Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Involvement of the U.S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Essay

Involvement of the U.S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Policy Since 1960s - Essay Example Involvement of the U S Military in Border Protection and the Drug Policy Since 1960s Introduction The United States’ borders are extensively guarded following effective legislations that target safeguarding Americans. The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) present the federal enforcement agency in the department of homeland security that regulates foreign trade, trade customs, immigration, import duty collections, and external regulations enforcement (Guerette & Clarke, 2005). The agency has a good number of officers, over 4600 well-trained officers who guard the borders of the U.S to ensure border security. However, the United States military strongly claim involvement in the border security and international security maintenance in the country. With the changes in the drug policy in the United States, the body stands at the pole position to ensure that illegal drugs do not get into the country easily. Enforcement of the immigration rules solely falls in the docket of th e United States military. The immigration rules in the United States contribute much on the security of the people. Since 1900s, the U.S government has adopted strict regulations on immigration that has led to incorporation of the state’s military to stiffen security at the border. Ceasar (2008) argues that tougher rules led to growth of the illegal market especially drugs and narcotics trade. The border patrol thus was adopted to boost security at the border and prevent further turmoil. Later in the 1920s, the United States feared that the countries ravaged with war threatened their position thus adopting tighter immigration rules. For example, the adopted legislations ensured that foreigners could not get into the country without being cleared at the border. Particularly, current policies on immigration state that people should not enter the United States unless they get clearance at the border. Consequently, the United States military assumes the role of ensuring that no p erson gets into the country illegally, and curtailing black market at the borders by conducting constant patrols. The United States military takes part in border protection to prevent entry of illegal drugs in the country. The war against illegal drugs dates back to the 1920s when the congress passed the drugs act that blocked importation of drugs from outside the country. Many people perceived this as a move to protect the people, but there existed certainty as to who could oversee the same. The American government tightened drug policy in 1960s thus the military came into force to ensure that the prohibited drugs do not enter the country. However, the black market expanded because the people found no other way to get to the illegal drugs. In this sense, it is apparent that activities of the military officers at the borders related directly with the prevalence of the black market. Rising concerns on the health of the United States plant and animal resources heightened level of invo lvement of the United States military in border protection in the country (Ceasar, 2008). Many people in the country raised concerns that their plants and animals got infections from foreign countries, which threatened human health. Any concerns about the health of plants and animals meant that the level of involvement for the military increased to enhance a safer environment. In this respect, the U S military embanked on undertaking passenger operations, targeting and analysis, and

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay Mans attempt to understand the causes of crime and deviance predates written history. Prehistoric skeletal remains show evidence of primitive cranial surgical procedures. This appears to indicate that, during these more primitive times, people thought spiritual evils in the mind caused crime and deviance. Cranial surgery was the effort to open the mind and allow the unwanted spiritual influences to escape. Since these early times, many theoretical perspectives concerning crime and deviance have emerged. Biological, psychological, and sociological theories are the most widely known. This paper will focus on Cesare Lombrosos biological theory of anthropological criminology (atavism) and Gabriel Tardes psychological modeling theory of imitation. Biological crime theories began in the 16th century with the ideas of J. Babtiste della Porte (1535 1615). He was the founder of human physiognomy. Human physiognomy is the study of physical features to determine an individuals characteristics. Early biological theorists studied physical features to make assessments about a persons criminal propensity (Kroeber, 2006). Fundamentally, if criminality is inherited, then an offender can be distinguished by physical atavistic stigmata. The physical appearance, they believed, distinguishes criminal types and the positivist method was the biological approach these scholars chose. These ideas differed from the ideas of contemporary scholars in that they also believed in lower forms of life, anecdotes, and folk wisdom as explanations of crime (Farrington, D., 1996). The biological explanations of crime available today include abnormalities of the brain, brain damage, head trauma, genetic predispositions, vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), lack of serotonin (neurotransmitters) in the brain, and blood abnormalities. Since many criminologists academically center on the social sciences, theories of deviant behavior based on biology are not widely accepted in the field of criminology. Society tends to reject biological explanations of crime because of the belief that biological equals hopelessness. Schmalleger (2006) states that some biological theories simply show abnormalities to be facilitators of crime, rather than determinants of criminal behavior. Biological crime theories involve various fundamental assumptions. These assumptions are the brain is the center of behavior and personalities, the manifestations of behaviors, to include criminal propensities, are in some form gene tically predisposed, differences in crime rates among races and gender are a result of biological differences but will only show in certain environments, biological crime facilitators and determinants may be passed to succeeding generations, and human behavior is instinctive and characteristic of all organisms (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 144). One of the most renowned scientific biological theorists was Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909). Lombroso coined the term atavism to suggest that criminal behaviors were the result of primitive impulses that successfully survived the evolutionary process. Lombroso and his students used the ideas of Charles Darwins theory of evolution and discredited the classical ideas of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Lombroso believed in determinism rather than the ideas of free will. Free will is the idea that all individuals have an equal opportunity to make choices and to act criminal. Lombrosos class of thought is known as the Italian School. Lombroso theorized physical characteristics would represent primitive impulses. The characteristics that he found to be common among criminals, he labeled, atavistic (Ellwood, 2000). Atavism is a real or supposed evolutionary throwback. Atavists possess an unexpected appearance resembling the primitive traits of man or the reversion of such a trait that was present in the lineage of the past. This representative trait is not seen often in intervening generations after primitive creatures. Atavisms can occur when the previous genes for such phenotypical features are preserved in DNA and are dominantly shown. These genes may be present in organisms but not expressed in dominate features (Farrington, D. 1996). Social Darwinists frequently used the ideas of atavism. This class of thinkers claimed that inferior races would display atavistic traits and those individuals expressing atavistic characteristics are an inferior form of their primitive race. The notion of atavism is saturated with the ideas of evolution as a progress towards a greater complexity and superior ability of man (Farrington, D. 1996). Statistical evidence and the idea that physical traits indicate criminality has not been substantiated. However, the concept that physical traits can indicate the likelihood of criminal behavior is still popular in some circles. Lombrosos work was the result of studying postmortem bodies of executed offenders and deceased criminals. He measured the body in many different ways. He took measurements from 65 executed criminals and 832 living offenders and compared them with the measurements taken from 390 soldiers. Lombroso used this data to identify consistencies between traits and characterized his findings as criminal features. Among the traits he found to be predictive of criminal behavior, were index finger length, fleshy cheeks, close eyes, large teeth, lobe-less ears, high defined cheek bones, crooked nose, large lips, abnormal number of ribs, and different eye colors. Lombroso hypothesized that possession of certain combinations of traits could be used to identify a specific type of offender. For example, the classification for habitual homicide is cold, glassy eyes, a large nose, a strong jaw; large cheekbones, thin lips; and dark, curly hair (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 147). Psychological crime theories available today include Frustration-Aggression Theory, Modeling Theory, Behavior Theory, and Self-Control Theory. Gabriel  Tarde (1843-1904) first introduced the psychological modeling theory of imitation. This psychological perspective states that people learn how to behave by modeling themselves like others whom they have observed. The suppositions that provide the basis for his theory, as with most early theories, are analysis of the individual, personality is the major motivational element, criminal behavior is purposeful for the individual, normality is defined by social consensus, and crime results from inappropriate mental processes. Furthermore, inappropriate mental processes have many causes to include diseases of the mind, inappropriate learning or improper conditioning, and poor role models (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 183). Psychocriminologists generally focus on personality disorders that include psychopaths, sociopaths, and antisocial personalit ies to explain criminal behavior.   Gabriel Tarde believed that the laws of imitation were the basis of any society. He rejected the biological theories of crime proposed by Cesare Lombroso and other criminologists of his time, stating that certain inferences of law or regularities govern the social world. Tarde developed a behavior theory based on three laws of imitation. Tardes first law of imitation states that individuals that regularly and closely interact with each other behave similarly. The application of this law can be seen in groups such as white supremacists. These individuals focus most of their time and attention on ideas of white superiority and actively promote these ideas. Due to their close interaction with one another, they tend to exhibit the same behavior. The second law rests on the premise that imitation follows a hierarchical pattern. In the United States Marine Corps, Marines of junior rank often emulate their leaders. This idea of hierarchical imitation is positively reinforced through educati on and training. Tardes third law is that of insertion. This law conveys the notion that new ideas, modus operandi, or methods reinforce prior successful patterns or replace failed or less efficient methods. In the Marine Corps, leadership ideas that have been used for over 230 years are reinforced everyday because they are successful. At the same time, new methods for implementing those ideas are replacing outdated, less efficient methods (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 194). There are presumed advantages and disadvantages to both biological and psychological crime theories. In the criminology field, biological theories are advantageous because they provide a basis for the hypothesis that criminal behavior can be predicted by physical traits, chemical make-up, and genetic factors. In theory, once identified, criminal behavior can be treated through various medical therapies to include behavior modification, hormonal therapy, and gene therapy. The disadvantages of biological crime causation theories generally lie with methodological problems and the types of analysis employed to gather statistical data. Schmalleger (2006) states that biological studies often fail to include proper testing groups resulting in flawed forms of analysis. Glenn D. Walters and Thomas W. White, critics of biological perspectives, note the shortcomings of biological crime theories. They assert that the degree of criminality is improperly established, often based on one arrest, sam ple groups are not varied or realistically selected, results are left open for interpretation thus detracting from the integrity of the research, and findings from outside of the United States may not be applicable (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 172). Another disadvantageous aspect of biological crime theories is the potential impact on public policy. If biological studies are conducted that show credible information to the public regarding a certain biological trait for criminality, the outcry for legislation would be great. For example, if all criminals have gene-x, the people would demand laws be put in place that protected society from gene-x carriers. However, data obtained from biological crime studies is not consistent but can be interpreted. Furthering the x-gene example, while all criminals have the x-gene not all carriers of the x-gene are criminals. This could result in unfair practices against some innocent carriers. Psychological crime theories are beneficial to investigations today because they provide the framework used in developing typologies of psychological profiles utilized to identify personality characteristics of criminal individuals. Psychological explanations assist the investigator in understanding the criminal mind thereby increasing the chances of apprehension. Additionally, if crime causation factors are identified, offenders may be treated more efficiently, possibly reducing recidivism. Psychological crime causation theories also pose disadvantages to the field of criminology. D.A. Andrews and James Bonta (1994) discredit contemporary psychological theories stating that psychological and sociological criminology findings are not obtained through objective and empirical means therefore representing weak psychology in mainstream society. Another disadvantage of psychological theories is that they are more often applicable to sexual and violent crimes, include untestable postulations, and fail to account for situational factors (OConnor, T. 2004). In conclusion, it can be inferred that no one theory definitively explains crime. Biological and psychological crime theories address crime and deviance explanations from different, but equally feasible perspectives. The early biological ideas of Cesare Lombroso stimulated the emergence of more contemporary theories. Although his crime explanations are not widely used today, they provided a foundation for further thought in the criminology field. Similarly, Gabriel Tarde proposed an alternate crime explanation with his theory of imitation. Tardes thoughts encouraged social thinkers to expound on his ideas and develop more contemporary crime theories that are in practice today. Both biological and psychological explanations for criminality and deviance present advantages and disadvantages but it must be noted that each provide practical value to criminologists today.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Medical Marijuana: Reducing Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients E

Medical Marijuana: Reducing Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients What is Multiple Sclerosis? Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS affects approximately 3.0 million people globally, with about 300,000 cases in the United States. Twice as many women as men have MS. The average ages for onset of MS is 20-40 years. In MS, cells in the immune system attack and destroy myelin, the fatty tissue surrounding nerve cells (http://www.phylomed.com/MS.html). Scar tissue replaces the myelin, interfering with the transmission of nerve signals and leading to numbness, fatigue, spasticity, loss of muscle control, and various other debilitating symptoms. There are four broad theories concerning the etiology of MS. The immune system, environment, viral infections, and genetics are possible factors attributed to the cause of MS (http://www.nmss.org/msinfo/cmsi/etiology.html). Although there are no cures for MS, this disease is not fatal. Advancements in technology and medicine enable people with MS to live 90-95% of the normal life span (Si bley, 12). What is Spasticity? Spasticity refers to an increase in muscle tone that causes muscle stiffness or spasms (Sibley, 105). There are two types of spasticity prevalent in people with MS: phasic spasms and a sustained increase in muscle tone. Phasic spasms sub-categorize into two types of spasticity: flexor and extensor. In flexor spasticity, the hips and knees of the person bend forward, due to tightening of the hamstrings. In extensor spasticity, the legs of the patient cross over at the ankles or lock together, with the hips and knees remaining rigid (http://www.nmss.org/msinfo/cmsi/spasticity.html). Spasms also occur less fre... ....M., Schonle, P.W., Conrad, B. Journal of Neurology, "Effect of Cannabinoids on Spasticity and Ataxia in Multiple Sclerosis." 1989; 236: pages 120-122. Petro, D.J., Ellenberger, C.E. Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, "Treatment of Human Spasticity with Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol." 1981; 21: 413S-416S. Sibley, William A. (1996). Therapeutic Claims in Multiple Sclerosis: A Guide to Treatments (4th ed.). New York: Demos Vermande. Ungerleider, J.T., Andrysiak, Y., Fairbanks, L., Ellison, G.W., Myers, L.W. Advanced Alcohol Substance Abuse, "Delta-9-THC in the Treatment of Spasticity Associated with Multiple Sclerosis." 1988; 7 (1), 39-50. http://www.phylomed.com/MS.html http://www.nmss.org/msinfo/cmsi/etiology.html http://www.farmacy.org/prop215/apha.html http://www.marihemp.com/marimed.html http://www.marijuanamyths.com/med-myths.php3

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Aid to Dependent Corporations-The Big Rip-Off

This article displays the double standard that the United States government lives by. Multi-billion dollar companies are given the world for free and the taxpayers pick up the bill. I cannot even believe my eyes. I knew that our government was screwed up, but I had no clue how bad things really were. I will list the most appalling infractions below and give a brief commentary. First, Mr. J.R. Simplot of Grandview, Idaho is handed grazing rights on federal lands for a whopping sum of $87,000 dollars. This is one quarter of the rate charged by private landowners. Lets line up the private business sector and chop off their collective legs. The difference between the going rate and what he paid would have covered the welfare costs for 60 families. What is wrong with this picture? Second, the Federal Office of Management and budget, (OMB) estimates that â€Å"wealthfare† tax credits, deductions, and exemptions called â€Å"tax expenditures† will cost $440 billion dollars in 1996. Does anyone remember the national debt? Imagine even cutting the breaks in half, that would be an extra $220 billion dollars that could actually pay for a decent computer in my children†s classroom. What a novel idea. How about giving some of this free money to build safe, subsidized housing for single women? Not every company in the United States can move to Mexico if they feel that they are not getting the monetary breaks they deserve. Lastly, lets look at McSubsidies. I have never read something more absurd in my life. $110 million dollars a year goes directly to companies that advertise abroad. Such recipients of this money are Sunkist, McDonalds, and M+M/Mars. Well I guess the government wants the rest of the world to get indigestion from eating chicken McNuggets too. After all, if they give perks for foreign advertising, some poor guy in Europe may eat some McNuggets. But I doubt it. This is a complete joke. I may never have disagreed with something more in my life. Major monetary breaks for billion dollar companies, free millions for advertising McMuffins in New Zealand, and tax breaks for the rich when our city streets are filled with homeless families. I can understand some consideration given to companies that are helping to substantially fuel our economy, But charismatic Mr. Simplot does not deserve to be using federal land (that was probably stolen from the Indian s anyway) for nothing in return. I find it very entertaining seeing politicians saying, â€Å"We must reduce the deficit. Taxes may be raised again.† when they could actually charge appropriate prices for services rendered by our great country. I hope our next article is more positive and uplifting. It sure would be nice to read about some good happening in the world.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

National Curriculum Establishes Assessment As Part Of Teaching Education Essay

The National Curriculum establishes appraisal as an built-in portion of instruction and acquisition, saying that ‘assessment is how pupils recognise accomplishment and do advancement, and how instructors shape and personalise their instruction ‘ ( National Curriculum, 2010 ) . Appraisal in all its pretenses is a critical factor in be aftering for short, average and long-run student advancement. If the importance of formative and summational appraisal is recognised during the planning phases, it allows for a more in-depth analysis of pupil accomplishment and attainment and a more constructive rating of the effectivity of personal instruction methods. The focal point of this paper is the importance of effectual planning of both formative and summational appraisal for learning and larning. Without some signifier of appraisal it would be improbably hard for both instructors and scholars to estimate how much advancement has been made during a lesson or over the class of a pecu liar unit of survey. Assessment should non be merely an addition at the terminal of a unit of work, but instead a cardinal constituent of day-to-day schoolroom instruction and acquisition. It is for these grounds that I have chosen it as the focal point of this paper. In its simplest signifier, appraisal is the procedure by which instructors analyse pupils ‘ acquisition ( Briggs and Ellis, 2004. p.63 ) ; nevertheless it is much more than that. Assessment enables scholars to recognize accomplishment and do advancement, and instructors to determine and accommodate their instruction to single demands and aspirations ( National Curriculum, 2010 ) . Research has shown that appraisal ( with explicit respect to its National Curriculum intents ) can be divided into two cardinal countries that work as separate entities yet are inextricably linked. Pachler, Barnes & A ; Field have labelled these two countries as the ‘macro and micro dimensions ‘ of appraisal ( 2009. pp.235-236 ) . The macro strand consists of the national, regional and local/school-based statute law, policy and certification that are often updated and used to make public presentation informations. The micro strand, which involves the monitoring and betterment of single class/pupil cognition, understanding and acquisition, utilises these policies and certification in order to accomplish the consequences required to farther inform and develop the macro strand. This cyclical construction of appraisal merely reinforces its importance, as the success and patterned advance of both the single student and the national instruction system depend upon it. With such significance weighing upon its nucleus application through instruction and acquisition in the schoolroom, it is indispensable that appraisal is given due consideration during the planning procedure in order to guarantee that it is used resourcefully and productively. In order to do the country of appraisal more accessible for schoolroom usage, it is possible to farther categorise it so that it becomes a functional characteristic of instruction and acquisition. The micro strand of appraisal can itself be broken down into two distinguishable yet besides interlinked dimensions, viz. formative and summational appraisal. The Assessment Reform Group have defined the formative, appraisal for larning as ‘the procedure of seeking and construing grounds for usage by scholars and their instructors to make up one's mind where the scholars are in their acquisition, where they need to travel following and how best to acquire at that place ‘ ( Assessment Reform Group, 2002 ) . Pachler, Barnes & A ; Field have defined the summative, appraisal of larning as ‘assessment which describes/summarises what a scholar has achieved/attained. A snapshot of accomplishment. It besides informs instructors of how much of and how good a group of scholars has p rogressed against the intended acquisition results ‘ ( 2009, p.236 ) . The 1987 study compiled by the Task Group on Assessment and Testing ( TGAT ) put frontward the construct that formative and summational appraisal could and ought to be used in tandem for the benefit of student advancement. Harmonizing to the TGAT, uniting the consequences of appraisals with the specific intent of supplying formative information could supply a good general image of a student ‘s educational advancement. However, the TGAT besides claimed that since summational appraisals occur at the terminal of a stage of acquisition, formative information could non be obtained from them and hence could non show an accurate position of the student ‘s educational history ( TGAT Report, 1987. paragraph 25 ) . Therefore, utilizing both signifiers of appraisal together would look to be a cardinal attack to analyzing a student ‘s overall academic attainment and was a nucleus factor in my ain planning for learning and acquisition. The planning procedure itself is at the bosom of instruction and acquisition. It is through be aftering a series of lessons that a clear way for the intended acquisition is achieved. Individual lesson programs relate via units of work to the strategy of work, which outlines the work to be covered over a period of clip or a period of survey defined by scrutiny specifications ( Pachler, Barnes & A ; Field, 2009. p.100 ) . Each single lesson planned demands to be portion of a ‘bigger image ‘ in order to put realistic medium-term larning marks. Killen states that there must be a direct and obvious connexion between what you do lesson-by-lesson and what the course of study suggests students should larn in the long term ( 2006. p.66 ) . A instructor needs to make an effectual Medium Term Plan clear uping what it is a student is expected to larn and a assortment of possible methods to assist them accomplish this. Medium term programs begin to locate the acquisition in contexts t hat are meaningful, relevant and appropriate ( Browne, 2007. p.180 ) . A good organized medium term program with accomplishable larning aims and results will assist to supply a clear and concise instruction and learning way. For the intents of this paper I am traveling to measure the planning and instruction of a sequence of lessons for one Year 7 German category. My first measure in this procedure was to garner every bit much information as I could about the School Phase 1 ( SP1 ) school, the section and the category itself, paying peculiar attending to the school ‘s rare societal scene. I did so as a consequence of anterior reading before geting at the SP1 school, viz. Cohen, Manion and Morrison ‘s recommendation that one should get down by look intoing characteristics and resources of the vicinity in which the school is situated, as some of these may turn out to be relevant to the lessons you will be learning and organizing ( 2002. p.44 ) . Through treatments with my wise man and other members of staff I discovered that a big proportion of the students in the SP1 school semen from military households and as a consequence of the nature of this business, the school can often hold students ge ting and go forthing at any clip of the school twelvemonth. Therefore, it was necessary during the planning procedure to be aware of the likely possibility that a student with no anterior cognition of the linguistic communication may fall in the group at any phase. The Year 7 category was a mixed-ability group comprised of students with no anterior exposure to the German linguistic communication before get downing into Year 7, students who were taught German in Year 6 as portion of a Primary Languages Programme and students who had resided in British Army Bases in Germany for more than six months. With such a varied mix of abilities in the group Cohen, Manion and Morrison ‘s recommendation proved to be important to be aftering the sequence of lessons I was to learn. Before composing my ain average term program I observed the group with their regular schoolroom instructor. I had besides intended to familiarize myself with the section ‘s policies and certification, nevertheless, the section was undergoing alterations and developments at the clip so current and up-to-date policies and certification were non available until after I had taken over learning the category from their regular instructor. As a consequence of this I was non to the full cognizant of the prep or taging processs of the section. This is one of the major countries for betterment I have highlighted for developing my ain professional pattern as I aim to be more thorough in my hereafter apprehension of departmental patterns even when no formal certification is accessible. Despite this reverse, I began to develop my average term program by utilizing the National Curriculum and the Framework for MFL every bit good as the section ‘s Schemes of Work and the Teacher ‘s Guides that corresponded with them. Through treatments with my wise man ( who was besides the schoolroom instructor of this peculiar group ) I established where the category was in their acquisition in conformity with the strategy of work and together we agreed an appropriate starting point for my average term program. I used all of the information available to me until I had created a footing for the instruction and acquisition that would take topographic point over the period of four to five hebdomads. Each hebdomad I taught the group one lesson of 100 proceedingss continuance. Before I took over the instruction of full lessons, I began by learning little elements of them including starting motors and activities during a lesson ; nevertheless they did non characteristic in my average term program as they took topographic point before the agreed get downing point. My average term program covered one full unit of work, consisting of five 100 minute lessons ; nevertheless as it was a on the job papers I altered and amen ded it in line with the advancement of existent instruction and larning which was taking topographic point ( appendix I ) . For each lesson accounted for in the medium term program I included the followers: the lesson focal point with mention to identify model aims, the acquisition aims and expected larning results of the lesson, the resources which may be used during the lesson and a general lineation of possible acquisition activities. I later created single lesson programs for each lesson that would be taught which provided a more comprehensive lineation of the instruction and larning involved ( appendix two ) . With this paper in head I narrowed the focal point of my rating of my planning for learning and larning on my usage of both formative and summational appraisal to inform pupil advancement. I planned to utilize both signifiers of appraisal with specific respect to the monitoring of pupil advancement in Modern Foreign Language Attainment Target 4 – Writing. The SP1 school divides the academic twelvemonth into six footings and teaches a tight, two twelvemonth Key Stage 3 course of study and therefore has high achievement marks for the terminal of Year 7. The section concentrates on these through centering its summational appraisal on one Attainment Target at a clip. â€Å" Focus 3: To raise accomplishment at KS3. Quantitative Targets: To enable 80 % or more of yr7 pupils achieve NC Level 3 by terminal of term 2 in composing † ( appendix three ) . As I would be learning this group during term 2 I incorporated this mark into my planning. I developed lessons in which I tried to guarantee there was equal patterned advance of composing accomplishments. In order to keep a balance nevertheless, composing was non ever a cardinal focal point of the lesson so that attainment of the other three linguistic communication accomplishments ; speech production, listening and reading, could besides be enhanced at a similar gait. As I began to learn and measure full lessons, I noticed that the same job countries of my instruction kept looking which were holding an consequence on students ‘ acquisition. These countries were gait, projection of voice and most significantly lodging to my lesson programs. In the beginning I was non able to interpret my planning of lessons into instruction of lessons. On juncture I left out activities I had planned or created new activities during the lesson that I had non planned for. While this did non hold a damaging consequence on students ‘ acquisition, students ‘ advancement was somewhat inhibited due to my ain inability to present what I had planned. Although I had designed specific appraisal for larning elements of lessons to inform me of student advancement, these countries were sometimes overlooked in the beginning for grounds such as my timings of chief activities were unrealistic or I was concentrating excessively much of my attending on pull offing p upil behavior. As a consequence of this, at the early phases of my instruction, I was frequently unable to give equal clip to measure how much acquisition had really taken topographic point during the lesson. Throughout the lesson, nevertheless, I ensured that I would take notice of those students who were fighting with the acquisition involved and those who were happening it straightforward. In my ratings after the lessons this helped me to find a general feeling of what countries of the lesson I had been successful in instruction and those that I needed to better. Once I had evaluated my instruction in relation to pupils ‘ larning I was able to set up clear countries for development which would help the betterment of both. My planning became more focussed and my timings more realistic so that I was finally able to be after a lesson that I could successfully learn and in which I could supervise the accomplishment of larning results. I began to utilize formative appraisal techniques more often and fruitfully during lessons and could therefore supply more suited aid to students of all abilities. I delivered the sequence of lessons with the summational authorship appraisal in head. While in the beginning I was unsure of how to put undertakings at the appropriate degree for the acquisition which had merely taken topographic point, rating and contemplation of these lessons aided my readying of future lessons guaranting I included and monitored undertakings which showed obvious patterned advance of composing accomplishments. For illustration, w ritten undertakings which showed a development in pupil ability from copying individual words for new vocabulary ( Level 1 ) to gap-filling exercisings which modelled cardinal grammatical constructions ( Level 2 ) to finally accommodating these theoretical accounts and composing their ain sentences utilizing the cardinal vocabulary and grammatical constructions antecedently learned ( Level 3 ) . The bulk of students were so besides able to remember this linguistic communication and grammar from memory during the authorship appraisal itself ( Level 4 ) ( appendix iiii ) . As I stated earlier, the focal point of the section was to raise accomplishment at KS3 so that at least 80 % of Year 7 students attained a Level 3 by the terminal of term 2. To measure the advancement made during this term a formal summational appraisal was given. In this appraisal pupils had to compose a short text about themselves utilizing as much of the information they had learned since the beginning of term 1 as they could. I provided the students with a departmental-approved information outline sheet in English to help them with the undertaking ( appendix V ) . In footings of student advancement and making set marks, my instruction and students ‘ acquisition was successful. The consequences of the summational appraisal show that 94 % of the group achieved a Level 3 or higher, with 83 % of the group really achieving a Degree 4 ( appendix six ) . As a summational consequence this is above the mark set, nevertheless, these consequences mean small if the students themselves do non understand the standard for accomplishing these degrees ( appendix seven ) . In the lesson following the appraisal I planned for the bulk of the clip to be spent on returning the appraisals to students and presenting them to the thought of reflecting on their ain development. I besides provided them with teacher-feedback and allocated clip for students to self-assess their ain advancement and place countries to better for their hereafter acquisition. Harmonizing to the Assessment Reform Group, ‘successful larning occurs when scholars have ownership of their acquisition ; when they understand the ends they are taking for ; when, crucially they are motivated and have the accomplishments to accomplish success ‘ ( cited in Pachler, Barnes & A ; Field, 2009. p.234 ) . Equally good as making attainment marks students, every bit good as instructors, need to develop the ability to reflect upon their ain development and indentify the cardinal countries that can actuate them to better and make higher. I introduced this critical component of womb-to-tomb acquisition by supplying each student with a simple feedback sheet attached to their appraisal, so that it was possible for them to reflect upon their work and distinguish and record countries that they completed successfully and those that they need to better upon in order to raise their attainment degrees in the hereafter ( appendix eight ) . I have discovered from my ain planning and presenting a sequence of lessons why such value is placed on contemplation and rating. Without measuring what you have done in the past it would be an backbreaking undertaking trying to come on in the right way. Evaluation is in itself a signifier of appraisal. Measuring my instruction in footings of students ‘ acq uisition has allowed me to see what advancement I have made and what successes and failures have been encountered along the manner. With this cognition it has become much easier to place clear marks and aims for my future professional development.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Ebola essays

Ebola essays A virus is an ultramicroscopic infectious organism that, having no independent metabolic activity, can replicate only within a cell of another host organism. A virus consists of a core of nucleic acid, either RNA or DNA, surrounded by a coating of antigenic protein and sometimes a lipid layer surrounds it as well. The virus provides the genetic code for replication, and the host cell provides the necessary energy and raw materials. There are more than 200 viruses that are know to cause disease in humans. The Ebola virus, which dates back to 1976, has four strains each from a different geographic area, but all give their victims the same painful, often lethal symptoms. The Ebola virus is a member of a family of RNA viruses known as 'Filoviriade' and falling under one genus, 'Filovirus'. "The Ebola virus and Marburg virus are the two known members of the Filovirus family" (Journal of the American Medical Association 273: 1748). Marburg is a relative of the Ebola virus. The four strains of Ebola are Ebola Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Reston, and Ebola Tai. Each is named after the geographical location in which it was discovered. These filoviruses cause hemorrhagic fever, which is actually what kill victims of the Ebola virus. Hemorrhagic fever as defined in Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary as, a group of viral aerosol infections, characterized by fever, chills, headache, malaise, and respiratory or GI symptoms, followed by capillary hemorrhages, and, in severe infection, oliguria, kidney failure, hypotension, and, possibly, death. The incubation period for Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever ranges from 2-21 days (JAMA 273: 1748). The blood fails to clot and patients may bleed from injections sites and into the gastrointestinal tract, skin and internal organs (Ebola Info. from the CDC 2). The Ebola virus has a tropism for liver cells and macrophages, macrophages are cells that engulf ba...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Meaning of Winter Solstice in Geography

Meaning of Winter Solstice in Geography The time around December 21 or 22 is a very important day for our planet and its relationship with the sun. December 21 is one of two solstices, days when the rays of the sun directly strike one of the two tropical latitude lines. In 2018 at precisely 5:23 p.m. EST (22:23Â  UTC) on December 21, 2018 winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere and summer begins in the Southern Hemisphere. Why the Winter Solstice Occurs The earth spins around its axis, an imaginary line going right through the planet between the north and south poles. The axis is tilted somewhat off the plane of the earths revolution around the sun. The tilt of the axis is 23.5 degrees; thanks to this tilt, we enjoy the four seasons. For several months of the year, one-half of the earth receives more direct rays of the sun than the other half. The earths axis always points to the same point in the universe. When the axis points away from the sun from December to March (because of the relative location of the earth to the sun), the southern hemisphere enjoys the direct rays of the sun during their summer months. Alternatively, when the axis tilts towards the sun, as it does between June and September, it is summer in the northern hemisphere but winter in the southern hemisphere. December 21 is called the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and simultaneously the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. On June 21 the solstices are reversed and summer begins in the northern hemisphere. On December 21, there are 24 hours of daylight south of the Antarctic Circle (66.5Â ° south of the equator) and 24 hours of darkness north of the Arctic Circle (66.5Â ° north of the equator). The suns rays are directly overhead along the Tropic of Capricorn (the latitude line at 23.5Â ° south, passing through Brazil, South Africa, and Australia) on December 21. Without the tilt of the earths axis, we would have no seasons. The suns rays would be directly overhead of the equator all year long. Only a slight change would occur as the earth makes its slightly elliptical orbit around the sun. The earth is furthest from the sun about July 3; this point is known as the aphelion and the earth is 94,555,000 miles away from the sun. The perihelion takes place around January 4 when the earth is a mere 91,445,000 miles from the sun. When summer occurs in a hemisphere, it is due to that hemisphere receiving more direct rays of the sun than the opposite hemisphere where it is winter. In winter, the suns energy hits the earth at oblique angles and is thus less concentrated. During spring and fall, the earths axis is pointing sideways so both hemispheres have moderate weather and the rays of the sun are directly overhead the equator. Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5Â ° latitude south) there really are no seasons as the sun is never very low in the sky so it stays warm and humid (tropical) year-round. Only those people in the upper latitudes north and south of the tropics experience seasons.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Maquiladoras in Mexico

Maquiladoras in Mexico Definition and Background The recent controversy over U.S. immigration policies regarding Hispanic people has caused us to overlook some very real economic realities regarding the benefits of Mexican labor to the U.S economy. Among those benefits is the use of Mexican factoriescalled maquiladorasto manufacture goods that will either be sold directly in the United States or exported to other foreign nations by American corporations. Although owned by Mexican companies, these factories often use materials and parts imported with few or no taxes and tariffs, under the agreement that the United States, or foreign countries, will control the exports of the products produced.   Maquiladoras originated in Mexico in the 1960s along the U.S. border. In the early to mid-1990s, there were approximately 2,000 maquiladoras with 500,000 workers. The number of maquiladoras skyrocketed after the passing of the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, and it is not yet clear how proposed changes to NAFTA, or its dissolution, might affect the use of Mexican manufacturing plants by U.S. corporations in the future. What is clear is that currently, the practice is still of great benefit to both nationshelping Mexico reduce its unemployment rate and allowing U.S. corporations to take advantage of inexpensive labor. A political movement to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. may, however, change the nature of this mutually beneficial relationship. At one time, the maquiladora program was Mexicos second largest source of export income, second only to oil, but since 2000 the availability of even cheaper labor in China and Central American nations has caused the number of Maquiladora plants to steadily dwindle. In the five years following the passing of NAFTA, more than 1400 new maquiladora plants opened in Mexico; between 2000 and 2002, more than 500 of those plants closed.   Maquiladoras, then and now, primarily produce electronic equipment, clothing, plastics, furniture, appliances, and auto parts, and even today ninety percent of the goods produced at maquiladoras are shipped north to the United States. Working Conditions in Maquiladoras Today As of this writing, more than one million Mexicans working in over 3,000 maquiladora manufacturing or export assembly plants in northern Mexico, producing parts and products for the United States and other nations. Mexican labor is inexpensive and because of NAFTA, taxes and customs fees are almost nonexistent. The benefit for the profitability of foreign-owned businesses is clear, and most of these plants are found within a short drive of the U.S.-Mexico border. Maquiladoras are owned by U.S., Japanese, and European countries, and some could be considered sweatshops composed of young women working for as little as 50 cents an hour, for up to ten hours a day, six days a week. However, in recent years, NAFTA has started to drive changes in this structure. Some maquiladoras are improving the conditions for their workers, along with increasing their wages. Some skilled workers in garment maquiladoras are paid as much as $1 to $2 an hour and work in modern, air-conditioned facilities. Unfortunately, the cost of living in border towns is often 30% higher than in southern Mexico and many of the maquiladora women (many of whom are single) are forced to live in shantytowns surrounding the factory towns, in residences that lack electricity and water. Maquiladoras are quite prevalent in Mexican cities such as Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez and Matamoros that lie directly across the border from the interstate highway-connected U.S. cities of San Diego (California), El Paso (Texas), and Brownsville (Texas), respectively. While some of the companies that have agreements with the maquiladoras have been increasing their workers standards, most employees work without even knowing that competitive unionization is possible (a single official government union is the only one allowed). Some laborers work up to 75 hours a week. And some maquiladoras are responsible for significant industrial pollution and environmental damage to the northern Mexico region and the southern U.S.   The use of maquiladora manufacturing plants, then, is a decided benefit to foreign-owned corporations, but a mixed blessing to the people of Mexico. They offer job opportunities to many people in an environment where unemployment is an ongoing problem, but under working conditions that would be considered substandard and inhumane by much of the rest of the world. NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, has caused slow improvement in conditions for laborers, but changes to NAFTA may well spell a reduction in opportunities for Mexican workers in the future.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

What influence has prince charles had on the design of british Essay

What influence has prince charles had on the design of british architecture - Essay Example According to him the modern architecture did more harm than good to the city of London. The high-rise office and residential buildings according to him are overshadowing the ecstatic beauty of the historic architecture of the city. He suggested imposing limitations and controlling on the designs of new buildings within 500 yards of historic landmark. The material the modern architects are using and the heights of the new constructions should also be restricted (Lohr, 1987). His grave criticism about modern architecture attracted a wide range of discussion and debate. According to Ken Shuttleworth, the lead designer of 30 St. Mary Axe also known as Gherkin, the city of London cannot be preserved as a museum. London is now attempting to lead the world in several aspects and at this juncture its economic and industrial growth should not be curbed by imposing some restrictions on the modern constructions needed (Booth, 2008). The Prince has been accused of curtailing the freedom of the modern architects forcing them towards bad design. In more recent years Lord Rogers attracted criticism from Prince Charles about the high rise buildings. But he is the one who made high-rise living receive support from the Blair Government. The urban policy of the government is now trying to construct more living space in a small area and the concept of high-rise buildings completely suits the bill. The detractors argued that the Prince is taking a generalized view of the w hole culture. He wants to design the city according to his own taste and in doing so he is trying to deny the need of the day and the wishes of the younger population for modern architecture. But the views of the Prince surely enjoy the backing of the mass in terms of its environmental aspect. The modern architecture is surely losing some popularity now a days in Britain. Prince Charles argued that the new

Friday, October 18, 2019

Television Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Television - Essay Example ITV is an umbrella phrase that covers the convergence of digital media with television technologies. The phrases enhanced television (eTV) and interactive television (iTV) are employed interchangeably. This paper will use the phrase interactive television, or iTV. Notwithstanding the technological advancement witnessed in bandwidth capabilities and the growing accessibility of digital technologies, progress towards extensive acceptance of iTV programming in many countries remains slow (Bolter & Grusin, 2006). According to O’Driscoll, (2008), television is gradually shifting from a passive, broadcast, entertainment, linear viewing experience. It is growing towards becoming a demand driven, infotainment, non- linear, participatory, advertising focused, broadband, two-way communication platform. Television viewers are becoming familiarized with the active (lean forward) model of viewing as an alternative to the conventional passive (lean back) model. The viewers are also developing the practice of processing added information simultaneously through the use of mobile devices or computers while they watch television. Television viewers are beginning to achieve as well as demand increased control over television viewing experiences. Figure 1 presents an overview of the shifting models as television viewers’ move from conventional to interactive television. According to Swann, (2009), enthusiasm in the industry has expanded and diminished with each market test and scientific advancement in the last decade. The Census Bureau in the U.S noted in 2001, that 98.2% of all households in the U.S had at least one television set. The bureau also noted that the average number of television sets per household as 2.4. The A.C. Nielsen Company noted that average Americans watch approximately four hours of television per day. In 2004, the projections revealed that average adults would watch an approximate seventy days or 1,669 hours of television.

Compare and contrast Saint Martin- the french half and Sint Essay

Compare and contrast Saint Martin- the french half and Sint Maarten-the dutch half - Essay Example A few years later though Spain regained this territory, after an era of conflict, the Island fell to the hands of the Dutch and the French, who shared it between them (Geographia.com). French laws and constitution govern Saint Martin. Chief of State is the French President. The members of the Territorial Council elect president of the Territorial Council. Saint Martin also elects one seat to the French Senate. Frommer’s travel guide (Porter and Prince, 2005, p.587) has stated that Sint Maarten which used to be a sleepy Caribbean backwater, is now a booming town with its duty paid shops making it a virtual mall. Cruise-ship crowds make the scene more chaotic but all these indicate the economic upward rise of this part of the Island. But the French part of the island is much quieter. French Saint Martin is governed directly from Gaudelope and has representation in the government in Paris. (Porter and Prince, 2005, p.587). In 2003, the population of Saint Martin Island and Saint Barthelemy Island voted to secede from Gaudeloupe, the name that represented the whole Island nation. (Caribbean Net News, 2003). In 2007, the French portion of the Island also became an overseas collectivity. Saint Martin was accessed to Europian Union later via the treaty of Lisbon. (Treaty of Lisbon, 2007, p.152). Language of the Sint Maarten side is officially Dutch and The St. Martin side is officially French. But English is the most common language throughout the island. Spanish, French Patois, and Papiamento, a dialect of Netherlands Antilles are spoken by small segments of the population. It is on the Dutch islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curasao, Papiamento is preferred as the first language (Sullivan, 2003, p.15) Dutch is the language used on Sint Maarten as the learning medium in schools and as the official administration language.

Comparison of equity and common law in the field of breach of a Essay

Comparison of equity and common law in the field of breach of a fiduciary duty in a trust - Essay Example In "Junior books v Veitchi (1983) 1 AC 520" recovery of economic loss was imposed as liability. And the elements for constituting negligence such as (a) A duty of care owed by the defendant to the plaintiff (b) A bleach of that duty by the defendant (c) consequential damage suffered by the plaintiff (d) Such damages caused by the bleach are formulated. (Peter de Cruz 320) Equity is the Creation of Courts, it is innovative and it provides various quick remedies such as injunction, rescission, rectification and specific performance. Thus equity is not a separate law but it a supplement to the common law. Discretionary is common feature of equitable remedies. Equity has wider scope than the common law. The common law does not look into the conduct of the parties what is required is the claim has to proved. Once the claim is proved the damages are awarded. The common remedy in common law is awarding of damages. In Common law the courts have limited discretionary functions compared to law of equity. (Terence Ingaman 442) Common Law and equity is distinguished on concept of jurisdiction such as "Equitable property interest", "fiduciary obligation", "Unconsciousness" and "Proprietary remedies", which are the distinct concepts developed by the courts of chancery. 1. Equitable Property Interest. Where the interest in the property is vested under the law of equity such as interest in trust property, the interest of the beneficiary over the property in trust is enforceable not only against the trustee but also against the third party who acquires such property. Therefore the beneficiary interest is conceived as proprietary. The beneficiary is at liberty to convert the beneficial interest into the absolute ownership interest at any point of time. Where the interest in the property is vested under the Common law such as through transfer of property, the interest is absolute and the person can exercise such rights over the property for his sole lawful benefits. Where as in equity a trustee with equitable property right exercise his rights over the property for the benefit of the beneficiary and cannot exercised for his benefit. (Peter Cane 187) 2. Unconscionable Conduct: Chancery courts are conscience. As discussed in earlier topic the liability under the common law is strict liability caused due to reasonable misconduct or tortuous act. The Chancery courts under the law of equity are liberal in granting the remedies extending to suspected conduct. Unconscionable act is related to the strict liability to fiduciary and the negligence is to the strict liability in tort. The common law provides remedies to those subjected to harm due to negligence of others where as the law of equity stretches further and provides the relief against the unfair advantage taken by the others. (Peter Cane 191) 3. Fiduciary obligations: Fiduciary obligations are created in trust. The fiduciary in relation to the trust property must act for the benefit of the beneficiary but not for the benefit

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Family in Europe History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Family in Europe History - Coursework Example In case a family was already on a high rung in a social ladder, a smart marriage arrangement could be highly advantageous through a thoughtful market strategy. As time passed over the centuries, there was a slow and gradual change towards more freedom of choice and a much greater acceptance of love as a basis for marriage. Parents had every say in the matter in choosing a partner as well as bargaining about the dowry. The general notion was that unless a person could afford to get married they should, otherwise it was not advisable. Though parents took trouble in working out a marriage for their children, the youngsters met their lovers in the fields, barns, at the fairs and even on pilgrimages. Most marriages took place between members of the same religion, nationality and caste. It is rather surprising to note that the word family did not mean blood relations or related by marriage, but the Latin word â€Å"famulus† referred to a domestic establishment’s live – in staff. Until the 19th century, Europeans did not do away with the meaning of family, but as the idea of kinship took shape, the meaning of â€Å"family† took on a whole new perspective while the old meaning has become obsolete in these modern times. In the past a household was not only the private residence of a family, but also a place for the public eye. Historians having worked on demographic data between the 16th and 19th centuries and have put to rest the common notion that people lived in very large households compared to the micro families of today. After much investigation, they have come to rest on the fact that families were of two kinds – small or average and large families. The small families in Europe had one or two children while the large families had about seven to ten members. However, when comparing the rural and urban households, they found that most of the people in the urban areas preferred to have small families comprising of one or two

Fashion Retail Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Fashion Retail Marketing - Essay Example The essay "Fashion Retail Marketing" discovers the fashion retail marketing. This online retail brand has emerged as one of the favourite destination for youngsters, looking for fashionable and affordable brands. This report analyses the brand value and the strategies followed by the company. This section discusses the company objectives and the ethical policies it follows. In the next topic the financial details of the company are given. The company’s large product range has been highlighted. The positioning strategies of the company are discussed and analyses of their impact on the company’s operations have also been discussed. To find out the macro environment of the retail brand, PEST analysis is done. This will give a clear understanding of the current economic, social, political and technological changes within the country and how it has impacted the operations of the company. Value chain analysis gives a detailed layout of the flow of raw materials and other prod ucts from suppliers, to the warehouse, manufacturing and operational process and finally delivery of products to the customer doorsteps. The report also throws light on the marketing campaigns and strategies followed by the company. Though the online retailer has maintained a continuous growth in the online marketing sector, there are certain risks and challenges that lie ahead. Very retailer is one of UK’s prominent online and home shopping brands. It is an arm of One Shop online retailer which has a customer base of over five millions. and an annual turnover of over 1.7 billion pounds (Very, 2013). Very online brand was launched in the year 2009. The online retailer deals with categories such as apparels for men women and children, home and electrical appliances. The website of Very retailer in designed keeping high internet users in mind. The website provides customers with the opportunity of shopping across a range of product areas, from footwear and fashion to home and e lectrical and other accessories. To gain competitive advantage, Very online retailer has introduced a number of interactive marketing services, and innovative online marketing strategies to engage the customers on mobile channels (Wang, 2005). The retail brand believes in creating a workplace having a perfect balance between hard work and having fun. The company’s preferences lie in putting the customer first. The brand believes in treating its customers as well as employees well and making a difference by keeping things simple. The online retail brand thrives on four major brand values. Deliver- The retail brand thrusts upon getting results which satisfies the customer expectations as well as fulfils the organisational needs. Innovate- To make the business better, the company develops innovative ideas in the field of marketing campaigns, innovative advertising and branding ideas, inventing new categories and product range to meet the changing customer preferences. Courage- C ourage means doing activities which are of best interest to the company and challenging a process because it is not correct. It can be any process from finance to the supply chain process. Enthuse- The Company believes in creat

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Family in Europe History Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Family in Europe History - Coursework Example In case a family was already on a high rung in a social ladder, a smart marriage arrangement could be highly advantageous through a thoughtful market strategy. As time passed over the centuries, there was a slow and gradual change towards more freedom of choice and a much greater acceptance of love as a basis for marriage. Parents had every say in the matter in choosing a partner as well as bargaining about the dowry. The general notion was that unless a person could afford to get married they should, otherwise it was not advisable. Though parents took trouble in working out a marriage for their children, the youngsters met their lovers in the fields, barns, at the fairs and even on pilgrimages. Most marriages took place between members of the same religion, nationality and caste. It is rather surprising to note that the word family did not mean blood relations or related by marriage, but the Latin word â€Å"famulus† referred to a domestic establishment’s live – in staff. Until the 19th century, Europeans did not do away with the meaning of family, but as the idea of kinship took shape, the meaning of â€Å"family† took on a whole new perspective while the old meaning has become obsolete in these modern times. In the past a household was not only the private residence of a family, but also a place for the public eye. Historians having worked on demographic data between the 16th and 19th centuries and have put to rest the common notion that people lived in very large households compared to the micro families of today. After much investigation, they have come to rest on the fact that families were of two kinds – small or average and large families. The small families in Europe had one or two children while the large families had about seven to ten members. However, when comparing the rural and urban households, they found that most of the people in the urban areas preferred to have small families comprising of one or two

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

3800 discuss 2 part 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

3800 discuss 2 part 1 - Assignment Example The body of the victim should then be photographed and each piece of photo placed differently. The photos should depict any physical injury that may be on the body of the victim. Physical medical examination on the body is then carried out. This includes the collection of hair and fiber that may be on the body. Fingernail scrapings and dental floss should be collected. This is done by the use of wooden sticks. The collection of urine and sweat samples on the victim is also done. The medical officer should retrieve any traces of fluid on the victim’s body. Internal fluids are then collected. The collection should be mainly done on the mouth, vaginal or anal cavity (Schiro, 2015). The labeling of each fluid should be accurate. In the instance where the incidence has occurred in the bedroom, any piece bedding should be collected. Spreaders, bed sheets and comforters should be analyzed for any fluid traces. They are then air dried and packaged differently. To ensure that the no traces of evidence are lost during collection and packaging, the collector should use the side lighting technique (Schiro,

Monday, October 14, 2019

Beers Critical Path Method

Beers Critical Path Method Beers Critical Path Method Introduction Background: This essay analyzes the transformation of a business-unit (Alpha) of a large public sector undertaking (PSU) company Beta. Alpha was set up with an intention of manufacturing x product for y market. Until December 2003, the primary mission of Alpha of about 900 people was the development, support and maintenance of product x, which was developed and implemented using sequential development method (App-2). The clumsy nature of the employed process and bureaucratic structure of the company was resulting into consistent delays into deliveries of low quality and over budgeted products. The unit had not been able to produce cost-competitive product with high-quality. It had been running without making profit for last three consecutive years. In 2004, newly elected governments inclination towards disinvestment of underperforming PSUs forced Beta to mull over the rationalization of its underperforming business-unit. Consistent pressure from the competitive market and senior managers from head-quarter (HQ) inevitably forced head of Alpha to revisit the units structure and processes. It was decided to come up with design and development of product with superior quality and cost competitiveness within a limited budget and time (i.e. Eighteen months). Revisit to the existing process and structure highlighted the major problems, which were due to lack of coordination and participation among functions in addition to sequential product-development methodology. Consequently, management decided to change the existing structure, and adopt concurrent engineering methodology (App-3) to produce x moving forward. Change Analysis Nature and type of change: Nature of change at Alpha can be analyzed by applying TROPICS test (Paton McCalman, 2008). Based on analysis, this change can be located at the Flexi/Grey area of change spectrum. Although time scales, control and sources factors are identified hard, but as a whole, change is inclined more towards soft end of the spectrum. Problem at Alpha can be considered messy as it involves soft complexities due to the introduction of a new working model and process method (Open university, 1985, cited in Senior Fleming, 2006). TROPICS Test (Modeled on source: Paton McCalman, 2008) Dimensions of the change CCP (Content, Context and Process) model (Pettigrew Whipp, 1991), widely used in organizational change analysis, can be applied in this case to understand the changes at Alpha. Although this model was originally developed to analyze private sector organization but later on, its application was extended to other fields and sectors (Pettigrew et al., 1992). Overall framework focuses on what (content), why (context) and how (process) dimensions of the organization change. CCP Framework (Modeled on source: Pettigrew Whipp, 1991) Context (Why): Traditionally, PSUs are considered to have bureaucratic culture (bureaucratic organization-structure and process culture) (Deal Kennedy, 2002). Such culture is generally hierarchy-driven, procedural, regulated, ordered, cautious, and power orientated (Wallach, 1983). The purpose of bureaucracy is to restrict individuals capacity exerting control over decision-making processes and activities (McHugh Bennett, 1999). According to Hofstede (2003), bureaucratic structure is based on rigid rules and processes, and competencies tied to the positions; where employees are accustomed to systemic but precise way of working, which operates on ‘one person, one job basis and require high degree of job specialization. Therefore, business knowledge and skills are owned by individuals; this makes knowledge sharing very problematic. De Long Fahey (2000) argue that the organization culture plays vital role in determining the people and specific business knowledge relationship. Alpha had been facing similar issues; due to the bureaucratic culture, decision-making was traditionally made at the top without much coordination with and participation of functions. Sequential-development approach used is linear in nature, which does not provide tangible results and product visibility until the product development lifecycle end (Martin, 1991; McConnell, 1996). Lack of individuals participation and knowledge sharing, conflict of authorities in conjunction with slow decision-making speed and cumbersome sequential nature of the product development used to induce significant delays in product delivery and implementation, causing low product-quality and high cost-per-product. Fig- can be used to show cause of realized changes using multiple-cause diagram. Multiple-Cause diagram (Modeled on source: Paton McCalman, 2008) Primary drivers for change can be identified by using a classical change management tool, Force-field analysis (Lewin, 1947). Main purpose for using this tool is to understand context (driving forces) and content (objective, goal, and restraining forces) and determine the process (ways to enhance positive factors and lessen negative factors) (Giardino et al., 1994). This tool confirms the nature and type of change at Alpha confirms, analyzed by TRPOICS test. The primary restraining forces indicate that most of the barriers to change involved soft aspects, such as senior management, existing culture and employee related barriers. Field force analysis (Modeled on source: Lewin, 1947) Content (What): Existing situation at Alpha was not conducive for proposed concurrent development approach either. This approach follows iterative process, which calls for authoritative and speedy decision-making activities along with team culture (Cockburn, 2002). However, bureaucracy structure hinders speed (Martin, 1991) and is not suitable for highly dynamic and complex business processes (Carnall, 2003). Crozier (1964, cited in Hughes, 2003) feels that static working patterns and fixed procedures are not beneficial in a dynamic and volatile business environment. Hence Alpha not only required change in product-development process but also to organization structure. Process (How): Changes at unit were managed and implemented using Beer et al.s (1990) critical path to corporate renewal. This six-step planned-change model needs to be executed in sequence to achieve a successful change. The critical path process in the present case was led by unit head with a middle management team. 1. Mobilize commitment to change through joint diagnosis of business problem: Prior to any effective change effort, it is important to have business problem clearly defined . Management should help people in developing a shared diagnosis of the problem (Beer et al., 1990) and realizing the need for change in existing status quo (Richardson Varkoi, 2003). Kotter (1996) describes the need for a powerful guiding coalition with involvement of key members of the organization. The number of such key members can be small to start with, and can gradually be increased as project gains momentum (Borjesson Mathiassen, 2003). At Alpha, initial step taken by the unit head to review the business broadly. Sticking to Lippits ‘golden rule (1959), an external consultant with his assistant was brought in to lead the change, and to develop the guidelines for the change management. External consultant was allowed to form a coalition-team with a senior researcher, five managers from various functions and six key expert employees from units production-department. Team together investigated existing and past product performances, results and artifacts. In order to analyze problems effectively, they also visited and observed many successful manufacturing companies. Through the analysis of their observations, customer satisfaction surveys and previous performance data, team formed a common understanding of the problem. Team recognized the flaw in the existing product methodology and lack of shared knowledge among employees due to which there were consistent and significant delays in product-delivery with poor p roduct-quality. They came up with two page fact sheet to support their analysis. At this point, team began to realize the need for an alternative organization model and development methodology. 2. Develop a shared vision of how to organize and manage for competitiveness: Once a problem is analyzed, coalition should align employees core tasks with vision of the organization, and lead them towards a task-aligned vision with redefining employees roles and responsibilities (Beer et. al, 1990). Objective of such new arrangements is to have better information-flow coordination pattern across all cross-functional departments. Moreover, these arrangements do not encounter much resistance as they do not cause any formal changes in systems and structure such as compensation or titles (Beer et. al, 1990). However, communications is essential to achieve such arrangement (Jones et al., 2004). Developing vision and strategy is generally a messy and time consuming process that results into guidance for future, which is feasible, desirable, flexible, and focused (Kotter, 1996). In order to develop vision, team executed future workshop to focus on democratic and creative idea generation from the participants. Future Workshops, a user-driven and participatory design technique, is used to help participants play an important role in designing vision for future, by actualizing a common problematic-situation (Greenbaum Kyng, 1991). This workshop is normally conducted in three phases: critique, visionary and realization phase (Jungk Mullert, 1986). The participants, at Alpha, consisted of management team and carefully chosen key employees. In critique phase, participants formulated their critical views regarding existing shared values and working procedures. At the end of this phase, participants were asked to prioritize the most important issues considered the barriers for the u nits development. In visionary phase, participants formulated the visions for units future direction, which brought in new suggestions and ideas for business activities improvement. In realization phase, participants identified actions to realize the visions most effectively as a response to critical issues. Relevant inputs gathered from participants of this process can be utilized while preparing overall change implementation plan (Jones et al., 2004). Based on cost-benefit analysis, future workshop and two-page factsheets, team carried out a SWOT analysis and developed a new organization model (refer fig-), along with a new methodology, concurrent development method, for product development and implementation. Intention of new model was to eliminate hierarchal and functional barriers to information sharing; whereas to adopt new product development approach to avoid delays and improve quality along with cost-competiveness of the product. Such organization-level changes do need an adequate support from senior management (Small Downey, 2001). therefore proposal of these changes was proposed to senior management team at HQ. While they were delighted to notice units pro-active and positive steps, they were not convinced with the new approach to resolve the critical issue as existing approach was working very well for rest of the organization. Eventually after few rounds of discussions, they got ready to lend their support and approved the proposal, despite their reservations. New organization model (Cross-functional Teams with their respective responsibility area) 3. Foster consensus for the new vision, competence to enact it, and cohesion to move it along. Beer et al. (1990) feels that just simply helping employees develop a new vision is insufficient to make change successful. Employees need to understand the positive impact of new structure and approach to be committed to that vision. Therefore, it is vital to share and communicate the vision to employees in overcoming resistance to change and developing required competencies to make new organization work. Change process can be successful only when there are clear, concise and realistic change-plan and implementation-plan in place; otherwise process runs at risk of adding further resistance to change (Mathiassen et al., 2005). In order to communicate the vision to all employees, a conference with presentation and discussion was held. Senior management team from HQ along with all the employees, were in attendance. The change-plan with new structure and methodology, and implementation-plan with goals, objective, risks and mitigation plans, training plans, and milestone and measurement plans were also presented. Presence of senior management in the conference boosted the morale and confidence of units management team. Subsequently, internal meetings took place and goals, strategy and vision were circulated. Once new roles and responsibilities are defined, people need to foster the skills to make the new arrangement work. In fact, changes in the relationships due to these new roles, responsibilities will push people towards learning, and foster new attitudes and skills. Changed coordination pattern also increases sharing of information, employee collaboration and participation; this, in turn, reduces resistance level which arises as a result of incorrect information and rumours (Kotter Schlesinger, 1979). Team took the help of human resource team, not only to make sure employees were clear about the changes, and their roles and responsibilities but also to understand the required skills and trainings for the employees. Required trainings were imparted to employees to develop their skills. Beer et al. (1990) advocate replacing those managers who despite all the support and guidance do not want to or cannot change in order to function in new setup. Having said that such decisions can sometimes backfire as not only there is a threat of losing valuable skills and knowledge but also it can make other employees demoralized, that can hamper the change progress. Introduction of new model and development approach caused restructuring resulting into redundancy of staff in small number. Uncertainty created by the situation also made few employees depart during the transition process. Few managers and employees were replaced and few were given promotion. Few key employees including managers, who were very much accustomed to past bureaucratic culture could not find the new working model and culture suitable for them and subsequently, left the organization. 4. Spread revitalization to all departments without pushing it from the top. With a new structure is in place for the unit, departments and functions do have to rethink about their authorities and roles in the organization. Effective interaction between them and new organization structure enables members of team to become effective by letting employees participate actively in team decisions (Beer et al., 1990). At Alpha, where managers of production department looked the most spirited and passionate about the changes, managers of engineering department were more hesitating. They had always been a dominant force at Alpha and these changes were perceived as threat to their authority. In the past, they always shown less concern whether production department could manufacture products based on their design specification. However, with new organization structure and method in place, engineering department had to collaborate with product department in product development activities. This actually forced them to re-visit their approaches to manage and organize their own department, and rethink over their roles. Often when speedy change is required, leaders tend to force the issue throughout the organization; this generally short-circuits change-process. The best way is to let each functions and departments find their own way to the new organization (Beer et al., 1990). In case of Alpha, departments were encouraged to apply general concept of teamwork and coordination to their own situation. For nearly a year, engineering department had to suffer agony in implementing theses concept and accepting the new structure. Decision of their move to new structure was natural; since it was their own choice, team members showed commitment to learn the required attitude and skills. 5. Institutionalize revitalization through formal policies, systems, and structures. In any change process, sequence of activities should be carefully considered as activities suited at one particular time tend to backfire, if initiated little too soon. This is especially applicable to activities related to changes in systems and structure. Leaders should institutionalize changes only when right employees are in place and new arrangements are up and running. Beer et al. (1990) argues that none of formal structure and systems is perfect but employee commit to them, as they work in structure and learn about required interdependencies. If the implemented change becomes part of the culture of organization then it is considered successful (Senior Fleming, 2006). The units revitalization was successful as it enabled employees to change their views about their roles and responsibilities. They actually became convinced that change would bring a difference. This eventually resulted into a striking improvements in value added per employee, gross inventory per employee, scrap reduction, quality, and profits. To their credit, business unit was able to achieve all these without further control system, compensation or restructuring. However, eventually when opportunity came, there were few change were made in the formal organization. For example, vice president of operation was asked to leave organization and that position was eliminated altogether. 6. Monitor and adjust strategies in response to problems in the revitalization process. In order to sustain the benefits of changes and being able to adapt to dynamic competitive environment, an organization should know the effective use of continuous shared monitoring of the change process (Mathiassen et al., 2005). Keeping such measurement criteria provides multiple advantages, such as i) it keeps people, with direct involvement in the change-process, motivated; ii) it gives management a sense of direction in which change-project is moving iii) it also depicts a relationship between achieved result and invested effort. Even after successful change implementation, it is essential to re-examine the original plan regularly and revise it with respect to current circumstances and situations (Senior Fleming, 2006). Stating clear objectives and process measurements criteria explicitly in the implementation plan was very helpful. Measurements were gathered at the end of pilot-study and appropriate process benchmarking was set, after comparison with previous internal and cro ss-industry data. In order to monitor revitalization, several mechanisms were put in place. Internal surveys and feedbacks were introduced to monitor attitude and behaviour patterns. A monitoring team was formed to keep regular watch over the processes and plan for new challenges. This team consisted of managers and key members of respective functional teams and human resource and finance teams. Outcomes and lessons Outcomes: Use of critical path model in present case proved to be an effective way to evoke organization renewal without actually enforcing it. Beer et al.s (1990) believe that employees resistance to changes can be managed effectively through task-alignment approach. This turned out to be a key success factor in case of Alpha. Once core task aligned with organizations vision, employees discovered that new structure and product-development method are more effective. They started willing to accept changes, which otherwise they may have resisted. Adoption of concurrent development method along with change in existing structure, improved not only speed of decision-making but also employee-participation and knowledge-sharing among functions and departments. This enabled company to reduce product-manufacturing and delivery time significantly; this, consequently, improved product-quality and cost-competitiveness and therefore, the profit. The problems associated with the new development method and s tructure is now believed to have eased with increase in employees familiarization of new structure, and development approach. Despite all that, change-project at unit cannot be entirely considered successful. Beer assumes the approach of the changes through critical path model to be always top-bottom. However, the change-project in Alpha was initiated by unit head and carried out by his middle-management team with the help of an external consultant. One of the necessary steps was to gain approval and support from senior management teams of HQ, who was not roped in right from the word go. Negotiations with them caused notable delay in the implementation of the planned changes. The combined effect of not having senior management from HQ directly involved in the coalition, and resignations of senior researcher along with few key members of coalition while restructuring impacted the speed of the changes and its desired results. Although, change-project is claimed to be successful by the management team; but absence significant key performance indicators at the beginning for measuring the success, raise question mark over their claim. In fact, this change-project would be considered a failure if measured against traditional performance indicators, such as cost (in budget) and time (on time). Present study raises a few reservations over the critical path model itself. Basic flaws with this model are the lack of provision for pilot-project, and feedback-loop (iteration) at each stage. Pilot-project is considered to be very handy while implementing new process, which enables people to view new aspects of the process. This approach also gives an idea to people how process will work in actual and assists convincing others, particularly management, about the benefits of new process (Borjesson Mathiassen, 2003). At Alpha, pilot-project approach was employed effectively and it was successful, which convinced senior manager at HQ that the change-project was moving in right direction. Measurements gathered during pilot-project were also helpful in maintaining concentration and sustaining improvements. However, coalition did not realize the importance of feedback-loop at each stage, which caused uncertainty in employees mind, particular during restructuring. This resulted into dep arture of key employees, leaving long-term impact on the unit (Fodor Poor, 2009). Being effective only at organization-level changes, the model either not considered or overlooked specific aspects of concurrent-development approach; this gives rise to need for a more specific and tailored framework to manage such process-level changes. Bibliography Fodor, P., Poor, J. (2009). The Impact of the Economic and Financial Crisis on HRM and Knowledge-Management in Hungary and Slovakia Empirical Research 2008-2009. Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, 6 (3), 69-91. Nadler, D.A and Tushman, M.L. (1989).Organizational Frame Bending: Principles for Managing Reorientation.The Academy of Management Executive,3 (3), 194-204 Paton, R.A. and McCalman, J. (2008).Change management: a guide to effective implementation, 3rded. London: SAGE Publications. Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics. Human relation, 1, 5-42. Senior, B., Fleming, J. (2006). Organizational Change, 3rded. London: Prentice Hall. Kotter, J. (1996). Leading Change. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Lippit, R. (1959). Dimensions of the consultants job. Journal of Social Issues, 15 (2), 5-11. Miles, M., Huberman, A. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis, 2nd ed. New York: SAGE Publications. Richardson, I., Varkoi, T. (2003). Managing for Change when Implementing Software Process Improvement Initiatives. In: European Software process Improvement Conference, EuroSPI 2003. Borjesson, A., Mathiassen, L. (2003). Making SPI Happen: The IDEAL Distribution Effort. [Online] http://www.computer.org/plugins/dl/pdf/proceedings/hicss/2003/1874/09/187490328b.pdf?template=1loginState=1userData=anonymous-IP%253A%253A86.12.199.139 (Accessed on: 07 Mar 2010) Small, A., Downey, E. (2001). Managing Change: Some Important Aspects. [Online] http://downeysmall.com/pdf/iemc2001rp_web.pdf (Accessed on: 06 Mar 2010) Mathiassen, L., Ngwenyama, O., Aaen, I. (2005). Managing Change in Software Process Improvement. IEEE Software. 22(6), 84-91 Jones, J., Aguirre, D., Calderone, M. (2004). 10 Principles of Change Management. [Online] http://www.strategybusiness.com/ (accessed on: 27 Dec 2009), Kotter, J., Schlesinger, L. (1979). Choosing Strategies for Change. Harvard Business Review 57(2), 106-114 (1979) Jungk, R. Mullert, N. (1996). Future Workshops How to Create desirable futures. London: Institute for Social Inventions. Greenbaum J., Kyng M. (1991). Design at work: Cooperative Design of Computer Systems. New Jersey: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates. Beer M., Spector B. A., Spector B. (1990). The Critical Path to Corporate Renewal. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Pettigrew, A., and Whipp, R. (1991). Managing change for competitive success. Oxford.: Blackwell. Hughes, O. (2003). Public management and administration. London: Palgrave, Macmillan. Pettigrew A., Ferlie E., McKee L, (1992). Shaping Strategic Change The Case of the NHS in the 1980s. Public Money Management, 12(3), 27-31. Wallach, E. (1983). Individuals and organisations: The cultural match. Training and Development Journal, 29-36. Deal T. E. and Kennedy, A. A. (1982).Corporate Cultures: The Rites and Rituals of Corporate Life. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. McHugh, M. and Bennett, H. (1999). Introducing team working within a bureaucratic maze.Leadership and Organizational Development Journal. 20 (2), 81-93. Carnall, C. (2003). Managing change in organizations, 4th ed. UK: Prentice-Hall. Cockburn, A. (2002). Agile software development. Boston: Addison-Wesley. Hofstede, G. (2003). Cultures and organisations—Software of the mind. London: Profile Books. De Long, D. W., Fahey, L. (2000). Diagnosing cultural barriers to knowledge management. Academy of Management Executive, 14(4), 113-127. Martin, J. (1991). Rapid application development. New York: Macmillan. McConnell, S. (1996). Rapid development—Taming wild software schedules. Washington: Microsoft Press. Giardino A. P., Giardino E. R., MacLaren C. F., Burg F. D. (1994). Managing change: A case study of implementing change in a clinical evaluation system. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 6 (3), 149 153.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Being a Teenage Mother Essays -- essays research papers

It was a beautiful afternoon on the bay of Huntington Beach. Just what would be expected of any regular day in California. The sun was shining inexplicably, as if it knew what was coming, the sky was clear with one cloud across the horizon, the sand was boiling and I could literally feel the bottom of my foot melting away. The air was scented with the sweetness of spring and refreshed by gentle breezes. There are families everywhere I look, playing endlessly with their kids, throwing beach balls around, tanning their bodies until it turns to ebony, walking their precious dogs, and riding their bicycles until their muscles deteriorated. The beach is adult’s playground. She appeared, emerged, surfaced, arrived fashionably late flaunting, showing, presenting, announcing her long, extended, elongated, svelte legs. Amanda stood at five foot eight. Her body was well taken care of and you could assume she spends hours in the gym. Her skin was tan, milky, and full of freckles all at the same time, her blonde hair extended all the way to her tiny hips. With a single blink, her piercing green-honey eyes would speak millions of words. She smelled like a manufactured Barbie fresh out of a box, a soft smell of vanilla and lavender. Her two and only treasures had tagged along as I expected they would. â€Å"Harmony put your sandals on, you are going to burn your feet†. Her voice was sweet and soft, undeniably the voice of a caring mother. â€Å"Sorry I’m late, I had to stop by the pharmacy to get Adam’s medicine. Harmony and Adam are her rock and her shoulder to lean on. Harmony now seven, remembers the nights her mother would stay up all night crying, turning herself upside down, loosing herself waiting for something that she hoped was the end to ... ... a teenager's life. Most of the girls overlook their dreams of happy marriage, college is most of the time out of the question, and graduating High School becomes a goal the majority of teenage moms don't attain. Amanda took another exit out, she opted for the exit where everybody comes out a winner. It is true that teenagers are inexperienced and often need help in raising their kids, but they’ve got just as much love for their children as any other mother who isn’t a teenager does. A baby gives something to look forward to and something that gives meaning to life. Yes, it is hard but as Amanda herself said it. â€Å"I only regret the things that I didn’t do in my life, and I without my kids I don’t know where my life would be, maybe it would have been better, but to me it doesn’t matter. I’ve got all I need next to me†, as she hugs them both warmly at the same time.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Bankruptcy Essay -- essays research papers fc

Over the years, the process of declaring bankruptcy has become incredibly simple. Because of this change, the number of people declaring bankruptcy is at an all time high. Today, bankruptcy is a common thing among companies and individuals alike. The American bankruptcy law allows people to avoid paying their debts by offering the debtors a discharge without a harsh consequence. By not having repercussions for their actions, bankruptcy filers often plan future bankruptcies, allowing them to steal even more money from creditors with no punishment. There are 13 different chapters in the bankruptcy system with the principal chapters being 7,11, and 13. You can only file for bankruptcy under these three chapters, the others are there to explain how the system works. Under Chapter 7, a person’s debts are wiped away while under chapters 11 and 13, debts are frozen while the debtor figures out a way to repay them. The people filing Chapter 7 are stealing money from creditors who are trying to help them. It is one’s moral duty to pay back his debts and one should be disgraced and embarrassed if they borrowed money they cannot pay back. Over 1,400,000 people filed for bankruptcy in 1998 under Chapter 7, Chapter 11, and Chapter 13. 75% of them were under Chapter 7, leaving â€Å"retailers, bankers, and credit-card companies† with $40 billion in unpaid debts (Kopecki 5) (Pomykala 16). The use of different reforms could cut down on the number of Chapter 7 filings and put responsibility back on the debtor. Declaring Chapter 7 bankruptcy is ethically and morally wrong and through different reforms this current â€Å"right† would be considered a crime. Bankruptcy was slowly transformed through history from being a crime committed by debtors into a social welfare program. In the past, bankruptcy offenders were severely punished. â€Å"Before the mid-19th century, bankruptcy was a crime† (Pomykala 16). There were many ways to punish those who committed this heinous act. The Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Act of 1785 allowed the flogging of these offenders while their ear was nailed to a post and afterwards the ear was cut off. Similar to Hester Prynne’s punishment of wearing a scarlet â€Å"A† on her chest for â€Å"adulteryâ€Å", people who committed the act of bankruptcy were â€Å"branded on the thumb with a â€Å"T† for â€Å"thief† (Pomykala 17). Various punishments like these served as a warning to future violators. B... ...uer, and Robin Leonard. How to File for CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY. Berkeley: Nolo 1999. Feltman, Peter. â€Å"Bankruptcy Bill Closer to Enactment.† Bankruptcy Debate Continues 12 Dec. 2001. . Hanson, Randall K., â€Å"A new chapter in bankruptcy reform.† Journal of Accountancy Feb. 1999. Irons, John S., â€Å"Private Debt: Two Views on Debt.† About.com 12 Dec 2001 Jasper, Margaret C., Bankruptcy Law for the Individual Debtor. New York: Oceana 1997. Kopecki, Dawn, †More American Debtors Turn to Chapters 7 & 13. (bankruptcy law makes discharging debt easy).† Insight on the News 22 Mar. 1999. Pearce, John A. II, Samuel A. DiLullo, â€Å"When a strategic plan includes bankruptcy.† Business Horizons Sept.-Oct. 1998. Pomykala, Joseph S., â€Å"BANKRUPTCY LAWS: The Need for Reform.† USA Today Nov. 1999 Pomykala, Joseph. BANKRUPTCY REFORM: Principals and Guidelines (Revised Edition) Regulation Vol. 20, No. 4, 1997. Warner, David, † Bills seek to slow bankruptcy filings. (Congress introduces legislation to make bankruptcy laws more strict).† Nation's Business Mar. 1999