Korean Wave Being South Korea’s Economic Growth Booster Essay

Korean Wave is the growing aspiration to know more about South Korean culture. South Korea itself is an export-orientated country with a total trade volume of 884.2 billion in 2010, which makes South Korea the 7th largest exporter and 10th largest importer in the world. The cultural sector is the second biggest contributor after technological sector to the South Korea’s economic growth. The goods produced by the cultural sector are brought by the Korean Wave not only to the Asian but also to the American and Western markets. Korean Wave does give big contribution to South Korean’s economy through movies, pop music, tourism, and traditional arts. When we think of Korean Wave, we should mainly think of Korean drama and film industries. For example, the Korean wave took an extra boost with the popular TV dramas like â€Å"Winter Sonata† and â€Å"Jewel Palace†. For film, we can take â€Å"Old Boy† and â€Å"Bin Jip† as examples, which were extremely popular, even in Europe. The fact that importing a Korean dramas is a lot cheaper than having to purchase it from any other country can be a reason as well as the emotionally powerful plots they have. Besides Korean movies, Korean pop music also deserves a place on the list of exported Korean culture. K-Pop or Korean Pop is a musical genre originating in South Korea consisting of pop, dance, electropop, hip hop, rock, R&B, and electronic music. Let’s say Super Junior, 2NE1, SNSD, Wonder Girls, Big Bang, 2PM, JYP, IU, and many more, who does not know them? In 2011, these groups and singers have donated 35 trillion rupiah to South Korea’s GDP. These idols have a big impact on their fans’ culture, including food, fashion, make-up trends, and even plastic surgery. Leading talent agencies such as S.M. Entertainment Co. and YG Entertainment said recent concerts held by Korean entertainers in the United States and Europe have shown the potential for growth in markets outside of Asia. Korean big business is trying to transform those fans into consumers of Korean products and services. Korean Wave is exposing the â€Å"beauty attracts† that both of their celebrities and the places used by their popular movies have. The locations of the Korean movies took place has become a main destination for tourists. These tourists are mostly the fans who are willing to collect all their savings and travel to Korea just to see the place where their favorite scene in their movie took place, or even to watch their idols on a live show. The filming location of †Full House† in Shido Island, â€Å"Jewel in the Palace† in Daejanggeum Theme Park, Winter Sonata in Nami Island, and so on. Another tourism spots that people aim to visit in Korea are â€Å"Locks of Love† in Namsan Tower, a historic pagoda-style gateway Namdaemun, and another shopping places like Myeong-dong shopping area and Busan market. South Korea is also well-known as a hot spot for medical tourism, the country is expanding its one-stop plastic surgery centers to deal with the influx of foreigners flying in for surgical procedures. The government’s goal is to attract one million foreign patients by 2020. Thus, interest in flying to Korea is rising, so is the national income. There are also some Korean traditional arts that interest foreigners to visit Korea. They are like Hanok, Jeongjae, Buchaechum, Nongok, and Taepyeongmu. Hanok is Korean traditional house, whereas Jeongjae , Buchaechum, Nongok, and Taepyeongmu are Korean tradional dances. And don’t forget the Korean ceramics and Korean pottery, that most of them are went to Japan The road to Korean Wave is trodden everyday by new visitors who are warmly welcomed by Korean people and fascinated by the culture. The drive to know more about Korea stimulates Korean Wave to develop into more sophisticated cultural forms, which in turn, brings Korean Wave to a higher level. With this Korean Wave showing the advanced condition of South Korea itself, another countries’ awareness to invest in South Korea increases.

Htm100 – Assignment 1 – Careers in Lodging and Food and Beverage Industries

Careers in Lodging and Food and Beverage Industries Name School HTM 100 Professor Name February 3, 2013 Careers in Lodging and Food and Beverage Industries The hospitality industry is a very lucrative and rewarding career choice. Choosing a career in this field is not for the faint at heart. A career in this industry requires an individual that is ambitious, self-motivated, and has a charismatic personality. However, the hard work comes with many personal and financial rewards. Hospitality covers all careers that can come underneath the lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, and tourism.However, this paper will go in depth explaining the role of general management, growth of employment, and human resource practices that should be used when hiring within the lodging and food and beverage industries. The management careers that are available in the lodging and the food and beverage industries are general manager, director of food and beverage, executive hous ekeeper, director of security, executive chef and quite a few more. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar a year business, and having excellent management and support staff is critical to the success of the business.Management is a very important key factor within the lodging and the food and beverage industries. This is why having an excellent General Manager is so critical to the success of the many organizations that exist within the lodging and food and beverage industry. A General Manager or (GM) has broad, overall responsibility for a business or organization. A General Manager has the power to hire, fire, or promote employees. A manager may be responsible for one functional area, however the General Manager is responsible for all areas.A General Manager is responsible for higher level planning than a manager. A General Manager is often responsible for the overall strategic planning and direction of the company or organization and leaves the day-to-day managemen t of the various functions to the managers (F. John Reh, 2013). In the lodging industry the General Manager or (GM) is responsible for making sure all facets of the hotel or lodging structure is running properly. They must provide owners with a reasonable return on investment, keep guest satisfied and returning, and keep employees happy.This may seem easy, but because there are so many interpersonal transactions and because hotels are open every day, all day, the complexities of operating become challenge that the general manager must face and overcome. The GM not only focuses on leading and operating the hotel departments but also on aspects of the infrastructure, from room atmosphere to security (Walker, 2013). If a restaurant is inside of a hotel, then the food and beverage division is overseen by the general manager of the hotel.In this scenario the person that runs the food and beverage division is referred to as the director of food and beverage. In this case, the director rep orts to the general manager of the hotel. However, if there is a free standing restaurant, bar, or lounge; there is a general manager who is responsible for the entire operations of that establishment. If the restaurant, bar, or lounge is a freestanding establishment, the owner will sometimes double as the general manager and do the job on their own without hiring someone.Sometimes owners will hire an individual to fill the job as General Manager, especially if they have invested in a restaurant and do not have any experience in how to run it properly. If the food and beverage establishment is located within a hotel even though the general manager is responsible for all aspects of the hotel, as stated earlier, the GM depends on the director of food and beverages to run this division. The director of food and beverage has many job duties and is responsible for the efficient and effective operation of the following departments: * Kitchen/Catering/Banquet * Restaurants/Room Service/Min ibars Lounges/Bars/Stewarding When taking all of the above areas in consideration, it could be stated that it could be harder to oversee the food and beverage division within hotel than in a freestanding restaurant. This is because a freestanding restaurant does not have to oversee room service and minibars that are located in the guest rooms. When reviewing all of the departments that a general manager is responsible for within the lodging and the food and beverage industries, it would make one wonder what is the overall growth rate within this industry. As far as restaurants are concerned, growth is looking strong for this year.According to the National Restaurant Association, many private sector jobs were added in the fourth quarter of 2012. â€Å"Two days after a Commerce Department release that showed real gross domestic product (GDP) contracted for the first time in more than three years, the latest jobs report boosted economic spirits with stronger than expected private sect or hiring in the fourth quarter of 2012. Despite the mixed signals, the underlying fundamentals of the economy remain positive, which points toward an improving business environment in 2013 (National Restaurant Association, 2013).The restaurant industry is not the only one that has a pleasant future. The hotel industry also seems to have a bright and optimistic future. Look at what the Bureau of Labor Statistics had to say. â€Å"The vast majority of workers in the hospitality industry — more than eight out of 10 in 2004 — were employed in service and administrative support  positions. Employment of hotel, motel and resort desk clerks is expected to grow faster than some other occupations in the industry. Hotels also employ many workers in part-time and seasonal jobs. Hospitality industry fear not!Despite an unemployment rate that’s higher than the national average, hotel jobs and hospitality jobs are actually on the rise. Projected to grow 17. 7% through 201 4, the most popular hotel jobs and hospitality jobs continue to be waiters and waitresses. Oh, and the employment rate for hospitality jobs is at an all-time high as well† (AOL JOBS, 2013). Now that it has been established that the lodging and food and beverage industries have made it through the recession and is a strong and growing industry; what does a general manager do to make sure they are hiring the best possible employees?Many may think that anyone can work in the hospitality industry, but nothing is further from the truth. The hospitality industry requires an individual that is hard working, flexible, and a warm, confident personality. These are the following attributes a general manager should look for when hiring a potential employee. * Communication – when interviewing look for eye contact and well-formed answers to interview questions. * Multi-Tasking – look for examples from their past work indicate an ability to multi-task by asking two or three pr onged questions that relate to slightly different topics. Attitude – look for a candidate that smiles and provides answers to questions that hint at optimism. * Flexibility – look for open-minded candidates who can explain to you why flexibility is important. The above qualities are exactly what an employee needs to possess in order to be an asset to the hiring organization. In conclusion, the lodging and food and beverage industries are very challenging but lucrative industries.Both industries have made it through the recession and now that people are starting to travel and eat out more it is more imperative than ever that this industry has quality employees to keep their guest happy and the industry moving forward. One of the areas of importance is that organizations in this industry hire general managers that are able to keep their business successful by doing the most important part of hospitality which is keeping their guest happy. It is also imperative that the g eneral managers make the proper hiring choices when filling positions within their organization.If all facets of the business are met, this can ensure the length and prosperity of the lodging and food and beverage industries. References . AOL JOBS. (2013). Hospitality & hotel jobs outlook. Retrieved from http://jobs. aol. com/hospitality-jobs/ F. John Reh. (2013). General manager. Retrieved from http://management. about. com/od/policiesandprocedures/g/gm1. htm Labor Systems Job Center. (2013). What makes a good hospitality employee? Retrieved from http://blog. laborsystems. com/2010/12/01/what-makes-a-good-hospitality-employe

W6 Legal Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

W6 Legal Discussion - Essay Example In effect, taxes are in place to ensure that people stay responsible and give back to society from what society gives to them. On this basis, it becomes very questionable to think of taxing organizations such as non-profit health institutions whose sole approach to doing business is to help the people within their territories instead of making profits. As the adage is said, unto him much is given, much is required. However, these non-profit hospitals make no profits, based on which they will have to produce any taxes. Apart from the fact that non-profit hospitals do not make any profits based on which they will be taxed, it is also important to realize the fact that these hospitals make their contributions to society through the low cost and in some cases free medical service they provide (Walker, 2005). Because the fundamental wisdom behind the need to have taxes is to ensure that citizens become responsible to their countries, it will be argued that the efforts and activities of these hospitals are contributing and responsible enough for them not to be taxed. Consequently, the idea of tax exemption for non-profit hospitals is strongly supported. Stuart and Showalter (2011) acknowledged that in the administration of health institutions, monetary strength is very crucial. What this means is that at every point in time, the hospitals must be in a position to have sufficient funding to run their internal management affairs. Based on this understanding, an idea to tax the hospitals that are not for profit would only be a means of further depriving the hospitals from becoming financially independent. Having said this, the need for there to be sufficient scrutiny of the non-profit hospitals to ensure that they live up to the reasons for which they are tax exempted will be advocated. It is important that there will be sufficient auditing to ensure that hospitals do not take advantage of the country in the name of

Markting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Markting - Essay Example without his own father, he is often conflicted and this conflict that he faces leads to the death of his guardian, Uncle Ben and when he confronts the alter ego, Green Goblin, who is the embodiment of evil as well as the father of his best friend. Though he manages to kill Goblin, when his friend Harry arrives on the scene, he has to hide the fact about Goblin’s true identity as Harry’s father. Spiderman walks away from the scene with the words of Uncle Ben, â€Å"With great power comes great responsibility† echoing in his ears. Thus, the conflict that is portrayed in the movie is about how with power comes a responsibility to make sense of the complex world and wield power in a responsible manner. This is applicable to the project of American expansion abroad where the US and its government have to confront evil as well as behave with responsibility. The movie was a record grosser and part of the success of the movie had to do with the way it sends a message to the leaders to act in a sensible manner. Power has to be wielded in the real world considering the Janus faced human nature. However, it has to be tempered with caution and prudence lest it might create more enemies in the process. This is the essential conflict facing the US in its â€Å"War on Terror†. The TV show chosen is Larry King Live and this show airs on a daily basis throughout the week on CNN. It is no exaggeration to say that Larry King is one of the most influential people in the US and this is mainly due to the appeal he has on audiences, both domestic and international. The show interviews people who have been in the news and takes us into the inner landscape of these newsmakers. Larry King probes and probes real hard. The show grossed record audiences in the run up to the Presidential election of 2008 with the appearance of the campaign teams from both sides including the candidates as well. The way in which it covered the national conventions along with the campaigns of the respective

Business Entities Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Entities - Case Study Example This is especially important in the aviation industry since the risk of loss is considerably higher as the investment is higher. Therefore if the company faces any loss, Stanton would not have to bear the loss from his individual pocket. Most entities formed in the aviation industry as limited liability companies because of this main reason (Speciale, 2006). Another benefit of his form of business entity is that Stanton can choose this own tax paying option. As a member of the LLC, Stanton can chose to either be taxed as a sole proprietorship as he was doing before of he can choose to be taxed as partnership or a corporation. Since Stanton would have to pay low taxes as a sole proprietor given the current tax rates, he should opt for taxing his LLC as sole proprietor (Speciale, 2006). However, turning the business into an LLC is not without its cons. Stanton would have to face certain disturbances in the business. This primarily includes filing the proper paperwork for turning the company into an LLC which is a long process. Changing the company from sole proprietorship to Limited Liability Company also requires certain investment and the company is no longer a small company operated by one single owner. Also when new members would enter the business, the paperwork for the company would naturally increase as for every major decision, written approvals from the members would be required (Speciale, 2006). Apart from this, Stanton, by choosing to form an LLC would require new members to join the company. This, in turn, would mean loss of full control over the company. Right now, Stanton is the only investor, manager and controller of the business and therefore he can make any decisions regarding the business. However, when new members will bring their investment in the business, they would demand certain control over the business. As a result, control over the decision making process would be shared (Speciale, 2006). Also Stanton would now

Business Requirement Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Requirement Analysis - Essay Example Running business is not only keeping organization’s website on Internet and driving it simply; It has a full modus operandi that shows the business to consumer; compel them to make business to hat organization, upgrading the site as required, etc. Tamba Internet (1994 - 2007), clearly says in their website â€Å"All successful e-commerce sites follow two vital rules: Goods are clearly and attractively displayed for maximum visual impact; and the customer experience is simple and pleasurable.† Following are few major points that should be kept in mind while transferring your website on air. ï‚ § Consumers are busy ï‚ § Life is boring and dull ï‚ § Price Matters ï‚ § Needs are only resource to compel consumer to buy ï‚ § Competition i.e., Number of same products in the market ï‚ § Internet Bandwidth ï‚ § Consumer information is a private mania ï‚ § Money is what organization wants to earn ï‚ § Government Laws of the country ï‚ § Different Languages around the globe If above mentioned points are prolonged; it is being said that to every point there is a reason and these reasons can allow the designer to design an eye-catching business websites. Consumers are busy: Keeping this idea in mind leads the designer to design a business website that takes no time to acknowledge the consumer about the business and products the company deals in This can be done by placing more pictures and less easy text. The website should be in a manner for the viewer that one can gets to latest updates immediately. Life is boring and dull: This idea may leads to make the website using decent but eye-catching. Obviously, business sites are for mature beings and they don't prefer the bright and funky colors. To make it more attractive a light audio can be added. Some flash videos for advertisements of the own business products. Price Matters: Expensive products are only seems good if they are known to be designer products. But if to make the e-commerce works best for the business, prices should be in the range when people from middle class family can also afford them with the taxes and delivery charges. In the globe around, no doubt people have money to buy things that give them comfort but those people are less and people buying products when needed are more. Needs are only resource to compel consumer to buy: Wishes and needs make the consumer buy the product. So to achieve good e-commerce, the site must be full of attractive text and images. Product profile must have words that realize the consumer that this product is the only thing he/she requires. Competition i.e., Number of same products in the market: Competition makes e-commerce tougher as consumers instead of shop online prefer to go to market and look different products of the same kind at same place and choose the one best fits to their pockets and needs. Though to make the place in the market, Advertisements should be strong and price should be fixed and competitive to other products in the market. Internet Bandwidth: To provide the e-commerce business site to all standard of consumers, web site designers should take care that they don't upload heavy flash video etc. that takes time to load on a simple dial up Internet browsers. As all Internet don't provide good bandwidth and due to this reason many consumers may escape. Moreover, sometimes loading of heavy material takes time which consumer is always short of

What are some of the techniques or processes that can be employed to Essay

What are some of the techniques or processes that can be employed to evaluate health policy as opposed to evaluating a specific health intervention - Essay Example Grossly, there are three types’ measures which are used for evaluation (Gilson et al, 1975). They include ‘measures of structure, measures of process and measure of outcomes’. Measures of structure and process evaluate the strategies behind the policy while the measures of outcome assess the effects of the policy on the affected population. Community participation in the evaluation of any health policy is of prime importance and deliberative approaches when used by the concerned authorities are successful in yielding information which leads to the development of effective and appropriate modifications in any health programme (Gregory et al, 2008). A specific health intervention which has definite end points like the success of Polio immunization can be simply evaluated by taking the total figures of immunization doses administered (process measure) and demonstrable data of less occurrence of Polio (outcome measure) (Gilson et al, 1975). On the other hand more comp licated policies like evaluating the outcome of preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s disease might need more through data collection, research and analysis. Evaluation of a health programme involves the general processes like audit and quality assurance to determine whether predetermined standards have been met (Bowling, 2002). It may be directly focussed on patients in relation to treatment and care, evaluation of specific biochemical indicators or on the measurement of broader quality of life of the patients. Outcome of medical interventions from social, psychological, physical and economic perspectives are measured (Bowling, 2002). Gregory J., Hartz-Karp J. & Watson R (2008) Using deliberative techniques to engage the community in policy development, Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2008, 5:16, retrieved online September 17, 2009 from

How successful is the EU in providing a regional response to the Essay

How successful is the EU in providing a regional response to the problems arising from globalisation - Essay Example e the United States, Canada and Mexico share NAFTA, the North American Free-Trade Agreement, much of Western, Central, and now Eastern Europe subscribes to the tenants of economic and political integration through what is arguably one of the most potent transnational organizations in the world, the European Union. The EU today has more than two dozen members and is in the process of further expansion. Will Turkey one day join the European nation of families? Will Serbia, the largest state of the former Yugoslavia, regain the favor of Western Europe and one day become a full-fledged member of the European Union? To what extent has the European Union been successful in providing a regional response to the problems arising from globalization? Globalisation has provided increased political pressures for the EU to expand and this arguably is the major challenge that it has faced over the past 20 years (Fierke & Wiener, 1999, 44-46). Seeking to analyse the EU’s pressures to expand i n a globalised world, the following aims to address how the EU has responded in a holistic fashion to expansion in an era globalisation. Created following the tumultuous events of the Second World War, the European Economic Community was an important precursor for the establishment of the European Union. Accordingly, the European Union is an international organization which is estimated to generate 30% of the worlds total Gross Domestic Product (Almond et al, 2002, 100). As an economic powerhouse with significant stature on the global stage, the European Union is presently in the process of increasing its membership and aims for near total European integration in the political, judicial, economic and social spheres (Almond et al, 2002, 101). The evolution of the European Union has occurred in tandem with the globalisation of the world community and the EU has fundamentally changed in composition since its inception. Accordingly, since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the EU has

Descriptive Statistics. Dearborn Park Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Descriptive Statistics. Dearborn Park - Essay Example While quantitative methods primarily apply systematic approaches that involve numerical data manipulation, qualitative techniques use a different approach which is largely ethnographic and involves description and explanation of findings (Beebe, 2012). Quantitative methods of data collection and analysis have been given greater weight in this study with descriptive statistics being allocated a central role in trying to analyze and explain the findings of the study. Sampling techniques used According to Beebe (2012), a statistical sample of any given population can be tested through quantitative techniques to provide answers to research questions or to test hypotheses. This study was carried out by sampling the population for the purpose of coming up with quality research findings covering a manageable area and population. Dearborn Park was used as a case study to determine the social and physical benefits of parks and recreation as well as important factors affecting them. For this r eason there was no sampling per se as the population of the park was considered as a whole. Basically this was made possible by the fact that the data for the park is available on the internet through various websites. All the other features and properties of the park that form part of the data collected were collected from the entirety of the park and thus no part thereof was sampled as a representative. Data collection and instruments used In this research, three main methods of data collection were applied; observation, telephony and search from the internet. Observation was carried out by the researcher visiting the area and recording all relevant information and data that could be observed with the help of park guides. The information collected through observation mainly included park activities, the general settings and environment of the settlement, demographic and other similar information; the researcher visited the park twice, once during the weekdays and once during the w eekend so as to get the contrast between those two periods in terms of residential activities. Telephony was applied when additional information was needed about the park both before the visit and after. The researcher basically called the park manager and asked any relevant questions related to the study. The researcher especially called the manager to get information about the size of playground, tennis court, open fields of the park. The final and most productive source of data for the study was the internet. Most of the quantitative data for the park was obtained from various websites dealing with recreational parks in the USA. Information about parks and their demographics was obtained from websites with park data, other specific information about issues related to the parks such as health and crime was obtained from websites dealing with the specific issues in relation to estates. Search Strategy For data to be gathered from websites, a good search strategy targeting the most relevant websites was required so as to get quality information. The search strategy included identification of the main key words related to the topic of study and Dearborn Park. Some of the main phrases used included ‘Dearborn Park LA’, ‘Dearborn Park statistic’, and ‘Dearborn Park LA characteristics’. Databases searched included OARE, EBSCO HOST and MEDLINE. Findings The tables below present the data findings of the study. Each of the tables presents

Christmas - 8th Grade Expository Example Essay Example for Free

Christmas 8th Grade Expository Example Essay â€Å"City sidewalks, busy sidewalks dressed in holiday style†¦ In the air, there’s a feeling of Christmas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My favorite holiday has always been Christmas. I love everything about it! One of the best things about Christmastime is that we get such a long time off from school. In addition to that, my family flies back home to Pennsylvania in December, so we always get to see snow. We also spend time with family and friends playing games and exchanging gifts, which is always a lot of fun. Of all the holidays, I think Christmas is the best! Towards the end of December, we all really need a break, and Christmas Break comes at just the right time, lasting just over two weeks! It’s so nice to have off from school at a time when there’s great holiday music on the radio and great sales in all the stores. Not to mention the fantastic foods filling my plate as I go to all the holiday get-togethers. I don’t like too many gatherings, though, sometimes I just like to rest. I try to spend most of my time on the long break relaxing and enjoying family. Speaking of family, I get to fly back home to Pennsylvania over Christmas Break to visit my relatives. It is always snowy in Pennsylvania in December, so that’s an exciting part our vacation for my sister and me. We go to my cousins’ house and ride four wheelers in the snow, pulling inner tubes behind them. Our parents usually get some great videos of us playing in the snow. Last year we stayed outside so long in a snowstorm, that our hair was caked with snow by the time we came in! It looked like we had white dreadlocks! It is always so fun having adventures with my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents back home in Pennsylvania. In addition to all of our snowy adventures, we also spend lots of time indoors with famil y and friends playing games and exchanging gifts. My grandma buys tons of little gifts – mostly candy and dollar store items, but a few nice things, too – that she wraps up and uses as prizes in a game that the whole family plays. There are about twenty of us sitting around her long dining room table, and we roll dice for about two minutes. Whenever anyone rolls doubles, they get to take a present. When all the presents are gone, but there’s still time on the clock, you get to steal someone else’s present! It’s kind of hard to explain, but it’s the most fun our family has at the holidays. Spending time with all of my family over Christmas Break is a great time that is very special to me†¦and getting little gifts is an added bonus! Just like most people I know, I think Christmas is the best holiday ever! Having such a long time off from school is a much-needed break in the middle of the school year. Because the break is so long, my family can fit in time to fly back home to Pennsylvania to have some fun playing in the snow. The fun continues indoors with family games and gifts, always a highlight of the vacation. This vacation is something I look forward to all year round. Christmas brings me so much happiness†¦just like those Silver Bells. â€Å"Ring-a-ling†¦.Hear them ring†¦ Soon it will be Christmas Day.†

BTVET in Uganda

BTVET in Uganda AN INVESTIGATIVE STUDY OF FACTORS AFFECTING ENROLMENT AND COMPLETION RATES IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING (BTVET) IN UGANDA Introduction This study attempts to conduct an investigation of the factors affecting enrolment and completion rates within the Business, Technical Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) institutions in Uganda. The study covers a period of ten years (between 1999 to 2009), rationally decided upon as it was during this time when the government Implemented major reforms within the education system of the country, as a result of the Education Review Commission (1989). It will be noted that 1999 falls two years short of the actual time (1997) when the government implemented Universal Primary Education (UPE) free to four children of every Ugandan family in the country a step towards meeting Education for all (EFA) by the year 2012 as one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in the country. The study takes place more than ten years down the line since the inception of UPE and three years after Universal Secondary Education (USE) programmes. Whilst many primary schools are still struggling with the influx of pupils who would otherwise have had no chance of getting a formal elementary education if it were not for UPE and USE, this author seeks to investigate whether the implementation of these programmes has in any way made a difference to peoples attitudes towards education in general and vocational education in particular. The study seeks to investigate the trend of enrolment and completion in institutions of higher learning and in particular those in the Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET) sector during the time when Education For All (EFA) by the year 2012, has been on top of the agenda as one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) for developing countries. The UPE programme took off amidst a barrage of problems including widespread public criticism resulting from the initially poor performance of typical UPE schools in the country. Among the problems that pledged this programme from the very start was the issue of congestion of the available classrooms. Because of the UPE programme many schools reported overwhelming enrolments leading to an influx of the hitherto non school going children. This became a cause for concern as a result of the overstretched existing facilities within schools. In spite of the inadequate conditions under which some of the schools operated, and whilst some schools were still lamenting the lack of space and inadequate facilities, it was about this time that the government made good its second promise regarding free education and introduced the Universal Secondary Education, (USE) free for all. The programme, which started in 2007, was introduced in a similar way to UPE ten years earlier. Similar in a sense tha t the programme was ill prepared for as it was started within the existing school infrastructure and with the same manpower. Three years down the line however, reports from the media and evidence from schools seem to suggest that the USE programme has produced increased rates of enrolment in secondary schools by the year since it was started. It is the assumption of this author that if these reforms in the education sector have so far been a success story they could have a similar impact on peoples attitudes regarding education in general and vocational education in particular, and it is from the results of this study that this fact will be fully established. It is on this basis among other factors that this author is to conduct a study of the rates at which students enroll and complete their courses paying particular attention to such factors as cause them to drop out and what to do about it. It is important to note at this point however that in as much as both primary and secondary education have been made universal there are still many children of school going age that are not in school, leaving us with questions demanding answers as to why this is so. There are many children seen hanging about on streets whilst others resort to early marriages and/or childhood labour. A lot of children who dont go to school are found in the villages which are the centre of activity for most families who live on subsistence farming. Causes for this can be numerous, however let it suffice to say at this point that this kind of situation is at the centre of this studys investigation. Whereas there is no legislation on school going age in the country universal education has so far not been made compulsory. This has not only given some parents the freedom but also has to a great extent contributed to keeping many children away from schools since there is no accountability to any local autho rity for not sending children to school. With so many children growing up in an environment where a good part of the population either disregard the importance of education or considers it to be beyond their reach, it is important to investigate whether this carries any significance in terms of influence to the students who opt to continue with education in institutions of higher learning. Whilst the tendency of dropping out of schools can be traced in all sectors of education in the country, it is important to investigate the rate at which it is happening. Since the government set up the Special Educational Policy Review Commission (1989), some of its results have been realized in the government white paper on education, in addition to UPE and USE. There is need therefore to investigate further the reforms on educational programmes brought about as a result of the action of this commission and how these impact on enrolment and completion rates. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 1. To establish factors that influence students to join institutions of higher learning. 2. To investigate how the programmes on offer within the institutions of higher learning particularly in the BTVET sector meet employment needs of young people 3. The study will seek to establish the trend of performance in the BTVET institutions by comparing the number of students that initially enroll and the number that finish their two or three year courses, noting any disparities if any, over a period of ten years. 4. A cross section of school drop outs will be located and interviewed to establish reasons why they failed to complete their courses. 5. A cross section of students in the final year of their courses will also be interviewed to establish factors that motivate them to complete their courses. 6. To study and draw examples from developing countries as well as developed European countries for purposes of comparing and contrasting the BTVET situation on ground in Uganda. It is the view of this author that comparing and contrasting systems will provide a wider perspective about how BTVET courses are taught elsewhere in relationship to what is on the ground. 7. To conduct a review of the literature that explores education as practiced in the history of the African traditional society the context in which formal education can be appreciated and practiced for the benefit of communities (ref). 8. To conduct a brief study of the current reforms within the British system of education as an example of a system that is constantly transforming in an attempt to match needs of young people in a developed country. Political/Economic background to the Problem Uganda is a land-locked country, which lies across the equator in the heart of Africa, covering 241,139 square kilometers, 17% of which is water. Most of the country lies between 900-2000 meters above sea level, which makes it enjoy a generally mild tropical climate with temperatures ranging between 17 ºc and 28 ºc with the average rainfall of about 1500 mm p.a. The same altitudinal variations enable Uganda grow a wide range of subsistence and cash crops for the country. With a population, which is now estimated to be 24.4 Million, Uganda has an annual growth rate of 3.3% and a density of 124 persons per square kilometer. Females constitute about 51.2% of the population according to the 2002 National Population and Housing Census. A decade after Uganda attained independence in 1962 a period of political instability was experienced, (1970-1979) which led to serious economic and political decline. During this period skilled manpower including a large number of professionals fled the country seeking political and economic refuge. As a result of this most of the infrastructure for industries, education, transport and other service sectors were hardly repaired or maintained with many consequently falling into decline. The countrys growth in all sectors including that of the vocational education and training was adversely affected and the need for economic and social renewal both in terms of infrastructure as well as public attitudes towards education programmes was stronger than ever. Studies within the ministry of education and the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), indicate that this situation appears to have improved in the past twenty years during which time a lot of changes have been brought about by the pres ent regime. The present system of education in Uganda is patterned after the model of the British system of education inherited after the country attained her political independence in 1962(ref). This system of education was originally designed to produce graduates with a bias towards secretarial and administrative jobs(ibid). This is because the main purpose of education during the colonial days was to provide personnel for service to the colonial master (ref). The system had no inclination towards rural development although government policy emphasized transformation of the country side(ibid). The educational system continued to over-supply youngsters with purely academic type of education while shortages of specialised practical training persisted. As a result of this trend when the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development conducted a survey in 1997 it was revealed that there was an acute shortage of professionals and technicians in the manufacturing industry. The time elapsed since then calls for yet another study to help find out the present state of affairs regarding the job market in Uganda. Documentary evidence from the ministry of education and sports seems to suggest that enrolment in institutions of technical and higher education does not correspond to the countrys manpower needs. Moreover, earlier research within the ministry has shown that the enrolment mechanism used is one where each institution has an enrolment target set depending on the previous years enrolment as well as available resources and training capacity of the institution(ref). In setting targets, there is no evidence to suggest that the government gives priority to the countrys job market needs or to the needs of the young people in a particular geographical area. Most of the institutions whether government or private often attract students nationwide regardless of geographical boundaries, who apply for admission to the already established courses. Admission to these courses is on merit and certain courses are highly competitive. A comprehensive study of Ugandas National Manpower which was carried o ut in 1988 by the Ministry of Education and Sports revealed that countrywide, there were at that time 21 vocational schools, 77 technical schools and institutes and 37 business schools and institutes with a total annual output of about 5000. Of the total number of institutions, 5 vocational centres, 52 technical schools and institutes were government-aided. The survey also revealed that from 1983 to 1987 (inclusive), vocational schools graduated 3795; technical institutions graduated 6011 while commercial institutions graduated 11,831. The survey showed that the manufacturing sector alone employed 3.6 per cent of the administrative, managerial and professionals enumerated; 6.6 per cent of the technicians and associate professional personnel and 12.7 per cent of the skilled workers. It was projected that the number of 5000 artisans, technicians and craftsmen who were at the time produced by Ugandan institutions would hardly satisfy the demand by the economy especially during the peri od of rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes to be undertaken under the new regime. Despite the fact that vocational education and training institutions are supposed to produce graduates whose skills will be readily utilised in the job market, it has been observed that there are many graduates of the vocational sector that suffer from joblessness. As to whether this is a result of students taking the wrong courses, or whether it is the inadequacy of the infrastructure within the industrial economy making it unable to absorb all graduates, is a fact yet to be established. On the matter of joblessness however, Dewey (1998) asserts that education serves a far greater purpose, suggesting that it is a means by which members of the society preserve their own identity and values. Nevertheless, this problem of joblessness and economic backwardness resulting from systems of education which produce unemployable graduates remains a subject of investigation. Hence the necessity of this study to investigate and analyse all factors underlying the enrolment and completion rates wi thin the very institutions concerned with the supply of manpower for the industrial economy of the country. Study questions In some of the rural areas of Uganda, TVET has in the past been generally considered as a second-class education in both the perceptions and expectations of pupils and parents. Likewise low prestige is attached to technical training as it is often associated with failure to achieve higher academic aspirations. This suspicion of a second-class education supposedly leads some parents to opt for a general type of education that is likely to help improve quality of everyday life by providing access to white collar employment for their sons and daughters. It is one of the aims of this study to investigate whether the attitude of both parents and their children has had any effect on the enrolment and completion rates in TVET institutions. A review of the Uganda Education Policy Review Report (1989) reveals an observation made regarding Ugandas educational curriculum of the late 80s, as outdated and irrelevant to the needs of the economy. Among other things it was recommended that the curri culum be revised and updated for it to suit the countrys needs. With over two decades down the line since the establishment of this review commission there is a need to investigate whether this recommendation was ever put into effect, and to establish whether there is a difference between the present provision of educational programmes and those of twenty years ago. The study therefore seeks to find answers to the following questions: a) What are the factors affecting the rates of enrolments into VET programmes. b) What are the factors affecting completion rates in TVET institutions. c) What is the trend of enrolment in relationship to completion rates in the BTVET institutions over the past ten years? Focus of the Study From the Uganda Bureau of statistics (2002) we find that the rural population represents 70 percent of the worlds poor and 72 percent of the population of the least developed countries. Many African governments are doing their best to harness development through urbanisation and education of masses in a bid to uplift the populations standards of living. However, despite the urbanization, the situation of poverty and underdevelopment is likely to stay with us for the foreseeable future. The present campaign to ‘make poverty history in the developing countries might yield no results and poverty will continue to exist for as long as the worlds rural populations remain living in such conditions such as those that exist today. While African countries are likely to benefit from the global fight to try and assist in making poverty history, the real solution is not in ‘the provision of the fish, but in teaching the African young people ‘the fishing techniques (ref). In this respect, education which is the process by which people learn and acquire skills (ref) need to focus on imparting the right kind of skills, those which will promote a holistic type of education. Likewise, the governments policies and resources need to be redirected to providing a type of education that will produce the skills of a kind that the country needs for its social and economic development. Studies by the World Bank reveal that in Africa today vocational skills are particularly important at an early stage in the education of an individual because circumstances such as wars and pestilences have made many a young person become the sole provider for the family. For this reason among others, this study will focus on the young people and the factors that have in the past ten years influenced their enrolments, drop outs and those that motivated completion in various courses offered in the BTVET institutions. A review of the Literature on Ugandas current Education system According to the Uganda National Curriculum, formal education in Uganda takes seven years at the primary level, followed by four to six years for both ‘O and ‘A level. Students completing this level join the technical schools which take three years at the lower level and 2 years at the advanced level. As would be the case in many countries the choice to join a technical school at the lower primary school level is not a very popular one as to many it would reflect academic failure, and to some a poor economic background. Another considerable factor is the poor output for those joining at this level, as it gives poor yields both in skill and standards of living. Grubb, (1995) emphasizes this fact by asserting that the training programmes for the low educated and less skilled have in the past not been particularly successful in getting them jobs and higher incomes. There have been in the past great opportunities for ‘O level leavers to join the Primary Teachers College s (PTC), this is also reducing as the demand for standards in institutions becomes higher and higher in the country. Those who join ‘A level eventually join either university or an institute of higher learning such as a National Teachers College (NTC), and possibly a technical/vocational college or farm school. The Uganda Vocational Curriculum is represented in an overlapping three-tier system with level one, the craftsman level offered by technical schools as the lowest. This level is for the primary school leavers who for various reasons could not make it to secondary schools. Such students go to technical schools for three-year full time courses leading to the award of Uganda Junior Technical Certificate (UJTC) in courses such as Carpentry and Joinery, Block laying and Concrete Practice, Tailoring, and Agriculture. Level two is also known as the Technician level offered through technical colleges and Uganda Polytechnic normally admits ‘O level with high passes in Science and Mathematics and in certain cases ‘A level graduates not absorbed into university. These technical Institutes offer two-year full time courses in various vocational courses such as Carpentry and Joinery, Mechanics, Plumbing, etc. Due to rising academic standards however, many students who would benefit fro m these courses are kept out as a result of high pass grades in Mathematics, Physics and English at Olevel. Level three, the graduate engineer level is offered through Universities, Technical Colleges and the Uganda Polytechnics. These recruit ‘A level graduates who passed examinations in Physics and Mathematics. Courses are of a two-year duration leading to the award of ordinary diploma in Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering among others. Graduate level engineers are currently trained only at Makerere University. However, according to a report by Wirak, et al, (2003), the Uganda Polytechnic Kyambogo aspiring for university status, in 2001/2002 academic year through a merger with the Institute of Teacher Education Kyambogo (ITEK) sought to upgrade into a degree awarding institution known as Kyambogo University. In addition to Makerere University this institution might also be in position to offer similar degree programmes in engineering. Vocational training on the other hand, is offered through the Directorate of Industrial Training with various Centres and programmes within the country. The directorate is responsible for industrial training, apprenticeship training, trade testing and certification and skills up-grading. Ugandas Education Curriculum The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) a body responsible for reviewing the needs and formulating the curriculum was set up in 1973, (Bennell Sayed, 2002). This body has revised the curriculum and attempts made to implement it, covering a range of subjects at primary and secondary school levels. In spite of all the efforts towards formulating a practically oriented curriculum however, it is worth noting that the curriculum is still academically rigorous and irrelevant to the economical and industrial needs of the country. Reasons for this could be attributed to the inherent biasness within the education system where general education programmes are treated with higher priority and given preference by both parents and students over vocational education programmes. Past experience has shown that many school leavers do not have the skills needed by the employers in spite of successful completion of their general education courses. It is also evident that the Uganda Curriculu m seems to promote the traditional trend of a high demand for an academic education which is the basis for white-collar employment notwithstanding the needs for the countrys growing mixed economy. According to Bennell Sayed, (2002) Uganda has been one of leading Sub-Sahara African countries to implement wide-ranging economic and social reforms to achieve sustainable growth. And it is for this reason that the country has in the recent past been mentioned as a success story for the African continent by several UNESCO and World Bank reports (UNESCO, 2001). Progress is particularly prominent in primary education due to the decision taken in 1996 to implement universal primary education free to four children in every family. This removed what had been an important economic impediment for families to enroll and maintain their children at school. According to a ministerial report (Bitamazire, 2005) by 2001, about 65 percent of the total education budget was devoted to primary education an d the gross enrolment ratio for this level increased from about 75 percent in 1995 to about 135 percent in 2002, (ibid). Late 2005, the prospect of Universal Secondary Education (USE) was announced, (Newvision, Nov. 2005). It was predicted that the scheme would benefit an estimated 300,000 pioneers to the programme. This number would comprise of pupils who sat for Primary Leaving Examinations in 2005 and those who completed Primary 7 under Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 2004 and 2003 but were unable to continue due to lack of funds for school fees, (ibid). The successful implementation of this programme would make Uganda the first country in Africa to introduce universal and free secondary education, (ibid). According to UNESCO, (2005) by the year 2004, only a fifth (20%) of the then Ugandas population of 25 million had a chance to enroll for secondary education, and the beneficiaries were mainly from the higher income groups and urban families. The new USE scheme would aim at enhancing access to secondary education, particularly for low-income groups and children from rural families. As one of the ways of advancing towards the millennium development goals, (MDG), Vocational Education and Training is of particular importance in todays globalized, information and knowledge-based economy. In order for any society to successfully integrate its young people and have them ‘benefit from the economy a well-educated workforce is inevitable (Bennell Sayed, 2002). In Ugandas predominantly rural economies where many primary school leavers do not have any chance of further formal education, a vocational training is most needed. With the introduction of USE the problem of unemployment will probably be exacerbated by an influx of unemployable and unskilled school leavers into the job market. By solving the problem of secondary school accessibility for many rural young people, the process of universal and free secondary education will be creating another one as the rural communities will be filled with frustrated school leavers who will not be able to cope with the rural lifestyles, and yet do not have the capacity to live the desirable urban lifestyles due to lack of employable skills. TVET and Industrial Training Industrial training is an integral part of all the courses in technical/vocational education, in each of the technical and vocational education and training institutions, including university. In Uganda students would spend a minimum of three months each year on job placement, while doing the practical training. During this time they are supervised by the industry and would normally be visited by their lecturers to assess and discuss their training and progress in their programs. Other forms of training involve field trips, regional workshops, study tours and seminars organized by the various training institutions. It is usually through such workshops and seminars that vocational students are made aware of and given the chance to discuss the experiences and opportunities provided by the world of work. According to Lugujjo, (1998) such seminars were by then limited and depended on different training institutions and their ability to finance them (the seminars). Lugujjo, (1998) further asserted that the government of Uganda ought to have adopted a coherent policy with financial provision to ‘link technical and vocational education and training to industry in order to produce proficient workers and make education more responsive to the social and economic requirements of the country. This study also investigates to what extent the Ugandan policy has supported the link between the training institutions and the real world of work (or the industry). Challenges facing the Vocational sector The structure of Ugandas education system appears to be well organized and appealing to the needs of all levels of students including those with the lowest level of formal education. Yet promising as it appears, the system still faces numerous problems and as a result it yields limited and controversial outputs as its would-be beneficiaries turn out to be its very critics. As the case would be in most countries the Uganda government as well as the general public see TVET as expensive, and difficult to implement due to the high costs of infrastructure, provision of machinery and equipment, and well trained staff to handle the programme, (Kasozi, 2005). Besides it also carries with it the stigma of being patronized by intellectually inferior students and associated with non-prestigious blue-collar employment. After completing primary school, a child who failed to go to secondary school would join a technical school. Similarly, a child who failed to go to university would have a vocatio nal institution as a last option to keep him in school. In the past the situation was made worse by the fact that technical and vocational education had no vertical mobility and access to higher education, (ibid). This was compounded by lack of adequate facilities and infrastructure in some vocational institutions resulting in the fact that many of the students completing technical/vocational courses in such institutions were ill equipped for both industry and self-employment. For some young people this constituted a reason for choosing rather to stay at home than join a technical school as it was not worth the expensive effort. For others, the feeling that a technical school was the last alternative for those students who could not make it to the next stage caused a dislike for the system. For many young people however, VET seems to be the best option as evidence from the numerous informal sector (Jua Kali) workshops in Nairobi, Kenya seems to suggest. When given the opportunity an d the right environment, many of these academically downgraded students often turn out to be among the most successful craftsmen and entrepreneurs of the country after putting to use the practical skills gained from technical and vocational institutions. Numerous examples of these are seen in the informal sector workshops in the country. Most of the informal sector in the sub-Saharan Africa is dominated by craftsmen who never saw the inside of a university classroom. Handelman, (1996) pointed out that many of the low-income workers in developing countries who find jobs, will under favourable conditions achieve upward mobility. He cites an example in Owens, (1991:235) who carried out a study of West Bengals industrial city of Howrah, where he found that â€Å"several hundred men who started with almost nothing now own factories large enough to employ twenty five or more workers, placing them among the richest people of the community.† (Handelman, 1996, pp.135-136). This example further demonstrates the fact that the acquisition of technical skills leading to industrial success does not have to depend only on ones performance in general education. a) Accessibility to Vocational Education A survey of the socio-economic needs of local communities in Uganda done by the World Bank (2002) reveal that it is the wish of most school going children and their parents that they pursue their education to the highest level and attain a university degree. However this would not be possible given the variable capabilities ranging from academic to social and economic demands. As a result a lot of students are forced to look up to other institutions of higher learning other than the Universities. This is necessary so that all students can be catered for even if they may not have academic requirements or the financial means to acquire a University education. Another factor to consider is that state universities do not have the capacity to absorb all applicants with minimum entry requirements. As a result many join private universities, vocational/technical institutions and other institutions of higher learning. The question however still to be discussed later in this study is what mot ivates students to join the institutions of higher learning, and particularly those in the Business, Technical or Vocational training sector? Studies by UNEVOC and UNESCO have established that some parents have a accepted technical and vocational education as a possible alternative for their children. This is the trend the present government seems to be following as in the process of introducing USE, there are plans to follow it up with free vocational education, (New Vision, March 29th 2006). b) Aims and objectives of TVET in Uganda: The ministry of education, listed among others the following as priorities for education of a rural community: listed among other priorities in the education for a rural community the following aims and objectives of technical and vocational education in Uganda: â€Å"To stimulate the technical growth of students in order to make them productive members of the community; and to produce craftsmen, technicians and other skilled manpower to meet the demands of industry, agriculture, commerce and the general labour force†. The Uganda Education Sector Investment Plan, (ESIP, 1998-2003), The ministry also established that ‘one of the biggest limiting factors to access entry to technical schools was the students poor academic performance in Mathematics and Science causing them to fail getting acceptance to the tech

Humorous Wedding Speech Delivered by the Best Man -- Wedding Toasts Ro

Humorous Wedding Speech Delivered by the Best Man Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. First of all, I’d like congratulate the groom (bridegroom) on a very enjoyable speech - which has raised the expectation of my speech to a level that I cannot possibly hope to fulfill now. Thanks for that! Now I know I’m expected to say this but it really is an honor being John’s best man. He’s a very popular person with many close friends, so when he asked me to do this job I was extremely pleased and very proud – and I hope he remembers that sentimental moment just as well as I do. We’d been having a few drinks in Bournemouth one Saturday night, when John stumbled over towards me, belched a couple of times, put his arm around my shoulder and said, ‘Jason, I’m getting married in May as you know, and I suppose I’ve got to ruin someone’s day, so I’d like it to be yours.’ My mind immediately turned to the speech. So in preparation, and yes this was prepared, I asked John and Sabrina for a complete list of everyone present, broken down by age and sex. But, looking round, I can’t see anyone who isn’t. (Laughter) What an excellent venue this is though, and seeing these two families together is an interesting experience. I can certainly see where Sabrina got her brains and good looks from, and John his limitless capacity to eat and drink. John is able to mix beers, wines and spirits with considerable ease and c... ...too Sabrina.’ For it’s no lie to suggest that John recollections are often triggered by memories of food. If you ask him a question, like ‘remember that day we played golf in the thunder?’ he’ll come back with ‘oh, that day we got ham, egg and chips in the club house.’ To bring things to a conclusion, I'd like to thank you all for your attention. And if anyone hasn’t yet bought John and Sabrina a wedding present, I hear that they need a new shower rail for the bathroom. The last one, according to John, 'just fell off' – like they do. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast to the happy couple, John and Sabrina. I know you're going to be great together - God bless you and good luck to you both.

SLEEP APNEA Essay -- essays research papers

SLEEP APNEA What is Sleep Apnea? The Greek word "apnea" literally means "without breath." There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed; of the three, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. In central sleep apnea, the airway is not blocked but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Mixed sleep apnea is a combination of the two. With each apnea event, the brain briefly awakes sleep apnea victims from sleep in order for them to resume breathing, therefore sleep is extremely fragmented and of poor quality. Sleep apnea is very common and affects more than twelve million Americans. Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty, but sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children. Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated, despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences. Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues. How is Sleep Apnea treated? There is currently no proven drug therapy for sleep apnea. However, there are 4 basic approaches to treatment, which are not mutually exclusive: 1. Modification of circumstances which may be causing sleep apnea or making it worse. This would include weight loss, avoidance of alcohol and sedative drugs, trying to sleep only on your side and stopping smoking. It would also help to improve nasal breathing if this problem exists; sometimes this can be done with some simple medication and occasionally it requires an operation. Finally it is important to avoid sleep deprivation. 2. Use Contin... ...y and which therapy in particular. The Evaluation Process An evaluation at the Sleep Disorders Center begins with an initial consultation with the director of the Center. In many instances, one visit is sufficient for a diagnosis to be made and a treatment plan formulated. For some patients, however, more extensive testing is required. If an all-night sleep study is required, it is performed at our laboratory in The Presbyterian Hospital /Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. The all-night sleep study is a safe and completely painless technique by which physiological functions in sleep are measured. Patients spend one or more nights in a private and comfortable laboratory during which a series of measurements are taken with sophisticated monitoring devices. Patients arrive at the laboratory in the evening and leave the following morning; it is usually not necessary to miss a day of work. In the course of your night at the sleep laboratory, over 1000 pages of data are collected, along with a complete video-tape record. This data is thoroughly reviewed by our expert staff and when necessary, by additional consultants. A detailed final report is usually ready within one week.

Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy on Teaching Educational Es

Philosophy of Education My philosophy of education would include a classroom that supports creativity and gives students an opportunity to explore the world in the confines of four walls. Knowledge results from countless experiences and interactions throughout an individual’s lifetime. I believe the purpose of education is to allow students to discover who they are through exploring who has come before them, and what is possible for them in the future. Formal education should provide students with more than a foundation in basic disciplines. It should develop skills that will facilitate living and working in an ever-changing world; one filled with diversity. As a teacher, I would hope to illustrate to my students how vital each and every one of them is to the world as a whole. My classroom would be bright and colorful. Examples of students’ work would be displayed. The environment will be student centered. The desks would be arranged in a circle for class discussions, and be moved into separate stations for cooperative work. Computers would be stationed around the classroom and used frequently. Discovery based learning would be a major factor considered in the design of my classroom. Students will have the choice of using various resources and materials to suit their preferred style of learning. Some of us are listeners, readers, or just may simply need to get our hands dirty. An effective classroom teacher would be able to cater to all of these academic...

Lab 1: Measurement and Microscopy

Kevina Smith Lab 1: Microscopy and the Metric System Part A: Microscopy Purpose The purpose of this experiment was to learn how to use a microscope correctly and perform wet mount slides accurately, thus becoming more familiar with the microscope. Hypothesis It would be hard to use the microscope without any kind of previous training and the parts of the microscope and their functions must be learned in order to use it properly. Materials & Methods Materials: 1. Filter paper 2. Tweezers 3. Pipettes 4. Cover glasses 5. Glass slides 6. The sample material (from the pond) Methods: 1.Mix sample so that the sample is properly suspended in water. 2. Use a pipette to pick up some of the sample. 3. Apply a small (dime-sized) amount onto a glass slide. 4. Take a single piece of cover glass, using care not to get fingerprints on it, place it gently onto the sample with tweezers or your hands, and at about a 45-degree angle, place the cover glass onto the glass slide. * What to do if there is t oo much water? 1. Place the edge/end of the filter paper against the glass slide. 2. Cover slide to remove some of the excess water to make the slide more stable to use and view under the microscope. What to do if there is not enough water? 1. Either by pipette or tweezers to allow the capillary action and surface tension to pull the water in towards the sample. * What to do if the sample is not suspended in water (it’s a dry particle/substance)? 1. Use the tweezers (or another pipette) and add some drops of water to a glass slide. 2. Then, add the particle to the glass slide†¦ be sure to add water to the particle as it will prevent air bubbles from forming. If the substance is hydrophobic (and contains textile fibers), immersion oil is an acceptable substance and if it’s hydrophilic, water is the better. To look at water samples to observe the organisms in the water, but the organism are so large they become squeezed in between the cover glass and the glass slide †¦ which causes them to be inhibited in movement. 1. Take a few drops of water and place it an inch or so from each end of the glass slide. 2. Place the cover slide on top of each of the water droplets, these cover slides serve as distance holders. 3. Place a third cover slide where the ends of the slides sit on top of the other two slides and then add the water sample under the slide, remove excess with filter paper to ensure a stable slide. ResultsDifferent Magnifications of Compound Microscope: Objective| Ocular Lens| Objective Lens| Total Magnification| Scanning Power| 10x| 4x| 40x| Low Power| 10x| 10x| 100x| High Power| 10x| 40x| 400x| Oil Immersion| 10x| 100x| 1000x| Conclusion After the completion of the lab experiment, the hypothesis proved to be correct and that it would be hard to use the microscope without any kind of previous training and the parts of the microscope and their functions must be learned in order to use it properly†¦ so one must make sure that the y follow the instructional video, the lab manual, and any other tools to the letter.In order to properly use a microscope, one must know the parts of a microscope: ocular lenses or eyepieces (to be able view an object), viewing head (holds the ocular lenses), arm (supports upper parts and provides carrying handle), nosepiece (revolving device that holds objectives), objectives (scanning (to scan the whole slide), low-power (used to view objects in greater detail), high-power(to view an object in greater detail), nd oil immersion(to view objects with the greatest magnification in conjunction with immersion oil)), stage (holds and supports microscope slides), stage clips (holds a slide in place on the stage), mechanical stage control knobs (two knobs that control forward/reverse movement and right/left movement), coarse-adjustment knob (used to bring object into approximate focus, used only with low-power objective), fine-adjustment knob (used to bring object into final focus), conden ser (gathers light from the lamp and directs it toward the object being viewed), diaphragm (controls the amount of light passing through the condenser), light source (an attached lamp that directs a beam of light up through the object), and base (the flat surface of the microscope that rests on the table). A microscope’s field of view is the circle visible through the lenses.When viewing an object on a slide under high power, the depth of field is the area (from top to bottom) that comes into focus while slowly focusing up and down with the microscope’s fine-adjustment knob. The compound microscope is a unique tool and when used properly it can be a fun experience. Kevina Smith Lab 1: Microscopy and the Metric System Part B: The Metric System Purpose The purpose of this experiment is to become familiar with using other the English system, which would be the Metric System by measuring different items. Hypothesis If you use other measurements, then you will become more f amiliar with it. Materials & Methods Materials: 1. Tape measure with centimeter markings 2.Scale that measures in grams 3. Thermometer with Celsius markings Methods: 1. Measure the width of your textbook in cm and then convert to mm and record results for the lab report. 2. Convert 100 grams to mg and then ? g and record results for the lab report. 3. Using a pocket scale, record the mass of an object in grams and include the name of the object you have measured. Once you have recorded your measurement in grams, please convert that measurement to mg and then ? g and record results for the lab report. 4. Define meniscus and describe how you would read the volume of a liquid in a graduated cylinder and record results for the lab report. 5.Record the temperature of your skin and of the room in  °Celsius and record results for the lab report. Results The Metric System measurements: 1. Linear measurements: The width of the textbook is 27 cm or 270 mm. 2. Conversions: 100 g to 100,000 m g or 100,000,000 ? g. 3. Weight measurements: water nozzle: 41. 08g or 41, 080 ? g. 4. Volume measurements: The meniscus is the lowest margin of the water level; your eye has to be directly parallel to the level of the meniscus. 5. Temperature measurements: Skin: 30 °C, Room: 23 °C. Conclusion The hypothesis is accurate, because I have used the metric system in many science and math classes and the more you use it, the more familiar you become with it.

Hr Project on Motivation

ELIJAH INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES Thrissur CERTIFICATE FROM THE COLLEGE This is to certify that the project report entitled â€Å"A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwith special to reference hyderbad industries limited, Thrissur, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of Master of Business Administration of University of Calicut was carried out by Mr. SHAHID KV. Dr. C. T. PAUL Principal CERTIFICATE FROM THE GUIDEThis is to certify that the project report entitled â€Å"A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION†Ã¢â‚¬â€œwith special to reference hyderbad industries limited, submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of degree of Master of Business Administration of University of Calicut was carried out by Mr. SHAHID KV under my guidance. This has not been submitted to any other university or institution for award of any degree/diploma/certificate. Miss. ANITHA. A (Faculty Guide) DECLARATIONI, Shahid kv declare that the project entitled â€Å"A Study on employee motivation of Hyderabad Industries Ltd† submitted to Calicut University in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of master of business administration is a record of original project work done by me during my period of study in Elijah Institute of Management Studies under the able guidance of Miss. ANITHA. A (MBA). I further declare that this project report has not been submitted to any other university/institution/board for award of any degree/diplomaPlace: TrichurSHAHID KV Date: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost let me sincerely thank ALMIGHTY for the great opportunity and blessings that he has showered up on me for the successful and timely completion of my project work. I extent my sincere gratitude to Dr. C. T. Paul, Principal, Elijah Institute of studies and Dr. Sandhya. G. nair, Head of the department of management studies, for their kind support and guidance for making my project great succes s. I very great fully wish to forward due respect and thanks to my internal faculty guide Miss. Anitha.A, able guide for the project, for the continuous, creative, valuable and informative support extended to me, without which the project would not have been efficiently completed. I am also thankful to Mrs. Jyothis Rachel and Mr. Vinod A. S [faculty of ELIMS]. I render my whole hearted thanks to all the other respected faculties of the management department, librarian, lab technician and all other office staff for their assistance and co-operation given to me in regard to this work. I am extremely indebted to the management of Hyderabad Industries Limited, Thrissur and Mr.Pradeep kumar, General Manager (works), who gave me the privilege to carry out my project in their distinguished institution. Let me take this opportunity to thank all the Hyderabad Industries Ltd’s staff for their help and co-operation. I thank my parents and all other family members for their valuable and inseparable support in completion of this project. Once again I take this opportunity to convey my sincere thanks to each and every person who helped me directly and indirectly in the successful completion of this project.SHAHID KV TABLE OF CONTENTS |CHAPTERS |CONTENTS . |PAGE NO | |CHAPTER 1 | | | | |(1. 1) INTRODUCTION |1 | | |(1. ) RESEARCH PROBLEM |2 | | |(1. 3) SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY |2 | | |(1. 4) RESEARCH OBJECTIVES |3 | | |(1. 5) RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS |4 | | |(1. ) RESEARCH METHODOLOGY |4 | | | | | |CHAPTER 2 |LITERATURE REVIEW |8 | | | | | | |(3. ) INDUSTRY PROFILE |17 | |CHAPTER 3 |(3. 2) COMPANY PROFILE |22 | | |(3. 3) DEPATMENT PROFILE |26 | | | | | |CHAPTER 4 |(4. ) DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS |32 | | |(4. 2) INFERENTIAL STATISTICS |49 | | | | | |CHAPTER 5 | | | | |(5. ) SUMMARY |53 | | |(5. 2) FINDINGS |54 | | |(5. 3) SUGGESTIONS |55 | | |(5. 4) LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY |56 | | |(5. ) CONCLUSION |57 | | |(5. 6) SCOPE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH |58 | | | | | | |BIBLI OGRAPHY |Ix |LIST OF TABLES |SL: NO: |PARTICULARS |PAGE NO: | | | | | |4. 1. |Response about the support from the HR department |32 | | | | | |4. 1. 2 |Management is interested in motivating the employees | | | | |33 | |4. 1. |The type of incentives motivates more | | | | |34 | |4. 1. 4 |Satisfaction with the present incentives provided by the organization | | | |The company’s attitude in recognizing and acknowledging your work. | |4. 1. 5 | |35 | | |Periodical increase in salary | | | | | | |4. 1. |Job Security existing in the company |36 | | | | | |4. 1. 7 |Relationship with the Co-worker |37 | | | | | |4. 1. |Effective performance appraisal system |38 | | | | | |4. 1. 9 |Effective promotional opportunities in present job | | | | |39 | |4. 0 |Good safety measures existing in the organization | | | | |40 | |4. 11 |Performance appraisal activities are helpful to get motivated. | | | |Support from the co-worker is helpful to get motivated |41 | |4. 2 | | | | |Career develo pment opportunities are helpful to get motivated | | |4. 13 |Opinion about the important factor which motivate the employees |42 | | | | | |4. 14 |The effect of incentives and other benefits in employee performance 43 | | |Involvement of employees in decision making | | |4. 15 | |44 | | | | | | | |45 | |4. 6 | | | | | | | |4. 7 | |46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |47 | | | |48 |LIST OF CHARTS |SL: NO: |PARTICULARS |PAGE NO: | | | | | |4. 1. |Response about the support from the HR department | | | | |32 | |4. 1. 2 |Management is interested in motivating the employees | | | | | | |4. 1. |The type of incentives motivates more |33 | | | | | |4. 1. 4 |Satisfaction with the present incentives provided by the organization |34 | | |The company’s attitude in recognizing and acknowledging your work. | |4. 1. 5 | | | | |Periodical increase in salary |35 | | | | | |4. 1. |Job Security existing in the company | | | | |36 | |4. 1. 7 |Relationship with the Co-worker | | | | |37 | |4. 1. |Effective performance appraisal system | | | | |38 | |4. 1. 9 |Effective promotional opportunities in present job | | | | | | |4. 0 |Good safety measures existing in the organization |39 | | | | | |4. 11 |Performance appraisal activities are helpful to get motivated. 40 | | |Support from the co-worker is helpful to get motivated | | |4. 12 | |41 | | |Career development opportunities are helpful to get motivated | | |4. 13 Opinion about the important factor which motivate the employees | | | | |42 | |4. 14 |The effect of incentives and other benefits in employee performance | | | |Involvement of employees in decision making |43 | |4. 5 | | | | | |44 | | | | | |4. 6 | |45 | | | | | |4. 7 | | | | | |46 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |47 | | | |48 | LIST OF FIGURES |FIGURE . NO. |INDEX |PAGE NO. | |2. |Maslow’s pyramid |12 | | 3. 2. 1 |ORGANIZATION CHARTs |26-29 | LIST OF APPENDICISES |SL. NO. |INDEX |PAGE NO. | |1. |QUESTIONNAIRE |X | Bibliography BOOKS. 1. Chabra T N â€Å"H uman Resource Management† (2005) revised edition Gangan Kapur, Delhi. 2. Venugopal & Aziz Abdul â€Å"Human Resource Management† (2004) revised edition, 3. Prasad L. M, â€Å"Human Resource Management,† second edition (2005), Sultan Chand & Sons- New Delhi. 4. Kothari C.R â€Å"Research Methodology- Methods and Techniques† 2nd revised edition (2007) New Age International Publishers- New Delhi. Journals 1. HRM Review, July 2008, The ICFI University press, Page No 55-59 2. Management Research, October 2007, ICFAI University press, Page No 37-40 WEBSITE †¢ http://www. allbusiness. com/human-resources/employee-development-employee-productivity/601547-1. html †¢ www. Hil. in †¢ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Asbestos †¢ http://www. petech. ac. za/robert/reshypoth. htm Questionnaire A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION Respected madam/sir, As a part of my project I would like to gather some information from you which will help me in an in depth stu dy of project. I would be obliged if you co-operate with me in filling the questionnaire.Since the questionnaire is being used for academic purpose, the information gathered will be strictly confidential. Shahid kv Kindly fill the following: (Please put a tick mark in the appropriate box) 1. Are you satisfied with the support from the HR department? Highly satisfied Satisfied Neutral DissatisfiedHighly Dissatisfied 2. Management is really interested in motivating the employees? Strongly agree Agree Neutral DisagreeStrongly disagree 3. Which type of incentives motivates you more? Financial incentives Non-financial incentives Both 4. How far you are satisfied with the incentives provided by the organization? Highly satisfied Satisfied NeutralDissatisfiedHighly Dissatisfied 5. Please provide the following rates. (5- Strongly agree, 4- Agree, 3-Neutral, 2-Disagree, 1-Strongly disagree) | No |Factors |Rates | | |Reasonable periodical increase in salary | | | |Job security exist in the co mpany | | | |Good relationship with co-workers | | |Effective performance appraisal system | | | |Effective promotional opportunities in the organization | | | |Good safety measures adopted in the organization. | | | |Performance appraisal activities are helpful to get motivated | | | |Support from the co-worker is helpful to get motivated | | | |Company recognize and acknowledge your work | | 6. Rank the following factors which motivates you the most? (Rank 1, 2, 3, 4†¦. respectively) No |Factors |Rank | | |Salary increase | | | |Promotion | | | |Leave | | | |Motivational talks | | | |Recognition | | 7. Do you think that the incentives and other benefits will influence your performance? Influence Does not influence No opinion 8. Does the management involve you in decision making which are connected to your department? Yes NoOccasionally 9. What changes can be made to improve the work place environment? †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚ ¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Thank you for your kind co-operation

How effective is 99 Cents Only Stores’ strategy for IT infrastructure investments? Essay

Management Information Systems Tenth Edition provides a number of case studies for you to analyze. Included in these cases are questions to help you understand and analyze the case. You may, however, be assigned other case studies that do not have questions. This Hands-on Guide presents a structured framework to help you analyze such cases as well as the case studies in this text. Knowing how to analyze a case will help you attack virtually any business problem. A case study helps students learn by immersing them in a real-world business scenario where they can act as problem-solvers and decision-makers. The case presents facts about a particular organization. Students are asked to analyze the case by focusing on the most important facts and using this information to determine the opportunities and problems facing that organization. Students are then asked to identify alternative courses of action to deal with the problems they identify. A case study analysis must not merely summarize the case. It should identify key issues and problems, outline and assess alternative courses of action, and draw appropriate conclusions. The case study analysis can be broken down into the following steps: 1. Identify the most important facts surrounding the case. 2. Identify the key issue or issues. 3. Specify alternative courses of action. 4. Evaluate each course of action. 5. Recommend the best course of action. Let’s look at what each step involves. 1. Identify the most important facts surrounding the case. Read the case several times to become familiar with the information it contains. Pay attention to the information in any accompanying exhibits, tables, or figures. Many case scenarios, as in real life, present a great deal of detailed information. Some of these facts are more relevant that others for problem identification. One can assume the facts and figures in the case are true, but statements, judgments, or decisions made by individuals should be questioned. Underline and then list the most important facts and figures that would help you define the central problem or issue. If key facts and numbers are not available, you can make assumptions, but these assumptions should be reasonable given the situation. The â€Å"correctness† of your conclusions may depend on the assumptions you make. 2. Identify the key issue or issues. Use the facts provided by the case to identify the key issue or issues facing the company you are studying. Many cases present multiple issues or problems. Identify the most important and separate them from more trivial issues. State the major problem or challenge facing the company. You should be able to describe the problem or challenge in one or two sentences. You should be able to explain how this problem affects the strategy or performance of the organization. You will need to explain why the problem occurred. Does the problem or challenge facing the company come from a changing environment, new opportunities, a declining market share, or inefficient internal or external business processes? In the case of information systems-related problems, you need to pay special attention to the role of technology as well as the behavior of the organization and its management. Information system problems in the business world typically present a combination of management, technology, and organizational issues. When identifying the key issue or problem, ask what kind of problem it is: Is it a management problem, a technology problem, an organizational problem, or a combination of these? What management, organizational and technology factors contributed to the problem? To determine if a problem stems from management factors, consider whether managers are exerting appropriate leadership over the organization and monitoring organizational performance. Consider also the nature of management decision-making: Do managers have sufficient information for performing this role, or do they fail to take advantage of the information that is available? To determine if a problem stems from technology factors, examine any issues arising from the organization’s information technology infrastructure: its hardware, software, networks and telecommunications infrastructure, and the management of data in databases or traditional files. Consider also the whether the appropriate management and organizational assets are in place to use this technology effectively. To determine the role of organizational factors, examine any issues arising from the organization’s structure, culture, business processes, work groups, divisions among interest groups, relationships with other organizations, as well as the impact of changes in the organization’s external environment-changes in government regulations, economic conditions, or the actions of competitors, customers, and suppliers. You will have to decide which of these factors-or a combination of factors– is most important in explaining why the problem occurred. 3. Specify alternative courses of action. List the courses of action the company can take to solve its problem or meet the challenge it faces. For information system-related problems, do these alternatives require a new information system or the modification of an existing system? Are new technologies, business processes, organizational structures, or management behavior required? What changes to organizational processes would be required by each alternative? What management policy would be required to implement each alternative? Remember, there is a difference between what an organization â€Å"should do† and what that organization actually â€Å"can do.† Some solutions are too expensive or operationally difficult to implement, and you should avoid solutions that are beyond the organization’s resources. Identify the constraints that will limit the solutions available. Is each alternative executable given these constraints? 4. Evaluate each course of action. Evaluate each alternative using the facts and issues you identified earlier, given the conditions and information available. Identify the costs and benefits of each alternative. Ask yourself â€Å"What would be the likely outcome of this course of action? State the risks as well as the rewards associated with each course of action. Is your recommendation feasible from a technical, operational, and financial standpoint? Be sure to state any assumptions on which you have based your decision. 5. Recommend the best course of action. State your choice for the best course of action and provide a detailed explanation of why you made this selection. You may also want to provide an explanation of why other alternatives were not selected. Your final recommendation should flow logically from the rest of your case analysis and should clearly specify what assumptions were used to shape your conclusion. There is often no single â€Å"right† answer, and each option is likely to have risks as well as rewards.

Living Religions Essay

Learning about other religions has caused me to question my own religiosity. It reminds me of when I was a lot younger, when I would make an appraisal of myself based on my observations of other people. I used to gauge myself by what I saw in others. Today, reading about Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other religions has affected me the same way. To be frank, I was caught rather off guard by their experiences. It’s ironic that we need to read about other religions and how their followers practice their faith, in order for us to stop awhile and take a closer look at how we practice our own religion. The knowledge about other religious practices prompted me to compare them with the practices of my own religion. One of the five pillars of Islam, for instance, the daily prayers, which requires Muslims to make time to pray five times a day wherever they are, (Fisher. 2005. Islam) has made me realize how seldom I pray in a day. I was brought up by my parents to pray every night before going to bed, and that’s it. Now I wonder if I’m not doing enough praying, or whether my own religion is merely less demanding. Another is the hajj, a pilgrimage to their holy sanctuary, the Ka’bah, which was supposed to have been built by Abraham with the help of his son, Ishmael. (Fisher. 2005. Islam) I bet that going to such a pilgrimage even once in one’s lifetime costs a lot of money – but the fact that Muslims are doing all they can to save for it speaks a lot about their piousness. In the case of Judaism, reading about the holocaust which killed around six million Jews during World War II simply overwhelmed me. (Fisher. 2005. Judaism) I can’t seem to get over the fact that a simple church membership got that many people killed. And yet the Jews remained steadfast in their faith. Confronted with such naked cruelty, I could not help asking myself the inevitable question: What would have I done if my parents were killed in that holocaust? Would I have remained a Jew in spite of it? Faith, I know, would still matter in the end. The foregoing observations about other religions have not diminished my faith in my own. If at all, it strengthened me. I have come to realize that faith in God conquers all. References Fisher, M. P. (2006). Islam. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp. 362-416). Prentice-Hall. Fisher, M. P. (2006). Judaism. Living Religions, Sixth Edition (pp. 226-283). Prentice-Hall.

Alcohol Ban and Devolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Alcohol Ban and Devolution - Essay Example With 23,000 incidents of alcohol-fuelled violence each week with relevant elevated alcohol consumption trends (Leifman, 2001), the agency has proposed that existing laws are enforced to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related violence on the streets and on public transportation. England's objective of reducing the harm caused by alcohol misuse is recognized and focuses on the prevention, minimisation, and management of the harms caused by alcohol misuse. These measures addressed in its objectives aims to identify alcohol misuse and the enforcement of existing powers against crime and disorder and promotion of responsible drinking. Under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (CDA98) and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) the partnership of both agencies is held responsible in the consideration of crime and disorder issues in their own core activities that improve safety and security in local neighborhoods. Criminal Justice Boards and Youth Offending and the Drug and Alcohol A ction Teams shall be a voluntary forum for coordination of local priorities. They are tasked to bring together the key local agencies with an interest in reducing the harms caused by alcohol misuse: the health service, the criminal justice system and the local authority. With the support of the Scottish Executive for a complete ban in on alcohol consumption in public places, (The Herald, July 19, 2006) the proposal, has spawned public outburst. Festivities organizers and popular across Wales and Scotland and gaming grounds personnel rallied against the ban with arguments pointed out that such is the breach on human rights while legislative proposals control the sale and purchase of alcohol (Scotland Bill on Alcohol). It is apparent that Scottish culture towards drinking in a study (SSA, 2004) has often prevailed over a perceived problem of alcohol misuse. A majority believed though that drinking should not be allowed in public places including public parks, football matches, in the street and on trains. With this thought in mind, the Scottish Executive has proposed their own policies that set rules against "irresponsible promotions and providing stringent licensing measures that prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors and operator a "no proof, no sale policy". Further, the licensing boards are tasked to oversee according to their own discretion, the issuance or refusal of alcohol on licensed premises. The UK policy and strategies on alcohol ban may not be applicable to Wales and Scotland simply on the grounds of the distribution of legislative power to both. Unless Wales and Scotland decides to adopt the laws implemented by the UK on its citizenry, alcohol ban which has been forced to play second fiddle to a smoking ban may never be heavily implemented particularly within Scottish laws for their own obvious reasons that are cited above and in particular the allowance and transfer of legislative powers are decentralized and distributed on the local level or crea tion of laws and its necessary implementation.