Legal opinion

In the instant case, defendant Panah was convicted in the trial court of murder and he was sentenced to death. His case is now before us on appeal because of the rule on automatic appeal in case of verdicts of death penalty.In this case, an eight-year-old girl named Nicole Parker was visiting his father, Edward Parker in Woodland Hills. At 11:00 in the morning of the said date, Nicole asked her father for a softball and glove and went outside the apartment complex of his father to play. Forty-five minutes after, Edward looked for Nicole but she is nowhere to be found. Thus, Edward looked for his daughter within the apartment complex to no avail.Edward Parker’s failure to find Nicole prompted him to call the police. Defendant Panah, the resident of apartment #122, talked to Edward and found out that the latter was looking for his missing daughter. When the police arrived, the defendant insisted that Edward come with him to Ventura Boulevard to look for Nicole, but Edward refuse d.Thereafter, one of the police was informed that Nicole was last seen talking to a man in his 20s who was living in apartment #122. Thus, the said policeman asked for the key to the said room from the manager and searched the apartment complex for Nicole but did not find her. Hours later, the detectives were informed that the defendant attempted to commit suicide and told a friend that he did something really bad that is in connection with the missing child. This friend told the police, which new information prompted the latter to conduct another warrantless search of apartment #122, wherein they found Nicole’s dead body wrapped in a bed sheet and stuffed inside a suitcase.The defendant was charged with murder, and he raised issues as to the illegality of the warrantless searches in his pre-trial motions. However, the trial judge ruled that the warrantless searches were valid, and the defendant was convicted.In this appeal, the defendant again raises the same issues, arguing that the warrantless search conducted in his apartment unit was a violation of his rights under the Fourth Amendment, and that   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   there were no exigent circumstances warranting a warrantless search.Opinion:Under this jurisdiction, we uphold the right of citizens to be secure in their houses and effects. This security is embodied in the Fourth Amendment to our Constitution and is guaranteed by the rule that searches should be reasonable and supported by a warrant based on a finding of probable cause.The Fourth Amendment states:â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but on probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'†Thus, it is clear that as a general rule, a search warrant must be secured by police officers b efore barging in another man’s home and searching it for effects. However, this general rule admits of certain exceptions.Precedent:The case of McDonald v. United States, decided in 1948 (355 U.S. 451, 93 L. Ed 15), explained that emergency situations that serve as compelling reasons may justify the absence of a search warrant.While this case decided in favor of the defendant and emphasized his right to be secure in his house and effects, it provides authority for the other position, that is, that given reasonable justification, the requirement of a search warrant may be dispensed with. However, care must be taken so that it is certain that exigent circumstances do exist to justify a warrantless search. After all, it is a fundamental right of all persons to be secure in their houses and effects, and trivial suspicions and the lack of adequate justification should not be an exception to Fourth Amendment rights.  In Kirk v. Louisiana (536 U.S. 635), promulgated in 2002, the S upreme Court again ruled that the police’s conduct of warrantless search was illegal, because they did not find exigent circumstances to justify the absence of a warrant. It should be noted that the court only struck down the validity of the search because there was no exigent circumstances to justify the warrantless search.  Nexus.These cases are authority to serve as the exact opposite of the case at bar. Here there is clearly an exigent and emergency situation. A child had gone missing, and the police did not know whether the girl was dead or alive. Time was of the essence, and the police had to make an immediate decision as to whether to conduct a search, if they were to save the life of the girl. Thus, in this situation, there is clearly an exigent circumstance justifying a warrantless search, because the life of a young girl is on the line. Moreover, probable cause exists, since even prior to the statement of the defendant’s friend regarding his confession, the police were able to gather information from other people that the victim was last seen talking to the defendant.Thus, since there was probable cause and exigent circumstances, this case clearly falls within the recognized exceptions to the Fourth Amendment, and the right of the defendant to be secure in his house and effects was not violated.Hence, the evidence derived from such warrantless search is admissible in evidence against him, and could form the basis of his conviction. The decision of the lower court is thus, affirmed.

Guideline for Article Review Essay

1. Full Bibliographic Reference State the full bibliographic reference for the article you are reviewing (authors, title, journal name, volume, issue, year, page numbers, etc. ) Important: this is not the bibliography listed at the end of the article, rather the citation of the article itself! Grading: -3 if missing 2. Introduction: Objectives, Article Domain, Audience, Journal and Conceptual/Emprical Classification Note: For the on-line reviews done in some class sections, this category may be broken up into several separate subcategories. For the written review, please discuss all of these subcategories together as follows. Paragraph 1: State the objectives (goals or purpose) of the article. What is the article’s domain (topic area)? Paragraph 2: †¢ Audience: State the article’s intended audience. At what level is it written, and what general background should the reader have; what general background materials should the reader be familiar with to understand the article? †¢ Appropriate Journal? : Why is the journal appropriate (or inappropriate) for this article? (Check the mission statement or purpose of the journal itself from its cover or its Web site. ) Paragraph 3: State whether the article is â€Å"conceptual† or â€Å"empirical†, and why you believe it is conceptual or empirical. Empirical articles and conceptual articles have a similar objective: to substantiate an argument proposed by the author. While a conceptual article supports such an argument based on logical and persuasive reasoning, an empirical article offers empirical evidence to support the argument. Empirical articles offer substantial, detailed evidence which the authors analyze using statistical methods. Empirical articles must include hypotheses (or propositions), detailed research results, and (statistical) analyses of this empirical evidence. Empirical research includes experiments, surveys, questionnaires, field studies, etc, and to limited degree, case studies. Conceptual articles may refer to such empirical evidence, but do not provide the detailed analysis of that evidence. Of course, both types of articles can use real life examples to back up their points. Just because an article provides examples, does not necessarily mean that it is empirical. (The lesson to take home is not to consider a conceptual article to be an empirical one just because it provides some summarized or some unanalyzed data. ) Grading: Objectives: great – 3; ok – 2; poor – 1 Grading: Audience/Journal Appropriateness: great – 3; ok – 2; poor – 1 Grading: Conceptual vs. empirical: great – 2; ok/poor – 1 3. Very Brief Summary Prev Page For our article reviews, we do not want you to spend much space summarizing the article. Instead we are more interested in your analysis of the article. Thus, in this section, summarize the article only very briefly (2-3 paragraphs). If possible, use the IS research paradigm as the format of your summary, but remaining very brief: †¢ Paragraph 1: what is the problem or opportunity being addressed †¢ Paragraph 2: which solution is proposed (the solution could be a new model or a theory that explains the problem) †¢ Paragraph 3: what evidence is put forth that this solution is appropriate (If this is an empirical article, be sure to briefly describe what kind of empirical study was done as part of the evidence) Grading: great – 4; ok – 2; poor – 1 4. Results. Very briefly summarize the important points (observations, conclusions, findings) and â€Å"take home messages† in the article. Please do not repeat lists of items in the articles – just summarize the essence of these if you feel they are necessary to include. Grading: great – 8; ok – 5; poor – 2 5. Class Readings 1. Does this article directly cite any of the class readings, i. e. , does any class reading appear explicitly in its bibliography or reference section? If not, state this explicitly. If so, clearly describe how the authors use the cited article. How does the article you are reviewing relate to and/or build upon the class article it cites? If this article does not cite any class readings then just state this. (If you do not state this explicitly, you will not receive credit for this section. ) Do not discuss any other readings, such as other readings on the same topic or by the same author. Save any discussions of similar articles for your synthesis section below. 2. Do any of the class readings cite your article (besides the textbook)? If so, clearly describe how. If no class readings cite your article, then write in your review â€Å"No class readings cite this article. † (If you do not state this explicitly, you will not receive credit for this section. ) Be sure to add all references you cite to the bibliography. Grading: great – 4; ok – 2; poor – 1 {If none, then score 4 by default if this has been stated explicitly. } 6. Contributions An article makes a â€Å"contribution† by adding to the knowledge of researchers in a research field. An article can make a contribution to the research field in many ways. Does it provide a new way to look at a problem? Does it bring together or â€Å"synthesize† several concepts (or frameworks, models, etc. ) together in an insightful way that has not been done before? Does it provide new solutions? Does it provide new results? Does it identify new issues? Does it provide a comprehensive survey or review of a domain? Does it provide new insights? Also, is it salient (relevant and current) to a particular scientific issue or managerial problem? Are the issues addressed introduced in a way that their relevance to practice is evident? Would answers to the questions raised in the article likely to be useful to researchers and managers? Note: Do not discuss the contributions of the technologies the article describes, but rather the contributions of the article itself! The article’s contributions should be original. To the best of your knowledge, are they? Are the article’s take-home messages new? Describe each contribution clearly in a separate paragraph or bullet point. Discuss why the contribution is important. Alternatively, if you believe the article makes no contributions, explain why clearly. Grading: great – 8; ok – 5; poor – 2 7. Foundation Good research often is built upon theories and frameworks that other researchers have developed. Sometimes articles will be substantially based upon this prior work, and refer back to it in some detail. (Not all research articles will do this. ) Which theoretical foundations does this article and research build on, if any? In what ways? Include references/citations of the foundation work. (You can determine this in part from the works the article Prev Page cites. ) Note, however, that most works cited are not core foundational work, but rather just support certain aspects of the article. Similarly, do not confuse a general discussion of related topics as foundational work. If the article does not build upon key pieces of prior research, then write in your review â€Å"This article does not build upon any foundation research. † (If you do not state this explicitly, you will not receive credit for this section. ) Grading: great – 4; ok – 3; poor -1 {If none, then score 4 by default if this has been stated explicitly} 8. Synthesis with Class Materials The synthesis section should be at least one full page. Synthesis means analyzing a particular topic by comparing and contrasting it with, and thinking about it from the viewpoint of, the class materials from across the semester. These materials include the articles, models, frameworks, guidelines and other concepts we’ve covered. (Of course, only certain materials will be relevant for any given article. ) Note: You have to do this synthesis! You need to relate this article to other things we have studied, so by definition you will not find this analysis in the article itself! Discuss the article’s research ideas and results in terms of any relevant materials covered in class or which you have found in the readings. You can also check the concepts in the â€Å"to know† link on the â€Å"quick links† portion of the course Web site. Cite these readings explicitly, including their source in the bibliography and a bibliographic marker in the text (e. g. , [Turoff et al. , 1999]). You also could analyze the approach the author took to the article’s analysis and discussion. Discuss the article’s approach and results in terms of one or more of the frameworks, etc. , from the text or readings, or any you find elsewhere. For example, if the authors discuss any type of information system, you could use Alter’s WCA analysis to examine how they approached that information system. Try to do this for all the models and frameworks, etc., which apply to your article. As part of this analysis, reference other articles you’ve read, when appropriate. Compare the approach, results and contribution with all articles about similar topics or with a similar approach. For example, if your article develops a new framework, compare it with Bandyopadyhah’s Prev Page framework criteria (and vice versa – whoever does Bandyopadyhah’s article could test his criteria on frameworks from the other readings). Include any articles you cite in the bibliography and use bibliographic markers in the text. For all of these, do your synthesis comparison in as much depth as you can! Grading: four items up to 20 points total (12 points plus 8 points extra credit) – for each item: great – 5 ok – 2; poor – 1 Great: discussed deeply and relating the article in detail with the synthesized models and frameworks. OK: the synthesized information is only discussed in general 9. Analysis Note: Many people assume this category is the same as â€Å"General Critique†. It is not. General Critique is a different category from this, and follows below. What has changed since the article was written? How do it’s lessons, ideas and theories still apply? To what extent has its issues been resolved? Grading: great – 4; ok – 2; poor – 1 Additional Analysis Optionally, try applying the article’s models, frameworks and guidelines, etc. yourself. Do you find them useful? In addition, you may optionally add your own additional analysis in a separate subsection. (Do not repeat the author’s analysis in the paper – you could summarize this as part of the results section. ) Grading: this section is extra credit only: great – 8; ok – 5; poor – 2 10. General Critique In this section you should state your opinions of how well (or poorly) the authors did their research and presented the research results in the article. Your critique can contain both positive and negative comments. Justify and explain in detail each of your critique points in a separate paragraph of at least 4-5 sentences. The following are suggestions only: †¢ Does it build upon the appropriate foundation (i. e. , upon appropriate Prev Page prior research)? †¢ Did the authors choose the correct approach, and then execute it properly? †¢ How confident are you in the article’s results, and why? †¢ Are its ideas really new, or do the authors simply repackage old ideas and perhaps give them a new name? †¢ Do the authors discuss everything they promise in the article’s introduction and outline? †¢ What are the article’s shortcomings (faults) and limitations (boundaries)? Did it discuss all of the important aspects and issues in its domain (topic area)? †¢ In what way should the article have made a contribution, but then did not? †¢ Do the authors make appropriate comparisons to similar events, cases or occurrences? †¢ How complete and thorough a job did the authors do? Do the authors include an adequate discussion, analysis and conclusions? Did they justify everything adequately? Did they provide enough background information for the intended audience to understand it? For you to understand it? †¢ Were there adequate and appropriate examples and illustrations? For full credit, ask yourself these questions when justifying your critique points: †¢ why/why not? †¢ how? †¢ what distinguishes the differences/different approaches, and in what ways? Grading: four items up to 16 points total (10 points plus 6 points extra credit) – for each item: great – 4; ok – 2; poor – 1 11c. Further Critique of a Conceptual Article *** only for conceptual articles {adapted from guidelines from Dr. Dan Robey, Georgia State University} A critique of a conceptual article examines the logic of the arguments made by the authors. Both strengths and weaknesses should be identified in a critique. Explain and justify each of your critique points in at least 3-4 sentences. Give examples whenever possible. To the best of your abilities, discuss each of the following categories in a separate paragraph: 1. LOGICAL CONSISTENCY: Do any parts of the article or research contradict or invalidate other parts? If so, have the authors acknowledged and explained this adequately? 2. COHERENCE: Does the article make sense? Did the authors approach this article (and this research) sensibly? Does the article develop Prev Page  an argument that follows a coherent line of reasoning? Are the boundaries of the argument reasonably well defined? Does the argument anticipate most, if not all, rival arguments? Does the article flow in a logical sequence? Do later parts build logically upon earlier parts? 3. SUBSTANCE: Does the article provide an argument or a line of reasoning that offers insight into important issues, or does it merely summarize previous studies in a shallow way that does not reflect depth of analysis? Does the article provide ways (a model, framework, guidelines, etc. ) to guide future thinking about the issue(s) the author is addressing? 4. FOCUS: Is there a clear audience that the authors address? Was the article written at the appropriate level for this audience? Grading: for each: great – 3 ok – 2; poor – 1 11e. Further Critique of an Empirical Article *** only for empirical articles {adapted from guidelines from Dr. Dan Robey, Georgia State University} A critique of an empirical article examines the strength of the empirical evidence supporting the author’s argument. Both strengths and weaknesses should be identified in a critique. Explain and justify each of your critique points in at least 3-4 sentences. To the best of your abilities, discuss each of the following categories in a separate paragraph: 1. CLARITY: Is the article’s purpose and argument clear? Do the researchers clearly develop a major research question, proposition, or hypothesis that is to be evaluated in the empirical study and discussed in this article? If the study is exploratory (preliminary), is sufficient justification for an exploratory strategy given? 2. THEORETICAL GROUNDING: Is the researcher’s argument grounded in more basic theory? Is it clear whether the structure of the empirical study (i. e. , what they do) was derived from theory, or just made up? In theory-building articles, is the need for new theory adequately established? 3. DESIGN OF RESEARCH INVESTIGATION: Is it clear exactly how the empirical study was carried out? Is the design of the research approach (field study, experiments, questionnaires, etc. – both contents and how they will be used) adequate to address the common threats to internal and external validity? Have appropriate controls been established, and is the selection of research sites justified? Are the hypotheses and experiments, Prev Page etc. , significant? 4. MEASUREMENT: Empirical studies can have quantitative measurements (i. e., numeric results) and qualitative or subjective measurements. Are the measures used adequately described (i. e. , what is measured in the study and how)? Are data on the reliability and validity of these measures reported? Does the article feel anecdotal or solidly supported with evidence? For example, in case or field studies, are the results well documented? Is it clear who the subjects were, and with whom interviews were carried out? Were important results cross-checked, i. e. , determined across a range of subjects or just gotten from one or two subjects? 5. ANALYSIS: Is the analysis of empirical data conducted properly? Do the data conform to the requirements of any statistical tests used? Are qualitative data adequately described and presented? 6. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In discussing the results of the empirical study, do the authors remain true to the actual findings of the study? Are the claims made in the conclusion of the article actually supported by the empirical data? If the study is exploratory, do the authors offer research questions or hypotheses for future research? 7. BIASES: Do the biases of the authors affect the design of the research or the interpretation of the results? Are the authors aware of potential biases and the affect on the study? Grading: for each: great – 2 ok/poor – 1 12. Issues (listed by the author) What open questions or issues has the author stated remain unresolved? Discuss each in a separate paragraph of 5-10 sentences. Each issue’s paragraph should take the following format: †¢ what is the issue? †¢ why do you believe this is an important issue? †¢ in what way is it unresolved †¢ suggestions for resolving it – if you give your own suggestions (instead of or in addition to the authors’, then precede each with â€Å"I would propose †¦ † If it has been resolved since the article was written, then state how it was resolved. Note: If you have any critiques in this section, they most likely belong in the General Critique section instead. Grading: 3 items up to 9 points total (6 points plus 3 points extra Prev Page credit) – for each item: great – 3; ok – 2; poor – 1 13. Issues (in your opinion) List several open questions or issues which remain unresolved in your opinion? For example, what possible future research questions could arise from this article? Discuss each in a separate paragraph of 5-10 sentences. Each issue’s paragraph should take the following format: †¢ what is the issue? †¢ why do you believe this is an important issue? †¢ in what way is it unresolved †¢ suggestions for resolving it Note: If you have any critiques in this section, they most likely belong in the General Critique section instead. Grading: 4 items up to 12 points total (6 points plus 6 points extra credit) – for each item: great – 3; ok – 2; poor – 1 14. Impact To determine how much impact this article has had, do a citation analysis. Discuss what this citation analysis shows, and why; don’t just list the citations! (See the Citation Analysis Guidelines (.doc) and Handout (. pdf) posted on the course Web site. ) If the article has no citations, then write in your review â€Å"I found no citations in the Science Citation Index, the Social Sciences Citation Index or on the Internet. † Then clearly explain why you believe there were no citations at all. If you found citations in some indexes or on the Internet but not the others, then explain this as well. Include your citation lists in an appendix to your review (see below for details). Grading – impact discussion: great – 3; ok – 2; poor – 1 15. Questions List three insightful questions of your own, arising from this article. Do Prev Page not ask definitions, but rather questions that really make one think. Grading: 3 questions, up to 6 points total – for each question: great/ok – 2; poor – 1 16. Annotated Bibliography For every item you have cited in your report, you need a full reference and an annotation explaining it. This includes references to any class materials, as well as the three additional citations utilized in sections 6-14. 1. List the full bibliographic references (authors, title, journal name, volume, issue, year, page numbers, etc. ) for anything you have cited in your review. IMPORTANT: This is NOT the bibliography listed at the end of the article. It is the bibliographic references for any readings you yourself referred to inside your review. 2. Write 2-4 sentences describing the article. 3. Write 2-3 sentences describing why you cited it. Also, be sure that you have included a bibliographic marker to each (such as [Bieber & Smith, 2001]) in the text of your review. Grading: -5 if missing references; -3 if you mention the authors explicitly in your text and put the references in this bibliography section, but forget to explicitly place citation markers in your text. 17. Citation Analysis Appendix There is a separate page on the course Web site describing citation analysis. This appendix will have three sections: †¢ the citations you found in the Science Citation Index †¢ the citations you found in the Social Sciences Citation Index †¢ the citations you found through a thorough Web search on the Internet If the article has no citations for any of these three, then write in that section â€Å"I found no citations in the [Science Citation Index or the Social Sciences Citation Index or on the Internet]. † Note, if your article has more than 20 citations, you only need to include a selection of them: †¢ State how many citations each index has and the Web search found †¢ List Prev Page 1-2 citations for each year in which the article has been cited. Try to include citations from several different journals spread over your selection ? Include a citation analysis to see who has cited it and how.

Analysis of the Bottled Water Industry Essay

The shortage of potable water on some islands in the Maldives has been described as â€Å"serious† by the national disaster management centre (NDMC). There are currently 12 islands which have been facing water shortages since mid-February, according to Moosa Ali Kaleyfaan, deputy director general of the NDMC. The NDMC has supplied 763 tons of water to eight islands, but four more islands [†¦ ] are in desperate need of water, he said. â€Å"The main reason is it hasn’t rained for a long time it’s the dry season,† said Moosa. â€Å"Even more islands are believed to face this problem. The department of meteorology has forecast the dry season will continue until June [2009]. The NDMC has spent an estimated US$60,000 to supply water to the 12 islands. â€Å"I am very upset with the government because we need water,† said 42-year old Jameela Aboobakuru from Gaafaru. â€Å"We ran out of water, so we borrowed water from our brother. When he ran out of water we started buying bottled water imported from Male’. † She said her 12-member family was spending US$22 a day to buy bottled water for drinking and cooking; their daily income, she added, was only US$26. On another island, Gulhi, Ahmed Ibrahim, the island office assistant director, said islanders had been importing bottles water from the capital as well as in jerry cans. â€Å"They are getting water somehow,† he said, â€Å"but the island needs a permanent solution to this problem like piped desalinated water. † Kaleyfaan agreed, saying although water was supplied to the islands from Male’, it was necessary to seek a long-term solution such the installation of a desalination plant on every island. We are already in the process of installing a desalination plant in a boat, so that in emergencies we can supply water by travelling between islands,† he said. [†¦ ] Almost 100 per cent of islanders use rainwater as the main source of drinking and cooking water. In [the capital] Male, 100 per cent of the population has access to piped desalinated water. After the 2004 tsunami, 38 islands were provided desalination plants by UN that are operated daily or on em ergency basis.

Two Different Juvenile Justice Programs Assignment

Two Different Juvenile Justice Programs - Assignment Example Other reasons appear to be a factor of ‘boredom’ with one’s life. Remedial programs must address these problems with the young offender and most likely, his or her family’s involvement as well. Introduction While some of us may remember the days when television shows promoted family life to be like â€Å"Leave it To Beaver† and family problems were relatively simple and easily solved, our world today is far more complex and stressful. Family life is far from being ideal although some may manage to make it that way. Typically, families have two, or only one, full-time working parent, with children who must be managed and taken to ballet or sports classes. There is hardly enough time to really set proper foundations for good morals, proper social etiquette in dealing with others, and teaching children how to evaluate what they see in the media (Atella 2012). Early problems can also be observed first in the school setting when children are put on discip linary actions of one sort or another. Some children also get left by the wayside by parents and schools to fend for themselves and, without efficient judgmental thinking, can get caught up with others in less than savory activities, such as gang, drugs and commission of robberies (Hitchcock 2013). When children get caught, then justice must find ways to help children learn their lesson about committing crimes against others and what the consequences will be (Peak 2012). Zero tolerance is not always the answer. Some judgments made by the courts allow for children, according to their age, to participate in community services and pay back restitution to their victims, while others must participate in rehabilitative programs that, hopefully, show them the error of their ways (LIC 2013). Others, such as in the case of murder, and based on age such as in the late teen years, may well have to serve trial and punishment as an adult. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention conducted a research project which came up with the Balanced and Restorative Justice Model, suggesting early intervention programs that could be instituted in communities to help at-risk young people avoid being lured away into a criminal life (LIC 2013). Rehabilitative programs were also promoted for those youthful offenders in order to help them understand the consequences of their actions, not only for themselves, but also how the crime affected the victim’s life afterwards. 1. Two juvenile programs are the Project CRAFT (Community, Restitution, and Apprenticeship-Focused Training) and the Juvenile Offenders Learning Tolerance (JOLT) program. The first program arranges for offenders (rural and urban) to learn a trade in some type of program that builds social and job skills, such as building houses. Offenders become apprentices in the early stage of their learning a trade which can be used to get a job once they are out of school (NCWD 2013). It also provides the Home Bui lders Institute (HBI) with needed workers for the homebuilding workforce. Offenders receive academic instruction and on-the-job training in learning how to build within the residential construction industry (NCWD 2013). The program also services, aside from offenders, those youth with disabilities, rural and urban youths, out of school youth, and minority youths. Currently, 10 states have

Annotated Bibliography of Business Sources Essay

Annotated Bibliography of Business Sources - Essay Example Firstly, I grasped the meaning of key terms such as internal restructuring. Secondly, I also learned to show differences between company profits by using tables which can make it easier for readers to follow. Anver, Versi, ex al. "Africas Top 100 bank African Business Annual Rankings." African Business. Business Source Premier (2008): 2p. Oct2008 The article talks about banking in Africa and outlines information about the top 1000 banks found on the continent. Whilst the total assets of the 1000 banks are estimated to be $856 billion, it can be noted that about 84% of the banking assets are held by the top 30 banks. South Africa has 43% of the continent’s total bank assets. This article is also related to accounting where the author mainly relied on using numbers and statistics to illustrate the structure of banking in Africa. The author also talks about profits in the banking sector which is related to accounting. This article is very enlightening particularly when I am also writing something characterized by figures and statistics. The article is arranged in a nice format where ideas flow in a sequence which is easy to follow. It compares the operations of each bank as well as the profits. Steve, Forbes. "Two Biggest Things Still To Do." Forbes 182. Business Source Premier (2008): 1p. 13 Oct. 2008. This article is about fraud which is often found in many U.S. companies. It can be noted that the reason behind fraud is mainly caused by risky borrowing and lending. The crimes are often discovered by accident or following tip-offs.

Marketing report with customer experience Essay

Marketing report with customer experience - Essay Example It is without exaggerations that I like the services of this bank and I am willing, at no cost, to advise anyone who needs banking services to use the bank of America, since other than your money is being safeguarded, the customer services are suburb. Moreover, it is true by their clarity statement that they are committed to providing information needed by the customer to help them managing their accounts. Notably, this bank is perfecting in building trust and loyalty to its customer; nonetheless, such friendly services are often expected from the banking institutions. My Experience with Hospitality Institution: Hilton Adventure is sometimes good for having a varied knowledge about the world around an individual. There are different types of hotels in the United States, those that are considered cheap and those that are known or regarded to be classy. Hilton offers national and international hotel services; thus, it is expected to be classy and vibrant in service delivery. Without in quiring about it, there is a day I decided to visit the Hilton hotel in Illinois. It is true that, that hostel is classy, but it should be noted that it is hotel for those who know how its services are being offered. Otherwise, any new explorer to that hotel will only feel comfortable if he or she is a dignitary. While I was in the hotel, it looked as if each man for himself and God for us all. Not even one waiter or waitress directed me where to go or inquired what I intended from there. I felt fully out of place and the best thing for that time was to redirect myself outside that premise. It was an experience, not good for a public place. I did not expect such treatment from a hotel with such an immense national and international reputation. Personal services: Serenity Day Spa Many people have written attractive reviews about the Serenity Day Spa as being one of the â€Å"you can afford not to go† massage place in New Jersey. Therefore, some weeks ago, I did set to that pla ce with some of my friends. I opted for the place since a family friend had given me some voucher for the same place. The place became worth visiting right from the entrance and the final word is that I had a marvelous experience. At the reception, we were greeted with a warm smiling and accommodating face that ushered us into the waiting room that was complete with snacks as well as a faux fireplace. After about five minutes, each of us was taken to the treatment or massage rooms that were nicely decorated with dim lights, gentle music, and heated beds. The lady who provided to massage me was well trained since I personally felt that she did her work perfectly. Just like my experience, my colleagues also appreciated the massage they were offered in their respective rooms; thus, it is worth concluding that the Serenity Day Spa is a place for real massage. Application of Customer Relationship Management Strategy in the above Scenarios Customer relationship management (CRM) is practic es that traditionally involve sales activities, customer care, marketing, and technical support. Some organizations especially that deal with different aspects of business often incorporate all the Customer relationship management (CRM) strategies in handling their customers in that they separate customers from the accounts receivable functions (Bligh and Turk, 2004). Additionally, the current approach of Customer relation

Business plan to develop a small business - Engineering or Dissertation

Business plan to develop a small business - Engineering or Manufacturing Based - Dissertation Example Alroy has established a revenue increase expectation of 30 percent by 2015, along with test market entry into a single foreign market. This will test Alroy’s capacity and know-how for foreign market expansion through which the company will learn more effective B2B relationship development, how to structure and control costs of distribution, and also develop alliance strategies in foreign markets with disparate and unique customer profiles and needs. This business plan highlights all of the strategic steps in areas of marketing, market analyses, financial analyses, managerial philosophy, and operations that will be critical to establishing a positive competitive position domestically and internationally. Based on forecasted revenue streams and market availability, it is estimated that the company will achieve a positive cash flow of over ?300,000 on the heels of 2014 revenues of ?1.5 million. By 2017, it is estimated that Alroy will achieve revenues of ?2.25 million and net ear nings of ?1.8 million as a result of improved cost controls and overhead cost reductions over a 4 year operating period, hence making this a new model with significant return on investment. Interim Report One 1.0 Introduction Alroy Sheet Metals Ltd was established in 1956 and the company is one of the longest standing sheet metal organisations in the United Kingdom. Currently, the business performs metal fabrication services for the aerospace, medical and MOD industries. Whether the project requires aluminium or steel fabrication, Alroy Sheet Metals provides high quality products that are manufactured using modern 3D CAD Modeling software. The company performs punching, bending and forming utilising a wide variety of equipment and technologies. The company is focused on quality and precision within a total quality management system to ensure customers receive superior products that will fulfil the needs of diverse consumers in disparate markets. The company adheres to ISO 9001 quali ty standards with internal rigorous inspection processes to ensure top quality output (Kable Intelligence 2013). What makes Alroy so unique is that the company has a flexible production system that allows the business to create products of any size and dimension. This represents an operational model that can be adjusted to accommodate any variety of commercial or retail orders in any industry. The business is able to control costs with the implementation of an ERP system which supports lean manufacturing (Alroy 2011), thus saving costs along the supply chain and in operations. Additional modern technologies, such as individual raw material product bar coding, makes the production system efficient and able to meet customer deadlines effectively. Alroy currently sustains very close business relationships with such buyers as Johnson Controls, Allied Bakeries and SDC, providing such services as CNC punching, welding, Waterjet cutting and CNC laser profiling (Alroy 2011). Painting, plati ng and silkscreening also represent the variety of services offered by the organisation, illustrating a very diversified business model supported by modern technologies, two CNC machining centres and CNC lathe, providing the business with

Financial Health of Al Rayan Bank of Britain Term Paper

Financial Health of Al Rayan Bank of Britain - Term Paper Example The bank offers high standard services (Report: Qatar, 2008). The bank has employed highly qualified personnel who are ready to serve their customers genuinely and acting with utmost good faith. This is the basis of their retail banking operations.The bank ventured in unique investment type. It invests n developing different types of infrastructure and human resource. The main objective of this kind of investment is to provide a unique state of the art of product to its clients.The bank has a strong asset base. Since it became a part of Masraf Al Rayan banks of Qatar it increased its asset size making money bank available for its customers. This means that the bank offers more products to its clients and can do more investment activities.WeaknessThe bank is faced with a big debt (Cornell, 2007). This debt accrues a lot of interest hence even if there is a lot of cash inflow realized there is still a huge amount of cash outflow that the bank therefore not realizing big returns from th e activitiesExisting credit risks affect the bank negatively. This arises from those customers who fail to meet their obligations. It may also arise from their counterparties. This hence affects adversely the banks financial condition, results and future prospects.The bank should expand in other geographic areas both locally and internationally to add up opportunities for the bank. It can introduce mobile banking to enhance efficiency and come up software application for android and IOS devices.

Peculiarities of Community Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Peculiarities of Community Analysis - Essay Example Recently, however, I have seen a change. I have seen the things I once read of, slowly materializing. I have seen women go from being a household commodity, to being equal to sons in our male chauvinistic culture. Now, working women are accepted rather than shunned like ten years ago. There is a lot more freedom in all aspects, be it dressing, travel, education, lifestyle- almost any aspect one chooses to describe, women are now more liberated than ever before. People now take it as a matter of pride to send their daughters to school, and most of the conservative elements are moving towards modernism and liberalism. This is the change I see around me. What remains to be seen is whether it really is happening, or whether it is just an illusion- a mirage, ‘window-dressing’ in accounting terms. Also, is it just limited to sprawling metropolises, or has the effect permeated to the as-yet-un-westernized rural areas? Another aspiring ray that has developed in females in recent times is their strength. Their robustness to stand change, their robustness to accept change, their robustness on being the change. This has taken the course of action to move to better, positive horizons. â€Å"Whether we like it or not, one of our tasks on this Earth is to work with the opposites through the different level of consciousness until body, soul, and spirit resonate together. Initiation rites, experienced at the appropriate times in our lives, burn off what is no longer relevant, opening our eyes to new possibilities of our own uniqueness.† (Miss Morian Woodman: â€Å"The Pregnant Virgin: A Process of Psychological Transformation†. Page 26 Chrysalis) Using the concept of the process of psychological pregnancy (the virgin forever a virgin, forever pregnant, forever open to possibilities), Woodman examines ways of restoring the unity of body and soul, suggesting that how and what a woman goes through in a man’s world. Drawing on her Jungian analytic practice with its analysis of hundreds of dreams, she explores the search for personal identity and relationships, including the celebration of the feminine both in women and men. She begins with the symbolism of the chrysalis, and then discusses abandonment in the creative woman, psyche-soma awareness, the ritual journey, further thoughts on addiction, and yin, yang, and Jung.

Family in Europe History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Family in Europe History - Coursework Example These large extended families were contrasted sharply with the emerging nuclear families of the industrial age as a means of attempting to re-capture a by-gone age of greater social responsibility and control. By couching the family in such terms, these sociologists were encouraging the reinstatement of the patriarch as the dictator of the family, determining the best course of action for each member of the family through his choice of heir, thus determining which child would be permitted to marry and reproduce, as well as subsuming any and all inclinations of the women of the household who were never permitted to inherit and were seen to pass into the possession of another family if and when she did get married. This reduced her value to little more than a bargaining chip with other families in search of wives for their sons and precluded any individuality for her or any of her other younger siblings. These models took their support from contentions that the agrarian society necessa rily consisted from time immemorial to have consisted of large extended families living in multi-generational households all working together for the common good. Historical-statistical analysis proves that the major contention of the pre-industrial family models proposed by Le Play and others is false. Analysis reveals that the average family size beginning as early as the seventeenth century was typically no larger than four or five persons per household. This was compared with the average size of households in more modern times, which was found to be closer to three persons per household, which does not reflect the tremendous differences claimed by earlier sociologists. In addition, statistical analysis has demonstrated that the reduction in family size did not occur in conjunction with the Industrial Revolution but only began to occur as living conditions and other events

Economics - Economic Policy - Discuss and critically evaluate the Essay - 1

Economics - Economic Policy - Discuss and critically evaluate the rescue and stimulation packages by the UK Government since the start of the credit crunch in 2007 - Essay Example It is in this backdrop, we analyze the factors leading to the crisis and the efficacy of the rescue and stimulation packages introduced by the UK government to improve the situation. According to the Banking Guide it has been an episode of financial instability that was, arguably, the most serious since the 1930s. It states â€Å"The risks of negative equity (where mortgages are greater than the value of the property) became a reality and mortgage defaults hit record highs. Banks have lost the trust which is a pre-requisite to the efficient functioning of credit markets†. The table as given in Appendix I shows the fall in the world’s major equity markets since June 2007, and the cumulative change from 30-6-2007 to 10-10-2008 in the case of ‘FTSE All-share Index’ of the UK is negative by 40.9%. The habit of borrowing by the individuals and corporate bodies ingrained predominantly in the US culture at a staggering level which over the period of time made the financial structure in the country vulnerable. As a lighted  match to a  train of gunpowder, the subprime crisis acted as a trigger for the collapse of the leading banks. The cases of isolated bad debt in the banking system could be a normal phenomenon. However, when it has become impossible to quantify the bad debts in the nation as a whole, the system became victim to the crisis. This unprecedented phenomenon has arrested the flow of capital and liquidity, fundamental to the banking system. It is a vicious circle and the banking system has been clogged up completely due to growing suspicion among the market players. The bank finance locked up in subprime mortgages and housing development projects has paralyzed the system as a whole. The bailout plan was formulated under the Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson, who h ad been the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Goldman Sachs earlier.

The existence of God Essay Example for Free

The existence of God Essay One of life’s unanswered questions is about the existence of God. There has been an endless search for evidence of his life and handiwork. The dawn of the universe for instance, has been subjected to many theories like the big bang theory and the divine theory but no matter what people believe in one thing is for sure; there has been and always will be a search as evidenced by the following: One question which inevitably comes up in a discussion of this nature is what the origin of God is? If God created matter/energy and designed the systems that have propelled matter into its present arrangement, who or what accomplished that for God? Why is it any more reasonable to believe that God has always been than it is to say that matter has always been? As Carl Sagan has said, â€Å"If we say that God has always been, why not save a step and conclude that the universe has always been? (Sagan cited in Clayton 2008). Throughout the ages, mankind has always been in search of a being far greater that himself. Some of the ways in which this search is manifested is through different religions, through science and through nature. Man has always been craving to identify himself with a greater being to which he deeply wants to have a connection with. This paper aims to let those people know that they are not alone in their venture and that no matter what happens man will always find a way to bond with their origin. Man can do things or go to high or peaceful places to try and feel the security of being closer to God or any great being for that matter. Some people give so much respect to nature because they feel that it is an extension or an outward manifestation of the evidence of that God or greater being that they hold on to so much. Some people like to discover the mystery of astronomy and the universe is because of the experience of tranquility and serenity. Four hundred years ago, Galileo looked at the heavens through a telescope and saw things no one had ever seen before. Our new star show uses the amazing Zeiss Universarium star projector to reveal the beauty and wonder of the night sky. Most of us still see the sky today as our ancestors did with our unaided eyes. From Earth, its hard to understand why the sky looks and behaves the way it does. But Galileos historic observations, and the era of modern science they ignited, changed all that. From Los Angeles today, well take you back to Padua, Italy in 1609, so you can experience for yourself how the telescope changed everything (griffithobs. org 2009). There is such a place with an observatory and hotel which is built exactly for reconnection with people, with nature and with God. This place exists to meet not only the daily accommodation needs of the people but more importantly to aid in mankind’s continuous mission to find a way to be one step closer to that greater being be it God or not. Truly, the wonders and mysteries of the whole universe will forever be locked in Pandora ’s Box with man always guessing the whole of its contents armed with a little bit of knowledge and a whole lot of faith. Why such little knowledge despite the modernized technology? It is because no matter how advanced science the world of today has, no one has ever fully explored the ends of the universe nor anybody can prove or disprove the existence of God. Whether he is a figment of one’s imagination or he is an ever-faithful, omnipresent, omnipotent and omnicient God who is watching over the earth will forever be mystery of the mind and of substantial evidence but not of the heart and soul. As Albert Einstein once said â€Å"There are two ways to live your life, one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle† . References Clayton. J. N. , (2008). Who Created God?. Does God Exist. Retrieved 04 / 01/09 from www. doesgodexist. org/Pamphlets/WhoCreatedGod. html www. griffithobs. org/ 2009

Social Construction Of Gender Cultural Studies Essay

Social Construction Of Gender Cultural Studies Essay Nortons anthology of Theory and Criticism is a collection of influential critical statements that are drawn from the classical era to the present times. These topic areas has been contributed by different scholars who have written on wide range of issues that covers different interest that touches on the history of poetics to post modernity. One of the topics that Norton looks at is criticism of Simone De Beauviors feminist argument and that of Judith Butlers on gender trouble. Judith book, Gender in trouble is a fictional account of womens issues in the modern societies. She borrows De beavouirs feminist theory to analyze some of the issue facing women today. Social construction of Gender Butler is a radical feminist who is trying to examine some of the foundational roots of gender identity that are culturally embedded within the fabrics of the society and is now characterized by political correctness. She was very much influenced by French writers such as Mitchell Foucault, Jean Sartre but above all Simone De Beauvoir. She draws much of her theoretical thinking on about feminism from De Beauviors concept on the Sex second. Simone de Beauvior was born and grew up in Paris in a wealthy and but very religious family background. He later the family lost their wealth after World War one. Her early childhood life was very much influence by her religious faith, but later turned atheist. Even during his formatting years, De beauvior displayed signs of intellectual prowess which hugely influenced his father. She managed to study mathematics, philosophy and literature, after which he ventured into the field of education. It is argued that beauvior engaged in a romantic relationship with both men and women. In her book, Sexuality, Existentialist feminism and the Second Sex, De beauvior talks about the whole use of feminist sexuality by referring to her own sexual experiences in the mandarins. She laments how womens sexuality has been social constructed by the patriarchal system and stereotypes to belong to the lower beds of the society. Unfortunately, mens perception of women is attributed by other factors such as race, class and religion. As a result, men refer to women as weaker vessel and used sex to confine them to the lower levels of the patriarchal system. In response, De beauvior comes up with the concept of feminist existentialism which contains ideological concepts and theoretical framework that underpins these moral changes. Gender as a choice In her book gender in trouble, Butler emphasizes on the performative nature of gender is constantly trying to free itself from cultural oppression, prejudice and sex perversions. Drawing from her role model, Butler argues along the lines of gender and sex in relation to women, lesbians and gay men. From this book, Butler argues that our understanding of femininity is actually based on cultural interpretation rather than scientific examinations. As a result our perceptions of gender and sex are socially constructed or dictated to by what our societies think, say or portray to us. She refers to the term gender as choice to criticize victimization of women as purported in classical literature. We cannot choose sex or our bodies but we can clothe it according to our cultural understanding. Thus, Beauvoirs theory has radicalized our cultural understanding of gender and gender roles. Beauvoir is one of the key feminist thinkers of the 19th century. She advocate for womens freedom in choosing what is right for them and not to be dictated to by nature or conventional social laws initiated by men. She further explains that women should not allow themselves to be defined by biological gender, rather on their personhood. Beavour argues that the societys reference to female becoming a woman is used to identify them with domestic chores and duties such as cooking, cleaning or being a wife or a mother. In addition, her concept of female becoming a woman encompasses the societys obsession with beauty that is being reinforced by male dominated media which also defines what is deemed to be appropriate modes of dressing. Butler explores the relationship between that exists between power and categories of sex and gender. Through this book, she attack some of the prevailing gender assumptions on womens social roles and sexuality as dictated to by male dominated society. Butler therefore reiterates that there is need to differentiate between biological make up of female body and cultural perception of gender. She uses her dominant theme concerning gender as normative to call upon the society to tackle the gender trouble head on in order to deal with some the existing subversive concepts of women. Conclusion Womens liberation thinking of the 19th century greatly influenced thinking of many scholars including academicians and literary writers. One of those literary writers who were not spared by feminist movement was Simone De Beavouir, French intellectual who found her feet in America. Her move to America enabled her to develop a free mind as she embarked on her literary journey. De beavour used her own sexual experience to develop her feminist theory. Today, her feminism theory is being used widely by other postmodern writers an tool for developing independent feminist thinking. One of those post modern feminist writers is Judith butlers who have drawn much of her ideas from De beavour thought of feminist liberation. Through, her book Butler argues that the society in general need to come up with new ways of dealing gender and sex, by tackling what she calls gender trouble.

Friendship Essay: What Makes A Good Friend? -- Friendship Essay, Person

A friend is someone difficult to find. A friend is someone you can always count on when times are tough. The dictionary's definition of a good friend is a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard. A good friend is there when you are struggling. For example, when a boy breaks your heart a good friend walks you through it and offers a shoulder to cry on. According to Bree Neff, a good friend is someone who is trustworthy, doesn't talk behind your back, listens to your problems, gives good advice and tries to lend humor along with his or her support. There are also bad friends, those who pretend to care and then turn around gossiping and starting drama. Good and bad friends are all around you, involved in your everyday life. To find good friends you should look for such traits as being kind, trustworthy, loyal and dependable. A good friend must be kind because being kind is when they look out for you no matter what! If they hear girls talking about you, they are the friends that stop them. Friends look out for you even when you are arguing. A friend understands that you may not always get along but you should always try and be there for them and look out for them. Although this can be difficult at times, it proves how kind and loving you are. Another part of being kind is listening to one and another. Sometimes we don't care about what are friends have to say, but listening is really important. Listening shows that you value their friendship. Some friends only talk about themselves and never listen to your problems; that is not a good friend. Listening to each other helps you learn about the person as it shows character and tells that person you can count on them. In addition, being a ... ...in trouble. They are someone that will be there when you just need someone to talk. You can rely on them to show you they care, and be there till the end. A good friend may not have all these traits. If someone is a gossip, you shouldn't get too close with him or her. If they are known for betrayal and being dishonest you should think about it and probably take one step away from them. According to the site â€Å"Being Friends,† friends should listen to each other, not put each other down to hurt one another, understand each others feelings, disagree without hurting each other, and be dependable and trustworthy. When finding friends you should look out for the good and the bad. See which traits are most important to you and make sure your friends have more good than bad traits. This will create compatible friends for you who hopefully remain with you for a lifetime!

Proposed Bullying Study Essay -- Teacher Techniques, Individual Counse

Bullying and victimization in United States schools has just recently begun to be studied(Milsom & Gallo, 2006). Many schools realizing the impact that bullying has on children are quick advocate anti-bullying programs and punish bullies, however victims of bullies are usally given no emotional support. Research on bullying reveals that there are both immediate and future consequences for the targets of bullying (Gottheil and Dubow, 2001). Students are more likely to suffer from academic problems, absenteeism, loneliness and loss of friends especially when the bullying behavior is severe and prolonged (Robert & Coursol, 1996). Children who are targets of aggression are also more likely to be depressed and develop low self-esteem (Gottheil and Dubow, 2001). There are several important emotional and social areas of concern that should be addressed with victims of bullying which will be the goals of this group. Many bullying victims have lowered self-esteem and self-concept – this will be the primary focus on this group. Research has shown that building self-esteem in a child is a key factor in bullying prevention (Fried & Fried, 1996). Interventions that are aimed at increasing student’s self-esteem help students identify and value areas of competence, provide emotional support to students who may mot receive much from home, help children succeed by teaching them real skills that they can use and help them cope by facing their problems (Harter, 1999). Sub-topics that are related to the teaching of higher self-esteem that will be addressed include the teaching of assertiveness, other social skills and coping skills. Assertiveness training will be done to help students develop confidence in the abilities to respond assertiv... ...n Higher Educaiton. Kaiser, B., & Rasminsky, J. S. (2003). Challenging behavior in young children: Understanding, preventing, and responding effectively. Boston: Pearson. Milsom, A. & Gallo, L. L. (2006). Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention. Middle School Journal, 12-19. Roberts, W. B. Jr., & Coursol, D. H. (1996). Strategies for intervention with childhood and adolescent victims of bullying, teasing, and intimidation in school settings. Elementary School Guidance and Counseling, 30, 204-213. Sullivan, K. (2000). The Anti-Bullying Handbook. New York: Oxford University Press. Fried, S. & Fried, S. (1996). Bullies and victims: Helping Your Child Survives the Schoolyard Battlefield. New York: M. Evans and Company, Inc. Harter, S. (1999). The construction of self. In J.W. Santrock, Life-Span Development. NY:McGraw Hill.

Rodman Edward Serling :: essays research papers

Rodman Edward Serling, in my opinion one of the most brilliant men of our time, was born in Syracuse, New York, on December 25, 1924, to a wholesale meat dealer, and grew up in Binghamton. By his own account, he had no early literary ambitions, though from an early age, he and his older brother, Robert, immersed themselves in movies and in shows like Astounding Stories and Weird Tales. Rod was best known from the intro where he was seen wearing a suit and most often dangling a cigarette, which was unfortunately the cause of his untimely demise. "There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears, and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call... THE TWILIGHT ZONE," Serlings masterpiece would not come until later in his writing career. He began writing full-time in 1951, more than seventy of his television scripts were produced, garnering both critical and public acclaim. Full-scale success came early in 1955 with the production of a script called "Patterns," deemed a "creative triumph" by critics, and the winner of the first of Serling's six Emmy awards. Serling went to work on screenplays for MGM and as a writer for Playhouse 90, for which he crafted ninety-minute dramas. A critical and financial success, Serling shocked many of his fans in 1957 when he left Playhouse 90 to create a science fiction series he called The Twilight Zone. 156 episodes of Twilight Zone, ninety-two written by Serling, aired on CBS over the next five years. The show went on to be one of the most widely recognized and beloved series in television history, and achieved a permanent place in American pop culture with its instantly recognizable opening, theme song and charismatic host, Rod Serling. With appearances by personalities such as Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Hopper, and more, Twilight Zone became a launching pad for some of Hollywood's biggest stars. The show headed downhill in its fifth season chiefly due to the fact that Serling lost most creative control of the show. After production ended in January 1964, Serling continued to write for film and television series and movies, and often appeared in his own productions, such as Rod Serling's Night Gallery. He returned to Antioch College as a professor and lectured at college campuses across the

My Views and Observations on China Essay

The class trip to China was very enlightening, and I learnt many interesting things about International businesses and relations in China during my visit. Some of these surprised me, as they were issues that I hadn’t really considered before my visit. When I left for China, I knew that the Chinese market was one of the fastest growing economies in the world along with India, but I had no idea that it would be so difficult for International companies to get involved in doing business in China. This is something that I only learnt during my trip. However, despite the delays and possible problems that an International Company may have to face, I was still very impressed with the country and I believe that the potential for growth would still outweigh the issues involved. Therefore I would be very interested in doing business in China, and in fact, I have already started looking into doing just that. The first thing that stood out the most in every talk and site visit we made, was just how much the Chinese Government influences businesses in Mainland China. As a communist government, they are very influential, and have a say in almost every business practice that goes on, so much so that the economy is directly related to the government. Dr. Jian Yuan and Dr. Sun were both very outspoken on this matter during their presentations. They both mentioned that this much influence by the government could be the source of problems like labor laws, policy problems and an unfair distribution of wealth. Labor Laws in China are very strict and it is difficult to lay people off. However, the cheap cost of labor in China could also be seen as an advantage for foreigners, who can therefore lower their production costs much more than if they were using labor from their own country. These low labor costs are a direct result of the huge population and the sheer numbers on available unskilled workers. Another problem that can affect foreign businesses due to the influence of the government is that, as a communist government, they have complete control of information sources. This means they control not only the media, but also the internet, and companies are unable to do business via websites etc. However, this is only a problem for some businesses, and your chosen business would have to take this into account before you made your decision. In Hong Kong however, there is complete transparency and therefore this is no longer a problem if you decide to work there. Dr. Sun said that he realized that the government was omnipresent and that Nationalism is the key to understanding the Chinese mentality, but hopes that in the future there will be a change to a multi party system as there is in Taiwan. He also said that since 1979 there have been radical changes in China, and that it is getting better every day. Chinese people have also started to look toward the government to change its policies, and therefore I think that if you are able to get started in China, despite the current problems, you may be able to expand in the future if the changes continue the way they have been going and China becomes a more free country. Currently, it is quite difficult for an international company to become involved in the Chinese economy. From my interview with Mr. Jonathan Siboni, the CEO of DEAL (Developing Euro-Asian Links), I learned that there are only three ways that foreigners can set up a company in China. The first being that you only set up a representative office in China, and do not actually do any business such as retail in China. The second possibility has only been available since 2006, and that is to set up a WOFE (Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise). This is advantageous for foreigners, but there are limitations set by the government. The final possibility is to set up a Joint-Venture, which is when a foreign company and a Chinese company join together to set up a company and then split the profits between themselves. In some sectors, this is still the only form of company that foreigners can set up, and in my opinion it is the best option. The principle of Guanxi, or relations, was discussed often by many speakers. This is the theory that it is vitally important to form good relations with other people in order to be successful at business in China. Another topic that was often discussed, was that the culture is very important to the Chinese and that you would have to fully understand it if you ever wanted to succeed in the Chinese Market. By forming a join-venture with a pre-existing company, Chinese members of the joint-venture would be available to explain the cultural intricacies that are vital to the business, and they would also already have formed many valuable guanxi (relations), that would help your company immensely. The Chinese people themselves were another factor that influenced my decision to do business in China. The huge population is larger than that on America and the EU combined and this means there are a high number of unskilled laborers out there that are looking for jobs and training. They are very hard working people and they take pride in their work and want to do a good job. At the shoe and textile factories, we saw that the average working hours were from 8am to 8pm, and all this hard work would definitely increase production. The visit to Ground Floor Engineering also showed that they are also very fast workers, which would also positively influence production. The huge population also means that there is the possibility of an enormous target market and a huge demand for your product. The Wal Mart that we visited, catered for a market of 7 million people per week, and because of this, had sales figures in 2006 of US $ 747 Billion. This large number of consumers is a definite draw card for anyone wishing to invest in China. There are also problems with the people. One of which is the huge language barrier, as only a very small population understands English, or any language other than Mandarin, and even fewer are able to read it. This could be another area, where having a Chinese business partner who understands the language would be very helpful. However, with training and careful selection of workers, this is not enough of a problem to put me off doing business in China. If you were doing business in Hong Kong, it also becomes less of a problem, as people here are more highly skilled and many are fluent in English as a second language. This is in part due to the fact the Hong Kong used to be a British Colony. Question 2: The Chinese Culture is very different from any other culture that I have ever experienced before, and although I did notice a few similarities with my home country of Morocco, I mainly realized just how different the cultures of both America and Morocco are to that of China. This was something that I had not been expecting to such a large degree. Firstly, I noticed that the Chinese people are very proud of themselves, their country and their history, and this influences not only everything that they do, but also their relations with foreigners. They are also very sensitive to the actions of others and easily offended by small things that you wouldn’t have thought they would be. For example, when sharing a meal with a Chinese person, it is considered polite to always leave something on your plate uneaten, as this indicates to them that you have eaten enough. If you eat all the food that you have been served, they take it to mean that you are still hungry, and this could be insulting to them. This is in direct contrast to all other countries I have been in, where it is considered polite to eat all that you have been served. They also never forget their history, and still think about being defeated by the European Countries and by Japan. This may affect the way that they deal with people from other countries and culture. Another thing that I noticed is that structure and hierarchy is very important to the Chinese. The CEO of Days Inn told us that in a company or business, everyone knows exactly who is ranked above them in the business hierarchy, and insubordination is not tolerated. In meetings, it is polite and expected that people enter the boardroom in order of Hierarchy, with the most senior and important people entering fist. Seats at the table are also according to hierarchy, with the boss or host sitting in the middle of the table, facing the door. This is very different from American culture, where they try to promote a sense of equality and camaraderie between members of the company. For instance, while you know who you report to and who you are supposed to being taking direction from, there is a sense that you are both equally important to the company and that you would be able to speak freely and openly with your boss. The importance of Gianxi (relations) in China was surprising to me. In all countries, it is important to have good working relations with those around you and with your suppliers and clients, but in China, it is impossible to do business without them. The CEO of Days Inn told us that he needed 50 licenses from the government in order to start the hotel, and that if he didn’t have good Gianxi relationships with influential people, this process would have taken much longer, and may never have gotten through. This seems to follow the old saying â€Å"It’s not what you know, It’s who you know† whereby in American culture, people believe that it’s more important that you are good at your job, and if you are it shouldn’t matter who you know, or what important contacts you have. Rather, there should be equality and you should succeed because of your skill. The idea of â€Å"Face,† or Mianzi, being important to a business or individual was also very new to me. The CEO of Days Inn told us that giving face is a mark of personal pride and is the basis of an individual’s reputation and social status. Losing face is very embarrassing and it is vital not to lose face in the business world if you want to succeed. A public insult or chastisement is a way of losing face, and even something as small as contradicting someone in front of someone else, or declining an invitation on a weak pretext can lead to a loss of face. This idea goes hand in hand with the idea of Gianxi, as a person who has lost face and has a bad reputation, would have a very hard time forming relationships with people that could help there business. Another cultural difference between the East and West is that Westerners are much more straight forward and frank with you, whilst the Chinese are much more conservative and it is difficult to know what they are really thinking. A Chinese person will never tell you â€Å"No† as they think it is rude, and this makes it very difficult to determine whether someone you are working with really agrees with you or just doesn’t want to offend you. Saying â€Å"No† to someone can lead to a loss of Mianzi (face) and therefore someone will often say â€Å"inconvenient† or â€Å"difficult† rather than saying â€Å"No. † This is very different from the West, where people are told to say what they think. Another aspect of Chinese culture is that they hate confrontation, and will generally go out of their way to avoid it, even just in a business setting. They also dislike doing business with strangers and formal introductions are necessary before they will do business with you. This is again where Gianxi become necessary, and is very different from American culture, where they will do business with anyone, as long as it will benefit their companies. At the silk market, evening market and ladies market, I was surprised to find a similarity in culture between China and my home country of Morocco. In both countries, bargaining is an important part of the culture. It is a tradition, and people enjoy it and are not really happy to shop without it. They like to feel that they are working to get the best price, and take it as a sign that they are using their skills to get the best price. It is almost like a game to them, and if someone doesn’t bargain, they get disappointed. This is the same in Morocco, where markets or â€Å"souks† are a place where people come together to shop and bargain for good deals. The biggest difference in the cultures between China and other countries that I noticed was when we went on a visit to a local village. Here, the people were mostly isolated, and had little to no contact with the outside world, and very little knowledge of westerners. They were also poorly educated, and had mainly spent the majority of their lives living in the Village, involved in local farming. They were very poor and sometimes only had gas and water twice a week. They also ate and behaved very differently from the more civilized and educated people in Beijing. When we arrived, they looked at us like they had never seen people like us, and wanted to touch and feel us to see what the differences there were between us and them. The visit to the village also brought into light the class issue that is part of the Chinese Culture, and how people are treated differently according to level of education, class and their jobs (Master/Servant relationships). They don’t seem to think that there is anything wrong with differentiating between people in this way, and see rural people as being below city people. This is different from the West, where people try to think in terms of equality and equal opportunities no matter your race, station in life, gender or class.

Aquinas on Conscience Essay

For Aquinas, conscience is the act of applying our knowledge of good and evil to what we do (or might do). So in order to (naturally) know what is a good action or bad one, one needs to understand how things are naturally ordered by God — primarily what human nature is and what things it needs and deserves. This order which dictates what is good or evil behaviour is called the Natural Law by Aquinas. God can and does also supernaturally reveal what is and is not in accordance with his will, e.g. the Ten Commandments and Christ’s Two Great Commandments. One also needs to apply this knowledge to what one does, and so one needs to be free to act in accordance with what one knows to be the Divine order of things, or not. Our conscience is our realization that what we might do or have done is good or not, but it is not the actual doing or the choosing. On a technical note, for Aquinas conscience is the act of understanding what is right and wrong, though the name may be applied by extension to a habit or power of performing this act of understanding. The virtue of making correct judgments about right or wrong, i.e. appropriate exercises of conscience is called prudence. The reason that this is important is that one cannot do the right thing if one does not know what the right thing is. So, if someone has problems with their conscience, it does not seem appropriate to blame them. Children do not have fully formed consciences, and do not always understand what the right thing to do is. If a child does wrong because he or she didn’t know any better, or because he or she thought it was the right thing to do, we do not (or should not) blame and punish him or her. Aquinas therefore believes that not only is one excused from wrongdoing if one’s conscience is in error, one also is bound to do the wrong thing if one’s conscience tells one that it is the RIGHT thing to do. He also believes that one has a duty to have a well-formed conscience, one that knows what the right thing to do is. Even though an earring conscious excuses one from doing wrong, one may have done wrong in letting one’s conscience fall into error.

Globalization and Global Warming

Memorandum This memo serves as an informative and analytical document discussing globalizations largest threat – global warming. I will address the following issues: †¢ What is global warming and how is it being caused? †¢ Who is contributing to its advancement? †¢ The threats and consequences of global warming †¢ Recommendations we can do to slow global warming Global Warming and It’s Cause Global warming could have started as early as the 1860’s due to the Industrial Revolution that began after the Civil War. This was a time of invention and creation; where man made machine and machine changed society.Not only did the machine change society, but it also changed the atmospheric gases – more specifically, greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases consist of carbon dioxide – known to cause the greatest amount of global warming – methane gas, ozone, and nitrous oxide. These four greenhouse gases act as a blanket over the surface of the earth. As the sun hits the earth’s surface, the heat is reflected back towards the sun. The heat is then contained by the greenhouse gas blanket and warms the earth. Without this blanket, we would live in a very cold world.This atmospheric balance the earth provides is currently being tested by man. What happens when we expel our own greenhouse gases? The ‘blanket’ thickens and it traps in more heat. This extra heat upon the earth’s surface is known as global warming. Therefore, global warming can be defined as the effect that increased greenhouse gases have on the earth’s atmosphere. The increase of greenhouse gases are the result of two economical factors: the burning of fossil fuels for energy, and deforestation for industrialization. The first factor contributes to the majority of the xpelled greenhouse gases – that is: The Burning of Fossil Fuels As globalization spreads and increases industry, it also increases the deposit of pollu ting gases into the atmosphere. One such gas is carbon dioxide. The release of CO2 is more specifically caused from the burning of oil, coal, and gas. These three natural fuels, which are used in manufacturing and industrial growth, have constituted roughly 75% of human generated CO2 emissions expelled into the atmosphere during the past 20 years (IPCC WGI). Here is a graph supporting the increases of CO2:Indicators of the human influence on the atmosphere during the Industrial era [pic] (IPCC Chart 1) As you can see, this graph stops in the year 2000. Assuming there was an energy increase in the past 6 years by rapidly developing nations such as China and India, along with developed nations consistent energy use, we can also assume the CO2 concentration has continued its vertical climb. Deforestation The destruction or clearing (as some companies might put it) of the worlds’ forests are due in most part to agricultural needs and industrialization.Why scientistists agree that this practice is detrimental to the enviroment can be summed up in two ways: 1. trees act like sponges that suck in carbon dioxide and convert it to oxygen 2. when trees are burned, they release the stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, adding to the pollution Hence, the more trees that are burned, the less carbon dioxide gets harbored. According to Greenpeace, â€Å"Thirty percent of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere over the past 150 years is thought to come from deforestation, but this is a small amount compared to what is still stored in forests.The Canadian and Russian boreal forests alone hold 40 percent of the world's carbon stocks† (Greenpeace Science). In other areas of the world, carbon stocks are not being contained, but continually released through deforestation. Global Forest Watch, an independent oprganization that provides current information on forest development stated: â€Å"In 2002, about 47% of the Brazilian Amazon was under some type of human pressure; recent estimates comparing this figure with new data from 2005 show that human pressure has increased by 7%† (Global forest watch).Not only are we losing the possibility of finding rare tropical plants that could be converted into pharmaceuticals, but we are also destroying indigenous communities that dot the Amazon rainforest. It is understandable that deforestation is need for civilization, but there are ways we can curb its destruction and preserve the rainforests. Contributors of Global Warming If your means of transportation today did not consist of walking or riding a bike, chances are, you contributed to the burning of fossil fuels. Americans would not be able to survive without the use of fossil fuels.We produce them in our cars, our homes, and even in our waste. The bottom line is: fossil fuels create energy, and we need energy. So, it is not surprising that Americans are responsible for 25% of the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, desp ite having only 5% of the world’s population. (Stix 47) This makes America the largest polluter in the world. It is evident that when a country becomes a world leader through Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the focus becomes business. The need for business profits by corporations apitalizing on industry have an impact on the environment. Unfortunately, many industries do not take into consideration the effects their business has on the environment. Below is a chart comparing three countries – the United States, Former Soviet Union, and Japan – and their CO2 emissions: [pic] (IPCC Chart 2) In 2005 according to the CIA World Factbook, these same three countries had GDP’s of $12. 3 trillion, $4 trillion, and $1. 6 trillion respectively (GDP). While the U. S. has nearly doubled it’s GDP, you can bet as a developed nation, it has also increased it CO2 emissions.But, developed countries like the United States and Japan can’t be blamed for emitting a ll the CO2 into the atmosphere due to their industrialization. We must also look at developing countries such as China and Brazil who, while aspiring to increase their standard of living, are also increasing their energy use. As these nations develop and increase their industrialization, they inturn release substantial amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. With the ever-increasing CO2 emissions and deforestation, what does it mean for the stability of our enviroment? The Threats and Consequences of Global Warming?The aforementioned greenhouse gas emissions and the deforestation process have been contributing to the global warming crisis. The most recent supporting evidence was reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control (IPCC) in 2001. Established in 1988 due to climate change curiosity, the IPCC is composed of over 2,000 scientists and is regarded as the foremost authority on climate change by the United Nations (Wikipedia IPCC). They concluded, through a 2600 page com prehensive analysis of scientific research, that global warming is in fact caused by CO2 emissions and eforestation. According to the IPCC, the two primary factors of global warming are temperature and sea level. Using the latest research and the current trends in global warming, the IPCC predictions through the end of the 21st century are as follows (IPCC SPM): †¢ A rise of global temperatures from 2. 5 ° to 10. 4 ° F †¢ A rise of Sea levels from 4†³ to 3†² Rising of Global Temperature The effects of this variable are quite profound. Scientists predict it could increase the frequency and magnitude of hurricanes; similar to what happened on the U. S. ’s Gulf Coast in the fall of 2005.They predict it could also do the same to El Nino; which is felt on the west coast – especially in Southern California. Southern California’s fire season begins towards the end of summer, due to the dry climate. In the fall of 2002, San Diego felt the effects of an out-of-control fire. What started as human error, continued for weeks, as brush and forest fires tore through San Diego Country. Its duration and strength was assisted by warm El Nino winds. Since El Nino thrives from available heat, you could say global warming is feeding El Nino’s hunger.In 1998 National Geographic had this to say about El Nino: El Nino’s abnormal effects on the main components of climate—sunshine, temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, precipitation, cloud formation and ocean currents—changed weather patterns across the equatorial Pacific and in turn around the globe†¦ In the past 98 years there have been 23 El Ninos and 15 La Ninas. Of the century’s ten most powerful El Ninos, four—the four strongest—have occurred since 1980. (Suplee) Considering it is possible global warming energizes the climate event El Nino, it can also melt glaciers.A widespread retreat of non-polar glaciers during the 20th century, and a 10% decrease in world snow cover since the 1960’s was captured by satellite imagery; the shrinking of snow cover and the retreat of glaciers are not expected to slow down during the 21st century (IPCC SPM). Researchers agree that melting glaciers coupled with melting ice sheets, like those covering Antarctica and Greenland, will become significant factors in causing the sea levels to rise. Rising Sea Levels Rising sea levels could devastate coastal tourism spots. This may become a very costly problem for coastal cities.The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated a one foot rise along the eastern seaboard by 2050. According to researchers, if this rise were to occur on the west coast, which is more likely than not, California would lose 2-4 feet of beach due to erosion. [pic] (IPCC Chart 3) The EPA also had this to say about rising sea levels: Rising sea level inundates wetlands and other low-lying lands, erodes beaches, intensifies flooding, a nd increases the salinity of rivers, bays, and groundwater tables. Some of these effects may be further compounded by other effects of changing climate.Measures that people take to protect private property from rising sea level may have adverse effects on the environment and on public uses of beaches and waterways. (EPA) Even though the damage to the U. S. ’s coastline would be expensive, planet earth has over 4 billion people outside the U. S. that live on a coastal plain. (Greenpeace Going) Rising sea levels could completely demolish low-lying coastal cities around the world: New York, Miami, Tokyo, San Diego, and London are a few such cities that could experience rising sea levels first-hand.Poor, undeveloped countries that lack technology, would be the ones to lose entire populations from a force that is beyond their control. What can we do to stop this rising tide? Recommendations to Slow Global Warming †¢ Adhere to the Kyoto Protocol †¢ Increase forestation Ky oto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol, which began in 1997, has developed an international treaty to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The overall goal is for countries to lower these emissions to 1990 levels by 2008. For the policies to take effect, 55 countries that accounted for at least 55% of the greenhouse gas emissions in 1990 must ratify the protocol.The founders of the Kyoto Protocol – United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), require countries that have ratified the protocol to: †¢ Enhance energy efficiency methods on the countries largest polluters †¢ Tax economic sectors that are the countries largest polluters †¢ Research, develop, and implement new forms of energy †¢ Promote forestation (UNFCCC) Only a few countries have said â€Å"no† to this protocol. Unfortunately, the United States is one of those countries. As a world leader, we should ratify the Kyoto Protocol and enforce its requirements on our industry.Our governmen t could give tax cuts for companies utilizing new technology with a low-carbon output. This technology could be in the form of: hydro-electric, wind, or solar power. We could also enforce strict pollution policies to regulate and limit what can be released into the environment. Other enforcements could be directed at absorbing the CO2 in the atmosphere through forestation. Increase Forestation Forests act as sponges to suck up, or decrease, the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Curtailing the lumber and logging industry in the U. S. is a first step towards increasing forestation.This is especially true of the industries in and around the Amazon. Because rainforests are denser than ordinary forests, they absorb much more carbon dioxide. Plus, the rainforests trap in precipitation to prevent flooding, and preserve bio-diversity and indigenous cultures. Another, more realistic approach is to plant trees and re-grow the forests. One example of this approach is happening in China. Due to deforestation, the Chinese government requires those between the ages of 11 and 60 to plant up to 5 trees per year; they claim to have planted 1 billion trees in the past 20 years. (Wikipedia Deforestation)Conclusion Global warming affects everyone; it has no boundaries. It is not intended to directly harm other cultures and peoples, but it inadvertently does through continually disregard for the environment. This disregard happens when nations become industrialized: more specifically – from burning fossil fuels and the deforestation process. But, we do have the power of choice. The citizens of the United States should step forward and assume responsibility. It is our duty to contribute to the reduction of global warming by regulating our CO2 emissions, and even becoming aware of our paper consumption.With the assist of other developed nations, we should be implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices to deter our current pollution. These technologies might come at a high price. But, in the long run, it could reduce the costs and damages associated with the foreseeable climate change. Works Cited CIA World Factbook. â€Å"List of countries by GDP (PPP). † Wikipedia. 2006. 18 Sept. 2006 EPA. â€Å"Coastal Zones. † Environmental Protection Agency. Jan. 2000. 15 Sept. 2006 Greenpeace. â€Å"Going, Going, Gone?. † Greenpeace.July 2005. 13 Sept. 2006 Greenpeace. â€Å"Science. † Greenpeace. 2006. 14 Sept. 2006 Global Forest Watch. â€Å"Human Pressure on the Brazilian Amazon Forests. † 2006. Global Forest Watch. 17 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 1. â€Å"Indicators of the human influence on the atmosphere. † IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 2. â€Å"Comparison between GDP and CO2 emissions for selected countries. † Climate Change 2001 Synthesis Report 5-6. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Chart 3. â€Å"Third Assessment Report – Climate Change 2001. † IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. Climate Ch ange 2001: SPM: The Scientific Basis. † IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 IPCC. â€Å"Climate Change 2001: Working Group I: The Scientific Basis. † IPCC. 2001. 16 Sept. 2006 Stix, Gary. â€Å"A climate Repair Manuel. † Scientific American Sept. 2006: 47. Suplee, Curt. â€Å"Unlocking the Climate. † National Geographic May 1998. 13 Sept. 2006 UNFCCC. â€Å"Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC. † UNFCCC. 1998. 19 Sept. 2006 Wikipedia. â€Å"Deforestation. † Wikipedia. 2006. 19 Sept. 2006 Wikipedia. â€Å"Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. † Wikipedia. 2006. 12 Sept. 2006

Chicken Ala Carte Essay

Thousands of people die every day due to hunger and malnutrition. This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society. The people who live on the refuse of men to survive. What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people. It clearly displayed that hunger and poverty kicks as main problem of the society and some people are too blind to see it. The videography of the film was too shaky and some parts are blurry. This is actually effective for me as for the fact that it is a documentary and it made me feel like I am in the real setting of the event. Another element is the actors in the film. They portrayed their roles truly and they were really convincing which made the film so sympathetic and melancholic. The songs used in the later part of the film also added to the mood. The setting of the film was very dirty and crowded, enough components to represent a place where poverty is happening. The kids in the squatters’ area were also good representations of hunger and malnutrition in an isolated community. The most powerful part of the story, for me, was when the father tapped his kid on his hands, which cannot wait to eat, just because he forgot to pray. This showed me that even though things are getting to worse than expected, we still have to give thanks to Him for we are blessed that we still live this life with His spirit guiding us. It also displayed to me the spirituality of a man and his faith that is strong enough to continue living their lives. Furthermore, this film made me realize that I am so blessed. Many people out there struggle for food while I can easily buy them anywhere I wanted to. I can choose where to live while they cannot because they cannot afford a concrete shelter. These people are the ones in need and we must have time to reach out for them to have their chance of having a life with comfort. In addition, I couldn’t stop myself from having sympathy for those who are on the overlooked portion of our country for they are the ones who deserve to benefit the profit our country has earned. In this kind of situation, you can’t really avoid to demand that those people should be the one our government should be focusing on improving one’s life due to the fact that since they pursue themselves to the politics, it is their duty to serve their countrymen first before anything else. Aside from scarcity, I believe education is also the key to keep away from those kinds of circumstances in life because if you are a well-educated person, you will be aware of family planning and most especially you have the capability to earn money and buy foods in order for you and your family to survive.