Emotional, Moral and Physical Changes Essay

Adolescence is the name given to the period in the life of human beings between the ages of twelve and eighteen years. It is during the period of adolescence that a human being matures from a child to an adult, usually in both the physical as well as psychological sense of the word. That being said, it follows that this is the time in one’s life when one goes through the most numerous and major changes in terms of cognitive, social, physical, emotional and moral development (Turning Points). This article deals with explaining these changes along with relevant examples as well as enumerating options as to and what might be done within an out-of-school care program to accommodate those changes. Adolescence plays a major role in shaping the future of individuals as the decisions and choices that they make while steering through this phase in life are critical in shaping the people that they become in the future (Turning Points). This leads to the conclusion that this developmental stage is the most critical to the development of the individual going through it as well as the larger society that he or she is a part of. Subsequently, growing adolescents have unique learning needs as each person is different and unique from the other, not only in terms of physical appearance such as their face or body but also in terms of their psychological personality. Each person has different strengths, weaknesses, abilities, disabilities, talents and learning potential which needs due attention, especially during this growing stage. The academic years of adolescence are centered on middle school and thus middle schools should ideally be required to provide a secure and compassionate environment so as to develop the talents and strengths of, teach optimal usage of weaknesses and value each individual adolescent that they work for. In the following paragraphs, we will proceed to analyze the changes that adolescents go through. It is critical to note that all adolescents do not grow or learn at the same rate, neither physically nor psychologically. Due to irregular hormonal, body and mental growth, they become â€Å"vulnerable and self-conscious, and often experience unpredictable mood swings† (Turning Points). These changes also affect the way they perceive their surroundings, making them sensitive to and conscious of the implications of their actions to the world at large. Cognitive changes occur at varying rates among adolescents and they usually begin to develop the ability of carrying out abstract thought processes as opposed to only concrete ones as is the usual case n the pre-adolescence years. More important to realize is the fact that this cognitive progression is neither predictable nor dominated by any sense of orderliness. The social aspect of development during adolescence is generally headed by the premise that individuals seek social acceptance from their peers, who assume the role of strong influencers during the years of adolescence. This, combined with the fact that young adolescents become increasingly aware of their bodies and physical appearance make it even more difficult for them to face the changes within themselves and those that they perceive in the world around them. Emotionally, the young adolescent is challenged by the changes he or she is going through making the simplest of daily life occurrences the most challenging of circumstances. On top of this, adolescents become susceptible to taking bold initiatives on grounds of morality as they begin to feel a heightened sense of compassion and concern for the their surrounding environments. The following table present examples of changes in each of the areas outlined above pre-pubescent and pubescent adolescents along with out-of-school steps that could be taken to care for their developmental needs. Problems of Pre-Pubescent Adolescent Learners Area of Change Example Out-of-School Care Cognitive Change A Caucasian pre-pubescent girl begins to question her acquaintances’ prejudice against African Americans Encouraging cross racial relationships and respecting diversity through mentors. Social Change A boy is mentally disturbed about being shorter in height then his class mates. Parents are encouraged to have discussions with the boy about his concern and teach him to look beyond physical appearances, both in himself and in others around him. Emotional Change An adolescent has lately taken to slamming doors after arguments with his parents which have become a usual occurrence at home. Workshops are arranged for parents to handle the emotional changes in their child, where parents share and learn from each others’ experiences. Moral Change A Christian girl is contemplating running away from home in protest against her parents’ prejudice against her Muslim best friend. A mentor is assigned to each adolescent who acts as confidante , predicts the coming problem and deals with the mater accordingly Physical Change A girl becomes aware of her changing body and starts avoiding going out. Mentors and parents are encouraged to take their charges out, have open discussions and take them shopping for their changing needs. Problems of Pubescent Adolescent Learners Area of Change Example Out-of-School Care Cognitive Change As opposed to her parents’ objections, a pubescent girl feels that there is nothing wrong with having affectionate feelings for a boy. Mentors explain to young girls that parents are only human and bound to be unreasonable and that they should consider that teenage crushes are not true love. Social Change A girl starts making friends with teenagers much older then her, whose habits include drug and alcohol abuse. Workshops are arranged for parents to handle the emotional changes in their child, where parents share and learn from each others’ experiences. Parents would then realize that the girl feels misunderstood and is trying to fit in and become acceptable to her peers. Emotional Change A boy starts feeling that he is not wanted by anyone and starts avoiding company. Parents are encouraged to have discussions with the boy about his concern and teach him to look beyond physical appearances, both in himself and in others around him. Moral Change A girl takes up smoking under the premise of that she be allowed to make and learn from her own mistakes. Mentors help in making the girl realize that there are more effective ways to channelize the strength of her morals and discuss relevant examples. Physical Change A girl is aware that she needs certain garments but is too embarrassed to purchase them on her own. Mentors and parents are encouraged to take their charges out, have open discussions, take them shopping for their changing needs and volunteer to shop for things they are uncomfortable to buy themselves until they learn that they have nothing to be ashamed of. Bibliography Turning Points, Transforming Middle Schools: At the Turning Point, the Young Adolescent Learner. Retrieved January 16, 2007, from http://www. turningpts. org/pdf/YALGuide2. pdf

Globalization Source Analysis Essay

Globalization is the process by which different societies and cultures integrate through a worldwide network of political ideas through transportation, communication, and trade. Generally, globalization has affected many nations in various ways; economically, politically, and socially. It is a term that refers to the fast integration and interdependence of various nations, which shapes the world affairs on a global level. Simply put; globalization is the world coming together. In this essay I will discuss multiple perspectives on globalization through the analysis of these three sources. Source I’s perspective is the view that through globalization; many cultures are destroyed and that this diminishes society. This source outlines a disadvantage of globalization and views it as a negative force. This can be interpreted by the examining the quote given; Octavio Paz is referring to the homogenization of culture (the blending of different cultures in such a way that the end result is one mixed culture). As globalization occurs; the inevitable result is that cultures will have to compete for dominance. Many cultures will end up losing to the dominant global culture and this will lead to the extinction of some traditional ways of life. As result we are all becoming more like one another and in this way culture dies. Source II’s perspective is the view that the English language is dominating French through globalization. The source is displaying a negative consequence of globalization. This can be interpreted by examining the political cartoon literally; English is trying to crush French with a globe. As globalization occurs; dominant global languages will easily over power other minority languages. The source may feel this way because of what’s happening in modern day Canada. Despite being a bilingual country, the vast majority of Canadians speak English as their first language. This is a result of globalization, English has, for a variety of reasons become the language of business and of the internet and is therefore favoured. French language in Canada is therefore the minority and is â€Å"dominated† by English. Source III’s perspective is the view that because of globalization, specifically Americanization (to absorb or assimilate into American  culture), transnational corporations (any corporation that is registered and operates in more than one country at a time) have become a dominant part of global culture. This source describes this as a negative consequence of globalization. The heading â€Å"Problems of Globalization†, clearly shows that the source is trying to convey a negative aspect of globalization. This can be interpreted by examining the political cartoon; the family of three each talks about the different places they’ve been and yet they have all purchased merchandise from American companies. This is possible through the fact that American transnationals have spread all across the globe and have taken up monopolies (the exclusive possession or control of the supply or trade in a commodity or service) on certain industries. This source probably feels this way because of the basic principle of economies of scale (the cost advantage that arises with increased output of a product). As a transnational becomes larger it expands to different countries and the local small businesses stand no chance of competing with wealthy transnational corporations. In this way, business is crushed and transnationals become a staple of global culture. The three perspectives on globalization that I have discussed so far each have some things in common. Each source describes ways in which globalization affects the world and society. Each source also shows the negatives effects of globalization; namely the lack of diversity and culture that is a result of globalization. From each source you can see how globalization forces us to become more like one another by integrating us into a singular culture. Sources I, II and III are all great examples of how culture spreads to different parts of the world and how the world responds to that kind of cultural interchange. In this essay I discussed three different perspectives on globalization each showing a different side to how globalization affects the world. Like everything else, globalization has its advantages and disadvantages. Whether we embrace it or not, the fact is that globalization is inevitable. The world is coming together and with that we are all becoming more alike in the way that we speak, the way we dress, and our culture in general.

Compare and contrast business systems in Japan and China. Answer with Essay - 1

Compare and contrast business systems in Japan and China. Answer with reference to relevant theories and use comparative country - Essay Example As identified by Gordon Redding, who serves as a professor in the management department at the University of Hong Kong, the global arena can be categorized under five major cuisines and three of these cuisines which can act as a gateway to economic prosperity are Asian – namely Japanese, Chinese and Korean. By effectively integrating the cultural norms, values and traditions of the land of Asia which are characterized by the presence of collectivism rather than Western individualism, the aforementioned Asian nations have been able to develop a unique and admirable model that has enabled them to address the requirements of their cultural practices.The key element in this scenario however, is the finesse with which Japanese, Chinese and Korean business and management systems have been able comprehend the â€Å"hierarchy-sensitive and collectivist norms of Asian culture† to unite the organization as an energetic group. The Japanese economy emerged as a leading force on an international level as a consequence of events which occurred in the nation during the post-war period. The extensive expansion and growth which was experienced by the economy precisely took place from 1955 to 1990, thereby, permitting the living standards of Japanese citizens to coincide and eventually exceed those of their Western counterparts. An examination of the business systems in Japan can only be conducted effectively once the historical background of the development of state-business relations is assessed from multiple perspectives. In this regard, the implementation of state policies in Japan before World War II and after World War II must be highlighted and their association with the present scenario identified. Towards the departure of the 19th century, the process of industrialization was initiated in Japan amidst strong state intervention in the formulation of industrial policy which was characterized by the agenda of establishing a wealthy nation with unparalleled military strength. A fundamental feature of the economy during this time was that of high concentration with the focus of the government directed towards developing industries which could be termed as strategically significant to the state. In this case, the influence of the government in the entire process meant that industrialization was promoted for the purposes of fulfilling a particular political agenda rather than maximizing the well-being of citizens. While, the influence of the state on the economic affairs of the land remained constant in the period preceding World War II, the traditional forces of Japanese culture exercised similar power over business systems. Assessing the influence of such elements on the development of Japanese business and managerial practices, Chen outlines the role of large business groups that are termed as keiretsus who have been dominating the nation’s economy to the present day (4). A defi ning feature of keiretsus is their relationship with the zaibztsus which comprised of individuals belonging to the same family managing large-scale financial and industrial business

Current Trend in the Area of Telecommunication Research Paper

Current Trend in the Area of Telecommunication - Research Paper Example The impact of essential forces which regulate the demand and supply of telecommunication services has been enlarged by the international trend in its open markets. As a consequence of current trend in telecommunication, the majority of the telecom service providers are now functioning privately. Major improvements have also come about to stimulate competition at the domestic, local and international levels. Besides, the liberalization in the telecommunication industry had also commenced considerable changes in areas like ‘value-added services’ and long-range calls among others (ITU, â€Å"Trends and developments in the telecommunication environment†). Current Trend in Telecommunication Despite the global economic decline, the telecommunication sector has developed continuously. It is due to this reason that major contribution to the development arises from the emerging markets. The increased utilization of mobile services is one of the significant drivers for the development of telecommunication. ...   The markets for telecommunication are becoming more competitive in providing wireless and the 3G services while other telecom services such as fixed line continue to drop back with respect to effectiveness (ITU, â€Å"Trend in Telecommunication Reform 2010/11†). Description of Wireless Technology Wireless technology help to transmit data in long range without any cables. It is usually measured as a division of telecommunication. Wireless technology enables long-distance communication developing an incorporated network. Through wireless technology, people can use the internet with the assistance of low power radio signals. The most important use of wireless technology can be illustrated with reference to laptop users who usually travel to the distant place. Another important use of wireless technology is the mobile wireless network which links through satellite (Krishnamurthy & Rajashekara, â€Å"Current Trends in Wireless Technologies in Academic Libraries†). In pre sent days, the wireless technology has comprehensive application because of its easy installation and flexibility. Organizations often replace their old LAN system to implement wireless technology in their business because it allows moving the computer from one place to another place without losing the internet connectivity and affecting other devices. The most important uses of wireless technology in present days can be seen in educational institutions, airports, and sometimes in coffee bars. They offer customers with constant internet usage to make their work easier. Making a wireless network in the organization is an inexpensive technique to accomplish the chosen connection with the convenient environment.

Negative Effects of Low Family Income on Children Research Paper

Negative Effects of Low Family Income on Children - Research Paper Example According to Rachel et al 92010) â€Å"The economy demanded higher skills, yet urban schools were failing to educate children of poor people† (Rachel et al p.4). Urban schools are operating for the children of rich people. It is almost impossible for children from poor families to get quality education from urban schools. It should be noted that manpower shortage is one of the major problems in countries like America, Britain, Germany etc. However, government instead of encouraging public schools, trying to reduce the funds for public schools and therefore poor children suffer a lot. Low income parents often work hard to earn more and to provide their children better living conditions. However, overtime work of parents often affects the children in other ways. Rachel et al rightly pointed out that â€Å"More works means less time with children† (Rachel et al, p.8). In other words, parents may not get enough time to spend with their children in low income families becaus e of their overtime works. Children during their developmental stage, require the love and care of their parents more than anything else.

The Lovely Bone Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Lovely Bone - Essay Example The story is set in Pennsylvania where Susie is returning home through a shortcut. Near the cornfield she finds a shelter made by Mr. Harvey who rapes and kills her. Three days later her elbow bone is found by the detective, Len Fenerman who tells this to her parents. Other evidences are found as Susie continues to watch her murderer from the heaven. After Susie’s father meets Mr. Harvey few days after her death, he begins suspecting him and tells his detective. Susie watches everything from haven including her sister Lindsey who breaks into Mr. Harvey’s house for evidence. Mr. Harvey who now fears he will get caught escapes the town. The case comes to an end as the detective is unable to solve it. Mr. Harvey dies in the end by falling into a crevice. Major changes occur after Susie’s death as her family starts to accept her death. Her parents are extremely sad at their loss and Susie’s father is convinced that Mr. Harvey has killed his daughter. Meanwhile Susie is watching all of this from heaven. Jack Salmon, who wants to find solid evidence against Jack sends Susie’s sister Lindsey to Mr. Harvey’s house upon which she finds evidence. The family starts drifting apart as Susie’s mother, Abigail has an affair with the detective to her murder case. Abigail leaves her family and goes to live in California. Lindsey grows up and starts a relationship with Samuel. Susie’s grandmother also comes to live in with her father. Jack still does not overcome the anxiety caused by Susie’s loss at which Susie’s brother Buckley tells Jack to focus on him too. After Jack gets a heart attack where Abigail comes to meet him and falls in love with him again. Towards the end, the family is reuni ted. Even upon finding no solid evidence against Mr. Harvey initially, Jack is very confident that he is guilty. Jack seems to be too much focused on Susie’s death that it overtakes his life and he can only concentrate on Mr. Harvey which

Brand Implentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Brand Implentation - Essay Example It however faces very stiff competition by the Toyota brand as well as the general motors’ company (GM). The Volkswagen brand currently ranks second from the Toyota and preceding the general motors’ brand within the global context. Though the general motors’ has had dominance within the US in the past, an acute decline within their sales has resulted to the takeover by the Volkswagen brand within the region. She is now the fastest growing brand as well as the brand whose sales has sky rocketed within the recent past. Future projections reveals the brands’ target as being to double their sales and production within the near future by adopting a strategy of increasing by more than 10% their sales annually. The greatest strength attributable to the commendable success of the business brand is the diversity within their products. Not only does the brand company produce the Volkswagen motors but has other products such as the golf, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, L amborghini, Bugatti, and Porsche. This diversity of production ascertains the good coverage of the market with the variations with their products. This also provides an advantage to the brand in that there is wider scope of distribution of risks from just one brand of operation to the diversified brands. There is also good representation of the various economic classes of people within the diversification strategy. Moreover, the sales made through the various brand products ascertains higher profit realization form various customer segments without actually affecting the main motor brand; the Volkswagen. Over and above, the innovativeness of the team strategically places the brand a notch higher that their competitors as they have been seen to have a very strong team of innovators. Nevertheless, the SWOT analysis reveals critical weaknesses that the brand suffer worst of which is the poor cash flow as noted by the extreme credit facilities extended by the brand especially to the fir st time customers. The brand is consented to the policy of ‘sign and drive’ through which potential buyers are not obligated to have any down payment as they purchase the vehicles in credit. This is a competition tool that has been useful to rate the brand the best within the competition spheres as her popularity of low credit as well as the no down payment has surpassed all her competitors’. Moreover, her diversification within the product line has seen her increase customer base over the years by gaining more access within the Indian as well as the Chinese market through the support of the Golf. These economies are popular in preferring the small vehicles and as such the brand gains the advantage over her competitors. Through the Golf, the brand records over two billion new customers annually within the emerging economies. Despite the internal challenges that the brand is faced with lots of internal challenges though some pointed out to the external environment which must be thoroughly addressed for the purpose of successful progression of the brand. The fuel shortage or concern within the global market necessitates the design of conservative automotives. The fossil fuels are facing the threat of extinction and thus require that locomotive industries device of ways that shall safe and utilize the fuels more efficiently. The

Credit-Default Swaps and the Fate of AIG Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Credit-Default Swaps and the Fate of AIG - Essay Example The buyers of the credit mechanisms in most a cases are investors and the process of purchasing bond from the seller are comparable to the purchasing an indemnity contract (Rottleb, 2009). The payment done by the investor is characterized of it plagiaristic form that is always used as tradable security to the organization in question. The â€Å"Naked† credit default swaps are when an individual with no experience in dealing with CDS purchase the CDS protecting if from declining because of the upheavals in the economic conditions of the country. Naked credits purchasers are individuals taking a bet of non-payment to be sold to be sold to an individual who is a need of protection against a mechanism default (Pe?rez, 2011). The importance of CDS can not be underrated. It gives investors a break though to predict the changes within a default mechanisms or market catalogues to take suitable decisions regarding purchasing or selling CDS. An example is that an investor may profit to accrue proceeds from the excess of credit default swap from ‘basis trade’, since it combines various default mechanism with the cash bonds of an organization. The mechanism also opens up other avenues for speculations. A saver is at liberty in laying promises to take charge of a bond by promising the seller that he or she is fully liable incase of eventuality of a drop of CDS. An example is when a company A has certainty that company B is going to decline. It purchases bonds of unknown worth from the company to shield it against company C that was waiting to take over the assets of C on its fall. The CDS has the terms of its contract stipulated in the, in the ‘The International Swap and Derivates operation‘. The terms entail the deadline for protection of an organization from declining. Secondly, the terms also spell out the computation mechanisms to apply in determining the effectiveness off administrative function used on the transactions. Lastly, the term s also spell out the structure of the credit event that will lead to the payments of the cash used to insure an organization (Boberski, 2009). There are 2 forms of settlement for CDS associated with the settlement of the mechanisms are Physical or cash settlement. Physical Settlement and Cash Settlement Physical payment is the payment made by an investor to buys bonds to protect them from declining. The buyer investor pays the seller par value of the sold CDS. Cash settlement is the settlement the retailer pays the purchaser the variation par value of the CDS bought by a buyer or an investor. Synthetic Credit Default This is a debt that is taken with provision of security to acts as collateral for the debt taken. The debt taken is invested in other channels like CDS. Synthetic swap are based on the risk individuals take. The cons of synthetic CDS far outweigh its pros; thus it is not efficient. Disadvantages of Synthetic Credit Default Swap The use of synthetic CDS is not effective, since it is not given similar of financial support like the other available money souks because a risk taken by an individual will not be paid completely, rather the payments will be made in portions. Secondly, it requires different views from the stakeholders to

Drugs and Crime - Neurotransmitters Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Drugs and Crime - Neurotransmitters - Assignment Example The brain as an entry of the CNS is the centre of control in the body that has three main components; brainstem, forebrain and the hindbrain. The forebrain’s responsibility is stretched several functions such as thinking, understanding, perceiving, reception and sensory information processing among others. Some of the structures forming it include thalamus, hypothalamus, cerebrum and the cerebral cortex (Nieuwenhuys, 2008). The hind and midbrain from the brainstem. Visual and auditory responses are carried out in the midbrain. About the hindbrain, it stretches from the spinal cord. It holds structures that build it such as the cerebellum and the pons. This region is vital for the maintenance of equilibrium and balance, coordination and conducting the sensory information. The medulla oblongata is also in the hindbrain, responsible for automated functions such as heart rate, digestion and breathing. The spinal cord is also a structure in the central nervous system; it takes a cylindrical form of bundled nerve fibres that are connected to the brain, running in the protective column that extends from the neck. Its nerves relay external stimuli to and from the brain. Body cells contain neurons and are the basic units of the CNS, they hold nerve processes which consist of dendrites and axons to transmit and conduct signals. Axons ferry signals outside the cell body, while dendrites do the reverse (Nieuwenhuys, 2008). Neurons are further classified as sensory or motor, inter-neurons. The motor neurons transport information from the CNS to glands, muscles and organs while the sensory neurons carry information to the CNS from external or internal stimuli. Signals between the sensory and motor are relayed by the inter-neurons The synapse is the gap between the axon and dendrites that holds the synapse fluid where axon releases the neurotransmitters.  Neurotransmitters are mostly associated with dopamine and schizophrenia.     

Report on Panama Canal Expansion Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Report on Panama Canal Expansion Project - Essay Example The project has been rocked with a strike which could threaten the completion of work as scheduled. Contents Abstract 1 Contents 2 Introduction 3 Background 4 Strengths and weakness of the project 6 Findings 7 a.Finances 7 b.Environmental Impact 8 c.Stakeholders 9 d.Governance and oversight 9 e.Risk mitigation 10 f.High level risks and insurances 10 g.International Governance 11 h.Procurement Policies 12 i.Strategic Human Resource Management and HR concerns 12 j.Performance Assessment of the Panama Expansion Project 14 k.Earned Value management 15 Professional Reflective statement 16 Conclusion 16 Recommendations 18 Bibliography 19 Appendices 22 Introduction Many infrastructural mega projects are prone to suffer from cost overruns, delays, poor performance or inability to give customer satisfaction. Interaction of several factors can cause complexities which can either promote success or inhibit it depending on how they are approached. It is crucial for project managers to thus criti cally analyze a mega project before undertaking it. One such project is the Panama Canal expansion project. Panama Canal is one of the busiest waterways globally. Opened in 1914, Panama Canal is a critical prop of international trade (Gagne, 2011, p. 1267). Nevertheless, the growth of international shipping in the last century and in the present times continues to be hampered by the Canal’s capacity (Gagne, 2011, p. 1267). This necessitated Panama Canal Authority to embark on an ambitious project of expanding the canal. Currently, the canal accommodates vessels of not more than 965 feet (294.1m) in length, 39.5 feet in depth, and a beam width of 106 feet (Sayre, 2010, p. 16). Vessels that can navigate in this canal are known as Panamax and have the ability of can carrying 4000-4500 Twenty Four Equivalent Units. Vessels larger than Panamax are able to navigate in other trade canals which and therefore Panama Canal Expansion project seeks to position the harbor as an internatio nal trade channel able to attract bigger ships and therefore enhance international trade and increase profitability. The expanded canal will be able to handle vessels of up to 1200feet in length, 160 feet beam and a draft of 49 feet (Sayre, 2010, p. 16). After completion, the canal will help reduce waiting times and bring down the costs of shipping significantly (Berman, 2006). According to the projections by Panama Canal Authority, canal expansion project is going to result to between 7 to 17 percent savings to shippers due to increased capacity (Panama Canal Authority Announces Expansion Plans, 2006, p. 12). The decision to expand the canal took into consideration various factors that could be affected by its expansion both locally and internationally. This report highlights some of the areas that have been considered since the decision to embark on Panama Canal Expansion Program was made. It will also evaluate the issues of international governance, change leadership, performance and procurement management and human resources issues surrounding Panama Canal expansion. Background The genesis of a canal running across the Isthmus of Panama goes back to 1534. At this time, the king of Spain, Charles V ordered a survey to be carried out in search for a route passing through the Americas that ships traveling Between Spain and Peru could use (Caso & Welsh, 1978, pp.72 . This discovery of gold in California was met with interest to cross between the Atlantic and Pacific

Meaning of Life and Success Essay Example for Free

Meaning of Life and Success Essay Success is a person or thing that desired aims and achieves or attains fame or any form of accomplishment which will always make them proud or happy at the end of either the day, month or year. The word success was originated in the mid-16th century from a Latin word successus and a verb succedere meaning come close after. When I hear of the word success there are two things that come in mind, hard work and determination. Hard work is one of the main and most important building blocks in my success foundation. Working hard is one of the best and most accurate ways to think about being successful. Success cannot be earned unless you strive and work hard for it, because it is a word that comes with work and if work is not done then the meaning of the word can’t be accomplished. Like Einstein said â€Å"If A is a success in life then A equals x plus y plus z. work is x; y is play and z is keeping your mouth shut† for instance to me as an athlete working hard and in playing hard rather than running my mouth are the best way of being successful in game point stands in my career. Determination is a very critical and important aspect when it comes to success. To be determined to achieve any goals or aims is a very important choice of being successful. Bertrand 2 Determination can to be physically, spiritually and emotionally which all combines with hard work and if you combine both hard work and determination together you will always get a good result of success. Being successful in life can be one of the precious and happiest moments in life that can last for a long time if and only if you do what is expected of you to keep the success going on. Success can be advantageous in many ways; Accomplishing a goal, moving on to a new goal, brings happiness and fulfillment, set new and personal records, inspire, motivate and give you strengths to aim high and set bigger goals. But it’s not always everybody that’s successful that is happy or satisfied with their success. The isn’t that much difference being successful than being a failure, like the good old quote that say â€Å"the difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength not a lack of knowledge, but rather the a lack in will† this quote is very simple and well understood and the quote’s point is clearly pointed out, which state the main difference between a successful person and others which is the will to be the successful person that they are. To be successful person there should be some sought of guidelines to help you achieve or attain success. Thinking about success also brings about the thought or idea of failure â€Å"In order to success your desire for success should be greater rather than your fear of failure†. An important and inspiring quote as this from one of the favorite, idol and inspiring actor in the movie industry and in the society should and is been considered by a lot of fans to be very important in achieving success rather than having the fear of failure because his path of success has given or got him to where he is at the moment.

Overview Of Krump Dancing Drama Essay

Overview Of Krump Dancing Drama Essay Krumping is an urban art form, reflecting the African American expressive culture and the street culture. The regional location and its history of violence has propelled the style into the mainstream. Born in 1990s from the slumps of Los Angeles, it blends elements of spiritual and physical energy. Krumping is an emerging movement that is quite fresh on the dance scene, exploding with positive energy it comes from a torn world of poverty and oppression. As a spiritual art form it encompasses core elements of its history and religion through its powerful movements and sounds. Through its spiritually Krump transforms its African American dance form to a communal public art form while incorporating its street culture through its music as a creative outlet for the hardships of urban life. Each element in Krump excretes pure energy in a unique way that releases the pent up frustration of each performer, from its highly energetic movements, expressiveness and the physical toll on the perfo rmers body, the art form has yet to hit its peak. The history of Krump and its spiritual energy originates from the hard streets of South Central Los Angeles, California, but can also be traced back to its African tribal culture. Born amongst the 1965 Watts riots, a large-scale riot which lasted 6 days in protest to the American Civil Rights Act leaving the African American community a feeling of injustice and despair, and the 1992 Rodney King riots, were the acquittal of LAPD officers in the trial of the beating of Rodney King sparked a further 6 days crime spree, the dance created an escape for the youth. Being brought up in a community upheaved by of violence and oppression blighted by racism, left the youths pursuing a sense of belonging and nurturance from there distressed families of substance abuse and violence. Turning to gangs for a sense of compassion, the ongoing harassment and recruitment of gangs left a sense of hopelessness, were within a dance movement emerge, from the dissatisfaction of their daily struggles, classif ied as an urban hip-hop variation, Krump like Capoeira started as a way for trouble youths to express themselves, and escape their gang filled lives. Krump dancers would form structured and organised crews or families, a tight-knit group of individuals whose loyalties and commitment extends beyond dance. These dance circles of fellow Krumpers provide the support and stability many in their community dont receive from their own families at home. Thus through their oppressed urban culture a sub-culture of Krumping immerged, providing an alternative to the gang life style. Seen as an aggressive competitive dance due to its release of the performers personal anger, hiding beneath the rebellious exterior, lays a religious imagery of enslavement calling out for protest. There is a spirit in the midst of krump-ness. There is a spirit thereà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦most people think, theyre just a bunch of rowdy, ghetto, heathen thugs. No, what we are is oppressed. (Julie Malnig, 2009) Krumping at its roots are connected by its history but also at its core there are traces of the African tribal culture, Dancers would perform in a circle, as a way for them to assert their wholeness. The circle is an arena of a warrior, the ring shout of slave times, in which slaves would move in a round circle while stomping and clapping. The circle of the dance is a permissive circle: it protects and permits. At certain times on certain days, men and women come together at a given place, and there, under the solemn eye of the tribe, fling themselves into a seemingly unorganized pantomime, which is in reality extremely systematic, in which by various meansshakes of the head, bending of the spinal column, throwing of the whole body backward -may be deciphered as in an open book the huge effort of a community to exorcise itself, to liberate itself, to explain itself. There are no limitsinside the circle. Frantz Fanon (1961) But also a spiritual ritual; combat, competition and artistry build a world within and the circle contains elements of a spiritual energy, a holy dance and religious trances. Even as their paths in lives may seem fray and unbound Dancers accomplishments in krumping gain them street credibility, earning respect and absorption from a life of violence. Furthermore embodied with competitiveness and spiritual aspect krumping provides sanctuary of the urban city, a state of mind with no boundaries, lines or limitations, just a sense of freedom. Rize follows the practitioners of krumping from its origins at childrens clown parties to the popular dance form that has reached mainstream audiences. LaChapelle never explores krumping beyond its inner-city setting, enforcing the krumping as an authentic art form in the city of Los Angeles in direct opposition of the materialistic, commercialism of mainstream. Beginning with Tommy the Clown, an American dancer and the inventor of clowning style, it quickly spread and evolved in to dance-battles serving as an alternative to gangs. Tommys performances developed loyal followers, growing throughout Los Angeles. Taking it upon himself he used this opportunity to give the youth a chance by being a model living positive at all times. As dancers got older the style continued to morph into even more outrageous styles. The abrasive nature of Krump makes it difficult to locate its sacred connotations; the spiritual energy brewing within its movements often convey sexuality, violence and suffe ring, but within the circle of Krumping this is the only way of making ourselves feel like we belong. (Julie Malnig, 2009) During these moments of belonging, the dancers become a contest of physical and spiritual energy, revealing their spirit and raw emotion that Krump demands. The energy and vigor of Krumping in a spiritual sense exorcises the demons and conjure spirits, but thought Krumping look wild and out of control to the unaware, it is actually self-governing and defies claims that youths are inherently violent and disruptive. The music in Krumping is danced to hardcore, beat-heavy hip-hop tracks, sometimes with no vocals. These amorphous circles and repetitive rhythmic loops entrances dancers to a spiritual state. During Rize a dancer falls under a trance which then she loses spiritual control and consciousness, collapsing into the arms of a fellow Krumper, when she is asked what has happened, she answers, I dont knowà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I just let go. (Rize, 2005) The circle of spiritual energy is also used as organised healing and cathartic release, Krumpers channel their anger into a positive form , making Krumping more than a dance art form; its a coping mechanism that reveals this sub-culture to be something another than youths engaging in criminal behaviours and mentalities. Derived from Hip-Hop and Breaking, Krumping fires up people with its energetic enthusiasm of its powerful emotional expressiveness in certain Krump movements, it may represent elements joyful and painful emotions; in which can help the performer in alleviating anxiety and depression while also sharing emotions artistically. The movement exhibits an electric body shock which moulds and distortions in the body of the head, arms, face, legs and pelvis. Krump is intended as an outlet for anger or to release pent-up energy, the dance movements reflect this type of physical release, both males and females display combinations of movements similar to a blend of street fighting, moshing, spiritual possession and aerobic striptease. It is described as a volatile, warrior-like, spastic and quaking dance that involves the vigorous banding of the spine, the thrusting and popping of the chest. While the overall appearance of Krumping may look violent with battles between dancers a central compone nt, Krumpers hit each other to get energised to dance in the radical expressive and explosive ways the dance is known for. The Physical Energy is used as an outlet for frustration this passionate dance is adapted to each performers unique style, with the level of intensity differing by the emotions felt in that moment, giving the dance its own personality. When performing these actions I noticed the energy involve, initially it was about the visual actions of throwing, tossing, grabbing smashing, breaking and slashing but the more I performed these movements the more I noticed the actions that require a lot of energy, momentum and physical power to execute. In power moves, the dancers relies more on upper body strength and is usually on his or her hands during moves. An arm swing entails the arm to be tense up; as they tighten into a stiff plank, and the hand is crunched into a fist. The basic arm swing motion, the arm tended to rise and fall into the body, the movement is rhythmic with each swing. There is lift upwards and outwards where the swing is grasping for contact, each swing is flung with a strong and fierce force, while tearing at the arms socket. As the arm falls it loosens and bends, contracting into the body. The hands and arms in each one of these movements begin a chain reaction that spreads through the body, resulting i n being covered with a cloak of pure powerful energy. Wavelike movements in the torso, arms and hips are descendent from the African origin. Theres a sense of being, and a connection to your body but also a sense of power and strength. Each movement is skilfully controlled to the beat of the music. Form the Arm swing to the power moves the movements in Krump give you a sense of being untouchable while being empowering. Krumpers face off one-on-one and try to out-Krump one another, this fusion of sport, dancing and fighting With a semblance of physical combat and African tribal culture in their dance movements, Krumping allows dancers to pop their limbs, gyrate their torsos and stomp their feet to hip hop music (Rize, 2005) The pace and intensity of the music is so frantic that it suggests a kind of spiritual possession, dancers seemingly and often are instructed to lose control, this loss of control has been lyrically manifested allowing the dancers to slip out of their constraints and boxes and just let go. After losing control in the beats, they recognise that there are both limits and no limits within the circle. This expression of their true self runs on their remaining energy before passing out. The Krumping dance style makes explicit claims to the importance of its regional location and history of violence as a major propellant of the style. Spiritual Energy Religion Sound Physical Energy Movement Journal (in body experience) Expression Toll

Assessing And Improving A Learning Environment

Assessing And Improving A Learning Environment I graduated with Diploma of Nursing seven years ago. After graduated, I work in general surgical ward for five years. Later I went to Middle East to work for a year. Back in Middle East I worked in an oncology ward. Currently I work as a clinical instructor with one of the nursing private college in Kuching. The practical placements for the students are one of the hospitals here. Now, I am attached to the oncology wards, which consists of two wards with thirty beds each. The students that came for their clinical practices are from year one to year three. At the same time, they are other students from other college attach here too. The maximum numbers of students entering the ward are only fifteen per ward. In this assignment I am going to write about how my current workplace is a good learning environment and how to improve it. According to Hood and Leddy, (2003) learning process is a dependant on an interchange between the learner and environments. Since the ward restricts the amount of students, the ward is a conducive place to learn. They do not have to fight for procedures since everyone would have adequate experiences. This is an advantages compare to other wards at the hospital. Learning materials such as pamphlet and drug books are also available at the nursing counters for the staff and students to read. The latest updates or protocols are also displayed in the notice board. To support the learning, it is better if there is a library in the unit or within the hospital compound. With library available, it would provide the staff and the student, books and journals not only from local publisher but also from overseas. Ajuwon, (2003) thinks that computers and internets are important in medical education. In my current ward they are no computers or even internet connection is provided. It is difficult for the students or the ward staff to access information or knowledge during working hours. Through surfing the internet it will enhance their level of knowledge and understanding. Not only for internet access, it would make patients data and records much more accessible. I believe if computers are provided here, the learning process would be more accessible not only for students but also for the staffs. At the same time the students will not assume the role of the instructor as their walking encyclopaedia as student would be more self directed. Ogier, (1986) mentions that the staff nurse is part of the student nurse clinical practice. In my ward the staff nurses are keen to teach the nursing students. They dont mind spending their time to explain and guide the students. Sometimes they will even approach the students if they are keen to do some procedures under their guidance. In my opinion the student have to be more active in their learning. Sweeney, (1986) notes that in nursing clinical practice the better approach for teaching is the student should be more student centred than teacher centred. I always encourage my student to be more initiative and active in their learning. For example when they find some interesting cases, instead of asking me immediately about it, I will ask them to look for the information first and we will discuss again once the information is gathered. I find out by using this method their level of understanding would be more compared to when I would just explaining the subject immediately. Brown, (2009) concluded that interdisciplinary collaboration would enhance learning and prepare the students for their collaborative interactions in their future employment. In my current workplace, the physiotherapist, dietician and social worker would come and review the patient twice a week. I think, if the students could tag them around for a day, the students would benefit a lot. The students would gain new knowledge and would be expose to how other departments worked. Quinn, (1995) argues that learning in clinical placement is much more meaningful and relevant than classrooms. Specialist ward round or grand round are done twice a week. During this time the oncologist, radiologist and pharmacist would do their clinical round together. The students are encouraged to join the round. During these rounds a lot of knowledge would pass around as the three groups including nurses would discuss about patient care and disease. Sometimes the specialist would stay after the ward round just to do bedside teaching with the students. Nursing is all about lifelong learning. Bahn, (2007) mentions that if nurses stops learning, they would not be able to keep up with changes and adapt themselves. There is two way of learning which is informal or formal learning. Spouse, (2000) defines informal learning as learning takes place outside of formal learning but still within the learners learning context. Spouse also mentions that handover reports, report writing and social interactions among colleagues are one way of informal learning. Before the shift starts students are not allowed to touch the patient without listening to the handover. They are encouraged to write down the reports and listen to the handover at the same time. Laird, (1985) mentions that effective learning will be taken place when all sense are stimulated. His study found out that hearing is the second most effective way of learning after seeing. Before the end of the shift I always gather the student for a short discussion. Usually I will pick one stude nt to present her or his patient to the other students. The student will also share their experience among themselves and at the same time if they have any queries it could be clarified there and then. Examples, a first timer student doing dressing would share her experience with the other students and they will do post mortem together under my guidance. Bahn, (2007) agrees that nurse need to continue learning to ensure for safe nursing practice. One of formal learning that available here is continuous nursing education (CNE). CNE is held every first Friday of the month. The talk would be given by nurse educators, ward sisters or by fellow doctors sometimes. From here the staff and students can get their latest updates in nursing care and gain new knowledge. This CNE is important especially for the nursing students since they did not learn in depth about care of patient with chemotherapy and radiotherapy in classrooms. Last month, few of my students manage to attend CNE with the title of Oral care for patient with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Later they shared the knowledge with the rest of their peers. Not only exchange of knowledge and experience happens, but at the same time their level of understanding increase by the act of explaining. Knowles, (1990) agrees that adult should be given proactive approach to learning which involves them in decision making. Most of my students that came here are year one students that had never been into clinical placement. What they had is only theory and minimal practical knowledge. The only practical knowledge they had is hands on the mannequin in skills lab. Humanist believe that people will learn by their own when their need arise. Based on that belief, when students undergo clinical placement, they will be forced to learn skills in order to adapt to their surroundings. Examples are the skills of taking blood pressure. Taking blood pressure is an essential skill for every nurse, without that skill they will not be able to function in their practice area. The students only learn how to take blood pressure in theory and because of that when they came for their practical they have to pick up the skills. Honey and Mumford, (1992) says they are four ways of learning, which are pragmatist, activist, theorist and reflector. I had given the Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) to a group of six of first year students. From there I found out majority of them are pragmatist. According to Honey and Mumford, a pragmatist is where the student learns by doing. I showed and ask them to play around with the sphygmomanometer to familiarise themselves with the equipment. Later I showed them the correct way to take the blood pressure by using one of the students as the model. After that, I paired them and rotate each other to take their own blood pressure. Once they are confident enough, I will let them to try to the patient. By doing this, the student would grasp the idea of blood pressure taking. Bloom, (1956) had identified three learning domains which is cognitive, affective and psychomotor. The students need to improve their cognitive because they are lack of knowledge. They have the skills and attitude but most of them cant tell me the rationale or why certain things need to be done in that way. Students need to be more self directed in their own education. Darbyshire, (1993) mentions that not all nursing students are motivated to become self directed and autonomous in their learning. I believe the way for teaching my students are a mixture of student centred and teacher centred learning. If the students depend too much on me as their clinical instructors, they will not be able to use their critical thinking and decide their own learning needs. At the same time, the students need to be told of what and how to learn. In my opinion the students need to slowly transform their own learning from spoon feeding method to an independent leaner in order to have established a strong foundation and to build self confidence for a more effective self directed study later. Gopee, (2008) says that nursing students should be slowly guided into adult learning. The role model that I had chosen is one of my colleagues, Clinical Instructor JV. She is one of my colleagues that also attached to the oncology ward here. Previously she had worked for nearly ten years as a staff nurse in oncology clinic in one of the hospital here. Gray and Smith, (2000) mentions a good mentor is a good role model as they are professional, organised, caring and self confident. I admire her way of work and how she handle the students. She is approachable and open to new ideas. Both of us always discuss how to improve our student learning. I also always ask her advice on how to overcome my problems with the students. Previously she used to be so strict with the students till the students are so scared of her. She is also easily irritated with the weaker students. When she realise that her teaching method is not appropriate she changed her method to a different way. JV also has good rapport with the ward sister and the ward staff. Every morning she will have small ta lk with the staff before starting our work. I believe my working place is a good place for learning environment. Although there are some areas to improve, especially in physical environment of the ward, learning still can take place. The attitude of the leaner also need to change. They have to be more initiative and not depending too much on their clinical instructor to feed them.

Definition Essay - The True Meaning of Hegemony -- Expository Definiti

Hegemony - The True Meaning Hegemony was derived from the Greek word "egemonia," meaning leader or ruler, often in the sense of a state other than his own (Williams 144).   Although the base of this definition remains true, the word has evolved to much more.   Hegemony is defined by Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought as "Political and economical control exercised by a dominant class, and its success in projecting its own way of seeing the world, human and social relationships as 'common sense' and part of the natural order by those who are, in fact, subordinated to it."   Hegemony is defined as a predominant influence or leadership of a dominant class or institution over a subordinate class; the question is are the "subordinates" forced to follow the beliefs, or do they agree with them?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antonio Gramsci, a leading Marxist thinker in the early 20th century, used hegemony to define class structure, (e.g. bourgeois hegemony).   Gramsci's philosophy was that the subordinate class was to follow this "common sense" that the dominant class set, however, Gramsci ... Definition Essay - The True Meaning of Hegemony -- Expository Definiti Hegemony - The True Meaning Hegemony was derived from the Greek word "egemonia," meaning leader or ruler, often in the sense of a state other than his own (Williams 144).   Although the base of this definition remains true, the word has evolved to much more.   Hegemony is defined by Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought as "Political and economical control exercised by a dominant class, and its success in projecting its own way of seeing the world, human and social relationships as 'common sense' and part of the natural order by those who are, in fact, subordinated to it."   Hegemony is defined as a predominant influence or leadership of a dominant class or institution over a subordinate class; the question is are the "subordinates" forced to follow the beliefs, or do they agree with them?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antonio Gramsci, a leading Marxist thinker in the early 20th century, used hegemony to define class structure, (e.g. bourgeois hegemony).   Gramsci's philosophy was that the subordinate class was to follow this "common sense" that the dominant class set, however, Gramsci ...

Early Marriage Essay -- marriage of children adolescents

Early marriage is the marriage of children and adolescents below the age of 18. Causes: According to UNICEF's Innocenti Research Centre, the "practice of marrying girls at a young age is most common in Sub-Saharan African and South Asia". There are specific parts of West Africa and East Africa and of South Asia where marriages before puberty are not unusual. However, the Centre also notes that marriage shortly after puberty is common among those living traditional lifestyles in the Middle East, North Africa and other parts of Asia. Marriages of female adolescents between sixteen and eighteen are common in parts of Latin America and Eastern Europe. Some are forced into this union, others are simply too young to make an informed decision. Consent is made by somebody else on the child's behalf. The child does not have the opportunity to exercise her right to choose. For this reason, early marriages are also referred to as forced marriages. In its most extreme form, forced marriages are the result of abductions. In Uganda, young girls are abducted and forced to marry senior leaders in the guerrilla movement known as the Lord's Resistance Army. The marriages are used as a reward and incentive for male soldiers. There are a number of reasons why tradition of child marriages continues. Fear of HIV infection has encouraged men in many countries to seek younger 'partners'. Early marriages is one way to ensure that young girls are 'protected'. Families in rural Albania encourage their daughters to marry early to avoid the threat of kidnapping. In conflict torn Somalia, families married their daughters to militia members in exchange for protection for the girl, as well as for themselves. Where poverty is acute, early marriage is also seen as a strategy for economic survival. In Iraq, early marriages are on the increase in response to poverty inflicted by the economic sanctions that have been imposed on the country. In situations such as this, the risk of exploitation is great. A recent study of five poor villages in Egypt, for example, found that young girls were being married off to much older men from the oil rich Middle Eastern countries via brokers. Many girls are forced to marry early suffer from prolonged domestic violence. Furthermore, early marriage is often linked to wife abandonment. This plungers young girls into extreme poverty and increase... ... cases of domestic violence were committed against wives who were under the age of 18. Improvements: Prevention of the practice comes through education of parents and children--married or not--about the dangers of early marriage. UNICEF has launched two programs to tackle the problem in South Asia and Africa, the two regions with the highest rates of child marriage in the world. In South Asia, UNICEF runs the Meena Initiative, which educates people about the danger of preferring male babies and focuses on the unfair treatment girls receive in the family as well as their lack of access to healthcare and education. The initiative also attempts to raise consciousness about harmful traditional practices such as dowry, sexual harassment and early marriage. In Africa, UNICEF has launched a radio program called the Sara Adolescent Girl Communication Initiative in ten eastern and southern African countries. The program implores its listeners to keep girls in school. It also cover topics such as HIV/AIDS, domestic responsibilities for females, Female Genital Mutilation and early marriage. For more information about UNICEF programs focused on early marriage, visit www.unicef.org

Claude Monet :: Biography

Claude Monet Claude Monet was one of the founding fathers of French Impressionism. Monet's concern was to reflect the influence of light on a subject. He never abandoned his Impressionist painting style until his death in 1926 when Fauvism and Cubism were en vogue and when abstract painting came into existence. First Painting Lessons Claude Monet was born in Paris, but grew up in Le Havre. His first artistic output was caricatures when he was a little boy. Close to his home was a little shop owned by a marine painter, Mr. Eugene Boudin. He recognized the talent of the boy and gave him his first painting lessons. Claude's family was not very happy about his vocation for painting. In 1860 he was drafted and had to go to Northern Africa for two years. After his return from Africa he went to Paris and took painting lessons at Gleyre's studio in Paris. At the studio he got to know Auguste Renoir, Sisley, Bazille and others. The nucleus of the future Impressionist movement was born. Painting en plein air Soon Monet turned away from the traditional style of painting inside a studio. With his new friends he went outside in the Fontainebleau forest to paint in the open air. But the public and art critics ridiculed these new paintings that looked so different from any conventional art style. In a caricature published in a newspaper, they were mocked with the proposal of chasing away the Prussian enemy by showing them Impressionist paintings - not very nice! When the Franco-Prussian war of 1870/71 broke out, Monet chose to go to London with his friend Pissarro. There he saw the paintings of William Turner in the museums of London. The House in Giverny After 1880 the public slowly begun to recognize the value of impressionism. Monet Claude and his friends could finally get some solid income from the sales of their paintings. In 1883 Monet rented a house in Giverny about 50 kilometers outside of Paris. Later, in 1890, he bought the house where he should stay until his death in 1926. Claude Monet and Serial Paintings In 1890 Monet began to paint systematically the same subjects under different light conditions. The first subject was the haystacks behind his house. As the light changed during the day faster than he could paint, he worked simultaneously on several canvases. At the end he had painted 25 different versions of the hay stacks. More of the series paintings followed - the Rouen Cathedral, views of Venice or the Thames in London with the Houses of Parliament and other landmarks in London - often in the fog.

FIN/370 Week 2 Team Essay

Starbucks’ Ethics and Compliance Paper Ethical behavior within a company is very important to its future and success. This type of behavior is not just important for the employees to follow, but for the entire company. In 2001, a failing company called Enron was involved in numerous unethical behaviors. For example, Enron’s Chief Financial Officer temporarily suspended their â€Å"code of ethics† not once, but twice in order to partake in personal financial gain. Enron’s actions eventually resulted in bankruptcy and assisted with the creation of a new set of guidelines for companies to follow. The so-called guidelines were called the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (Titman, S., Keown, A.J., & Martin, J.D. 2011). The SOX helped institute a set of rules for companies to follow, one being the creation and compliance of a code of ethics within every company. One company that seems to do a very good job with complying with the guidelines of SOX is Starbucks Corp. They have a strong program set in place to support their mission of making ethical decisions at work. The use of their program â€Å"Business Ethics and Compliance† might just be the very reason why their SEC filings show a relatively successful business. Financial Environment In regards to the finance environment, Starbucks plays an active role in ethics and compliance. Not only are their employees offered ways to voice concerns of unethical issues in the work place, but also Starbucks’ partners as well. Starbucks holds a meeting every year for their shareholders in order to review the yearly performance, vote on issues, and voice their concerns about the company. Starbucks’ ethics program is setup in a way that helps integrate and network ethical business practices on all levels of the company. For six years now, Starbucks has been named among the world’s most ethical companies and to this day is still going strong (Business Ethics and Compliance. 2012). Ethical Behavior Procedures * Starbucks vision and values business mission is to conduct themselves and strive to do what is ethically right for the business. The organization has a mission to protect its culture and help strive to keep a good reputation by providing resource programs to help its partners with making good ethical decisions. Starbucks organization has numerous procedures in place to ensure  ethical behavior in the work place. According to Starbucks (2011), â€Å"Our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit~one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.† (para. 1). * When looking at Starbucks’ global responsibility report for 2011 on its goals and the process for the organization, it shows to be on track in several places. The report shows that to ensure ethical behaviors the company has implemented front-of-store recycling and developed an inclusive recycling solution on all paper products carried in their stores. Starbucks organization is also ensuring that their coffee is ethically sourced under the C.A.F.E at 100% by 2015 and reducing consumption of energy and water by 25% by 2015. Starbucks also ensures ethical behavior by purchasing renewable energy. Starbuck’s became a member of the Global Social Compliance Program in 2011. The program is Starbuck’s business motivation strength to promote on environmental improvement and help its working conditions of its global supply chains. The organizations goals and processes show behaviors for the company to be on track to be both ethically and environmental friendly. United States Financial Markets When operating a small business, running a large corporation, or when it comes to personal finance it is imperative to understand financial markets and how they operate within the United States. The term financial market is explained as a mechanism that allows people to easily buy and sell financial claims (Titman, Keown, & Martin, 2011) and there are many different ways to conduct these transactions within these markets. There are three principal sets of stakeholders within financial markets with the first being borrowers. Borrowers are individuals or companies that need money to better position themselves for example an individual getting a student loan or a small business getting a small business loan. Savers are the second of these three key stakeholders. Just like borrowers, savers can be either an individual or a company with the main point being that they have money to invest. Individuals who save typically save for a specific reason such as purchasing a new vehicle, a down payment on a house, or even to prepare for a difficult economy. When firms run a surplus and have extra cash they also save money and invest in things such as stocks and even other companies in a conglomerate merger. Financial institutions are the third key player  regarding financial markets. Financial institutions help bring borrowers and savers together in order to facilitate desired transactions. The most common financial institutions are banks and credit unions because while they accept deposits and credit an account for that deposit, they also provide services such as loans and that money has to come from somewhere (investors). The financial marketplace consists of commercial banks, finance companies, insurance companies, investment banks, and investment companies (Titman, Keown, & Martin, 2011). Within these entities another step is taken and can be broken down to be classified by the maturities of the securities traded in them. There are two main classifications with the first being the money market. Money markets are designed for short term debt instruments with the threshold period being one year or less. The second of these two classifications is the capitol market which is the exact opposite of the money market. Capitol markets are designed for long term debt instruments with a threshold period extending beyond one year. Complying With SEC Regulations The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is a federal agency and was formed in 1934 to enforce federal securities laws and to regulate the securities industry. In order to effectively oversee and regulate the securities industry the SEC is broken down into five main divisions which are corporation finance, trading and markets, investment management, enforcement, and lastly risk, strategy, and financial innovation. The Starbucks Corporation falls into several of these categories and must implement and enforce their own set of controls and procedures within the company in order to be in compliance with the SEC. Starbucks Corporation has put in place disclosure procedures and controls in an effort to ensure that all reports that are filed and submitted are within SEC regulations. These controls and procedures were designed to â€Å"ensure that material information required to be disclosed in our periodic reports filed or submitted under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the â€Å"Exchange Act†), is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms (Starbucks, 2012). As with anything new an evaluation must occur and during the fourth quarter of the 2012 fiscal year Starbucks did exactly that with the participation and  supervision of senior management and concluded that these controls were effective and worthy of SEC regulations. Another control implemented by Starbucks is financial reporting internal controls. Financial internal controls are a very crucial element within any company due to the severity of repercussions of inaccurate reporting. Starbucks put these controls in place to â€Å"provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (Starbucks, 2012). Some of the duties that go along with these controls include maintaining records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect transactions, providing reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary for preparation of financial statements, providing reasonable assurance that receipts and expenditures are made in accordance with management authorization, and providing reasonable assurance that unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of company assets that could have a material effect on financial statements would be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Overall the Starbucks Corporation has many different controls and procedures that allow the company to comply with SEC regulations and the two examples in this paper are just a snap shot of what Starbucks must do and maintain in order to stay clear of punishment handed down by the SEC. Starbucks financial performance The financial performance for Starbucks for the 2010, 2011 and 2012 fiscal years have increased. In the 2011 year, they had the reportable operating segments which are the United States, International and Global Consumer (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Sept). In percentage, Starbucks total net revenue for the fiscal year were United States 69%, International 22%, Global Consumer 7% and other was 2%. The total net revenue for the 2011 year was at 11.7 billion while the 2012 year was increased by 14% to 13.3 billion. By The total revenues increased by 14% driven by global comparable store sales growth of 7% and a 50% increase in channel development revenue. The total equity for 2010 was 3,682.3 and 2011 was 4,387.3. At the end of the 2011 year, the return of equity was 29.26% and the end of the 2010 year was 28.87%. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Sept) Starbucks financial performance is increasing  from year to year. The following are ratios for 2010 and 2011 that shows Starbucks financial performance in 2010 and 2011. Current ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities 2011 3794.9million/2075.8 million = 1.83 times 2010 2756.4 million/1779.1 million = 1.55 times Debt ratio: Total Liabilities/Total Assets 2011 2973.1 million/7360.4 million = 40.4% 2010 2703.6 million/6385.9 million = 42.3% Return on equity: Net Income/Common Equity 2011 1245.7 million/4387.3 million = 29.26% 2010 945.6 million/3682.3 million = 28.87% Day’s receivable: Accounts Receivable/Annual Credit Sales/365 2011 386.5/ (11700.4/365) = 12.1 days 2010 302.7/ (10707.4/365) = 10.3 days Ratio Trends According to the trends of each financial ratio the Starbucks organization is in good health. Starting with the current ratio although it is a bit lower in 2011 the company is still doing well when it comes to current assets and liabilities. The debt ratio indicates how much assets were financed using current liabilities. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Sept) From 2010 to 2011 the debt ratio decreased by 1.9% which means the company financed fewer assets with the current plus long-term liabilities. The Return on Equity increased 2.7% from 2010 to 2011 which means the company received a higher return on their equity which is good for the company. The last ratio which is the Average Collection Period ratio measures how many days it takes a firm to collect its receivables. In 2011 the number of days increased slightly but with increased sales from 2010 to 2011 leads to future investments. (United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Sept) According to these tren ds, it appears that Starbucks is growing strong and the organizations financial health is good. References Business Ethics and Compliance. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.starbucks.com/about-us/company-information/business-ethics-and-compliance Starbucks. (2012). Goals & Progress: Ethical Sourcing. Retrieved

Anxiety Among Alcoholics and Non-Alcoholics Essay

Abstract Alcohol is one of the most widely used drug substances in the world. For many people, drinking alcohol is nothing more than a pleasant way to relax. People with alcohol use disorders, however, drink to excess, endangering both themselves and others. In the mental health area alcoholism is caused mostly by depression, anxiety and stress, on the other hand it also leads to depression and stress. The present study aims to compare depression and anxiety among alcoholics and non- alcoholics. It was assumed that depression and anxiety may be the risk factors for alcoholism. A sample of 100 people (50 alcoholics and 50 non-alcoholics) was randomly selected from Delhi. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to collect data on depression and anxiety. t-test was administered to compare two groups. The result of the study showed that alcoholic group was higher on depression as well as anxiety than the non alcoholic group, and it was also found that there is n o clear cut casual relationship between alcoholism and depression and anxiety. Alcoholism is perhaps most strongly associated with antisocial personality disorder and drug abuse, but its relationship to other forms of psychopathology has become increasingly evident. In particular, investigations of alcoholic samples indicate a strong co-occurrence of alcoholism with diverse form of anxiety and depressive disorder (Barbor et al, 1992; Chambless et al, 1987; Hasegawa 1991; keller 1994; Nunes, Quitkin & Berman, 1988; Penick, 1994; Schuckit, Irwin & Brown, 1990). ______________________________________________________________________ *Associate professor, Deptt. Of Psychology, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh **Research scholar, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. According to Nijhawan (1972) Anxiety, one of the most pervasive psychological phenomenons of the modern era refers to a â€Å"persistent distressing psychological state arising from an inner conflict†. Depression can be defined as â€Å"a state of mind, or more specifically, a mental disorder, characterized by lowering of the individual’s vitality, his mood, his desires, hopes, aspirations and of his self-esteem. It may range from no more than a mild feeling of tiredness and sadness to the most profound state of apathy with complete, psychotic disregard for reality.† (Mendelssohn, 1963). Alcoholism can lead people into serious trouble, and can be physically and mentally destructive. Currently alcohol use is involved in half of all crimes, murders, accidental deaths, and suicides. There are also many health problems associated with alcohol use such as brain damage, cancer, heart disease, diseases of the liver, depression anxiety and other mental disorders. Results from community surveys and epidemiologic samples indicate that substantial comorbidity also exists for depression, anxiety and alcoholism in the general population (Regier et al, 1990; Helzer & Pryzbeck, 1988; Kendler et al, 1995). The high co-occurrence of these syndromes, therefore, represents a significant clinical and public health issue that is likely to affect a substantial proportion of the general population. Although the comorbidity of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders has been extensively documented in both clinical and epidemiologic investigations, the specific mechanisms underlying these associations remain a source of debate. One widely accepted hypothesis is that these forms of comorbidity reflect a causal relationship of alcoholism with anxiety and depression. Support for a causal association is based partly on observations that alcohol is commonly used to self- medicate symptoms of negative affect, and so, alcoholism often develops as a secondary diagnosis to anxiety and depression (Meyer & Kranzler,1990; Hesselbrock, Meyer & Keener,1985; Lader,1972; Merikangas et al,1985). The 18-month follow-up of participants of the Psychiatric Morbidity among Adults Living in Private Households, 2000 survey (Singleton & Lewis, 2003) provides an opportunity to determine whether excessive alcohol consumption and abnormal patterns of use are risk factors for incident anxiety and depression in the general population. The study also examined the reverse relationship, considering whether anxiety and depression are risk factors for the development of abnormal patterns of alcohol consumption. However, evidence for a causal relationship is not unidirectional as alcoholism is often observed as a primary disorder, and the presence of problem drinking itself may generate severe anxiety or depressive syndromes (Mendelson & Mello, 1979, Nathan, O’Brien & Lowenstein, 1971; Schuckit, Irwin & Smith, 1994; Stockwell, Hodgson & Rankin, 1982). Heavy alcohol consumption has been implicated in the development of anxiety and depression (Schuckit, 1983). Many cross-sectional studies have identified considerable comorbidity between anxiety and depression, and alcohol abuse. For example, data from four large community based epidemiological studies (n>422 000) in Europe and the USA consistently demonstrated a two- to threefold increase in the lifetime prevalence of anxiety and depression in those with DSM–III or DSM–III–R alcohol abuse or dependence (Swendsen et al, 1998). If anxiety disorders and alcoholism are casually related, there should be a high rate of alcoholism among patients being treated for anxiety disorders. Two studies (Torgersen, 1986; Cloninger et al, 1981) of the prevalence of alcoholism in patients being treated for anxiety neurosis were identified. These investigations suggest a lifetime population prevalence of alcohol abuse/dependence of approximately 14%. The survey of the relevant literature made it quite obvious that much of the studies show a prevalence of depression and anxiety among alcoholics. However, previous studies have also pointed out the possibility of alcoholism as risk factors for depression and anxiety. At the same time, literature does not provide any clear cut direction towards the casual relationship between alcoholism and depression and anxiety. Thus, despite the strong association of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders, no universal consensus has been reached regarding the specific mechanisms underlying these associations. The present study aims to identify depression and anxiety among alcoholic and non-alcoholic peoples. Method: Sample: sample of the present study consisted of 100 subjects (50 alcoholics and 50 non alcoholics). The alcoholics were identified through survey from different living areas (including rural, urban and semi-urban) of Delhi and 50 alcoholics were randomly selected for the study. In the same way the non-alcoholic subjects were also selected randomly from different parts of Delhi. The age range of the subjects was between 25 to 50 years. Tools: â€Å"Beck Depression Inventory† BDI -2nd was designed by Beck, Steer & Brown (1996). This self report scale has shown to document levels of depression. BDI -2nd edition contains 21 items, each answer being scored on a scale value of 0 to 3. The cut offs used are 0-13 Minimal depression; 14-19 Mild depression; 20-28 Moderate depression; and 29-63 Severe Depression. Higher total scorer indicates more severe depression symptoms. â€Å"Beck Anxiety Inventory† was designed Beck, Epstein, Brown, Steer (1988). This self report scale has shown to document levels of Anxiety symptoms in a valid and consistent manner. BAI contains 21 items each answer being scored on a scale value of 0 to 3. Each symptom item has four possible answer choices: not at all (assigned value =o); Mildly (it did not bother me much) (assigned value=1); Moderately (it was unpleasant but I could stand it) (assigned value =2); and Severely (I could barely stand it) (assigned value =3). The values for each item are summed together to yield an overall or score for all 21 symptoms that can range between 0 and 63 points. A total score of 0-7 is interpreted as a minimal level of Anxiety, 8-15 as ‘mild’, 16-25 as ‘moderate’ and 26-63 as ‘severe’. The BAI is psychometrically sound. Interval consistency ÃŽ ± =.92 to.94, for adults and test-retest (one week interval) reliability is .75. Procedure: The test for depression and anxiety were administered on the subjects individually after establishing the rapport with them. Each and every item was explained to the subject, and then he was asked to respond truly for the item. Thus data was collected for depression and anxiety from alcoholic and non-alcoholic people. t-test was applied to find out the significance of difference between the Mean scores of different groups. Results: TABLE-1 Showing comparison of Mean for depression and anxiety scores between the alcoholics and non-alcoholics Variables| Groups| N| Mean| Std.deviation| t | df| P| depression| Alcoholic Nonalcoholic| 50 50| 35.7600 17.1000| 10.17913 6.15530| 11.092| 98| .01*| Anxiety| Alcoholicnonalcoholic| 50 50| 38.0800 18.3200| 11.55261 6.18570| 10.662| 98| .01*| *Significant at .01 level of confidence TABLE-1 further shows the results obtained by the comparison of alcoholics and non alcoholic group for depression and anxiety. The obtained results show that the mean depression score (M=35.7600) for alcoholic people is higher than the mean depression score (M=17.1000) for non alcoholic people, and the difference between the two means (t=11.092) is statistically significant at .01 level of confidence. Consequently it reveals the findings that alcoholic people have higher depression than the non-alcoholics. The TABLE-1 also shows the results of the comparison of alcoholic and non-alcoholic people on anxiety. The mean anxiety scores (M=38.0800) of alcoholics is found very much higher than the mean anxiety scores (M=18.3200) of the non-alcoholics and the two means difference (t=10.662) is statistically significant at .01 level of confidence. It indicates that alcoholic people have higher anxiety than the non-alcoholic people. Discussion: The basis of the above results may safely be concluded that the alcoholics are highly depressed and extremely anxious than the non-alcoholic people. However, the high prevalence of these anxiety and depressives’ symptoms does not necessarily mean that these alcoholic individuals will demonstrate the long term course or require the long term treatments associated with DSM-III-R major depressive and anxiety disorders. The temporal nature of the association between Depression & Anxiety and alcohol is difficult to determine from studies, which uncertainty arising as to whether alcohol is a risk factor or a form of self –medication. The finding of the present study support the findings of Hartka et al, (1991) that reported a significant correlation between baseline consumption of alcohol and depression at follow-up based on data from eight longitudinal studies. However, in this analysis control of confounders was limited to age, gender and interval between measurements. Overall, our findings are contradictory with those of Wang & Patten (2001) who observed no excess morbidity among those who drank daily, those who drank in binges (more than five drinks), those who had more than one drink daily, and among drinkers in general. Alcohol dependence was not considered. Similarly, in a randomly selected community cohort with follow-up at 3 and 7 years, Moscato et al (1997) found no excess incidence of depressive symptoms among those with ‘alcohol problems’ (defined as a DSM–IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence or abuse or drinking more than five drinks a day on one or more occasions per week). It may safely be concluded on the bases of previous literature and result of the present study that there is no clear cut casual relationship between depressive and anxiety disorder and alcoholism. In the similar way our findings of the study show that the alcoholics are more depressive and anxious than the non alcoholics. Though it does not show any clear cut picture either alcohol is risk factor for depression and anxiety or depression and anxiety is a risk factor for alcoholism. References Babor, T., Wolfson, A., Boivin, D., Radouco-Thomas, S., Clark, W. (1992). Alcoholism, culture, and psychopathology: A comparative study of French, French Canadian, and American alcoholics. In: Helzer, J., Canino, G. (eds): Alcoholism in North America, Europe, and Asia. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 182-195. Beck, A.T., Epstein, N., Brown, G., Steer, R.A. (1988). â€Å"An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric Properties, Journal of Consulting and clinical Psychology; 56:893-897 Beck, A.T., Steer, R.A., & Brown, B.K. (1996). Beck Depression Inventory 2nd Ed.). San Antonio. Tx; Psychological Corporation. Chambless, D., Cherney, J., Caputo, G., Rheinstein, B. (1987). Anxiety disorders and alcoholism: A study with inpatient alcoholics. J Anxiety Disord; 1:29-40. Cloninger, C.R., Martin, R.L., Clayton, P., Guze, S.B. (1981). A blind follow-up and family study of anxiety neurosis: preliminary analysis of the St Louis 500, in Anxiety: New Research and changing Concepts, Edited by Klein, D.F., Rabkin, J. New York, Raven Press, Hartka, E., Johnstone, B., Leino,V. (1991). A meta-analysis of depressive symptomatology and alcohol consumption over time. British Journal of Addiction; 86: 1283-1298. Hasegawa, K., Mukasa, H., Nakazawa, Y., HK., Nakamura, K. (1991). Primary and secondary depression in alcoholism-clinical features and family history. Drug Alcohol Depend; 27:275-281. Helzer, J., Pryzbeck, T. (1988). The co-occurrence of alcoholism with other psychiatric disorders in the general population and its impact on treatment. J Stud Alcohol; 49:219-224. Hesselbrock, M., Meyer, R., Keener, J. (1985). Psychopathology in hospitalized alcoholics. Arch Gen Psychiatry; 42:1050- 1055. Keller, M. (1994). Dysthymia in clinical practice: Course, outcome and impact on the community. Acta Psychiatr Scand; 383(Suppl):24-34. Kendler, K., Waiters, E., Neale, M., Kessler, R., Heath, A., Eaves, L. The structure of the genetic and environmental risk factors for six major psychiatric disorders in women. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1995; 52:374-383. Lader, M. (1972). The nature of anxiety. Br J Psychiatry; 121: 481-491. Mendelson, J., Mello, N. (1979). Medical progress: Biologic concomitants of alcoholism. N Engl J Med; 301:912-921. Mendelssohn, V.P. (1963). Depression in incyclopedia of mental health. Vol.II, Franklin Walts, Inc. Merikangas, K., Leckman, J., Prusoff, B., Pauls, D., Weissman, M. (1985). Familial transmission of depression and alcoholism. Arch Gen Psychiatry ; 42:367-372. Meyer, R., Kranzler, H. (1990). Alcohol abuse/dependence and co-morbid anxiety and depression. In: Maser J, Cloninger C (eds): Comorbidity of Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press: 283-292. Moscato, B., Russell, M., Zielezny, M. (1997). Gender differences in the relation between depressive symptoms and alcohol problems: a longitudinal perspective. American Journal of Epidemiology; 146: 966-974. Nathan, P., O’Brien, J., Lowenstein, L. (1971). Operant studies of chronic alcoholism: Interaction of alcohol and alcoholics. In: Roach, P., Mclssac, W., Creaven, P. (eds): Biological Aspects of Alcohol. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press;. Nijhawan, H. K. (1972). Anxiety in school children. New Delhi : Wiley Eastern Private Limited. Nunes, E., Quitkin, F., Berman, C. (1988). Panic disorder and depression in female alcoholics. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry; 49:441- 443. Penick, E., Powell, B., Nickel, E., Bingham, S., Riesenmy, K., Read, M. (1994). Comorbidity of lifetime psychiatric disorder among male alcoholic patients. Alcohol Clin Exp Res; 18:1289-1293. Regier, D., Farmer, M., Rae, D., Locke, B., Keith, S., Judd, L. (1990). Comorbidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse: Results from the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study. JAMA; 264:2511-2518. Schuckit, M. (1983). Alcoholic patients with secondary depression. American Journal of Psychiatry, 140: 711-714. Schuckit, M., Hesselbrock, V. (1994). Alcohol dependence and anxiety disorders: What is the relationship? Am J Psychiatry, 151:1723-1734. Schuckit, M., Irwin, M., Brown, S. (1990) .The history of anxiety symptoms among 171 primary alcoholics. J Stud Alcohol; 51:34-41. Schuckit, M., Irwin, M., Smith, T. (1994). One-year incidence rate of major depression and other psychiatric disorders in 239 alcoholic men. Addiction ; 89:441-445. Schuckit, M., Tipp, J., Bergman, M., Reich, W., Hesselbrock, V., Smith, T. (1997). Comparison of induced and independent major depressive disorder in 2,945 alcoholics. Am J Psychiatry; 154:948-957. Singleton, N. Lewis, G. (2003). Better or Worse: A Longitudinal Study of the Mental Health of Adults Living in Private Households in Great Britain. London: Stationery Office. . Stockwell, T., Hodgson, R., Rankin, H. (1982). Tension reduction and the effects of prolonged alcohol consumption. Br J Addict; 77:65-73. Stockwell, T., Smail, P., Hodgson, R., Canter, S. (1984). Alcohol dependence and phobic anxiety states. II. A retrospective study. Br J Psychiatry; 144:58-63. Swendsen, J., Merikangas, K., Canino,G. (1998). The comorbidity of alcoholism with anxiety and depressive disorders in four geographic communities. Comprehensive Psychiatry; 39:176-184. Torgersen, S. (1986). Childhood and family characteristics in panic and generalized anxiety disorders. Am J Psychiatry; 143:630-632 Wang, J. & Patten, S. B. (2001). Alcohol consumption and major depression: findings from a follow-up study. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry; 46: 632-638.

Current Issue on Islamic Banking and Finance Essay

New paradigm of product packaging. Islamic banking and finance has emerged as a financial intermediation process that is competitive and resilient and that contributes to the overall wealth creation, growth and development of our nation. In the middle of an increasingly challenging and competitive financial environment, the evolution of a comprehensive Islamic financial system seeks to meet the range of requirements of a rapidly changing economic environment, with its soundness and stability secured through the robustness of its regulatory framework supported by the strength of its financial infrastructure and the sophistication of its products and services. Indeed, the strength of the respective components of the system and the interconnections of its markets will open new frontiers in Islamic banking and finance and will maximize the potential and opportunities that it accords. In the new current issues on Islamic banking and finance have increased their product in sophistication from the deposits product to hybrid product that are able to enhance returns to depositors. Further advancement was made with the introduction of the Islamic variable rate financing mechanism that provides an alternative to the fixed rate financing. This will assist the Islamic banking institutions in mitigating part of the risk emanating from asset and liability mismatches. New innovative Islamic financial instruments such as Islamic asset-backed securities have also emerged and the financial structures underlying Islamic securities become more specifies. The rapid growth of Islamic unit trusts comprising a variety of bond funds, equity funds and balanced funds increases the efficiency and potential of the Islamic financial system as an intermediation channel by providing investors’ access to professional asset management that is based on their distinct risk tolerance levels. The issuance of new Islamic banking licenses to qualified foreign financial institutions will allow for the presence of foreign Islamic banking players to act as bridge between Malaysia and other global Islamic financial markets and increase the potential to tap new markets and growth opportunities.

Pets Should Be Treated As A Member Of The Family

Should we treat pets like human beings? Some people believe that pets should not be treated like human beings because people spend too much money on their pets. For example, they spend money on their insurance, on their health and many more. In other hand, many people believe that pets should be treated like human beings. Those people believe that pets have emotions as human beings. I think that it is a right approach to treat pets as members of the family because pets share the same living space with us, bring us a lot of joy and emotions.People usually bring pets in their houses for various reasons. People with disabilities have pets which helps them in many different ways, for instance, dogs can provide help to the disable people in daily activities. Therefore, these people need someone like pets all day around to feel themselves secure. They need someone on whom they can rely when doing basic things such as crossing the roads or stepping down the stairs.These are the things that normal people do habitually however; for people with disabilities these are the challenges they have to deal with every day. It goes without saying that pets that help people to cope with everyday life are truly family members and should be rewarded for their sacrifice to human beings. Why then pets should not be treated like human beings if they share some of the characteristics that relate to humans? On the other hand, pets are not like any other animals in our planet.We should give them respect their dignity even if they are just animals. When Pets are ill should be given most care and love as we are giving it to our children. We have to give a certain portion of attention as we are giving it to our children. Pets are not that intelligent as humans but they feel that we love them and pay us in the same way by helping our life. In conclusion, I think that pets deserve to be treated as human beings since they help us to overcome difficulties.