explanation in evolutionary psychology. In between levels, extrapolations can be made in between each level. These manipulations are made in order to get the appropriate results for various types of populations. The 3 levels are noted to be 1) adaptive problem, 2) cognitive program, and 3) neurophysiological basis. With these levels being laid down, the primary principle in the evolutionary psychology still remains to be the human brain being the corporal structure. In the modern times, the brain is being compared to the computer where there is a designated chip or program for various functions and one would not over manoeuvre other programs for it to malfunction.6 It has been believed by evolutionary psychologists that there is a certain connection between adaptive problems and evolving structured mechanisms in solving the evolutionary process. During the time of Charles Darwin, people believed that humans are social animals and they learn from experiences and behaviours.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Case Study Analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Analysis - Case Study Example A Top 10 Risk Item Tracking tool can be applied for maintaining an awareness of the risks involved. The emergency department can rely on the ideas, intuitive feelings and past expert experience of the staff to help identify potential risks. They can perform quantitative risk analysis by using the technique called Monte Carlo analysis. We must keep up with certain quality standards by the help of quality management to ensure that the new services will completely satisfy the needs of each patient efficiently. Incorporating these quality standards into the hospital’s new policies and procedures is very important. Keywords: excessive waiting, risk management, quality management, risk analysis, Monte Carlo analysis, quality standards, Top 10 Risk Item Tracking tool, Patient’s satisfaction. The Hospital Administrator, Physician Director of Emergency Department, Director of Hospital Performance Improvement held a meeting to review and identify the disturbing trends being faced by the patients as well as the staff of the Emergency Department. ... Qualitative risk analysis as well as quantitative risk analysis that included measuring the probability and consequences of risks. Risk response planning and risk monitoring and control which involved monitoring known risks, identifying new risks, reducing risks, and evaluating the effectiveness of risk reduction (PMBOK, 237). The main output of risk management planning is a risk management plan. The ED team should review documents and understand the hospital’s and any sponsor’s approach to risk. The ED team will always have trained staff that will recognize and handle time sensitive conditions as part of their contingency plan. For example, the greeter will always escort chest pain or stroke patients to triage nurse as part of their predefined emergency actions (Power, D.J, Gannon, M. et al., 1986). There can be three kinds of risks in this case study: 1. Market risk: Will the new changes be useful to the hospital’s ED or serviceable to the patients? Will the pa tients accept and use the services? 2. Financial risk: Can the hospital afford to undertake these changes? Are these changes the best way to use the hospital’s financial resources? 3. Technology risk: Are these services technically feasible? Could the technology be obsolete before the end of the 9 months plan? (Maps of World Finance) There are several risk identification tools and techniques that can be used for identifying potential unsatisfactory outcomes. These tools and techniques are: -Brainstorming -Interviewing -The Delphi technique -SWOT (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis (Schwalbe K., 2005) A Top 10 Risk Item Tracking tool can be applied for maintaining an awareness of the risks

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

REDUCING HIV RISK AMONG YOUNG MINORITY WOMEN & A HEALTH CARE TEAM Research Paper

REDUCING HIV RISK AMONG YOUNG MINORITY WOMEN & A HEALTH CARE TEAM HELPS REDUCE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG INNER-CITY BLACK MEN - Research Paper Example Dr. Martha developed a program that provided free health facilities to black men diagnosed with High Blood Pressure in the inner-city. In his analysis, a group of 300 black men recruited for the experiment indicated that one out of five had accomplished adequate blood pressure control. Human immune deficiency virus is another deadly disease that can be controlled through a change in attitude. The virus is spread through heterosexual activity. The theory to the control of a spread in the virus is, ‘The key to defeating HIV lies with protection’ (Jemmott 1998). The black youth women are the most targeted group as they are prone to the contraction of HIV activities due to their activities and interaction among each other. Education has been identified as a method to prove this theory. This is because it fosters awareness by implicating the dangers of negligence towards the use of protection as the key to defeating HIV spread and its resultant effects (Kendall 2012). Dr. Loretta Sweet Jemmott has carried out an experiment on the theory by developing an educational intervention that delivers eight modules on safe sex practices and abstinence to inner-city black middle school student (Jemmott 1998). The program was successful as it helped in the reduction o f risky sexual behaviour. As a result sexual education was introduced in the education curriculum of the United States of America as well as internationally. The conceptual basis of the two cases of study is to present the logical argument that prevention is better than cure thus there is need to control the spread and effect of various dangerous diseases in order to enhance health practices and population growth of Africa Americans in the United States. Jemmott L, S. (1998). Journal of the American Media Association: Abstinence and safe sex HIV risk-reduction intervention for African American Adolescents: A random controlled trial. New York. National Institution of Public

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Why is the conviction rate for rape so low in the United Kingdom Dissertation

Why is the conviction rate for rape so low in the United Kingdom - Dissertation Example More often than not, the prosecution and defence parties know each other, making the witness accounts more likely to involve some bias. Despite this, it is suggested that the United Kingdom has some of the best training in the world for officers dealing with rape cases, with a huge number of restrictions and guidelines in relation to these cases. However, the conviction rate for rape still remains extremely low, especially when compared with that of other physical crimes. The Association of Chief Police Officers lead for rape has suggested that this might be because the training is often ignored, perhaps due to the personal nature of rape cases. The purpose of this investigation is to critically review the available literature on the topic to ascertain further reasons why this conviction rate is still so low for cases of rape. This will provide material to evaluate the situation for rape victims (and those falsely accused of rape) in the U.K. and perform a critical reflection on the subject. This material will be used to show that it is the very nature of rape that ensures the conviction rate remains at this low percentage, although changes in procedure may help the proceedings in some cases. Definitions and Types of Rape Perhaps something that makes cases of rape more likely to go unprosecuted is that the definition of rape changes between individuals and between organizational bodies. This could have a number of consequences, not least being that jurors may have differing opinions that make prosecution difficult. The United Nations (UN) definition of rape is ‘sexual intercourse without valid consent’6, which in the United Kingdom includes minors under 16 years of age who are not legally able to give ‘valid consent’. The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that rape is ‘physically forced or otherwise coerced penetration – even if slight – of the vulva or anus, using a penis, other body parts or an objectâ€⠄¢7, again focusing on penetration being the definitive act. Some feel that this is exclusive of those who experience sexual misconduct without penetration. Within the United Kingdom, the Sexual Offences Act 2003 defines rape as an act which can only be carried out by a man, must involve penetration and this man must not reasonably believe that there is consent.8 This is the definition that will be used throughout this essay, as it is useful from a legal context, despite the social issues that it may provoke. Rape & Prosecution Rates in the United Kingdom The Home Office publishes statistics on rape cases, which provide a useful basis for any research on rape in the United Kingdom. The following figures do not include statutory rape; all the cases reported here are by male and female victims aged between 16 and 59. This gives the rate of rape and attempted rate for 2006 as about 0.5% of women in the 16-59 age group, or one in every 200 women9. When cases of attempted rate are exclud ed, the rate remains high at 0.3%. Overall, the best estimate for sexual assault crimes was that it affected It was reported that 53% of cases of serious sexual assault against women were caused by a partner (a complicating factor that will be discussed below), whilst in men the most common

Monday, September 9, 2019

Maritime and Port Security Initiatives by Federal Agencies Research Paper

Maritime and Port Security Initiatives by Federal Agencies - Research Paper Example With the rise in terror threats, containers ships have become the area of security scrutiny as security agents view them as vulnerable to terrorist attacks and activities. Annually, seaports in the US host at least nine million marine containers hence provoking the need for them to undergo intense security checks so as avert terrorist infiltration. In order to raise security standards within ports, Congress passed into law the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 that has come into scrutiny over its relevance and impact in serving this purpose. With this background information, this essay will delve on the Maritime and seaport security initiatives as applied by federal agencies, either in the US or by agencies across its international borders. Ideally, most of the cargo handling in the US is through major cargo hubs because of the quality of infrastructure available hence creating traffic for these hubs by cargo shipping firms. Further, the handling of energy related products is by certain ports while the US also has over one thousand harbors spread across its coastline. Other than US owned and crewed ships, foreign ships also call at this nation’s ports, which has been instrumental in influencing trading relations with other trading partners. The trading also spreads to cargo containers, which is one of the areas that attracted the concerns of both state and federal security agents to be keen on securing this area of commerce. In essence, a large container has a high load capacity and can safely ferry more than three thousand containers while offloading some of them at different ports. Mostly, these containers transport consumer goods that may include clothing, toys, shoes, electronic devices, automobile spare parts, among a list of other goods which characterizes the imports on containers. On the other hand, the containerized

Response to McCloskey's Article On Being an Atheist Essay

Response to McCloskey's Article On Being an Atheist - Essay Example In this paper, a response is given to McCloskey by basin g the arguments to what has been covered in the philosophy of religion unit.   McCloskey, in his article â€Å"On being an Atheist† presents a very strong counter argument against theist arguments about existence of a supreme perfect being referred to as God. According to him, theists hold on to arguments about existence of God as the fundamental proofs of his existence. The arguments do not certainly infer to proof of God’s existence nor do they provide a proof of why we exist. He actually claims that theists are sucked into the realms of religion not because of the basic proofs that exist but due to mere arguments. According to McCloskey’s line of argument, it is possible to argue that God certainly does not exist. The world is so imperfect to be the engineering work of a perfect being. In fact, we can only conclude that God, if he ever exists, is an evil God since there is more pain and suffering in th e world than joy and happiness. Where is God when all the evil happens? Where was he not to control Hitler? Arguably, God may not exist if we take this line of thought. I have always observed the unjustified pain and suffering that happen to the per se â€Å"wrong people.† Young babies who are flawless in the eyes of Supreme Being â€Å"God† should certainly not suffer at least because they are innocent. Why can’t God bring us closer to him by good deeds and not through pain and suffering as claimed by theists? Things would seem more rational. On the other hand, existence would cease to make any meaning if God did not exist. What if God made the universe the way it is with an ultimate purpose? To me it seems more logical than to claim his nonexistence McCloskey presents a very strong yet questionable argument about cosmology. According to him, it is possible to have a cause without cause. He infers that it is possible to have the world, as we know it without a c ausative agent. The mere existence of the universe is not a justified reason enough to posit that there exists a cause behind creation. I quite agree with his argument since the existence of the universe is not a foolproof evidence of existence of a supreme being. However, I tend to agree more with the theists, not because there is foolproof evidence but because both atheists like McCloskey and the scientific giants have not yet provided exact proof of cause. I would rather live believing that there was God and die to find there was none, than to live as if he never existed and died to find that he actually existed. According to Evans line of thought about â€Å"cause for cause,† existence of the universe would be both irrational and absurd if there were no cause for the entire perfectly tuned universe as it represents itself to humankind. Craig also shares the same arguments on his article â€Å"The Absurdity of Life without God† (Craig, 2008). All religious beliefs e xperience an appreciable form of connection with a supreme being. Surprisingly, virtually all religious ideologies about supremacy of the creator share the same basics. Christians experience faith, miracles, healing, pain, and suffering among other connective experiences with God. McCloskey may have a point in his argument but his argument is somewhat one sided. I might ask McCloskey one simple yet fundamental question what determines the discourse on the universe? Is it a collective contribution of every human