Urban Safari Essays - Christian Music, Christmas Music,

Urban Safari Urban Safari There are times when having a brother with twenty more years of age, experience, and wisdom, can adversely effect your credibility. This is especially true at nine years old. I found this to be the case one Christmas day many years ago when my brother Tom came home for the holidays. It appeared to be the start of a special Christmas, for my brother was coming to visit. I was even more excited than usual for a nine-year-old boy at this time of year. I wondered what new presents would be under the tree? In the past, Tom always got me such neat stuff. I could hardly wait to start shaking the gifts and guessing. As usual, I was up before dawn, tearing into my gifts with all the fervor with which the drowning seize life preservers. My folks, along with my brother, had now joined me in the gift-opening ceremony. Saving the best for last was out of the question; it was the gift from my brother that I tore into first. My dreams had come true. My prayers were answered. There it was, bigger and shinier than anything in the display case of any Western Auto store in the world. It was a B B gun. Finally, I had entered the ranks of the big kids. The prestige of such a gift! I anticipated the glory of shooting my first bird. This was truly a present for a twelve years old, maybe even a teenager. While reveling in my grandeur, I hadn't noticed that my Mother was watching with obvious disapproval. Apparently she had other plans for the B B gun. You can't shoot that thing in the yard! she barked. You'll have to go to the riverbed. With those words, I was instructed to leave the B B gun under the tree with the less attractive presents. You can open your other gifts now. Tom will watch you while we go visit Auntie Mabel, and don't forget, leave the B B gun alone, Mom ordered. No sooner than they were out the door my brother grabbed the gun and headed towards the back yard. Wherere you going? I asked. To test your gun out before Mom and Dad get back was his reply. I thought this was a grand idea. Our back yard was full of potential targets. My brother's first choice was two cases of empty mason jars my Mom used for canning fruit. Somehow this didn't seem like the right thing to do, but surely Tom would know right from wrong. He stacked up all twenty-four jars and shot them into a deadly pile of broken glass and jar lids. I had wanted a turn with the gun, but he said, I have to sight it in first. With the jars demolished, Tom decided to find a few new targets. First was the neighbors' weather vane: an aluminum rooster high atop their barn. As each shot connected with its intended target, paint chipped off the rooster. This looks like fun. Can I have a turn yet? I asked. His reply was an adamant No! After this target was exhausted, he moved on to the neighbor's porch lights. What a good shot he was, as the various outside lights of all three surrounding houses burst one by one. I was anxious for my turn, but now Tom was taking aim at the windows of a nearby work shed. I couldn't believe my eyes, as he shot out four window panes with consecutive rapid-fire shots. When will it be my turn? I cried, about to wet my pants with anticipation. You can't shoot the gun in the yard, he snapped. You'll have to go to the riverbed. With that shocking statement Tom marched into the house and tossed the gun back under the Christmas tree. Of course I was furious for not getting to shoot my own gun, especially with such good targets. It was too late, though, for by now my parents had returned home. Nothing was said about the target practice that went on in their absence, but I was sure they would find out soon. I was also sure my brother would be long gone before all the damages were

The US 19001909 essays

The US 19001909 essays The early 1900s was a great time for Americans. The early 1900s brought many reforms, changes, and inventions to the country. Many people, around the world, began to recognize the US as a world power. With the nations growing economic and naval power, it was obvious that the US was a major contender for world domination. Throughout the early 1900s the United States was dramatically changed from a little nation to a nation of great wealth and prosperity. The United States entered the Twentieth Century as a world power along with older world powers of Europe (Angel, vol. 1) such as France, England, and Germany. The United States achieved this power by stepping up its navy. The navy won national support and began its expansion to supremacy, by sending the great-white fleet around the world on December 16, 1907 (Angel, vol. 1). This was done to show the world the maturity of American engineering as well as the substance for the big stick policy (Dictionary of American History, vol. V). The United States wanted to show and warn the other countries of the world that the US was here and they meant business. Mark Twain said: We have pacified some thousands of islanders and buried them...burned their villages, and turned their widows and orphans out-of-doors...subjugated the remaining ten millions by benevolent assimilation, which if the pious new name of the musket; we have acquired property in the three hundred concubines and other slaves of our business partner, the sultan of Sulu, and hoisted our protecting flag over that swag. And so, by the Providences of God and the phrase is the governments, not mine we are a world power. (Angel, vol. 1) From 1900 to 1920 there was a staggering increase in iron ore and crude petroleum production in the United States. For example, in 1900, there were 27,300 tons of iron ore and 63,621 barrels of petroleum produced in the US. In 1910, the...

Idea Checklist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Idea Checklist - Essay Example This paper seeks to provide a brief statement that identifies a product and three new, creative ideas relating to the selected product. Before developing a new product, one must look into various issues such as: generating ideas from suggestions of the customers; assessment of these ideas whether or not they fit with the strategy to be employed; research the market by focusing on the competitiveness of the product; team formation; designing critical path, setting budgets; considering other related risks; defining basic product requirement; valuing the selling price; designing the product; coming up with a prototype, gearing up for a full-scale invention; and final essential issue is continuous monitoring of the product (Wilson, 2013). Below is an example of a checklist based on a release-readiness checklist for a desktop software product. This kind of a checklist is an exit manuscript that indicates whether or not a specific product features gives an acceptable user experience. In conclusion, as demonstrated in the above example, there are various approaches for evaluating one’s idea. The most important aspect is to choosing the best criteria that best suite a particular entrepreneur’s needs depending on the type of the product (Hisrich, Peters & Shepherd,

Higher Education Curriculum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Higher Education Curriculum - Essay Example As the report stresses in higher education, an academic curriculum is an academic plan that seeks to enable a learning experience as outlined in its blueprint for college and university students. The curriculum is also under a broad definition, which includes several constituents. The first is the goals for the student receiving the education; they include skills under development, knowledge gained under the curriculum and the attitude with which this knowledge is received. The second constituent in the curriculum is the content offered by the system. This is described as the subject matter which is studied in the learning experience. Sequence is also another important constituent of a curriculum. Sequence is the specific order with which information discourse to the learners. This paper discusses that the higher education curriculum has been under constant critique from its introduction due to several factors. During the 1980’s the critics were most aggressive citing lack of quality in the curriculum, poor accessibility by the learners and lack of relevance in terms of the needs of the learners. The job market and changes in tandem with the emerging challenges. This also influences the curriculum in terms of content. Therefore, there has to be constant change in order for the synchronization of students going through the higher education centers. In developing a curriculum, one has to consider the expectations of the learners from the curriculum, and the expectations of the job market from the learners.... The critiques in the 80’s were mostly managers and company heads who complained that the graduates they received had no knowledge on how to tackle problems. In developing a curriculum, one has to consider the expectations of the learners from the curriculum, and the expectations of the job market from the learners. In this way the curriculum developed is suitable for both the learner and the employer. As mentioned above, a curriculum is only effective if it molds learners to fit perfectly into the job market with less dependence on the bosses. The heads of the job fields are the main forces of change for a curriculum. No matter how much a higher learning institution feels it is providing well-educated graduates the job owners are always the final determinants of that. If they determine that a curriculum does not equip the graduates wholly, they point out where changes should be carried out and then the change is introduced to the curriculum. In changing a curriculum, the first step is identifying the problems in the already existing curriculum. In this stage, research is conducted pointing out exactly where there are limitations in the curriculum. This is done throughout the system including the knowledge provided by the institution, the method of providing it, how the learners perceive it and the sequence with which it is under provision. This step entails thorough scrutiny of the curriculum and identification of all problems. The second step is assessing what learners are available and what kind of graduates the market requires. In this stage, consideration of the learner’s expectation is important. The next step is to outline the goals and objectives of the curriculum, which help in carrying out the fourth step which is

The Impacts and Roles of Canada in China-Japan Row Research Paper

The Impacts and Roles of Canada in China-Japan Row - Research Paper Example The purchase put the full control over the island on Japan. However, with politics at play, China has showed an interest over the island again claiming that the island rightfully belongs to them, an argument that Japan is not willing to listen to according to Zhao (2012). In fact, pundit argue that the two countries may end up engaging in of the deadliest fights after the World War II if nothing is not done to ease the tension between the two neighboring countries. As a result, Canada is one of the countries that have been proposed to negotiate a cease-fire between these two countries at war, following the fact that Canada is not seen to have any inclination both economically or politically with the two nations. This paper will explore the tension brewing up between China and Japan and the involvement of Canada on the issue. China and Japan are two economic giants in the Asian region and the world at large. These two neighboring countries had had close relation between each other for a very long time until recently in 2010 when an issue arose between the two nations over uninhabited island. Initially the issue appeared very little that it did not attract much attention of the international community until recently when a war of words and military surveillance began over the island. In this regard, Chinese warships and airplanes have been surveying the island over the past few years with a view to taking it away from Japan. However, Japan has always maintained its position that the island has traditionally and rightfully belongs to them, and any attempt by Chinese government to take the island will be met with the strongest force possible, a statement, which has signaled that war is in the offing (Tanaka, 2013). The tension has indeed affected the strong bilateral trade between these two countries since the beginning of the tension. Bloomberg News (2013) reported that some discontented Chinese consumers have been boycotting Japanese products in protest over the island. This scenario has led to a sharp fall in Japanese autos sales in China, something that is negatively affected the economy of Japan, taking into consideration the fact that China has been one of its biggest auto market in the world. In fact, Japan has not yet recovered from such a huge decline in sales in Chinese market witnessed in the recent past. Bloomberg News (2013) reveals that many Chinese factories have shifted their loyalty to South Korean component suppliers. At the same time, China has also experienced a significant decline in the export market due to the tension between it and Japan. This has become costly for the Japanese government since China has been its long time largest export market. Bloomberg News (2013) reveals that currently the U.S. has overtaken China as the largest export market for the Japanese products. Bloomberg News (2013) also noted that as China continue with its territorial claim over the island, the bilateral trade between the two countries, w hich tripled from 2000 to over $300 billion, is likely to decline significantly. The latest flare-ups had been reverberated by Xi Jiping of the Chinese Communist Party when he criticized the move by Kunioki Kurihara, a Japanese developer to sell three of the disputed islands to the Japanese government for just $23 million, calling this a farce according to Bloomberg News (2013). The dispute between the two nations is reported to have resulted in a decline, in Japanese growth, by about one percent. Meyer (2011) argues that this percentage decline has the potential of keeping the economy in recession up to September this year. The fall out is also projected to have caused a

The Importance Of Transparency In Lobbying Laws Politics Essay

The Importance Of Transparency In Lobbying Laws Politics Essay This paper underlines the importance of understanding that only setting laws for regulating lobbying practices as anti-corruption measures is not enough. Making the practice as transparent as possible is the key to reach out to civil society. This paper will focus on the lobbying system in Lithuania, where despite having lobbying laws/ regulation of interest groups it has been unsuccessful in integrating the support of civil society. I argue that this is due to the lack of transparency in the lobbying system. This essay will apply a model on how effective it would be to make lobbying costly combined with transparency, that would result in lowering corruption and integrate civilian advocacy in political systems to step up to the democratization process. Outline of Paper: SECTION I INTRODUCTION SECTION II INSIGHTS OF INTEREST GROUPS AND LOBBYING IN DEVELOPING DEMOCRACIES SECTION III CASE OF LITHUANIA SECTION IV ANALYSIS SECTION V RECOMMENDATION-MAKING LOBBYING COSTLY SECTION VI CONCLUSION SECTION VII BIBLIOGRAPHY SECTION I-Introduction All political regimes have organizations like interest groups whether the type of system is democratic, authoritarian or totalitarian. Interest groups have not been studied extensively or analyzed in developing democracies the way they have been in developed democracies. An important characteristic of interest group organization in developing democracies is the history of their authoritarian past. These better described as power groups, tend to dominate interest group and lobbying activities. They differ from the more institutionalized and formalized interest group activity of developed democracies. By institutionalization we are referring to an increasingly independent civil society, a rising range of interests and interest groups and a political culture that views interest group activity and lobbying as legitimate and vital to the long term sustainable democratization process. (Thomas, Hrebenar, 2008). In order for a constitutional democracy to emerge, general societal behavioral change must occur in which a) no significant political group attempts to overthrow the democratic regime; b) even during severe political and economic predicaments, the public will seek political change from within the democratic process; and c) all political players will act to resolve conflict through established constitutional standards. (Przeworski, 1991; ODonnell, 1992; Linz and Stepan, 1996). The objective of this paper is to show that making interest group and lobbying activities transparent and regulated, could result in the emergence of not only a constitutional democracy but in decreasing corruption levels within the political system. In section 2, I will present the specificities of developing democracies interest groups, while in section 3 I will focus on Lithuania. I will analyze the Lithuanian findings in section 4, recommend a blend of transparency lobbying laws coupled with making lobbying costly (based on models) as a corruption deterrent in section 5, and conclude in section 6. SECTION II-Features of interest group systems in developing democracies One of the major roles that interest groups perform in established democracies is being a major medium of representation for various sections of society. This is not really the case in developing democracies. In advanced democracies, because a large percentage of the population belong to interest groups, there is more transparency in their activities and may be even more important than political parties in performing a mass representational task (Thomas, 2001). In developing democracies there are common patterns of interest group activity that are typical of their authoritarian days. This can obstruct the development of an independent civil society and the establishment of an extensive and effective interest group system. The restricted independence of interest groups from the past, where in some countries they were banned as in communist systems may influence their independent functioning under a developing democracy. Special interests were often generally viewed as illegitimate in authoritarian regimes. The general public was socialized to believe that interest groups worked against the national interest. Many developing democracies face a major challenge to foster a political culture that includes acceptance of interest group activities and a belief in their political efficiency so that extent that citizens will join and use them as a major means representational voices. (Thomas, 2001) Informal groups were the norm under the authoritarian regimes and remain a dominant force as opposed to institutionalized structures. Therefore, a very narrow range of groups likely exists when the system begins to transition to democracy. Elites have been very successful in using power groups and so have little incentive to develop formalized and institutional interests that might reduce and destroy their power. Therefore there is little interest group and lobbying structures in a newly democratizing country to provide the foundation for the development of a professional advocacy sector. In 2005 in Lithuania there were only seven individuals who could be considered contract lobbyists, (Thomas,2001) in Bulgaria there were none till 2006. (Thomas, 2004). There are less formalized lobbying strategies and tactics in developing democracies to voice political preferences as compared to those in established democracies. The main tactic used is through insider contact of elite-power groups with public officials. In many societies corruption and payoffs also form major influence. Though protest groups may emerge through the course of these actions, and demonstrations may be used, they seldom affect efficient public policy decision making. (Thomas, 2001). SECTION III-Case Study of Lithuania The lobbying community in Lithuania is underdeveloped, corrupt and negatively perceived by society. This is attributable to their legacy of communism which heavily influences the efficiency with which interest groups and lobbyists operate. This results in rising suspicion among the eyes of the public and government officials which impedes the development of an effective lobbying community. Lithuanian interest groups do not use sophisticated lobbying practices and access is largely based on personal connections and corrupt practices. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). Two international indexes illustrated how modernized Lithuania has become since the collapse of the Soviet Union. According to the Heritage Foundation the 2006 Index lists Lithuania as the 23rd most Free Nation. Transparency Internationals 2005 Corruption Perceptions Index holds Lithuania as its 44th least corrupt nation. Overall these international indexes portray Lithuania as a country with moderate levels of corruption, a growing and active interest group system with business interests balanced by an efficient labor movement, with a civil society comprised of a responsible media and the general public willing to engage in regular interest group politics. This, however, is not the case according to a 2005 University of Utah research project, where they found that Lithuanian interest groups and lobbyists were majorly characterized by interests of government elites and business leaders. Interest group and lobbying activity in Lithuania is underdeveloped and unsophisticated in the sense that it is repressed by low perceptions of political effectiveness by the general mass and dominated by business interests. Negative perceptions of lobbying and the ineffective lobby laws contribute to the burgeoning and unrefined state of lobbying in Lithuania. These pessimistic public attitudes are amplified by the effects of communist attitudes and the Lithuanian lobbying law which presents significant obstacles to the formation of interest groups (extensive registration processes) and the implementation of lobbying activities. The prevalence of corruption and long-established personal connections are major lobbying tactics and result in a dichotomy in the minds of the public in differentiating between private and public interests. The present law also fails to elucidate increased transparency and legitimacy of lobbying activities, which are the core artifices of an efficient democ racy. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). Labor is weak as a political and lobbying force in Lithuania due to the legacy of its control by communist leaders, and it results in its failure to use modern strategies of lobbying. The labor sector is small and fragmented. However, the business community has transitioned to sophisticated interest group and lobbying systems. This is due to its extensive resources and contacts that the business communities have with the Lithuanian Parliament and the executive branch. It can be said that only those interest groups with a great deal of resources have power in Lithuania. A significant factor to take into consideration in business lobbying is the financial resources that these communities have and that there are more than 100 members of the Lithuanian Parliament that have business connections and interests but only four that represent labor. There are few professional lobbyists who are registered (only 11 registered lobbyists in Lithuania in 2005). Many groups come to the Lithuanian Par liament with their complaints but fail to suggest possible solutions and courses of political action to solve these problems. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). The lack of a professional lobbying community in Lithuania may persist in the future because the use of personal contacts to contact public officials makes the development of a lobbying bodies redundant, the lack of knowledge among groups about sophisticated lobbying tactics may include a lack of knowledge about the value professional lobbyists, and the small population of Lithuania infers that informal politics prevails as a result of personal contacts. Hence, there is not enough pressure or incentive to develop advanced interest group techniques including professional lobbying groups. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). Corruption is widespread in Lithuania and affects the interest group system. It affects how people go about lobbying, including using bribes to public officials, passing contracts to friends etc. Corruption in the system contributes directly to the very negative view of interest groups and lobbying by the public (Baltic Times, 2004). Corrupt methods of lobbying (bribery and gratuities) are not accepted as ethical, but identified as the most effective and practiced methods of lobbying that can be used for interest group to achieve desired results. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). The lobby law is unsuccessful in Lithuania because it is too restrictive. While many individuals engage in activities that are legit lobbying, negative views on the part of the public and public officials along with a troublesome registration process and expensive registration fee, dissuades most individuals engaged in lobbying activity from registering. The general consensus is that the lobby law is not feasible, is ineffective and is likely not applicable to a developing democracy with an emerging interest group system like Lithuania. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). Since there are very few registered lobbyists, most lobbying is conducted through unregulated and non-transparent means. Thus the law does not account for the predominant amount of the actual lobbying that takes place in Lithuania. A regulatory system that would be more efficient is a monitoring system which requires reporting of lobbying activity, more information and transparency on lobbyists and their interests, and also providing information on the money that is spent on lobbying. Since the Lithuanian lobbying law is associated with corruption and negative perceptions, registering is a major disadvantage to those who legally register as paid lobbyists. (Hrebenar; McBeth; Morgan, 2008). Overall, there is a disincentive to do so. By simply integrating lobbying laws into a regulatory system will not result in dramatically reducing corruption levels. Lobbying practices should be transparent to the public, the civil society needs to understand the need for the lobbyists activities and be active advocates of it, and therefore transform them into a crucial component of a functioning democracy. SECTION IV-Analysis In order for a successful democracy to emerge, it is vital that the civil society has the confidence in their political infrastructure. Interest groups and lobbyists work towards the benefits of society, and it is important that the general public feel safe and confident in order to integrate voices in parliament. Building an effective interest group and lobbying system in burgeoning democracies requires taking more aggressive steps to fight corruption altogether, since it lies deeply rooted in their systems. Interest group politics and lobbying must be included into the medias discussion of politics. As a matter of fact, in order to tackle it from the bottom, regulated media scrutiny is required. Taking into account the suspicion that most citizens hold and is wary of most political moves, they must learn and understand that such politics are legitimate and acceptable. To achieve this, it may be plausible to introduce studies of legitimate lobbying activities in school/university curriculums. In the Lithuanian system the more difficult aspect to change is probably the civic society ideals and beliefs and the attitudes of the Lithuanian population and elites. An effective interest group and lobbying system is especially difficult to build in a post-authoritarian state, given their ingrained be lief systems and ideals. Lithuanian democracy is nearly two decades old and clearly the interest group and lobbying system has not emerged as a strongly constructed cornerstone. The lack of citizen knowledge about the significance of an independent and politically sophisticated civil society to modern democratic politics indicates that the core requirement of a transparent lobbying system was amiss from the beginning. SECTION V-A Recommendation-Making lobbying costly A way in which extraneous and meaningless lobbying can be overcome is by making the activity itself expensive. Someone considering whether to become a lobbyist has to consider the costs of lobbying activities. These costs consist of organizational costs and informational costs. If they want to perform seriously as lobbyists, they have to show that the information that they obtain is reliable and based on sound evidence and information. In some cases, intricate technical information is difficult and costly to obtain. Lobbyists may have to pay for high costs to obtain expert information to credibly provide what is demanded by the authorities in question. These high costs may sometimes dissuade certain lobbyists from entering the entire race altogether unless they have credible motives to do so. We can refer to Potters and Van Winden (1992) model of persuasive costly lobbying and try to understand it in mathematical equations: Lobbyist incurs a cost C ≠¥ 0 when lobbying  · when C = 0 informative lobbying only occurs when d ≠¤ ( ÃŽ ¸H ÃŽ ¸L ) / 2  · when ÃŽ ¸=ÃŽ ¸H there is no risk of false reporting  · when ÃŽ ¸= ÃŽ ¸L and C > 0, the lobbyist now has to incur a cost to report. Hypothesis: policy maker takes lobbyists claims at face value, and interprets lack of lobbying as ÃŽ ¸= ÃŽ ¸L To understand the incentive for the lobbyist at equilibrium cost, when ÃŽ ¸=ÃŽ ¸H the lobbyist incurs the costs only when (qH qH d) 2 C ≠¥ (qL qH d) 2 C ≠¤ (qH qL) (2 d + qH qL) when q = qL the lobbyist refrains from lobbying only when (qL qL d) 2 ≠¥ (qL qH d) 2 C C ≠¥ (qH qL) (2 d (qH qL) ) There is a range of lobbying costs for which the lobbyist communicates with the policy maker in the high states of the world. In this case the policy maker acknowledges this and always implements his preferred policy. Is the lobbyist better off when costs are positive and d > ( ÃŽ ¸H ÃŽ ¸L ) / 2? C = 0 ⇒ p = E ( ÃŽ ¸ ) and E (ul(p,q)) = 0.5 ( ( E ( ÃŽ ¸ ) ÃŽ ¸H d)2 + 0.5 ( ( E ( ÃŽ ¸ ) ÃŽ ¸L d)2 C > 0 : E (ul(p,q)) = 0.5 ( d2 C ) + 0.5 ( d2 ) = d2 C/2 the lobbyist is better off when C < (qH qL)2 / 2 From this model, we clearly get the intuition that if registered lobbying activities are made costly the lobbyist will have lesser incentive to engage in unnecessary meaningless lobbying activities. Therefore, transparency coupled with making lobbying costly could discourage selfish lobbying practices. SECTION VI-Conclusion In any political power structure the actual bodies that create laws as well as the tools for implementing them are usually at the top of the political hierarchy. Here, we seem to be finding more and more, that it is easier to compromise amongst themselves than to continue guarding and representing the more plebeian interests. This is even more true today where we have a vital separation between national politics and globalization which in principle are at loggerheads. As a result politicians are even more compromised and helpless against the over-powering globalized corporate interests and instinctively know that it is a losing battle to fight against them. As we are now witnessing, politics everywhere is bereft of political ideology and entirely married to economic priorities. In such an atmosphere, creating moral strictures to hem the growing influence of special interest bodies (a majority of which are corporate or backed by very powerful groups (NRA and the Jewish Lobby in the USA are examples) is a dead cause. The BEA scandal in the UK is a fine example of how Politicians hide under a a blanket cover (they have specially created for their own benefit) of national security a catch 22 situation, because, according to them, it cannot be transparent for the very same reason that it is secretive. Increasing, governments everywhere have found this the most useful tool to degrade democracy everywhere. Organizations which use corrupt practices will not take to transparency operation and regulation of lobbying. They will feel exposed as this is associated with changes in laws such as the political parties in proportion to its funding, in terms of laws governing the methods of financing campaigns. While discussing lobbying, unions should also be taken into account, which often become the most influential lobbyists. In the process of building a representative democracy it is necessary to create mechanisms which openly discuss issues that they can be resolved in favor of society and not just for the benefit of private or group interests. A cornerstone to this objective may be a combination of effective and modern lobbying laws, meeting the goals of representative democracy based on principles of transparency and publicity. In developing democracies like Lithuania, it is vital to keep the civil society informed about regulated lobbying activities which are designed to benefit the public . Otherwise there is the risk of them being left to speculate the evils of interest group activities, which their legacies have socialized them to do so.

Greek Tragedy Exemplified in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare

Greek Tragedy Exemplified in Shakespeare's Hamlet For several thousands of years, drama has existed among mankind. The ancient Greeks are accredited with the creation of drama, which began as simple religious rituals and eventually evolved into the more complex forms of tragedies and comedies. The first rules of drama, not surprisingly, were also written by a Greek--the famous philosopher and intellectual, Aristotle. Aristotle took note of the what qualities created a successful dramatic piece by observing a plethora of plays written by different Greek dramatists. As a result of what he observed, Aristotle compiled a set of guidelines to define the perfect tragedy. So influential, thorough, and well crafted were his writings that many poets and playwrights since have patterned their own works after them. Aristotle noted six basic requirements for a good tragedy--plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and song. The most important of all of these is obviously the plot. The plot needs to have a beginning, which doesn't necessarily follow any event; a middle, which follows the beginning and causes the ending; and of course the finale, which is caused by the middle and does not itself cause any other event. Common sense, therefore, dictates that all of the acts need to be skillfully woven into one another instead of each act abruptly starting and abruptly ending. The last need of a good plot is the incorporation of situation reversals and scenes of recognition. These are almost always the most powerful parts of any good plot, as they invoke emotional interest in the viewer. Character is the next most important aspect of the perfect tragedy after the plot. Every tragedy needs to contain a tragic hero. A complete vil... ...oetic form of all of Shakespeare's plays is always well crafted and problems with wording are nonexistent. Hamlet also contains some of the most famous soliloquies that Shakespeare ever wrote. Hamlet's "to be or not to be" speech is probably one of Shakespeare's best known speeches outside of Mark Antony's "friends, Romans, county men, lend me your ears" speech from Julius Caesar. Elements of song are also found in this play through the character Ophelia when she is in her maddened state. Hamlet is most definitely a shining example of an ideal tragedy. Its plot, characters, and wording are all masterfully crafted. It is well thought out and flows smoothly. William Shakespeare has truly embraced Aristotle's idea of the perfect tragedy through his own Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Global Shakespeare Theatre Series. 1996.

Child Development Theories Essay

While theorists have different ideas and perspectives, insight on child and adolescent development can assist teachers and parents in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential. Having knowledge about the development of a child and adolescent provides clues in understanding behavior and what is â€Å"normal,† or typical, in growth and development in the early months and years of life. Three developmental theories are broken down to understand the concepts, points of similarity and difference, and the interaction of cognitive, physical, and emotional development of a child. The three theorist perspectives analyzed in this essay include Erikson, Kohlberg, and Piaget. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory Erikson’s view Erikson’s theory is from a psychoanalytic perspective, which believes that development forms by uncontrollable forces that drive human behavior. He expands on Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, but Erikson focuses on social changes instead of sexual (Heffner, 2004). Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development breaks down in eight stages throughout the human lifespan, and believes â€Å"personality is influenced by society and develops though a series of crisis† (Papalia, D. & Olds, S. & Feldman, R., 2006). Each of Erikson’s stages are described as a crisis in personality requiring a positive and negative trait. When the outcome of each stage (or crisis) is  successful, a virtue (or strength) develops. The eight stages include: Basic trust vs. mistrust (birth to 12-18 months); baby develops sense of whether the world is a good and safe; the virtue is hope Autonomy vs. shame (12-18 months- 3 years); child develops balance of independence and self-efficiency over shame and doubt with virtue of will Initiative vs. guilt (3-6 years), child develops initiative without guilt with the virtue being purpose Industry vs. inferiority (6 years to puberty),child must learn skills of culture or face feelings of incompetence; the virtue is skill Identity vs. identity confusion (puberty to adulthood), adolescent must determine sense of self, or confusion about roles may be experienced; the virtue is fidelity Intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood), person seeks to make commitments to others and when unsuccessful, isolation and self-absorption may result; the virtue is love Generativity vs. stagnation (middle adulthood), adults are concerned guiding the next generation or feels personal impoverishment; the virtue is care Integrity vs. despair (late adulthood), acceptance of own life and death, or despairs over inability to relive life; the virtue is wisdom (Papalia, et al., 2006, table2-2) Kohlberg’s Moral Understanding Stage Theory Kohlberg’s view Kohlberg builds off of Piaget’s moral reasoning theory, but Piaget’s  viewed the concepts of development of children as fairness through interaction of peers; whereas, Kohlberg thought â€Å"all social relationships offer opportunities for social role-taking—taking the perspective of others—and thus stimulate moral development† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Kohlberg’s focus was a child’s development of right, wrong, and justice; he argues that child developments progress consecutively, and are based on spirituality and God through stages of â€Å"thought processing, implying qualitatively different modes of thinking and of problem solving† (Cory, 2006). Kohlberg explains moral reasoning in three levels and divides each into two stages. The first level, from ages 4 to 10, Kohlberg calls preconventional morality. Stage one of reasoning in preconventional morality level is a child’s orientation toward punishment and obedience. In this stage, children obey rules to avoid punishment. In stage two, instrumental purpose exchange, children â€Å"conform to rules out of self-interest and consideration for what others can do for them† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Conventional morality is the second level, reached after age 10. Maintaining mutual relations and getting approval of others, wanting to please and help others happens at stage three. In stage four, an individual begins social concern and having a conscience, and understanding the principles of authority. In level three, post-conventional morality, development is in early adolescence, young adulthood—or never. Stage five of level three describes a person developing, or understanding morality of contract, individual rights, and democratically accepting the law. In this stage, people are aware of principles and think rational deciding between human need and the law. Morality of universal ethical principles is the concept of stage six. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Stage Theory Piaget’s view Jean Piaget’s theory focused on cognitive development as mental operations mature based on â€Å"simple sensory and motor activity to logical, abstract thought† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Piaget’s view was that growth occurs as a child matures and interacts with his or her surroundings; he  looks at the human mind as a focal point and base for everything around it (Heffner, 2004). Cognitive development occurs in three interrelated processes, according to Piaget. The interrelated processes are organization, adaptation, and equilibration. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development are broken down and explained in a web page created by James Atherton: Sensori-motor (0-2 yrs) Differentiates self from objects and recognizes self as agent of action and begins to act intentionally: e.g. pulls a string to set mobile in motion or shakes a rattle to make a noise; Achieves object permanence: realizes that things continue to exist even when no longer present to the sense Pre-operational (2-7 years) Learns to use language and to represent objects by images and words. Thinking is still egocentric: has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others. Classifies objects by a single feature: e.g. groups together all the red blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of color. Concrete operational (7-11 years) Can think logically about objects and events; Achieves conservation of number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight (age 9) .Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in series along a single dimension such as size. Formal operational (11 years and up) Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses systematically; becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and ideological problems. (Atherton, 2009) Similarities, differences, & key concepts The major points of similarity, or agreement, in each viewpoint are; development occurs in stages in all three perspectives, and all theorists believe development begins from birth. One of the differences is each theorist’s interest. Erikson’s interest was in how children socialize and how this affects their sense of self. His concept was that if a stage of  crisis were unsuccessful, the result would be an inability to get to the next stage; which in turn contributes to an unhealthy personality and sense of self. Kohlberg’s interest was how children get a sense of right and wrong, with a theory that originates from character of God. Piaget’s interests were intellect and the ability to see relationships mature, with a concept based off sensory and motor activity. A difference between Kohlberg and Piaget’s theory is that Kohlberg’s theory may not apply equally to genders and cultures; whereas, Piaget’s theory is believed to be a fixed order in all children and cultures, with ages of each stage varying from child to child. The importance of understanding normal child and adolescent development Conclusion Indeed, while theorists have different ideas and perspectives, parents and teacher who have some knowledge have a better chance in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential, and they will be more aware when development and growth are in the normal range. References Cory, R. (2006, August 13). Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development. Retrieved June 29, 2009, From Aggelia Internet Publishing: http://www.aggelia.com/htdocs/kohlberg.shtml Heffner, C. L. (2004, March 21). Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June 29, 2009,from All Psych Online: The Virtual Psychology Classroom: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/social_development.html Papalia, D. & Olds, S. & Feldman, R. (2006). A Child’s World: Infancy Through Adolescense . NY, NY: McGraw-Hill.

History of Transformational Leadership Essays - Leadership

History of Transformational Leadership Essays - Leadership History of Transformational Leadership Paul Boyle, David Portion, Steve Garthe, Tina Zerkle, Diallos Holmes Transformational Leadership is a recent theory James Burns cited in 1978 Transformational leadership is defined Focus on moral values Concentration on motivation Leaders have a power of inspiration Leaders sets example Further Transformational leadership analysis Bass also did extensive work with the subject Bass cited that there are certain values in a transformational leader Bass work put this theory in to book form The author reinforced earlier beliefs about transformational leaders Transformational Leadership Transactional Leadership Differences between Transformational and Transactional Leaders Understand leaderships purpose Set values and morals Nurture Relationships Self disciplined and motivated Have Heart and Compassion References Terry, Robert, W. Authentic Leadership: Courage in Action, 1993. pg. 84, and Action Wheel Publishing University of Phoenix. (2014). Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, LDR300 website.

Free Essays on History Of Islam

Three of the most famous writings from ancient civilizations are the writings of Confucius, Hammurabi's code of laws, and Egypt's Book of the Dead. At first, they seem very different, they're from different times, regions, and religions, but they all offer a peek into what values ancient people considered important. One of the values that all three civilizations is justice and fairness. I feel that this is best viewed in Hammurabi's laws. All of the penalties for the crimes are very stiff, but fair. I feel that it is fair that "If he has broken the limb of a patrician, his limb shall be broken" It's like in the Bible "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." In Egypt, in the Book of the Dead, a man couldn't proceed into the after life unless he was found innocent of any wrong doing on Earth. In Confucius' writings, he never actually says the word "justice", but he does say "Great Man cherishes excellence; Petty Man, his own comfort. Great Man cherishes the rules and regulations; Petty Man special favors." To me, that mean "Great Man is fair, Petty man is unfair." The second of these three values is responsibility and respect to one's family and elders, and responsibility and respect to others families and elders. This is most evident in Confucius' writings. He is constantly stressing family values and responsibility. One quote that shows this is "Let the sole sorry of your parents be that you might become ill." This stresses personal responsibility and respect to your parents. Hammurabi showed responsibility by saying "If a builder has built a house for a man, and has not made his work sound, and the house he built has fallen, and caused the death of the man's son, the builder's son shall be put to death." That quote shows a man's responsibility for himself and his family. In Egypt, during the ritual of the dead, it is said that the dead man, in order to pass into the afterlife, must profe... Free Essays on History Of Islam Free Essays on History Of Islam Three of the most famous writings from ancient civilizations are the writings of Confucius, Hammurabi's code of laws, and Egypt's Book of the Dead. At first, they seem very different, they're from different times, regions, and religions, but they all offer a peek into what values ancient people considered important. One of the values that all three civilizations is justice and fairness. I feel that this is best viewed in Hammurabi's laws. All of the penalties for the crimes are very stiff, but fair. I feel that it is fair that "If he has broken the limb of a patrician, his limb shall be broken" It's like in the Bible "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." In Egypt, in the Book of the Dead, a man couldn't proceed into the after life unless he was found innocent of any wrong doing on Earth. In Confucius' writings, he never actually says the word "justice", but he does say "Great Man cherishes excellence; Petty Man, his own comfort. Great Man cherishes the rules and regulations; Petty Man special favors." To me, that mean "Great Man is fair, Petty man is unfair." The second of these three values is responsibility and respect to one's family and elders, and responsibility and respect to others families and elders. This is most evident in Confucius' writings. He is constantly stressing family values and responsibility. One quote that shows this is "Let the sole sorry of your parents be that you might become ill." This stresses personal responsibility and respect to your parents. Hammurabi showed responsibility by saying "If a builder has built a house for a man, and has not made his work sound, and the house he built has fallen, and caused the death of the man's son, the builder's son shall be put to death." That quote shows a man's responsibility for himself and his family. In Egypt, during the ritual of the dead, it is said that the dead man, in order to pass into the afterlife, must profe...

An investigation weather the Nintendo Wii attract females more than Essay

An investigation weather the Nintendo Wii attract females more than males - Essay Example Using a purposive sample of 107 Nintendo Wii gamers, the present study suggests that males are more likely to be attracted to using or playing the Wii more than their female counterparts, as attested to by their higher ratings on beliefs, subjective norms, and behavioural intentions. They concurred only on one subscale, which is perceived behavioural control, suggesting agreement that there is adequate control on excessive use of the Nintendo Wii. On the Theory of Reasoned Action, it was found that males tended to give higher ratings on the beliefs, subjective norms, and behavioural intentions that are related to the use of the Nintendo Wii. ... Students’ gender differences in their response to technology use have been identified and explained by many researchers who have had varying results in their studies. For instance, in a study by Vasil, Hesketh, and Podd (1987), it was found out that females do not prefer being involved in technological activities and that they are less participative in technology-related events compared to males. Gender differences have also been evident in the use of the Internet and the computer in general as findings of Shashaani (1997) showed how boys take more interest in computers compared to girls. Nonetheless, Internet usage has become common not just among males but among females as well. Computer games, meanwhile, have been obtaining a great deal of attention than previous years as a source of pleasure and enjoyment among young individuals. The gaming industry along with well-accepted media has recognized the usage and play of women when it comes to digital games (Beasley and Standle y 2002). The increasing popularity of video games and the improved sales of game titles may point out that members of the female population have taken part in the expanding gaming audience. Previous research about females and their associations with video games has mainly been divided into two main areas- the assessment of female representations in video games (Heintz-Knowles and Henderson 2002), and the surveys or interviews conducted among female players with regards to their interests, level of play, and overall thoughts about video games and the gaming culture in general (Yates and Littleton 2001). A number of studies on virtual games suggest that

Personal Finance Concepts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Personal Finance Concepts - Essay Example With respect to an individual's financial security, this implicates the need to intelligently plan one's investments and retirement plan, not only to secure a good life for the future, but also to ensure safety from unprecedented economic crisis and financial problems. As an individual seeking to secure a retirement plan, investing in a house, gold, and retirement insurance such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) will be top priorities. After careful consideration of the market, these three products present the most profitable and secure values, which are crucial factors that must be considered in making an investment. First, a person's home is perhaps his most important investment. Not only does it provide an important use at present, but, given proper maintenance, ownership of a house and lot can reap high returns. Depending on the location of a house and the possible development plans in that community for the future, home values can appreciate up to 100% in a span of ten years. Furthermore, it is also a valuable asset, which could be mortgaged in times when large sums of money are needed. In addition, given its high appreciation values, houses can also be very useful for retirement, which could be sold in order to pay for membership in a comfortable retirement house in the future, or rented to earn a sizeable monthly income despite retirement. A second investment of importance are pension plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s. These pension plans, which acts like savings accounts, allows individuals to save money form their salaries before taxes and deposit them into a fund, which through the years could grow into a sizeable sum. Its importance lies in the manner that it is saved. First, since they are automatically deducted from salaries before taxes, it makes sure that a regular amount of money will be saved every month, eliminating the chance for individuals to skip payments. Furthermore, it decreases one's gross salary, decreasing income tax, which gives individuals a higher disposable income if analyzed properly. Thus, it is an efficient investment for retirement. Lastly, another investment, which is of importance, is gold. Unlike other investments, gold provides the most stable, hence safe, investment for retirement even in times of economic crisis and financial instability. On the average, its value has been increasing throughout the years. Thus, it is no question why it has endured as a viable form for keeping wealth in centuries. Another reason why gold is an important form of investment for a retirement plan is its negative correlation with the US dollar (van Eeden, 2000). There has been numerous forecasts regarding the weakening of the dollar in the coming yeas, thus, gold provides individuals with a greater sense of security. Furthermore, owning gold allows one to diversify his domestic portfolio and diversify the risks present in his other investments. Thus, gold is an important investment for retirement because it allows individuals to diversify his portfolio, hence, shielding it from the risks that could be brought about by a deeply integrated world economy, ensuring that one's retirement plan is secure. A house, an untaxed investment, and gold are three important components of a retirement plan because they are relatively stable, diverse, and could still be used in the present during hard times in mortgages and loans giving them value