The Roswell Incident Argumentative Essay Example For Students

The Roswell Incident Argumentative Essay The Roswell IncidentEdward OBrienMarch 13, 1997CP-11 Period 6OutlineThesis: The Roswell Incident, which enlightened our minds to thecapacity of excepting, has remained one of the mostcontroversial issues issues today. I. Introduction to ExtraterrestrialsA. Standpoints on Extraterrestrials1. Societysa. Pastb. Present2. Governmentsa. Pastb. PresentII. Roswell, New MexicoA. What Exactly Happened1. Who Discovered the Wreckage2. Discoveries3. BodiesB. Testing in Roswell, New Mexico1. Military Testing in RoswellIII. The Cover-upA. Wreckage1. UFO2. BodiesB. The Weather Balloon1. The Balloona. Composite of the BalloonC. Witnesses1. The Nurses at Roswell, AAF2. The YearbookIV. Alien AutopsyA. BodiesB. AuthenticityV. ConclusionA. Controversy ContinuesB. Final ThoughtsThe Roswell IncidentThe Roswell Incident, which enlightened our minds to the capacity ofexcepting all, has remained one of the most controversial issues today. InRoswell, New Mexico, 1947, a strange occurrence arises. An alien craft fromouter space crashed in an open field. The issue lay still for almost thirtyyears, until the thought of a government cover-up arose. We will write a custom essay on The Roswell Incident Argumentative specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Societys opinions have changed over the years. Previous to the 1990s,people have despised the thought of sharing the universe with other intelligentlife forms. Now people are interested in this mysterious phenomenon. Peoplethink it is the blame of the movies and television. By watching this, people areat a level at which they understand. Not only do these movies entertain, theyinform people about the little information we obtained from the government. The thought of government cover-ups have been long discussed. Thegovernment has always, in the past, tried to keep any sign of aliens, whether itbe pictures from space, to crashes on earth, to a low or nonexistent level. Justrecently has the government been harassed to the point where they actually gaveus clues to alien existence. It has in some ways been believed that thegovernment has worked in partnership with popular movie directors, to producealien movies to ease the thought that we may not be alone. Such movies as TheArrival and the ever popular Independence Day are very good examples of wellconvincing alien movies. If this is true, they did a good job, becausestatistics state that 75% of people today believe that there is some kind ofintelligent life forms besides ourselves in the universe. That is veryconvincing compared to the 20% whom believed 25 years ago. New opinions arealways suspected, and usually opposed, without any other reason but because theyare not already common . (MacGowan 261)A local New Mexico rancher, MacBrazel, while riding out in the morningto check his sheep after a long night of thunderstorms, discovered aconsiderable amount of debris. It created a gouge several hundred feet long andwas scattered over a large area. Some of the debris had strange physicalproperties. He took some debris to show his neighbors then his son. Soon afterthat he notified the sheriff. The sheriff then contacted the authorities atRoswell Army Air Field Base. The are was closed off and the debris waseventually flown by B-29 and C-54 aircraft to Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. ANew York Daily News article says either conclusive proof extraterrestrialshave indeed visited earth, or one of the most elaborate hoaxes ever perpetuatedon the public.. (Dominquez). Besides the wreckage that was found, therewere three objects which were highly debated about. Three bodies, two found dead,the other to die in a couple of weeks. Whether or not the bodies were actuallyfound, is only determined by the few witnesses who claim to have seen the bodies. .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .postImageUrl , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:hover , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:visited , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:active { border:0!important; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:active , .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0 .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u1643bd324d04abb87865c99ac4e04ae0:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Acids And Bases EssayA few of these people turned out to be very highly respected military officers. Some people say that the bodies were human which have been exposed to theradiation. This radiation could have been caused, due to nuclear weapons thatRoswell Army Air Base had been testing, since they were at the time the onlysquadron which had authorization to nuclear weapons. This theory was discountedby most, saying that this kind of deformation would have caused a human being todie before such damage could occur. Albert Einstein once said: .I amconvinced that, there is an absolute truth. If there cant be absolute truth,there cannot be a relative truth. (MacGowan 289) The government has been blamedwith covering up this whole event. They have been claimed to have shipped offthe wreckage to Dayton, Ohio, to avoid publicity. Which is normal, to prevent aworldwide panic. The bodies however, were not as lucky to have not become public,yet. The government has, and will always say that the wreckage found was asecret spy balloon. The people who have seen the wreckage, and believe thatswhat it was, describe it as a bundle of tinfoil, broken wood, beams , and rubberremnants of a balloon. Most discount this because, why would the government bemessing around with balloons, if they were exploring the characteristics of jetfighters. Yes, the wreckage did seem like tin foil, at first, until you held thematerial, which if you bent, twisted, and did anything you dreamed up of, wouldstill return to its original shape. They have tried to burn and shoot through itand had unsuccessfully destroyed it. It is thought that the government has usedthis to theyre benefit, and discovered its properties to use on future planes,but this has not yet been yet proven, since no planes known are thisindestructible. Glenn Davis, a respected business man in Roswell, was called by afriend, General Exon, asked how to seal and preserve bodies that have beenexposed to the alien materials. Davis did not know the answer to this question,since he did not know much of the incident. Later that night he made a trip tothe base hospital, outside the back entrance he spotted two military vans withthe rear doors open, from which large pieces of wreckage protruded. Once insidehe encountered a young nurse whom which he knew, at the same instance, he wasnoticed by military police which escorted him from the building. The next day he met up with the nurse at a coffee shop. She explainedthat she had been called upon to help two doctors disect to small bodies, whichshe thought to be alien. She drew a diagram on a napkin showing an outline ofthier features. That meeting was to be thier last; as she was transferred toEngland a few days later. Today the nurse would be sixty-nine years old. Investigators are trying to locate her. Five nurses are pictured in the 1947Roswell Air Field yearbook. The files of all five are strangely missing frommilitary records. A couple of years ago a report on Fox television network broadcasted ashow called Alien Autopsy. This show was mainly about what happened to thebodies which were recovered from the Roswell crash site. Bodies were showedbeing dissected on video tape. The whole process of the dissection is like this:One of the two people first examined the body. He then with a surgical knife,cut open the neck down to the belly, and took out the organs. As for the head,he found that the eyes of this body were covered with two black membranes, whichwere easily removed with tweezers. Lastly, he cut open the scull and took outthe brain. The other person seemed to be responsible for recording the wholeprocess. .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .postImageUrl , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:hover , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:visited , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:active { border:0!important; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:active , .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3 .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4ffe3ec348015c991b8cd200f254bbe3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The United States, The Melting Pot EssayPeople at first thought this whole movie was a joke until they openedthe bodies up. Steven Speilberg even stated :There is no way these bodiescould be fake , due to the high complexity of the inner organs, not only wouldit have been impossible then, it also practically impossible to replicate themnow, and if it were possible it would cost us millions of dollars to replicate,or even try to replicate them. Kodak film company has done their own testing onthe actual film on which the footage had been filmed. They had verified that thefilm was made in the 1940s. In the film, when it zoomed up on the bodies,blurred. This was thought to pur posely done to hide detail, but in fact camerasin the 1940s had no focus on objects that were to close to it. There were evenpeople who are claimed to be eyewitnesses of the crash of the UFO in Roswell,and strongly believed that the body appeared in this film, was one of the threefound in this incident. Even though there is a lot of information which points to the programbeing real, there is a lot which point to its falsehood. The government wantedto keep this at a very low-key. They still insisted that the crash in Roswellwas still a military balloon. However, a congressman wanted the government toopen all the document related to the Roswell Incident, the reply was that all ofdocuments were destroyed! What did the government want to cover? If they wantedto cover the fact that aliens came to earth, why did they let the show air tothe public? Of course, if the film is false, it doesnt matter. There also some differences in the body in the broadcast, and thedescriptions from the witnesses. The most obvious is of which the fingers in themovie have six fingers and toes, while the witnesses from Roswell said they hadonly four. It is said that the UFO had exploded in the air, if that were thecase, then the bodies would have been severely burned. In Alien Autopsy, theonly injury on the body, was the cut on the right leg. The dissection room inwhich it was taken was much too simple. The people in the movie are wearingnormal dissection clothes, if it were a true alien, then why not try to preventyourselves from catching some out of this world disease. Lastly , people saythat the bodies are to similar to human bodies, and that the bodies just mightbe abnormal humans. Like many people do, we think aliens may look similar to us. By chance there may be aliens that resemble us, or we may resemble them. For obvious reasons, it is necessary that the military services and theintelligence agencies impose a certain amount of secrecy. In recent decades,however, many observers say: that the use of government secrecy has becomeexcessive. Secrecy tantamount to power and, like power, lends itself to abuse. Behind the shield of secrecy, it is possible for an agency or service to avoidscrutiny and essentially operate outside the law. Accountability to thetaxpayers, and to the Congress, can be conveniently avoided. Perhaps this is amajor reason the U.S. annual black budget has climbed to a staggering $25billion a year. Secrecy, like power, is not readily relinquished. As we all know we will never know the true story of which happened inRoswell, New Mexico in 1947, but it is up to us to decide for ourselves. Science

Internship Essay Example

Internship Essay Example Internship Essay Internship Essay If you have not figured out by now with my personal cheer, my name is Holly. I am Holly Ferber and I currently attend Eastern Arizona College. I have one more semester at EACH before I have to decide where I will go to further my education. EACH is the local Junior college, Just down the street from my house. The decision to attend this college was quite simple, as I received a scholarship. I have been able to live at home and attend college for free. Free room and board sign me up Money wasnt the only deciding factor for attending EACH. I had taken a few courses through EACH while still in high school and the professors were extremely helpful. Further, my cheerleaders career would not have to end at the high school level as there is a cheer team at Eastern. I am a sophomore obtaining my associates degree in General Studies. The reason for my choice of degree is I am not sure which field of academic study I wish to pursue. I am leaning toward the field of communications, as I had spent much of my time in high school participating in the Future Business Leaders of America program. Even though I attend a small college in rural Arizona, there are many students who are Native Students. The WINS program peeked my interest, as I appear to qualify for this endeavor and the need I now have to further my professional and academic goals. I love my home town and wouldnt trade anything in the way of experiences I have received. I Just want a chance to participate in something that is bigger than what I have already been a part. Now you want to know what I can bring to the WINS program. Well if selected I can bring myself, that is a good start. But I can also bring my open mindedness, opinions, and optimism. I enjoy and work best as part of a team. Working with others is a quality of mine, anyone can work alone but working as a team takes patience. The experience of being a part of the WINS program will allow me to gain and refine myself in the area of leadership. The opportunity to interact with people from different places and experiences will give me the chance to broaden myself as an individual.

Cassandras Rantâ€Comedic Female Monologue

Cassandra's Rant- Comedic Female Monologue This funny monologue for actresses comes from an educational comedy play called The Greatest Play Ever Written by Wade Bradford. Written in 2011, the premise of the play is that the narrator attempts to write the greatest play ever by combining all the major literary elements: conflict, genre, character, irony, symbolism. The scene that includes Cassandras monologue is  a comic mash-up that pokes fun at various characters and situations famed in  Greek mythology. The complete script is available at  Heuer Plays.   Character Introduction- Cassandra According to ancient legends, Cassandra could predict the future, yet no one ever believed her. According to Greek mythology, she was the daughter of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy. Legend also has it that Apollo gave her the ability to tell prophecy to seduce her, but when she still refused he cursed her so that no one would believe her prophecies.   She foretold that Pariss capture of Helen would cause the famed Trojan War and the destruction of her city. But since the Trojans welcomed Helen, Cassandra was seen as misunderstood or even a mad woman. Monologue Summary and Analysis In this scene, Cassandra is at a party in the city of Troy. While everyone around her celebrates the marriage of Paris and Helen, Cassandra can feel that something is not right. She mentions: All is twisted and sour- and I am not just talking about the fruit punch. Can you not see all of the signs? Cassandra complains about all of the ominous signs around her by pointing out the ironic behavior of the party guests around her, such as: Hades is the Lord of the Dead, yet hes the life of the party ... Prometheus the Titan  gave us the gift of fire, but hes banned smoking. Ares has made peace with the fact that his brother Apollo isnt very bright ... Orpheus only speaks the truth, but he plays a lyre ... And Medusa just got stoned. The play on words and allusion to Greek mythology creates jokes that tend to be a crowd-pleaser, especially for literature geeks who dont take themselves too seriously. Finally, Cassandra ends the monologue by saying, We are all doomed to die. The Greeks are preparing an attack. They will lay siege to this city and destroy this city and everyone within these walls shall perish by flame and arrow and sword. Oh, and youre out of napkins. The mixture of contemporary colloquial speech and dramatic presentation reserved for Greek plays creates a comedic juxtaposition. Plus, the contrast between the gravity of everyone being doomed to die with the triviality of having no napkins finishes the monologue with a humorous touch.

Public Health Care Problems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Health Care Problems - Assignment Example The local and national health care providers are not responding adequately to those with mental disorders. This cannot however be blamed on them because the number of the health care providers with knowledge on how to handle such people is limited compared with the number of people with the mental disorders. They are therefore unable to cater fully for them. In some third world countries for example, the limited number of health care providers necessitates teaching of the family members the basics of catering for such people without necessarily having to keep them in health care facilities. The local health care communities cannot be held responsible for mandating specific care treatment for the affected population because they are aware of the needs of the locals and the abilities the local people have towards taking care and managing the mental diseases. They try to deal with the local patients suffering the mental illnesses according to the resources available locally without having to burden the people trying to seek resource nationally or outsource in other places which is not only costly but requires spending a lot of time. They have also spent a lot of time with the locals and hence are aware of the needs of the patients and can cater to them adequately (Compton & Kotwicki, 2007). Alcohol is a drug that is abused by the young population between the ages of 18yrs and 30yrs old. The young population use alcohol as a way to appear cool among their peers during the teenage stage of growth. As they continue to age, people use alcohol as a social drink and with time they use it as a way to forget the troubles or stressors in their environment. Older people from 35 years abuse prescription and over the counter drugs which they use to cure the pain in their failing bodies. They use the drugs to also relax their kinds as well as to induce sleep (McKenzie,

Divorce Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Divorce - Research Paper Example Psychologists have extensively researched on the effects that divorce has on children and evidence converges at the point that it ultimately leads to the deterioration of their mental health even adulthood. In this paper I will be arguing and justifying why the procedure of divorce is harmful in terms of impact especially on the moral status and ultimate behavior of the children who suffer it. Divorce has a tremendous negative effect not only the children but also the separating parents and ultimately society as it alters the family structure. Children may suffer the inevitable feeling of inadequacy, having to start a new life in a very unstable single parent family, and deprivation that may lead them to resent. Aggression and mood problems may be some of the behavior changes that the affected children develop as they adjust to the new order. A wide body of research has shown that those children who are brought up in stable families with both parents present show stability and good behavior as compared to their counterparts who encounter divorce. Children who have suffered divorce in their lives are prone to delinquency and aggression. This is because these children go through a very intense period of loss and are subjected to tremendous, unexpected and inevitable changes when parents divorce and separate. There is no doubt most of the impacts of divorce are extremely det rimental to our society and as such there is need for deliberate efforts at curbing its growing popularity. The family which is society’s basic building is worst affected by divorce. The relationship between the parent and child will never be same again after a divorce occurs. In fact, following the divorce and ultimate separation of the couple, another form of divorce inevitably occurs which involves the separation of children from their parents.

Volunteers and Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Volunteers and Decision Making Essay The purpose of this study is to explore and converse about the role of volunteers within the for-profit and non-profit organizations and examine their influence on organizational decision making. According to Lawrence and Weber, (2011), a volunteer is a person who donates his/her time or efforts for a cause or organization without being paid. Volunteering is about giving your time to a good cause. You dont get paid, but you do get the chance to use your gifts, abilities, talents, cultivate new skills, and experience the pleasure that comes from making a real difference to other peoples lives, as well as your own. Hansen, (2014), argue that it is a pretty common mistake to think of volunteering as just something nice that people can do. Sure, it may make them feel great about helping, but what impact does it really have? Volunteers have a huge impact on the health and well-being of organizations and communities worldwide. According to Ellis, (2003), from the perspective of the recipient of service, a volunteer is someone who gives time, effort and talent to meet a need or further a mission, without going on the payroll. Volunteers donate their time, expertise, talents, abilities, skills, and get-up-and-go energy to assistance the organization because they have faith and confidence in the organization’s operations, mission, ideas, and vision. According to Bruce and Martin, (1992), a non-profit organization is a group organized for purposes other than generating profit and in which no part of the organizations income is distributed to its members, directors, or officers. They can take the form of a corporation, an individual enterprise (for example, individual charitable contributions), unincorporated association, partnership, foundation (distinguished by its endowment by a founder, it takes the form of a trusteeship), or condominium (joint ownership of common areas by owners of adjacent individual units incorporated under state condominium acts). Non-profit organizations must be titled as not-for-profit when formed and may only employ measures acceptable by laws for non-profit businesses. Non-profit organizations include churches, public schools, public charities,  public clinics and hospitals, political organizations, legal aid societies, volunteer services organizations, labor unions, professional associations, resear ch institutes, museums, and some governmental agencies. Any funds earned by a non-profit organization must be reserved by the organization, and used for its own disbursements, disbursements, processes, and programs. Many non-profit organizations also pursue tax exempt status, and may also be exempted from local sales taxes or property taxes. These for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are distinguished from each other in the areas of interest, events, and actions, and whosesoever field of interest is well-defined by their organizational mission and vision statements. The for-profit and non-profit organizations have much in common, but there are significant differences between the two. According to Ingram, (2009), the most fundamental difference between non-profit and for-profit organizations is the reason they exist. For-profit companies are usually established to produce income for directors and their workers, while non-profits are usually established to help a charitable, philanthropic, humanitarian, or conservational and environmental need. In contrast, non-profit organizations distribute all of their profits into programs and services designed at meeting individuals unmet needs, such as food, water, shelter and education, or towards other issues such as endangered species. For-profit companies offer products an d services that are appreciated in the open market, electing to allocate returns among proprietors, workforces, stockholders, owners, investors, and the organization or business itself. Additionally, according Ingram, (2009), sales revenue, in the form of cash and receivables, is the life-blood of for-profit organizations. These companies depend on earned income and credit arrangements with lenders and suppliers to finance their operations. Ingram, (2009), goes on by suggesting non-profits, on the other hand, rely almost entirely on donations and grants from individuals, government entities and organizations. Non-profit and for-profit organizations income basis are regulated, to a large extent, on how the company can use its currency. Since non-profit income comes from donors, non-profits are expected to utilize their funding in a way that maximizes benefits to their targeted recipients. Since for-profits produce  their own revenue and pay their own bills, they have much more ethical latitude as to how they spend. Another different Ingram, (2009), suggests is for-profit organizations are taxed in a number of ways, depending on their form of organization. Small bus inesses, for example, are usually sole proprietorships and partnerships. Ingram, (2009), goes on to state â€Å"the IRS treats the income from proprietorships and partnerships as personal income, and the owners are held personally liable for all business debts†. Nonprofit organizations can register for income-tax exemption under section 501(c) 3 of the tax code, Ingram, (2009). Contributors to non-profit organizations are offered tax incentives for their donations as well. According to the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), (n.d.), non-profit organizations are treated as legal entities for tax purposes, leaving company forefathers not liable for organizational debts. Lastly, Ingram, (2009), provides a human resource differences between the two. The workforces look quite different between for-profit and nonprofit organizations. For-profit companies are staffed with salaried and hourly employees, while non-profits, on the other hand, usually hire a small workforce, but employ a large corps of volunteers. The processes for employing and dism issal, as well as worker inspiration, motivation, communication and direction techniques vary considerably between salaried employees and volunteers. The role of volunteers in non-profit organizations Volunteers are of huge value to nonprofit organizations. Non-profit organizations frequently depend on the service and commitment of volunteers. The skills and talents of volunteers workers bring nonprofit missions to life. Volunteers perform valuable services for the non-profit organizations. According to HR Specialist, (2002), recent studies estimate that about a hundred million people volunteer each year with an annual value in the range of $150 billion, Not only do volunteers help to save money, but they can provide better service to clients, increase contact with the greater community, make available better expertise, and reduce costs of services. From the early days of America, according to Dreger, (1996). volunteers have pitched in to treat community maladies and needs. Hospitals, orphanages, schools and local fire companies (to name a very few) were the result of a civic rallying around a cause. That civic concern and community  merger continues today in religious charities , Habitat for Humanities, hospitals, libraries, schools and colleges, Hospices, and YMCAs (to name just a very few). While we are sometimes suspicious of volunteers, the truth is that nonprofit organizations would not exist if it were not for the volunteers. Specifically, governance, programming and fund development are three areas of activity in which volunteers assist non-profit organizations, Dreger, (1996). When speaking of governance, volunteers who serve on boards of directors and their committees are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations, Dreger, (1996). While the Executive Director takes care of day to day matters, volunteer directors take responsibility for policy making, for assuring that the organization has adequate funding, and for meeting any legal challenges that might arise. We often talk about the attributes of a good board member such as a combination of several of the following: wealth, wisdom, work, and the influence factor. With an appropriate mix of these attributes, boards will be in a position of strength to act on their strategic plans. If an organization is preparing fo r a capital campaign, then adding more wealth or wow to the board makes sense. If instituting new programming is in the future, then leaning the board toward wisdom and work would be productive. A board that polishes its composition will be motivated and strengthened. In the area of programming, Dreger, (1996), recommend that trained volunteers can be invaluable in helping to deliver services to clients. They reduce costs through their work and can often provide better services to clients since they serve because of their passion for the organization’s mission. Many volunteers also bring expertise or experience to the organization that is free, such as legal or accounting services, for instance. Other volunteers provide contact with parts of the community that an organization generally doesn’t interact with volunteers will talk about your organization with their friends and colleagues—the good and the bad), and chief among them would be the volunteer who coordinates volunteers! For each volunteer there is the reward of helping others, of serving the cause. When properly directed, volunteers are a treasured asset, real gems in delivering services to those in need, Dreger, (1996). Finally, in the Fund Development area, while fundraising is a chief responsibility of the board, Dreger, (1996), argue there are other ways that volunteers can help to advance the organiz ation. As part of a  development committee, volunteers can serve as prospectors, mining their networks for nuggets you want to pan out. They also can be the go-getters who will put on special events such as auctions, galas, or raffles. Others can seek to get better media coverage. For the best results, it’s important to think through a recruitment strategy to get the right volunteers serving with you, similar to massaging the board’s composition. With a clear idea of what needs to be accomplished and with direction from staff, volunteers can expand your horizons, help you to meet people of influence and affluence that you wouldn’t otherwise, bring skills and expertise that will increase revenues, and become new and dear friends. This is particularly helpful when making plans for a capital campaign. As a leader in an organization, you make the difference between mere success and great success. John Maxwell, author of many books on leadership, says â€Å"Leadership†¦has to do with casting vision and motivating people.† Those people in many cases are the volunteers who have sought you out and you have sought out. The degree to which they add value to your work and mission is dependent on how they are assigned tasks, trained, supervised, evaluated, and loved. Celebrate with your volunteers in all areas of activity! You’ll have lots of fun doing it.. The service volunteers provide to non-profit organizations is of immense value; they take any job, big or small and commit to its completion. They represent the organization before the community and take on the governance responsibility over the organization; they care for the organization as if it was a business of their own. The role of volunteers in for-profit organizations Volunteering at for-profit organizations is generally frowned upon under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the FLSA, employees may not volunteer services to for-profit private sector employers. On the other hand, in the vast majority of circumstances, individuals can volunteer services to public sector employers. When Congress amended the FLSA in 1985, it made clear that people are allowed to volunteer their services to public agencies and their community with but one exception; public sector employers may not allow their employees to volunteer, without compensation, additional time to do the same work for which they are employed. There is no prohibition on anyone employed in the private sector from volunteering in any capacity or line of  work in the public sector. Tuschman, R., (2012). A shaky economy and poor job market can tempt employers to use free labor; volunteers who are willing (at least initially) to give up compensation to obtain on-the-job skill or to help a d esired social cause or a struggling company. While this exercise may seem like a win-win situation, it is overloaded with legal danger for employers. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and many state and local wage and hour laws, the use of volunteers is strictly regulated. A court or the U.S. Department of Labor will consider misclassified individuals as employees who must be paid at least the minimum wage, and overtime pay if applicable. Penalties and attorneys’ fees may also be assessed. Under the FLSA, a volunteer will not be considered an employee if the individual volunteers for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives, and without contemplation or receipt of compensation. Typically, volunteers will serve on a part-time basis and will not displace employees or perform work that would otherwise be performed by employees. In addition, to avoid the possibility of coercion, the Department of Labor (DOL) takes the position that paid employees may not volunteer to perform the same type of services for their employer that they are normally employed to perform. These principles are strictly construed against employers. For example, the DOL has opined that there is no employment relationship between a for-profit hospice and individuals who volunteer their services to perform activities of a charitable nature, such as running errands, sitting with patients so that a family may have a break, and going to funerals. However, individuals may not donate their service s to hospices to do activities such as general office or administrative work that are not charitable in nature. Moreover, with respect to those individuals already employed by a hospice, the DOL has stated that they may not volunteer their services to the hospice. In the public sector, an individual who volunteers to perform services for a public agency is not an employee if the individual receives no compensation or is paid expenses, reasonable benefits or a nominal fee. In addition, the FLSA provides that the volunteer services cannot be the same type of services that the individual is employed to perform for the agency. Individuals can qualify as volunteers if they either volunteer to perform services for a different agency or perform different services than they are employed to perform for the same public agency, Tuschman, (2012). According to the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA), the difference between an employee and a volunteer in the for-profit sector is a very thin line which can lead an employer to misclassifying employees as volunteers, Bertagna, (2012). According to the same source, employers can use volunteers as long as they adhere to the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standard Act. â€Å"If employers misclassify employees as volunteers, the employer’s perceived opportunity to save on money may become a liability† (Bertagna, 2012). Volunteers’ roles in for -profit organizations face several limitations since the volunteer-employer relationship is subject to meeting certain conditions in order to not be considered an employee. In light to fully understand the legal interpretation of the volunteer in a for-profit organization it’s convenient to visit the U. S. Supreme Court (1947) observation about evaluating the relationship in today’s volunteer context: †The determination of the relationship does not depend on isolated factors but rather upon the circumstances of the whole activity.† Volunteers actively participate in activities where they usually have a personal interest in the for-profit sector, like the case of parents volunteering at their children private schools, or personalities giving presentations or lectures at private Universities, not to mention volunteers at private hospitals and their work to alleviate the suffering of the patients. Another category were volunteers participate in for-profit organizations is the case of retires senior managers or directors whom continue to collaborate for their former employers in an emeritus role, sharing their knowledge and experience with the new generations. The influence volunteers exert on organizational decision-making In the early 1980’s, changes in the American society started to call the attention of the scholars. Pearce (1982) described what he anticipated would result in volunteers looking for leadership roles and advance from their affiliations with organizations. In order to responsibly participate in the decision-making process, volunteers need to understand the role and social responsibility the organization has before the public, its customers and the community (Edwards, 2008). Volunteers in leadership positions within both non-profit and for-profit organizations exert a great influence in the decision-making process since their specific role positions them in an authority level where their experience and cognizance serves as a foundation for their capacity. Being as board members, advisory council members, or partner emeritus if firms and corporations, volunteers will always serve with the only goal in mind to do the most good for the organization and/or community they serve. Their willingness to share their expertise and knowledge with the organization, will serve as a way to give back some of what they have received through their lives. Sir Winston Churchill is credited with the quote: â€Å"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.† He was able to put volunteerism is its correct perspective. Conclusion â€Å"Our Nation has been profoundly shaped by ordinary Americans who have volunteered their time and energy to overcome extraordinary challenges. From the American Revolution and the Seneca Falls Convention to the everyday acts of compassion and purpose that move millions to make change in their communities, our Nation has always been at its best when individuals have come together to realize a common vision. As we continue to pursue progress, service and social innovation will play an essential role in achieving our highest ambitions from a world-class education for every child to an economy built to last. During National Volunteer Week, we pay tribute to all who give of themselves to keep America strong, and we renew the spirit of service that has enriched our country for generations.† (Obama, 2012) Alexis de Tocqueville was profoundly move d by America’s spirit of volunteerism when he toured the United States in 1831, he recognized the way Americans were prompt to assist one another and to sacrifice part of their time to for the welfare of the state (Bertagna, 2012). This is the true spirit of volunteerism, when people devote their time and energy to assist in pursuing and obtaining a greater good. The role volunteers play in modern organizations is of paramount importance, they donate their time, their talent, and their knowledge to support and assist with causes they believe in and where they have placed their hopes and their hearts. Those individuals who perform hours of service without compensation do it for  civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons deserve to be recognized and respected, deserve to be honored for what they do. References Bertagna, B.R., (2012). For-profit volunteers: The fair labor standards a CT’s limits on volunteering in the private sector. Daily Labor Report. The Bureau of National Affairs. 179 DLR I-.Retrieved from http://www.paulhastings.com/Resources/Upload/Publications/2262.pdf. Edwards, H.C., (2008). Volunteers in leadership roles: Successfully engaging advisory councils. International Journal of Volunteer Administration. 25(2). Retrieved from:http://www.ijova.org/PDF/IJOVA%20Sample%201%20Manuscript%20May%2014.pdf. Ellis, S., (2003). Do volunteers deserve the board’s attention? Nonprofit World. 21 (1) 19-21.January/February 2003.ICNL (2013) FAQ. International Center for Not-For-Profit Law. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.icnl.org/contact/faq/index.html. Lawrence, A. and Weber, J., (2011) Business and society: Stakeholders, ethics, public policy (13th Ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Lewis, L.K., Hamel, S. A., and Richardson, B.K., (2001). Communicating change to nonprofit stakeholders: Models and predictors of implementers’ approaches. Management Communication Quarterly. 15 (1). Pp.15-41 Kipp, M.F,. (2009). Rethinking the nonprofit board. Nonprofit World. 27(6), pp. 20-21. Pearce, J.L., (1982). Leading and following volunteers: Implications for a changing society. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 18 (3), pp. 385-394. Reiss, A.H. (1990) Bottom line: A working board of directors. Management Review. 79(5), pp. 37-38. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1e928abd-3175-4cd5-9afe-c348a044c8a3%40sessionmgr15vid=8hid=5. Hansen, C., (2014). Why is volunteering important? Volunteer Resource Center. (VRC). Retrieved from http://www.idealist.org/info/Volunteer/Why. Bruce, T. R. and Martin, P. W., (1992). Legal Information Institute. Retrieved from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/non-profit_organizations. Dreger, D.C., (1996). Importance of Volunteers for Non Profit Organizations Retrieved from http://www.cdsfunds.com/volunteers_what_can_they_do_for_you.html. Ingram, D., (2009). Non-Profit Organization vs. Profit Organization. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/non-profit-organization-vs-profit-organization-4150.html. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). (n.d). Non-profit vs. For-Profit. Retrieved from http://scoreknox.org/library/versus.htm. The HR Specialist, (2002). Employment Law. Volunteers’ at for-profit companies: Should they be paid? Compensation and Benefits, Human Resources http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/775/volunteers-at-for-profit-companies-should-they-be-paid. Tuschman, R., (2012). Using Volunteers and Interns: Is It Legal? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardtuschman/2012/08/24/using-volunteers-and-interns-is-it-legal/.

The Singles’ Scene Essay -- Essays Papers

The Singles’ Scene "[W]e are all often complicit in the silencing of students. The victims often silence themselves as well†¦"(Hall 7). Is my hair ok? How does my makeup look? Am I going to look like a geek if I answer another question? Do I have to play sports to impress the girls? These kinds of insecurities flood an adolescents mind when placed into a coed education. Instead of focusing on the task put forth by the teacher, the task that should be the most important thing on his or her mind, adolescents are distracted by others around them, especially the opposite sex. Preteens have "a lot on their plates". New schoolwork, new bodies, and new feelings are just part of their every day lives. On top of all of this they are required to navigate through a coed school. Many may argue that the coed factor is just a part of life and the faster a child learns how to cope with it the better off they will be. However, one must learn how to crawl before being able to walk. Perhaps the issue is not learning the fastest way to walk but instead learning the most proficient way to walk. With this idea in mind the way to learn wi th the most dexterity would be by following the path of single sex education from the fourth grade to the eighth grade or during the age of adolescence. As a product of four years of single sex education I can attest first hand that it is the path to take for one’s adolescent years. Leon Podles and Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, journalists for the American Enterprise, agree with my argument for same sex education through the adolescent years. They state: "The point of separating boys and girls during adolescence is to separate the training of good citizens from the vicissitudes of mating and dating, which notor... ...o be in single-sex education. They are not taught to be intolerant of the opposite sex but rather to be able to learn in a way that caters specifically to their needs at that age. Distraction is the underlying and most crucial problem. When an adolescent is in a situation where the opposite sex is a around, learning about Paul Revere is the furthest thing from their mind. The stress of impressing others is a learning impediment that a preteen must face everyday. In stress management courses one is taught to locate the stress factor and then work to remove it to create a less stressful environment. In this case the added stress and distraction stems directly from the opposite sex. Thus, the removal of the stress (the opposite sex) would break through the barrier that is inhibiting the learning process in adolescents and lead to new paths of knowledge and confidence.

Introduction to Philosophy Essay

I. Pre-Socratic Period – also known as the Cosmological Period (cosmos meaning universe) *questions about human existence and subsistence (basic needs) Pre-Socratic Greek philosophers: – Anaxagoras – Thales (he held that water is the fundamental stuff of all things, saying â€Å"All is water†) – Anaximander – Xenophanes – Heraclitus – Anaximenes Empiricism – a theory which states that knowledge comes only or primarily from sensory experience II. Socratic Period – also known as the Era of Scientific Discoveries III. Church Period – also known as the Theological/Dogmatic Period. Dogmatic – from the word dogma (teachings of the Catholic church) Martin Luther – the most controversial bishop during his time; he questioned the teachings of the Catholic church IV. Rebellion Period – also known as the Period of Protestantism *Martin Luther started Protestantism and established the Lutheran church; he questioned the indispensability of the pontis and the institution of the sacraments (holy order and marriage) division of the Catholic church: – Roman Catholic – Greek Orthodox 4 legal systems: – English law – Roman law – Arabic/Mohammedan law – Anglo-American law. V. Renaissance Period – renaissance meaning rebirth – also known as the Arts and Literature Period (which focused on religion) VI. Modern Period – also known as the Period of Industrialization ? introduction to machines ? social problem of unemployment arose ? battle between man and machines 2 social classes: ? bourgeoisie – the ruling class of the two basic classes of capitalist society, consisting of capitalists, manufacturers, bankers, and other employers. The bourgeoisie owns the most important of the means of production, through which it exploits the working class ?proletariat – the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive, the lowest or poorest class of people Friedrich Engels – mentor of Karl Marx *. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels campaigned for a classless society known as communism communism – the political and economic doctrine that aims to replace private property and a profit-based economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of production (e. g. , mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a society; people don’t have private ownership. Das Kapital – one of the major works of the 19th-century economist and philosopher Karl Marx (1818–83), in which he expounded his theory of the capitalist system, its dynamism, and its tendencies toward self-destruction. He described his purpose as to lay bare â€Å"the economic law of motion of modern society. † Lenin and Stalin – leaders of the Russian Revolution who first introduced communism COMMUNISM (zero ownership) SOCIALISM (ownership by few) DEMOCRACY (controlled by the majority of people) Definition of Philosophy – from the words â€Å"de finire† meaning â€Å"to limit† 3 types of definition: 1. Etymological – derived from the word â€Å"etymos† meaning â€Å"origin† Etymology of Philosophy by Pythagoras philia (love) sophia (wisdom) greek words 2. Nominal – derived from the word â€Å"nomen† meaning â€Å"name† 3. Real definition – maybe conceptual or operational definition Real definition of Philosophy a science of beings that investigates the ultimate causes of things, events, etc. , with the aid of human reason alone *philosophers investigate by asking questions human reason – the instrument in philosophy branches of science: ? natural ? social ? Physical – botany philosophy e. g. physics e. g. e.g. beings – subject matter of philosophy; anything that exists 2 types of beings: a) potential – exists without intrinsic contradiction b) actual – exists with intrinsic contradiction uncreated God (theology – focused on the study of God) created living – man – plants – animals –soul–> –soul–> –soul–> rational vegetative sensitive non-living – universe (cosmology – study of the universe) – outside the universe (metaphysics – from the word â€Å"meta† meaning â€Å"beyond†) principles of life soul life spirit – principle of unity what makes man unique? – his characteristics characteristics of man: ? body and soul (rational psychology – study of soul existence) ? body without soul – corpse ? soul without body – ghost ? intellect – to know the â€Å"truth† (logic – correct reasoning; epistemology – validity of human knowledge) ? will – in search of â€Å"good† (ethics or moral philosophy) branches of philosophy connected to man rational psychology deals with spirituality and religion logic – deals with mental and psychological circumstances epistemology deals with physiological/bi ological aspect ethics – deals with the physical aspect of man Phenomenological method – method of knowing man. Edmund Husserl – a mathematician, modern philosopher, and the main proponent of phenomenology steps in phenomenological method: i. epoche – method of bracketing man’s natural attitudes (e. g. , biases or prejudices) ii. eidetic reduction – from the word â€Å"eidos† meaning â€Å"essence†; method of reducing the events to its essence to know the real importance of the phenomenon iii. phenomenological transcendental reduction – method of reducing the essence to its subject ? to the very activity itself love – disinterested giving of oneself to other being kinds of love: – fraternal. – paternal/maternal – erotic – romantic Understanding the Nature of Philosophical Inquiry *on the distinction between philosophy and natural science – natural science ? scientific investigation â€Å"What is Philosophy† by Lauer, S. J. (philosophy in physical science) *can philosophy be taught? – philosophy can be defined by doing it *why do we harm philosophy when we define it? – philosophy is essentially a dynamic process, the attempt to define it is to stop the process *philosophy is an attitude, a way of life, responsible thinking and not a discipline; not a body of knowledge.

Primary Health Care †Indigenous Australian Inequalities Essay

Page 1 The World Health Organisation (World Health Organisation, 2008) states that the indigenous peoples of Australia are one of the most disadvantaged indigenous groups in the developed world. The health of the Indigenous population of Australia is an increasingly pressing issue. Current research and statistics reveals great inequality in many areas of health care and health status between the Aboriginal people and the general population of Australia. Couzos and Murray (2008, p.29) report that the Indigenous population has â€Å"the worst health status of any identifiable group in Australia, and the poorest access to health systems. † This paper will examine the underlying historical contexts and contributing factors that have lead to the current disparity between the health of the Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians. Furthermore, the high prevalence of chronic health issues such as diabetes will be analysed and community health initiatives that are needed or currently being enacted will be identified. Many reasons for the current appalling state of health and wellbeing of the Australian Aboriginal people can be explained by examining their recent history to the devastating impacts of colonisation, genocidal policy, loss of land and years of oppression. These several hundred years of cultural destruction, dispossession and social and political upheaval have resulted in generations of trauma and grief (Burke, 2006, para. 4). As reported by Forsyth (2007, p.35-36), government policies enacted towards the indigenous population in the early 20th Century were concerned primarily with protection and segregation, as the prevailing attitude of the time was that the Indigenous people were largely inferior and were unable to care for themselves. Forsyth continues to explain of the injustice created by the New South Wales parliament with the Aborigines Protection Act of 1909, in which â€Å"every aspect of their lives was governed, regulated and controlled† (Forsyth, 2007, p. 36). Furthermore the Indigenous people of this era were not able to imbibe alcohol, own property, vote or cohabit with non-Indigenous people, and the state of their health was largely ignored due to the belief that they were a dying race. (Couzos et. Page 2 al. 2008, p. 3). Due to this essentially complete lack of health care, Forsyth describes the Aboriginal people of the era living on the outskirts of larger towns as suffering from high rates of blindness, infectious diseases, bone diseases and sexually transmitted infections (Forsyth, 2007, p.36). The severity of these health issues was made worse by fear and distrust of the Aboriginal people towards hospitals and white people (Forsyth, 2007, p. 37). As the 20th Century progressed it became obvious that the Aboriginal population was not a soon to be extinct race as earlier thought, and new political policy calling for assimilation and integration reflected this change, though protectionist and segregationist policies remained influential or continued until the 1970s (Couzos et.al. 2008, p. 4). In the 1960s attitudes of Australian society began to became more concerned for the wellbeing Indigenous people, with increased social conciousness and awareness spreading throughout the Western World. As a result of increasing political activity and demonstration, many Aboriginals were forced off stations in 1966, causing a large movement of Indigenous people to more urban areas such as Redfern (Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 7). This sudden increase in numbers highlighted the need for proper health care and services, with the first Aboriginal health service established in 1971. Throughout the 1970s an increase in research and reporting of Aboriginal health resulted in many state and commonwealth reports all with the same conclusion, that the health status of Aboriginal communities was appalling and that there was great â€Å"need for increased priority, increased resourcing, better coordination, and increased Aboriginal community participation and control† (Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 10). However very little action was taken until the 1990s2000s where relevant political policy was brought in and funding made available for Aboriginal health services, though they mostly remain inadequately funded and Aboriginal health care is still largely unrepresented and avoided by the Australian Government. The ongoing effects of racist and unjust political policy and action can in part explain current aspects of dysfunction and overall disadvantage that occurs in many Indigenous Page 3 communities today. Specifically this disadvantage is evident in many areas of community life, with Indigenous people being generally exposed to more risk factors for poor health than other Australians (Thomson, MacRae, Burns, Catto, Debuyst, Krom, Midford, Potter, Ride, Stumpers and Urquhart, 2010, para. 49). Examples of risk factors include social factors such as dispossession, dislocation and discrimination, educational factors such as poor schooling, resulting in much lower literacy and numeracy skills, economic factors such as lower income and higher unemployment, access to good quality health care and GP’s, and physical environmental factors such as poor and overcrowded housing. Together these disadvantages provide for a higher likelihood of poor lifestyle choices such as alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, a poor and unbalanced diet, obesity and a lack of regular exercise (Thomson et. al. 2010, para. 49, Couzos et. al. 2008, p. 79). Poor access to good quality health care is one of the key predictors for the prevalence of poor health in a community. There are very few GP’s available in remote locations, and as a result of no or little access to professional health care providers, these remote areas are susceptible to poor health awareness and knowledge. As reported by Thomson et. al. (2010, para. 3), almost one-quarter of Indigenous people are classified as living in a remote area with very little access to goods and services or opportunities for social interaction. Couzos et. al. (2008, p. 18) also consider poor access to GP’s as shown by a 2000-2001 survey of GP’s. As reported, only 0. 8% of GP visits were by Indigenous people, though they make up 2. 6% of the general population. Furthermore, more than 70% of GP’s did not see a single Indigenous person during the survey period. This under representation of the Indigenous population visiting GP’s indicates a clear need for increased access to professional health care, and is just one factor of many which demonstrates the need for improvement in the health and wellbeing of the Australian Indigenous people. Page 4 Diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition which can result in many major long term health complications such as stroke, kidney disease, blindness and greatly reduced life expectancy (Allman, 2008, p. 80, Zeng, 2006, p. 73). Diabetes can be classified into three main types, with the second type, non-insulin-dependant diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) the main form developed as a result of lifestyle factors. As reported by Thomson et. al. (2010, para. 2), NIDDM is currently â€Å"one of the most important health problems for Indigenous populations across Australia†, with only around half of those with the condition know they have it, and the proportion of affected Indigenous population estimated to be around 4 four times that of the general population. Couzos et. al. (2008, p. 525) expand that Aboriginal people are also significantly more likely to develop NIDDM at a much younger age, more likely to be hospitalised, and to die from associated complications. This over representation of diabetes in the Indigenous population is a result of their poor health status and education. Thomson et. al. (2010) report that many studies have linked high levels of obesity among Indigenous populations and high prevalence of NIDDM. The main factors linked to this high levels of obesity are the relatively recent availability of highly processed and sugary Western foods and drinks including alcohol and tobacco use, impaired glucose tolerence, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypertension, hyperinsulinaemia and a higher level of physical inactivity than non-Indigenous people (Thomson et. al. 2010). Diabetes prevalence is also linked to a lower socioeconomic status, and as previously examined, a high proportion of the Indigenous population suffer from many areas of disadvantage, which results in a lower socioeconomic status. As further explained by Thomson et. al. (2010) these effects are further aggravated by poor health promotion and knowledge, mental illness and stress, early emotional development and social status, and recent trends indicate increasing development and prevalence of NIDDM. Clearly the Aboriginal population is exposed to many risk factors for diabetes and other chronic conditions, and with increasing development trends, explains poor mortality rates and overall poor health status of their communities. Page 5. Community based programs are essential for the improvement of Indigenous health due to the close-knit nature of their culture and often remote location. This was begun in 2003 at national level with the development of The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, which targeted strengthening of health service infrastructure, accessibility to health services, and health promotion, most importantly the importance of balanced nutrition and regular exercise (Couzos et. al. 2008, p.522, Insel, Ross, McMahon and Bernstein, 2010, p. 653). Cribbes and Glaister (2007, p. 167) describe the importance of health promotion and awareness at the community level, with a focus on re-establishing more traditional food choices and encouraging traditional hunting skills. The traditional Indigenous diet is highly nutritious, being high in protein, low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates, and as considered by Cribbes et. al. (2007, p. 167) is an excellent way to protect against chronic conditions such as diabetes. However the majority of remote Indigenous peoples obtain their food from local stores, thus initiatives such as the Remote Indigenous Stores and Takeaway Project were undertaken to establish minimum healthy eating standards and to educate store managers in nutrition. By empowering local store managers in this way, they are able to further educate the local schools and wider community in healthy eating (Cribbes. et. al. 2007, p. 167). As reported by the Dragon and Anderson (2011, p.28), Close The Gap (CTP) is another national level campaign which has a carry on effect to the community level. CTP aims to resolve the disparity in life expectancy rates and health equality between Aboriginal Australians and the general population, and has been endorsed by federal and state governments. CTP focuses on management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and follow up care. Management and awareness of diabetes is an essential component of improving health standards, and as King (2001, p.147-155) explains, Aboriginal people with diabetes commonly avoid mainstream health services for their health care. This mismanagement can lead to the development of diabetes related complications and greatly reduced quality Page 6 of life and life expectancy. On going strategies and studies identified the need for Aboriginal health workers to deliver community level care and health services for successful diabetes management (King, 2001). In conclusion, Aboriginal health standards have been of an appalling standard for many years due to racist policies, attitudes and in-humane treatment. The damage done and denigration of their lives, families and cultures has only recently began to be repaired by collective efforts nation wide, with a unified goal of self and community-empowerment, improvement of quality of life and living standards. With the expansion and ongoing deliverance of community focused solutions, many risks for ill-health and chronic conditions can be greatly reduced and the health status disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians can in the future be eliminated. Page 7 References: †¢ Allman, T. (2008) Genes & disease : diabetes. New York; Infobase Publishing. †¢ Dragon, N. and Anderson, K. (2011). Indigenous health. Australian Nursing Journal, 19(2), 24-8. †¢ Burke, S. (2006). Changing practices, changing paradigms: working effectively with Indigenous clients. Australian Psychological Society. Retrieved October, 5, 2011 from http://www. psychology. org. au/publications/inpsych/changing/ †¢ Couzos, S. & Murray, R. (2008). Aboriginal primary health care: An evidence-based approach. South Melbourne; Oxford University Press. †¢ Cribbes. M. and Glaister. K. (2007). ‘It’s not easy’: caring for Aboriginal clients with diabetes in remote Australia. Contemporary Nurse, 25; 163-172. †¢ Forsyth (2007). Telling stories: nurses, politics and aboriginal australians, circa 19001980s. Contemporary Nurse, 24(1), 33-44. Insel, P. , Ross, D. , McMahon, K. and Bernstein, M. (2010). Nutrition. Massachusetts; Jones and Bartless Publishers. †¢ King, M. (2001). The diabetes health care of Aboriginal people in South Australia. Contemporary Nurse, 10(3,4), 147-155. Page 8 †¢ Thomson N, MacRae A, Burns J, Catto M, Debuyst O, Krom I, Midford. R, Potter C, Ride K, Stumpers S, Urquhart B (2010). Summary of Australian Indigenous health, 2010. Retrieved October. 6, 2011 from http://www. healthinfonet. ecu. edu. au/health-facts/summary †¢ World Health Organization. (2008). Closing the Gap in a generation. Health equity through action on the social determinants of health. Commission on Social Determinants of Health Final Report. Retrieved October, 6, 2011 from http://www. who. int/social_determinants/thecommission/finalreport/en /index. html †¢ Zeng, Y. (2006). Longer life and healthy aging. Philadelphia; Springer.

n.as essays

n.as essays in a story "to set our house in order",Margaret Laurence delicately portrays a few characters in order to indicate the theme that not everything caan be controlled as accidents might easily happen. the character of grandermother macleod provides the main focus for this theme.she is a rigid, unpleasent woman, who has many troubles in her life.she believes that everything should be in order and tries to set her house in order. she also wants to be a lady.however real life destroys her dream. the great depression makes her unable to afford a housekeeper. the accident of her younger son almost kill her. she wants vannessa to become a lady like her.however,doesn't agree with her. as a result,grandermother macleod can't control her destiny. in addition, this theme is demonstrated through other characters-uncle roderick,granderfather macleod and ewen. uncle roderick loses one of his eyes because of ewen's mistake. then without proper sight,he is killed in the war.this tragedy is the result of an accident. on the other hand , ewen's fate is changed by this tragedy when he decides to study medicine and give up his interest of being a sailor. also, granderfather chooses to be a doctor only because his father is a doctor.these characters destinies are determined by accidents. this story is narrated through the eyes of vanessa.at the end of this story,having seen what happens to her family,vanessa gets the feeling that not everything is in order and things can be changed by accident. thus through her growing up awareness, the author points out the theme. final story To Set Our House in Order by Margaret Laurence was a story that showed different kinds of relationships between a grandparent and a family. Unlike The other stories, Grandma Maclaod tended to have a negative influence on the rest of the family, in her own mind she thought she was doing the right thing. In actuality she was way too ...

Standard Based Grading Measures Student Skills

Standard Based Grading Measures Student Skills What does an A on a test or quiz mean to a student? Mastery of skill or mastery of information or content?   Does an F grade mean a student understands none of the material or less than 60% of the material? How is grading used as feedback for academic performance? Currently, in most middle and high schools (grades 7-12), students receive letter grades or numerical grades in subject areas based on points or percentages. These letter or numerical grades are tied to credits for graduation based on Carnegie units, or the number of  hours of contact time with an instructor.   But what does 75% grade on a math assessment tell a student about his or her specific strengths or weaknesses? What  does a B- grade on a literary analysis essay inform a student about how he or she meets skills sets in organization, content, or conventions of writing?   In contrast to letters or percentages, many elementary and intermediate schools have adopted a standards-based grading system, one that uses a 1-to-4 scale. This 1-4 scale breaks down academic subjects into specific skills needed for a content area.   While these elementary and intermediate schools use standards-based grading may vary in their report card terminology, the most common four-part scale denotes a students level of achievement with descriptors such as: Excels or above grade level (4)Proficient or at grade level (3)Approaching proficiency or approaching grade level (2)Well below proficiency or below grade level (1) A standards-based grading system may be called  competency-based,  mastery-based,  outcome-based,  performance-based, or proficiency-based. Regardless of the name used, this form of a grading system is  aligned to the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English Language Arts and Literacy and in Math, which was established in 2009 and adopted by 42 out of 50 states. Since this adoption, several states have withdrawn from using CCSS in favor of developing their own academic standards. These CCSS standards for literacy and for math were organized in a framework that details specific skills for each grade level in grades K-12. These standards serve as guides for administrators and teachers to develop and implement the curriculum. Each skill in the CCSS has a separate standard, with skill progressions tied to grade levels. Despite the word standard in the CCSS, standards-based grading at the upper-grade levels, grades 7-12, has not been universally adopted. Instead, there is ongoing traditional grading at this level, and most middle and high school use letter grades or percentages based on 100 points. Here is the traditional grade conversion chart: Letter Grade Percentile Standard GPA A+ 97-100 4.0 A 93-96 4.0 A- 90-92 3.7 B+ 87-89 3.3 B 83-86 3.0 B- 80-82 2.7 C+ 77-79 2.3 C 73-76 2.0 C- 70-72 1.7 D+ 67-69 1.3 D 65-66 1.0 F Below 65 0.0 The skill sets outlined in the CCSS for literacy and math can be easily converted  to four point scales, just as they are at the K-6 grade levels. For example, the first reading standard for grade 9-10 states that a student should be able to: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. Under a traditional grading system with letter grades (A-to-F) or percentages, a score on this reading standard may be difficult to interpret. Advocates of standard based grading will ask, for example, what a score of B or 88% tells a student. This letter grade or percentage is less informative about a student’s skill performance and/or subject mastery.  Instead, they argue, a standards-based system would singularly assess a students skill to cite textual evidence for any content area: English, social studies, science, etc. Under a standards-based assessment system, students could be assessed on their skill to cite using a 1-to-4 scale that featured the following descriptors:   Score 4: excels in citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs no support;Score 3:  proficient at  citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential  OR needs minimal support;Score 2:  approaching proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs moderate support;Score 1:  below proficiency at citing  strong and thorough textual evidence -explicit and inferential OR needs extensive support and/or reteaching. Assessing students on a 1-4 scale  on a particular skill  can provide clear and specific feedback to a student. A standard by standard assessment separates and detail the skills, perhaps on a rubric.  This is less confusing or overwhelming to a student when compared to a combined skills percentage score on 100 point scale. A conversion chart that compares  a traditional grading of an assessment to standards-based graded assessment would look like the following: Letter Grade Standards-Based grade Percentage grade Standard GPA A to A+ Mastery 93-100 4.0 A- to B Proficient 90-83 3.0 to 3.7 C to B- Approaching proficiency 73-82 2.0-2.7 D to C- Below Proficiency 65-72 1.0-1.7 F Below Proficiency Below 65 0.0 Standards-based grading  also allows teachers, students,  and parents to see a grade report that lists overall levels of proficiency on separate skills instead of composite or combined skill scores. With this information, students are better informed in their individual strengths and in their weaknesses as  a standards-based score highlights the skill set(s) or content that need(s) improvement and allows them to target areas for improvement. Furthermore, students would not need to re-do all of a test or assignment if they have demonstrated mastery in some areas. An advocate for standards-based grading is educator and researcher Ken OConnor. In  his chapter,  The Last Frontier: Tackling the Grading Dilemma, in Ahead of the Curve: The Power of Assessment to Transform Teaching and Learning, he notes: Traditional grading practices have promoted the idea of uniformity. The way we are fair is we expect all students do to the same thing in the same amount of time in the same way. We need to move†¦ to the idea that fairness is not uniformity. Fairness is equity of opportunity (p128). OConnor argues that standards-based grading allows for grading differentiation because it  is flexible and can be adjusted up and down as students confront new skills and content. Moreover, no matter where students are in a quarter or semester, a standard based grading system provides students, parents, or other stakeholders an assessment of student understanding in real time. That kind of student understanding may  take place during conferences, such as the ones Jeanetta Jones Miller explained in her article   A Better Grading System: Standards-Based, Student-Centered Assessment in the September 2013 edition of the English Journal. In her description of how standard based grading informs her instruction, Miller writes that it’s important to set up appointments to confer with each student about progress toward mastery of course standards. During the conference, each student receives individual feedback on his or her performance in meeting one or more standards in a content area:   The evaluation conference provides an opportunity for the teacher to make it clear that the student’s strengths and areas for growth are understood and the teacher is proud of the student’s efforts to master the standards that are most challenging. Another benefit to standardized based grading is the separation  of student work habits that are often combined in a grade. At the secondary level, a point penalty for late papers missed homework, and/or uncooperative collaborative behavior is sometimes included in a grade. While these unfortunate social behaviors will not stop with the use of standards-based grading, they may be isolated and given as separate scores  into another category. Of course, deadlines are important, but factoring in behaviors such as turning an assignment in on time or not has the effect of watering down an overall grade. To counter such behaviors, it may be possible to have a student turn in an assignment that still meets a mastery standard but does not meet a set deadline. For example, an essay assignment may still achieve a 4 or exemplary score on skills or content, but the academic behavior skill in turning in a late paper may receive a 1 or below proficiency score. Separating behavior from skills also has the effect of preventing students from receiving the kind of credit that simply completing work and meeting deadlines has had in distorting measures of academic skill.   There are, however, many educators, teachers and administrators alike, who do not see advantages to adopting a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. Their arguments against standards-based grading primarily reflect concerns at the instructional level. They stress that the  transition to a standards-based grading system, even if the school is from one of the 42 states using the CCSS, will require teachers to spend immeasurable amounts of time on extra planning, preparation, and training. In addition, any statewide initiative to move to standards-based learning may be difficult to fund and manage. These concerns may be a reason enough not to adopt standards-based grading. Classroom time can also be a concern for teachers when  students do not reach proficiency on a skill. These students will need reteaching and reassessment placing another demand on curriculum pacing guides. While this reteaching and reassessment by skill does create  additional work for classroom teachers, however, advocates for  standards-based grading note that this process may help teachers to refine their instruction. Rather than add to continuing student confusion or misunderstanding, reteaching may improve later understanding. Perhaps the strongest objection to standards-based grading is based on the concern that standards-based grading might put high school students at a disadvantage when applying to college. Many stakeholders -parents, students teachers, guidance counselors, school administrators-believe that college admissions officers will only evaluate students based on their letter grades or GPA, and that GPA must be in numerical form. Ken OConnor disputes that concern suggesting that secondary schools are in the position to issue both traditional letter or numerical grades and standards-based grades at the same time. â€Å"I think it’s unrealistic in most places to suggest that (GPA or letter grades) are going to go away at the high school level,† O’Connor agrees, but the basis for determining these might be different. He proposes that schools might base their letter-grade system on the percentage of grade-level standards a student meets in that particular subject and that schools can set their own standards based on GPA correlation.   Renowned author and education consultant Jay McTighe  agrees with OConnor, â€Å"You can have letter grades and standards-based grading as long as you clearly define what those (letter-grade) levels mean.† Other concerns are that standards-based grading can mean the loss of class ranking or honor rolls and academic honors. But OConnor points out that high schools and universities confer degrees with highest honors, high honors, and honors and that ranking students to the hundredth of a decimal may not be the best way to prove academic superiority. Several New England states will be at the forefront of this restructuring of grading systems. An article in  The  New England Journal of Higher Education Titled directly addressed the question of college admissions with standard based grading transcripts. The states of Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have all passed legislation to implement proficiency or standards-based grading in their secondary schools.   In support of this initiative, a study in Maine titled Implementation of a Proficiency-Based Diploma System: Early Experiences in Maine  Ã‚  (2014) by Erika K. Stump and David L. Silvernail used a  two-phase, qualitative approach in their research and found: ...that benefits [of proficiency grading] include improved student engagement, greater attention to development of robust interventions systems and more deliberate collective and collaborative professional work. Maine schools are expected to establish a proficiency-based diploma system by 2018. The New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) and the New England Secondary School Consortium (NESSC) met in 2016 with admissions leaders from highly selective New England colleges and universities and discussion was the subject of an article How Selective Colleges and Universities Evaluate Proficiency-Based High School Transcripts (April 2016) by Erika  Blauth and Sarah Hadjian. The discussion revealed that college admissions officers are less concerned with grade percentages  and more concerned that grades must always be based on clearly specified learning criteria.   They also noted that: Overwhelmingly, these admissions leaders indicate that students with proficiency-based transcripts will not be disadvantaged in the highly selective admissions process. Moreover, according to some admissions leaders, features of the proficiency-based transcript model shared with the group provide important information for institutions seeking not just high-performing academics, but engaged, lifelong learners. A review of the information on standards-based grading at the secondary level shows that implementation will require careful planning, dedication, and follow through for all stakeholders. The benefits for students, however, could be worth the considerable effort.

An examination and Investigation of the UK Construction Industry Essay

An examination and Investigation of the UK Construction Industry skills shortage crisis. What strategy is being adopted to combat the current skills shortage A - Essay Example found that 1,602 people currently work within the built heritage sector in London, preserving some 891,000 pre-1919 historic buildings, including 19,096 listed buildings. However, with 27 per cent of local contractors having outstanding vacancies and the workload ever increasing, the industry needs to recruit almost 550 people at a local level in the next one year just to meet immediate demand. It includes such a diversified group of workers like carpenters, speciality bricklayers and slate and tile roofers, lead-workers and stonemasons and joiners to work in construction industry estimated to be worth over  £3.5billion across England every year. It was also felt that there will be severe shortage of different construction workers involved with skills such as drystone walling, thatching, millwrighting, earth walling, and flint-knapping in coming 15-20 years in United Kingdom. In England today, there are currently only around 270 professional members of the Dry Stone Walling Association, under 1,000 thatchers and about 50 firms who work on cob and earth buildings. In the next one year alone, there is a need for almost 200 lime plasterers, around 140 wattle and daub craftspeople, over 100 glaziers, over 80 clay dabbins craftspeople, and almost 60 cob builders and dry stone wallers. It reflects the fact that not only does the report produce yet further evidence that heritage conservation skills1 are at risk, but uniquely it puts forward an action plan to tackle specific problems. Hence it is high time for all policy makers and enterpreneurs for joined-up thinking and concerted action across the construction industry, the built heritage sector, educational establishments, careers organisations, funding bodies and government departments to tackle a vital issue that is at the heart of sustaining two In case of private buildings, almost two thirds of public and commercial stockholders and private home dwellers expressed a high level of satisfaction with the work done