Education and Gender Equality

Gender Inequality and Education World Health Organization defines gender inequality as ’the difference between men and women which systematically empowers one group to detriment of the other. ’1 For an example, throughout in world, women have lower cash income on average than men. Gender values and norms can give rise to gender inequalities which when combined with gender differences give rise to inequalities between men and women in access to education. For example a girl or woman is unable to access the education because the norms in her community prevent her from doing so.Another example from developing countries can be that, children are unable to get education as they need to work hard to support the family, as accessing food and money is their major priority, for living may be. The given table of education presents the percentage ratios of variables like; literacy rates, participation to pre-primary, primary and secondary school participation in between male and f emale and access to internet and mobile phones per hundred population, in different countries and regions.Generally speaking we observe that the percentage ratio in accessing education is higher among developed countries as compared to developing countries. But we also observe strikingly high difference of education-participation among developing countries when we take a look at them, especially developing countries from the South-East Region. For example Sri Lanka and Maldives come up with very high education-participation ratio which is extra-ordinary.And I have discussed it in one of group-mate discussion post that Sri Lanka is a country where Education is given one of higher priority and facilitated free of cost by the government from the pre-primary level up-to university level. Maldives is a rich and well established state and the education is on top priority by the government which makes it easily and highly accessible to everyone.Talking about access to internet and mobile p hone per hundred population, a surprising fact comes up that the users of these devices are higher in rich and developed countries but especially the countries in European region, for example Finland, Croatia, Germany, Italy, etc. But we also observe that the use of mobile phone is very much higher if compare them with internet usage. The main reason can be the very easy and lower cost of access to mobile phones everywhere as it is one of the most useable devices for social-communication in the world.On the other hand, accessing to internet is not always easy and available in all parts within a country, especially in rural areas and it can be very expensive to afford sometimes. If I talk about my country, Pakistan, being the second largest Muslim country after Indonesia, gender inequality in education still exists despite the Noble Quran’s spirit of â€Å"Iqra† (Read/Study). The main reasons for holding back gender equality of education are gender discrimination, early marriage and pregnancy, cultural stereotypes, etc.As a conclusion I believe achieving education for all requires a truly global commitment. A lot of work needs to be done in this aspect and to make complete the goals of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Program for achieving universal primary education, promotion gender equality and empowering women. Reference: World Health Organization: Why Gender and Health. Available at: http://www. who. int/gender/genderandhealth/en/index. html

Automobile Brake-by-Wire Essay

This paper was prepared for Braking Systems, taught by Professor Kelley Automobiles have changed considerably since Henry Ford first produced economical vehicles rapidly. He was the one to start the Ford Motor Company. Ford vehicles, as many other vehicle companies have allowed people to think in a different way as to how we travel from point A to point B in a resourceful manner. Today’s vehicle owners feel having new features and advanced technology in our vehicles are considered a luxury. When a driver is behind the wheel, they feel in control of where they are going and when they want to stop. But when it comes to having new equipment in our vehicles, we want to know how it all works. We know when we want to stop either for stop signs or preventing an accident with a person or an object. The driver is always thinking of when they may need to brake and how to react when the braking happens. America’s popular cars are continuously evolving. Many engineers who are currently working on producing and designing vehicle models are bringing new features that will appear sooner than later. Since the person at the wheel will not have the authority to brake when they feel necessary, placement of these new digital technologies is a dramatic change for drivers. Drivers will need to understand functions of the new digital technologies that are being installed in their vehicles. They also must be aware of the changes that will affect them. Engineers who are working in the auto industry have liked the new brake-by-wire technology idea and some vehicles such as Ford, GMAC, and BMW have introduced this digital feature in their most recent models. A vehicle defined by wire is referred to when one or more of the primary vehicle systems operate with electronic controls instead of a traditional mechanical linkage. Companies are experimenting with this feature and studying the benefits from changing our current brake system to digital brakes for our future vehicles. As this is being done I really hope these engineers and companies are researching this new technology so that accidents can be prevented and eliminated. I personally am excited about the digital technology that vehicles are equipped with. The pressure of driving will be taken off the driver tremendously. This new system will allow the driver to be more engaged in the entertainment process with the passengers. Looking at the scenery or messing with the radio are luxuries that the driver really doesn’t have. With this new technology the driver will not have to worry about when to brake or how to stop the vehicle. I assume that the tiny digital chip that is installed to operate this system will do its job accurate and correctly. I assume that the driver will only have the responsibility to maneuver and adjust the speed of the vehicle. On the other hand, this theory is very concerning to me, we as drivers feel comfortable when we have control over when and how we stop. Too many questions rise in my mind, when technology is responsible for doing the work. Again, when I press on the brakes I do not like the idea of a chip having all the control of stopping my vehicle. Although we are not fully aware of this new system yet, I feel that in the long run this new system will only create problems. I imagine that there will be more accidents occurring due to the idea of a chip stopping the vehicle will wear out or possibly just simply fail. I also feel that with this new technology, society will have a different outlook on driving. My question is, will more accidents occur due to the possible wear and failure of the chip responsible for stopping. Not only will this system create problems for our future but I’m sure it will only get more expensive. I as well as many other drivers can barely afford to buy a simple vehicle, let alone an expensive high tech vehicle. Any technological advancement that appears in our lives will change our way of living and thinking. This will have a big impact on consumers. The by wire systems will benefit drivers to have the brake by wire installed in our vehicles in the next 10 years. It may not be far off from now when vehicles will have the brake by wire, but in the meantime we will depend on the development and accuracy for the brake by wire to work effectively. Of course we must save money for these high tech vehicles because I’m sure future vehicles involving these elaborate systems will only continue to be more costly. References Fantanelle, Anthony. â€Å"Brake-By-Wire Promises to be the Brake System of the Future. † ArticleBase. http://www. articlesbase. com/automotive-articles/brakebywire-promises-to-be-the-brake-system-of-the-future-113122. html. , March 06, 2007. August 29, 2013.

Establishing a connection between knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion Essay

Advanced Information Management (AIM) is a technology as well as a business consulting firm which focuses greatly or rather it is focused on advancing business efficiency (Forsgren & Johanson, 2014). The advanced information management helps in designing, implementation and supports the user centric applications of businesses and the various systems that provide the various clients with competitive edges as a means towards the achievement the highest returns from one of their most assets that are deemed valuable. In health, the advanced information management and its intelligence, bridges various clinical documentations, compliance coding and the overall quality. On the other hand, it also provides full compliments of the healthcare information management, which provide solutions for the various clinical needed transcriptions. It also combines various technologies, which entail speech recognition with the labor considered superior and management of accounts towards the simplification of the various documentations of clinics while maintaining the quality at higher levels. In addition, the speech recognition feature leads to the reduction of turnarounds and hence lead to the cutting down of cost as well as not disrupting workflow. Application of technology             Technology refers to the collection of different tools which include machinery, arrangements and the modifications and the different procedures that are used by people, human beings in this case (DeGarmo et al, 2011). On the other hand it can also be said to be the application of knowledge to the various practical goals of human life towards the manipulation or rather the changing of the human environment. Information management             About health, it refers to the practice or rather the activity of acquiring the analyzing and the protection of the digital as well as the traditional medical information that is seen to be very vital in the provision of high quality patient care. The widespread of the computerization, the health records have also been computerized largely. The paper based traditional way of keeping records has been largely replaced by the electronic health records. This transition has helped largely towards the timely provision of the health services. The electronic health records take very less time when it comes to the cases of retrieving the details of a patient as compared to the old paper based way, which was used in keeping of records which at times could be faced with loss a patient’s data. This time saving feature has greatly helped towards the timely provision of health care to the patients. Taking too much time in records before attending to the patients could le ad to death at times. The various tools of health of health informatics as well as the health information technology have been on the increase as their use has proved to increase the efficiency in the information management practice that have been put in practice in the various health care sectors. The information management has also played a major role in provision of the quality health care. For instance, the information management in Nuance, bridges the clinical documentation improvements, the coding, compliance as well as quality. It has on the other hand provided a full complement of the healthcare solutions, which are very necessary for the clinical transcriptions. The information management has also led to its simplification of the clinical documentation and the quality maintenance through the combination of the superior labor and the account management with the advanced technology of speech recognition. On the time saving factor, the platforms of speech recognition lads to the reduction of the times of turn around which save time and cut costs as they maintain the workflows of the various clinics in which they are incorporated. In the offering of the broad arrays of improvements in the clinical documentations and the provision of solutions in the record management, lead s to the provision of powerful links between the care and the patient revenue, which enables the health systems to better, manage the information, which is critical across the continued health care. This leads to the provision of a technology that is powerful as well as services that ensure the quality of service provision to be high. The quality indicators that are largely associated with the nursing profession have evolved largely from the nursing sensitive to the adverse event sensitive (Hockenberry & Wilson, 2013). Quality indicators are used to improve patient care in various ways. The quality indicators are the measure of the health care quality, which on their side is able in the putting in to use the various available administrative data. The quality indicators can largely be used in the highlighting of the various the quality concerns that are potential. It also leads to the identification of areas that are in need of further investigations as well as study and lead to the noticing of the changes that take place overtime. This helps in the improvement of the healthcare programs in a way that, the quality indicator would establish an area that is not performing well or on the other hand it’s in a poor state that limits it from providing a better health care service. Through quality indicators it cou ld be established rather that the paper based entry takes too much time in retrieving of a patients data and hence patients in critical conditions may die due to this delay and hence these would necessitate transition to electronic data entry which would be faster and improve health care. The quality indicator modules help in the representation of various aspects of quality, which are inclusive of patient safety indicators, inpatient quality indicators, the prevention quality indicators and finally the pediatric quality indicators. The prevention quality indicators are the various sets of measures that could be of great use to the inpatient discharge within a hospital to identify the quality of care in conditions such as the ambulatory care. These are various conditions in an outpatient care, which is good, is capable of preventing the hospitalization need or on the other hand, an intervention, which is early, can prevent a disease complication or its development to a more severe state. On the patient’s safety quality indicators, they provide information based on the potential in the complications of the hospital and the adverse effects that follow the different surgeries that take place as well as the complications, which come after childbirth. Hence, after th eir identification the various preventive measures are taken which lead to their prevention and hence overall improvements in health care. The difference between informatics and information technology is that, informatics includes the science of information, engineering of information systems as well as the practice of processing of information. The informatics in addition studied the behavior, structures as well as the interactions of the manufactured or rather artificial and the natural systems that do various duties such as the storage, processing and the communication of information. The informatics also develop and their own concept foundation as well as the foundations of theory or rather the theory foundations. The information technology on the other hand is the development study, design, implementation, support as well as the management of the information systems that are computer based which in particular were application of software and the computer technology at large. The available information technology systems in the health care environment include the electronic health records. These information systems enable the electronic storage of data and information pertaining patients and the assist its easy retrieval of the data. It can also be said to be the system of collection of the electronic information of health about a population or an individual patients records. It records the data and information in digital format which is capable of being shared across the different units of the health care organizations. Human Resource for Health Information System is also another system available which generally is the system used for collecting, disseminating, managing as well as the processing of data and information which regard the human resource for health. However, depending on the level of a countries development, the Human Resource for Health Information System could be paper based or computerized. Thirdly there is the Health information technolog y which is also an information technology that has been incorporated in health which on its hand it provides a frame work towards the description of the comprehensive management of the information of health that is across the systems which are highly computerized and in addition it provides a secure exchange of the information between the providers, the entities of quality as well as the insurers. The health information technology has been seen greatly as a technique or rather tool that would lead to the provision of an overall quality and safe health care to the various kinds of patients. Potential barriers to patient-centered care created by the use of various information technologies include aspects such as the misuse of this technology and the data collected. The misuse of the data collected leads to the mixing up of the information concerning patients hence leading to a reduction in the quality of patient care and the health care unit at large. Secondly, poor health electronic records system designation and its improper use would lead to adverse effects, which include the errors in the electronic health records which would jeopardize at a large extent the integrity of the various information that is encompassed in the electronic health records. These consequences which are as a result of the misuse, would be unintended are seen to be able to cause many cases of fraud as well as other abuse that could have very serious legal implications when the culprit is caught. According to a research that was done, it was suggested that since the introduction of the health inf ormation technology instead of leading to the various improvements in the health sectors which included the improvement in the quality of the data that is being recorded, it has greatly led to the recording of large amounts of data that has largely been regarded as bad. With this, it has led to further deterioration in the quality of patient centered care. The patient care technologies and the information management systems have greatly impacted the quality and the standards of the nursing processes in the different health units that have encompassed the use of these technologies. Through the use of information from these technologies nursing processes have been able to safely and orderly store and record a patients or rather patients data in a way that facilitate improved health care. The nursing process also in other hands adopts the communication techniques as well as the various techniques from the technologies used which enables them in reduction or rather the cutting down of costs and also increase in the effectiveness in the carrying out of their various nursing duties. Health Information Systems             The health information systems refers to the system that manages, captures or rather deals with the transmission of information which is related to the health individuals or the organizational activities that work within that sector that regards health. It incorporates aspects such as the disease surveillance systems as well as the laboratory information systems, the patient systems of administration and finally the management systems of human resource. The overall well-functioning of the health information systems is the effort which is integrated in the collection, procession and the reporting as well as using the information of health and the knowledge from it in the influencing of the decisions that are made, the policies, program action as well as the research. A decision making process that would be deemed sound or rather regarded safe at the various levels of health information systems would require the health statistics which are very much reliable. Decisi ons made based on evidence lead to the resource allocation processes that are more efficient at the levels of delivery and also the information concerning the effectiveness and the quality of the various offered services also contribute to the better out comes which in this case is the better health care. The information systems also help in tracking overtime performance, increase transparency a well as strengthening of transparency. Various nursing terminologies have been used and are still in use. The standardization of nursing languages is tools which are regarded as essential in the communications or rather the exchange of information for the professional nurses who are registered to offer hands in the planning and also the evaluation of the quality of the nursing care. Issues associated or rather with this standardization of the nursing terminologies could be seen in a case whereby in the using of the standardized nursing language in the documentation of school nursing was seen to provide a language which is common for the school nurses in the description of the interventions and the various responses of their staffs and students towards those interventions. Without the standardized nursing language the documentations of the nursing procedures could be persona or rather only activity descriptions that are locally understood because the words would have different meanings for the different classes or groups o f readers. Therefore the big issue that arose was that the information could not be translated or rather transformed in order to also fit in the other settings. Data standards lead to the provision of a meaning that is consistentto the data that is shared or rather data that is to be shared among the different information systems as well as the agencies that are found throughout the lifecycle of a product. These are inclusive of the representation, transmission, structuring, as well as data management or in other words the management of data. Some of the standardized data formats include the Clinical Data Acquisition Standards Harmonization (CDASH) which provides the standardized fields which greatly aid in the collection at clinical investigative sites. Secondly another format is the Study Data Tabulation Model (SDTM) which on its side aid in the provision of models that are standardized for the clinical study of the tabulations of the different data collected. Thirdly there is the Analysis Dataset Model (ADaM) which like the previous forms, aids in the provision of a model that is standardized for the analysis of different sets of data. In the reporting of the events that are deemed adverse, the formats such standard data set formats such as Individual Case Safety Report (ICSR) are used which in its side leads to the capturing of information that concerns the adverse events and the problems associated with a product that is reported to the public health as well as the organizations that are concerned with the improvement of the quality and finally the agencies concerned with regulation. The various types of Health Information System include the electronic medical reports (EMR) which is also known as the Electronic Health record. This system captures and provides storage of details concerning a patient. This system may also display information on the basis of the name of the physician. The master patient index is also a health information system that aids in the listing of all the patients who have ever been through the system or rather all the patients that have ever been treated in that particular health institution. The Master Patient Index typically serves as the foundational base of data for all the other systems that are patient related, which encompasses the administrative and the clinical aspects such as the scheduling of patients. The comparison between the two health information systems is that both of them are subject based systems that entail the storage ad recording of data. The other set of systems are the systems which are task based. These systems are responsible for the capturing and reporting of the information that relate to a specific task in relation to health care tasks such as the laboratory systems. This system are driven and directed by the Master Patient Index that also enable them capture information and paste it to the health record system. Healthcare information systems meet health care needs in various ways. For instance, in order for to effectively diagnose and give best treatment to the various patients, there is the arising of the need to atleast have access to the types of clinical information that include the health record of the patient. Additionally there is also the need for the important administrative information such as the availability of the resources that would offer support. The health care systems play a major role in such a case such that they would facilitate easy access to the patient’s records and the various clinical information that is needed. Hence with this it is greatly evident on how the health care information systems meet the health care delivery needs. Information Security             The health information security refers to the protection that is given to information and the systems of information from the accesses, which are unauthorized as well as unauthorized disclosure and modification. It’s an iterative process that has been in full driven by the technological enhancements as well as the various changes that have been evident in the health care environment. The security of information is achieved through ensuring of confidentiality, integrity and the information availability. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are responsible for the regulation of the availability and the various breadths of group health plans as well as the certain health care insurance policies that are of the individuals. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule leads to the regulation of the disclosure and the use of the health information that is protected and also that is held with covered titl es. The same act also provides the guidelines and the procedures that are to be used in the maintenance of security and privacy of the identifiable health information as well as outlining the various penalties that could be because of the violation of the laws. The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, addressed the various concerns of privacy and security that are in association with the transmission of the information of about health in an electronic form, in part, and through the ways of the various provisions that lead to the strengthening of the criminal and the civil enforcement of the rules that are laid down by The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The interim final law of The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) conforms to The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations that are used in its enforcement. Conclusion             In conclusion, we can simply state that the advanced information in management in the health sector has really played a major role towards the improvement of the quality of the health services that are being provided by the different health care units. They have also largely reduced the high costs of operations that had been earlier experienced in the use of the olden ways or rather the traditional based ways of data entry, retrieval among others. The advanced information management has also been seen to play a major role in the increasing of the accuracy in the diagnosis through its provisions of simpler and easier plat forms in which the required information could be extracted with much ease. It is therefore a suggestion that all health sectors should embrace this technological move in order to better their services. References DeGarmo, E. P., Black, J. T., & Kohser, R. A. (2011). DeGarmo’s materials and processes in manufacturing. John Wiley & Sons.Forsgren, M., &Johanson, J. (2014).Managing networks in international business.Routledge.Hockenberry, M. J., & Wilson, D. (2013). Wong’s Nursing Care of Infants and Children Multimedia Enhanced Version. Elsevier Health Sciences.Lawler, E. K., Hedge, A., &Pavlovic-Veselinovic, S. (2011). Cognitive ergonomics, socio-technical systems, and the impact of healthcare information technologies. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 41(4), 336-344. Liyanage, C., Elhag, T., &Ballal, T. (2012).Establishing a connection between knowledge transfer and innovation diffusion. Journal of Knowledge Management Practice, 13(1).Menachemi, N., &Collum, T. H. (2011). Benefits and drawbacks of electronic health record systems. Risk management and healthcare policy, 4, 47.Mitchel, J. T., & Hays, J. B. (2013).U.S. Patent Application 13/786,683.Weeks, D. L., Keeney, B. J., Evans, P. C., Moore, Q. D., & Conrad, D. A. (2015). Provider Perceptions of the Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs: A Survey of Eligible Professionals Who Have and Have Not Attested to Meaningful Use. Journal of general internal medicine, 30(1), 123-130. Source document

Vibrators in American society Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Vibrators in American society - Research Paper Example Terming vibrators as massage devices is commonly regarded as a euphemism for having vibrators for sex toys as it is the most usual word applied by those that are found with the said devices. The above is rampant in American societies that do not condone the use of vibrators for sexual pleasure let alone being in possession of the same for massage purposes, while in highly religious American societies; this is shunned upon and termed as evil. Looking at families, the use of this device is common but usually occurs without other people as the use of vibrators is termed as confidential and not public knowledge, which is the same way in which issues of sex are treated. When children come across these devices they are told that these are massagers and are even shown how they work, but not in a sexual manner. In addition to the use of vibrators as massagers, the American society is quite innovative in that it has found novel ways for their use in massage. This can be seen in the case of vo ice coaches using vibrators to massage the throats of singers in an attempt to release tension in the vocal cords for better voice projection (NewsBite, 2013). As a result, these sex partners or sex toys have more uses than just sexual pleasure despite their procurement from sex shops. Another look at vibrators indicates that these devices may be more popular than marriage in the American society based on different studies conducted on Americans. One such study was conducted by Indiana University, where the prevalence of vibrators is higher than the popularity of men. This is especially so amongst women who were found to prefer the use of this device rather than engaging in actual sexual activities with real life men. The above is especially fascinating considering that the studies show a majority of women in the American society as having used a vibrator at one time or the other in their entire life time (Selim, 2009). Further analysis in marriages indicated that women who were mar ried still used the same devices and a comparison of married women at 51% of the entire American female population against 53% of all women that have used the device either in marriage or not shows the popularity of the vibrator. To eliminate gender bias by looking only at the female population, a look at the male population indicates that a large number of men have also used vibrators. The number ranges anything between 40% to 50% of men aged between 18 and 60 and these are just the ones that have used a vibrator at one time of their lives whether individually or with partners (Selim, 2009). The above is also the case for women who used vibrators as sexual partners, where some used them with partners and other just alone. Vibrators over the years have been deemed as an important part of sexual experience in light of their usage by the American society, especially based on early mechanization and electrification of the device. Analysis on the use of vibrators from the early 1900s is indicative of this fact, where there original use was to treat hysteria and other elusive disorders by physicians in the privacy and convenience of their own clinics (Maines, 2001). It is from this that the mechanical use of vibrators

Market Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Market - Assignment Example Trying to sell it to people from the lower social class will make it seem like an inferior product (Camillo 67). Therefore, I can take advantage of this situation and advertise this product to people of the upper and middle social class in order to for it get the purchases it deserves. The product will be packaged in relatively expensive cases in order to give it that wealthy touch. Personal influence can also be tied to social influence whereby people who consume wine want to be seen as people with wealth or class in the society (Camillo 72). That is why when we visit people they insist on offering us wine to prove their class. Therefore, I can incorporate a renowned public figure during the advertisements of the product in order for people who consume it to feel associated with the figure. Also, the casing of the wine will have a picture of the person, which will attract more people to it. A lot people perceive that taking alcohol will give them the happy mood they have been longing for (Camillo 88). Therefore, during advertisements, a happy person should be incorporated in it in order for buyers to also want the same feeling. Happiness is priceless; hence, the price of the product should replicate what it gives to the

Discussion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 95

Discussion - Essay Example polyandry, children born are said to descendants of the eldest brother alone while in non-fraternal polyandry fatherhood is determined through a ceremony. In other cases, the children are said to have descended from all the husbands. I find this type of marriage unusual and unethical. This form of marriage does not have ways through which the fatherhood of the children can be determined. I find it hard that men can share a common wife without constantly fighting. It is practiced by the Tibetan, Marquesan, Toda and Sherpa societies. This form of marriage is believed to create family unity which is important if the family is seeking or wants to maintain its social economic status since all property and land is owned by the family as a whole. The brothers are believed to live harmoniously if they share a common wife. In a woman’s point of view, there is a sense of security due to the fact that all the husbands will struggle to fend for the

Project Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Project Management - Essay Example On the other hand processes take the form of a repeatable string of activities, meaning they can occur severally, either simultaneously or against one another. In the management of these two entities, they both function for the common good of the projects, but while the aims of managing projects are achieving the end result, process management focus on increasing efficiency and quality, which is difficult to achieve for the former. Repetitive character of processes gives value to the projects. 2. Project Risks Any project risk is associated with uncertainty and probability of losses that can cause it to fail. There are many risks and can further be divided , based on the risk classification and the type of the project. Cost Risk The risk is associated with the financial resource, which is a vital constraint in any project. Many things can cause cost risks, and though they can be related to the general project, the control of this factor is handled by the management of the project, wh o either underestimate, or overlook the cost associated with the activities in the project. ... When the scheduled plans are not met, more time is definitely required, especially if the activity cannot be run concurrently with others. The risk is caused by poor planning and estimation of resources, and adjustment processes that could end up in shortfalls of resources. It risks failing the project, when the end products is delayed from meeting its objective or market opportunity in the late deliveries. External risks: The risk can occur anywhere and anytime to disrupt the operation of the project, which the management, just as the human resource and other stakeholders have no control of. These factors range from market, economic, legal, political, natural disaster, and social issues that could affect a project (Murch 93). In many cases, projects have had to be stopped due to political instabilities in a country or location, because the project has no guaranteed security. Sometimes, the implemented parts of the projects are destroyed in skirmishes causing additional costs in time and finances allocated to repair and move on. Scope risk: The scope of a project deals with the requirements, deliverables and goals of a project; hence the performance and quality of the project can be influenced by the presence of the risk. Any problem generated in the formation and documentation of these factors can be inherited in the future of the project, because the scope would be used as a baseline for referencing and reaching decisions. It can be associated with unsuitable thought of the scope, poor documentation and lack of unison among the stakeholders over the scope, which affects the technical effort put into place to provide the required level of

Accounting Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Accounting Theory - Essay Example Researchers use various methods and techniques to collect data, which is then analysed to create knowledge (Saunders, Lewis & Thornhill, 2012). Knowledge in this research refers to accounting facts and skills that people acquire through experience or education (Easterby- Smith,Thorpe, Jackson & Lowe, 2008). The interest of researchers during study processes constitutes establishing whether beliefs are in agreement with the facts. This paper focuses on ascertaining that various phenomena in accounting are real and they have particular characteristics. We intend to help readers know that various accounting information presented to stakeholders by accountants is characterised by validity, relevance, and reliability. Knowledge acts as a tool through which researchers communicate accounting information to humans (Given, 2008); therefore, proper research is critical founded on effective research philosophy is critical in knowledge generation. We had two approaches from which we were to choose one approach for this study; these are positivism and phenomenology. The selected approach for this paper was phenomenology. Phenomenology is a style of thought or method of systematically reflecting on and studying the structures of consciousness and all phenomena appearing in acts of consciousness (Given, 2008). Phenomenology adopts an induction approach, which is critical in collecting qualitative data and some quantitative data for further supporting beliefs about the accounting profession. Using inductive reasoning, we moved from specific observations to broader generalisations and theories concerning business accounting. While using this approach, we made three assumptions; first, the world subjective and socially constructed. Therefore, it is through the existence of human beings that the world receives meaning. Through our research on petroleum companies, we gave meaning to the world concerning the performance of the selected companies during the period of

FAP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

FAP - Essay Example Academics prefer the net present value (NPV) method because it has theoretical validity; accounting managers tend to use the internal rate of return (IRR) method (Lefley & Ryan, 2005). Surveys and case studies have been conducted to pinpoint managers’ feelings on the theoretical versus the practical applications of capital budgeting (sometimes termed capital investment appraisal). Even though considerable research has been undertaken, no definite conclusions have been drawn as to why managers reject academics’ recommendations on sound theoretical models (Lefley & Ryan, 2005). The more sophisticated theoretical models have been studied in relationship to improved firm performance (Pike, 1989), with inconclusive results. The NPV method has some shortcomings; the value added can be measured for most investment decisions. Other models such as payback and accounting rate of return are also useful in analysis, and managers continue to use their intuitive judgment and more basic financial models. Improved efficiency in project selection should logically lead to improved overall performance. Small & Chen (1997) suggest that combining a strategic and an economic approach results in greater project selection efficiency and higher success rates. Lefley & Ryan (2005) that this idea one step further and comment that there are three main considerations in any investment decision: economic, strategic, and project specific risk. By combining these three elements in one model, the impact of investment decisions can be more accurately pinpointed. As stated earlier, researchers and analysts have found that managers utilize a combination of risk assessment models and financial appraisals for practical investment evaluations, and prefer not to rely on any one model, no matter its theoretical soundness (Lefley & Ryan, 2005). One danger of choosing a single model could arise when subordinate managers maximize benefits and minimize costs and risks when they put

Remembering a Life Essay Example for Free

Remembering a Life Essay I remember him in the misted vision of toddler years and again in girlhood, the booming voice on TV, someone grown-ups talked about, eyelids flapped wide. Elders huddled round the screen enraptured, in fear for him, in awe. In her â€Å"Remembering a Life,† Nordette Adams describes the black pioneer, heartthrob, charming, charismatic and inspirational leader; Martin Luther King. Although the main purpose of this paper is to speak about the immense power of the audio/visual media as well as identify its tools and spots of power, and according to essay writing rules, the introductory sentence should include the formal goal exposed; the writer finds it more appropriate and even attracting to start by the most important tool in visual media; the presenter. In the globalization era, media is the number one intercontinental tool. It has different types; starting with the written media represented in newspapers and journals, audio media represented in the radio, and finally and most influential the audio/visual media represented in speeches and TV shows. Obviously, the audio/visual media attracts the highest number of audience for its wide-spread and easy access features. â€Å"Sound and visual ‘illustrations’ are no longer mere minor complements to thought but they directly influence the thoughts and the very conduct of millions of individuals. It was therefore inevitable that a desire should spring up to master such a powerful instrument, to discipline it for better (education) or for worse (advertising, for example). † (pp. 1) Thence, the important elements that constitute any powerful piece of news item are: the effective words, charismatic presenter, as well as the use of intonation, gestures and above all the strong meaningful cause. A close look into the successful speech â€Å"I have a dream† presented by Martin Luther King can show the effective and successful elements of a media news item. As well-known to everyone, Martin Luther King is a revolutionary man who devoted himself to pursuing the case of the black, and defending their rights against oppression and discrimination. He is such a charismatic leader and talented speech presenter whose characteristics are essential to any media man. He was such an eloquent man who inspired many people. In this regard, Oprah Winfrey says: Nothing that has happened in my life since I was 16 years old wouldve been possible. I wouldnt have been in radio, I wouldnt have been on television, I would have been have been who I am I just wouldnt have the life that I have without Martin Luther King Jr. , To have been a living witness to the changes his vision and his dream have brought – not just for me personally but for me personally – it really is amazing grace. He possessed wisdom of thought and strength of cause; and for his beliefs he said many philosophical quotes that can inspire any person wherever he is. To exemplify, he pleaded for work until the final breath â€Å"Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree,† he even cared for schools â€Å"When schools flourish, all flourishes,† and above all, he detested war â€Å"War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. † In fact, it is no wonder he became the nowadays well-known Martin Luther King. In his speech â€Å"I have a dream,† Martin Luther King speaks it all loud in fluent, strong and coherent chosen words. He speaks the cause, history, acknowledgment, union, and requests. At the very beginning, he exposes the cause and history for the march and his speech; Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity. But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so weve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition. From the very beginning, the listener can highly sense the strong articulation of every word, as if Martin Luther King does not want the listener to escape a letter denoting the gravity of his cause. The brilliance is not merely in the choice of the eloquent words, or in the smooth flow of sentences, but it is clearly shown also in his mild intonation; for he uses a stable tone rising at certain points of needed assertion. For example, he emphasized the injustice done to the Negro by straining his vocal cords reflecting his pain and strong belief in his cause. Upon this pattern, he continues to unfold his reasons. Actually, Martin Luther King uses variable styles incorporating even ironic and literary images that enriche his speech turning it into a beautiful piece of art achieving amusement for any listener. He believes that God is just and that a discrimination free atmosphere is urgently needed for both Blacks and Whites. He states in rather an ironic image that â€Å"we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt† moving the crowds to laugh at his simple, yet, powerfully righteous note. One more time, his intonation rises, but this time while talking about the present; Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksand’s of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children. He speaks about the urgency of having real democratic and free country. However, he is also very reasonable. He refuses the black to obtain their freedom on the bodies of the white. He refuses violence thoroughly. Therefore, he gives credit to the white who support him in his cause; The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. Briefly, Martin Luther King exposes calmly his stance and asserts his beliefs before he reaches his climax. The climax of the speech exposes the ultimate strength of the words and performance. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today! Without taking a course in presentation skills, and without having training for an interview, Martin Luther King manages to use a firm and strong voice, in addition to his gestures that make the audience soar with his words. Watching this speech is indeed a pleasure because it bears within the meaningful message of a leader transmitted through media. The injustice done to any person in this life, and the discrimination against any person, all echo in this speech. The cause is so clear in the words, the presenter’s belief, and the crowds aggregated around him believing in his cause. In a nutshell, today’s democracy, freedom, peace and coexistence were built upon the shoulders of inspirational leaders such as Ghandi and Martin Luther King. ? Works Consulted: Adams, Nordette. Remembering A Life: A Poem Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from: http://www. authorsden. com/categories/poetry_top. asp? catid=69id=109389 King, Martin Luther. (1963). I have a Dream Speech. Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from: http://www. mlkonline. net/video-i-have-a-dream-speech. html King, Martin Luther. Martin Luther Quotes. Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from: http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther_3. html Lestage, Andre. (1959). The Use of Audio-visual Aids in Education. UNESCO Chronicle. Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from: http://www. unesco. org/education/nfsunesco/pdf/LESTAG_E. PDF Winfrey, Oprah. (2008). Oprah Winfrey: How Martin Luther King Changed My Life. Retrieved on March 30, 2010 from: http://www. people. com/people/article/0,,20172797,00. html

The Meaning And Purpose Of Life Philosophy Essay

The Meaning And Purpose Of Life Philosophy Essay What is the purpose of life? What is the meaning of it? Why are we here? Is there a God or isnt there? Which religion is the most correct? Is there an afterlife? There are too many questions that people have struggled for millenniums to tackle. In fact, the way we answer these questions will provide the ultimate context for everything else we do with our lives (Pavlina, 2005). So if nobody knows his purpose of life, maybe, each one of us should choose it independently. Here is a trick I think we should define the purpose of life but not the goals, because our goals may vary and some of them may be reached earlier than the life will end. However, the sense, the meaning passes through the whole life. So, the purpose of life is the life of purpose (Leider). Im Christian and I believe we are created in Gods image for relationship with him. Being in that relationship is the only thing that will ultimately satisfy our souls (Pavlina, 2005). But admittedly, I dont realize what will end the emptiness in my life, what exactly will end such a lack of fulfillment. It is true when people keep God out trying to find fulfillment in something other than God, they will never get enough of that thing. Augustine summarized it in such a way: You [God] have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee. So there is something inside every human being that cries out for significance; something inside of us that wants to know that we are not just breathing air, not occupying space, but were actually here for a reason and were making a difference. Im convinced there was something in the mind of God when he made each one of us; something that he wanted us to do while we were here. So purpose is not the process of figurin g out what I want to do with my life, but it is really a matter of aligning me with what was in the designers mind. I believe the key is to make a relationship with the creator; so that he can reveal you who you really are, and what your purpose is. My overall religion has effectively become a religion of personal growth. Every day I continue to combine my beliefs trying to bring them into closer alignment with my best understanding of how reality actually works. I think people have been used for many noble purposes in order to recognize the one they were designed for. Children are flowers of life. This is the reason to live. They continue human race, save our life experience, bring infinite happiness to their parents, and at last take care of them when they are old. Loveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I think it is the most pure feeling, the source of persistent, unreasonable happiness. One more thing is altruism. Such an unselfish concern for the welfare of others (Eddy, 1998) is an ideal human life. So I consider all these purposes are intended to evaluate my progress and inspire further progress in the realization of my life purpose. I dont believe that money and power can be our purpose of life. Yes, money may satisfy your needs. Power can give you the right not to carry out someones orders. However, people who have money and power are always surrounded with hypocrisy, jealousy, evil and hatred. I know for sure that we didnt come to this world to buy things and die. We came here because each one of us has a unique purpose that gives us a unique drive. So here Im asking myself: what is it that I do naturally; what is it that I do the best. I believe if the person find such an activity, he will be content, fullfilled. Since early childhood I loved to be an actress. I was occupied with puppet-theatre for 8 years. So Id always dreamed when I grew up, I would enter the theatrical university. I knew it is the best thing I could do act. I woke up in the morning energized, excited about the day, excited about my life. Coming back from school even if that day happenned to be a challenging day with many problems, I was full of power, passion and excitement because I knew I had my purpose. But I had such dreambusters as parents, society who told me You should not do that, Youre not god in that, and Thats not a good way to be. So I was completely suppressed and forgot about my dream. A nd now Im here, at LCC International University where Im studying business administration. It was my choice. But Im not happy. There is something that I know Im not in the right place in life. I dont want to do my job just to pay the bills and to be unsatisfied because this is not in alignment with who I am. So, maybe the purpose is being in the right place in the right time doing the right thing. You are what your deep driving desire is; As your deep driving desire is, so is your will; As your will is so is your deed; As your deed is so is your destiny (The Upanishads). There is no one individual on the planet that is not extraordinary. Every person is unique. So there is a potential within us to make a huge difference in the world within our certain sphere of influence because each one of us has a unique purpose.

Religion Essays Disestablishment of the Church of England

Religion Essays Disestablishment of the Church of England Disestablishment of the Church of England â€Å"Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s† â€Å"Yesterday we asked for toleration, today we ask for religious equality; tomorrow we shall demand the disestablishment of the Church of England.† The ambiguous position enjoyed by the Church of England in the United Kingdom is one that deserves a shrewd analysis in terms of its compatibility with the interests of liberal democracy. The current constitutional settlement has faded from the spotlight over the course of the past century despite being a highly contested issue during the late nineteenth century, due, in the most part, to other more pressing issues beginning to surface. The last time the issue was considered as a whole was in 1970 but it was observed that there was a general lack of knowledge on behalf of the British public on Church-State issues and as such the matter was left as it was. However, in a new era of equality the issue must be readdressed and rectified in the interests of democracy in an increasingly multi-faith nation. The issue transcends the awareness of the British public on the issue and should be focused on the disestablishment of the Church of England as a matter of democratic imperative. To best understand what is being compromised it is important to first outline what exactly â€Å"establishment† is, what it has afforded the Church of England and how such a settlement came into existence. The current settlement is due in the most part to Henry VIII and his break from Rome, and a brief overview of the history of the Church of England is important to understand the nature of the subsequent laws establishing the Church by law. Henry VIII broke away from the Roman Catholic Communion due to the failure of the Pope to grant an annulment of his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. The Act of Supremacy 1534 recognised Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church of England, making the nobility swear an oath recognising his supremacy. When Elizabeth I became Queen in 1558 she had Parliament pass the Act of Supremacy in 1559 restoring the position of the Church of England but rewording the oath recognising her as the Supreme Governor of the Church, as the Bible recognises Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church. The idea of â€Å"establishment† is one that remains difficult to define, as there was no single statute that created the settlement that remains today, rather it was a progressive approach that is best defined through the key privileges enjoyed by the Church of England. In Chapter 1 I shall outline what establishment is and seek to produce a working legal definition in order to outline the current constitutional settlement. In this chapter I shall also explore the concept of disestablishment and previous attempts to disestablish the Church of England from the late nineteenth century to as recently as January/February 2008 when the issue once again began to build momentum with a view to highlighting how previous failures fell short of achieving religious equality. The chapter shall end with an examination of the idea of secularism and how it may not only be preferable to advocate state neutrality, but also fundamental in the interests of liberal democracy. In Chapters 2 to 4 I shall look more closely at three different elements of establishment and outline the consequent democratic deficiencies and make recommendations as to how they may best be rectified. The main privileges that characterise the established religion are; the 26 Anglican Bishops occupying ex-officio positions in the House of Lords; the role of the Monarch; and the Governance of the Church of England. Each of these issues will be dealt with in detail in an attempt to illustrate how the Church of England has been woven into the fabric of political and legal life in the United Kingdom and the subsequent problems that stem from this relationship, with particular emphasis on issues of democratic concern. To briefly identify the key problems that each of these privileges create they shall be introduced at this point in order to set the scene for the rest of this introduction. In Chapter 2 I will address the controversial issue of the House of Lords, however, discussion is restricted solely to the twenty-six Anglican Bishops. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York; the Bishops of London, York and Winchester along with the next twenty-one bishops in order of seniority sit in the House of Lords by virtue of their position within the Church. There are issues of democracy and representation within the upper chamber; however, this is not within the remit of this paper. Attempts have been made recently to address the issues in the House of Lords with the recommendation that the number of Bishops be merely reduced to sixteen. The report also recommended that other faiths should be introduced to the Lords, an idea that will only serve to further discriminate and alienate those not in the privileged few. This privilege highlights an inequality in that one religious group has been afforded the opportunity to sit in Parliament, a privilege that should be viewed with the knowledge that the Church of England can lobby for its own interests in the corridors of power while other religious groups must lobby in the traditional way. Chapter 3 is concerned with the Monarch and the dual role of Head of State and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, as well as the anti-Catholic sentiment in the laws on the Protestant succession. The Monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and as such must take an oath to defend the protestant faith. The Monarch is a figure of British unity and to represent a single religion is to alienate people from other faiths and the non-religious. The Act of Settlement 1700 requires a Protestant succession and as such it is forbidden to marry a Roman Catholic. This discrimination not only promotes exclusion to the people of Britain, many of whom belong to the Roman Catholic community, but also calls into question its compatibility with the Human Rights Act. In Chapter 4 I shall look at the governance of the Church of England and how it is restricted in its own management. This Chapter will highlight the pitfalls for the Church of England itself as being by law established The Prime Minister is responsible for appointing Bishops and other senior clergy of the Church of England, a role that has been altered recently by new Prime Minister Gordon Brown who shall now merely act as a postman and pass the recommendations to the Queen. This is a time consuming process and a waste of government resources on a privilege that is enjoyed by no other religion. However, whether any other religion would campaign for this is questionable as it restricts the Church’s control over itself. This issue of governmental control is also evident in the making of Church laws. Church laws are made by Measures that must be passed by a single vote in each House of Parliament. They cannot be amended; they must simply be passed or rejected. This also concerns Human Rights and the right of the church to self-govern without government interference. All these issues will be addressed in relation to their compatibility with the interests of liberal democracy in the United Kingdom as a whole. As a model of democracy I shall take Robert Dahl and his work on political equality. Dahl is one of the most noted commentators on political power and he provides an outline of representative democracies in Europe and a model of an ideal democracy. His observations characterised representative democracy in Europe as consisting of; government decisions and policies being accountable to locally elected politicians; free elections; freedom to stand for election; free expression; freedom of information; freedom of assembly. This analysis defines European democracy as being representative, accountable and free, in terms of human rights. His ideal model of democracy outlines what he believes a true democracy should strive to achieve, that is; effective participation; equality in voting; gaining enlightened understanding; final control of the agenda ; inclusion; and fundamental rights. Dahl believes that political equality is desirable for governing a state and the only political system that derives its legitimacy and political institutions from the idea of political equality is a democracy. In order to examine what political institutions would be necessary in a democratic state he constructed an ideal concept of democracy as a basis for comparison with the actual models of democracy already in existence. To this end I shall condense the basis principles of democracy as observed by Dahl and using them to construct my own ideal model of democracy so that it may be compared with the current constitutional settlement in the United Kingdom in relation to the Church of England. The basic principles that I have extracted from Dahl’s ideal model are; free elections; representation; participation; accountability; equality; enlightenment; inclusion; and fundamental rights. From this I have devised my own model which will be used to highlight the democratic deficits of the privileged position of the Church of England. My analysis will be based on the principles of; representation, accountability, participation; equality; inclusion; plurality; and human rights under the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. CHAPTER 1: ESTABLISHMENT AND STATE NEUTRALITY 1.1 Establishment The concept of â€Å"establishment† is one of great complexity which bears no single accurate definition, making it difficult to assess what exactly any disestablishment of the Church of England would entail. In order to effectively assess the current constitutional settlement it would be appropriate to explore the idea of establishment and what defines establishment in the first instance. The Chadwick Commission provided a definition of establishment as â€Å"the laws which apply to the Church of England and not to the other churches.† Legal writer Peter W. Edge has commented that the Chadwick definition is only concerned with the Church of England, whereas the idea of establishment may be an abstract term which has simply been applied to the Church of England. By examining the Chadwick definition Edge has developed a fuller legal definition of establishment: â€Å"A religious organisation is established where there are laws which apply to that particular religious organisation, qua that religious organisation, which do not apply to the majority of other religious organisations.† In his definition of establishment Edge highlights that establishment, as a legal construct, is not primarily a question for the Church of England, rather, like other legal constructs it is open for debate by all members of the state, not just those which it affects directly. This opens the discussion up as an issue of national importance and thus warrants this discussion on the compatibility of â€Å"establishment of religion† with the interests of liberal democracy in the United Kingdom. To claim that a particular religion is not the religion of the majority of the population is not a sound basis for a legal discussion, however, to examine the ramifications, values and limits of a legal doctrine is a legitimate endeavour. Edge claims that there are four main areas of the law that characterise establishment; the constitutional laws; the civil laws; the criminal laws; and fiscal and property laws. While this is indeed true it is only the first element, the constitutional laws, that shall be the focus of this paper due to the focus on constitutional reform and good governance. Law is not monolithic as it varies in form, principle and structure so to delve into the individual civil, criminal, fiscal and property laws would not be feasible under the remit of this paper. The â€Å"laws of establishment† are not a separate category of law which has been created under one statute, rather, it was a progressive approach that may be defined through the key privileges enjoyed by the Church of England. Phillimore J commented on the current settlement: â€Å"A Church which is established is not thereby made a department of the state. The process of establishment means that the state has accepted the Church as the religious body in its opinion truly teaching the Christian faith, and given to it a certain legal position, and to it’s decrees, if rendered under certain legal conditions, certain civil sanctions†¦the Church of England is a continuous body from its earliest establishment in Saxon times.† However, the argument that the Church of England best represents the Christian faith no longer holds any water. The National Census of 2001 indicates the following data on religious affiliation for Great Britain: 71.8 per cent Christian, 2.8 per cent Muslim, 1 per cent Hindu, 0.6  per cent Sikh, 0.5 per cent Jewish and 0.3 per cent Buddhist, whereas 15.1 per cent of the population had no religion and 7.8 per cent of people chose not to state their religion. Although almost 72 per cent of British people profess to be Christian, the Church of England represents only one of many Christian denominations in Britain. It has also been contested that these statistics are inaccurate as association with Christian denominations is based on individuals being brought up in nominally Christian households. Furthermore, it has been suggested that a decline in Church attendance represents a need to disestablish an institution that is gradually losing support and which may in turn undermine the legi timacy of a government that affords state privilege to such an institution. The idea of disestablishment is not a new concept, indeed it was very popular at the end of the nineteenth century before other issues dominated the political agenda. However, recently there has been an emergence in the call for disestablishment and the issue is once again creeping up the agenda. 1.2 Attempts to Disestablish in the late 19th Century By tracing a brief outline of failed attempts at disestablishment it is hoped that attention will be drawn to the significance and magnitude of disestablishing the Church of England and how the reasons for failure over a hundred years ago have no basis for opposition to any such attempt in the 21st Century. Furthermore, there is an overriding democratic imperative which should not be ignored in the light of religious equality and human rights. The late nineteenth century represented a period of intense interest in the disestablishment of the Anglican Church in England on the basis that such disestablishment is essential in achieving religious equality. This concept was most prominent with the Nonconformists who were the frontrunners of disestablishment in the latter part of the nineteenth century. Although disestablishment was widespread among Nonconformists there was discontent surfacing amongst the Anglican community who acknowledged that there were shortcomings in being controlled by a multi-faith House of Commons. One reason for the failure of disestablishment in England was the historic lack of unity among Nonconformists over this issue throughout much of the nineteenth century. The Liberation Society was never successful in convincing people outside the Anglican Church that a separation of church and state was fundamental in the aspiration of religious equality. A second reason for failure to disestablish the Anglican Church in England was the attitude of W. E. Gladstone, the Liberal leader during most of the late nineteenth century. Although Gladstone was an advocate of religious equality, as his administration’s parliamentary record showed, he was defiant in his support of the Established Church of England. Despite renegade members of the society working outside the party their failure only highlighted the importance of the support of a major political party in any attempt to legislate on disestablishment. Although Gladstone was the driving force in disestablishing the Church in Ireland he remained persistent in his views towards the Church of England. In an attempt to weaken the call for disestablishment he addressed specific grievances against the Church of England, which in turn picked apart any argument constructed in favour of disestablishment. Without changing his views on the Church of England, Gladstone displayed a greater tolerance for eventual disestablishment in Scotland and Wales. In 1885 he admitted that the Established Churches in both Scotland and in Wales serviced a small minority of the people and there would be no issue in allowing each nation to decide upon its own fate. But he argued that the situation in Wales was more difficult than in Scotland because the Church in Wales was organically one with the Church of England. Possibly the most significant factor in the failure to disestablish the Church of England was because as a political issue it became overshadowed by more pressing emergent issues. Irish Home Rule destroyed any chance of disestablishment being a hot political topic in the 1885 general election, which was worsened by disagreement over the issue of Home Rule between the Nonconformists and the Liberal Party. 1.3 Recent Attempts to Disestablish In the late 1980s and early 1990s MP Tony Benn proposed two Bills to disestablish the Church of England, the first in 1988 which only had one operative section: â€Å"The Church of England shall cease to be established by law, and no person shall, after the passing of this Act, be appointed or nominated by Her Majesty or any other person, by virtue of any existing right of patronage, to an ecclesiastical office in the Church of England.† He also addressed the disestablishment of the Church of England in his Commonwealth of Britain Bill in 1991 where it was proposed that the Church of England be â€Å"disestablished† and powers over doctrine and faith be transferred to the General Synod. Both Bills were unsuccessful and they highlighted what a huge operation it would be to â€Å"disestablish† the Church of England. However, complexity and length are not legitimate grounds for the government to avoid the issue, especially when democracy, the foundation of British society, is being compromised. Current Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has added fuel to the increasing demand for a complete disestablishment of the Church of England. Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s â€Å"World at One† he commented that adopting parts of Islamic Sharia law would help maintain social cohesion. These comments prompted an unforeseeable backlash and public uproar, in turn leaving many questioning the place of religious leaders in public life, and more specifically, the position of the Church of England as the established church. Co-director of think-tank â€Å"Ekklesia†, Jonathan Bartley, commented that: Letting go of privilege is a far better witness to the Christian message than either clinging on to it, seeking to preserve it on a wider basis, or speaking for others rather than engaging them as equals. A motion calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England has been listed in the House of Commons as 666. Labour MP John Austin, who has repeatedly tabled Early Day Motions urging disestablishment, put down his latest motion on January 9th 2008 as MPs debated scrapping Britains blasphemy laws, the law of blasphemy itself representing Christian privilege protected by the law. 1.4 Secularism Secularism is the principle of state neutrality in religious life whereby the state and its institutions grant no religious privileges to any religious group or organisation. By the very definition of secularism it is clear that the United Kingdom cannot call itself a secular state until it has cut official ties with the Church of England, to which it grants numerous religious privileges over all other religions and none. The concept of secularism does not compromise religious belief, nor does it seek to undermine a persons individual religious convictions, rather, it suggests the parameters which are acceptable in terms of religious plurality whereby an individual can manifest his or her religion. Secularism is a goal which any state that calls itself a democracy should strive to achieve and I shall outline the merits of such an objective as well as highlighting how religion in public life may undermine the interests of democracy. Due to increasing religious pluralism in the developed west organised religion and the interests of democracy have become increasingly â€Å"uneasy bedfellows†. The existing Christian denominations must now be added to an increasing number of new cults and, more significantly, substantial Muslim and other non-European religious communities who find the existing settlement between religion and the state problematic. This growing religious plurality is evident in the United Kingdom yet the Church of England remains by law established despite its capacity to marginalize other faith groups and those of no faith. The settlement is highly discriminatory and has created an unnecessary conflict. If religion were to have no role in public life then every group would be on a level playing field with equal opportunity to influence public decisions by way of interest groups. As to those who do not belong to any religious organisation the establishment of a state religion has placed primac y on religion and thus discriminates against those who do not hold any beliefs. One case put forward for secularity, that is the secularisation of public life, is the â€Å"Jefferson Compromise† which was defended by Richard Rorty. Rorty argues that modern democrats should privatise religion without trivialising it and that the religious experience is appropriate for what we do with our aloneness in an open and civil society where one is entitled to freedom of religious worship. He submits that a democratic polity thus has no choice but to ensure that religious believers are guaranteed their freedom to worship their God in private in return for the right of non-believers to live without religious deception within the public domains of civil society and the state. Such an argument seems logical yet the United Kingdom has failed to guarantee such rights to all its citizens. The submissions by Rorty have many merits, most prominent of these being the principle of equality whereby he outlines a pact in which each individuals own beliefs are protected through the absence of religion in public life. Secularists believe that democracy requires the separation of church and state and that citizens be emancipated from state and ecclesiastical diktat in order that they may worship according to their conscience and ethical judgements. In the bible Jesus is quoted as saying â€Å"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s†. This phrase is ambiguous but essentially refers to a separation of the spiritual and the earthly realms, or, the separation of the church and the state. This presupposes an open and tolerant civil society which operates within a pluralist structure in order to avoid bitterness so that each person can enjoy religious freedom without being confined to the dogmatic beliefs and codes of conduct of others. In a case before the European Courts the issue of secularism was addressed in relation to the wearing of a headscarf and a conflict with constitutional law. In Sahin v Turkey (2005) it was held that the Constitutional Court’s reliance on the principle of secularism was paramount in the ban on wearing religious attire and that â€Å"where the values of pluralism, respect for the rights of others and, in particular, equality before the law were taught and applied, it was understandable that the authorities should wish to preserve the secular nature of the constitution and so consider it contrary to such values to allow religious attire to be worn†. In this case it is apparent that the European Courts perceived secularism as a fundamental principle of democracy in Turkey and as such religious belief and the freedom to manifest such beliefs were secondary to the principles of democracy. I submit that in constructing any model of democracy one of the fundamental components s hould be state neutrality in public life. Secularism is a key concept in any democratic state and presents the only logical and fair means of protecting every persons right to individual belief and right to non belief. CHAPTER 2: ANGLICAN BISHOPS IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS 2.1 Background The presence of the twenty-six most senior bishops of the Church of England in the House of Lords is a precarious situation and arguably the most visible manifestation of establishment. The current constitutional settlement is a hangover of Medieval times, which predates the Reformation and reflects the historical position of Anglican bishops as prominent land owners and advisers to the Crown. Until the mid-nineteenth century the Anglican episcopate constituted a significant faction of the second chamber, however, the Diocese of Manchester Act 1847 and the subsequent Acts disestablishing the Churches of Ireland and Wales provided for the current arrangement of twenty-six bishops. Automatic membership to the chamber is associated only with the five historically pre-eminent secs of Canterbury, York, London, Durham and Winchester, while the twenty-one other seats are filled on the basis of seniority. The twenty-six seats held by the Anglican bishops are the only formal provision made fo r the representation of religion in the second chamber in its present form, and while other members of the House of Lords have strong links with various faith groups, and might be seen as providing de facto representation of the viewpoints and beliefs of such groups, it is only the Church of England that has seats reserved for its representatives. It is anomalous that bishops should sit in the legislature ex officio as this results in a duplicate representation of religious views. This discriminates not only against other religions, whether they are Christian or non-Christian groups, but also against the non-religious, who, as I shall discuss in more detail later, have no formal representation based solely on being non-religious. I am not advocating that such provisions should be made, for either other religious groups or non-religious groups, rather, in the interests of plurality and equality the most logistic and ascertainable goal would be to eliminate any form of representation based solely on religion, and to that end, and within the remit of this discussion, the twenty-six seats held by the Anglican bishops should be revoked. 2.2 Proposed Reform of the House of Lords The broader issue of reforming the House of Lords has been a hot topic throughout the last decade, and while reformation of the upper chamber is not the focus of this paper, the subsequent reports and papers published recently address the issue of the Anglican bishops in the upper chamber. The Fifth Report of the Public Administration Select Committee has been the most radical in it’s approach to the senior bishops vis their position in the House of Lords: â€Å"If we are serious about equipping Britain with a modern Parliament and constitution, it is time to modernise this aspect of our constitution too, and to bring to an end formal representation of the church in Parliament†¦we recommend that the Bishops of the Church of England should no longer sit ex officio from the time of the next general election but one.† This report has recognised both the dated nature of our constitutional settlement and the need to get rid of the bishops in order to fully modernise Parliament. However, both the Wakeham Report and the government’s two white papers on the issue defend the position of the Church of England in Parliament. While they recommend that the bishops should remain the Wakeham Report and the 2001 White Paper agree that the number of seats so reserved should be reduced from twenty-six to sixteen, while the 2007 White Paper claims that assuming that the overall size of the House was to be reduced twenty-six Anglican bishops could not be justified. Recommendation 1 The twenty-six Anglican Bishops in the House of Lords should cease to sit in this House on an ex officio basis While the Wakeham Report and the White Papers agree that the number of bishops should be reduced to sixteen they diverge on their approach to accommodating representatives of other religions. The Wakeham Report recommends that 26 seats should be reserved for the religious representatives of the nations of the United Kingdom, and based on the population of each of the nations in the United Kingdom twenty-one seats should go to Christian denominations in England, and five to members representing the Christian denominations of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. It recommends that of the twenty-one places reserved for Christian denominations in England, sixteen should be reserved for the Church of England. The Wakeham Report recommends that the Appointments Commission should be responsible for selecting the ten members from other Christian faith, five from England and five from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales collectively, and should also ensure that five seats are reserved for m embers of non-Christian denominations. The Report is careful to mention the significance of secular views as well as religious views, and recommends that both be accommodated in the new format of the house, however, the Report fails to make any provisions to reserve such seats for secular representatives as they have done for the religious. The main difficulty in accepting the presence of the Anglican bishops in the upper chamber is that membership rates of the Church of England are skewered by its membership methods. Establishment has afforded the Church of England an ideology of membership which differs from any other denomination in the UK as it operates on an involuntary basis, accepting all members who do not take positive steps to set themselves outside of its community at any point in time. Recommendation 2 The method of membership to the Church of England should be on a voluntary basis like every other denomination in the UK so to allow every person born in England the free will to either select their own religion or none at all. Perhaps it is the case that from the outset the Wakeham Commission was restricted in its scope as the White Paper establishing the Royal Commission explicitly stated that the twenty-six Anglican bishops were to remain in the House. It states: â€Å"The Government does not propose any change in the transitional House of Lords in the representation of the Church of England within the House. The Bishops often make a valuable contribution to the House because of their particular perspective and experience. To ensure that contribution remains available, the Government proposes to retain the present size of the Bishops bench which we accept is justified†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It has been claimed that this diktat must have tested the Commission’s ingenuity to the limits as to how to justify the unjustifiable. The White Paper 2001 lacks a lot of the detail that the Wakeham Report has provided in its approach to accommodating other representatives of religion. It claims that the proposals set out by the Wakeham Report are unattainable as many other denominations and faith groups lack the hierarchical structure that would deliver readily identifiable representatives and that there are more faith groups than there are proposed seats. The White Paper simply recommends that the Appointments Commission should ensure that it appoints representatives of the other faith communities in the United Kingdom. While the

Alcohol Essay -- essays research papers

Many pregnant women are not aware of the complications that are involved with pregnancy. The greater majority of young women see pregnancy as a way of bringing a life into the world but do not use precaution in their dietary habits to prevent the destruction or inhibition of such a life. Most pregnant women continue on their drinking and drug abuse binge right throughout their pregnancy. They do not think ahead to the inexplicable damage that it could do to their fetus. What they do not know is that when a woman drinks while pregnant it could do damage, and pose problems not only to herself, but to the fetus that she is carrying. The problem? FAS, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. According to many physicians it is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States today. Douglas A. Milligan states that, "FAS is the single greatest cause of mental retardation in the U.S. today". ( Seachrist, p. 314) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treat ed and found in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus and its brain. The alcohol enters the bloodstream though the placenta and then the damage begins to occur. FAS consists of a characteristic pattern of abnormalities resulting from the exposure that the fetus has had with alcohol during early development. There have been many reports linking alcohol use and fetal deficiencies in growth that emerged from France in the late 1950's. Not until the 1960's was the correlation made between the number of defects and the increasing amount of babies born with the syndrome. The term Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was coined to describe the pattern of the abnormalities found in some children born to alcoholic women. It clearly was very noticeable and distinctive in the recognition of itself and was distinct from all other patterns of malformation in the fetus; there was a significant association found between the alco hol consumption rates during pregnancy and a lower general cognitive index of these children. Being further studied in the 1970's under the heading as a birth defect that occurs, FAS was one of the most common causes of birth defects. Researchers said that it occurred in almost 1 of every 500 to 1 in every thousand births.( Seachrist, p. 314) There is a major thing that causes difficulty in the diagnos... ...cose from mother to fetus. Several studies have shown that with the human placental tissue alcohol directly obstructs the transport of both these substances. These are two essential substances that, through research with rat embryos, have proven that the depravity of such causes malformations of fetal tissue's energy sources. The materials needed for cell proliferation, growth, and differentiation are also affected in this. The supplemental glucose thus becomes only minimally effective because of the lack of diminution of fetal growth retardation. (Michaelis and Michaelis, p. 21) Included within the nutritional deficiencies that occur are the loss of vitamins B6 and A. There is noted decrease in the transfer of B6 from an alcoholic mother to her fetus through the placenta. This vitamin is especially important in the development of the fetus because it functions as protein metabolism. There exists also a possible defect in the metabolism of folic acid. The lack of which during the gestation period produces malformations in the fetus. The last vitamin deficiency that I will note revolves around the receiving of vitamin A from the alcoholic mother to the fetus via the placenta. Alcohol Essay -- essays research papers Many pregnant women are not aware of the complications that are involved with pregnancy. The greater majority of young women see pregnancy as a way of bringing a life into the world but do not use precaution in their dietary habits to prevent the destruction or inhibition of such a life. Most pregnant women continue on their drinking and drug abuse binge right throughout their pregnancy. They do not think ahead to the inexplicable damage that it could do to their fetus. What they do not know is that when a woman drinks while pregnant it could do damage, and pose problems not only to herself, but to the fetus that she is carrying. The problem? FAS, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. According to many physicians it is the leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities in the United States today. Douglas A. Milligan states that, "FAS is the single greatest cause of mental retardation in the U.S. today". ( Seachrist, p. 314) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was first named and treat ed and found in the late 1960's. This condition results from the toxic effect of alcohol and its chemical factors on the developing fetus and its brain. The alcohol enters the bloodstream though the placenta and then the damage begins to occur. FAS consists of a characteristic pattern of abnormalities resulting from the exposure that the fetus has had with alcohol during early development. There have been many reports linking alcohol use and fetal deficiencies in growth that emerged from France in the late 1950's. Not until the 1960's was the correlation made between the number of defects and the increasing amount of babies born with the syndrome. The term Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was coined to describe the pattern of the abnormalities found in some children born to alcoholic women. It clearly was very noticeable and distinctive in the recognition of itself and was distinct from all other patterns of malformation in the fetus; there was a significant association found between the alco hol consumption rates during pregnancy and a lower general cognitive index of these children. Being further studied in the 1970's under the heading as a birth defect that occurs, FAS was one of the most common causes of birth defects. Researchers said that it occurred in almost 1 of every 500 to 1 in every thousand births.( Seachrist, p. 314) There is a major thing that causes difficulty in the diagnos... ...cose from mother to fetus. Several studies have shown that with the human placental tissue alcohol directly obstructs the transport of both these substances. These are two essential substances that, through research with rat embryos, have proven that the depravity of such causes malformations of fetal tissue's energy sources. The materials needed for cell proliferation, growth, and differentiation are also affected in this. The supplemental glucose thus becomes only minimally effective because of the lack of diminution of fetal growth retardation. (Michaelis and Michaelis, p. 21) Included within the nutritional deficiencies that occur are the loss of vitamins B6 and A. There is noted decrease in the transfer of B6 from an alcoholic mother to her fetus through the placenta. This vitamin is especially important in the development of the fetus because it functions as protein metabolism. There exists also a possible defect in the metabolism of folic acid. The lack of which during the gestation period produces malformations in the fetus. The last vitamin deficiency that I will note revolves around the receiving of vitamin A from the alcoholic mother to the fetus via the placenta.

Cross-cultural Funeral Service Rituals Essay -- Participant Observatio

As a family member participant in the service, little field preparation was needed. However, the observer did complete the following tasks in preparation for the observation: 1. Reviewed the following resources on participant/non participant observation, ethnography, and the sociology of the African American funeral: Merriam, S. B. (2009). Being a careful observer. Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation, ch, 6 and Hazell, L. (2013). Cross-Cultural funeral service rituals. 2. Visited the church to review size, space, objects, and arrangement. 3. Selected a small note pad to record notes. 4. Secured a program on January 18, night before service to review. 5. Prepared a list of possible questions and areas to consider in observing. 6. Arrived at church early to be sure to get a seat in an appropriate location for observation. Field Note Taking Process The participant/observer/recorder for the funeral service of Lorena White. The observer used a small note pad and the provided funeral program to take notes. The program was gotten and reviewed the night before the service and used to record anecdotal jotting as the service progressed. The advance review of the program helped in being able to jot down appropriate content rapidly and inconspicuously. It also alerted the observer to look and listen for particular phenomena and events in the service. The note pad contained previously determined observer questions and areas to be used to help determine â€Å"what is transpiring here?† The program was the more efficient for recording in this setting. Upon entering the church the observer selected the seat she considered to be most obscure and which would allow her to visually view the most area while still ... ...es of the other participants, nor did it jeopardized the validity of the data collected and conclusions reached. This field experience certainly allowed the observer to begin to draw preliminary connections to her personal research interest based on what was learned about covert observation, note taking, ethnography study, and qualitative research. â€Æ' Works Cited Hazell, L. (2013). Cross-cultural funeral service rituals. Retrieved from http://www.funeralwise.com/customs/cross-cultural-funerals/#sthash.OeUEeixE.dpuf Kawulich, B. (2005). Participant observation as a data collection method. Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 6(2). Retrieved from http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0502430 Merriam, S. B. (2009). Being a careful observer. Qualitative Research: A Guide to Design and Implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.

Phil .Literature Essay

Philippine literary production during the American Period in the Philippines was spurred by two significant developments in education and culture. One is the introduction of free public instruction for all children of school age and two, the use of English as medium of instruction in all levels of education in public schools. Free public education made knowledge and information accessible to a greater number of Filipinos. Those who availed of this education through college were able to improve their social status and joined a good number of educated masses who became part of the country’s middle class. The use of English as medium of instruction introduced Filipinos to Anglo-American modes of thought, culture and life ways that would be embedded not only in the literature produced but also in the psyche of the country’s educated class. It was this educated class that would be the wellspring of a vibrant Philippine Literature in English. Philippine literature in English, as a direct result of American colonization of the country, could not escape being imitative of American models of writing especially during its period of apprenticeship. The poetry written by early poets manifested studied attempts at versification as in the following poem which is proof of the poet’s rather elementary exercise in the English language: Vacation days at last are here, And we have time for fun so dear, All boys and girls do gladly cheer, This welcomed season of the year. In early June in school we’ll meet; A harder task shall we complete And if we fail we must repeat That self same task without retreat. We simply rest to come again To school where boys and girls obtain The Creator’s gift to men Whose sanguine hopes in us remain. Vacation means a time for play For young and old in night and day My wish for all is to be gay, And evil none lead you astray- Juan F. Salazar Philippines Free Press, May 9, 1909| The poem was anthologized in the first collection of poetry in English, Filipino Poetry, edited by Rodolfo Dato (1909 – 1924). Among the poets featured in this anthology were Proceso Sebastian Maximo Kalaw, Fernando Maramag, Leopoldo Uichanco, Jose Ledesma, Vicente Callao, Santiago Sevilla, Bernardo Garcia, Francisco Africa, Pablo Anzures, Carlos P. Romulo, Francisco Tonogbanua, Juan Pastrana, Maria Agoncillo, Paz Marquez Benitez, Luis Dato and many others. Another anthology, The English German Anthology of Poetsedited by Pablo Laslo was published and covered poets published from 1924-1934 among whom were Teofilo D. Agcaoili, Aurelio Alvero, Horacio de la Costa, Amador T. Daguio, Salvador P. Lopez, Angela Manalang Gloria, Trinidad Tarrosa, Abelardo Subido and Jose Garcia Villa, among others. A third pre-war collection of poetry was edited by Carlos Bulosan, Chorus for America: Six Philippine Poets. The six poets in this collection were Jose Garcia Villa, Rafael Zulueta da Costa, Rodrigo T. Feria, C. B. Rigor, Cecilio Baroga and Carlos Bulosan. In fiction, the period of apprenticeship in literary writing in English is marked by imitation of the style of storytelling and strict adherence to the craft of the short story as practiced by popular American fictionists. Early short story writers in English were often dubbed as the Andersons or Saroyans or the Hemingways of Philippine letters. Leopoldo Yabes in his study of the Philippine short story in English from 1925 to 1955 points to these models of American fiction exerting profound influence on the early writings of story writers like Francisco Arcellana, A. E. Litiatco, Paz Latorena. . When the University of the Philippines was founded in 1908, an elite group of writers in English began to exert influence among the culturati. The U. P. Writers Club founded in 1926, had stated that one of its aims was to enhance and propagate the â€Å"language of Shakespeare. † In 1925, Paz Marquez Benitez short story, â€Å"Dead Stars† was published and was made the landmark of the maturity of the Filipino writer in English. Soon after Benitez, short story writers began publishing stories no longer imitative of American models. Thus, story writers like Icasiano Calalang, A. E. Litiatco, Arturo Rotor, Lydia Villanueva, Paz Latorena , Manuel Arguilla began publishing stories manifesting both skilled use of the language and a keen Filipino sensibility. This combination of writing in a borrowed tongue while dwelling on Filipino customs and traditions earmarked the literary output of major Filipino fictionists in English during the American period. Thus, the major novels of the period, such as the Filipino Rebel, by Maximo Kalaw, and His Native Soil by Juan C. Laya, are discourses on cultural identity, nationhood and being Filipino done in the English language. Stories such as â€Å"How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife† by Manuel Arguilla scanned the scenery as well as the folkways of Ilocandia while N. V. M. Gonzales’s novels and stories such as â€Å"Children of the Ash Covered Loam,† present the panorama of Mindoro, in all its customs and traditions while configuring its characters in the human dilemma of nostalgia and poverty. Apart from Arguilla and Gonzales, noted fictionists during the period included Francisco Arcellana, whom Jose Garcia Villa lauded as a â€Å"genius† storyteller, Consorcio Borje, Aida Rivera, Conrado Pedroche, Amador Daguio, Sinai Hamada, Hernando Ocampo, Fernando Maria Guerrero. Jose Garcia Villa himself wrote several short stories but devoted most of his time to poetry. In 1936, when the Philippine Writers League was organized, Filipino writers in English began discussing the value of literature in society. Initiated and led by Salvador P. Lopez, whose essays on Literature and Societyprovoked debates, the discussion centered on proletarian literature, i. e. , engaged or committed literature versus the art for art’s sake literary orientation. But this discussion curiously left out the issue of colonialism and colonial literature and the whole place of literary writing in English under a colonial set-up that was the Philippines then. With Salvador P. Lopez, the essay in English gained the upper hand in day to day discourse on politics and governance. Polemicists who used to write in Spanish like Claro M. Recto, slowly started using English in the discussion of current events even as newspaper dailies moved away from Spanish reporting into English. Among the essayists, Federico Mangahas had an easy facility with the language and the essay as genre. Other noted essayists during the period were Fernando Maramag, Carlos P. Romulo , Conrado Ramirez. On the other hand, the flowering of a vibrant literary tradition due to historical events did not altogether hamper literary production in the native or indigenous languages. In fact, the early period of the 20th century was remarkable for the significant literary output of all major languages in the various literary genre. It was during the early American period that seditious plays, using the form of the zarsuwela, were mounted. Zarsuwelistas Juan Abad, Aurelio Tolentino ,Juan Matapang Cruz. Juan Crisostomo Sotto mounted the classics like Tanikalang Ginto, Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas and Hindi Ako Patay, all directed against the American imperialists. Patricio Mariano’s Anak ng Dagat and Severino Reyes’s Walang Sugat are equally remarkable zarsuwelas staged during the period. On the eve of World War II, Wilfredo Maria Guerrero would gain dominance in theatre through his one-act plays which he toured through his â€Å"mobile theatre†. Thus, Wanted a Chaperone and The Forsaken Housebecame very popular in campuses throughout the archipelago. The novel in Tagalog, Iloko, Hiligaynon and Sugbuanon also developed during the period aided largely by the steady publication of weekly magazines like the Liwayway, Bannawag and Bisaya which serialized the novels. Among the early Tagalog novelists of the 20th century were Ishmael Amado, Valeriano Hernandez Pena, Faustino Aguilar, Lope K. Santos and Lazaro Francisco. Ishmael Amado’s Bulalakaw ng Pag-asa published in 1909 was one of the earliest novels that dealt with the theme of American imperialism in the Philippines. The novel, however, was not released from the printing press until 1916, at which time, the author, by his own admission and after having been sent as a pensionado to the U. S. , had other ideas apart from those he wrote in the novel. Valeriano Hernandez Pena’s Nena at Neneng narrates the story of two women who happened to be best of friends as they cope with their relationships with the men in their lives. Nena succeeds in her married life while Neneng suffers from a stormy marriage because of her jealous husband. Faustino Aguilar published Pinaglahuan, a love triangle set in the early years of the century when the worker’s movement was being formed. The novel’s hero, Luis Gatbuhay, is a worker in a printery who isimprisoned for a false accusation and loses his love, Danding, to his rival Rojalde, son of a wealthy capitalist. Lope K. Santos, Banaag at Sikat has almost the same theme and motif as the hero of the novel, Delfin, also falls in love with a rich woman, daughter of a wealthy landlord. The love story of course is set also within the background of development of the worker’s trade union movement and throughout the novel, Santos engages the readers in lengthy treatises and discourses on socialism and capitalism. Many other Tagalog novelists wrote on variations of the same theme, i. e. , the interplay of fate, love and social justice. Among these writers are Inigo Ed Regalado, Roman Reyes, Fausto J. Galauran, Susana de Guzman, Rosario de Guzman-Lingat, Lazaro Francisco, Hilaria Labog, Rosalia Aguinaldo, Amado V. Hernandez. Many of these writers were able to produce three or more novels as Soledad Reyes would bear out in her book which is the result of her dissertation, Ang Nobelang Tagalog (1979). Among the Iloko writers, noted novelists were Leon Pichay, who was also the region’s poet laureate then, Hermogenes Belen, and Mena Pecson Crisologo whose Mining wenno Ayat ti Kararwa is considered to be the Iloko version of a Noli me Tangere. In the Visayas, Magdalena Jalandoni and Ramon Muzones would lead most writers in writing the novels that dwelt on the themes of love, courtship, life in the farmlands, and other social upheavals of the period. Marcel Navarra wrote stories and novels in Sugbuhanon. Poetry in all languages continued to flourish in all regions of the country during the American period. The Tagalogs, hailing Francisco F. Balagtas as the nation’s foremost poet invented the balagtasan in his honor. Thebalagtasan is a debate in verse, a poetical joust done almost spontaneously between protagonists who debate over the pros and cons of an issue. The first balagtasan was held in March 1924 at the Instituto de Mujeres, with Jose Corazon de Jesus and Florentino Collantes as rivals, bubuyog (bee) and paru-paro (butterfly) aiming for the love of kampupot (jasmine). It was during this balagtasan that Jose Corazon de Jesus, known as Huseng Batute, emerged triumphant to become the first king of the Balagtasan. Jose Corazon de Jesus was the finest master of the genre. He was later followed by balagtasistas, Emilio Mar Antonio and Crescenciano Marquez, who also became King of the Balagtasan in their own time. As Huseng Batute, de Jesus also produced the finest poems and lyrics during the period. His debates with Amado V. Hernandez on the political issue of independence from America and nationhood were mostly done in verse and are testament to the vitality of Tagalog poetry during the era. Lope K. Santos, epic poem, Ang Panggingera is also proof of how poets of the period have come to master the language to be able to translate it into effective poetry. The balagtasan would be echoed as a poetical fiesta and would be duplicated in the Ilocos as thebukanegan, in honor of Pedro Bukaneg, the supposed transcriber of the epic, Biag ni Lam-ang; and theCrissottan, in Pampanga, in honor of the esteemed poet of the Pampango, Juan Crisostomo Sotto. In 1932, Alejandro G. Abadilla , armed with new criticism and an orientation on  modernist poetry would taunt traditional Tagalog poetics with the publication of his poem, â€Å"Ako ang Daigdig. â€Å" Abadilla’s poetry began the era of modernism in Tagalog poetry, a departure from the traditional rhymed, measured and orally recited poems. Modernist poetry which utilized free or blank verses was intended more for silent reading than oral delivery. Noted poets in Tagalog during the American period were Julian Cruz Balmaceda, Florentino Collantes, Pedro Gatmaitan, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Benigno Ramos, Inigo Ed. Regalado, Ildefonso Santos, Lope K.  Santos, Aniceto Silvestre, Emilio Mar. Antonio, Alejandro Abadilla and Teodoro Agoncillo. Like the writers in English who formed themselves into organizations, Tagalog writers also formed the Ilaw at Panitik, and held discussions and workshops on the value of literature in society. Benigno Ramos, was one of the most politicized poets of the period as he aligned himself with the peasants of the Sakdal Movement. Fiction in Tagalog as well as in the other languages of the regions developed alongside the novel. Most fictionists are also novelists. Brigido Batungbakal , Macario Pineda and other writers chose to dwell on the vicissitudes of life in a changing rural landscape. Deogracias Del Rosario on the other hand, chose the city and the emerging social elite as subjects of his stories. He is considered the father of the modern short story in Tagalog Among the more popular fictionists who emerged during the period are two women writers, Liwayway Arceo and Genoveva Edroza Matute, considered forerunners in the use of â€Å"light† fiction, a kind of story telling that uses language through poignant rendition. Genoveva Edroza Matute’s â€Å"Ako’y Isang Tinig† and Liwayway Arceo’s â€Å"Uhaw ang Tigang na Lupa† have been used as models of fine writing in Filipino by teachers of composition throughout the school system. Teodoro Agoncillo’s anthology 25 Pinakamahusay na Maiikling Kuwento (1945) included the foremost writers of fiction in the pre-war era. The separate, yet parallel developments of Philippine literature in English and those in Tagalog and other languages of the archipelago during the American period only prove that literature and writing in whatever language and in whatever climate are able to survive mainly through the active imagination of writers. Apparently, what was lacking during the period was for the writers in the various languages to come together, share experiences and come to a conclusion on the elements that constitute good writing in the Philippines.