English Literature: Romanticism and Victorian

The Romantic era is the historical period of literature in which modern readers most begin to see themselves and their own conflicts and desires. As what was mentioned in the class and as what I have researched, English Romanticism in terms of literature is a shift from faith in reason to faith in the senses, feelings, and imagination; a shift from interest in urban society to an interest in the rural and natural; a shift from public, impersonal poetry to subjective poetry; and from concern with the scientific and mundane to interest in he mysterious and infinite.There are various themes on how the authors of romantic literary pieces composed their works. Those themes were based on the main idea of the revolutionary movement initiated during that time which was CHANGE. These people want to veer away from what was ordinary and stale and they came up with this radical change. I do not know if my idea regarding the themes used by romantic poets and writers is correct that is why I made further research. As I went through the research, I came up with these insights regarding the subjects used by romantic writers.Imagination ND emotion are more important than reason and formal rules; imagination is a gateway to transcendent experience and truth. Imagination was one of the keys used by romantic poets and writers to effectively stress out and reveal what they want to convey their readers. They treat imagination with high importance because it was their belief that the only way to attain the highest form of art is to use your imagination. Sometimes, some of the writers do not only rely on their â€Å"usual/ ordinary' imagination.Sometimes they use other meaner like taking addictive drugs which allows hallucination to happen. For example, Coleridge Kabul Khan was written when Coleridge was high with laudanum, a solution of opium in alcohol used for pain relief. In the last lines, â€Å"Weave a circle round him thrice, and close your eyes with holy dread, for he on hon eydew hath fed, and drunk the milk of Paradise†, he is implying that writers like him would be feared for their power to make such poems with the use of extraordinary imagination.Since change is the main idea and reason for romantic movement, having exceptional kind of imagination was one of their vital component. Romantic literature tends to emphasize a love of nature, a respect for romanticism, and a valuing of the common, â€Å"natural† man; Romantics idealize country life and believe that many of the ills of society are a result of arbitration. The Romantics inclined more on the natural aspect of the world rather than the urbanize and modernized sector because they have high respect on these entities.For example, Wordsmith's sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge accentuates the beauty of nature before man had touched and exploited it based on their needs. The lines â€Å"Earth has not anything to show more fair: Dull would he be soul who could pass by, A sight so touching in its majesty†¦ Show the majesty of nature. The poem stresses out the reclaiming of nature's own from what man has taken away from it. The poem also emphasizes the silence and stillness of nature which makes it great and marvelous.Change is what Romantics aim for but they did not veer away from what natural things/nature should be. They treat nature with divinity and respect. Romantics were attracted to rebellion and revolution, especially concerned with human rights, individualism, and freedom from oppression. Since change is the main reason for Romanticism to upsurge, rebellion and revolution is evident in their works. For example, Flake's The Chimney Sweeper talks about the abuse experienced by children who were chimney sweepers during that time.The lines â€Å"That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned and Jack, Were all of them locked up in coffins of black† shows that children who were chimney sweepers suffered a lot of harm and their only escape was dea th. Flake's work was an effective eye opener of what was happening during that time especially when it comes to child labor. Somehow, it ignites the fire of revolution but the thing about this poem was Blake ended it not with revolutionary kind of movement but with some sort of faith in God.Still, he managed to emphasize the oppression that was happening during that time which may call and did call for upheaval. There was emphasis on introspection, psychology, melancholy, and sadness. Since the Classics tend to feature the theme of mock heroic epic (which was said to be a craft and â€Å"forced†), the Romantics deviate away from it. One of the emphases of the Romantic writers' works was melancholy. For example, Wordsmith's The Solitary Reaper has a tone of mystery, loss, nostalgia and loneliness. It was shown in the lines â€Å"Some natural sorrow, loss or pain, that has been ND maybe again? . Sadness was featured on the Romantic works because it was (somehow) the inspiratio n of the writers for not all of them lived Joyfully and vibrantly. Sadness was also one of the keys for an effective Romantic literary piece. Romantics were interested in the Medieval past, the supernatural, the mystical, the â€Å"gothic,† and the exotic. These things were also featured in the Romantic works. Authors were very interested in the supernatural, the mystical, the â€Å"gothic,† and the exotic. Most of the literary pieces do contain these things. For example, ColeridgeRime of the Ancient Mariner highlighted these things. The lines â€Å"Her lips were red, her looks were free, her locks were yellow as gold: Her skin was white as leprosy. The Night-mare LIFE-IN-DEATH was she, who thick's man's blood with cold† clearly depicts a mysterious woman who appeared out of nowhere aboard in a ship which was already wrecked. These lines (and this poem) lucidly depict the mystery that the Romantic poets' aim to show the readers the beauty behind mystery and biza rre things which were part of their aim for change. II. Analysis of Romantic and Victorian PoemsVictorian period, which encompasses the optimism and progress of Englishmen, was the perpetuation of the Romantic period's success in fulfilling its aim to obtain change and transformation. Romantic period was the time where the Englishmen perpetuated movement for literature, characterized by reliance on the imagination and subjectivity of approach, freedom of thought and expression, and an idealization of nature. This was also a call for drastic difference and divergence from what was ordinary and normal. This was also a way for the authors to show the reality behind the blindness of oppression and abuse.One good example is Flake's The Chimney Sweeper. The poem encompasses the details of the truth behind child labor and the cruelty experienced by the children who were employed in this Job. One can see that the poem shows how helpless the children were and there was no escape for them but death itself. It has a tragic and melancholic mode for children who should be given the right to have a good life and a chance to study and improve their condition were exploited and deprived. Flake's approach was effective for the poem will surely catch the reader's attention and emotion regarding the focus of the poem.But even though he was successful in establishing these moods for the reader, his ending does not seem to fit the aim of Romantics for change because his ending was stated like â€Å"there would be angels who would open the coffins of these poor children and would accompany them to the Heavenly Father†. Nonetheless, the poem showed what should be changed in his society during his time and somehow, it is an eye-opener and it calls for a revolutionary change. A lot of poems during that time also embody this kind of theme. They, during their time, wanted freedom and transformation.These literary pieces were their weapon, their defense. Movements made for change during Romantic era was successful. Freedom of expression was propagated, change was established. The Englishmen had the chance to grasp the power they were aiming for. They believed they were invincible and this led them to the Victorian period. Victorian period was the period of optimism. Since the Englishmen had the power in their hands, they will do everything to maintain the power that they have. Their craving for improvement, industrialization and education was fulfilled.This is clearly en in some of the Victorian poems created during that time. Kipling Gung Din is a very good example. A lot of analysis given regarding this poem was focused on Gung Din, who was an Indian bassist or water carrier who serves water for British Soldiers. But one aspect that I saw regarding this poem was it entails the power that the Englishmen have. The poem shows that they were superior and even an Indian was very submissive to them even they were Just soldiers (disregarding the ending of the poe m wherein the soldier says mire's a better man than I am, Gung Din).All throughout the poem, Gung Din was described as a poor, low and abused slave and this also indicates that these British soldiers have the power over Gung Din and they can do whatever they want to do on Gung Din and they can ask him to serve them wherever and whenever. Although what I analyzed regarding the poem when relating it to the power and optimism that the Victorians have was negative, still, it exemplifies such. This poem also shows appearances which the Englishmen is trying to do during Victorian period. The soldiers in this poem show power and prudish, unceasing their weaknesses in use of Gung Din.

Secularisation

Rationalization shows that religions are based on a ‘leap of faith' rather than proof or evidence, while Weber argued that following a growth in disenchantment in an increasingly rational society, discrimination, the process by which sacred and supernatural forces are no longer seen as controlling the world and religious ideas, beliefs and institutions, would occur. It is also suggested by sociologists, like Heals et al. In their Kendal study, that the holistic milieu and increased participation in Norms and New-Age spirituality is evidence of a reconciliation of society.However, critics argue hat actual numbers are a small proportion of the population and that such groups still only have a marginal position in society. Bryan Wilson argues that Norms are almost irrelevant to society, with Peter Berger describing them as ‘islands in a secular sea'. The Kendal study would seem to support this with only 2% of the population engaged in New-Age activities and only half of thes e individuals viewing their activities as spiritual. This supports Brace's view that the rise of New Age is not a threat to secularists.Where religious pluralism, is concerned there is no longer a single religious voice or message. Instead there is a fragmentation, which Steve Bruce describes as a decline in ‘strong religion' with religiosity becoming now a matter for personal choice from ‘weak religions'. Critics argue that this is not necessarily the case. An example would be Northern Ireland, where there is a marked division between Protestants and Roman Catholics, yet religious belief remains strong.Disengagement could be the way established religions have lost influence and withdrawn from wider society. This is reflected in the way that established religions have lost political and social influence. Former Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carrey, described the Church of England in 1991 as like ‘an elderly lady, muttering away to herself ignored by most people' . Here the head of the Church seems to accept that disengagement has taken place compared with the historical past when the Church was at the heart of politics, the civil service, education, the arts etc.Although there has been a spectacular 50% fall in attendance in traditional Christian religions between 1979 and 2005, declining participation statistics, while apparently supporting secularists, do not necessarily prove it because they take no account Of people's beliefs. It would seem that religion has shifted from the public to the private realm, summed up in Grace Davies phrase ‘believing not belonging. Other factors to bear in mind are the growth in ethnic religions, Norms and engagement with New-Age spirituality. Another thing to consider with statistics is that those from the past cannot always be considered reliable.In addition, membership criteria can change over time, just as the motives and meanings behind participation can change. Finally, religious participation d oes not in itself guarantee religiousness. In the past in the UK, ND currently in small-town USA, attendance may be more to do with respectability. Many parents attend church in the UK today simply in order to send their children to faith schools. Postmodernists have an ambivalent view of religion. On the one hand, they see the major established religions as in decline along with their meta-narratives.On the other hand, they see a role for individuals seeking individual spirituality to give meaning in an increasingly shallow society that lacks any depth. Augment Banyan argues that the days of universal truths disappeared with the progression from a modern society to a postmodern society. He sees society as increasingly individualistic and fragmented in which people are searching for some form of spirituality. However, in this climate of ‘pick and mix', people can and do change their mind and beliefs, creating religious pluralism.Therefore the growth of the ‘holistic mili eu' and New-Age spirituality reflects the individualism associated with postmodernism. People operating as ‘spiritual shoppers' search for individual meaning and seek new and different forms of spirituality, rather than engage in established religions. The global picture of religion is one of contrast between the decline of established religion in most f the developed world and the continued strength of religion generally across the rest of the world. Even in the Western world, there is not a consistent picture of religious decline.

Importance of Art in Our Life

It is usual human nature to admire beauty around us, such as we are often awe-struck when we see a painting, or read a beautiful poem, or listen to soothing music! Art is everywhere around us in many forms and holds a significant value in our lives. It is difficult to describe â€Å"Art† in literal terms, but broadly it is understood to be a form to express one’s feelings through any object or medium like paper, music, colours, technology, magic, photography etc. It could be abstract, realistic, naturalistic, conceptual, and inspirational.It is agreeable that we are surrounded by Art and also rely on it in our daily routine. When we enter someone’s home, it is difficult to stop ourselves to appreciate the way the living room is decorated. You would find rhythm and harmony in the way furniture are placed; photographs adorn a wall, paintings hung above the sofa or any particular artefact placed in a corner or centre piece on a coffee table etc. This is also art, on e doesn’t have to be a painter to be an artist, how an individual expresses him/herself, uses imagination and creative energy to embellish and decorate the surrounding.Arts have many forms — visual and performing arts are the ones that could be related easily. Visual arts broadly comprise of paintings, drawing, clay modelling, architecture, photography etc. and performing arts include dance, music, opera, theatre, magic, spoken words, circus art and musical theatre. It is inter-related with Entertainment. When you make people enjoy, laugh, cry, and angry by your performance, that is the art of entertaining. There is a big world of Entertainment and almost all of us find solace watching their work.Music has a great impact on our mood; it makes us joyful and relaxes us and keeps the energy on. Not only music, but also movies, plays and theatre also makes us active. This reveals how much we are hemmed in by Arts and Entertainment. It could be concluded that importance of Arts in our lives is very similar to entertainment. Now-a-days Art and Craft Education are encouraged at schools for children as it provides a platform for the young ones to express and explore their imagination. It could be very inspirational as well.

Peer Response DQ1JB and DQ2ZH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Peer Response DQ1JB and DQ2ZH - Essay Example Another good comment in your response that I liked is that companies that use risk management are efficient at optimizing. Complying with production methods such as Six Sigma can optimize a production line. â€Å"Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection† (Dickerson, 2004). Legal mitigation is a risk management practice because it can lead to out of court settlements that save companies from incurring in bad press that hurts the corporate image of the company. Multinational corporations have to be adept at risk management due to legal, regulatory, and culture factors that make each country unique. Jones Paul George once said, â€Å"It seems to be a law of nature, inflexible and inexorable, that those who will not risk cannot win† (George). I agree with your premise of complying with regulations and implementing risk management initiatives can be useful for an organization. In the chemical industry it is imperative to have superb security measures. Implementing risk management techniques is more effective when the executive management team supports prevention and well-being programs. Companies must establish contingency plans to be prepared to deal with any type of situation or scenario that is considered a business risk. Another type of risk that must be dealt with as part of a risk management program is financial risk (Guzman, 2012). In your response you mentioned CRM tools can be used effectively to lower risks. The utilization of CRM can be used to improve the relations with the customers of the company (Crm, 2012). Improving security measures is a risk management technique that protects the assets of a company. A good risk management focuses on three areas: human resources, physical resources, and financial resour ces (Corbett, 2004). Bayer, L., Mechler, R. (2008). Insurance against losses from

International business Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

International business - Literature review Example These capabilities have changed the potentials open to the multinational firm in the strategic management of its businesses. This review of literature explores the implications of international business strategy within the context of Nokia Corporation, a multinational corporation which has seen phenomenal growth but an almost rapid decline in the last decade. Its business is situated in the digital mobile telecommunications industry, which is characterized by rapid technological innovation and intense international competition. Inquiry into the interplay of environmental changes and the corresponding positioning of the multinational corporation against its competitors may yield new insights into the strategic management of international businesses not encountered in localized businesses. 2. International Business Strategy To better understand the implications of the published reports and literature on Nokia’s global strategy and its local strategy in China, a brief survey of t he existing theoretical discussion on international business strategy is warranted. ... The word international which encompasses these concepts pertains to activities that cross the borders between nation-states; nation-states here is a combination of nation qualified by its country-level economic and sociocultural variables, and state which refers to the political attributes such as national sovereignty and national laws (p. 55). Given this starting point, international management is taken to mean â€Å"the process of planning, organizing, directing and controlling the organization, which individuals (managers) use to achieve an organization’s goals, when the organization is involved in cross-border activities or functions outside its nation-state† (Eden, et al., 2011, p. 56). Likewise, international business may be defined as â€Å"business that crosses national borders, that is, it includes the comparative study of business as an organizational form in different countries, cross-border activities of businesses, and interactions of business with the int ernational environment† (Eden, et al., 2011, p. 58). International business may be differentiated from international management in the sense that international business refers to organizations pursuing a specified goal through a cross-border undertaking for profit, while international management is the process of stewardship over an organization involved in cross-border activities, whether for profit or not, for as long as the goals are met. Finally, international strategy is the field of management that deals with â€Å"the major intended and emergent initiatives, including cross-border initiatives, taken by general managers on behalf of owners, involving utilization of domestic and/or foreign resources to enhance the performance of firms in the international environment† (Nag, et al., 2007,

Educational Trends Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Educational Trends Education - Research Paper Example In such an immersive computing environment, where notebooks and pens are replaced with smart phones, iPods and laptops this era of pervasive education technology, is marked with revolutionary educational trends. The development and rising popularity of social networking and micro-blogging sites has upped the ante, making access to information just a click away. Such trends within the domains of primary and secondary education, has significant implications on the manner in which such education is imparted across the globe (Leu, 2001; Gilster, 1997). This paper, on â€Å"Educational tends† aims to discuss both the current as well as future trends in education, and the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) within classrooms and its likely impact in shaping, nurturing and developing the knowledge and cognitive learning abilities of students over the years. Historical Background: ICT in Classrooms The twentieth century was swept away by technological makeover, and c omputers entered the classrooms as educators realized its power and impact as an effective teaching aid (Dwyer et al., 1991). However, during this era, computers were merely used as a data management tool for tracking grades, attendance and reviewing test results. Moreover the ratio of computers per student was low. During the mid 20th century, this highly rigid approach towards computer usage changed significantly from predominantly conventional behavioral attitudes to a more constructivist approach (Anderson, Speck, 2001). Current trends: Overview The 21st century classrooms have had a drastic makeover from that compared to the 20th century classroom, in the sense that it has now become more interactive as opposed to passive learning, and includes the addition of various gadgets which are incorporated on a large scale across various schools. The technological tools in used in the past were mostly passive in nature which involved little or no interaction from the students, and were limited to just listening, watching, or at the most, taking notes. However, the tools used today include greater participation from the students via the use of interactive media where they are encouraged to make presentations and communicate and share their experiences via blogs and vlogs (Smolin, Lawless, 2003). Figure 1: Instructional technologies timeline from the year 1900 - 2004 Source: Whelan (2005) Pp.14 The use of interactive whiteboards has drastically increased and remains one of the most popular tools of teaching across American classrooms. Furthermore gadgets such as PDAs and hand-helds are also being used primarily for middle school and high-school students. Also, there are various online resources which offer interactive learning to students by way of games, puzzles and quizzes which help them in understanding key concepts in a fun entertaining and engaging way. Future trends: The conventional definitions of schools as buildings made of bricks and walls are likely to change to 'nerve centers' virtual space occupied by e-teachers and e-learners, connected by technology. The role of teachers in such a space is likely to expand from merely the providers of education to that of information and knowledge generators. Until recently, students were accustomed to access education through schools, but the

Documented Critique Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Documented Critique - Essay Example There are many factors which are responsible for political opinions of any individual. In this the role of print and electronic media cannot be overlooked. The role played by electronic media for forming political opinions is indeed very clear for everyone to see. Political opinions are categorized as â€Å"Right Wing†, â€Å"Left Wing†, â€Å"Moderate†, â€Å"Liberal†, and â€Å"Conservative† etc. These terms are used for people, parties and media groups. Every political party wants to increase its vote bank and in order to achieve this use of media, particularly electronic media, comes into play. Forming political opinion is not an easy job in modern times. There are countless channels available on satellite, cable and internet. These elements are playing a major role in shaping the political opinion of public. Since every political party is aware of this fact therefore different media groups are supported by different political parties. This supp ort is normally covert as open support can prove damaging. In USA there are many media groups and they have a very strong say in political affairs. Different channels represent different political ideologies. They have a profound effect on the overall formation of political opinion of the population. One of the major US news network is Fox News. It is one of the most popular news channel and has variety of shows and programs to attract viewers. â€Å"The O'Reilly Factor† is a popular talk show of Fox News. It started as â€Å"The O'Reilly Report† in 1996. It is aired at 8 and 11 pm ET on weekdays. The O'Reilly Factor is a talk show which focuses on different political issues. The political views of the host are conservative. He presents his views as if he is a neutral commentator but has a special bias against the liberals. Whenever I watch the show my perception, that it is a biased show, about the show becomes strong. There are numerous instances in which the host fa ils to keep a balanced view and as a result put himself in trouble. It can be a media stunt also in order to attract viewers or increase ratings. Whatever the reason may be the fact remains that The O'Reilly Factor is a show, which presents an unbalanced view. The shows during Second Gulf War were full of one sided view. It was more a propaganda than informative show. The approach adopted during the war time was to justify every action of the Bush administration and ridicule those who were against the war. Saddam Hussain was presented as an evil figure. No doubt former Iraqi president was not a person to be appreciated but honesty demands that viewers should have been informed about all the facts. O’Reilly did not inform his viewers that it was USA support which helped Saddam Hussain in ruling for such a long period of time. Different US presidents helped former Iraqi president and this fact was never mentioned by Mr. O’Reilly. It was in the favor of US administration to support a dictator and therefore the attitude of different US administrations toward Saddam was very lenient. All human rights violations and tortures of Saddam regime were never mentioned as the policy of US government required the continuation of Saddam’s regime. Had O’Reilly presented this aspect to his viewers then without doubt his show would have been a balanced one but these facts were never uttered and the result was an unbalanced show. O’Reilly was quick to mention that weapons of mass destructions were in Iraq. He mentioned that they

Comparing between two companies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparing between two companies - Research Paper Example It has various components of a corporate ethics program that include the belief of doing the right thing in making good business, an ethical code of conduct to promote integrity, assurance, and effective management. Indeed, it has a code of conduct that dictates the terms of employment in all associates of Novartis Group companies (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web). In addition, the company condemns direct or indirect engagement to acts of bribery and establishes a global Integrity and Compliance program to ensure conformity to the code of ethics. Moreover, the company seeks to uphold high levels of ethics in addressing challenging issues in its business operations. Notably, Novartis conducts business ethically maintaining a code of conduct and governance. On the other hand, Boeing has various components of a corporate ethics program that include conducting its business in an ethical manner that reflects impartiality and fairness. Indeed, the company adopts a code of ethics and a code o f conduct that complies with all laws and regulations. Most specifically, Boeing adopts the Code of Ethical Business Conduct that complies with the New York Stock Exchange's corporate governance rules (â€Å"Boeing† Web). This commitment guarantees integrity and values in their business operations. ... duct where Boeing adopts the Code of Ethical Business Conduct while Novartis adopts the belief of doing business in the right way that reflects ethical conduct. Additionally, the two companies adopt a code of conduct as the communication mode within the companies. More so, both participate in corporate social responsibility. Compared to Boeing, the ethics program of Novartis is more like an integrity strategy than a compliance strategy. Indeed, Novartis commits itself to good corporate governance that seemingly promotes integrity. Its code of conduct ensures an ethical articulation of business operations that upholds its values of integrity. Notably, Novartis strives for operational excellence to secure human rights for all, which translates to a strategy of integrity. Indeed, the company promotes a culture of integrity (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web) to ensure it does the right thing in business and promotes an ethical conduct. For example, the company states that the management car ries out annual performance reviews of associates to maintain and improve integrity (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web) and compliance. Furthermore, Novartis established a global Integrity and Compliance program that ensures compliance to integrity standards. Indeed, Novartis adopts a policy that condemns direct or indirect engagement in acts of bribery and corruption in its operations (â€Å"Novartis AG† Web). This is a step towards ensuring integrity in business activities involving Novartis and hence the ethics program of Novartis is more like an integrity strategy. Nevertheless, I think that Boeing Company has the better Corporate Ethics Program as compared to Novartis Group companies. The ethics program of Boeing has numerous components of corporate ethics program as compared to Novartis Group companies.

Collective Bargaining at Magic Carpet Airlines Case Study Essay

Collective Bargaining at Magic Carpet Airlines Case Study - Essay Example However, this may have been counterproductive, because the airline could have then argued that there is no connection because of the different industries. The main additional source that it seems the union missed, was to look at national airlines as a comparison, instead of just looking at other feeder airlines. The union had several primary objectives which they wanted the company to face and on which they thought they could bargain productively. First of all, there was the issue of raising wages. The flight attendants wanted a higher hourly rate. Also, there was the objective of increasing job security, particularly to protect flight attendants with a lot of seniority from being fired or laid off by the airline. In addition to job security, the union also wanted expanded vacation and leave time, as well as better working conditions. Another objective of the union was to change the duty rig system. In the duty rig system, a flight attendant may spend a 15 hour day, commuting to an airport, waiting for the flight, and running checks, but only get paid 6 hours, because in the duty rig system, they are only paid for time that the airplane is in the air. This seemed unfair to union representatives. The union’s strategies can be separated into three categories—inform, involve, and convince. In the inform stage, the strategy was to keep union members as well informed as possible as to what was going on with the collective bargaining negotiations. In the involve strategy, the union aimed to optimize union membership participation by encouraging activities such as picketing and mini-strikes. Finally, the third strategy concentrated on convincing the airline of their grievances, and not backing down from their objectives. These strategies were more than reasonable—the only real power a union has is to withhold work. Magic Carpet’s goals were to preserve the status quo, and to save money. They did not want to give in to union

Individual Experience Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Individual Experience - Research Paper Example TDSB is run by a Director of Education: Chris Spencer and a Board of Trustees comprising of 22 members who are publicly elected to ensure that concerns voiced by the community and the students are dealt with. This board ensures that all students have a comfortable learning environment that best brings out their abilities and utilizes their full potential. The board also comprises of a body of executive officers that diligently serve students, staff and the community enhance academic performance and supervise the learning process among others. The good employer-employee relationship supported at TDSB lured me to apply for internship to work at the school office Support Department. My role was to help the secondary school office assistant to do administrative work which dealt with IPRC documentation, student attendance, report cards, records and data bases, payroll records, accounting records, student registration and student transportation. I was also supposed to provide secretarial s upport services and ensure there was a strategy in place for handling medical emergencies and general student absenteeism. Conversely, under the supervision of the elementary school secretary I was at times in charge of the reception which entailed receiving incoming calls, welcoming guests and ensuring there is a smooth raptor between the students, parents, the community and TDSB staff. This was geared towards ensuring all the services provided by the school office support department were customer focused. TDSB holds the lives of future generations into its hands therefore it has a very delicate responsibility of ensuring the talent of each student is appropriately nurtured and not ignored. However, to be able to fully understand the role played by TDSB in building a holistic community it is important to know its mission, vision, goals and objectives. TDSB focuses and fully utilizes the support provided by the community to ensure each student obtains the required skills, abilities and knowledge to bring out their full potential as students and later as adults. This goes hand in hand with its mission that stipulates the need for, â€Å"all students to reach high levels of achievement and to acquire the knowledge, skills and values they need to become responsible members of a democratic society† (http://www.tdsb.on.ca). TDSB is able to put into practice its mission statement by valuing each student, fostering a public education system that is strong, establishing a long-lasting and productive partnership between the schools, community and students, harnessing diversity and uniqueness in the community and within the students. It also enhances efficiency and skills of the staff, a safe, respectful and positive learning experience to effectively nurture the talents of all students, accountability, equity, accessibility and innovation. The above imply that TDSB uses a focused framework for strategy selection and design. This is because the school board only focuses on a specific age group of students that only reside in Toronto by implementing a low-cost advantage within that narrowly defined market. In order to achieve its objectives the board of trustees, executives and the director of education have formulated a prospector strategy typology that enables the board to implement ideas that are congruent with external factors including the community. With such a strategy typology TDSB is able to be innovative, discover new

BRAVADO and Linguistics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

BRAVADO and Linguistics - Research Paper Example They have also helped to create new ways of analyzing the different pieces written over time, and this paper will actually look at how bravado and linguistics play an important role in literature. Bravado means a false bravery and it comes from the word brave, but it is the complete opposite of its meaning. This can possibly be applied in describing people who in the real sense are cowards, but they pretend to be brave because of a certain reason. These people at first often show that they are very brave but eventually, they turn out to be cowards. Linguistics on the other hand is the scientific study of human language as a whole, and it can be divided into different categories to help understand and decipher linguistics. These categories are three in number and they include language form, language meaning and language in context, and they all contribute to linguistic development, where they help bring out the deeper meanings in linguistics. They can be applied in making comparisons of different literally works and in this case, they can be effectively applied to compare and contrast Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and Beowulf, both very old literally works (Crystal 27). The two poems are used to make readers have a better understanding of linguistics and bravado, since the authors have used both styles to give better illustrations of how the styles are applied in literally pieces (Heaney 22). This is a powerful poem written in the 14th century, which some scholars refer to it as the famous ‘beheading game.’ It can be classified as an alliterative romance because of the plot of the poem, which is basically about a mysterious challenge posed by Green Knight to the knights of King Arthur’s round table. He asks any knight that is willing to take the challenge to strike him with his axe and in return, after a certain period, the Green Knight will reciprocate by hitting the

Media Communications Feedback Essay Example for Free

Media Communications Feedback Essay Well, after a careful review of your plan, I noted the following issues. You need to address them before implementing the plan. The target population of your message is predominantly African-American women aged 20-49. The statistics you are using do not include other groups who could be a contributing factor to the high levels of infections and deaths. For instance, what are the figures for infected males in the community? For you to achieve better results, you should consider including men in your campaign. At the same time, you did not identify the major causes of infection. Why, for instance, are other groups not affected? If the causes are related to socio-economic and cultural factors such as poverty and unemployment, then your goal would be to pressure service providers such as as Non-Governmental organizations and the government to address those issues. The age difference of your target group means that members could have different interests. Therefore, you should have specified different programs that appeals to each age group. The T. V and radio stations you chose appeals mostly to the youth; what about those aged over forty? Similarly, the presenters you have in mind are not appropriate for this particular campaign. You need role models who could be a good example to the audience. In this regard, it is useful to involve community members who know how to relate with your target group (Galea et al, 2002, 297). Therefore, look for somebody who has been involved before in community projects, and not music celebrities: this category of people may have negative influences due to their lifestyles. Your slogan will not achieve the desired behavioral changes. Texting and talking about HIV/Aids helps in networking: however, you need an approach that will change their lifestyles, such as through participation in education seminars. Your challenge, therefore, is to â€Å"market changes in behavior by using strategic communication† (Siegel and Doner, 2004, 42). How will you determine if you are achieving your goals? The Academy for Educational Development identifies evaluation as one aspect of determining whether stated goals are being realized (AED, 2010). Thus, you should identify the instruments you will use to assess whether your target group is responding positively to the program. Consider conducting a survey after three months to collect data about their sexual activities. Lastly, I think you should conduct a primary research yourself before taking action. The data you got from the surveillance report should act as secondary information to guide your own research. In fact, a primary research is necessary when planning to implement any project. Nevertheless, your overall plan identifies a marginalized group that requires help. However, to achieve the best results, have the best plan. Success. References Academy for Educational Development. (2007). Health Communication Partnership. Accessed May, 08, 2010 http://www. globalhealthcommunication. org/projects/health_communication_partnership Doner M. , Siegel L. (2004). Marketing public health: strategies to promote social change. New York: Jones Bartlett Learning’ Galea, S. , et al. (2002). Access to resources for substance users in Harlem, New York City: Service provider and client perspectives. Journal for Health Education and Behavior. New York: Society for Public Health Education

Significance Of Language In Human Affairs Philosophy Essay

Significance Of Language In Human Affairs Philosophy Essay Language problems are extremely complex, perhaps comparable with the complexities of human life itself. The importance of language is essential to every aspect and interaction in our everyday lives. We use language to inform the people around us of what we feel, what we desire, and question or understand the world around us. We communicate effectively with our words, gestures, and tone of voice in a multitude of situation. Would you talk to a small child with the same words you would in a business meeting. Being able to communicate with each other, form bonds, teamwork, and its what separates humans from other animal species. Communication drives our lives and better ourselves. The importance of language is beneficial regardless if you do it for fun or for your career or even just for personal travel. It is obvious that learning languages contributes to mutual understanding, a sense of global citizenship and personal commitment. The significance of language in our lives is incomparable. It is not just restrained to being a means of communicating ones thoughts and ideas to the rest, but has also become a tool for forging friendships, cultural ties as well as economic relationships. Throughout history, learned men have reflected on the importance of language in our lives. Scholar Benjamin Whorf has noted that language shapes our thoughts and emotions and determines our perception of reality, whereas John Stuart Mill has referred language to be the light of the mind. For linguist Edward Sapir, language is not just a vehicle for carrying out expressions of thoughts, perceptions, sentiments, and values characteristic of a community, but is a representation of a fundamental expression of social identity. He also believes that language helps in maintaining the feelings of cultural kinship. The significance of language in our day-to-day living include: Language aids in developing and grooming ones personality as a whole. Since learning a language is part of our knowledge, it becomes one of the key factors in competitiveness. In the advanced industrial society of today, the basic knowledge of a single or more language has become indispensable. With the advent of the concept of globalization, people all over the globe communicate with each other and exchange ideas. Though technological advances have served as a medium for communication, you cannot deny the role played by language. Understanding of a common language has helped people to communicate, despite being from varied parts of the world. Language has become a major tool of communication between countries, cultural groups, various companies and organizations, communities and friends. Language is one of the key factors of our human developmental process, which sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom and knits a strong feeling of kinship amongst us. A baby is born without language, but even without formal training, by the age of five, the child knows several hundred words and grammar of a particular language. This is an inherent human tendency, which is extremely important for further growth. Any discrepancy seen in learning a language at such early stage might indicate certain illness in a child. In the developmental trajectory of a child, language plays an important role since it is connected with various aspects of a childs growth. Learning a language is directly related to emotional development. For instance, a baby gazing at his parents face is responded by cooing and few words of love by his parents. This retains in the babys mind and when he is a little older, he begins using language to express his emotions as well. Language is also connected to the moral development in a child. The process begins when the child is about 18 months old. The child learns the right and wrong by listening to what his parents or other adult authorities tell him. Imagine teaching the child the difference of right or wrong without the tool of language! Learning a language within the first five years of ones life is important. It is one of the best predictors of a childs later performance in school. A child who has significant speech or language delays has a high likelihood of eventually having trouble with reading, which may continue throughout school. IMPORTANCE OF LOGIC IN HUMAN AFFAIRS Logic is the study of the principles and methods of reasoning. Logic is generally based on deduction which is a method of exact inference. It is a study of correct reasoning that consist of language and reasoning. It explores how we distinguish between good (or sound) reasoning and bad (or unsound) reasoning. An instance of reasoning is called an argument or an inference. An argument consists of a set of statements called premises together with a statement called the conclusion, which is supposed to be supported by or derived from the premises. A good argument provides support for its conclusion, and a bad argument does not. Two basic types of reasoning are called deductive and inductive. A good deductive argument is said to be validthat is, the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises. A deductive argument whose conclusion does not follow necessarily from the premises is said to be invalid. The argument All human beings are mortal, all Greeks are human beings, therefore all Greeks are mortal is a valid deductive argument. But the argument All human beings are mortal, all Greeks are mortal, therefore all Greeks are human beings is invalid, even though the conclusion is true. On that line of reasoning, one could argue that all dogs, which are also mortal, are human beings. Misunderstandings commence from the heart of people who are not adept in expressing their needs and desires in a discreet and precise manner which sooner or later result to a more devastating damage like chaos and wars between confederations. Crimes like illegal and immoral acts are committed because of the endless sufferings of one whose needs are not adequately comprehended due to his poor ability of expressing himself. Major and minor dilemmas between friends, family members and other relationships are the aftermaths of ignorance in the appropriate and proper usage of language. These few and many more problems which we are facing today usually root from a distinct cause which is the lack of comprehension which could have been solved before it commenced if only the humanity learns how to study the structure of arguments and ascertain its validity and truthfulness. Indeed, the study Logic is a very vital necessity which could lead to a more vivid, harmonious and progressive future. These are some of the numerous good reasons why it is helpful to study of this subject. Logic learning can allow you to improve the quality of the arguments that you create. When you make rational disputes, you are apt to convince other people to agree with your claims. And people are much less likely to believe that you have a valid point by giving them accurate and logical justifications. The learning process will also give you the ability to evaluate the arguments of others. When you know how to understand arguments the way they are supposed to be constructed and the way they shouldnt be constructed, you will find all kinds of bad arguments out there that could weaken your opponents conclusion most especially during debates. As you argue with each other you will be able to determine the fallacies which were asserted because you will be able to critically scrutinize the rationality and authenticity of your opponents dispute. Another important aspect of Logic is Philosophical Logic and Reasoning and the importance of this in our lives include: This is essential in General Problem Solving: It helps us to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments and problems, and contributes to our capacity to organize ideas and issues to deal with questions of value. Communication Skills: Here our skills will be enhanced as we are able to present ideas through well-constructed systematic and reasoned arguments. Persuasive Powers: We will learn to build and defend our own views, to appreciate competing positions, and to indicate forcefully why we consider our own views preferable to alternatives. Writing Skills: Philosophical Logic and Reasoning teaches us interpretive writing through its examination of challenging texts, comparative writings through emphasis on fairness to alternative positions, argumentative writing through detailed portrayal of concrete examples and others. These are very important reasons why logic and reasoning matter in human affairs. They can be applied in the trained academic person life, or to the normal individual who has a desire to analyze the issues facing him/her before making a final crucial decision. Logic and Reasoning are important in career training and development on the job. In management, administration, law, finance, engineering, physics, chemistry, archeology, history and other disciplines, logic and reasoning are essential. We will be able to broaden the range of things we know and understand, be able to receive self-knowledge, foresight and a sense of direction in human affairs. We can accomplish self-discovery, expansion of consciousness, and self renewal. Therefore, when we are faced with a routine daily situation or a very difficult problem or issue to resolve, logic and reasoning are important to remember and be applied for the best or most desired results. Logic is important because it influences every decision we make in our lives. Logical thinking allows us to learn and make decisions that will affect our lifestyle. If no one thought logically, we would all be running around like chickens with our heads cut off, and nothing would make any sense. Conclusion Language is obviously a vital tool. Not only is it a means of communicating thoughts and ideas, but it forges friendships, cultural ties, and economic relationships. Language, of course, is knowledge, and in our world today knowledge is one of the key factors in competitiveness. Brains and knowledge are what create the prosperity and growth we tend to take for granted. In an advanced industrial society in an increasingly interdependent world, the knowledge of other languages becomes indispensable. Just think of how the advent of the Internet has changed our lives. For the last few years, millions of people across the world, who share common interests, are able to communicate with each other and exchange ideas. Not only are they able to do this due to the various technological advances, but also because they share a common language. The ability to think logically is of immense practical importance in our daily lives. Day after day, from moment to moment, we are busy interpreting available evidence and making predictions on what will happen next. When I walk along the sidewalk, it is my interpretation of the available evidence that leads me to the conclusion that it will be safe to put a foot forward for the next step. The moment conditions change (for example, if I hear a gunshot) I may have to reinterpret, and may then conclude that it is no longer safe to put a foot forward for a next step. Generally, logic is important in human affairs because It helps us to distinguish good argument from bad ones. It makes our thinking clear accurate. It strengthens our intellectual skills. It advances our quest for knowledge and understanding whatever is our field of interest. It enlarges our capacity to formulates argument analyse them critically.

History and Methods of Chemical Warfare

History and Methods of Chemical Warfare Cori Haws In this report I intend to investigate from the perspective of a chemist the history and development of chemical weapons systems focusing primarily on their development, and the usage throughout the 20th century to present day and the means to which they act. As a starting point it is important to clarify what is meant by a chemical weapon or CW. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons defines a chemical weapon as a toxic chemical compound or its precursor which can cause death, injury, temporary incapacitation or sensory irritation through its chemical reaction. Delivery devices designed for the delivery of chemical agents, filled or unfilled, are also considered as such. For the purpose of this report I will be focusing on the chemical agents themselves opposed to the systems used to deliver such agents. Chemical warfare generally involves the use of the known toxic properties of chemical substances in the intent cause damage to life. This is distinct from conventional warfare, most of which requires the ‘self-destructive’ properties of particular chemical reactions (2,4,6-trinitrotoluene with Oxygen), and different from Nuclear, Radiological and Biological weapons such as Hydrogen bombs, Atom bombs and weaponised Anthrax in the method of action. There are many classifications for Chemical Weapons and are defined by the way of which they in fact act on an organism. These sub-categories include; choking agents, impede a victims breathing; blister agents, irritate and poison tissue; blood agents, inhibit the ability to transfer and utilise oxygen; nerve agents, inhibits nervous system operation, and riot control agents, short term lasting low risk to life agents. It is important to mention that while some substances are inherently toxic not all are considered chemical weapons. For example raw materials, substances for medicine, herbicides and insecticides all are able to cause significant harm to life but under controlled and regulated conditions are not significantly dangerous to be classified as chemical weapons. Brief History of Chemical Weapons While chemicals have been used for warfare for a considerable amount of time, albeit in highly primitive and at the time for yet unexplained reasons. (I.e Poison arrows, molten tar and arsenic smoke), most of the use of chemical weapons in modern history is limited to World War I where Chlorine and phosgene gasses were released in large qualities during trench warfare. Notably the first use was 22nd April 1915 on the town of Ypres in Belgium, overseen by Fritz Haber, the chemist who developed the process for production of ammonia. This attack resulted in the death of 5,000. During the war several different types of chemical weapons were developed primarily by German scientists, probably the most well-known being mustard gas and derivatives. Throughout the course of the First World War it is estimated that over 90,000 were fatally wounded by chemical weapons for a total of over a million injuries by use of approximately 124,000 tons of chemical agent. The idea of the danger posed by c hemical weapons as demonstrated by the Great War was influential in the coming years as although most countries felt reluctant in developing them the fear of even deadlier weapons being used in future conflicts. Although Chemical weapons were not used during World War II, it is know that both axis and allied powers possessed chemical weapons for use in retaliation. During the Cold War, both the United States and the Soviet Union developed and maintained large stockpiles of chemical weapons in fear of use. Statistics show that at the time both superpowers possessed enough chemical agents to destroy most organic life on the planet. It is noted that during the Iraq conflicts that Saddam Hussein used a variety of agents namely Mustard Gas and nerve agents possibly including what is considered the most potent nerve agents ‘VX’, against the Kurds in 1988. This prompted the Geneva Convention to prohibit the production and prompt the destruction of Chemical Weapons Stockpiles. The most recent examples of Chemical Weapons use were the terrorist attacks in Matsumoto, Japan and in Tokyo involving the nerve agent known by its name of Sarin (GB). Sarin was also reportedly used in Syria on the residents of the Ghouta agricultural belt around Damascus on the 21st August 2013 resulting in an estimated 350-1500 deaths. Choking Agents As stated previously the most notable Choking agents which have been used in warfare originate from WWI. Chlorine as we know is a strong oxidant agent due to its high electronegativity. This fundamentally is the reason to which it is dangerous. Being highly reactive means it is likely to react with most other elements to form chloride compounds. The second reason being that in standard conditions it is a gas meaning that containing it is difficult. The preface of which Chlorine gas works as a chemical weapon is by the means of inhalation. The respiratory system itself is highly sensitive tissue surrounded by a mucus membrane. The mucus membrane is a high percentage water. When Chlorine has been inhaled especially in high concentrations it will react with the water of the mucus membrane to form Hydrochloric Acid, which causes serve irritations within the lungs, generally causing secretion of fluid into the lungs eventually resulting in what is called secondary drowning as a result of Pulmonary Edema. In extremely high concentrations even two or three breathes of chlorine gas can be fatal due to serve tissue damage. Though due to Chlorine gases reactivity it can easily be filtered from air using activated carbon which is a form of processed carbon which has pores to increase surface area to around 500m2 per gram. The chlorine will simply react with the carbon before doing any damage to human respiratory tissue. Phosgene, the second Choking agent developed also works by means of reacting with water to form Hydrochloric acid. The reaction was generally slower but unlike Chlorine gas, did not have a distinguishable odour and usually killed it’s victims within 24 hours of inhalation. Mustard/Blistering Agents Blistering agents were developed at around the same time as the previously stated choking agents. Mustard Gas was developed in 1916 for the Imperial German Army and could be synthesised in a variety of ways including reacting Sulphur Dichloride with Ethene (1), reacting Sulphur Monochloride with Ethene (2) or using Thiodiglycol and Chlorinating with Phosphorus Trichloride (3). The third reaction was generally used by the British when creating mustard. It was a cleaner way to produce it as the purity was approximately 96% whereas the second method was fast but was only 70-80% pure and as a result did not keep for long periods as it decomposed, increasing the pressure of the containers it was in meaning it generally leaked. SCl2+ 2 C2H4→ (Cl-CH2CH2)2S 8 S2Cl2+ 16 C2H4→ 8 (Cl-CH2CH2)2S + S8 3 (HO-CH2CH2)2S + 2 PCl3→ 3 (Cl-CH2CH2)2S + 2 P(OH)3 Mustard gas is a blistering agent as it bonds an Alkl group to guanine in DNA, damaging the DNA and preventing cellular division and results in cell death or development of cancer. Due to this method of acting upon a subject it was rare for a victim to suffer immediate symptoms as the damage would not be evident until the effected cells die and fail to regenerate. As Mustard gas is not very soluble in water but is highly soluble in fats resulting in rapid absorption through skin tissue. After 24 hours skin irritation would occur then large blisters would form anywhere the mustard agent came into contact with the skin resulting in chemical burns. At the time of WWI serve mustard burns where 50% of the body was burned were often fatal. A victims eyes would also become greatly effected becoming sore and swelling causing blindness. At high concentrations blistering of the respiratory system would result in internal bleeding leading to pulmonary edema much like choking agents. While many people during have been killed by the use of Mustard gas and its derivatives, it also had done the world a large amount of good as it was discovered from autopsies of mustard gas victims that there was reduced white blood cell count and after further research Nitrogen Mustard was eventually used as the first chemotherapy drug to treat diseases related to the white blood cells such as lymphoma and leukaemia. Cyanide and Blood Agents The most well-known blood agent is Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN). HCN is produced on an industrial scale as it is a vital precursor to many useful chemicals in pharmaceuticals as well as in polymers. Cyanide ions are responsible for the effects of poisoning due to the fact cyanide ions interact with the mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome c oxidase by binding to it and reducing its effectiveness effectively halting cellular respiration. As a result the cells of an organism become unable to use the oxygen in the blood generally leading to hypoxia.

A Psychological Reading of The Fountainhead :: Fountainhead

A Psychological Reading of The Fountainhead  Ã‚     Ã‚   Real independence is a trait of mind. It is a commitment to one's own perception of reality as an absolute standard of thought and action. Why was this so hard for Peter Keating to distinguish between "Self" (what I am) and "Ideal Self" (what I wish I were)? It is evident that Peter Keating's incongruent self-concept is the result of Keatings' beliefs that conditional love from others could only be obtained by distorting his experiences in order to portray the "Ideal Self". This form of personality development starts from childhood experiences and can be directly connected to the amount of congruence or incongruence of one's experience in life. Keating is a prime example of incongruency or someone that registers every little move within the environment. Keating has a constant fear of what is perceived within the consciousness of others, which he spends his entire life trying to appease and control. (Rogers, 1961) Keating is basically a hypocrite, by saying one thing and acti ng in an opposite manner. Keating is not the only hypocrite. Keating is relieved when he notices that Guy Francon is putting on a front for his benefit. It means that Francon too is a man like Keating, with the same attitude toward the consciousness of others. This way of thinking was accurately described as Ayn Rand uses Roark's words in his last courtroom speech, "The man who attempts to live for others is a dependent. He is a parasite in motive and makes parasites of those he serves. The relationship produces nothing but mutual corruption. It is impossible in concept. The nearest approach to reality - the man who lives to serve others - is the slave." ( Fountainhead, p. 680) When Keating first proposes to Dominique, he speaks rapidly, easily, and so sure of himself it was not difficult. A lie is described as an effort to manipulate the consciousness of others, a way that comes too natural to Keating. Though he is an intelligent man, not without some heart, he is fundamentally inc apable of being honest. The concept of truth, the grasp of reality in Keating's mind is different and frightening. Rand uses the terminology "second-hander" to describe the Peter Keatings' of the world. "The choice is not self-sacrifice or domination. The choice is independence or dependence. The code of the creator or the second-hander.

Outline of Marriage in the Victorian Era Essay -- Victorian Era

Outline of Marriage in the Victorian Era In the Victorian era, marriage was not as romanticized or fairytale-like as depicted in many novels of the time. On the contrary, love actually played a very minor role in the majority of matrimonies that took place. An engagement was entered into as one would approach a business deal, and there were some generally accepted rules and guidelines to follow. The Rules * It was illegal to marry your deceased wife’s sister. You could marry first cousins, but attitudes changed towards the end of the 19th century, and this became frowned upon. * Victorians were encouraged to marry within the same class (remember the views on social mobility!). They could marry up, but to marry down meant marrying beneath yourself (Soames). * A woman entering into the institute of marriage had to be equipped with a dowry. The husband-to-be had to prove that he could support his new bride in the lifestyle she was accustomed to. * An unmarried woman could inherit money and property after she reached the age of 21, but once married, all control would revert to her husband. A woman could not have a will for her own personal possessions; since the control was in her husband’s power, he could distribute her property in any way he likes, even to his illegitimate children (if he has any). * Women married because they had a lack of options; they were not formerly educated, and were only instructed in domestic duties. They needed someone to support them, and were encouraged to marry and have children ("The Rules of Marriage"). The Courtship * Marriage was a carefully contemplated subject for a woman; since she would lose control over any possessions once married, it was not somethin... ...and helped to strengthen the family line, divorce was neither economically or socially practical. It would guarantee the family losing some of its strength and influence by giving up property and wealth. Works Cited â€Å"Marriage and Divorce in Victorian England.† Charlotte's Web: A Hypertext on Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. . "The Rules of Marriage in the Victorian Era.† . Soames, Enoch. â€Å"Marriage in the Victorian Era.† The Charlock’s Shade. 18 February 2004. Wells, Richard A. â€Å"Manners Culture and Dress of the Best American Society.† King, Richardson, & Co. Publishers. Springfield, MA. 1893. .

Healthcare It Security and Cloud Computing Essay

Abstract Through the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, the federal government is pushing healthcare providers and hospitals to quickly move towards electronic documentation systems or be penalized for non-compliance. This push has presented many problems for physicians and hospitals alike. Probably the most important issue that needs to be kept in mind when making a decision on a system is security and patient privacy. These two pieces present technological challenges as well as practical challenges including where and how the patient data is captured, stored, and accessed. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996) is the dictating law that must be kept in mind when choosing a medical charting system and the devices needed to access the system. Patient data and privacy must remain confidential and protected above any other concerns regarding electronic systems. Cloud computing is a â€Å"hot-button† topic that is becoming popular in business and healthcare. The convenience of access data from anywhere and from multiple hardware platforms has many benefits, but this ease of access comes with security concerns. These concerns must be reviewed and policies put in place to ensure that confidential patient data is not exposed. Security Issues: Healthcare I.T. and Cloud Computing Introduction The digital age has brought about many changes in the way certain tasks are performed, the way communication takes place, the way education is performed, and the way that medicine is practiced. As government regulation regarding healthcare practice and reimbursement becomes more strict and requires documented evidence to back up medical decisions before Medicare or Medicaid will pay the providers, it is becoming increasingly important for medical personnel and hospitals to not only conform to the new technological standards, but to embrace the technology that is driving it. In the past, organizations were required to host, store, and back-up the data and applications that were used both inside and outside of the facilities. This presented many difficulties such as application maintenance, data storage and maintenance, and hardware maintenance. Cloud computing offers some solutions to these issues by allowing IT departments to rely less on physical hardware, perform backups and duplicate them easily to offsite facilities, and provide application support to platforms that previously were unsupported. However, this presents significant security risk and legal liabilities with regards to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) laws. Purpose The purpose of this report is to discuss the options available for implementing and accessing Electronic Medical Record Systems and the issues inherent with the different options, focusing on the security and privacy concerns specific to cloud computing. Scope This report will identify the reasons and methods for implementing cloud computing within the healthcare environment. It will also point out the security risks inherent to electronic storage of confidential health information and compounded by access to this information through the internet. As background information, the core components and functions of Healthcare IT will be discussed. The research will also cover the laws that govern the protection of PHI (personal health information), who has access to PHI, and what are the differences in the laws with regards to hosting a service versus being a user of the service. Sources and Methods of Collecting Data The research for this report was done primarily through secondary resources including the transcript from a webinar performed for healthcare IT and compliance personnel covering regulatory compliance within healthcare software as well as articles from Information Technology and Healthcare journals covering issues with security and â€Å"cloud† environments. A survey was also performed in 2009 of the physicians on active staff at Terrebonne General Medical Center. The primary research is also used to demonstrate the lack of adoption within the local physician community. Healthcare Information Technology Healthcare IT is not that different from IT in other industries. The maintenance of pc’s, servers, software, and network connectivity is the same regardless of the business. The difference between Healthcare and most other industries is that the nature of the data being held within the computer systems is incredibly personal and the protection of that data is highly regulated by government entities. Up until the last few years, it was primarily hospitals that had to be concerned with ensuring that electronic patient data was stored and protected correctly. Some technologically advanced physicians have already implemented Electronic Medical Record Systems, but most physicians are only now beginning to explore the multitude of options available due to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 by the US Congress. Applications Within the realm of healthcare, there are typically two major divisions in computer applications. There are financial systems and clinical systems. Financial systems have been adopted in most hospitals and physician offices, largely due to requirements from insurance companies and government bodies that require data to be transmitted electronically for payment. Clinical systems, however, have not been implemented wide due to lack of knowledge and workflow interruption concerns. â€Å"Elaborate training in new e-healthcare systems is not a luxury that is typically available to healthcare professionals – i.e., doctors, paraprofessionals, (e.g., nurses) and administrative personnel—because of the 24Ãâ€"7 nature and criticality of operations of healthcare organizations, especially hospitals, thus making peer interactions and support a key driver of or barrier to such e-healthcare system use† (Venkatesh, Zhang, & Sykes, 2011). Data and security While a paper could be written solely regarding the storage and maintenance of electronic data, for the purposes of this paper only an overview and best practices will be discussed. Data can be stored in a multitude of different manners, all of which have benefits and downfalls. Saving data locally to a particular computer or other device can be dangerous. Should that device fail, the data saved to it could be lost. Also, data that has been saved locally to a device is more difficult to secure and guarantee that the data will only be accessed by the appropriate person or persons. From an enterprise or business level, the best practice for data storage is to ALWAYS save data to a central location so that is can be backed up regularly and can be accessed from multiple locations. It is also recommended for larger business such as hospitals to have duplicated backups and in some cases the data may be backed up to an off-site facility for disaster management purposes. Though proper backup practices are vital, data security is just as important. Software applications such as Microsoft Active Directory and Novell NETWare are used to provide security to a computer network and the data stored within. Through these systems, users must log into individual workstations and based upon the credentials provided to this log in, the user will only be allowed to access certain portions of the data which is stored somewhere else on the network. This method of access and storage is much safer and more easily controlled than it would be if the data were stored to the hard drive of the device the user is accessing. Security has become more difficult to enforce with the increased adoption of mobile devices. The rapid growth in the number, types, and functionality of mobile devices has been stunning†¦ currently there are over 17,000 healthcare mobile applications listen in major app stores, of which 50% are directed to healthcare professionals (Laverty, Kohun, Wood, & Turchek, 2011). Securing data accessed by Smartphones, tablet computers, iPads, and other handheld devices presents a host of new difficulties. In many cases, these devices are not owned by the facility and thus are not being accessed in the same manner as desktop pc’s and laptops. Challenges Controlling devices that access patient data while working within the confines of HIPAA is a key challenge for healthcare organizations. HIPAA privacy rules apply to all healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, and business associates (Roach & Wunder, 2009). Internally, data security can be achieved by proper user habits such as logging out of a session when the user is not actively using the system, screensavers that require a password, and automatic timeouts during periods of inactivity all help to ensure that private data cannot be accessed by someone that does not have the legal rights to view the data. Many organizations undergo periodic security audits to assist in finding vulnerabilities within the systems being run. Not only is it a challenge to provide data access security, but it is even more difficult to physically secure a device that someone carries around with them and is not stationary. Some programs like Microsoft Exchange (for email) can require that a security threshold be in place before the program can be accessed from a particular device and have the ability to remotely wipe the data from a device should it become compromised. The mobile nature of handheld devices is also a major challenge. In years passed, laptop computers were the only valid threat to data being accessed from off-campus sites. As cellular data technology has gotten fast and now mobile devices can access these wireless systems from nearly anywhere, the threat of data security breaches has increased. Another challenge is keeping up dated with users that should no longer have access to the available systems. Internally, a systems administrator can keep track of employees that are still employed with the organization. It becomes a much more difficult task to police the accessibility of users outside of an organization. Cloud Computing What is cloud computing? The term â€Å"cloud† computing originates from the telecommunications world of the 1990s, when providers began using virtual private network (VPN) services for data communication. (Kaufman, Lori M.;BAE Systems, 2009) Cloud computing shares its resources among a cloud of service consumers, partners, and vendors. (Kaufman, 2009) In simpler terms, cloud computing is a shared infrastructure where hosting and accessing of services is not site specific. The data does not live only on a server in an office or building. Cloud computing can be used to offsite data backup. In lieu of housing a set of storage servers at an offsite facility, organizations can choose to back up their data to the cloud where it will be stored by someone else for a fee. The same process can be applied to applications. Rather than having to invest in expensive hardware that requires maintenance, organizations may choose to run web based applications that are hosted by someone else over the internet for a fee . Cloud computing allows for some systems to interconnect and share data, which is the end goal of electronic medical records and forming a personal health record for patients. Cloud computing has begun to take off as vendors such as Google and Apple have begun to open up their own cloud offerings. Some vendors offer these services for free, such as Google has with its Google Documents offering. Others, such as Apple’s iCloud are offered to users for a fee. Services such as these have enabled users to access personal data from anywhere at any time. Benefit to Implementing in Healthcare Though the upside to implementing EMR systems and sharing data is evident, there are drawbacks. One key concern is that practitioners will be slowed down due to the learning curve involved with using new systems. Physicians have grown accustomed to providing medicine in a certain manner, which does not always work well with electronic charting systems. Another issue at hand is who owns the data? Physicians are not always excited to share their personal notes regarding patient care. â€Å"The whole point of cloud computing is economy (Delaquis & Philbin, 2011).† With the passage of the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, physician and hospital organization reimbursement for Medicare and Medicaid will be tied to meeting certain â€Å"meaningful use† guidelines. In order to get full reimbursement for services provided, these providers are being pushed to document their practice of medicine electronically and in turn this information will be t he property of the patient and shared with other providers to ensure proper continuity of care. The idea behind this is that there will be fewer medical errors and the patient will have access to all the information necessary to make informed decisions regarding their healthcare. From a provider stand point, this means that â€Å"hopefully† all medically necessary information will be available to medical professionals in order to provide the necessary medical care and fewer errors will be made due to lack of patient health history. Electronic documentation and ordering also has a few other side effects. Fewer errors should be made due to less human intervention and interpretation of orders and, with luck, better coding and documentation of services rendered will lead to increased revenue. Because physician adoption is low, the building of personal health records is moving much more slowly (see Illustration below for EMR adoption rates at a local hospital) than the growth of cloud computing as a whole. Illustration 1 Conclusion Though there are definite risks involved with the storage and transfer of protected personal health information, the use of mobile devices in the work place is driving cloud computing and will continue to do so. In order to get healthcare providers to begin adopting electronic systems, the systems must be user friendly and work well within the flow of the practice of medicine and not inhibit the proper care from provided. The environment of healthcare is changing and the delivery of healthcare information must change with it. Patients no longer expect to just be given appropriate care, but they now insist on being involved with the decision making regarding how that care is rendered. Moving health information into a cloud environment and allowing that information to be shared will eventually lead to better healthcare for everyone, no matter which hospital the patient is in or which physician is providing the care. Works Cited Delaquis, R. S., & Philbin, G. (2011). To Cloud or Not to Cloud? Issues in Information Systems, Volume XII, No. 1, 54-58. Kaufman, Lori M.;BAE Systems. (2009, July/August). http://www.computer.org. Retrieved from IEEE Computer Society: http://www.computer.org/csdl/mags/sp/2009/04/msp2009040061.html Laverty, J. P., Kohun, F. G., Wood, D. F., & Turchek, J. (2011). Vulnerabilities and Threats to Mobile Device Security from a Practitioner’s Point of View. Issues in Information Systems; Vloume XII, No. 2, 181-193. Miller, Esp., W. J. (November 3, 2011). New World of Medical Appls: Beware Regulatory Traps! Progressive Healcare Conferences. Malvern, PA. Mishra, S., Leone, G. J., Caputo, D. J., & Calabrisi, R. R. (2011). Security Awareness for Health Care Information Systems: A HIPAA Compliance Perspective. Issues in Information Systems, Volume XII, No. 1, 224-236. Pardue, J. H., & Patidar, P. (2011). Threats to Healthcare Data: A Threat Tree for Rick Assessment. Issues in Information Systems, Volume XII, No. 1, 106-113. Paullet, K. L., Pinchot, J. L., Douglas, D., & Rota, D. R. (2011). Mobile Technology: Plugged In and Always On. Issues in Information Systems; Volume XII, No. 1, 141-150. Roach, W., & Wunder, G. (2009). Privacy Under Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996: The Impact of RFID. Issues in Information Systems, 237-241.

Quality of Life in Nigeria

The term ‘quality of life’ (QOL) refers to the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. â€Å"Warren Buffett, probably the world’s most successful investor, has said that anything good that happened to him could be traced back to the fact that he was born in the right country, the United States, at the right time (1930)†. None of us has a say in where he is born, but we can do something about it for our children.I therefore wish to discuss each factor associated with quality of life as related to Nigeria and plead for suggestions from all of us on how to improve on them so as to make this country a good place for us to live: * Material wellbeing as measured by GDP per head: The gross domestic product (GDP) or gross domestic income (GDI) is one of the measures of national income and output. GDP can be defined in three ways, which should give identical results. First, it is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a specified period of time (usually a 365-day year).Second, it is equal to the sum of the value added at every stage of production by all the industries, plus taxes and minus subsidies on products. Third, it is equal to the sum of the income generated by production like compensation of employees, taxes on production and imports less subsidies, and gross operating surplus. The gross domestic product (GDP) measures of national income and output for a given country's economy. The gross domestic product (GDP) is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time.The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Nigeria was worth 243. 98 billion US dollars in 2011. The GDP value of Nigeria represents 0. 39 percent of the world economy. GDP in Nigeria is reported by the World Bank. Historical ly, from 1961 until 2011, Nigeria GDP averaged 50. 07 USD Billion reaching an all time high of 243. 98 USD Billion in December of 2011 and a record low of 4. 40 USD Billion in December of 1961. This is low as compared to 14. 99 USD Trillion of United States in 2011. * Life expectancy at birth:Life expectancy at birth indicates the number of years a newborn infant would live if prevailing patterns of mortality at the time of its birth were to stay the same throughout its life. In other words, it contains the average number of years to be lived by a group of people born in the same year, if mortality at each age remains constant in the future. The entry includes ‘total population’ as well as the ‘male’ and ‘female’ components. Life expectancy at birth is also a measure of overall quality of life in a country and summarizes the mortality at all ages.It can also be thought of as indicating the potential return on investment in human capital and is necessary for the calculation of various actuarial measures. It is estimated to be 52. 05 years for total population, 48. 95 years for male and 55. 53 years for female (2012 estimates) in Nigeria. This is low as compared to 78 years in Qatar for example. * The quality of family life, based primarily on divorce rates: Family quality of life refers to the extent to which families’ needs are met, family members enjoy their life together, and family members have a chance to do the things that are important to them.The five domains of family quality of life are emotional well-being, parenting, family interaction, physical/material well-being, and disability-related support. * The state of political freedom: Political freedom is described as a relationship free of oppression or coercion; the absence of disabling conditions for an individual and the fulfillment of enabling conditions; or the absence of lived conditions of compulsion, e. g. economic compulsion, in a society. It can a lso refer to the positive exercise of rights, capacities and possibilities for action, and the exercise of social or group rights.The concept can also include freedom from â€Å"internal† constraints on political action or speech (e. g. social conformity, consistency, or â€Å"inauthentic† behaviour. ). The concept of political freedom is closely connected with the concepts of civil liberties and human rights, which in democratic societies are usually afforded legal protection from the state. * Job security (measured by the unemployment rate): Job security is the probability that an individual will keep his or her job; a job with a high level of job security is such that a person with the job would have a small chance of becoming unemployed.Job security is dependent on economy, prevailing business conditions, and the individual's personal skills. It has been found that people have more job security in times of economic expansion and less in times of a recession. Also, some laws (such as the U. S. Civil Rights Act of 1964) bolster job security by making it illegal to fire employees for certain reasons. Unemployment rate is a good indicator of job security and the state of the economy and is tracked by economists, government officials, and banks.Typically, government jobs and jobs in education, healthcare and law enforcement are considered very secure while private sector jobs are generally believed to offer lower job security and it usually varies by industry, location, occupation and other factors. Personal factors such as education, work experience, job functional area, work industry, work location, etc. , play an important role in determining the need for an individual's services, and impacts their personal job security.Since job security depends on having the necessary skills and experience that are in demand by employers, which in turn depend on the prevailing economic condition and business environment, individuals whose services are in dema nd by employers will tend to enjoy higher job security. To some extent, job security also varies by employment laws of each country. A worker in Continental Europe, if asked about his job security, would reply by naming the type of statutory employment contract he has, ranging from temporary (no job security) to indefinite (virtually equivalent to ‘tenure' n US universities but across the whole economy). However, people's job security eventually depends on whether they are employable or not, and if businesses have a need for their skills or not, so although employment laws can offer some relief and hedge from unemployment risk, they only have a marginal contribution to job security of individuals. Fact is, individuals need to have the right skill set to have good job security. | * Climate (measured by two variables: the average deviation of minimum and maximum monthly temperatures from 14 degrees Celsius; and the number of months in the year with less than 30mm rainfall):Clima te change poses a wide range of risks to population health – risks that will increase in future decades, often to critical levels, if global climate change continues on its current trajectory. The three main categories of health risks include: (i) direct-acting effects (e. g. due to heat waves, amplified air pollution, and physical weather disasters), (ii) impacts mediated via climate-related changes in ecological systems and relationships (e. g. rop yields, mosquito ecology, marine productivity), and (iii) the more diffuse (indirect) consequences relating to impoverishment, displacement, resource conflicts (e. g. water), and post-disaster mental health problems. Climate change thus threatens to slow, halt or reverse international progress towards reducing child under-nutrition, deaths from diarrheal diseases and the spread of other infectious diseases. Climate change acts predominantly by exacerbating the existing, often enormous, health problems, especially in the poorer pa rts of the world.Current variations in weather conditions already have many adverse impacts on the health of poor people in developing nations, and these too are likely to be ‘multiplied' by the added stresses of climate change. A changing climate thus affects the prerequisites of population health: clean air and water, sufficient food, natural constraints on infectious disease agents, and the adequacy and security of shelter. A warmer and more variable climate leads to higher levels of some air pollutants and more frequent extreme weather events.It increases the rates and ranges of transmission of infectious diseases through unclean water and contaminated food, and by affecting vector organisms (such as mosquitoes) and intermediate or reservoir host species that harbour the infectious agent (such as cattle, bats and rodents). Changes in temperature, rainfall and seasonality compromise agricultural production in many regions, including some of the least developed countries, th us jeopardising child health and growth and the overall health and functional capacity of adults.As warming proceeds, the severity (and perhaps frequency) of weather-related disasters will increase – and appears to have done so in a number of regions of the world over the past several decades. Therefore, in summary, global warming, together with resultant changes in food and water supplies, can indirectly cause increases in a range of adverse health outcomes, including malnutrition, diarrhea, injuries, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and water-borne and insect-transmitted diseases.Health equity and climate change have a major impact on human health and quality of life, and are interlinked in a number of ways. The report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health points out that disadvantaged communities are likely to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden of climate change because of their increased exposure and vulnerability to health threats. O ver 90 percent of malaria and diarrhea deaths are borne by children aged 5 years or younger, mostly in developing countries.Other severely affected population groups include women, the elderly and people living in small island developing states and other coastal regions, mega-cities or mountainous areas. Climate change can lead to dramatic increases in prevalence of a variety of infectious diseases. Beginning in the mid-70s, there has been an â€Å"emergence, resurgence and redistribution of infectious diseases†. Reasons for this are likely multicausal, dependent on a variety of social, environmental and climatic factors, however, many argue that the â€Å"volatility of infectious disease may be one of the earliest biological expressions of climate nstability†. Though many infectious diseases are affected by changes in climate, vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever and leishmaniasis, present the strongest causal relationship. Malaria in particular, which kills approximately 300,000 children annually, poses the most imminent threat. Often it is argued that Africa need not care about climate change because in global dimensions Africa itself produces negligible greenhouse gases. Climate change is primarily caused by the developed countries, so they should be the ones dealing with it.However, it is the bitter irony of destiny that Africa contributes least of all the continents to the climate change, but will probably suffer most from its consequences. According to economists it is a typical case of negative external effects, an externalisation of costs: A noninvolved party bears the costs of a third party’s actions. As Africa is exposed to a number of resource-consuming stressors (ranging from HIV to corruption to permanent crises and conflicts), comparatively few resources remain to react proactively on the climate change.Seeing the climate change as an external shock to the continent caused by the externalisation of costs of a third party, payments and assistance can be considered to be a reasonable way to compensate Africa for the negative climate effects. Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that the rapid onset of climate change is subsiding. Even if we miraculously managed to stop all greenhouse gas emissions, we would still be faced with the potentially irreversible changes we have already brought.Thus, it is essential that we adapt to these changing conditions. Our response will be both reactive and anticipatory and will need to take place at many levels (legislative, engineering and personal-behaviour). In response to malaria we will need to, for example, improve the quality and accessibility of health services, identify and target response towards vulnerable populations, improve our modelling and surveillance capacity, and implement broad-based public education campaigns. Personal physical security ratings (based primarily on recorded homicide rates and ratings for risk from crime and terro rism): Physical security is primarily concerned with restricting physical access by unauthorized people (commonly interpreted as intruders) to controlled facilities, although there are other considerations and situations in which physical security measures are valuable (for example, limiting access within a facility and/or to specific assets, and environmental controls to reduce physical incidents such as fires and floods).Security inevitably incurs costs and, in reality, it can never be perfect or complete – in other words, security can reduce but cannot entirely eliminate risks. Given that controls are imperfect, strong physical security applies the principle of defense in depth using appropriate combinations of overlapping and complementary controls. Physical security is not uniquely human. The practice of actively defending a territory against intruders or opponents is very common in the animal kingdom. Physical security is also not a modern phenomenon. The technology is continually evolving along with the threats.Physical security controls that were considered adequate in the past tend to be insecure today due to advances in the knowledge and capabilities of attackers. The goal of physical security is to convince potential attackers that the likely costs of attack exceeds the value of making the attack, e. g. that consequences of a failed attack may well exceed the gain. The combination of layered security features establishes the presence of territoriality. The initial layer of security for a campus, building, office, or other physical space uses crime prevention through environmental design to deter threats.Some of the most common examples are also the most basic: warning signs or window stickers, fences, vehicle barriers, vehicle height-restrictors, restricted access points, security lighting and trenches. However, even passive things like hedgerows may be sufficient in some circumstances. * Quality of community life (based on membership in soci al organisations): The community life of a set of people is based on their culture. Community life is almost the same with culture of the people and this entails activities within the regulation and scope of culture which morality also takes cognizance of.The number and kinds of people in a community have a great influence on type of community/social living, and this is where the traditions of such people have a great role to play. Traditions are the customs, practices, bits of legend and folklore and legends go a long way in establishing the community life, that tangible quality which makes it different in spirit from other communities in the same circumstances. Similarly, people in a community share legends and bits of folklore and this common heritage from the past gives people a sense of community solidarity. Governance (measured by ratings for corruption): There are various reasons why the situation has come to this dangerous abyss but when compared to other societies, it is ob vious that Nigeria lack a home grown ruling class that in addition to everything else should set the direction of the nation by detailing set objectives and the steps and aims necessary to achieve desired goals. What obtains today is the governance of Nigeria by a political structure whose main objective is to take and plunder the land without giving back anything to the country.According to the oxford English dictionary governance mean to rule over, be in power over, exercise control over and hold sway over. In other words governance is a form of dictatorship. As it applies to Nigeria, governance is a peculiar form of dictatorship presently exercising a domineering paralytic control and power over the Nigerian people. A few group of people and their families have decided to hold power over everyone else in Nigeria since the British dictatorship handed over power to them in 1960.These few individuals also inherited the same principle of divide and rule as well as the indirect rule s ystem which foster tribalism, ethnicism, disunity and other by products including lack of peace, injustice, unfairness, bribery, corruption 419inism to just name a few of sowed and grown social environment that exist in Nigeria today. Today’s political structure takes origin right from the post colonial days and in the South Nigeria for example the NCNC and Action Group recognized and recruited sworn loyalists who were distributed to each ethnic clan/zones who in turn recruited from villages and wards.When these parties are in the seat of government political looting is transmitted downwards and during election these recruits manage the result of the election to favour the looting political structure. In the North until recently when few changes has begun to occur in the middle belt the Emirs and village heads continued from where they stopped with the British. Nothing in that inherited structure has changed. The various military interludes in government did not affect the st ructure but merely substituted traditional rulers in place of the party loyalists.However where the previous immediate post colonial governors did manage to provide some public amenities these present political structure have only one objective and that is filling their pockets with the Shell distributed foreign exchange and to set up family dynasties of their own. In addition to this political structure is the state machinery, a fearsome, lethal and ruthless organ that has a mind of its own that is almost alien to this world. They provide the muscle for the political structure. Then there are the activities of CIA and FBI.It is no secret that every man who has strategic position in the government of Nigeria both in the executive and political arm has a CIA or Scotland Yard or Mossad agent as confidante and as a friend. Recent figures quoted by the Swedish information on countries show that there are 65 international agencies operating in Nigeria that have no economic or social rele vance and that these figures do not include the security agencies or the activities of Israel, Arabs and the Palestinians that parasite on Nigeria.The bottom line is that the brain box and factors that programme the existing political and administrative structure of Nigeria are in foreign hands. There is urgent need for a ruling class that will effect change to halt the present state of affairs and to make Nigeria a place to benefit her people now and generation to come. * Gender equality (measured by the share of seats in parliament held by women): Gender equality implies that men and women should receive equal treatment unless there is a sound biological reason for different treatment.The concept based on the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, and the ultimate aim is to provide equality in law and equality in social situations, especially in democratic activities and securing equal pay for equal work and for example Equal Rights Amendment in United States. Significant gen der gaps in education, economic empowerment and political participation remain in Nigeria. While progress towards parity in primary school education has been made, there remains a significant wage and labour force participation gender gap.Discriminatory laws and practices, violence against women and gender stereotypes hinder greater progress towards gender equality. Nigeria has a particularly high maternal mortality rate and women access to quality health care is limited, particularly in rural areas Nigeria has a National Gender Policy which focuses on women empowerment while also making a commitment to eliminate discriminatory practices which are harmful to women.The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria prohibits discrimination on the grounds of gender, but customary and religious laws continue to restrict women’s rights. As Nigeria is a federal republic, each state has the authority to draft its own legislation. However, any law which is contradictory to Federal Law or the Constitu tion can be challenged in a Federal Court and cannot subsist. The combination of federation and a tripartite system of civil, customary and religious law makes it very difficult to harmonise legislation and remove discriminatory measures.Moreover, certain states in the north follow Islamic (Sharia) law, although not exclusively and only in instances where Muslims make use of Islamic courts. Adherence to Islamic law reinforces customs that are unfavourable to women, including those relating to freedom of movement, and to marriage and inheritance. As of 2006, the Abolition of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women in Nigeria and other Related Matters Bill was under consideration; it is unclear whether this has been promulgated into law.Nigeria ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1985, and the Optional Protocol in 2004. The country ratified the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa in 2005. Nigeria’s Human Development Index score for 2011 is 0. 459, placing it in 156th place (out of a total of 187 countries). Nigeria is ranked 120th in the 2011 Global Gender Gap Index (out of 135 countries), with a score of 0. 6011.