Horatio Essay - 981 Words

Horatio, The One True Friend nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;William Shakespeare wrote about a distraught prince trying to avenge the wrongful death of his father while all his faith in honesty and the good of man was nearly destroyed. In his play Hamlet, Hamlet is the prince and he is the one who would have lost all his faith in the good of man had it not been for his loyal friend Horatio. Many critics say that Horatio did not play such an important role in the tragedy, that he merely was the informant for the audience and that his character was not developed beyond that fact that he was just the honest confidant of Hamlet. That may be true, however, Horatio does serve two central purposes to the drama, and it is through these purposes†¦show more content†¦Horatio establishes his bravery during the opening scene, as well, by questioning the ghost. His actions demand respect. â€Å"Stay! speak, speak! I charge thee, speak!† (Act I, scene i, ln. 52). Horatio is also the one who informs Hamlet of the ghos t’s visit. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Horatio plays the informant of the play; he clues everyone in onto what is happening in the play and whom the true victim of the play is, Hamlet. If it were not for Horatio believing Hamlet, there would be serious doubt to the sanity of Hamlet. In Horatio seeing the ghost along with Hamlet it gives cause to not doubt the sanity of the Prince who could be seen to be in a state insanity because of the disbelief and anger that his father just died, his uncle married his mother, and that his uncle stole his crown. Horatio brings the reality and truth to the audience so they understand and believe in what he thinks and believes. Hamlet even says that he admires the honesty and truthfulness of Horatio. quot;Horatio, thou art een as just a man/As eer my conversation copd withalquot; (Act III, scene ii, ln. 55-56). Perhaps it is also his uniqueness that brings along the feeling of trustworthiness in Horatio. He has the ability to associate himself among commoners bec ause he is a commoner himself, yet he can also associate himself among royalty because he is Hamlet’s trusted friend, intelligent, just, and is loyal to all of hisShow MoreRelatedRagged Dick By Horatio Alger1307 Words   |  6 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ragged Dick by Horatio Alger. This story follows a young boy, who through hard work, determination, self-reliance, honesty and good character went from a homeless black-boot to a respectable, high paying job.   This story is filled with examples of what life was like in New York City, telling the us what he would find and experience in it. In Ragged Dick, This was a time of progress, change and falsehood in American History. 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The Aristotelian Conceptualization Of Self Sufficiency

Before comparison of different contexts of self-sufficiency, it is necessary to understand how the Aristotelian conceptualization of self-sufficiency merges itself with the political aspect of virtuous life. In the examination of the nature of human beings and of the magnanimous man, self-sufficiency in a fuller sense is revealed to be inherently political. In defining happiness, Aristotle first also clarifies self-sufficiency itself â€Å"not by reference to the â€Å"self† alone. We do not mean a man who lives in isolation, but a man who also lives with†¦ fellow citizens generally† (NE I.7 1097b8-11). This expanded understanding of self-sufficiency, while initially and potentially paradoxical, rather does little more than begin to redefine self-sufficiency as a quality that can be possessed by more than isolated hermits. It is not until the discussion of the ‘high-minded’ man that this expanded self-sufficiency becomes political in nature. The magnan imous man will â€Å"requite good with a greater good†, putting himself in the recipients â€Å"debt† in order to repay disproportionately. Additionally, this high-minded man â€Å"is a person who will rather possess beautiful and profitless objects than objects which are profitable and useful, for they mark him more as self-sufficient† (NE IV.3 1124b11-13; 1125a11-12). Oddly, self-sufficiency is characterized by excess rather than mere contentment. This Aristotelian self-sufficiency is counter-intuitive in two ways. Firstly in that it requires more

Standing Up Again free essay sample

I was curled up in the middle of my bed, a blanket clutched between clawed fists, sobs wracking my frame with so much force that the headboard clacked against the wall. In my head, a voice kept screaming, over and over, â€Å"Why me?† My angry fingers kneaded the unfortunate blanket, as if trying to pull answers from its threads. They wanted to know what they had done to deserve the misfortune I had begone. My heart throbbed with indignation, my veins pumped hate and self pity, and my mind circulated the same poisonous thoughts. I couldn’t understand why my mother drank. Why my parents were divorced. Why my Step Mother couldn’t get along with me. Why my best friend wouldn’t talk to me. Why that boy didn’t love me. I was lost in the injustice of it all, drowning in a sea of my imagined misfortunes, the weight of the unfairness of the world resting squarely on my hunched and humbled shoulders. We will write a custom essay sample on Standing Up Again or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was that July, during the summer before my Sophomore year, that I read the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. Featuring a simple and generally happy main character, it’s difficult to see where the connection took place but it did. It was somewhere after Odd’s lover died, after he realized he was alone that he came to this realization: â€Å"Change isnt easy changing the way you live means changing what you believe about life. Thats hard When we make our own misery, we sometimes cling to it even when we want so bad to change because the misery is something we know. The misery is comfortable.† A quote from a book has never struck me so hard. I was, without a doubt, clinging to my misery for fear of realizing that I had been wrong, of having to change my entire outlook on life. In selfish denial I had pretended that the fault was not in my hands, but in others’ that I was depressed I cultivated negative emotions that effectively tore down my will to move forward. However, through influential reading and coaching from my amazingly helpful father, I was able to reach the point where I realized that it was, as my dad loved to remind me, not the events in my life that defined me, but the way I reacted to them. And, I was ashamed to admit, I had been reacting poorly. The year or so that followed that summer was undoubtedly a struggle, an uphill climb with an occasional slip down the mountain. I was searching for happiness and self-acceptance, and I eventually found it in yoga and tea, in long walks through the woods and good books. I learned the art of being strong when a large part of me wanted to fall apart. And I learned that no matter how many times life knocks me down, I will always find a way to get back up, a smile on my face as I brush the dust from my clothes.

Tick Tock Essays - Ticktock, Rag Doll, Etrigan The Demon

Tick Tock A thirty-year-old detective-novelist living in southern California named Tommy Phan is on top if the world. He had just purchased a brand new Corvette and is living his fantasy of living the American dream. On his way home he calls his mother to inform her of his new toy. After feeling guilty about the conversation, because he is living his dream and not living with his family and working at the family business. On his way home he stops at a diner to get something to eat he meets a young blond. After he pays he speeds up in his new car so he can arrive home. When he arrives at his home he notices a small rag doll on his doorstep. Confused, but intrigued he picks up the doll and carried it inside. He proceeded up his stairs to his computer work with the doll still in hand and placed it up against a lamp. After he sits down he studies the doll more carefully and notices a small folded note with a pin holding its place next to the small hand. The note is written in Viennese, not knowing the language since he was eight, he puts it down and examines the doll and sees two stitched crosses where the eyes should be, one for the nose, one over the heart, and five for the mouth. He leaves the room and when he enters the doll isn't where he left it and there is a message on his computer that had not been there before. It reads " the deadline is dawn ". Scared by the note he tries to find the doll. When he picks it up off the floor and props the doll next to the lamp where it had been before. He starts to work on his books, about a detective named Chippen Wen a charming, brave man who can do anything if he has a gun and his fists. A small pop alarms him and he looks at the doll and notices that the stitching across the heart on the doll was not there. He picks up the doll and places his hand over the heart and can here ticking, almost like a heart beating. Another popping sound and he could see eyes and a mouth. Breaking out of the cloth that it was wrapped in the demon leaps off into the darkness. Not only is it quick and supernatural but it is intelligent. The demon creature is bent on killing Tommy and after trying to kill it he decides to run away. He hops in his new corvette and drives away. After a while he here's noises in the engine and realizes that the demon disabled his brakes and uncontrollably he is accelerating after he crashes he tries to escape seeing the demon mesmerized by the fire he starts running without looking back. He sees Deliverance Payne, the blond he met at the restaurant, and they escape with a quick brush in with the demon. After driving around he decides to go to his brothers so he can translate the message. He gives the note to his brother but the note is smeared and he will need a few hours to try and translate it. They decide to leave and not stay in fear of the demon. They decide to steal a car because her car was mysteriously missing. They go to her house to get weapons and ammunition. The demon has grown to the size of a human and has super strength. They get her dog and start to run away. After escaping from death, deliverance decides to go on her boat to escape from the demon. They get to the island where her mother lives to get advice and a car. Tommy meets her mother and they call his brother to see if he translated the message. The note was not perfect but he could make out most of it and it wasn't good. Tommy's brother translated most of the message and it said if he stayed alive till dawn he would survive. His brother had called his mother for advice and she knew exactly what to do. Deliverance and Tommy raced out side and drove the mother's house. When they arrived Tommy's mother had already called Tay Maan Pan, the witch doctor who put the curse on Tommy, and were on their way there. After explaining to Tommy they the curse was only meant to scare him for trying

Accounting is math essays

Accounting is math essays I believe that both math and accounting knowledge is strictly necessary in our everyday lives. The knowledge we gain by taking these courses gives us the sense of understanding over the financial transactions we make in our life. We use math and accounting in a variety of situations. These include transactions we make by money and credit cards. Also, we use math and accounting to analyze situations when we drive, talk, and play. Comparing these two courses, we see a lot of similarities. Accounting is the formal way of doing math. We do math to calculate transactions that deal with numbers. Accounting is the way we analyze and set up those numbers so that we can see a balance between transactions. Using basic mathematical procedures, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing lets us set the accounting principles. So in life, math is needed to balance budgets in accounting. When we look at a credit card statement, we see group of numbers that are added, divided, subtracted and multiplied. So, math is used to calculate our payment needed and accounting is used to balance our due or statement. By using math, the products or services we charge are added together to calculate the money we owe. Then by using accounting, the payment we make is analyzed and entered to their accounting statements, therefore they could analyze our situation at that time. Another instance that we use math and accounting is shopping. When we purchase products such as bread, yogurt, and onions at a supermarket, we get a receipt that summarizes what we buy and what we pay. The receipt is organized to do math by adding the prices of the products. Again math is used to calculate money entered into the cash register. And at the end of the cycle, the overall calculations made by the cash register is compared with the cash in hand by accounting principles. So this way, we analyze if the transactions we made are righ ...

bowling for bombs essays

bowling for bombs essays a great movie, Michael Moore is a great comedian and he did make some interesting point. But it was anything but a documentary. It was very biased and I would even go as far as saying it was a brilliant piece of propaganda. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing intrinsically wrong with producing a piece of propaganda in a free environment. But then you should admit it. Bowling for Columbine was good propaganda, but not a documentary. Let me give you some examples: Did you notice that the people in favour of liberal gun laws appearing in the movie were nearly all total morons whereas the people who support stricter gun laws were generally educated and/or intelligent people. It was hilarious to hear the brother of the Oklahoma bomber say that, 'There are lots of whackos out there', and it certainly illustrates well Moore's point. However selecting stupid people to oppose your argument is not really the way to make a documentary. As a matter of fact, documentaries are meant to expose issues and ask questions instead of giving answers. Another example would be the interview with Charlton Heston. Did you know that Heston announced shortly after the interview he had "Altzheimer-like symptoms". Isn't it wrong to take advantage and make fun of a sick person? Now, as has been put forward by Moore, Heston might be faking it in order to make us THINK Moore is just a reckless bastard who tries to manipulate us. Yet, that seems unlikely to me: First of all, Heston would hence have sacrificed his career in the NRA for a movie (which didn't go that well in the States BTW) and secondly, why did Moore not point this Altzheimer-thing out in the movie anyway? In doubt, we should, I think just ignore the interview and not interpret it in a fashion that reflects either positively or negatively on Moore's movie. Third example: The animated-movie, which most people thought was quite funny. Though Moore may have a point about the American ...

Davidsons Coherence Theory.Coherence and Skepticism Essay

Davidsons Coherence Theory.Coherence and Skepticism - Essay Example It is these two variables that make Davidson's theory widely accepted and appear more legitimate than others. Davidson was not shy in acknowledging the influences to his works and theories and this contributes to the viability and attractiveness of his philosophy. The Coherence Theory of Truth and Knowledge All coherence theories are based on the fundamental position that the truth in propositions is validated by its coherence through a set of propositions. They oppose correspondence theories because of this emphasis on the relationship between propositions and truth conditions. According to LePore and Ludwig (2007, p. 316), coherence theorists focus on the nature of truth as guarantee the link between the belief and truth, arguing that â€Å"what makes for truth is simply some property of a set of beliefs, namely, coherence.†Davidson distinguished his coherence theory from that of correspondence theory by explaining that coherence is a sufficient test for truth. Unlike, the latter, it no longer waits for the confrontation of a belief and the reality, which is a requisite in any theory that requires the production of meanings to be satisfied by objective truth conditions. (p. 154) The coherence is the criterion by which a proposition typified by a set of beliefs is a sufficient i ndication that such proposition can already be equivalent to objective facts. The coherence and the implications it provides enable one to know that the proposition also corresponds. Meanwhile, he distinguished his theory from other versions of coherence theory by explaining simply that the truth condition for a proposition should be that someone must understand it and that "when the beliefs are true, then the primary conditions for knowledge would seem to be satisfied" (p. 154). He went on explaining that people live in different environments and, hence, different experiences. They have different intentions, desires, own sense organs and are affected by internal and external events that are unique to their own existence (p. 155). This variable supposedly highlights how the recognitions provided by different individuals should be enough to confirm that what is being proposed is true. He explained, "a coherence theory is simply the claim that nothing can count as a reason for holding a belief except another belief," and that "its partisan rejects as unintelligible the request for a ground or source of justification of another ilk" (p. 156). The evaluation provided by individuals with diverse experiences, constraints and circumstance is authoritative and considered more effective than other theoretical conditions. Davidson explained this further in his discourse about the relationship between belief and sensations. His argument is that "the existence of belief entails the existence of sensation, and so the existence of the belief entails its own truth" (p. 156). It is clear that sensation, among other faculties and factors, enable individuals to justify beliefs on the grounds of causal relationship. But his view is not as simplistic as those other theories that set great import on sensation. Davidson recognized the role of the senses in theorizing about truth but he did not find it satisfactory enough. His position is that while meaning and knowledge depends on experience and experience ultimately depends on sensation, â€Å"this is the ‘depend’ of causality and not evidence of justification†

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

English - Essay Example It all started when McDonald brothers had a very successful drive-in restaurant and decided to cut cost and simplify. They fired all their carshops and got rid of the things on the menu and mechanized the entire food preparation. This basically brought the factory in the restaurant kitchen and revolutionized how to run a restaurant. This proved to be a huge success that it inadvertently altered how and what we eat. This idea of cheapness and convenience brought by the fast food industry however is not necessarily healthy. It basically skewed our food preference towards the mechanized meat that produces unhealthy calorie that it is now cheaper to buy a burger than a carrot. The effect is devastating to our health. Statistics showed that one out of three children who were born from 2000 in America will contract diabetes and among the minorities, that will be one in two or 50 %. And this new method of feeding corn to the cows (the feedlot operator can buy corn at fraction of what it cos ts to grow) resulted in E. coli that is acid resistant. This is the more harmful E. coli as its mutation evolves to a strain called "E. coli 0157:h7". And it's a product of the diet that is being fed to the cattle on feedlots. A diet of corn which cows were not made to eat by natural evolution but by deliberate government policy of heavily subsidizing corn which is central to U.S. agriculture. Where it is grown in greater volumes and receives more government subsidies than any other crop. Between 1995 and 2006, corn growers received $56 billion in federal subsidies, and the annual figure may soon hit $10 billion (Heffern, 14). This E. coli 0157:h7 is so lethal that a child named Kevin, went from being perfectly healthy to being dead because of E. coli hemorrhage after eating just three hamburgers (Food Inc.). We may not know it but we also eat oil when we consume industrial food. Just to bring a steer to slaughter, it consumes 75 gallons of oil. Overall, the industry guzzles up petr oleum fuel of about 40,000 gallons per year. Consuming oil in food production not only makes the food industry vulnerable to oil spikes just like what is happening today with the recent crisis in Libya,it also makes the food more unhealthy with all its carbon dioxide emissions. Also, just when we thought that we were able to save money when we avail of fast foods as they are cheap, we are in fact very wrong. There are a myriad of hidden costs associated when we avail fast foods. When these hidden costs are factored in and included in the accounting its true cost, it is in fact more costly. In fact, experts had this consensus that â€Å"consumption of fast food, which have high energy densities and glycemic loads, and expose customers to excessive portion sizes, may be greatly contributing to and escalating the rates of overweight and obesity in the USA (Rosenheck, 246). Similarly, other studies have also concluded that â€Å"our findings suggest that increase in the supply of fast food restaurants have a significant effect on obesity† (Currie). Cheap does not also means we are able to save. Just when we thought we were able to save with the cheap price of fast foods, the industry took us for a ride. They worked against us with the typical allure of fast food chains that they are cheap and convenient . . . . For a few more dollars, you can

Analyze the assigned neurological disorder and prepare a report Essay

Analyze the assigned neurological disorder and prepare a report - Essay Example s in the arms and/or legs, in the face muscles, speaking difficulty, dizziness, problem in coordination, headache, vision problems, and loss of consciousness, with these symptoms occurring suddenly within few minutes. Immediate treatments from the doctor is necessary in case of a stroke that includes serving the patient with fluids, oxygen, controlling the blood pressure and if needed to apply medication like the available tissue plasminogen activator. In many cases, the use of a catheter is also made if necessary (Stroke, 2012). Transient ischemic attack (TIA) is similar to stroke and stroke is also at times referred by CVA or cerebrovascular accident. A primary difference between TIA and CVA is the duration where TIA generally lasts for 24 hours while CVA may last for more than 24 hours. Moreover, the effects of CVA are generally more severe than the TIA (Difference Between CVA and TIA,

Islamic Feminism: An overview

Islamic Feminism: An overview Introduction Feminism is a secular ideology and Islam today rests on fundamentalist foundations. Those who advocate that feminist projects be conducted within an Islamic framework have clearly despaired of secular options for change without considering how have elaborated Lilas argument against the possibility of the coexistence of Islam and feminism because it explains the anxiety many Muslim women public intellectuals, including Chandra Talpade (2003), Jasmine (2004), and Martin (2003), feel as they watch the Taliban taking away womens rights in Afghanistan, the Algerian Front Islamique de Salut targeting women intellectuals, the fundamentalist Sudanese government oppressing its women. Many are sure that compromise with such a religion is fatal. Some women are joining religious groups despite their gender conservatism. Others are fighting these same groups, fearing the dangerous chemistry of politics and religion. Whether through or against religion they are choosing to become part of the struggle for a better world. The question many pose to women who voluntarily Islamize is: Do they accept their communities reactionary norms or do they appropriate and in the process subvert them? If there are some who can be considered feminists according to my definition of the term, how do they adapt their convictions that women have certain rights with the perceived need to subsume them to the community interest? How will the ways in which they position themselves to assert responsibility for the construction of their own, new religious identity change the face of Islam? How does participation in jihad allow for feminist activism? These are the questions which are imposed and discussed by Amina Wadud, Badran (1995), Hamid (2006), Saba ( 2005), Lila (2002) and other writers in their respective books and articles. Feminism according to Holy Quran The Quran is unequivocally opposed to gender equality, and the Sharia is not compatible with the principles of equality of human beings (Afshar, 1996, p.122). Despite its growing currency throughout the Muslim world, Lila asserts that Islamic feminism has no coherent, self-identified and/or easily identifiable ideology or movement. Those who advocate its utility as a concept and a marker for a specific brand of feminism are not women from within Muslim societies but rather diasporic feminist academics and researchers of Muslim background living and working in the West (126). These women she later characterizes as exceptionally forgiving, postmodern relativist feminists in the West whose indigenized and exotic form of Western feminism excludes core ideas of legal and social equity, sexual democracy and womens control over their sexuality (146). The attitudes to Islamic feminism span the gamut of leftists like herself who reject its possibility because they consider divine laws inherently hostile toward feminism, to those who posit that feminism within an Islamic framework is the only culturally sound and effective strategy for the regions womens movement (134). The latter group may include secularists overwhelmed by the political and discursive influence of Islamic fundamentalism (134). Here lies the major problem in Lilas argument: she confounds Islam and Islamic fundamentalism, as though the two were the same. This affirmation, she dramatically asserts, relies on twisting facts or distorting realities, ignoring or hiding that which should be clear (135). Her very real fear is that to celebrate Islamic feminism is to highlight only one of the many forms of identity available to Middle Eastern women, obscuring ways that identity is asserted or reclaimed, overshadowing forms of struggle outside religious practices and silencing the secular voices which are still raised against the regions stifling Islamification policies (137-38). An Anti-Modern Feminist Perspective A considerably different perspective is presented in Anouar Majids â€Å"The Politics of Feminism in Islam.† Majid is wary of the dangers of imposing Western feminist traditions on non-Western cultures and attempts therefore to recuperate a feminist tradition within traditional Islamic culture, though he is not entirely successful in doing so. Majid recognizes that the problems women face in Islamic societies cannot be divorced from European colonialism. For Majid, the political and economic structures that have resulted from independence from European domination have not emancipated the poor (341). He feels that nationalist elites have established Eurocentric models of government, namely nation-states (342, n. 17). For Majid, representations of Islamic culture as undemocratic and patriarchal reify the history of Muslim culture and downplay the impact of imperialism on gender relations in Islamic countries (349). Majid finds that a major problem in attempting to develop Islamic feminist perspectives is the difficulty of overcoming the Western and often Orientalist biases that pervade feminist thought. These biases include a dehistoricised notion of human rights and â€Å"an implicit acceptance of the bourgeois political apparatus as a reliable mechanism for negotiating the grievances of the exploited† (339). Western feminism cannot be readily separated from hostility to Islamic culture, according to Majid. To illustrate the point, he cites the example of upper-class Islamic women who have sometimes embraced Western feminist values and in the process â€Å"condemned native customs as backward, proclaimed the superiority of the West, and uncompromisingly equated unveiling with liberation† (338). Females in Islam Even though women may have high-status professional jobs and make important decisions in the course of the day, and even though Islamic sharia insists that women have the right to keep their income, it appears that husbands continue to control the decisions concerning expenditures. The husband is pivotal in allowing his wife to work in the interest of the welfare of the family, he is also the final arbiter in defining what constitutes that welfare. In many instances, while accepting that she may work outside the home, he will not allow her to participate in public events. As already noted, Oven the power of the constitutions of various countries affirming the determination of the sharia that men are in charge of women, there is little chance for change in the foreseeable future. Modernization and urbanization, however, have brought about certain changes in family life. One is a preference for nuclear families. This has altered the traditional power of the mother-in-law which has been undermined by the new system. Instead of being a guest in her mother-in-laws home, the bride gets to be in charge of her own household. But, if she also has to go out to work in order to maintain private residence, her workload is doubled. In addition, the change in housing design from the traditional open courtyard with a garden and opening to the sky to the small apartment has confined the woman and restricted her contact with other members of the family as well as with nature. If her husband restricts her going out, she feels imprisoned and lacks contact with friends and intimate relations. Zine identifies what she sees as the roles for women, determined by the tripartite class structure of Arab society: the working class, the middle class, and the upper class. In the working class, she says, a sharp distinction is made between feminine and masculine characteristics (Zine, 2006, p.19). Conclusion One of the themes that emerges from contemporary writing about Muslim women is that of woman as victim of the experience of oppression in developing countries. The oppression is not unique to the Arab context but is a consequence of disempowerment and feelings of impotence. The condition of the woman serves to demonstrate the extremes of disempowerment. She has become the projection of the inadequacy of the society, shackled with the burden of failure and weakness. Her inherent worth is devalued in relation to her physique, intellect, gender, productivity, and status. At the same time, her role as mother is symbolically elevated. Islam provides security and equivalence to the females and it has made many laws which secures the importance of females in this male dominant world. References Abu-Lughod, Lila 2002. Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others. In American Anthropologist, Vol. 104, No. 3, pp. 783-790 Afshar, Haleh 1996. Islam and Feminism: An Analysis of Political Strategies. In Feminism and Islam: Legal and Literary Perspectives, ed. Mai Yamani. NY: New York University Press, p.122-138 Badran, Margot 1995. Feminists, Islam and Nation: Gender and Feminists, Islam, and Nation: Gender and the Making of Modern Egypt. Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press. Hamid, Shadi 2006. ‘Between Orientalism and Posrmodernism: the changing nature of Western Feminist thought towards the middle east’, HAWWA 4,1:76-92. Mahmood, Saba 2005. Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject (Princeton: Princeton University Press). Mahmood, Saba 2006. ‘Performativity, Agency, and the Feminist Subject‘, in (eds) Ellen Armour and Susan St. Ville, Bodily Citations: Religion and Judith Butler (New York, Columbia Uni Press). ISBN 0-231-13407-X Majid, Anouar 1998. The Politics of Feminism in Islam, Signs, Vol. 23, No. 2, p. 321-361 Martin F McLelland 2004 ‘Re-placing queer studies: reflections on the queer matters conference’, in Inter-Asia Cultural Studies vol 6, number 2: 299- 311. Talpade, Chandra 2003. Feminism without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity. Durham London: Duke University Press. P.71 Zine, Jasmine 2004. Creating a critical faith-centred space for antiracist feminism, in Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion. Vol. 20, No. 2, Pages 167-187 Zine, Jasmine 2006. Between Orientalism and Fundamentalism: The Politics of Muslim Womens Feminist Engagement, Muslim World Journal of Human Rights: Vol. 3, p.19 Public Health Issue Analysis: Smoking Public Health Issue Analysis: Smoking ENHANCING HEALTH AND WELLBEING ACROSS POPULATIONS: INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this essay is to identify a public health issue related in my field. To facilitate the discussion smoking as a public health issue has been chosen. The holistic impact smoking have on the wellbeing of an individual will be explored. The stage of change model and the Healthy Lives (2010) policy will be explored in relation to smoking. The rationale for choosing this topic is because smoking is an important public health issue. The smoke is very toxic to every human tissue it touches on its way into, through and out of the smoker’s body (Ewles 2005). Smoking is considered as a health hazard because Tobacco smoke contains nicotine, a poisonous alkaloid, and other harmful substances such as carbon monoxide, acrolein, ammonia and tars.Gorvenment initiatives like the Public Health White Paper, choosing health; Making Choices Easier (DH 2004) will be addressed. The nurse’s role and other professions involved will be highlighted .Confidentiality shall be maintained throughout this essay as prescribed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008). The impact of tobacco smoking on public health extends beyond the direct effects on the individual smoker and their personal health, plus taking into account the effect on their economic, environmental and social effects (Ewles 2005).). Smoking harms nearly every org an of the body thereby causing many diseases, reducing quality of life and life expectancy. Also it has been estimated that in England, 364,000 patients are admitted to NHS hospitals each year due to smoking related diseases which translates into about 7,000 hospital admission per week and 1,000 admissions per day (ASH 2006). In the UK, smoking causes about a fifth of all deaths, approximately 114,000 each year, most of which are premature with an average of 21 years early (Ewles 2005). According to Peto et. al. (2003) cited in Ewles (2005), most premature deaths caused by smoking are Lung and coronary cancer, chronic obstructive heart diseases and coronary heart diseases with 42800, 29100 and 30600 deaths respectively every year. In addition, smoking is known to also bring increased risk of many debilitating conditions like impotence, infertility, gum disease, asthma and psoriasis (Ewles 2005). Research has also shown that non-smokers are put at risk by exposure to other peopleâ₠¬â„¢s smoke which is known as passive or involuntary smoking and is also referred to as second-hand smoke (SHS) or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) (Cancer Research 2009). According to the Oxford Medical Companion (1994) cited in the WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic 2008, â€Å"tobacco is the only legally available consumer product which kills people when it is used entirely as intended†. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the World which causes one in ten deaths among adults worldwide and in 2005, tobacco caused about 5.4million deaths, an average of one death every six second Certain behaviors have been labeled as risky behaviors associated with negative health outcomes among which smoking is and which has been the subject of UK national health strategies (Naidoo Wills 2005). Smoking causes about one fifth of all deaths in the UK, most of which are premature and has hugely significant impacts on the wider environment and community through causing air pollution, fires, litter and environmental damage (Ewles 2005). Prevalence of smoking among the low paid groups has been observed to be twice those of the affluent groups because of the great difficulty people in the less affluent groups experience in stopping smoking (Ewles 2005). Tobacco smoking is also widely recognized as a cause of health inequality in the UK because it is common among the deprived groups and also compromises the already poorer health of deprived population such as those that fall within the marginalized groups. Examples are people with mental problems and prisoners, who are more likely to smoke and less likely to have access to mainstream smoking cessation services (Ewles 2005). The Index of multiple deprivation ranks areas from the most deprived to the least deprived and the odds of smoking increases as deprivation in the area increases (The NHS Information centre 2008). Children smoke for all sorts of reasons. Some smoke to show their independence, others because their friends do while some smoke because adults tell them not to and others do smoke to follow the example of role models. There is no single cause. Parents, brothers and sisters who smoke are a powerful influence. Also is the way it is been advertised and the tobacco companies sponsor sport which makes children want to try it (DH 1998). The problems of smoking during pregnancy are closely related to health inequalities between those in need and the most advantaged. Women with partners in manual groups are more likely to smoke during pregnancy than those with partners in non-manual groups: 26 per cent of women with partners in manual groups smoke during pregnancy, compared with 12 per cent with partners doing non-manual work (DH 1998). Health promotion is a complex activity and is difficult to define. Davies and Macdowall (2006) describe health promotion as â€Å"any strategy or intervention that is designed to improve the health of individuals and its population†. However perhaps one of the most recognized definitions is that of the World Health Organization’s who describes health promotion as â€Å"a process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health (WHO 1986). If we look at this in relation to the nurse’s role in smoking cessation and giving advice to a patient, this can be seen as a positive concept in that with the availability of information together with support, the patient is then able to make an informed decision, thus creating empowerment and an element of self control. Bright (1997) supports this notion suggesting that empowerment is created when accurate information and knowledgeable advice is given, thus aiding the development of personal skills and self esteem. A vital component of health promotion is health education which aims to change behavior by providing people with the knowledge and skills they require to make healthier decisions and enable them to fulfill their potential. Healthy Lives Healthy People (2010) highlight the vital role nurses play in the delivery of health promotion with particular attention on prevention at primary and secondary levels.Nurses have a wealth of skills and knowledge and use this knowledge to empower people to make lifestyle changes and choices. This encourages people to take charge of their own health and to increase feelings of personal autonomy (Christensen 2006). Smoking is one of the biggest threats to public health, therefore nurses are in a prime position to help people to quit by offering encouragement, provide information and refer to smoking cessation services. In 2010 the white paper Healthy Live Healthy People set out the government long term policy for improving public health and in 2011 a new tobacco control plan was published (Department of Health 2011). The Whitepaper Healthy Life Healthy People set out a range of measures aimed at preventing people from starting to smoke and helping them to stop, such as banning cigarettes advertising on billboards, in size and action on tobacco intensified (DH, 2011). WHO defines health promotion a process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve, their health. It implies that the ideology moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions. Naidoo and Wills (2010), states ‘health promotion is based on theories about what influences people’s health and what are effective interventions or strategies to improve health.

Macbeth- General Information, Rough Essay

then is revealed as being weak and easily manipulated. He then descends into become a murderous madman. one realizes Macbeth’s transformation into one of drama’s most infamous villains coincides with a profound transformation of his conscience—to a point where he has none at all. Throughout the play Macbeth makes a journey from following a moral ethic, implementing a flawed ethic, and arriving to a point where he had none at all. When comparing Banquo and Macbeth, after they meet the weird sisters, one see’s that Banquo adheres to warrior ethics where Macbeth moves away from it.At the start of the play Macbeth was idolised by everyone and thought to have been a man of very great power whom could be defeated by nobody: â€Å"All is too weak for brave Macbeth – well he deserves that name† 1. 2. 15. It is stated in this quote by the Captain that at the start Macbeth was known as a brave heroic man, which his enemies were too weak to overthrow. B y the end of the play his status falls from a man of great magnificence to one that has barely managed to keep his own sanity.Thus our first description of Macbeth is that of a brave, loyal soldier defending his King and country He appears to be a strong military leader ‘brave Macbeth- well he deserves that name’’, is then called ‘noble Macbeth' and given the traitor’s title, Thane of Cawdor: ‘’with this former title greet Macbeth’’. The Captain tells the King killed the traitor Macdonald in a very horrible and gory manner ‘’unseamed him from the nave to th’chops’’ Therefore, we are led to believe that Macbeth is a good, loyal, courageous, and determined man.Things From the moment they are introduced to the play the witches are seen as a negative effect on Macbeth, creating chaos by prophesysing to Macbeth that he is going to become Thane of Cawdor ‘’All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! ’’ and that he is going to become king ‘’All hail, Macbeth! That shall be King hereafter’’and getting him to act. He knows he is already Thane of Glamis, but does not know that Duncan has promoted him to Thane of Cawdor. Macbeth is surprised by the promise of kingship.Banquo's prophecy is even more fantastic: he will be the father of kings but not king, and will be greater and happier than Macbeth. That is the moment when Macbeth wants to know more. The witches basically planted the seed of evil in Macbeth’s mind that later on grew to dominate his every action. However, it was Macbeth’s ambition that decided to take action on these prophesies, therefore it was he that decided the final outcome. When Ross and Angus enter to proclaim Macbeth's promotion, he is very surprised:‘’The Thane of Cawdor lives, why do you dress me in borrowed robes? ’ Moreover, Macbeth believes that this is the f ulfilment of the witches prophecies, However, there is no clear reason why Macbeth would become king, especially since the present King is so loved and admired. In the next few lines it becomes apparent that Macbeth not only has thought about being king, but he also believes what the witches told him is true: Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor: The greatest is behind Two truths are told, As happy prologues to the swelling act Of the imperial theme. (1. 3. 115-116, 126-128)This is the first time we see him realising that he might have to do something, as killing Duncan, in order to get to the throne. He debates the good and the bad side of the prophecies : ‘’If good, why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair’’ we are shown that Macbeth not only loves his King and country,’’our duties are to your throne and state, children and servants’’ but also himself. It still remains to be seen what action he will take. Macbeth's change has begun. **Soon enough, we are taken to Macbeth’s home, wherewe meet his wife, Lady Macbeth. Lady Macbeth has just received a letter from her husband in whichhe tells her everything that has happened. Because the witches got him very interested in their prophecies, he has had them investigated and has ’’ learned by the perfectest report that they have more in them than mortal knowledge. ’’ It is clear that after calling the witches ‘imperfect speakers' (1. 3. 68), Macbeth has now changed his mind. He also interprets the prophecies and tells his wife a slightly changed version.He addresses her ‘’my dearest partner in greatness’’ and seems to be sincere. Lady Macbeth, however, is determined that her husband becomes king. she says that Macbeth lacks the qualities necessary to assassinate Duncan without remorse or regret: ‘’yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’th’milk of human-kindness to catch the nearest way’’ . she hen prays for supernatural help to take away all of her feminine qualities and basically any traits of conscience: ‘’ unsex me here, and fill me from the crown to the toe top full of direst cruelty! ’, ‘’stop up th’access and passage to remorse’’, ‘’that my keen knife see not the wound it makes’’. After Macbeth arrives, Lady Macbeth is telling him to ‘’look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t’’ and to ‘Leave all the rest to me' This implicates her in the murdering of Duncan and shows us that she is taking the responsibility. She is essentially taking over. After the King arrives at the castle and prepares to sleep peacefully, Macbeth is still debating how he can achieve the crown without getting caught.He doesn’t want to do it personally; he wants to get it over with:’ ’ If it were done, when’tis done, then ‘twere done well it were done quickly’ and doesn’t really want to kill his cousin and King; he has a conscience: ‘’he’s here in double trust’. On the other side, he’s obsessed with becoming king and his thoughts keep flowing in the same direction: ‘’I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambitions, which o’er-leaps itself and falls on the other’’. We see duality when he says: ‘’we will proceed no longer in this business’’ and tries to procrastinate the murder.His wife then plays games with his mind and basically psychologically bullies and pressures him into killing Duncan by telling him that he is less than a man if he does not carry out the murder:’’ when you durst do it, then you were a man; and, to be more than what you were, you would be so much more the man’â€℠¢, and that she, being a woman has more strength of purpose than he does: ‘’i would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, and dashed the brains out, had i sworn as you have done to this’. As soon as Macbeth has kills Duncan, he seems to start to lose his ind. He starts hallucinating: ‘’is this a dagger which i see before me, the handle toward my hand?Come, let me clutch thee. I have not, and yet I see thee still’’. He is unable to think clearly and is very paranoid. He is ready to eliminate anything that stands in his waybecause oft his ambitions for himself and the fear of being discovered. He just doesn't know what to do with himself while trying to keep the crown. Even though he is committed to Duncan, he Because Macbeth is afraid of the witches’ prophecy that he will lose the crown: ‘’To be thus in nothing, but to be safely thus.Our fears in Banquo stick deep’â₠¬â„¢ and Banquo will become king, he sends people to kill Banquo and Fleance. He hires three murderers in order to make sure that they won’t be able to escape. They ambush Banquo on his way to a royal feast, but Fleance escapes into the night. Macbeth is now the prisoner insolent and nagging doubts and fears,: ‘’But now I am cabined, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears’’, and is now paranoid because Fleace has escaped: ‘’There the grown serpent lies; the worm that’s fled hath nature that in time will venom breed’’.

A&P vs Araby

In this essay I hope to show differences between John Updike’s A&P and James Joyce’s Arbay. Some of the things are that both of the authors talk about the same idea of a young boy’s growth for their adolescences. These boys need a lot more experience with the real world this comes with time, age and also experience. What is it like for Sammy to grow up with his parents and arbay to grow up with his aunt and uncle? In these essays what would you do if you were in the same situation as these boys? How do these boys need to grow up and mature?Or do you think that their actions might be a little overboard Even though John Updikes’s and James Joyce differ in stories they both are talking about the same type of situation two boys that are growing up from their different situations from their adolesonces. This common ground becomes clear through the way both of the authors wrote their essays. In John Updike’s essay Sammy Works for A&p when he saw a group o f girls come into the store while he was working right away he judged them on what they were wearing and how they looked not even to stop to think about anything about there personality’s.In James Joyce’s essay the author refers to the girl of his his dreams as Megan’s sister? What is her name does he know anything about her. You can see where these stories are starting to one another to relate to one another. In John Updike’s essay A&P Sammy Is telling the story from his perspective witch makes the essay less interesting in my opinion. On the Other hand with James Joyce’s essay Arbay he is a little bit more Experienced and very articulate with his words witch makes the essay more interesting.Sammy from A&P has become very aggravated at his job because the customers are very inconsiderate for many different reasons: As he mentions â€Å"She’s one of the these cash register witches† (227). That gave him hell beause he rang up a box of Hiho crackers two times by mistake. Sammy really got aggravated after that incident happened at work I think that really started to get him aggravated at that point he was really starting to think rationally and not in a mature manner. We see the author and main character of Araby as he battles with his adulthoodEmotions as he tries to understand his feelings towards Megan’s sister every morning He follows her but hardly speaks to her Still â€Å"her name was like a summons to all my Foolish blood† (227). He is still a boy, since he is too scared to approach her but dealing With adult feelings which he does not understand? His anger is shown at the end of the Story, since the bazaar is closed and there is nothing he can get for her and he says â€Å"he Sees himself as a creature driven and derided by vanity† This again shows the battle ofHormones as he sees his feelings being based on how he can impress Megan’s sister. Both boys are going through growing into adulthood differently in their stories Sammy being at the A&P sees his store as the average place where the boring, ugly Average people go the girls he sees come in represent a fantasy of his the better Merchandise that is better than average the main character of Araby also has a fantasy But in his turn to adulthood he tries to buy the girl of his dreams an object Therefore, It’s a subject shown as the boys are growing into adulthood it is frustrating to bothSince the boy in Araby is unable to attain anything for the sister, and Sammy sees the Merchandise at A&P as average and meaningless anyway Vanity is frustrating because a lot of girls like physical things and gifts from boys and for the boy in Araby he is not able to get this and therefore has failed in being able to impress the girl Sammy sees the A&P as not being good enough for the bathing suit girls which maybe why he decides it is not good enough for him either. One thing I want to point out is that in A&P we see the difference between omeone in adulthood and someone growing into it While Sammy wishes to see the girls in their bathing suits that come into A&P, his manager scolds the girls, telling them they have too little clothing Sammy here represents one side of pre-adulthood, where in his mind the girls are better than the average woman who shop in A&P, the ones who are â€Å"house slaves in pin curlers† and â€Å"women with six children and varicose veins mapping their legs† (64).His manager is the other side well into his adulthood who sees the girls as being indecent, and even says something about the next time they will ave to come in â€Å"with their shoulders covered† (64) Sammy is so angered at this he quits which shows the level of emotion in the theme of growing into adulthood His Hormones have gotten the best of his reason and he acts upon his emotions. Although there are definite differences in â€Å"Arabay† and â€Å"A&P,† we see the sam e theme of growing into adulthood in both stories This is not an easy task Both Sammy and the boy from Arabay find themselves frustrated as they go through their thoughts Sammy is concerned with quality which is something he sees little of in theA&P, in both his judgment of the A&P and women that usually are shopping in it The author of Arabay is also concerned with quality on a different level He hopes to get a good present for his friend’s sister that is the girl he is feeling his adulthood directed on. He is unhappy when he comes to the bazaar, and sees that most of the things are gone and he is unable to provide something to the girl of his dreams that satisfies him. In both stories the boys share a common frustration with their feelings and change in attitudes, which show the inner turmoil of hormones, and their progress to adulthood.

Anne Sullivan essays

Anne Sullivan essays She was a lost cause. No one could help her because she was unable to communicate. Why did Anne Sullivan believe she could help her? Sullivan undertook a task that many thought to be impossible: to establish some means of communication with Helen Keller and to bring this blind, deaf, and mute girl into a world that she could never before have imagined. Of all the influential people throughout time, Anne Sullivan is one I admire. Because of her determination, her ability to connect with a deeply troubled child, and her defiance of the odds against her, she set an important example for Physically, Anne Sullivan was much like the other women of the nineteenth century. She was an everyday person on the outside; however, her character reveals that her ordinary appearance was misleading. Her greatest qualities lie within. Anne was an intelligent woman who could deal with all that life threw her way. In 1887, life gave her the opportunity to meet her greatest challenge, Helen Keller. To be able to cope with all that came with this job, she relied on her patient temperament as well as her loving and optimistic nature. Regardless of how grim the situation appeared to others, Anne saw the tiny increments of progress in Helen, and no matter how long it took, she refused to give up her hope that some day Helen would be able to function like other children. To truly touch and brighten the life of a child is one of the most incredible achievements that one could ever hope to reach. I personally hold a great admiration for Anne Sullivan because she connected with a child, and made her life better. Helen Keller had lived a life of complete frustration, absolutely cut off from the world around her. Anne Sullivan changed that. She taught a girl who knew nothing of relationships and love to communicate with a world she could neither see, ...

Free Essays on “Home Plants. Diagnostics. Cure. Care. ”

Reflection Paper The topic of my research paper is the positive impact of green plants at home on people’s health and the issue on how to care for plants. The book â€Å"Home plants. Diagnostics. Cure. Care.† provides the reader with all sort of useful information. The content is split into five parts, so every part has its own purpose and idea. The first one describes the plants as living creatures that need love and care, which have their own needs and cycles of life. The usefulness of plants at home and their impact on a â€Å"healthy home† are also described here. After, there comes a section with photos, followed by descriptions of illnesses that can be transmitted on the plants and that can be even harmful for people. Here the author gives a lot of attention to detailing diverse . The third part is devoted to the ways of curing the plants and preventing different diseases. A lot of this part can be used for garden plants, which are very similar in their nature. Next comes the all-around description of various plant species. The author mentions the preferences of each plant and its needs. In addition, it is described how they differ from each other in their needs and which of them and why are most popular by people. The last part tells the answers to the most often stated questions. There the reader can find a summary of conditions, which are similar to particular species. The information flows slowly from one topic to an other one, which makes this book interesting not only for people, who have plants at home, but also for those who have never thought to â€Å"make friends† with flowers. The author makes a global survey on the topic and gives us interesting data. First, she shows us that 95 percent of questioned tell the plants to be a part of their homes. That is really curious, because most of young people do not want to care of plans, for they don’t grow that fast or they don’t bloom often. Anyone of my nine closest fr... Free Essays on â€Å"Home Plants. Diagnostics. Cure. Care. † Free Essays on â€Å"Home Plants. Diagnostics. Cure. Care. † Reflection Paper The topic of my research paper is the positive impact of green plants at home on people’s health and the issue on how to care for plants. The book â€Å"Home plants. Diagnostics. Cure. Care.† provides the reader with all sort of useful information. The content is split into five parts, so every part has its own purpose and idea. The first one describes the plants as living creatures that need love and care, which have their own needs and cycles of life. The usefulness of plants at home and their impact on a â€Å"healthy home† are also described here. After, there comes a section with photos, followed by descriptions of illnesses that can be transmitted on the plants and that can be even harmful for people. Here the author gives a lot of attention to detailing diverse . The third part is devoted to the ways of curing the plants and preventing different diseases. A lot of this part can be used for garden plants, which are very similar in their nature. Next comes the all-around description of various plant species. The author mentions the preferences of each plant and its needs. In addition, it is described how they differ from each other in their needs and which of them and why are most popular by people. The last part tells the answers to the most often stated questions. There the reader can find a summary of conditions, which are similar to particular species. The information flows slowly from one topic to an other one, which makes this book interesting not only for people, who have plants at home, but also for those who have never thought to â€Å"make friends† with flowers. The author makes a global survey on the topic and gives us interesting data. First, she shows us that 95 percent of questioned tell the plants to be a part of their homes. That is really curious, because most of young people do not want to care of plans, for they don’t grow that fast or they don’t bloom often. Anyone of my nine closest fr...

Performance Pay at Safelite Auto Glass Case Study - 1

Performance Pay at Safelite Auto Glass - Case Study Example The installer’s problem as identified in the PPP was related to the turnover rates. It has been found that the turnover rate of the company has been quite high because the glass installation was a seasonal business. The busy periods were spring and summer and it was found that at this time, the competition for new hires was mounting. However, the demand for the windshield replacement troughed and as a result, the repair shops found it necessary to lay off many of their workers and hire them back during spring and summer. In addition to this, another biggest problem was associated with technicians who were lured by other companies’ offer, which promised to pay them a fraction more than what they were currently receiving. Therefore, as a result, it was evident that the installers were changing their jobs since they were paid a Dollar more an hour and were allowed to take the company’s truck home at night. In order to reduce the turnover rate, Safelite also offered truck privileges for a time being, but then stopped it later. It was a matter of concern for the recruiters in HR with regards to getting technicians from other companies to come to Safelite. After going through the case study, it can be revealed that the Performance Pay Plan was revised for both the managers as well as the technicians. It was decided to pay the technicians according to the piece rate system rather than the wage rate system which was previously being practised. The plan was implemented for the technicians to receive the piece rate for every windshield that they installed. According to this plan, the number of windshields that the technician would install in a week would be accumulated. As a result, the technicians’ pay for the week was decided to be based upon the number of installations. The new plan brought both advantages and disadvantages to the technicians. Previously, the technicians received $10-$12 an hour. However, it was analyzed that according to the new PPP, the technicians would receive $15.22 per hour.  

Consumer behaviours Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Consumer behaviours - Term Paper Example Brand image – Definitely, BlackBerry has its very own strong brand image in the mobile phone market. Especially, having a BlackBerry is perfect for professional and business – minded people. As suggested by Morisy in 2008, its features catering for business world are its strength as BlackBerry is a phone highly recommended by IT professionals.2 Product Features – BlackBerry has an easy – to – use QWERTY keyboard. Apart from that, BlackBerry has coverage in lots of countries, hence used around the globe. One of its strongest features is its strong email capabilities3 which keeps one connected and does well in providing an email mobile environment. In addition to that, its mobile email provider is fast. Undeniably, BlackBerry has a strong business class features (Barker, 2011).4 On the one hand, this mobile phone has showed its usefulness in being connected in social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as well. Hence, BlackBerry gives an edge on its utmost functionality. Absence of Innovation – BlackBerry is not an innovative phone which causes consumers to abandon it for iPhone and other android phones. According to Hansberry (2009), this is for the reason that the BlackBerry IT department is not that much interested to media, web browsing and other applications that the others can perform better.7 BlackBerry is more often than not behind the new technological innovations of phones. Limited Applications – Unlike iPhone and other android phones, BlackBerry does not have much selection of applications. It does not have the trendy applications like Instagram of which gives artsy snapshots in social networking sites and games in iPhone, and much more applications provided by the android market.8 Lacks Style and Aesthetics – In contrast to other phones, BlackBerry is not stylish and aesthetically appealing enough to a wide array of consumers because of its no more than sleek professional

Project Appraisal & Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Project Appraisal & Finance - Essay Example We have to clarify the two sets of key questions we are dealing with. The first answers the questions "what" investments are and "why" they are important for a business, whilst the second answers the question of "how" investments decisions are made. The second part of our paper elaborates and expands on some of the key concepts that we cover in the first part. In the process, we hope to acquire a deeper understanding of the principles, methods, and issues that have to be considered in investment decision-making. This paper will closely simulate the complex world of top management decision-making faced by any business on a daily basis, and where no single discipline - finance, production, corporate social responsibility, or general management - dominates. As we look at all the conceivable angles that any normal business looks at prior to the making of an investment decision, we can realise that just like in the real world, we need to make choices. Hopefully, our discussion will show that management decision-making is a complex task, that every decision made today can have far-reaching consequences, and that any professional manager who wants to be a worthy practitioner of the art and science of management must take his or her educational preparation, and eventually his or her responsibility as a manager very, very seriously. The ABC Mining plc Case For purposes of clarity in our understanding of the assumptions used in our discussions and the consequent calculations to arrive at our decisions, we summarise the key facts of the case. ABC Mining plc is investigating the possibility of purchasing an open-cast coal mine at a cost of 2.5 million which the government is selling as part of its privatisation programme. It would invest in and operate the mine for four years, after which it would clean it up and sell the assets. The Finance Director prepared the projected profit and loss accounts shown in Table 1, and in his report to the Board of Directors recommended that the company should not proceed as the profitability of the proposal is poor. The following are the questions that need to be answered: First, what could be considered as the most appropriate investment appraisal methods which would help the company to decide whether or not to proceed with the project Second, explain why we consider the investment appraisal methods just discussed to be the most appropriate for evaluating investment projects. Third, we would discuss briefly whether the project should go ahead. Table 1: ABC Mining plc Profit and Loss Statement (in millions) Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Comments Investments Purchase (2.5) Paid to government Equipment (12.5) Financed 10m debt at 12% Sale of Equipment 2.5 Year 5 sale of vehicles/eqpt Working capital (0.5) One-time investment Sunk costs (0.2) Included in Year 1 write-off Survey costs (0.4) Counted in Year 1 Clean-up (0.4) Net vehicle sales 2.1 Sales 9.4 9.8 8.5 6.3 Less: Direct Exp Wages (2.3) (2.5) (2.6) (1.8) Incl.

Health Insurance and Medicare Essay Example for Free

Health Insurance and Medicare Essay I. Introduction The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Barack Obama. Along with the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act (HCERA), it represents the momentous transformation of the U.S. health care system. Its main goal is to decrease the amount of uninsured citizens as well as to reduce the overall costs of health care. It is a vastly complex reform that will affect many people in aspects of their health care, costs, and the country. There are many opinions about how this reform will affect the nation, some saying it will make us better off, others saying we will be worse off, and those who do not think it will make a difference. But regardless of these opinions, what the majority does agree on is that these laws may be difficult to understand and that many are not even aware of these changes. There are many problems that the health care industry is facing. The cost of health care may arguably be the most important factor that people are concerned about. Many think that health care policies and premiums are too expensive. Coupled with the fact that our population is aging, meaning that there will be more elder people with more health problems, health care costs are rapidly growing and take up a huge chunk of the federal budget. There are also many loopholes within the current health care system. Individuals who are looking to buy insurance can be denied based on their pre-existing conditions. Some insurance policies even have a lifetime limit on benefits. What all these examples basically sum up is that the people who are in need of health care the most are those who are also the most unlikely to be insured, or are under insured. In an attempt to address these issues, the PPACA and Reconciliation Act were established. The Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act was enacted to amend the PPACA. It is divided into two titles, one addressing the health reform and the other addressing student loan reform. It makes changes to some parts of the PPACA. That is why many people commonly refer to the overall health reform as just the PPACA. The most noted change this brings  is that it requires almost all citizens to have health care insurance, or to pay a penalty. Some examples and cases regarding this issue will be discussed later on. The PPACA also considerably expands public insurance as well as funds private insurance coverage. It will close loopholes such as setting life time limits as well as making it illegal to reject coverage for those with pre-existing conditions. In terms of affordability, the PPACA will expand Medicaid to cover low-income families and individuals across the nation. It also aims to cut down and reconstruct Medicare spending, which will be the main focus of this paper. II. The Impacts of the PPACA and HCERA on Medicare and Health Physicians The PPACA is made up of 10 titles. I will be discussing selected provisions in Titles II, III, IV, and V regarding Medicare. These include program modifications and payment to Medicare’s fee-for-service program, the Medicare Advantage, prescription drug programs, Medicare’s payment process, changes to address, waste, fraud, and abuse, and other miscellaneous Medicare changes. As for the HCERA, the first title has provisions detailing health care and revenues. Subtitle B of Title I involves provisions that change provisions PPACA relevant to those listed above (Medicare Advantage, fee-for-service, and prescription drug programs). Subtitle D has provisions regarding decreasing fraud, abuse, and waste in Medicare. Subtitle E discuses revenue related provisions such as a provision that changes Medicare tax provision in PPACA. A. Impacts on Medicare According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the provisions in PPACA as amended by the HCERA will reduce direct spending by an estimated $390 billion (CRS, 2010). The provisions that are predicted to produce the largest savings include the following: (1) developing an Independent Payment Advisory Board to create changes in Medicare payment rates is presumed to save about $16 billion (2) decreasing Medicare payments to hospitals that aid a vast number of low-income patients, is expected to reduce expenditures by an estimated $22 billion (3) permanent deductions to Medicare’s fee-for-service payment rates (4) changing the high-income adjustment for Part B premiums, and (5) making maximum payment rates in Medicare Advantage closer to spending in fee-for-service Medicare. However, it is critical to  note that these are just estimates. Medicare is made up of four parts that are each accountable for paying for various benefits, dependent on different eligibility criteria. Under traditional Medicare, Part A and Part B services are usually paid by a fee-for-service basis (services supplied to a patient is reimbursed through a separate payment). Part A supplies coverage for skilled nursing facility (SNF) services, inpatient hospital services, hospice care, and home health care, which are subject to some limitations. Provisions that reduce Part A spending make up a large part of the savings related to this legislation through either payment changes or constraining payment updates. PPACA will alter Medicare’s payment updates to Part A hospitals to account for cost savings, which will significantly reduce Medicare spending in the next 10 years. Under PPACA (Title III Subtitle A Section 3001), beginning for discharges on October 1, 2012 hospitals will acquire value-based incentive payments from Medicare. The first year of the value based purchasing (VBP) program will aim at collecting data and assessing performance. Starting in 2013, adjustments to hospital payments will be made based on performance by the VBP program. There will also be VBP standards established (i.e. levels of improvement and accomplishments), as well as a method for assessing how hospitals perform. Hospitals with the highest score will obtain the biggest VBP payments. Those that meet or go beyond the standards are able to receive an increased DRG payment for each discharge within the year. However, to provide for these VBP incentive payments the DRG payments will be reduced by a certain percentage: 1.0% in 2013; 1.25% in 2014; 1.5% in 2015; 1.75% in 2016; and 2.0% in 2017. An alternate choice to receive covered benefits would be Medicare Advantage (MA). Private health plans are paid a per person amount to supply all Medicare-covered benefits to those who enroll in the plan under MA. The payments made to MA plans are decided by comparing the maximum amount Medicare will pay for benefits with a plan’s cost of providing those required benefits. If the plan’s cost is below the maximum, then it is paid  the cost plus a rebate equal to 75% of the difference to the maximum. But if the plan’s cost is above the maximum, then it is paid and must also charge the enrollee the difference between the cost and the maximum. PPACA modifies how the maximum payment is decided. Beginning in 2012, it will implement benchmarks (maximum amount Medicare will pay for benefits) calculated as a percentage of per capita FFS Medicare spending. It will also increase benchmarks depending on the quality of the plan. Those with a high quality rating will get an increase in their benchmark while new plans or those with lesser enrollments may also qualify to get an increase. PPACA will also vary the plan rebates based on quality with new rebates set from 50% to 70%. In regards to changes affecting Medicare’s prescription drug benefits, the health reform makes a few changes to the Medicare Part D program. PPACA increases the premiums held by higher income enrollees. The income standards are set to be at the same manner and level as that in Part B. Beginning in 2011, those enrolled in Part D will have a 50% discount for drugs during the coverage gap. In extension, HCERA will supply a rebate of $250 to those who enter the gap in 2010. Hopefully this phases out the â€Å"donut hole† (coverage gap) by slowly lessening the cost-sharing and coverage gap for generic and brand name drugs. Medicare’s finances are operated through two trust funds, the Hospital Insurance (HI) and the Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) trust fund. The main provider of income to the HI fund, which pays for Medicare Part A, is the payroll taxes paid by employers and employees. Medicare Part B and D are funded by general revenues and monthly premiums. In addition to all the previous provisions addressing Medicare’s financial issues, there is another precautionary step being taken. The PPACA has a provision to establish an Independent Payment Advisory Board with the goal of decreasing Medicare spending. B. Impacts on Physicians The PPACA and HCERA make various changes to the Medicare program, which in turn affects physicians and how they practice. Some of these provisions have clear consequences, such as immediately changing physician reimbursement, while others have indirect influences on how physicians may practice in the  future by modifying the incentives to improve the delivery and quality of care. PPACA broadens the Medicare Physician Quality and Reporting Initiative (PQRI) incentive payments though 2014 and administers a penalty for those who fail to report quality measures starting in 2015. It also supplies for a further bonus to physicians who meet the requirements of an assessment program, such as the Maintenance of Certification Program, while penalizes the physicians who fail to meet those standards in the future. Under Section 3002 of Title III, Medicare claims data will be used to provide reports to physicians that measure resources used to provide care for Medicare beneficiaries. Under Section 3007 of Title III, the Secretary of HHS is obliged to create and administer a separate payment modifier to the Medicare physician fee schedule. This payment should be based on the relative cost and quality of the care provided by physicians. The quality of care should be assessed based on risk-adjusted measure of quality determined by the Secretary. Costs are also assessed based on measures determined by the Secretary. Risk factors such as ethnicity, demographic, socioeconomic characteristics, and health status should be taken into account. By January 1, 2012 these explicit measures of cost and quality, along with implementation dates of the adjusted payments should be published. III. Regulations Implementation With such significant changes and provisions being made, there should be a way to keep track of how each is being regulated and implemented. I will discuss the regulations, time limits, and effective dates on how each are being done so by year. The first changes of 2010 start with Medicare provider rates. This includes reductions in the annual market basket updates for hospital services. Currently, there have been productivity adjustments added to market basket update in 2012. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have issued these updates for varying provider types starting in August 2010. The  implementation of the Medicare Beneficiary drug rebate, which supplies a $250 rebate to those in the Part D coverage gap, started January 1, 2010. In May 2010, the CMS published a brochure containing information about the coverage gap in Medicare Part D. As of March 22, 2011, about 3.8 million people have received the $250 rebate (HHS, 2011). As for closing the Medicare drug coverage gap, on December 17, 2010 CMS sent a letter to pharmaceutical companies addressing guidelines to the Medicare Coverage Gap Discount Program. This program became effective on January 1, 2011. Moving onto provisions implemented in 2011, Medicare payments for primary care will provide a 10% bonus payment for services. It will also provide the same bonus to general surgeons working in areas with a shortage of health professionals. This is being implemented starting in January 1, 2011 through December 2015. As for the MA payment changes, they will restructure payment to private plans and prohibit higher cost-sharing requirements. This has been in effect since January 1, 2011. The CMS issued a notice to MA plans in April 2010 addressing the freeze in 2011 payment rates at 2010 levels. A Medicare Independent Payment Advisory Board made up of 15 individuals to arrange proposals and recommendations to decrease the per capita rate of growth in spending if it exceeds targeted rates was planned to be established. On October 1, 2011, funding was made available and the first proposals are due January 15, 2014. In 2012, the second part of the MA plan payments, which reduce rebates paid and provide bonuses to high quality plans, went into effect on January 1, 2012. On February 28, 2012 the CMS sent out a letter to MA plans addressing the payment rates for 2012. Fraud and abuse prevention was also implemented on January 1, 2012. It establishes procedures for screening and reporting those who participate in Medicare. On March 23, 2011 CMS issued a notice addressing the fee that providers would have to pay to fund the screenings. Later on in the year, on October 1, 2012 Medicare value based purchasing was put into effect. This creates a program to pay hospitals based on their quality of performance. This coming year in 2013, there will be a few provisions to come into effect  starting off the new year. On January 1, 2013 the Medicare tax increase (increases the Medicare Part A tax rate on wages by 0.9% on incomes of $200,000), Medicare bundle payment pilot program (program to create and assess payments for certain services), and the latter part of the prescription drug coverage gap (reducing coinsurance) will be put into effect. As for 2014, the last of the Medicare provisions will be implemented. The Medicare Advantage plan loss ratios are mandated to be no less than 85%; this will begin at the start of the year on January 1, 2014. The second implementation for that year will be Medicare payments for hospital-acquired infections; it will decrease payments to those hospitals for their hospital-aquired conditions by 1% and this process will continue onto 2015. IV. Cases Challenging PPACA When the PPACA and HCERA were signed into law, many people opposed and sued claiming that the reform was unconstitutional for a number of reasons. The most controversial was the mandate that require most citizens to obtain health insurance coverage, and if failing to do so would have to pay a penalty in the form of an individual tax. Another debated provision was the expansion of the Medicaid program to cover even more individuals, such as those with low income. All of these separate cases were then merged into a single case, The National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, 567 U.S. (2012). When ruled, it was a momentous Supreme Court decision in which the Court maintained Congress’s authority to enact the provisions of the Affordable Care Act and the Reconciliation Act. In December 2011, it was announced that there would be a 6 hour oral argumentation heard by the Court over a time span of three days beginning on March 26, 2012 and ending on March 28, 2012 discussing varying debatable topics of these provisions. By a vote of 5 to 4, the Court maintained the Individual Mandate aspect of the PPACA as a binding exercise of Congress’s authority to lay and collect taxes. The critical characterization of this financial penalty as a tax is what passed the mandate as constitutional. Preceding this landmark case there were many previous hearings held, all  having similar conflicting opinions. The Eleventh Circuit was also dealing with arguments in relative cases challenging PPACA. While it was assumed that the Fourth Circuit, which had heard oral arguments before the Eleventh Circuit, would issue a decision on PPACA first, the Eleventh Circuit was actually the second to issue its opinion, on August 12, 2011. In Florida ex rel. Bondi v. U.S. Department of Health Human Services (2011) the plaintiffs of the case were two private individuals, the National Federation of Independent Business, and 26 individual states. The Eleventh Circuit then published a 300-plus page opinion finding by a 2:1 majority that the Individual Mandate (requiring health insurance coverage) is unconstitutional, and thus created a split of authority between the two Circuits. The Eleventh Circuit heard this appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, which saw the Individual Mandate to be an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s authority. The district court also found that the Individual Mandate was not applicable to the rest of the PPACA, meaning that the whole act was invalid. The plaintiffs in the district court case also debated that the PPACA’s expansion of Medicaid was unconstitutional, but the district court granted the government judgment on that issue and the Eleventh Circuit agreed to that court’s decision. These two cases show how divided opinions can be and how difficult it was and is to pass a health reform law. Opinions are still divided, concerning many aspects such as the Medicaid expansion, the Commerce Clause, and the Necessary and Proper Clause. On the issue of Medicaid expansion, no one, single opinion had the support of the majority of the Justices. Also, on the issue of if the Individual Mandate was within the authority of Congress under the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, again there was no single opinion that was supported by the majority of the Court. Despite all these controversies, and even though the act has passed, there are still those who are continuing to pursue litigation in order to repeal and defeat the PPACA. V. Conclusion Medicare spending has been increasing much more rapidly compared to the general economy, and this definitely raises concerns about Medicare’s  long-term sustainability. The provisions in the Affordable Care Act and the Reconciliation Act were established to decrease Medicare program costs by about $390 billion over the following 10 years through modifications in payments to various providers, by leveling payment rates between fee-for-service Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and by boosting efficiencies of how health services are delivered and paid for. Overall, the PPACA and HCERA are momentous pieces of legislation that will restructure the future of the U.S. health care system. It is still unclear of how well these provisions have been implemented, with some still having yet to be so. The main concern is probably how well costs will be contained or reduced. With all of these new taxes, hopefully the reform will actually reduce the federal deficit over the next ten years that these provisions are being implemented. There is still much work to be done within the next few years, to see how this reform works out. Many people are glad that it has passed and support this reform as well as encourage it to be expanded, while others oppose the reform arguing that it creates too much government involvement in the issue. But since it has passed and is enacted in the present, people should make use of what is being provided. Some are not even aware of the changes in the health care industry and are oblivious to how they are being affected. That is why it is important to stay informed and make decisions, after all this is what directly affects your future. References CRS Analysis of CBO (March 20, 2010). Estimates of the effects of PPACA and the Reconciliation Act combined. Congressional Budget Office. Retrieved October 31, 2012 from: http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/113xx/doc11379/AmendReconProp.pdf Barrett, Paul M. (June 28, 2012). Supreme Court Supports Obamacare, Bolsters Obama. Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved November 3, 2012 from: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-06-28/supreme-court-supports-obamacare-and-bolsters-obama Congressional Budget Office (March 2009). An Analysis of Health Insurance Premiums Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Letter to the Honorable Evan Bayh. Congressional Budget Office, Washington, DC. Retrieved November 3, 2012 from: http://www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=10781. Kaizer, J. (2010). Implementation Timeline. Health Reform Source. Retrieved November 5, 2012 from: http://healthreform.kff.org/timeline.aspx Hilgers, David W. (February 2012) Physicians post-PPACA: not going bust at the healthcare buffet. The Health Lawyer, Vol. 24. Retrieved November 4, 2012 from: http://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publishing/health_lawyer/health_mo_premium_hl_healthlawyer_v24_2403 Pozgar, George D. (2009). Legal essentials of health care administration. Missisauga, Ontario: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Michael Brown. National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, Secretary of Health Human Services 567 U.S. (2012) No. 11-393 Argued March 26-28, 2012 – Decided June 28, 2012 Florida ex rel. Bondi v. U.S. Department of Health a Human Services, 780 F.Supp. 2d. 1256 (N.D. Fla. 2011), order clarified by 780 F.Supp. 2d. 1307. (N.D. Fla. 2011).

Language In My Home :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  People say that parents are teachers of good and bad English. People also judge people on how they speak, whether the language is incorrect or just simply inappropriate. I think I had the best of both worlds with my parents.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, my mother is very articulate and has a very large vocabulary. Ever since I can remember she was correcting me on how I spoke and how I wrote. I always would get so mad at her for doing that, but I realize now that my vocabulary and English skills are better than that of many people I associate with. I feel much more confident with my writing and speeches because of my mother’s influence on my grammar. I know I can speak publicly and people will take me seriously and understand what I have to say because of my background in â€Å"good† English.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Secondly, my father is from Jersey City and never graduated college so his way of speaking is different than my mother’s. He speaks more of the vernacular he grew up with and he isn’t worried about what people think when he talks. He says he is more interested in getting his point across than worrying about whether or not people think he is brilliant. My father taught me that in situations of everyday life, you do not have to be articulate all the time. He teaches me everyday that speaking in my own way makes me who I am. He is not instilling upon me to talk â€Å"bad† but different situations call for different languages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I do feel that my parents encourage me to use correct English whenever I can. They know that with my future plans in life, correct English usage is imperative. They also understand that sometimes I am just going to speak however I want in order to get my point across. I have noticed that even when I have conversations with friends, we all seem to sound so much more intelligent because we are finally using everything we have always been taught to use when speaking. Because of everything I have learned from my parents, I do feel adequately trained in English. I know, depending on my surroundings, how I am suppose to talk and I feel that if I am just hanging outside my house with my friends or giving a presentation to the CEO of a major corporation I can do it.

My Life as a College Student

GORDON KUSSI TABIRI English Writing: From Start to Finish My life as a college student Seven years ago I gained admission to pursue a B. A program in one of the prestigious universities in Ghana. The name of the university is Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). I was offered a four year bachelor degree program leading to a degree in Sociology and Social Work. Thus, I read BA Sociology and Social Work. I was so happy at the time because of two reasons.One was that, I had tried twice to be admitted into the countries universities but refused until finally the third time of which I succeeded. The second reason why I was happy was related to the fact that I had the opportunity to continue my education to a level that I had always dream about. My first year as a fresher on campus was very interesting for me. I was to read sociology and social work as a major and Geography as my minor.I therefore registered for my courses for the first year which included subjects s uch as introduction to sociology, traditional social structure of Ghana, introduction to human geography, development of geographic thought, introduction to physical environmental systems, communication skills, introduction to computers, and ethics and etiquette in traditional systems. I read these subjects for the first and second semesters as my first year program. I attended all lectures, wrote my assignments and the years exams. The results of the exams came and I had a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 59. 17.I was so disappointed about my results and decided to make better grades no matter what it takes to do so. I wrote the second semester exams and improved upon my performance by obtaining a CWA of 60. 32. I realized the fact that increasing the hours of my studies yielded good results. My second year on campus was very exciting. This was because I made very good friends and also had acquainted myself with campus life in general. I had a good friend by name Christian Boat eng who happens to be an old classmate at Akrokerri College of Education where we both obtained our diploma in basic education in the year 2001.Christian was very instrumental in my life on campus because he taught me how to study for long hours. We actually took similar courses together in the first two years of our education in KNUST College. We were also roommates for three years and shared a lot of things together. My second year courses also included literature in English, introduction to geomorphology, theory and practice of geography, principles of cartography, concepts and theories in sociology, social structure of modern Ghana as well as the nature of social work. The courses were very challenging especially those related to geography.I had a successful year and also improved on my performance. This second year was very significant to my life because it was during this period that I decided to read a master’s program after graduation. That year helped me realized a l ot of my potentials and also changed my perception of life in general. My third year in KNUST also saw me reading courses such as perspectives in sociological theory, research methods, theoretical framework for social work methodology, industrial sociology, medical sociology, and also bamboo and rattan processing.I enjoyed reading these courses especially industrial sociology, medical sociology as well as sociological theory. During my third year, we were made to drop our minor course, so I concentrated only on the major which was sociology and social work and also other borrowed courses. I also managed to secure the same room on campus with my friend, Christian. We both studied hard and had very good grades in our third year exams. We also had lots of fun on campus until school vacated. Christian was actually based in Kumasi which is the city in Ghana were KNUST was located whereas I was also based at Accra, the capital city of Ghana.In view of this, I spent most of my school holid ays in Accra with my family. During the long vacation after the end of the third year, I had an attachment with Tetteh Quashie Memorial Hospital situated at Akuapem Mampong. I was attached to the social welfare department of the hospital where I performed generic social work. It was a great experience since I had practical training in dealing with social welfare cases of clients at the hospital, district court and the district family social welfare cases. My mentors taught me so well that by the time I finished my attachment, I had developed a passion of working as a social worker someday.After my attachment, I prepared for my final year academic work. On arriving on campus for my final year, I registered for courses such as social psychology, social development, human resource management, approaches to counselling in social work, environmental sociology and a long essay dissertation. I had actually started writing my BA thesis in the third year of my studies. My topic was, â€Å"t he role of non-formal education to the contribution of the social and economic development of Ghana: a case study of the Ejisu- Juaben Municipality†.It was a great and challenging topic to write, in that there wasn't much literature on the subject of non-formal education. Owing to that, I researched the web widely in writing this project. My supervisor by name Mr. Barnie gave me all the directions and support so well that I obtained an excellent grade in this long essay. I was very excited because I was constrained by time in combining my academic work with writing of this thesis. In spite of all the challenges, my hard work paid off with me obtaining very good grades in all my final courses I took.Thus, I completed all my forth year course exams and was ready for graduation. We were to graduate exactly one month after completion of all the necessary course requirements. I was among one of the students who were to graduate with second class upper (honors) degree in sociology a nd social work. During graduation, my uncle and a cousin of mine accompanied me, and it is a day that I will never forget in my life. I dressed neatly in my graduation gown and went through the ceremony very happy of my accomplishments. After the ceremony I took several pictures with friends and my family and we had a great party after the occasion.I would never forget my experience on campus because it transformed my life. My general outlook of life has changed tremendously. I now understand that I have great capabilities as well as weaknesses. My college experience has contributed in shaping my personality today. I have learnt to work hard to overcome my weaknesses as well as develop my potentials and capabilities. This is the reason that I had saved money to pursue a master’s program in Switzerland to be able to actualize my dreams and aspirations in life.