Individual Interview Reflections: The Role of a Teacher in Literacy Learning Essay

Literacy learning is a complex endeavor; it is faced by numerous challenges that range from the materials used to methods of teaching/learning applied to teachers’ personalities to peer influence among the students and the deluge in technological stimulus among other factors. My interview with Edith A. Diaz, PHD, CSC, and teacher ‘B’, both language art teachers and plying their trade at Tom Browne Middle School revolved around four core areas of their work as literacy instructors. The interview required the teachers describe their roles as literacy instructors, more specifically citing things such as the percentages of total time devoted to educational tasks e. g. paper work, attending and conducting workshops, discussions with other school personnel, and parents meetings, etc. ; describing materials and methods that have been recommended by school or the school district as the most appropriate in literacy learning; to quote materials and teaching/learning methods that they as teachers have found to be un-useful or ineffective in literacy learning, and to describe materials and methods that they find most appealing relative to the philosophical and theoretical schools of thought they belong as experienced teachers; to describe their greatest concerns insofar as literacy learning is concerned especially at the wake of the deluge of technological stimulus, and; to describe what they are doing to combat any negatively impacting stimulus on students literacy learning. The teachers were also required to add other comments, concerns, and personal stances relating to their roles as language art teachers. Edith’s Reflections Edith bases her convictions on the role of a teacher/educator on various philosophical and theoretical arguments as put forth by great thinkers such as Socrates, Plato, Einstein, Erickson, Steinbeck, and Roger. Her perception of the role of an educator/teacher is that of an all-round professional whose duties are many and not practically definable. She portrays this through a balanced conclusion of the role of a teacher, a conclusion that comprises of both philosophical and theoretical perspectives. For instance, from a philosophical perspective a teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops, while from a theoretical perspective, a teacher’s influence is timeless, and it assumes both negative and positive influences. However, she clarifies that her core role as a grade seven language arts teacher is to teach the standards as set forth by the state of Texas (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills – TEKS). In one sentence her role revolves around imparting the appropriate knowledge and skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing, and presenting) that will enable the students to become competitive members of the global society. In order to achieve this seemingly tall order-task, Edith apportions her time professionally depending on the level of workload of the various sub-tasks that forms her role in a seven day-week. For instance, she dedicates 45% of her time in drawing lesson plans for the whole week, 15% on paper work (record keeping, grading and register, etc), 15% conducting research i. e. teaching strategies, pedagogy, etc. 15% on discussion with fellow teachers and other school personnel, 5% attending or conducting workshops (reviewing current research articles in preparation to conducting educational workshops), and another 5% on parent meetings. Edith seems to belong to a unique breed of teaching professionals in terms of her convictions on the choice of the best materials and methods that should be applied in classrooms situations. She prefers infusing the Socratic Method and Rogerian student-centered approach in her daily class activities. This enables her to utilize the best aspects of both pedagogical approaches, for instance, the Socratic Method tends to intimidate students but when it is infused with the Rogerian student-centered method it goes down well in empowering the students. Her advices are that, a teacher’s role should not be authoritative; rather it should be an egalitarian role that assumes the Roger’s (1957) core conditions of unconditional positive regard, empathy, and congruence. She anchors her arguments on the eight developmental stages as put forth by Eric Eriksson’s, specifically on stage five that covers â€Å"Ego Identity vs. Role Confusion†, which holds that adolescents tends to seek relativity within a global context. She therefore asserts that the establishment of an appreciation of holistic child is core to the educational process. Edith warns that some pedagogical methods such as teacher directed instruction are rewarding but their excessive use may impede or even stifle the natural creative learning process in students. To support her convictions she invokes Plato’s reasoning that sought to discourage the habit of teaching students by force and harshness, but rather directing them to learning through what amuses their minds. Again, she advocate for the Paideia model of instruction giving that seeks to balance teacher directed method by inducing Socratic method and intellectual coaching to make it more student involving. She perceives the deluge of stimulus, especially technological stimulus as a threat to literacy instruction. According to her, technology is a worthwhile tool in literacy instruction; however, too much of it may kill natural creativity. For instance, students find it hard to imagine a scene from a variety of written text, which makes the skill of inferring a challenging task. She warns that too much of reliance on technological devices may stifle and/or nullify a students creativity and imagination. To her, imagination and creativity are the key pillars to literacy instruction, just as Albert Einstein cleverly asserted, that imagination is more important than knowledge. In a her parting shot, she equates a teacher/educator’s role with that of a great artist, and refers the teaching process to as a great form of art that uses human mind and spirit as its medium. Teacher B’s, Reflections I also interviewed another language arts teacher from Tom Browne Middle School who teaches eighth graders mostly, he preferred to call himself a classroom teacher. Unlike my first interviewee (Edith), Teacher B did not use big and fancy words to describe his role or what is expected of a teacher/educator. He plainly indicated that he spends between 8 and 10 hours at school in any given school day, he spends the greatest part of this time instructing students in classroom, he spends a bit of this time grading papers, running copies, and recording scores. He also spends an hour a week writing down lesson plans for the week. However, being the chairman of the language arts department, teacher B is in charge of making the department as vibrant as it is practically possible. He contends that the choice and implementation of pedagogical approach to adopt in the school is part of his core duties together with other teachers in the department. For instance, despite the school district purporting that (Texas Assessment Knowledge and Skills – TAKS) is the best measure for learning he contends that this is not the best method. He points out that the best thing is for a school to invest in numerous programs that will benefit the students, the Kamico and Gourmet are examples of such programs that they are currently using in the school. Nevertheless, his advices are that, the most effective methods and materials for learning are the reading of texts (novels, picture books, magazines, and newspapers) as it will enable the students to become good readers. Further, according to him the use of literacy circles among other methods plays a core role in enhancing comprehension of the materials read. Though he was too brief in giving out some methods and materials that to him are less effective in learning, he clearly indicated that as a departmental head he involves other members of the department in reviewing methods and materials in order to improve them and make them more custom fit to the students. However, there are some materials and methods that cannot be improved and therefore are done away with (placed on the back burner). Teacher B contended that the impact of the teacher in literacy instruction is compromised by a number of factors. For instance, he pointed out time as the greatest of all the factors; there is no enough time for students to read on their own, and teachers usually assume they are doing so at their free time but mostly it is not that way. This in turn affects their reading prowess. Again, he quoted the lack of sufficient funds to procure quality literature materials for the students as another stumbling block to literacy learning. Students are also known for vandalizing some of the reading materials they are given. Further, he contended that there is a chronic shortage of role models to emulate in the implementation of the teaching methods, for example, he indicated that he had heard about literature circles for along time but never tried to apply them in a class situation, he only came to understand and conceptualize them when he went to college. Just like Edith indicated, teacher B contended that the deluge of computer literacy has greatly affected the interests of students to read books. He tries to compare the traditional sense of reading books and working on projects that deal with novel units with how students are currently doing with themselves in the wake of computer literacy. Though the students are now more skilled in verbally deciphering information from the short internet sources, they are faced with great difficulty when it comes to putting down in written format what hey have learned and the conclusion that their prowess in literacy has virtually declined. Again, he associates the tendency of students to read graphic novels and shorter books as a factor to their declining literacy levels. He regrettably asserted that the role of the teacher in literacy learning is affected greatly by peer influence among the students; much as they would try to be different from others, students tend to think collectively as a group, this hugely affects their reading prowess as they are more concerned about how their friends perceive them and therefore fail to stand up for their beliefs if they think they are different from their friends. The role of the teacher therefore at such situations should be to facilitate intervention practices that will enable the students to reverse to the traditional methods of reading. For instance, he believes and tries to be a good role model, he always tell his students the amount of reading he gets done through out the school year. He spends a lot of his time in a week reading novels rather than watching television. Just like Edith asserted, he always emphasizes on building self-imagination rather than having other people thinking for him. To compensate for the fact that students do not read own their own he tries to give his students a steady stream of novel reading in class, he reads picture books, poems, short book chapters to his students for enjoyment and thought provoking. In his parting shot he contended that teachers should give their students enough space to choose what they want to read as a way of creating avenues to escape from the realities that they face in their daily school and home life. References: †¢ Edith A. Diaz, PHD, CSC, (Grade Seven Teacher): Tom Browne Middle School (interview), conducted on February 11, 2009 †¢ Teacher B, (Grade Eight Teacher): Tom Browne Middle School (interview), conducted on January 20, 2009

Smoking Should Be Made Illegal

Kelvin Omogbeme CIGARETTE SMOKING SHOULD BE BANNED IN THE SAME WAY AS OTHER ILLEGAL DRUGS Tobacco is one of the most widely used drugs in the world, mainly in the form of a cigarette. Although most countries have tried to restrict the use of tobacco, people still smoke everyday despite the fact that it is poisonous and harmful to their health. Cigarette smoking has been part of our lives for many decades now. Whether cigarettes should be banned or not becomes an object of controversy for many countries. Smokers claim that smoking helps in reducing their stress and also it strengthens the economy.But the negative aspect of smoking outweighs the positive. Smoking is a bad habit, and it is not good for human health. Cigarette smoking has seriously negative effects and it should be banned completely because it is hazardous for smokers and non-smoker’s health, it costs a large amount of money, and also it tends to influence people around us. Firstly, smoking undoubtedly helps many people to relax. For some, it even improves concentration. Many people like to smoke before exams or when they are relaxing with friends. A further point is that governments throughout the whole world make huge profits from levying taxes on cigarettes.This provides funds which are used for building schools, hospitals and other public amenities. The tobacco industry also employs tens of thousands of people throughout the world, particularly in poorer countries. Without cigarettes, these people would have no jobs and they will be suffering. However, despite these points, the arguments against smoking are strong. Smoking has been shown to be hazardous to people’s health. Smokers are taking into their body large amount of toxic such as; nicotine, carbon monoxide, and ammonia daily. These chemicals are dangerous to our health.First of all, cigarettes contain 4000 chemicals in it, and 69 of them are known to cause cancer. Smoking too much causes first-hand smokers to get yellow tee th, swollen gum, skin disease, and bad fingernails. They are also known to get headaches, lung cancer and bad breath much more easily than nor-smokers do. Years ago, millions of people died of lung cancer because of smoking. It was a dreadful scene. Those families were sad and they went bankrupt because of the amount of money they spent on treating their loved ones illness, while they were sick in the hospital. Smoking can cause damage to the respiratory system and circulatory system.Furthermore, people who smoke get heart attacks and their kidneys no longer function properly. About 400 thousand Americans die each year, and 5. 4 million die globally from smoking related disease. The most common illness causing deaths are respiratory disease such as, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart disease like high blood pressure and heart attacks. From x-rays results, a smokers’ hearts is known to be much darker than a non-smokers heart. The most amazing p art about a smoker is that he knows that it is terribly hazardous to him, yet he continues killing himself slowly.Cigarettes contain nicotine which is an addictive substance and that is why it is hard for smokers to stop smoking. Smokers are occasionally outside smoking, making the people beside him or her breathe in smoke too. These people are known as second-hand smokers or non-smokers. When second-hand smokers breathe in first-hand smoker’s smoke, they also get badly harmed by it. Cigarette does not just harm the people who smoke, they also harm the people who are near them and breathe the smoke. Non-smokers do not like to breathe polluted air; they feel annoyed when someone around them smokes.For instance, if you are trying to enjoy a meal in a restaurant, and you suddenly inhale the smoke from your neighbor; you will feel uncomfortable. Studies show that exposure to cigarette smoke for as little as thirty minutes a day can raise a non-smoker's risk of suffering a heart a ttack. Children are being harmed by first-hand smokers and it is unfair. Children's lives are being put at risk every day because people make the bad decision to smoke. When children breathe in cigarette smoke, they have an increased risk for childhood illnesses such as asthma and ear infections. It is also harmful to pregnant women and unborn children.If the health of a pregnant smoker is not enough for her to quit smoking, then the health of her baby should be. Smoking during pregnancy affects you and your baby's health before, during, and after your baby is born. The nicotine (the addictive substance in cigarettes), carbon monoxide, and numerous other poisons you inhale from a cigarette are carried through your bloodstream and go directly to your baby. Another reason why smoking should be banned is because it helps to save money for better use. Many people who smoke cigarettes are not even aware of how much they spend on cigarettes every month.Depending on how much people smoke, it can run up to a couple of hundred dollars per month. People spend lots of money on buying cigarette. If people are not allowed to smoke, they gradually reduce the number of cigarette they smoke; thereby, saving lots of money. All the money they spend in buying cigarettes can be saved and used for something much more important and useful like paying off a loan or a saving for a child’s education. After all, we can better our society by educating the future generation to be financially sound and debt-free. Just try stopping smoking cigarette; you will be surprise how much amount of money will be saved.Finally, another reason why smoking should be banned is because smokers tend to influence people around them. For instance, when your son or daughter sees you smoking, he or she would become interested in trying it; thereby he or she may be addicted to it and that makes him or her become smoker. Same thing goes with a teenager, who just entered high school, and he sees his teac her smoking, or even at work when your colleagues see you smoking, he might be influenced too especially when the smoker gives it so much importance and glorifies it like it is the best thing to do.This definitely has an impact on the way a person thinks about smoking, and more often, leads people to begin smoking. As you can see, smoking causes a lot of problems in our society. The reasons why smoking should be banned is because it is dangerous for smoker’s health and non-smokers health, it helps to save a lot of money and it tends to influence other people around. What people don’t realize is that they have the power to control, and stop the terrible habit that affects them and millions of people across the globe.If smoking is banned, the food that smokers eat will begin to taste better, their sense of smell will return to normal and they will gradually be able to exercise or do normal chores such as taking out the trash without loss of breath and wheezing, their blo od pressure becomes lower, the carbon monoxide level in their blood drops to normal, coughing and shortness of breath decrease and the lung cancer death rates will reduce and people will be able to save a lot of money. If smoking is banned, the environment would be a better, and a safer place to live for us and our future generations.Overall, I think the world would be a better place without cigarettes. I suggest the government take immediate action and stop the puff of smoke from coming out of a person’s mouth and make them happy and invincible from smoke! Therefore, cigarette smoking should be banned in the same way as other illegal drugs. REFERENCE Rachael Rettner. (2013, January, 25). Should cigarette smoking be illegal. Retrieved from http://www. foxnews. com/health/2013/01/25/should-cigarettes-be-illegal/ Andy Phan. (2011, July). Should Cigarette Smoking Be Banned. Retrieved from http://www. tudymode. com/essays/Should-Cigarette-Smoking-Be-Banned-707870. html Tom Head. (2009). Should cigarettes be made illegal. Retrieved from http://civilliberty. about. com/od/drugpolicy/i/cigarettes_ban_2. htm S Chapman, R Borland, M Scollo, R C Brownson, A Dominello, and S Woodward. (1999, July). The impact of smoke-free workplaces on declining cigarette consumption in Australia and the United States. American Journal of Public Health July 1999: Vol. 89, No. 7, pp. 1018-1023. Retrieved from http://ajph. aphapublications. org/doi/abs/10. 2105/AJPH. 89. 7. 1018

Pagcor-Corporate Social Responsibility

I. PROFILE OF THE CORPORATION HISTORY Sometime in March 1992, a very young but energetic ABM Rogelio Y. Bangsil was sent to Fort Ilocandia Resort and Hotel to start the renovation for the future site of Casino Filipino-Laoag. Hand in hand with the construction, a massive promotional campaign was launched by his so-called â€Å"advance-party† composed of a handful of employees Casino Filipino -Laoag, which emerges as a world-class gaming destination with first-class service, is a favorite of tourists from Hongkong & Taiwan.It truly lives up to its reputation as the â€Å"Jewel of the North†. When CF-Laoag opened towards the end of April 1992, ABM Bangsil was promoted as Branch Manager. He was joined by a newlypromoted COM in the person of Melquiades Parungao, Jr. , two newly promoted Gaming Area Managers,two Asst. Gaming Area Managers,a few Table Supervisors and a handful of support staff and office personnel. The branch operated on a single 6pm-2am shift with ten gaming tables and fifty (50) slot machines.An extensive marketing strategy was launched extending as far as Baguio City to invite players to Laoag. For a newly-opened branch, the initial stage of operation entailed a lot of efforts on the part of both management and staff. Income from local players was not really significant. The opening of the Laoag City International Airport with flights from Taiwan gave a new ray of hope to CF-Laoag. These weekend flights brought in players who were ready to wager in US Dollars.During its second year of operation, the branch suffered a major blow in its junket operation. This pulled down the operational status of the branch. This condition resulted to the closure of the casino in September 1993 only to reopen ten days later. Since then, the branch managed to survive and enjoy relatively modest net income. This spectacular feat gradually simmered down due to factors in the economic and political systems. A possible closure was again hovering over CF-Lao ag.In the early part of year 2000, the Waterfront Promotions Limited (WPL) came to the rescue for some time but later transferred to the Fort Ilocandia Promotions, Limited (FIPL). Towards the middle of 2003, the existence of CF-Laoag was threatened anew. This was because of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) scare that affected most Asian countries. Flights from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, where most of the junket players come from, were restricted.Due to the drastic reduction in the number of playing customers, FIPL proposed to downsize the casino operations for about two months, from June to July 2003 until such time that the SARS scare and the influx of junket players would normalize. CF-Laoag made a major turnaround towards the end of 2003. A total facelifting and renovation of the gaming areas had to be undertaken by the FIPL. In August of that year, the gaming tables were temporarily relocated to the Sierra Madre ballroom while the slot machines were lined upalong t he corridors of the hotel.Carpenters, masons, painters and technicians worked round-the-clock to finish the project before the end of the year. CF-Laoag transferred to the newly transformed venue on December 25, 2003, just in time for the arrival of players from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Everyone was impressed by the chandeliers that hang over the main gaming area, the colorful mini bulbs that twinkled on the outer panels of the ceiling and the congregations of angels that adorned the mini domes above the gaming tables.Six VIP areas depicting American, British, French, Egyptian and Chinese settings were also impressive. Players and guests, even PAGCOR officers, who have seen other casinos abroad commented that the VIP rooms are even cozier than those in the US, Macau, Australia and elsewhere. At present times, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) is the Philippines third largest contributor of revenue after the Tax and Customs Authority.It is a government owned an d controlled corporation first established in by Presidential Decree 1067 and entered itself in a contract with Philippine Casino Operators Corporation (PCOC) in operating the floating casino in the Manila Bay in 1977. However, gutted by fire in 1979, for which reason, PAGCOR shifted its operations to land-based casinos and entered into another contract with PCOC for the management of a casino at the Provident International Resources Corporation (PIRC) building on Imelda Avenue, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines.Then under the Presidential Decree 1869 in 1983, it was mandated as the sole government corporation to conduct and establish gaming pools and casinos. In 1986 it was reestablished by H. E. then Pres. Corazon Aquino's government with New PAGCOR as its short name to help raise the government funds; appointing Norberto Quisumbing as its first Chairman and later on the former Development Bank of the Philippines chair Alicia LL. Reyes as its Chair and CEO. She was succeed ed by Ephraim Genuino under the appointment by H. E. Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001.The firm operates 13 Casinos and several VIP slot clubs in major cities across the country. It also sees and regulates more than 180 bingo parlors as well as e-games cafes across the country. The company employs more than 11000 employees. In June, 2007 PAGCOR had its most significant piece of legislation with the passage of Republic Act 9487 granting the state-run gaming firm another 25 years to regulate and operate games of chance, to issue licenses, and to enter into joint venture, management, or investment agreements with private entities.PAGCOR is under the Office of the President of the Philippines. As of December, 31, 2009, the Pagcor Board is composed of Chairman/CEO – Efraim C. Genuino, President/COO – Rafael Butch Francisco, Directors – Imelda Dimaporo, Philip G. Lo, Manuel C. Roxas and Susana Vargas (ex-officio) and Corporate Secretary – Carlos R. Bautista . On July 02, 2010, Cristino L. Naguiat, Jr. was sworn in as its new Chairman. On July 19, 2010, Jorge Sarmiento was named as its new President & COO along with other new members to the Board, namely: Enriquito M.Nuguid, Eugene D. Manalastas and Jose S. Tanjua. Vision We will captivate our customers with a world-class gaming and entertainment experience, improved infrastructure, more competitive facilities, and a highly professionalized manpower; We will showcase to the world the exceptional Filipino way of serving customers; We will be a pillar for national progress by instilling integrity as the backbone of our regulatory duties, investing in the education of Filipinos, and promoting Philippine tourism, culture and arts.Mission ? ? To achieve operational excellence, revenue growth and competitive advantage. To attain and enforce a regulatory framework that preserves the integrity and propels the development of the Philippine gaming industry. ? To continue being a responsible and r esponsive partner of the Philippine government in its nation-building programs. ? To actively participate in fforts of the tourism sector to transform the Philippines into an exciting R and entertainment haven for local and foreign travelers alike. Nature of Business PAGCOR is a hundred percent government-owned and controlled corporation created to regulate, authorize and license all games of chance authorized by law in the Philippines, generate revenues for the Philippine Government’s socio-civic and national development programs, and help promote the Philippine tourism industry.According to Sec 10 of Presidential Decree no. 1869 known as the PAGCOR Charter, the said corporation has the rights, privileges authority to operate and license gambling casinos, gaming clubs and other similar recreation or amusement places, gaming pools, i. e. basketball, football, bingo, etc. except jai-alai, whether on land or sea, within the territorial jurisdiction of the Republic of the Philip pines.Provided, that the corporation shall obtain the consent of the local government unit that has territorial jurisdiction over the area chosen as the site for any of its operations. Furthermore, the operation of slot machines and other gambling paraphernalia and equipment, shall not be allowed in establishments open or accessible to the general public unless the site of these operations are three-star hotels and resorts accredited by the Department of Tourism (DOT) authorized by the corporation and by the local government unit concerned.There are also restrictions on the operations of the corporation. Their power and authority to authorize, license and regulate games shall not extend to the ff. : ? Games of chance authorized, licensed and regulated or to be authorized, licensed and regulated by, in, and under existing franchises or other regulatory bodies; ? Games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers authorized, licensed, regulated by, in, and under special laws such as Republic Act No. 922. ? Games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers like cockfighting, authorized, licensed and regulated by local government units. The conduct of such games of chance, games of cards and games of numbers covered by existing franchises, regulatory bodies or special laws, to the extent of the jurisdiction and powers granted under such franchises and special laws, shall be outside the licensing authority and regulatory powers of the PAGCOR.PAGCOR’s Income PAGCOR derives its income from the winnings of table games, slot machines and in-house bingo operation of the agency's different gaming properties. The corporation also gets substantial income from other sources from its regulated gaming activities such as the private licensed casinos, poker operations, commercial bingo operations, E-games and others. In 2011, PAGCOR's total revenue reached P36. 65 billion, which is greater by P5. 19 billion or 16. 52% to its total income of P31. 46 billion in 2010.I n accordance with its Charter and other governing laws, PAGCOR earnings are distributed as follows: 5 percent of winnings goes to the BIR as franchise tax; 50 percent of the 95 percent balance goes to the National Treasury as the National Government's mandated income share; 5 percent of the balance after the franchise tax and the National Government's mandated income share goes to the Philippine Sports Commission for financing of the country's sports development programs; 1 percent of the net income goes to the Board of Claims, an agency under the Department of Justice, which compensates victims of wrongful detention and prosecution; Cities hosting PAGCOR casinos are given fixed amount for their respective community development projects; Funds for implementation of vital laws such as the Early Childhood Care and Development Program and Sports Incentives and Benefits Act; Remittance to President’s Social Fund Remaining balance of income goes to the projects related to the upli ftment of the quality of education through the construction of classrooms and school buildings, assistance for the promotion of the country’s health programs, and the Pasig River Rehabilitation project II.Organizational Chart How does PAGCOR’s organization works? All policies for implementation and general directions to be taken by PAGCOR are under the responsibility of a five-man Board of Directors duly appointed by the President of the Philippines. Following are the Board Members chosen by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to ensure that PAGCOR's administration during his term will subscribe to his commitment to transparency, integrity and good governance: Hon. Cristino L. Naguiat, Jr. Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Jorge V. Sarmiento President & Chief Operating Officer Eugene D. Manalastas Director Enriquito M. Nuguid Director Jose S. Tanjuatco DirectorThe day-to-day operations of PAGCOR in its Corporate Offices and Casino Filipino Branches are manned by 11,36 9 employees (data as of January 31, 2011). Aside from having its internal auditing group, PAGCOR's operations are also subject to the scrutiny of the government's watchdog, the Commission on Audit (COA), which ensures – among others – that every centavo earned and spent by the corporation are fully accounted for. III. Socioeconomic Aspect Government PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation) in line with their â€Å"corporate social responsibility† has been doing different projects raising the concern of the public, of the government as well as promoting their name too.The said corporation has done a project in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepED) allocating a fund of Php 1 billion for the construction of 1,000 classrooms nationwide. This has been the first time that PAGCOR has set aside such huge fund for a single project intended to help a government sector. This project â€Å"Matuwid Na Daan Sa Silid- Aralan† was intended to h elp the government address the perennial problem of classroom shortage. PAGCOR has come up with this project for this problem of the education sector currently stands at 70 582 nationwide. The said project was PAGCOR’s way of helping the Philippine government in its campaign to improve the quality of education in the country.Also, this is not just a big help in the part of the government but in the part of the poor families and students dreaming for a good education too. Included in the Php 1 billion fund is PAGCOR’s Php 65 million funding assistance to DepED and Gawad Kalinga Foundation, Inc. for the construction of 100 learning centers in different communities nationwide. This is to help communities with no learning centers of their own and to help parents who can’t send their children to school. Under the said project, Gawad Kalinga will handle the construction of the classrooms while the Department of Education will manage the facilities once the classrooms are done. DepED will manage the said facilities in cooperation of the local government unit.PAGCOR has also partnered with TESDA and allotted an initial of Php 100 million funds for the retrofitting of TESDA’s existing wood working facilities. Included in their projects in helping the government,PAGCOR and Travellers International fund the construction of a new public school in Mandaluyong. Due to this project,PUBLIC elementary and high school students of Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City will have a better chance of finishing their basic education after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. (operator of Resorts World Manila) committed to fund the construction of an integrated public school there.Travellers, as part of its Entertainment City investment obligation, has also allocated approximately P60 to P80 million for the construction of the Mandaluyong Addition Hills Elementary School in Mandaluyong City’s most populated barangay. The new school will have 2 four-storey buildings with 40 classrooms and 16 comfort rooms. It can accommodate up to 2,000 elementary and high school students. Associated with PAGCOR’s mission on their corporate social responsibility,the state-owned corporation developed the â€Å"PAGCOR Feeding Program†. This project was made possible in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepED), together with partner schoolbeneficiaries. This program provided balanced meals to undernourished children from targeted day-care centers and public elementary schools in selected areas.The said project aimed to supplement existing government feeding programs and to help address the malnutrition situation in the country. These are some ways on how PAGCOR stretched their helping hand to help the Filipinos and the Philippine government itself. These are also the corporation’s way s to ease the burdens of our government. Community â€Å"To continue being a responsible and responsive partner of the Philippine government in its nation-building programs. † This is one of the missions of PAGCOR. As stated in its mission, PAGCOR is one with the Filipino in this journey. PAGCOR hopes to be a dynamic partner of our government in changing the course of Philippine history towards national development and progress.The corporation facilitates programs for the progression of the Filipino Community. In order to attain its mission, PAGCOR, held the following projects: PAGCOR distributes relief goods to 10,000 families affected by Habagat flooding, align with this project, PAGCOR distributed relief packs to 2,000 families in Barangay Baseco, Tondo. The said state-owned gaming agency also gave relief goods to 3,000 families badly hit by the flooding in Tumana and Nangka, Marikina City, Sta. Ana, Manila and Malabon City. In the provinces, PAGCOR also conducted relief o perations for a total of 5,000 families in Concepcion, Tarlac, Guiguinto, Bulacan,Rosario, Cavite, Taytay, Rizal and San Isidro, Tanay, Rizal.PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat, Jr. said this is only the first tranche of the agency’s Habagat relief operations. â€Å"We have allocated a total budget of P8. 14 million for our relief operations. We hope to be able to give help to at least 20,000 families. There were so many of our countrymen who were badly affected by this recent flooding. Itong aming relief operations ang paraan ng PAGCOR para matulungan ang ating mga kababayan na labis na naapektuhan ng kalamidad na ito. † PAGCOR, in its mission of reaching out the Filipino community,also reached out to the indigent and impoverished by providing free medical and dental services via its medical missions.These missions, which were mostly conducted in depressed areas and those battered by calamities, aim to bring government and the company closer to its constituents by providing basic health services. Furthermore, PAGCOR, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education (DepED), developed the â€Å"PAGCOR Feeding Program† to supplement existing government feeding programs and to help address the worsening malnutrition situation in the country. This project was made possible with partner school-beneficiaries, which provided balanced meals to undernourished children from targeted day-care centers and public elementary schools in selected areas. PAGCOR has been implementing projects that are very helpful in our very own Philippine community.PAGCOR is doing their best in reaching out the depressed areas and the indigenous to let feel that PAGCOR isn’t all about gambling, but also ready to stretch their hand to those communities in need. Employees More health benefits for PAGCOR employees. Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Chairman Efraim Genuino announced y esterday that the agency’s 10,000 employees would soon be receiving a â€Å"bigger and better health care benefits package† following a very productive year. Genuino noted that PAGCOR’s profits rose 21 percent in October despite the economic slump caused by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. This is my way of thanking, on behalf of President Arroyo, the 10,000-strong PAGCOR workforce which worked doubly hard to break revenue records this year despite the debilitating effects of a worldwide economic crisis,† Genuino said. It will be recalled that one of Genuino’s first acts as Pagcor chief was to increase the salaries of all personnel. Prior to his appointment by the President, employees lamented that their salaries â€Å"had remained stagnant for 15 years. † The new health care program will â€Å"substantially increase the present hospitalization budget which employees and officers can avail of. It will also provide g enerous subsidies for maternity cases and ensure a faster processing system of all health claims†, Genuino said.Furthermore, Genuino has ordered the setting up of a state-of-the art health infrastructure program through the establishment of modern outpatient clinics complete with a laboratory, an x-ray room and pharmacy. Dental clinics will also be put up at all casino branches and at the PAGCOR corporate office. Mentioned above are the PAGCOR’s ways of returning the favor to their employees. These are also the corporation’s way of somehow thanking their beloved employees. However, these are not just programs for the employees but for the corporation itself too. Due to these projects, PAGCOR can be assured that their employees will be satisfied from their benefits. Environment PAGCOR takes its corporate social responsibility to another level as it goes green and supports projects about environmental protection.In tandem with the National Convergence Initiative (N CI) Project, PAGCOR is funding and actively undertaking reforestation and related activities not only in our remaining forests but also in various locales under threat of erosion and degradation. It also supports the â€Å"E-Kawayan† project which aims to regenerate bamboo plantations nationwide and exploit the many uses of bamboo for industrial purposes. Just recently, PAGCOR turned over P31million in financial support for Hi-e-Kawayan project of Alaminos, Pangasinan. This will help in reviving bamboo culture, reforest bamboo growing regions for environmental protection. The said project complements the Department of Environment and Natural Resource’s (DENR’s) National Greening Project (NGP) since it is set to reforest 322 hectares of land with bamboo plants which would lead to erosion prevention and slope protection in the area.The said corporation also provides funds for turning illegally cut logs from areas in Mindanao that had been pummeled by the recent Ty phoon Sendong into chairs, tables and blackboards that will be given to public schools. Also, PAGCOR was into recycling as it launched a project converting used slot machine stands into school desks which are donated to six public schools. Lastly, PAGCOR expressed support to the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasig (KBPIP), a project spearheaded by the ABS-CBN Foundation, together with the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This project aims to rehabilitate and clean the Pasig River from 2009-2015 with the Estero de Paco as its pilot site.These projects only proved that PAGCOR is not just a corporation but a environment-concerned one. These are the ways on how they promote the preservation and restoration of our environment. Economy Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation or PAGCOR, with its chain of casinos and other businesses, contributes much to the Philippine economy. From their large income, the tourists they attract, the j obs they give to a number of Filipinos and up to the investors they bring into the country, they only prove that they are not just about gambling but an asset to the country’s economy. Casino is one of the places where tourists go here in the Philippines whether they came in on purpose of doing so or to just explore what the country can offer.Large number of customers and gamers, both foreigners and Filipinos, also means large amount of income not just for the corporation itself but also to the country. Just last year, 2011, PAGCOR reported whooping P36. 65 billion total revenue, which is P5. 19 billion more than its income the year before, 2010. Tourist dollars are also coming into the country together with these visitors from different places. PAGCOR currently operates 13 casinos in different places all over the country like Metro Manila, Tagaytay City, Pampanga, Cebu, and others. With this, they already gave about 12,000 jobs to the Filipinos which will soon be increased w ith the upcoming projects of the company. This, already, is a big help to the country’s worsening problem on employment.They are also bringing foreign investors in the country together with the rise of the â€Å"Entertainment City Manila† or simply â€Å"PAGCOR City† in the year 2016. It is Asia's Las Vegas-like gaming and entertainment complex that PAGCOR proposed way back in April 2008 to offer on 8 km? of land on the reclamation area of Manila Bay, Philippines. The objective is to capture at least 10 percent of the annual $115-billion gaming revenue in the world. According to vice president Jejomar Binay, â€Å"The project will be a big boost to the economy. It will bring investors and visitors and this will provide employment and livelihood opportunities for thousands of Filipinos. † noting that the project will provide millions of Filipinos with high-paying jobs without leaving for work abroad.It is also believed that this project will bring even mor e tourist in the country as it will not cater only the gaming aficionados but other facilities will also offer other forms of wholesome family entertainment which will encourage tourists to go together with their families. PAGCOR helps the economy more than we give them credit for. Because of the common connotation that comes with their name like ‘gambling’, ‘1-billion coffee expenditure’ and the different cases filed against the officials of the corporation we failed to see the benefits they brought to the country. IV. Pictures â€Å"MATUWID NA DAAN SA SILID PAARALAN† PROJECT PAGCOR, in cooperation with the Department of Education (DepED), has allocated a P1 billion funding for the construction of 1,000 classrooms nationwide. PAGCOR distributes relief goods to 10,000 families affected by Habagat flooding Reaching places like Tondo and Sta.Ana, Manila; Marikina City; Malabon City; Concepcion,Tarlac; Guiguinto, Bulacan; Rosario, Cavite; Taytay, Rizal; and San Isidro, Tanay, Rizal. MEDICAL / DENTAL MISSIONS PAGCOR reaches out to the indigent and impoverished by providing free medical and dental services via its medical missions. PAGCOR FEEDING PROGRAM PAGCOR, in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Department of Education, developed the PAGCOR Feeding Program to supplement existing government feeding programs and help address the worsening malnutrition situation in the country. PAMASKONG HANDOG PROJECT The Pamaskong Handog project is an annual Christmas gift-giving project of PAGCOR which is intended to bring joy to the less fortunate at Christmas time. PNOY BAYANIHAN† PROJECT PAGCOR has partnered with the DepED, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the Pnoy Bayanihan project which aims to convert confiscated logs from illegal logging into school chairs. CONVERSION OF USED SLOT MACHINE STANDS TO S CHOOL DESKS PAGCOR also converts hundreds of its used slot machine stands into school desks which are being donated to different public schools that are in need of school chairs. V. References More health benefits for Pagcor Employees. (2011, November 24). The Philippine Star, p. 3. Cruz, J. D. (2012, June 24). Pagcor goes green. Business Mirror, p. 5. Cruz, J. D. (2012, June 24). Pagcor goes green. Business Mirror, p. 3. http://pcij. org/blog/wp-docs/RA9487. pdf http://www. pagcor. ph/social-responsibility. php http://www. blog. pagcor. ph/ http://www. pagcor. ph

Stress Implications for College Students Research Paper

Stress Implications for College Students - Research Paper Example However, this generation has adopted certain ineffective and unconstructive methods to overcome stress and consequently stays more troubled (Bland et al. 362). As a result of majority of students being troubled and stressed out, it raises concern as to what underlying root sources are involved and what solutions shall work best to combat these causes. I believe that the college students of this generation suffer largely from stress because of financial issues, transitional difficulties and technicalities of burdensome study courses. Therefore, after conducting comprehensive research and studying various pieces of literature, this paper has been prepared to identify and analyze most common and major reasons that have exposed college students to stress and anxiety. Masses around the globe have suffered from recessionary downfall and inflationary pressures. Inflation has caused an increase in costs of living and competition, resulting in stressful circumstances for students joining coll ege. The added expenditure of tuition fees, purchase of books and other supplementary necessities covers a substantial proportion of any household income. Consequently, families suffer from liquidity difficulties and students get tensed about their financial burdens being borne by their caretakers. Moreover, if students approach the college trust for financial aid, then it creates a stressful burden of liability that must be eventually repaid and settled by them. In fact, â€Å"62% of students say that over the past three months financial worries have had some/a lot of impact on the stress the experience in their daily life† (MtvU 2). Students, who are already facing increased expectations and demands for academic performances from their families and mentors, also have to go through additional stressful factors pertaining to college studies, including regular tuition fees, study material expenses, hostel or alternate residing arrangements, traveling and entertainment expenses and other miscellaneous outflows that come part and parcel with college life (May & Stephen 264).  

1.Currency derivatives can be classified into instruments with Essay

1.Currency derivatives can be classified into instruments with symmetrical(fixed)and asymmetrical(open) outcomes.Define their respective characteristics, and use examples to illustrate your answer - Essay Example futures are symmetrical: if one can enter into a forward at a particular price, the price might either go up or come down, and so, one can make either profit or a loss. Forwards are quite common in commodities, and can be used either for speculation or for hedging. Eg: If a person has an order to ship 10000 tons of steel for a period of 6 months at a prefixed price of $1000 per ton. And the person is expecting the price of steel to increase. So, to hedge against the price risk, the person enters into a forward purchase agreement, for 10000 tons 6 months hence. The person position is now fully hedged: if the price of steel increases as expected, person will either claim a delivery from the forward seller, or a net settlement. If the price comes down, person will be obliged to settle by making a payment for the price difference to the forward seller, but will be fully compensated by the pre-fixed price it gets from its own forward sale contract. 2. Options have an asymmetric return profile: an option is an option with one party. The option will be exercised only when the purchaser of the option is in-the-money. Therefore, the only loss in an option is the cost of writing and carrying the option. Hence, options have an asymmetric return profile. On the other hand, the option-seller only makes returns by way of fees or premium for selling the option, against which the person takes the risk of being out-of-money. If the option is not exercised, person makes fees, but if the option is exercised, considerably, the person may lose. For example, if one person is holding a security of $1000 buys an option to put the security at its current price with some other person. Now if the price of the security goes down to $900. The person may exercise to sell the option of the security to some other person at the agreed price of $1000 to protect against the loss of account of turn down in the market value. If, on the other hand, the price of the security is increased to $1100,

Naming rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Naming rights - Essay Example Different Business enterprises like those concerned with the manufacturing of sports goods, sports wear, watches and soft drinks might be potential sponsors. Sports brands offer a lucrative market as according to sources: ‘Marketing professionals around the world recognize the power of sports brands and content as a consumer draw. As Associate General Manager I would select companies like Nike, Reebok and a firm like Uni Lever as sponsors. These are firms which are promoting products that are environmental friendly and promote health.I would then explain the respective co operates firm the advantages of investing in our project-To build a new stadium. In addition to the core benefits, media exposure, signage, and customer respect there are other benefits as well. In Greene’s opinion naming rights play two important roles: ’First, in supporting larger finance packages with other revenue streams and second, as a single source of finance’. Our Mission statemen t is to boost sport oriented activities. Sports not only encourage healthy bodies but healthy minds as well. The creation of sports man spirit encourages healthy competition. Negative feelings like jealousy and sorrow would be eliminated from society.In order to ensure that the stakeholder brand maintains our image, we shall audit the brand owner’s strategies ...

Media and Culture (Response Paper) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Media and Culture (Response Paper) - Essay Example It was now the "media gatekeepers' (Sreberny-Mohammadi, 1995, p38), broadcasting either by radio originally and then Magazine, they had the power to decide and edit what information lots of thousands and later millions of people would see and be prejudiced by. Again re-iterating the point that whoever is dispensing the information has the power, as well as whomever he/she is dispensing to is get hold of a little bit of that power. "Predisposition toward an international investment environment, and the integration of nationwide capital markets (biz.yahoo.com)".Globalization is growing mixing of financial system and societies around the earth have been one of the most hotly-debated topics in global economics. But globalization has also generated important global opposition over concerns that it has increased disparity and environmental degradation. Another print media is newspaper and the key factor in popular culture via women's newspaper is romance. No doubt, Christian-Smith points out that romance is one of the "systematize principles" of the domestic and public spheres of youthful women and that the "code of romance" plays a vigorous role in constructing womanly ideologies. Although these publications are targeted as the symbol of our society's adolescent females, they actually have a great influence over the ways in which teen's sight and construct convinced social ideologies. No doubt, this essay will shed light on the pressure these publications have in shaping, regulating, and defining youthful women's perceptions of femaleness, sexuality, and romance. Consequently, it will also disclose an irony in the fact that "women's magazines", written for (and more often than not by) women really mold their beliefs as well as actions into those that reinforce female subordination from end to end the customary standards of a patr iarchal society. Modern Journalism According to the research on print media of modern Journalism Review, Brent Cunningham discusses his sight and opinions of impartiality and how journalists deal with it in America. He feels that journalists' attachment to objectivity reveals a breakdown on the part of the press. Objectivity makes us inactive recipients of news, rather than violent analyzers and explainers of it. According to the experts analysis that the only reason American journalists use impartiality is because nothing improved has replaced it. Magazines Third popular form of print media is Magazine. Like it or not, well-liked culture is an irrefutable pressure on how society perceives itself. When examining mass culture, one have to keep in mind the balance flanked by how much we, as a society, affect the way well-liked culture is constructed and to what degree popular culture influences the way we sight ourselves and shapes our philosophy. An aspect of well-liked culture that may serve to greatly demonstrate this theory of society as together the affecter and the affected is the genre of magazines beleaguered at young women. According to the expert analysis, if one considers the cultural pressure of story available to young women, they will find out that much of it is represented from side to side media such as women's magazines.

Western missionaries in China. The reason why western missionaries Essay

Western missionaries in China. The reason why western missionaries became the carrier of Chinese - Essay Example The West, who believed they had the right to a permanent diplomatic presence in China, forced the Chinese to submit to their demands following the bitter conflict of 1860.I do not wonder that the Chinese hate the foreigner. The foreigner is frequently severe and exacting in this Empire which is not his own. He often treats the Chinese as though they were dogs and had no rights whatever -- no wonder that they growl and sometimes bite" (Quote by Sarah Pike Conger in, The Boxer Rebellion: The Dramatic Story of China's War on Foreigners That Shook the World in the Summer of 1900. p.3, 2000).The West, who believed they had the right to a permanent diplomatic presence in China, forced the Chinese to submit to their demands following the bitter conflict of 1860. The war, which finished with the flight of the Emperor, who took refuge beyond the Great Wall together with members of the royal court, left a China that was torn a part. The British and French armies marched on Peking, on a pilgrim age of destruction, and many historic buildings, including the beautiful Summer Palace, were looted and burnt under the command of Lord Elgin. This is just one example of the inglorious events, concerning Western deportment and relations with China, which characterized the nineteenth century.On June 25th 1865, J. Hudson Taylor went down on his knees upon the beach at Brighton, in England, and "prayed for twenty-four willing, skillful laborers to reach the inland provinces of China" (OMF.org, Online Article, 2007). Today, the Oversees Missionary Fellowship that Hudson founded is a diverse evangelical mission society, with more than 1,300 missionaries, from 30 different nations. This essay will be considering the distinctive functions of Western missionaries in nineteenth century China, and the reason why they became the carriers of the Chinese people. Through the examination of China's history, including the Opium war and the Boxer Rebellion, this paper will determine the influence of Western missionaries upon Chinese culture, and how this affected China and her people. A Global View of China's History With The West Portuguese merchants and Catholic missionaries, who arrived in China during the late sixteenth century, were the first important cultural meetings between China and Europe. And it was through such missionaries, and their converts, that Christianity was introduced into mainland China throughout the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. However, due to the fear of Catholic influence among the Chinese imperial rulers, Christianity was banned in China from 1724-1860. Throughout this period, therefore, missionary efforts were concentrated on other Southeast Asian countries, as the missionaries waited for China to reopen its boarders to foreigners (High Beam Encyclopaedia, Online Article, 2007). The rot had already begun before Britain defeated China in the Opium War (1840-1842), which concluded with her having to concede Hong Kong Island. Foreign powers, who were greedily wanting cargoes of silk, tea, and the ginseng that the Chinese believed to be a powerful healer, had coerced China into opening her doors to foreign trade. Initially, these products were bought through the profits of "foreign mud" - opium, but as China's weaknesses became increasing apparent, she was forced into making additional territorial concessions. The port of Tientsin, which is situated at the mouth of the Peiho River and approximately eighty miles from Peking, was opened to international trade, and Shanghai became a flourishing foreign settlement. However, by the end of the century, the foreign powers were vying with each other for concessions in a type of "imperial feeding frenzy" (Diana Preston, The Boxer Rebellion, p.12, 2000), and each of them managed to wrest control over the bordering countries that were seen as being vital to foreign trade. Nominally self-ruling, each of these countries recognized China as their effective overseer and sent acknowledgment of this

Supporting Students with Mental Health Issues Essay

Supporting Students with Mental Health Issues - Essay Example Dennis should be referred to counseling due to his strange behavior. Also, since he is acting in a manner that is prejudicial to other people in the student body, the university should consider removing Dennis from student housing. Since Dennis is making threatening statements, not only to students but school officials, Dennis should be identified as a student with a mental health problem that needs to be addressed. Additionally, since he is disturbing students, he should probably be removed from campus housing, unless his behavior changes significantly. Perhaps a trial period could be instated from the time that Dennis starts attending counseling, which would remain for as long as Dennis stays in the dorms. If any more unusual behavior is exhibited or otherwise noted from resident life assistants, Dennis should be summarily removed from the dorms. Mainly due to the fact that Dennis is exhibiting threatening behavior, until he shows that he is continuing with therapy and working on issues-then and only then should he be allowed to stay on campus. Additionally, Dennis should be checked upon periodically by counselors and other mental health professionals to monitor his behavior. "A student may be out of touch with reality and not functioning normally but not necessarily threatening any physical harm to themselves or others. One of the difficulties of managing such a situation is the fear that it could develop into an emergency at any moment" ("Supporting Students With Mental Health Problems," 2009). However, in Dennis's case, he was threatening people, and this could have escalated into a more widespread problem if something was not done in order to counteract his strange behaviors. Case II: Gerry. Gerry's problems are more pervasive than Dennis's. First of all, Gerry physically harmed a student. In anyone's mind, even if that was subsequentially excused by way of the fact that Gerry had ingested LSD which caused the behavior, obviously it should be much harder to trust Gerry's behavior again on campus. The fact that one student was harmed was bad enough. Although Gerry's lawyer makes a point that Gerry would be in double jeopardy for having already been tried and acquitted for a crime, the university should seriously consider whether or not allowing Gerry on campus again would be a wise move. The university's policy states, "A student will be subject to involuntary administrative withdrawal from the University, or from University housing, if the Provost determines that the student suffers from a mental disorder that is adversely affecting his or her academic performance or behavior on campus in

In the heart of the sea the tragedy of the whaleship essex analysis Term Paper

In the heart of the sea the tragedy of the whaleship essex analysis - Term Paper Example The main aspect in the story is the whaling ship Essex as well as its inmates who sets out for whaling and gets destroyed by an attack of a sperm whale. The story background is set during the year 1819 when the whale ship having a crew of twenty people abroad sets out for a two year voyage. The ship faces disasters for nearly one and a half years and gets rammed by the sperm whale and sank in the pacific. All the crew gets on to three whaleboats and were lost at sea for three unbearable months equipped with short rations and very little fresh water. This situation leads to death due to starvation as well as killing by others for food. During the course, one boat gets disappeared and the other two gets separated. When the rescue time arrives at the coast of Chile, only five men had survived this tremendous ordeal. This includes the captain and the first mate as well as three others rescued from a nearby Henderson island. The story brings out an era of life giving its readers a nostalg ic and tragic picture of the whaling industry and its society. The story relies upon the narratives of two survivors. One of the survivors has just been found through his narratives, the hardships of life of a whaling sailors are descripted in a very interesting manner. His narratives include modern medical knowledge of the physical and mental effect of starvation. The book also has descriptions of other two shipwrecks as well as stories of survivors who loved their rest of their lives as well as an introduction to the recent work of the Nantucket whaling museum. â€Å"The heart of the sea† is one of the greatest sea stories ever written. It has an extraordinary ordeal of ordinary men along with a wealth of whale lore as well as a brilliantly described portrait of the ones who are lost among the unique community of Nantucket whalers. It is the story of man against nature. The impact of the shipwreck of Essex had far sighted impact on the community of Nantucket. It inspired ma ny writers including the creation of world classic Mobi Dick by Hermann Melville which was written on the basis of this story. The community consisting of about seven thousand people lived on a gently sloping crowded with houses and topped by wind mills and church towers. The community lived here peacefully. Only the sea below was crowded with activity. The destruction of the ship Essex cast a shadow on the family of crew members. Children lost their joyfulness due to their loss of their fathers. Moreover the destruction and its aftermath teached the community a new type of psychology of survival and the incidence of cannibalism in extreme conditions. The destruction also had an impact on the nation. Since it was times of economic depression every one looked at the whaling community with expectations. The whaling industry was concentrated in and around Nantucket and it was shortly going to become one of the wealthiest towns in America within a short span of time. Destruction of Esse x created a shadow in their prosperity expectations. The capsizing of the ship was blockbuster news in New England and New York during the 1820’s. The survival tactics became well known tribulations about people going without food for very long periods. The author Nathaniel Philbrik has used the narrative of Owen Chase to write this book he also has taken into account the uncovered account of cabin boy

Bush and Obama Essay Example for Free

Bush and Obama Essay Democracy is generally understood to be the voice of the people in the governance of a nation. In this ‘rule of the people,’ the common folks have the power to control their own policies, that is, how they want to be ruled; and the elected leaders of the people are required to apply reason when listening to the voice of the people in planning and decision making. President George W. Bush was often blamed for refusing to listen to the voice of the people. He took America to two wars, thereby disturbing world peace. Following the Iraq War, he continued to consider taking aggressive action against foreign peoples that he believed to be enemies of the United States. , e. g. the Iranians. What is more, the Americans remained adamant about criticizing his foreign policy in particular. Yet, he did not always pursue the interests of the American people. Because democracy is good, and President Bush did not follow its fundamental principle, that is, listening to the voice of the people – he was not a good president. In fact, the American government seemed to have turned its back on democracy during the presidency of George W. Bush. The conflict in Iraq consumed a huge part of the U. S. budget. This issue remained as a matter of contention between the United States government and the people of America for several years. According to a CBS News Poll conducted in 2007, two-thirds of the Americans believed that violence in Iraq may be beyond the U. S. military’s ability to manage, and only 25 percent believed that the U. S. military could be helpful in reducing violence. Moreover, 63 percent of Americans disapproved of the president’s plan to send more troops into Iraq (â€Å"Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat,† 2007). Seeing that the American people were the ultimate beneficiaries of peace through the end of the conflict in Iraq, and it was their tax money that the Bush government was expending on troops; it would have been appropriate for the president to withdraw U. S. troops from Iraq when the majority of Americans were asking for it. By withdrawing its troops from Iraq, the United States would have released the finances that were tied up for troop buildup in the foreign country. Those funds, once released, should have been used by the government in solving the health care crisis facing America. Unfortunately, however, the Bush government did not take a wise stance to resolve the health care issues facing America. Furthermore, the Bush government left America in dire straits as far as economic conditions are concerned. Current President Barack Obama Americans had been asked even before the presidential elections of 2008 about issues that may influence their votes. The majority of prospective voters, that is, eighty-seven percent of those that had participated in the research, had indicated that the deteriorating state of the U. S. economy would definitely influence their votes. The second most important issue happened to be energy, backed by seventy-seven percent of the research participants (â€Å"More Americans Question Religions Role In Politics,† 2008). Unsurprisingly, President Barack Obama had indicated before the elections that his Number One priority in the office of president of the United States would be to â€Å"build a new alternative-energy economy,† combining the two dominant issues in the minds of the prospective voters (Klein, 2008). For the reason that Barack Obama knew the mind of America and agreed with it one hundred percent, he is sure to be a friend of democracy and an improvement over George W. Bush. Once it was determined that Barack Obama would, indeed, assume the role of U. S. president, that is, a manager of the prosperity of the nation, voters in the presidential election 2008 were asked about the dominant issue to have influenced their votes. The response was not quite different. The feeble state of the U. S. economy was declared the most important issue to have influenced American votes for the new president. In fact, at least six out of ten voters participating in the research reported that the economic recession of 2008 is the most significant problem facing America (â€Å"Inside Obama’s Sweeping Victory,† 2008). To put it another way, Barack Obama was seen as most capable of handling the financial crisis facing the nation. Based on the principles of democracy, because Americans understand how their country must be managed, they must be judged as correct in their belief that President Obama would, indeed, help America out of the economic crisis. Obama Looks Better in History Books Hundred Years from Now Philip Elliott writes that â€Å"Barack Obama tapped into Ohio voters fears about the economy and their desire for change† (Elliott, 2008). Ohio was, of course, an important state for the election of George W. Bush. They had backed him because of the values they believed he personified. This time they backed Barack Obama because of the financial crisis facing the country (Elliott). Barack Obama was promising change to America. Nathan Gonzales of the Rotherberg Political Report states that â€Å"the American electorate was really primed for change† (Young, 2008). Bill Clinton and Al Gore had entered the White House with a program for economic renewal (Conason, 2008). As the leader of their Democratic Party now, President Obama is expected to continue their legacy and help America retrieve its prosperity. Joe Conason writes that economic programs created by the Democrats usually succeed in promoting economic growth because they tend to â€Å"distribute national wealth more widely than the Republican tradition of trickle-down† (Conason). This is backed by statistics, according to the author. Thus, Americans are expecting Barack Obama to somehow turn the current economic recession into economic growth. Once President Obama has succeeded in achieving this goal for America, he will be recognized as an American hero – a designation that was historically reserved for the whites alone. Moreover, being the first black president in the White House, President Obama is sure to work smarter not only to live up to American expectations but also to reverse the damages inflicted upon the country by the theory of racism. Bush may be compared to his father, if not the other white presidents of the United States. But, Obama is truly unique. In history books written hundred years from now, it is Obama’s name that will be remembered with greater fondness. Unlike Bush, the new president of the United States will provide relief to America from distress. He brings change, after all. Bush, on the contrary, had brought distress. This is the main reason why John McCain, despite his strong background in politics, was not chosen as America’s darling in the presidential election 2008. He reminded the Americans of George W. Bush (Young). References Conason, J. (2008, Dec 3). Obama’s Winning Argument. Salon. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. salon. com/opinion/conason/2008/11/01/obama_closing_argument/. Elliot, P. (2008, Nov 5). Obama Rides Economic Worries to Victory in Ohio. USA Today. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. usatoday. com/news/politics/2008-11-04-2264020452_x. htm. Inside Obama’s Sweeping Victory. (2008, Nov 5). The Pew Research Center for the People the Press. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://pewresearch. org/pubs/1023/exit-poll-analysis-2008. Klein, J. (2008, Oct 22). Why Barack Obama is Winning. Time. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. time. com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1853025-1,00. html. More Americans Question Religions Role In Politics. (2008, Aug 21). The Pew Research Center for the People the Press. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://people-press. org/report/? pageid=1364. Poll: Most Doubt Iraq Peace, Iran Threat. (2007, Feb 12). CBS News. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2007/02/12/opinion/polls/main2464626. shtml. Young, J. (2008, Nov 6). Obama Victory Reflects Solid Campaign, Shaky Economy. VOA News. Retrieved Mar 21, 2009, from http://www. voanews. com/english/2008-11-06-voa18. cfm.

Long-Range Career Objectives Essay Example for Free

Long-Range Career Objectives Essay Please provide a statement outlining your immediate educational and long-range career objectives in relation to your chosen field. If there is a particular faculty member with whom you wish to study, please give that persons name and explain why you want to study with that person. You may also wish to include other information, such as any undergraduate research experience, internships, or other experiences you may have had to document your preparation for advanced study in your chosen field. My future plan is to achieve the CPA of America and work in a renown accounting firm or in the finance department of companies. I think by learning in your school can give me a better opportunity fulfill my future professional development. What’s more, by learning taxation and accounting for two years in my own country, I developed a personal interest in those fields. I believe America’s outlook and teaching of accounting is very unique and efficient. In order to have a better understanding of this concept I would like to study at your school. Here I want to share my internship experience with you. I was fortunate to be chosen as an intern in the taxation department of Deloitte Touchà © Tohmatsu. My job here is to assist the senior manger to do some search and document revised work. Working here not only gives me a better understanding about my professional knowledge but my future career development. It also gives me a chance to find out how a successful company operates and what makes a qualified staff for that company. The DTT has very comprehensive and effective information sharing and communication system. In which it will make sure every staff member has easy access for use. For instance, I was only an intern there, but I can visit every internet resource and store documents in all the DTT†s firms in China. In addition, I can make a direct conversation to my co-workers, including the partner of the company, immediately if needed. The significance of these systems not only let us do our work efficiently and quickly, but also send messages to all its workers that â€Å" we have confidence on your professional ethics and we are ready to listen to your advises all the time.† The true thing is DTT always regard all its staff members as a part of the company, I think that is why employees are hard working on a daily basis. I think the most important character of a DDT employee is initiative. Compared to waiting for a job assignment , we should be eager for a work opportunity and find something to do when we are not occupied. This internship taught me that I should show my capability and my willingness to my job at the same time. Although I am no longer working in DTT China, I am the one equal member of initiative that seeks further study opportunity in your university. I hope this piece of writing could give you a better understanding of my personality to consider my application.

Fill Factor Analysis of Organic Solar Cell

Fill Factor Analysis of Organic Solar Cell Rashmi Swami, Rajesh Awasthi, Sanjay Tiwari Abstract Solar cell is a device used to convert light into electricity. It can be made by organic and inorganic materials. Its most important parameters are open circuit voltage, short circuit current, fill factor and conversion efficiency. This paper is based on the analysis of factors that affect the fill factor of organic solar cell using MATLAB. Fill factor is calculated using conventional organic solar cell model without series and shunt resistances and constant light generated current for two different cases –first using Exponential dark characteristic and second using Polynomial dark characteristic. We get for exponential V-I relationship increase in ideality factor n, will reduce the fill factor and for polynomial V-I relationship increase in m will increase fill factor. A large dependence of light generated current Iph on increasing applied voltage would cause a significant drop in fill factor. Increase or decrease in an additional factor would accordingly change fill factor. Dark current can be varied in two ways, one by varying mobility and other by varying injection barrier heights. In both the cases fill factor increases proportionately with . Keywords – Organic solar cell, fill factor, ideality factor, open circuit voltage, HTL, ETL. Introduction Bilayer organic solar cell as shown in fig. 1(a) is a device in which thin layer of organic material (donor and acceptor) is used between electrodes to convert light into electricity. This work is completely based on bilayer structure of organic solar cell as shown in fig.1(a) in which poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-bis-N,N-(4-butylphenyl)-bis-N,N-phenyl-1,4phenylenediamine) (PFB) is organic donor/HTL and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-co-benzothiadiazole) ( F8BT) is organic acceptor/ETL. Fig. 1(b) shows simplest conventional organic solar cell model without series and shunt resistances. Open circuit voltage, short circuit current, fill factor and efficiency are four important parameters of OSC. FF = Vmax Imax / VOC ISC When Vm= VOC and Im= ISC then (FF)max=1. For a good photo-voltaic device, all three factors FF, VOC, ISC should be large so that it can deliver large output power for the same incidental optical power. (b) Fig. 1 : (a) Bilayer organic solar cell structure. (b) Conventional organic solar cell model without series and shunt resistances. Simulation Model and Analysis of Fill Factor Two cases have been studied, one where dark characteristic is exponential like p-n junction and other where dark characteristics is polynomial like in space charge limited devices. 1.2.1Exponential Current Voltage Relationship – In this model, dark characteristic is assumed to follow exponential current voltage relationship and Iph is assumed to be constant. (1) where n is ideality factor and Vth is thermal voltage, Iph is light generated current, Id is dark current and I is net output current. Total output measured current can be written as a function of photo-generated current and dark current. (2) Output power of organic solar cell when it is operating at voltage V and giving current I- If maximum power is obtained at voltage Vm, , here assuming (3) Here y exp(y) is Lambert’s W function (4) and (5) At VOC net output current will be zero. At this condition eq. (2) will give (6) 1.2.2 Polynomial Current-Voltage Relationship In this case it is assumed that dark current depends on the applied voltage in the following manner- (7) Where K is constant and . (8) If photovoltaic is operated at voltage V and output current is I, output power will be- To calculate fill factor, one needs to find out the maximum power which photo-voltaic cell can supply. If maximum power is delivered at voltage Vm This will give, (9) and (10) At VOC net output current will be zero. At this condition eq. (8) will give (11) and (12) 1.2.3 Effect of Dark Current on Fill Factor – Simulation using 1D drift-diffusion electrical modeling of bilayer OSC in MATLAB is done. We obtained that the dependence of light generated current on the applied voltage means that fill factor would depend on it as well besides shape of dark characteristics. An estimate of variation of light current can be obtained by taking ratio of its value at short circuit and open circuit condition – At 0 volt, At VOC, i.e. The ratio is a measure of how drop in Iph with the voltage. This ratio can be written as – Thus shows an additional factor that would affect fill factor. As this factor increases or decreases, the fill factor should accordingly change too. Results and Conclusions Eq. (3) suggests that as ideality factor n is changed, keeping reverse saturation current I0 and photo-generated current Iph constant, Vm changes in such a manner that (Vm/n) remains constant. So Im will also be constant as it is a function of (Vm/n). From eq. (6) open circuit voltage is also changes with ideality factor n such that (VOC/n) remains constant. It follows from the above reasoning that (Im/ISC) and (Vm/VOC) will be unchanged if n will vary keeping the reverse saturation current constant. Hence as ideality factor n varies keeping the reverse saturation current I0 constant, fill factor of the device will remain unchanged. Though if open circuit voltage (VOC) assumed to be constant by varying reverse saturation current I0 as ideality factor n changes, fill factor will change accordingly. Assuming Iph to be 1 mA-cm-2, I0 to be mA-cm-2 and ideality factor n to be 1, open circuit voltage and fill factor come out to be 1.25 volts and 0.9 respectively. Taking Iph and VOC constant, the variation of fill factor with ideality factor n is shown in fig. 2. We get that increase in the value of ideality factor n, will reduce the value of fill factor Fig. 2 : Variation of fill factor with ideality constant n. open circuit voltage and light generated current are taken to be constant as 1.25 V and 1 mA-cm-2 respectively. Eq. (12) shows that fill factor is a function of m. Variation of fill factor with m is shown in fig. 3. For m = 1, FF = 0.25. As m increases fill factor also increases and approaches to 1. However, FF will become only 1 when m is infinity. In this case also, m is a measure of the sharpness of the characteristic curve. As m increases, I-V curve becomes increasingly sharper resulting in a high fill factor. For polynomial dark characteristic with constant light generated current we get that increase in m will increase fill factor which approaches to 1 Fig. 3 : Variation of fill factor with m. fill factor approaches to 1 as m becomes larger and larger. Simulation results revealed in fig. 4 show that light generated current Iph is a function of applied voltage, means FF would depend on it as well besides shape of dark characteristic. A large dependence of Iph on increasing applied voltage would cause a significant drop in FF. Increase or decrease in an additional factor would accordingly change fill factor. Dark current can be varied in two ways, one by varying mobility and other by varying injection barrier heights. In both the cases fill factor increases proportionately with as shown in fig. 5 and fig. 6. Fig. 4 : Dependence of light generated current on the applied voltage. and are the hole and electron mobilities respectively. and are the injection barriers at anode and cathode respectively. Fig. 5 : Variation of fill factor with for 0.1eV and 0.3eV injection barrier heights. Different points have been obtained by changing mobility. Fig. 6 : Variation of fill factor with for carrier mobilities and . Different points have been obtained by changing injection barrier height. References J. A. Barker, C. M. Ramsdale, and N. C. Greenham, â€Å"Modeling the current-voltage characteristics of bilayer polymer photovoltaic devices†, Physical Review B 67, (2003), 075205. D. P. Grubera, G. Meinhardtb and W. Papousekc, Modelling the light absorption in organic photovoltaic devices, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 87, (2005), 215-223. J. Wagner, T. Fritz, and H. Bottcher, Computer modelling of organic thin film solar cells exciton model of photocurrent generation, Physica Status Solidi A, 136, (1993), 423. Y. Roichman and N. Tessler, â€Å" Generalized Einstein relation for disordered semiconductors implications for device performance†, Appl. Phys. Lett., 80, (2002), 1948. J. C. Scott and G. G. Malliaras, â€Å"Charge injection and recombination at the metal-organic interface†, Chem. Phys. Lett., 299, (1999), 115. S. E. Shaheen, C. J. Brabec, N. S. Sariciftci, F. Padinger, T. Fromherz, and J. C. Hummelen,† 2.5 % efficient organic plastic solar cells†, Appl. Phys. Lett., 78, (2001), 841-843 B. K. Crone, P. S. Davids, I. H. Cambell and D. L. Smith, â€Å"Device model investigation of bilayer organic light emitting doide†, J. Appl. Phys., 84, (2000), 1974. P. W. M. Blom, M. J. M. de Jong and S. Breedijk, â€Å"Temperature dependent electron hole recombination in polymer light emitting diodes†, Appl. Phys. Lett., 71, (1997), 930. C. M. Ramsdale, J. A. Barker, A. C. Arias, J. D. MacKenzie, R. H. Friend and N. C. Greenham, â€Å"The origin of open circuit voltage in polyfluorene-based photovoltaic device†, J. Appl. Phys, 92, (2002),4266. B. Mazhari, â€Å"An improved solar cell circuit model for organic solar cells†, Solar Energy Materials Solar Cells, 90, (2002), 1021.

Advances in Medical Technology :: Medicine

Advances in Medical Technology Since the 1800s medical technology as made remarkable advances. The most basic instrument for a surgeon, which was a field in which Dr. Frankenstein was a pioneer, is the scalpel. There have been no drastic changes in the scalpel since it was first constructed. What has occurred are the refinements to the instrument. When Dr. Frankenstein wielded the instrument it was a simple steel blade with an ivory handle. Although the instrument was adequate it was not completely sterile because of the ivory handle. The fact that it was also kept in a velvet lined case did also prevented the scalpel from being 100% sterile. The scalpel of today is not only completely made from stainless steel, but there are now scalpels that are disposable. How the disposable scalpel works is" a one piece handle molding including a unique integral one-way hinge" (The Granton Knife Company). This one time use blade decreases the risk of cross infection. Even though scalpels are always disinfected after each use this is just an added precaution to prevent infection. The main reason that no drastic design changes have occurred to the basic steel blade scalpel is because " the physiology of the human hand and body have not changed since ancient times, surgical tools manifest a remarkable constancy". (The Science of Incision, Barry M. Katz) Steel blades are not the only form that a scalpel takes. Scalpels are now in the form of lasers. The use of lasers began with a laser knife. The CO2 laser was used to remove cancerous tissue. Later the Nd:Yag laser was used. Lasers knifes are not the only addition to new medical technology. The introduction of the computer-tomography (CT) scanner and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have greatly helped doctors to make a better diagnosis. When video imaging became available in the 1970s doctors discovered that by " inserting a fiber-optic endoscope through a cannula they could explore otherwise quite unimaginable places without invasive surgery". This technique led to the laparoscopic surgery "where the surgeon manipulates elongated tools through a cannula" (Katz), but instead of watching the patient the surgeon watches a video monitor. This type of surgery has forced the doctors to develop eye-hand coordination that is counterintuitive to the style in which these doctors were originally trained. The original question that was posed to me was how I felt about technology.

Sectionalism Versus Nationalism and the Era of Good Feelings Essay

After the war of 1812, there was a strong sense of nationalism since the young United States had won a war against the powerful British Army. However, the loss of thousands of southern slaves and the British embargo led both the north and the south to lament over the cost of the war. The time period from 1815 – 1825 that some historians call the era of good feelings was not as positive a time period as the title implies; factions ran rampant on the verge of causing an implosion for our country’s political system. The United States began to dissatisfy some of its citizens and so the concerns of sectionalism, or the split of the country began to arise. There was a continuous riff between the south and the north over a few issues, a major one being slavery. The south argued that the slaves were necessary to support the southern economy. According to document A, the south were angry that the north was creating taxes that hurt the southern economy, thus increasing the need for slavery since they had to make up for the expense of the taxes. The south felt that the north was able...

Business Challenges :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Becoming a CEO of a company whether it’s big or small, is a huge task to take on, but can be the most rewarding depending on how your company does. Either way when going into such a job, in which you are so powerful, you have to think of each and every challenge that you come across within your job. Challenges that your company will face can vary in many different ways, from environmental issues, to social issues, economic issues, as well as many more   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For my company, Staples, I have worked in the store since I was 15, going through quite a few managers. Luckily I got to meet people very high in the corporation, such as the president and vice president of the company, and I could see how stressful their jobs have been. As being the CEO of Staples there are many problems that can come into effect. First thing that comes to mind is competition. Our competitors Office Max, and Office Depot are our biggest threat in the office supply business. Our company holds about 1100 stores, while they have about 700 each, and each day they take away business from us. We have to fluctuate our prices with what’s popular for that time of season, such as pens, notebooks and computers for back-to-school, and make sure our prices are more convenient for the customer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second dilemma that comes to mind is geography. Considering we have over 1000 locations, we have to figure out where the appropriate places for a new store would be. For instance if we only have 2 stores in Maine, we can’t put them together, yet we need to put them in a somewhat populated place, that would be most convenient for the business customer. For us, globalization is not a very big problem considering that we only have one store in France, one in Germany, and two in Puerto Rico.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for a third challenge is technology. Everything is becoming on-line, and on the Internet. Some people can’t go out to the store everyday do but something they need, and each store can’t carry every product. So as a CEO the best solution is to put them online so people can shop at home, and have the products shipped to their doorstep. Also by having staples.com available in store, if the store itself is out of a product, just order it.

Religious participation and religious organisations Essay

While it is difficult to know precisely whether or not religious beliefs differ in relation to males and females, it is evident that religious practice and participation does show relatively clear gender differences. This is true across all forms of religious organisation. Almost two-thirds of churchgoers are women. However, as with social factors like class and age, it is clear that there is no overall pattern of male / female religious attendance, since there are evident differences between denominations. For example: For the Anglican Church, the male to female ratio is approximately half and half. For all Christian churches the male female ratio is approximately twenty to eighty percent. While women are more likely than men to be involved in religious organisations, it is relatively clear that, in hierarchical terms, men tend to dominate the most significant positions in any religious organisation. This tends to hold true across the majority of the world’s major religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism. In most religions, women tend to be portrayed in terms of their â€Å"traditional† social characteristics. The â€Å"Virgin Mary† in Christian religion is a good example here. Although a powerful figure as the Mother of Christ, her power, is ideological rather than political, the virtues of purity, chastity, motherhood and so forth are personified through her as ideals for womanhood. In relation to non-Christian religions, Giddens â€Å"Sociology† notes: â€Å"Females appear as important figures in the teachings of some Buddhist orders†¦but on the whole Buddhism, like Christianity, is an overwhelmingly male-created institution dominated by a patriarchal power structure in which the feminine is most closely associated with the secular, powerless, profane and imperfect.†. An obvious example drawn from Christianity might be Mankind’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden, the result of female duplicity. â€Å"According to the book of Genesis, God first created man. Woman was not only  an afterthought, but an amenity. For close on two thousand years this Holy Scripture was believed to justify her subordination and explain her inferiority for even as a copy she was not a very good copy, there were differences. She was not one of his best efforts†. While women, as has been noted above, feature strongly in both religious participation and, to a certain extent, imagery, it is evident that there has tended to be a very marked inequality between males and females in terms of positions of power and authority within religious organisations. Although some sects have allowed women to â€Å"preach and teach†, the majority of the world’s major religions have tended to relegate women to relatively minor roles in their organisation. In relation to Christianity, the decision, in November 1992 by the Church of England to ordain women as priests is a significant development to note. This decision was not taken lightly and has lead to a great deal of conflict within the Church. While the Church of England has traditionally been more â€Å"liberal† regarding the position of women within its organisation, the Roman Catholic Church has resisted pressure to ordain women, tending to fall back upon the argument that to do so would be blasphemous. Christ â€Å"ordained† twelve disciples, none of whom were women, therefore, women should not be allowed to be ordained. Once again, within a wide variety of sects, women tend, in the main, not to feature in the highly at the top of organisational hierarchies, although there are exceptions to this general rule. The diversity of sects perhaps makes it difficult to generalise about participation along gender lines. However, given that women tend to become involved in all types of religious activity with greater frequency than men, there is little reason to suppose that, in broad terms, sect membership does not conform to this norm. If it is difficult to estimate the numbers involved with New Age cults, it is doubly difficult to estimate with any degree of certainty the ration of male to female involvement. The â€Å"private sphere† of cult activity relates to traditional forms of gender roles for women, motherhood, the home, and child  rearing. New Age philosophy contrasts the concept of Nature unfavourably with a modern technological world, which tends to be characterised as masculine. Historically, where concepts of Nature have been employed, the role of women has tended to be seen in terms of their â€Å"essential femininity†; that is, as naturally different creatures to males, more attuned to the supposed natural rhythms of life and so forth. Thus, within New Age cults, women tend to be afforded a much higher status than men in terms of the various philosophies on which these cults are based, which is one reason that explains higher female involvement.

Dante’s Allegory of Love in the Divine Comedy

The Meaning of Love through the works of Dante Lighter Devon Strand-Brown â€Å"O all ye whose intellects are sound, Look now and see the meaning that is hidden Beneath the veil that covers my strange verses:† (Inferno 9:61) Dante Lighter is indisputably the most famous Italian poet in history. His seminal work, The Divine Comedy still inspires 700 years after its writing, and has not yet yielded all of its secrets, though it is one of the most widely studied works ever to be written. The name â€Å"Dante† and that of The Divine Comedy are known the world over, but what of the man Dante? What of the allegory beneath his verses?The history of the Divine Poet, his life, his love and the mysteries of his great achievements are known to relatively few, compared to the number of people who have read the Comedy. My purpose here to open those doors to you, to give a taste of the lessons and mysteries of Dent's work, to give a glimpse of a man, famous in his time and forevermor e, and to recount the greatest tale of Love ever told. His definition of love may be the most potent and intricate definition ever described, told through four separate levels of allegory, culminating in the rise of the universal goal of Love itself.The Man â€Å"In that book which is my memory, On the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, Appear the words, ‘Here begins a new life'. † (Volta) Dante was born in 1265, though the month is not known. His given name was Du- ranted Delhi Lighter, Dante being a shortened version which he himself, and subsequent -?2-? writers and translators would adopt. His family name Lighter comes form the Latin word ‘aligner', which can be translated to â€Å"winged. † Though it came from his father, it was originally passed from a mother, Algeria Loudhailer -? wife of Guidance Elise', founder of Florence -? to her son.Thus Dante can trace his lineage directly back to he founders of his beloved Florenc e. The root meaning of Durance (and Dante) is more obvious, enduring, as names were of the most importance in those days. Dante would be happy to know that he has far surpassed the destiny of an enduring name. His father was a man of finance, buying and selling property as well as lending money, something Dante later disapproved of and which found its way into his Inferno. His mother was also from a well respected Florentine family, the Bait. Her father Durance (whom Dante was named after) was a Judge at the time.Much of the Poet's history we can find in the Comedy because although it is the story of his enlightenment, it also tells the tale of his past. We see this with his mother, whom we find in the circle of violence in Inferno, for she committed suicide while Dante was still very young, somewhere between 1270 and 1275. After his mother's death, his father soon remarried and had two more children. It seems Dante had a good relationship with these siblings as he refers affectiona tely to a sister who visits him while he is sick in â€Å"La Vita Nova. These references require that I move ahead, to describe the works of Dante for it is especially through them that we learn so much of the man. I shall discuss The Divine Comedy at greater length in a future section. But as an overview it is the tale of Dent's Journey through Inferno, rising up through Purgatory, then finally moving through Paradise, guided -?3-? by his beloved Beatrice, with his pilgrimage ending with the vision of God. The other work that I shall mention often is â€Å"la Vita Nova†, The New Life, which is a compilation of poems, sonnets and stories from throughout his life.It particularly focuses on his love for Beatrice which pervaded his life from the age of nine until he died at fifty-six. At this time Florence was a burgeoning hub of trade and culture, becoming one f the richest and most powerful cities in Italy, and even in Eastern Europe. However the city was divided along many l ines; there was a split between the populace and the gentry, yet also among the gentry. The largest of these rifts was that between the Gullah, whom Dante supported, and the Gibberellins.Once the Gibberellins were expelled from Florence another divide occurred; Between the Black Gullets, those who supported the Papacy, and the white Gullets, who wished for more autonomy from Rome. With the support of Pope Boniface the Black Gullets took control of Florence, destroying many White Gullah homes and exiling Dante. If he were ever to return to his beloved Florence to â€Å"worship at his baptismal fount† he would suffer death by burning. Following his exile, Dante wandered from city to city. Reigniting his intellectual spirit in Bologna and moving as far field as Paris.Finally he settled in Raven, a small city not far from Florence. It is during this time that it is believed that be began his masterpiece, The Divine Comedy. It was completed Just prior to his death, sometime betwee n 1318 and 1321. The final Canto of Paradise was said to be lost for months following Dent's death, until in a dream, one of Dent's sons saw his father ho showed his where the final pages were hidden. His son, Pitter, searched for the pages and found them Just where -?4-? his father had indicated, and so, Just as a dream had begun the Comedy, a dream completed it.The Divine Comedy tells the tale of the Poet, Dante, and his Journey down into Inferno, up mount Purgatory and into Paradise where â€Å"the Love that moved the sun and the other stars† is finally revealed to him. It is divided into three canticles, Inferno, Purgatorial and Paradise. Each canticle is then further divided into 33 cantos, similar to chapters, except for Inferno which has a single introductory canto bringing he total to 100. Each canto is further split into three line sections, each line with a precise 11 syllables.This story fictively occurs in the year 1300 and Dante is faithful to this date, only inc luding people who had died before 1300 in any level of the Comedy , though often referencing those who are still living. Inferno, the first volume, is by far the most famous and widely read of the three. It begins: â€Å"Midway upon the Journey of our life. † Simply this first line gives premise to the Comedy being both a literal Journey through the levels of the earth but also a curative voyage through the life of a person, in this case Dante, though it can be expanded to include a more universal version of life.Through inferno Dante is guided by another great poet, Virgil, who, because he is a virtuous infidel has been confined to neutrality, the first level of hell. But who has been tasked by Beatrice to guide Dante down through Hell and up Mount Purgatory. Their Journey through Hell takes them down through all nine levels, on each level pausing to watch the punishment of the shades and sometimes speak to them, talking of their crimes or of the goings on of the living worl d. Finally in the lowest -?5-? bevel -?Judea, reserved for the traitors-? gravity reverses and they climb back out of the pit of inferno to once more observe the stars.At the base of Mount Purgatory seven As are inscribed on Dent's forehead. Each standing for Peculate or sin in Latin. As they pass through each of the seven levels of purgatory, each P is purged from his forehead. For Purgatory is not a place of perpetuity as many believe; it is a place of purging sins as its name suggests. Virgil continues as his guide and offers advice and answers to his questions along the way. However on questions of faith he defers to Beatrice, asking Dante to await her for his answer. At the peak of Purgatory is the Garden of Eden, earthly paradise.Here in paradise Dante is in awe of the heavens above him, while Virgil is reserved and distant. Dante turns away from his guide to gaze at four bright stars above him and when he looks back Virgil is gone. In his place stands Beatrice. From the Garde ns of Eden Beatrice leads Dante into Paradise, the nine circles of heaven. In each of these circles Dante speaks with different figures, Roman Emperors, Saints and Apostles prominent among them. And Just as Virgil taught Dante of life and the plight of souls in Inferno and Purgatory, so Beatrice teaches him of divinity, irate and all the levels of beatitude.One of the people he meets is his great great grand-father Guidance, who tasks him to compose a poem which â€Å"puts aside all falsehood. † He agrees, and is also tested by the apostles Peter, James and John before his can enter the Empyrean, the highest level of Heaven. It is here in the amphitheater of the Empyrean that Dent's Journey reaches is culmination with his rapturous vision of God. -?6_ â€Å"But my own wings were not enough for this, Had it not been that then my mind there smote A flash of lightning, wherein came its wish. (Paradise 33:139) Dante and Love But now was turning my desire and will, Even as a whee l that equally moved, The Love that moves the sun and the other stars. † (Paradise 33:142) Perhaps it is a sad testament to the human race, that the greatest love stories are those of unrequited love. Mark Antonym and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, Dante and his Beatrice. Dante first glimpsed Beatrice at the age of nine. Of that sight he says, â€Å"At that moment, I say most truly that the spirit of life, hath its dwelling in the secretes chamber of the heart† (Nova).He goes on, describing her as a deity, as something other than a worldly woman. From that moment onward his life was drastically changed. â€Å"l say that, from that time forward, Love quite governed my soul† (Nova). His love was torrential, yet when he saw her he kept it in check. For nine years after that first sight they never spoke. He would watch her in her family's small church of Santa Margarita, sitting some ten feet behind her, imagining her as an image of perfection, but never speaking. It i s difficult to imagine such love with so little contact.He was enamored with her but also with his imagination of her. It was not until nine years later to the day,that a word was exchanged between hem. While passing in the street, Beatrice â€Å"by her unspeakable courtesy' greeted him. He -?7-? remembers she was dressed all in white, unlike the red he first saw her in, white being the color of virginity and divinity. In each of his earthly visions of her, she is described using images and words normally reserved for Christ or God himself. Dante was taken by the sound of her voice: â€Å"For she doth make my veins and pulses tremble. He went directly home and fell asleep and dreamed that Love came to him. Throughout the Vita Nova, Love comes to Dante, taking a different human form each mime, and speaks to him, offering advice and admonitions. Love appears to him multiple times and each time represents a shift in Dent's interactions with Beatrice. Dante makes the mistakes of many lovers as he is so overcome by Beatrice. In an attempt to hide the true object of his love, he begins to use what he calls a â€Å"screen- lady,† a woman toward whom he outwardly directs his attentions so as to divert attention from Beatrice.This obviously backfires and Beatrice, as they pass again in the street, withholds her greeting. Dante is grief-stricken and, following another vision of love decides to write directly to her. These poems and sonnets received praise in Florence, and were read around the city in small poetry readings, increasing Dent's stature as a great writer even in his time. However life for Dante soon takes another enormous turn, with the death of Be- iatric. She is said to have died in June, 1290, a date with â€Å"the perfect number nine† having been completed â€Å"nine times† according to the Syrian Calendar. (Lewis).Dante is so overcome that he cannot put words to the event. After compiling the Volta Nova he resolves not to write of Beatrice again, until he can â€Å"say of her what was never said of any other -?8-? Oman. † It is from this wish that springs the greatest tribute to human love ever created, La Comedic. In Dent's Journey Beatrice is his primary guide. Though Virgil guides him through two levels of the afterlife, it is Beatrice who sent Virgil to assist Dante and Beatrice whom he follows through paradise and Beatrice who teaches him the most of love. She acts as a personal representation of Christ.We can see this in many aspects of Dent's description of her -? her appearance, the events around her and her relation to the number nine. The number nine can be seen as a reference to the divinity of he holy trinity, and it is used in reference to Beatrice to reinforce her power as Dent's connection to the divine. In the ninth canto of both Inferno and Purgatory Dante enters the city of Dish and then the Gates of Purgatory -? the two most significant entrances in their respective canticles. Yet i n Paradise, in the ninth canto, Dante passes from the circles of Venus unto the level of the sun.This may seem insignificant yet it signifies the passage from earth to heaven. It is not until the level of the sun that all earthly woes and pains are stripped away. This ninth canto is significant as it also demonstrates the divinity of the number, yet interestingly it also illustrates the divinity of love as it is in this canto that Dante meets three great lovers; a mistress, a bishop and a harlot. Not exactly the lovers you would expect, but these references, as well as their relations to nine and their positions in paradise, serve to highlight the significance of human love in order to ascend further into heaven.This is Beatrice role, as she serves both as the object of human love and the transcendent divine guide. Other parallels between Beatrice and Christ can also be drawn-? one being her -?9-? appearance in heaven, she is proceeded by Giovanni Primeval, as Christ was similarly p roceeded by John the Baptist. Here we can see Dent's literary playfulness with â€Å"Giovanni† as a feminine version of John and Primeval as an anagram meaning â€Å"Prima Vera† which literally translates to â€Å"will come first. † Beatrice also descends to Inferno to summon Virgil as Christ did to bring salvation to humanity, Virgil will be Dent's personal salvation.Dante even recognizes this in Paradise 30:80 saying â€Å"Who deigned for my salvation to leave your footprints in Hell. † Lansing also points out a parallel between the names of Christ and Beatrice: The reference to her nickname, â€Å"Vice,† in Paradise is a way which must evoke the abbreviations of Christ in manuscripts: â€Å"Be† (beat, â€Å"blessed†) and â€Å"ice† (ICC=less Crisis=Jesus Christ. )† Despite her obvious divinity, Beatrice is also a physical woman, as we see in the Volta Nova, who inspires love and desire in Dante.Thus she fills both role s, as the method of divine salvation and also as the guide to human love. Both of which together create natural love, something I will go into greater detail about at a later point. Dante strives, however, to remove any sexual attraction to Beatrice both for the deader and for himself. And for the most part he is successful. By removing her erotic nature in his writing, he reclaims some power from her. As we see in the Vita Nova, she holds great power over him; she has the power to send him into fits of worry or anguish, simply with a laugh or refused look.In De-redirecting her, we see Dent's attempt to retain his own power over human love, while relinquishing his power over natural love, allow-? 10 -? inning her to guide and teach him of its natural flow. As both the Comedy and the Nova are little more than an homage to Beatrice, it is interesting to see that Dante toeholds this one form of power from her, that of sexual power. It could very well be that he is attempting to protect either himself or Beatrice from the sin of lust, yet we also find a seductress and a harlot in heaven, who further inform Dante on love.It may also be the case that Dante is protecting himself from the worldly effects of Beatrice. The vast majority of his writings about her are of his perception, his fantasy of her. Their physical contact was negligible and by removing the sexual discourse between them, the Beatrice of Dent's pages is fully from inside the Poet. The Beatrice we know is Dent's fantasy, a character within his own character. It is her spirit, not her body, that guides Dante. Dante may also shrug off this worldly influence because he has a further lord, one to whom he answers whole-heartedly, and for whom Beatrice is the perfect guide.That lord speaks to him in the third chapter of the Vita Nova saying â€Å"I am your lord. † That lord is Love. Allegory The term allegory literally means the â€Å"hidden meaning†, it derives from Greek â€Å"al- SIS† (other) and â€Å"Georgia† (speaking), â€Å"other speaking. † The Divine Comedy is rife with it. Each canto is filled with political moral and divine statements. Allegory takes four forms in The Divine Comedy modeled after biblical exegesis (interpretation of biblical style); Literal (historical), Allegorical (Typographical) , Moral and Angelical. These four forms follow the interpretation of scripture in the Middle Ages.In scripture, the historical meaning is -? 11 what is described as fact. It encompasses the people, places and events represented and shows them historically as things that have occurred. The second meaning (the Allegorical/ Typographical) is that of personification and representation, a person may represent a sin or a virtue. The moral meaning in the scripture is literally represented by Christ. â€Å"So far as the things done in Christ, or so far as the things which signify Christ, are types of what we ought to do, there is the moral sense. † (Aquinas).The final meaning, the angelical is the hardest to pin down. This is because it is the broadest of the terms; it is the meaning which expands outwards and offers what the writer or reader considers an â€Å"eternal† meaning. The angelical represents the realm of the Gods, thus making it eternal, â€Å"But so far as they signify what relates to eternal glory, there is the angelical sense. † (Aquinas) Neither the bible nor The Divine Comedy possess all four of these elements at all times however. Writing is often adorned with â€Å"historical buttresses and adornments†, events that hold no further meaning than the literal.Different verses and cantos hold some of these meanings, some are personified in particular figures, others can only be found by evaluating the entire trajectory of the Comedy. These four meanings overlap, come and go, are sometimes clearly visible and some are lost forever in the annals of time. Other than the historical, the allego rical (typological) is the most prevalent form of meaning throughout the Comedy. Because all allegory is dependent on interpretation, the meanings put forth here are those that I deem to be correct, although there are likely other interpretations or even contrary views.As Dante followed many of the teachings of Thomas Aquinas, the following is the most prevalent definition for the typographical (allegorical) meaning in -? 12 -? the Comedy: â€Å"Whereas in every other science things are signified by words, this science has the property that the things signified by the words have themselves also signification† (Aquinas). This is the definition Dante would have followed in instructing his own allegory. Dante borrows heavily from Thomas Aquinas and Aquinas' Theological for his moor- al theory and view of God, theology and use of allegory.As far as the view of God, Thomas Aquinas believed that there are two apices of any object or subject (their existence and their essence), exce pt for God. Aquinas preaches God as simplicity. God is simply essence, for his/her/its existence is its essence. This essence to Dante is Love; all other objects are not independent of love and thus God, who is the representation of pure love, is the only individual being in existence. â€Å"God is identical tit Just one in- divisible thing, but that one thing has different effects and appearances† (Stump).Dante also enumerates the importance of each level of meaning, saying in his work Conviction, â€Å"l shall always first discourse upon the literal meaning of each cannoned, and after that I shall discourse upon its allegory, that is, the hidden truth; and I shall sometimes incidentally touch upon the other senses (angelical), as the place and the time make appropriate. † This leads us to believe that the historical (literal) meaning is the most important, followed by the allegorical. The angelical seems to e a natural uprising of this discourse of both the literal a nd the allegorical.The moral finds its way into the literal meanings as well, since Christ is synonymous with morality, and the bible and Beatrice are taken as fact. Throughout the Comedy, Beatrice and her compatriots teach Dante many -? 13 -? things, most of these may be interpreted as the moral allegory. What must also be understood is that the literal meaning will always be present, and for the most part the allegorical will be also. But that Allegory will take one or more of its three forms, typographical/allegorical, moral or angelical. He gives an example of this four-fold allegory in a letter sent to Gangrened of Verona.The Allegory of Love â€Å"Love, which pardons no beloved from loving, took me so strongly with delight in him That, as you see, it still abandons me not†¦ † (Nova) As we begin to look at the many meanings of love in The Divine Comedy, the three literal forms we shall examine are 1) love as an emotion, 2) love as Beatrice, and 3) Love as a figure a nd as God. First let us examine Dent's belief of love. For Dante, love was the driving force of the universe. It causes souls to rise to heaven or fall into hell. It literally set the stars in motion. All sinners and all saints had their actions based in love, for better or for worse.Love causes all movement in the universe, whether for the sinners to ascend because of love for God or for the blessed to descend in order to save a soul. Just as Beatrice descends to bring Dante to the Empyrean, it also causes the angels to move in their circles around God, thus creating the movement of the heavens. However, love also has a darker side. According to Dante, love is also the root of sin. He takes this view from William Perusals' analysis of the Sustaining Sins; Pride, Envy, Wrath, Sloth, Avarice, Gluttony and Lust. These sins can be divided into three cat- Georges according to love; insufficient, disordered and excessive.Insufficient love takes the form of sloth, disordered love manifest s in pride, new and wrath (as these three are misguidedly directed at an external object), and love in excess creates avarice, gluttony and lust. These are all forms of what Virgil distinguishes for Dante as rational love, separate from natural love which I shall discuss at greater length later. Rational love takes many forms, both positive and negative. If unbalanced or per- averted, it is the basis of all sin, but it is also that which leads Dante towards natural eve. Dent's earthly love for Beatrice could be described as courtly love, a popular subject of the times. Courtly love can be defined as desire and longing for someone, and personal suffering by loving this person† (Du France). This definition as we can see applies perfectly to Dent's relations to Beatrice. It is this earthly relationship that begins Dante on his path to salvation and enlightenment, thus it is this form of rational love that sets Dante on his path. At the beginning of The Divine Comedy, the Pilgrim believes this love for Beatrice is pure and correct. Yet through his discussions tit Francesca De Riming, and then Virgin's discourse on love in purgatory, Dante begins to doubt his assertion.Finally upon his meeting with Beatrice in Paradise he repents for the earthly love he paid her and accepts the purity of natural love, the love that will guide him through paradise unto the Empyrean. Natural love was considered by Dante to be the love of and for God. It is the pure force which motivates the universe and binds it together. It is the purest form of this love that Dante is striving for throughout the Comedy. Through hell and purgatory, he is strip-? 15-? inning away the sins and tarnishing of sin, and in paradise he is being prepared, level by level, by Beatrice, for the experience of Pure Love.Virgil, who has not entered heaven and has thus not experienced natural love, can only describe to Dante human love and the perverted shapes it takes in sin. The constant motion of natural love is moving toward a goal; that goal is the attainment of the realization of place and of perfection for every object and creature in the world. â€Å"As the specific capacity of anything is actualities by being exercised, the nature of that thing is progressively completed or perfected, according to Aquinas† (Stump). It is by loving and being love that this process is perpetuated and thus moves closer and closer to a perfect equilibrium.This ultimate beatitude is inconceivable to the human mind, however, and thus we give it a humanly understandable form, that of God. Yet Dante is very careful not to name God as the center of the Empyrean; the highest level of heaven is occupied by Love. Virgil describes how love takes three stages to develop. The process begins with awareness of another object or person. This perception is offered to the soul to Judge whether this object is beautiful and shall bring happiness. If it is deemed good, then eve develops and takes the form of an inclination or attraction toward that object.Until love develops, the force driving this process is human will and it is thus that love can be misguided, as the will can make mistakes and lead an individual toward sin. If we take love as the attractive force that moves the universe, then the ultimate goal of life is also love, but love in equilibrium. This is why perverted, insufficient and excessive love are sins, for it is balanced love, natural love that we are striving toward. We cannot, however, achieve union with natural love simply by following others'