Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Effects of tourism on economic growth in China Research Paper

Effects of tourism on economic growth in China - Research Paper Example A huge increase in the amount of expenditure from foreign tourists with an average of average of 19.7% in each year was recorded between 1978 and 2001. For this reason, the World Tourism Organization had expected that China would have been the primary tourist destination in the world by 2010 (Yan & Wall 260). Currently, it is speculated that, by the year 2015, China will become the second largest travel and tourism economy in the world after the United States. The main factors influencing the tremendous growth in China’s economy include its flourishing and widely considered growth in the tourism industry. This is also because of the open policy established by the Chinese, and an increased number of flights between China and other countries in the world. Moreover, various great improvements such as the transport infrastructure in China, accommodation in hotels and the increased tourist attractions have significantly contributed to this growth. One of the major theories in macro economics is the economic growth theory. Through the use of quantitative analysis, it has been shown that the effect of tourism on the developing economy of China bearing in mind the undeveloped levels of their tourism industry, tourism plays a significant role in the development of the country’s economy. In the conclusion of their 1992 study, Yan and Wall (270) noted that both domestic and international tourism only had a slight impact on the national level. This is with regards to the diversity and size of the economy in China. Using the traditional Type I Input-output model, they did not include the impacts of domestic tourism. Contrary to the use of outdated data in this case, the World Travel and Tourism council has recently projected the indirect and direct effects of domestic and...In this paper, the effect of tourism on the economic growth in China will be thoroughly evaluated, as the impact of tourism in China has not been sufficiently analyzed, prior to the time of the conducted analysis. The size of tourism in China has significantly increased. A significant and sustainable growth has been experienced in China consequent to both domestic and international tourism for the past 20 years. With this, the ratio of tourism to the GDP in the country has been shown to increase every year. Through the creation of the social accounting matrix, the type II input-output model was developed. This model contends that high percentage of total household income, GDP, and total Chinese employment depends on the expenditures of international tourism. The variation displayed by the percentages is clearly explained by the sectoral make up of tourist expenditures, as well as the sectoral variations in ratios between capital and labor, backward linkages and labor productivity. The designation of an account as either endogenous or exogenous is the most fundamental step towards movement from SAM to a model structure. According to Bulmer-Thomas, the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) plays an essential role in making accounting records for different economies An investigation was performed on the dependence of Chinese economy on the expenditure by tourists. It was necessary to integrate the IO impact Model with the demand for endogenous consumption that is based on the SAM model. These instruments were used to estimate the â€Å"direct, indirect and induced dependence† that the Chinese economy has on the international tourism. The impact of international tourism in China displays a lot of prospects for Chinese economy

Monday, October 28, 2019

Derivative Markets Essay Example for Free

Derivative Markets Essay Last dozen of years are characterized by rash growth of volumes of national and international markets of derivative finance instruments or derivative markets. By opinion of experts, appearance and development of derivative markets is the most important event of economic life within last twenty five years. In the very name of these instruments – â€Å"derives† lays the fact that they appeared and started to develop on basis of floaters and futures almost for all types of exchange products (starting with oil and gas and ending with soy beans and orange juice), and also for exchange index, percent rates, rate of exchange, etc. Presently new types of derivates appeared: on the basis of sea freight rates (London), cost of microprocessors, permissions for environment pollution (USA), etc. To the first generation of derivates specialists relate futures and stock option plans, which are used at organized markets (exchanges) in form of standardized contracts, and also popular at non-exchange market (market OTC – over-the-counter) (William Falloon pp. 26-28) currency swaps, stock option plans and inter-bank agreements regarding forward rate agreement. From the very beginning the main functions of derivates was to provide distribution of risks among participants of business deal, connected with change of stuff price, rates of exchange, percent rates, stock rates, exchange indexes, etc. Nowadays operations with derivates are still the main way of insurance from different risks and risk management. The first signs at derivative markets became successful issue of currency futures in 1972 at Chicago Mercantile Exchange; the second issue of percentage futures followed in 1975 at Chicago Board of Trade. In the first half of 1980-s rapid growth (Remolona, Eli, M., pp. 28-43) of operations with derivates, followed with appearance of more and more new types of derivates. In 1980 appeared New York Futures Exchange; in 1982 London international Financial Futures and Options; in 1986 – MATIF Marche a terme international de France in Paris; in 1988 Swiss Options and Financial Futures Exchanges, etc. At these and other organized (exchange) markets trade is fulfilled by standard (typical) contracts, which are sold or at exchange auctions (MATIF in France), or with help of automatized information systems (for example, Globex). Final calculations for all deals are made by computational (compensational) palates (George Benston and Shehzad Mian pp. 217-246) The first â€Å"legal† operation of currency swap (exchange of dollar to Swiss francs) was made in August 1981 between American company IBM and International Bank of Reconstruction and Development. Market of percentage swaps appeared in the United States by initiative of company â€Å"Sallie Mae†. The major part of swap operations was executed by leading international banks, which in the beginning were present as mediators between participants of currency swaps. In succeeding years banks became to work as active participants of derivative deals, acting at their own cost and in their own interests.   When in the first half of 1980-s derivative market was developing mainly in the United States, in the second half derivative market started to develop quickly in Europe and Japan. Volume of world market of swap operations increased from 200 milliard dollars in 1985 to 2900 milliard dollars in 1990. Such quick growth was stipulated with legal standardization of contracts, development of information systems and means of communications. According to data of questionnaire which was executed by International Swaps and Derivatives Associations, volume of world derivative market for the beginning of 1993 was 5.4 trillion dollars, including percentage swaps – 3.9 trillion dollars, currency swaps – 860 milliard dollars, cap and floor operations – 577 milliard dollars. By approximate estimation of magazine Swap Monitor, volume of derivative markets was much higher – 7 trillion dollars (at the same date of 1993). In the United States only 6 banks control 90% of derivative markets. In France 80 banks act at the market of currency contracts; at option market – 24 banks. Volume of operations with derivates at exchange and non-exchange markets, which make French credit institutions and which are shown at their balance, in 2.2 times exceeds amount of their balances. By information of International Calculations Bank, already in 1991 volume of OTC market was 4500 milliard dollars. From that time its volume significantly increased. Quick growth of derivative market volume in the beginning of 1990-s is connected with increasing of instability and uncertainty at world financial markets, also influenced by such events as was at Persian Gulf, collapse of USSR, crisis of European system of currency, etc. besides, progress in the field of informational technology, which allowed to process big volumes of information almost immediately and great funds, involved in financial turnover, give grounds to speak about existence of real industry of derivates. As we already spoke about, quick growth of derivative market was accompanied by appearance of new and new their types and kinds; this process developed and continues to develop in legal and non-official market. Financial instruments, which represent different combinations of derivates of the first generation, quickly were added to the first derivate generation (for example, combination of percentage options â€Å"cap/floor†, swaptions – combination of swap and option. In the beginning of 1990-s appeared such exotic instruments as swaps for non-typical indexes, annulated swaps, options for options, etc. One of novelties for Parisian exchange was issue of bons doption, which gives right to the buyer for purchase of actions or debentures by fixed price. During the last four years number of diversities of such warranties increased from 15 to 500, they are in easy access to any investor, even those who doesn’t have big amount of money. Appearance of new types and kinds of derivates is stipulated not only by increasing demands of clients in more perfect means of insurance from risks (Ludger Hentschel and Clifford Smith Jr., pp. 101-126), but also by constant perfection of informational technology and equipment, mechanisms of price formation and models of risk management. At the same time legal standards of regulating operations with derivates were developed and perfected; new forms of standard contracts appeared. Operations with derivates started to be used more frequently not only for insurance from risks and risk management, but for aims of speculation, i.e. receiving profit from them. By opinion of experts, nowadays the following subjects take place at the derivative markets: Industrial companies, which can use operations with derivates to reach such aims as: Decreasing of indebtedness burden at the expense of getting necessary financial means by possible cheap price; Increasing of flexibility in management of financial holdings, not limited by usage of debentures or short-term commercial documents; Perfection of management cash balance and regulation of financial flow, connected with cash inflow and cash spending; Fast receiving of necessary funds by relatively low prices in case unexpected needs in financing take place; Perfection and dynamics of process management by liquid assets of enterprise. Although enterprises, which use all enumerated possibilities of operations with derivates, are quite rare, from now on these operations cannot be ignored by those enterprises, who intend to lead dynamic strategy of management by thief financial resources. Different investment funds, which control investment portfolio, use operations with derivates as flexible means of funds management. Special companies or funds (so-called stockjobbers), which make derivative operations to receive profit, because those operations allow even with small expenses to get big profit, indeed, in condition of favorable circumstances for such stockjobber. In such a way American fund Quantum Fund, which belongs to famous financier George Sores, and which is specialized on currency deals, including derivates as well, since 1969 every year increased its income for 35%; today it exceeds 4 milliard dollars. Totally in the United States there are more than 3 thousand of such funds, which manage approximately by 25 milliard dollars, which are used only for speculative operations. There are 23 similar funds, which are legally registered in France. Individual stockbrokers, which make operations with derivates at their own expense. Activity of those subjects, which in the USA are called â€Å"local† and in France â€Å"negociateurs independants de parquet†, assists in increasing of liquidity financial market. Special companies-organizers of the market, including compensational palates, which control execution of contracts and execute calculations, receiving definite commissions. In such a way in France company MATIF received for each operation of purchase or sale of pressing contract 6.25 francs, what allowed to increase own funds to 800 million francs. In 1993 MATIF worked up 72 million of contracts, whereas at Chicago Mercantile Exchange were sold 179 million of contracts. Banks, working in legal and non-official market, receive the biggest income from derivative operations. Supervision instances controlling bank activities (for example, there is Bank Commission in France) are anxious because of uncontrolled growth of bank derivative operations. Operations with different kinds of options, especially related to such indexes, which change quickly, as shares indexes, prices for non-ferrous metals, raw materials, etc. give the biggest concern. Supervision instances don’t limit usage of derivative operations in order to insure credit and market risks (Sanjiv Ranjan Das pp. 7-23), but at the same time they establish rule of paying capacity, in accordance with which amount of own derivate funds of certain credit enterprise should cover credit (risk of unredeemed credit) and market risks. Other aspects of regulation non-organized markets are not developed enough. In all leading Western countries development of those measures is behind the tempo of growth of OTC market capacity, where calculation (compensational) palates are absent and business deals have long-term character. For organized derivative markets the main problems still are guaranteeing security and control. Compensational palates watch timeliness of final calculations and amount of deposits of their members, which operate at derivative market. These deposits guarantee that they will fulfill their obligations: in case amount of deposit is lower than definite level, it should be filled up immediately. In such a way, at MATIF’s accounts are 20 milliard francs, paid-in by its members as guarantee of calculations. Financiers work to standardize contracts for derivative deals in the international level. In such a way, created in 1985 International Swap and Derivatives Association worked out frame contract for derivative operations, consisting of two parts: in the first part there are obligatory common statements (ways of calculations and their regulation, declarations of the parties, procedures of canceling the contract, etc), and in the second part there are statements, which can be changed by wish of the parties. In June 1993 report of 30 leading specialists for financial operations was published, where they formulated recommendations to banks and other enterprises, which lead operations with derivates or are their final users. By opinion of experts, these enterprises should give acces to that market only for professionals. Many experts point at explosive character of derivative market, because there can appear chain reaction of bankruptcy (domino effect). Non-exchange market is more dangerous in this respect, where the business deals are often concluded â€Å"for the word of honor†. Unexpected collapse of one of the banks can cause chain reaction of bankruptcies of other banks. By words of A. Taylor, president of Royal Bank of Canada, derivates represent bomb of delayed-action, which, once exploded, can completely ruin world financial system. Although derivative deals have a lot of risk and can provoke the crisis, you cannot live without them in the modern financial markets, because they assist in increasing of liquidity and effectiveness of financial markets, decreasing of cost for market transactions (deals). As was written in French magazine â€Å"Expansion†, future experts, probably, will examine derivates as financial novelty, which saved world economical growth from paralysis. Works Cited: George Benston and Shehzad Mian, 1995 Financial Reporting of Derivatives: An Analysis of the Issues, Evaluation of Proposals, and a Suggested Solution, Journal of Financial Engineering, September, pp. 217-246. Sanjiv Ranjan Das, 1995 Credit Risk Derivatives, Journal of Derivatives, Spring, pp. 7-23. William Falloon, 1992 How Appetites are Growing for OTC Equity Derivatives, Futures Magazine, January, pp. 26-28. Ludger Hentschel and Clifford Smith Jr., 1995 Controlling Risks in Derivatives Markets, Journal of Financial Engineering, June, pp. 101-126 Remolona, Eli, M., 1992-3 The Recent Growth of Financial Derivative Markets, Federal Reserve Bank of New York Quarterly Review, Winter, pp. 28-43.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Desert :: essays research papers

The human heart not only supplies life but it also represents feelings and emotions. In the Desert uses intense imagery to paint a vivid picture while also using point of view and symbolism to send a message about human emotion and feelings. Although this poem is brief it contains a very powerful point about the human heart and emotions. This poem appears to be written by a person that has just lost a loved one, although this poem does not seem to be about death. The poem opens with the image of a "naked" beast alone in a "desert". This paints an interesting image in the mind of the reader, but it also has a deeper meaning. This "beast" of a man was deserted and left alone by someone that he was obviously deeply in love with. He has lost all direction and purpose in his life. The author uses the point of view of the speaker to show just how pathetic this creature is. The speaker feels bad for the beast and attempts to speak to it, seemingly out of pity. He even calls the hopeless animal his "friend". This leads me to believe that maybe the creature is just an extension of the speaker, the part of him that cannot let go of an important love. In the Desert is a poem that is symbolic of the way people react when their "hearts are broken". The heart, in this instance, represents love and happiness. When the man loses this love he feels as though his heart has been wrenched from his chest and devoured by a monster (that represents his current emotional state). The man is broken, battered and left to fend for himself. He is also filled with resentment and anger as is made evident by his "bitter-bitter" heart. This whole scenario represents the dependence of man on the love of another and his state of total denial and sadness when it is taken from him. The only beam of hope that I could find in this poem is when the man says that he likes his heart despite its bitterness.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Journal Article Critique “From common to uncommon Knowledge: Foundations of Firm-specific use of Knowledge as a Resource” Essay

Research question: â€Å"How can managers create uncommon knowledge when rivals have access to similar, commonly available knowledge?† (page 425) Author’s purpose: The importance of knowledge is well established in research. The knowledge-based theory considers knowledge as the most strategically significant resource of a firm. Notwithstanding, the authors illustrate that it is not known much about â€Å"how firms create, acquire, and apply knowledge better than other firms† (page 421). Nag and Gioia set up a qualitative study to develop an inductive model to reveal the processes how and under which circumstances managers transform common into distinctive knowledge. The foundry industry in the northeast and midatlantic United States served as study population. The authors conducted 53 interviews with CEOs and other key members involving 22 different foundries. Major conclusions: The model developed three dimensions how executives differ in the process from common to uncommon knowledge: executive knowledge schemes, executive scanning and uncommon knowledge use. The study indicates the personal impact of executive behavior how they identified, searched for and used uncommon knowledge: Under same external circumstances they act in different ways to address strategic situations. (1) Interpretation of the results The interviews were structured like following. There are three aggregated dimensions (executive knowledge schemes, executive scanning and uncommon knowledge use). Each of these dimensions consists of two second-order themes. These feed on the first-order categories which are coded quotes. Executive knowledge schemes mean how executives are determined towards theirs perceptions of knowledge. They are also called knowledge structures. A more detailed view onto these structures reveals that they consist first of the second-order-themes knowledge significance (criticality and distinctiveness relate to the importance of knowledge to the strategic performance of a firm). The usage of knowledge is mostly seen in three areas: technical effectiveness, operational efficiency and customer responsiveness. Second, the knowledge schemes consist of knowledge source (external accessibility, personal competence and lower-echelon knowledgeability relate to the usefulness and quality of different origins of knowledge). Executive scanning means the activity to acquire additional knowledge. It differs in the quantity and the character how managers search to extend the strategic resources. Scanning intensity describes the amount of time and effort managers invest to acquire new knowledge. The other second-order theme scanning proactiveness goes beyond the intensity in order to get better and other information than competitors do. Uncommon knowledge use means the application of knowledge to a firm’s challenges. As long as a foundry does not know how to use common knowledge for its own problems it does not have a competitive advantage of knowledge (it does define about costs as differentiation). Only if it is using uncommon knowledge it becomes distinctive knowledge and therefore turns into a competitive advantage. In the second-order themes this dimension is separated into knowledge adaption and knowledge augmentation. The first one describes how to use new knowledge to solve specific problems and generate new methods. The second one goes beyond; it is about understanding problems in principle. When you are familiar with the principle you can adapt knowledge to related problems and through that it is possible to generate new knowledge by you. Different emphases in second-order themes are more likely to be linked with certain emphases on another second-order theme (e.g. strong believe in technological effectiveness is associated with engaging in proactive scanning). Through those linkages Nag and Gioia were able to draw tree knowledge pathways. The knowledge adaption pathways describe the track how managerial distinctions emerge to knowledge adaption. The knowledge augmentation pathways describe the way to the augmentation of knowledge and the third track describes how it happens that uncommon knowledge is not used. In the knowledge adaption pathways executives consider knowledge as most important for operational efficiency. They believe it’s hard to obtain from external sources and they have confidence in their own knowledge but limited trust in workers’ knowledge. They are scan-ning intensively for knowledge and personally they had a greater share in knowledge work. Firms on that pathway are adapting knowledge and come more likely to an incremental development. In contrast described before in the knowledge augmentation pathways leaders have a strong confidence on own knowledge, on workers capabilities and they believe their know-ledge is distinctive and hard to imitate for competitors. Therefore they are scanning pro-actively and engaging others to knowledge work. These companies use uncommon know-ledge through augmentation. Radical innovations are more likely in those companies. On the path for no uncommon knowledge use the executives contribute knowledge mostly to raise customer’s responsiveness. They have low confidence in company’s knowledge, their own and in workers’ knowledge. Through low and infrequent scanning activity they reduce the information available and therefore they avoid uncommon knowledge usage. Companies on that path are less cost efficient than companies on the paths described before. (2) Strengths and weaknesses of the methodological approach In general the study appears consistent and methodologically well done. While interpreting participants the authors included quotations (‘in vivo’ codes) of the respondents in the paper to underline their interpretations. For â€Å"member checking† they organized two group discussions with executives to verify the findings. They had a grounded theory approach. Starting from the interviews they developed inductively the model. In a quite good manner they developed graphics illustrating their model which make the study easier comprehensible for outsiders. It could be criticized that the authors did not reveal their bias and research background to the topic. In 2006 Nag published his dissertation with the title â€Å"From common to uncommon knowledge: An investigation into the socio-cognitive foundations of inter-firm heterogeneity in the use of knowledge as a resource†. Gioia was the chair of the dissertation committee. The dissertation had the same study population from the foundry industry with partially identical interviewees. In that dissertation more and less detailed sketches of the model in the current paper were presented. Against this backdrop the inductive approach could be suspected. It is more likely that there already existed some detailed ideas how the outcome could look like. Maybe here is the reason why the authors presented the literature review in the beginning which is unusual for an inductive approach. But nevertheless the developed model seems to be fully founded in the data. It could be mentioned more clearly when actually common knowledge becomes uncommon knowledge. The kind of knowledge which is spoken about is not clear enough. For example in the dimension knowledge schemes there are mentioned market insights as well as technological insights. But concurrent the dimension uncommon knowledge usage is all about technological and process effectiveness issues. Furthermore following there are detailed critiques concerning the sampling and the interviews. Sampling The study population like chosen in the study is well defined and concrete: Firms belong with the same industry Saturated industry with a lot of established common knowledge (=same basis) and where uncommon knowledge is the way to compete Foundries have a comparable (low) complexity (

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Lennie & George in “Of Mice & Men” Essay

In the story â€Å"Of Mice & Men†, John Steinbeck creates a pair of low-class companionship as the story’s main character. This pair of companionship, George and Lennie is very different from each other, nothing alike, no matter talking about their figures, personality, IQ, etc, except that they both carry the same American dream as they spend their hard days traveling together and working in the ranch. Lennie is portrayed as being childlike. He looks up on George as a parental figure: â€Å"Lennie’s lips quivered and tears started in his eyes.† Lennie seek reassurance from George like a child does from their parents. He displays the excitement of a child: â€Å"Tell me about the rabbits, George. Tell me about the rabbits.† Steinbeck suggests that Lennie’s dependent on George and that we all need companionship even if the relationship is unequal. Not only is Lennie portrayed as being childlike, but also very forgetful: â€Å"I forgot, tried not to forget. Honest to god I did George†. Lennie always gets in trouble, and always needs George to help him out.: â€Å"Course you did. Well, look Lennie— if you jus’ happen to get in trouble like u always done before, I want you to come right here and hide in the bush†. Not only does he make himself in trouble but also gives trouble to George: â€Å"An’ whatta I got, I got you! You can’t keep a job and you lose me ever’ job I get. Steinbeck wants to give the readers a hint or preparation that a serious event is going to occur with Lennie, he also wants to convey that although Lennie is big, it doesn’t mean that he has a big brain nor can he be independent and look after himself. Lennie is also being put in a character with characteristic’s like an animal: â€Å"His huge companion dropped his blankets and flung himself down and drank from the green pool; drank with long gulps, snorting into the water like a horse.† Lennie enjoys keeping mice, but as a result always kills it:† They were so little, I’d pet them, and pretty soon they bit my fingers and I pinch they heads a little and they was dead— because they were so little.† Steinbeck wants to show that a big man also has a sensitive side, and that being strong also has disadvantages, especially for Lennie who enjoys to pet mice and as a result kills it very quickly due to his big, strong hands. Lennie’s physique is described by Steinbeck as being big, strong looking, but is also described to have body parts in which imitating an animal: â€Å"A huge man, shapeless of face, with large, pale eyes, with wide, sloping shoulders; and he walked heavily, dragging his feet a little, the way a bear drags his paws.† Although Lennie is very immature, but he is a very helpful and great worker : â€Å"Say, you sure was right about him. Maybe he ain’t bright, but I never seen such a worker.He damn near killed his partner buckin’barley. There ain’t nobody can keep up with him. God, awmighty I never seen such a strong guy.† Steinbck points out that even an immature, childish man like Lennie with low IQ, can also work better than a normal man, and that we should always give a chance to people like Lennie to work like a normal person with no prejudice against them. Lennie is a very simple minded man, and does whatever George tells him to do. He never thinks for himself and won’t bother to rate if it was dangerous or not, he simply just does as he says, like master and servant: â€Å"Tell you what made me stop that One day a bunch of guys were standin’ around Sacramento River.I was feelin’pretty smart. I turned to Lennie and says â€Å"Jump in† and he jumps, couldn’t swim a stroke. He damned near drowned before we could get him.† Not only does Lennie always listen to Georges demands, but he also never rejects him and never dares to argue with him. â€Å"He never got mad with it neither. I’ve beat the hell outa him, and he could bust every bone in me just with his one han’, but he never lifted a finger against me†. Steinbeck expresses to readers that Lennie looks up at George at a higher status, like an idol and believes that whatever George tells him to do, is  for his own good, which is why he listens to George not minding if it is dangerous or not. Where as the other main character in the story â€Å"Of Mice & Men†, known as George, is totally different from Lennie. George is suggested to protect Lennie too much, and that he doesn’t let Lennie talk when he is suppose to. When he sells Lennie too much, people might mistaken that George is hiding something about Lennie.: â€Å"Then why don’t you let him answer? What you trying to put over?†. George also uses a special technique to make Lennie listen to him, from this technique he gives pressure to Lennie so that he will always keep George’s words in mind.: â€Å"But you ain’t gonna get in no trouble, because if you do, I won’t let you tend the rabbits.† Steinbeck points out that George is protecting Lennie too much, and that he should always let him try and let him communicate more, socialize more and approach the outside world more, or else he would depend on George too much and takes it as an advantage. George is also suggested to be smart, and has a lot of common sense. He uses his sensitive sensitivity to teach and lead Lennie to the right track: â€Å"Tastes all right, don’t really seem to be running though. You never oughta drink water when it ain’t running, Lennie.† Not only is George sensitive but he is also very smart in the ability to judge correctly: â€Å"You never had none, you crazy bastard. I got both of ’em here. Think I let you carry your own work card?† Steinbeck shows the readers that it is an advantage for Lennie to be looked after by George, for George has the power to untie him from troubles he makes, and knows what’s best for him. Steinbeck also tells the readers, that the people with the same problems as Lennie should always be helped and be guided to the right way, instead of being discriminated. George also gets very fed up with Lennie sometimes, having to escape with Lennie from the troubles Lennie has caused from time to time.: â€Å"God a’mighty, if I was to live alone I could live so easy. I could get a job and  work, and no trouble. No mess at all, and when the end of the month come I could take my fifty bucks and go into town and get whatever I want.† But on the other hand, he also cares a lot about Lennie’s feelings, and always persuades him to think towards the positive side when Lennie is depressed.: â€Å"Aw, Lennie! I ain’t taking it away jus’ for meanness. That mouse ain’t fresh, Lennie; and besides, you’ve broke it pettin’ it. You get another mouse that’s fresh and I’ll let you keep it a while.† Steinbeck suggests that in order to be companionships, we will have to care for one and another’s feelings, Steinbeck also coveys that there aren’t any perfect pair of companionship, for there has to be arguments between people, since humans are born with these characteristics. George having to be a trustworthy companionship with Lennie, always believes in his partner no matter what happens. He will always trust Lennie for whatever he does, and the decisions he makes.: â€Å"Lennie never done it in meanness. All the time he done bad things, but never done one of them mean.† George makes the relationship between Lennie and him like a family, George tells Lennie about their dreams, and how they are different to other people, as if it’s going to come true. George gives hope to Lennie making him feel better and have a target so that he won’t feel that he is working for nothing and that they are working to make their dream come true.: † But not us! An’ why? Because †¦because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ . Steinbeck tells the readers that although these low-class workers are poor and lonely, they haven’t got a stable home. But George and Lennie are different. For they carry a hope, a dream. This is why George and Lennie are never lonely. Steinbeck also suggests that an American dream in those days, does not come true easily. Overall I think that John Steinbeck wants us to know that we should use Lennie and George as an example to how we should treat people with the same problems as Lennie is facing. Instead of discriminating them, we should always give them a hand of trust to help them. John Steinbeck also suggests  that although Lennie may have mental problems, but from this information, it doesn’t mean that Lennie is useless. He may be stupid, but he is very hard working and may be better than most normal workers working in the ranch. John Steinbeck also wants us to know that although people like Lennie often creates serious problems due to his stupidity, this doesn’t suggest that he can use his low IQ, and stupidity as an excuse to not face the problem and just find another job, not caring what he had done before.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

The Uses of The

The Uses of The The Uses of â€Å"The† The Uses of â€Å"The† By Maeve Maddox A reader has a question about the use of the definite article the: I have been searching without success for a good and thorough explanation of how and when to use the. I have an Iranian friend, and his English is excellent, save for his use of the. Neither he nor I have been able to find anything that clearly and comprehensively explains all of the different uses. Any suggestions? I doubt any source can be found that explains â€Å"all of the different uses of the clearly and comprehensively.† One researcher has called the English article system a psychomechanism, â€Å"a system through which native speakers use articles correctly but unconsciously.† The misuse of the does not impede communication, but it is a clue that an email purporting to be from an English-speaking friend supposedly stranded in a foreign country is a scam. The only suggestion I can offer about the use of the is that the secret lies in the concepts of definiteness and countability. Definiteness A noun has â€Å"definiteness† when there is something unique or specific about it. Here are some examples: The sun was worshipped by the ancient Aztecs. (In this context, sun is uncountable) The driver found an injured cat. He took the cat to an animal clinic. (First it’s â€Å"a cat,† one among many. Once mentioned, it’s â€Å"the cat,† the specific cat that was picked up by the motorist.) She’s waiting for the bus. (In this context, â€Å"the bus† is a service.) Other examples: We took the train to Chicago. I prefer the telephone to email. The Salvation Army feeds the hungry and ministers to the poor. (The is used with adjectives that are used as nouns to denote a group.) Countability Nouns are said to be countable or uncountable. Other terms are count nouns and noncount nouns. Because countable nouns can be counted, they have a singular and a plural form: one cat, two cats. The difficulty with this category is that some nouns can be both countable and uncountable, depending on context. Compare: Major crops are cotton and rice. Fido takes the cotton out of all his toys. You prepare the salad and I’ll cook the rice. I don’t much care for coffee. They ordered three coffees and a tea. Here, you take the coffee. I don’t want it. His brother is still looking for work. She quit her job because she didn’t like the work. ESL speakers struggling with the uses of the will benefit from the use of a dictionary designed for them. Regular dictionaries don’t always categorize nouns as to count and noncount, but beginners’ dictionaries do. Nouns that are usually noncount can be learned according to certain categories. For example: Agricultural crops: coffee, rice, sugar, etc. Natural phenomena: rain, snow, gravity, etc. Liquids: water, wine, blood, etc. Abstractions: honesty, courage, intelligence, etc. The British Council site offers a thorough discussion of the uses of the. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Based in" and "based out of"Homogeneous vs. HeterogeneousUsing Writing Bursts to Generate Ideas and Enthusiasm

Monday, October 21, 2019

Women and the development of canada in the 20th century essays

Women and the development of canada in the 20th century essays Women had a very significant impact on the development of Canada in the 20th century. Although women were often looked down upon, and disrespected, they demonstrated bravery and strength in many historical events. During World War I many women volunteered abroad as nurses, while others maintained Canadas economy by taking over the jobs of the men who enlisted in the army. In the Persons Case of 1929, five determined women illustrated the strength of their will power during their struggle to fight against the prejudice towards women. Lastly, not only did the women show immense support in the home front during World War II, but they also enlisted in the army overseas. Their might and determination significantly developed Canada to her prosperous state in the 20th century. The commencement of World War I greatly changed the role of Canadian women. It brought forth new and unanticipated opportunities. Since there was a lack of male workers, women were able to enter the workforce in non-traditional jobs. Between 20,000 and 30,000 worked in munitions factories, on aircraft and lifeboat assembly lines, and other war production industries. Thousands more worked in the civil service, in banks, offices, factories and farms, which maintained Canadas economy. The women showed tremendous support to the Canadian soldiers abroad through their deeds, which may seem very negligible, such as community fundraisers, bazaars, card games, dances, and much more. Numerous women volunteered for the Red Cross, rolling bandages, knitting socks, and packing food parcels to be sent overseas. Not only did thousands of women work at home to contribute to the war effort, but thousands more served abroad as nurses, ambulance drivers and running the military canteens and clubs . The contributions of these patriotic women made the burden and the pain of the war seem much lighter. Very prominent for their compelling determination, the Famous ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

What Is Content Hacking (How to Be a Content Hacker) - CoSchedule

What Is Content Hacking (How to Be a Content Hacker) Have you ever heard of growth hacking? Its a  marketing technique developed by technology startups that uses creativity, analytical thinking, and social metrics to sell products and gain exposure. Its a bit scrappy, and completely focused on results. Does that sound familiar? Growth hacking isnt too far off from its counterpart, content marketing, a technique that we all know and love. In fact, its so close that it just might call for an entirely new breed of hacker:  The content hacker. Wait, hacking? Cant you go to jail for that? #ContentHacker = A growth-focused content marketer. #growthhacking #infographicListen, if you want your blog to grow, you may want to learn a thing or two from the content hacker. He or she is traffic-obsessed and focused on nothing but growth. In my upcoming book,  The 10x Marketing Formula, I describe in depth how to combine the best of growth hacking and content marketing. Heres an excerpt from the book that sheds more light on how to become a content hacker. Becoming A Content Hacker In 2010, Sean Ellis, co-author of Hacking Growth and CEO of GrowthHackers, coined the term growth hacking in a blog post entitled, â€Å"Find a Growth Hacker for Your Startup.† Ellis wrote: â€Å"A growth hacker is a person whose true north is growth. Everything they do is scrutinized by its potential impact on scalable growth.† He further explained, â€Å"An effective growth hacker also needs to be disciplined to follow a growth hacking process of prioritizing ideas (their own and others in the company), testing the ideas, and being analytical enough to know which tested growth drivers to keep and which ones to cut. The faster this process can be repeated, the more likely they’ll find scalable, repeatable ways to grow the business.† From its inception, growth hacking described people whose sole focus is growth. And whose process is a thousand short-sprints that methodically test ideas. Keeping what works; killing what doesn’t. Growth hacking has never been code for being irresponsible and unaccountable. Running fast doesn’t mean running without strategy. But strategy in this context isn’t traditional fare. In marketing, growth strategies are confused with 52-page internal documents that spell out how often you’re going to blog, publish to social media, and push ad campaigns. The stuff of marketing plans. But think about this. Every second you’re not finding ways to directly benefit your customer base and audience is wasted effort. Because once the strategy is submitted, reviewed, and approved by your boss, it’s over. Now, instead of assuming responsibility for the results, you’ve passed it off on your boss. He or she now owns them, not you. In the bureaucracy, so long as you have a strategy, you’re safe. I see this happening all the time. Writing it down feels safe. But the problem with feeling safe is it becomes the goal rather than results. After you’ve spent a week or more in documentation mode, all that’s left is working the strategy. But in the digital landscape, what’s the likelihood said strategy will be viable three months from now? This is the primary fault line in the marketing-plan mindset. Ready for the good news? You can become a superhuman marketer by merging the best of growth hacking and content marketing. The Three Constraints Growth hacking is about turning clever tactics into fast-paced growth. Content marketing is about creating, publishing, and sharing valuable content with your audience to convert traffic into customers. But as we saw in chapter one, with its rising popularity, content marketing alone may not be enough. This means marketers need to take a page from the growth hacker’s playbook. We need to become content hackers. A content hacker is a results-or-die! marketer who merges agile growth tactics with high-converting content to achieve rapid 10x growth. And they never stop doing this. All you need to start are the three constraints: One Metric that Matters + Goal + Timeline = Content Hacker One Metric that Matters The first constraint is focus. Content hackers doggedly pursue growing one, and only one, metric. It’s the gas pedal to slam on- the one metric that will accelerate your business more than any other. Goal The second constraint is specificity. Content hackers set specific goals for measuring the one metric that matters. They’re not looking for â€Å"more† users or â€Å"increased† revenue. They are dead-set on a $100,000 increase in monthly sales. Content hackers set hard numbers to reverse engineer from. Timeline The third constraint is speed. Content hackers define a clear timeline for when their goal will be a reality. It’s a specific month, day, and year. And ideally, it’s much shorter than what sounds safe or comfortable. And there you have it. The three constraints are your new documented marketing strategy; and the tactics and communication between your team remains fluid. People are usually stunned by this. But it’s the happy truth. It’s neither complex nor gangly. Instead, it’s simple, messy in the middle, and effective in the end. We hope you realize that you can do this, too. That doubling your sales, tripling your email list, or increasing users tenfold isn’t outside of your grasp. And even better, you can start sprinting toward 10x growth in the time it takes you to drink a cup of coffee. This infographic will give you a peek inside their inner psyche and help you become a content hacker. The Tweetable  Characteristics Of A  Content Hacker The #ContentHacker doesnt see product/market fit, he sees content/audience fit #contentmarketing The #ContentHacker eats, sleeps, and drinks blog growth #contentmarketing An opportunistic #ContentHacker turns contacts into connections #contentmarketing Where a #GrowthHacker sees scale, a #ContentHacker sees sustainability #contentmarketing The #ContentHacker eats data and only settles for moving the needle forward  #contentmarketing An SEO-minded #ContentHacker has been leveraging the search base since 1991  #contentmarketing Viral growth can be manufactured if youre a real #ContentHacker  #contentmarketing

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Conference and banqueting management Assignment

Conference and banqueting management - Assignment Example The emergence of banqueting and conference sector has resulted in the generation of huge employment in the entire U.K. The scope of hospitality industry in U.K. is very high. It has been recorded that the UK hospitality sector has generated employment for more than 1.6 million people. In Britain the hospitality industries play a crucial role towards the growth of employment as it is the third largest sector that provides employment. Most of the places in UK are also famous tourist spots and this factor attracts many people to the countries. The hotel and banqueting sector has helped to receive foreign capitals from tourists and business owners. It is clear that conference and banqueting companies have great advantages but there are some issues that are affecting the sustainability of the sector in UK. For example, the Venice Carnival has resulted in the increase of the level of pollution in the lagoons and the Adriatic Sea. The traffic and crowd control has increased the expenses of the government drastically. This factor has affected the banqueting business as government has initiated policies to protect the environment and water and reduce the pollution level by imposing some restrictions on people and banqueting businesses. Most of the catering companies act as a third party to the hotels and the restaurants. The catering companies also allow their employees to participate in events organized in hotels or private get-togethers and parties. In the modern world the catering business has received huge attention from people because the catering companies are easy to hire and they are capable of performing high standard service for costumers. Conference and banqueting managers and assistants offer their service to every customer during the progression of events and private functions such as parties, weddings, dinners, business functions, trainings, product launches and presentations. The business organizations prefer to hire the banqueting

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Choice Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Choice Program - Essay Example It was to be provided to both the public and private schools of the choice of the students. The eligibility of the students entailed the students being dwellers of Douglas County School District (DCSD). In addition, they were to be current students of DCSD schools and must have been within the district within a year. The management keeps a partnership with the students of Douglas community, the schools the students go to, and their parents as well. They are responsible for all the students in Douglas. Choice scholarship program seeks to provide the ideal learning environment for children, world class education so that the children can compete with anybody in the world, and system performance. The intention of system performance is to measure the potential outcomes that are provided for the students (DCSD Para 2). They have strategies or plans with three major priorities such as choice which have more than twenty different techniques or strategies for improving parents’ capability of marching the schools they desire for their children. Choice Scholarship Programs funding does not emanate from the district funding though on legal basis they have a right to access these funds. The board privately raises the funds for the program and tax payers’ cash has not been used in the legal processes or operation of the program. They are paid for by funds that are donated (DCSD Para 3). The establishment of the program entailed obtaining views from parents and developing some sense of quality control. The schools that the program partnered with had to meet the requisite requirements that had been stipulated by the environment. The private schools were task with the responsibility of treating all the students equally irrespective of the student obtaining scholarship from the Choice program or not. The program was to be within the standard statue and they created a charted school that allowed them to work with the students better. The charter school has

Peer review Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Peer review - Coursework Example The post has also demonstrated a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and the different media platforms available in the world. Talk show queens enjoy significant influence in the world (Johns, Weir & Weir, 2014). However, it has failed to demonstrate how Ellen Degeneres can boost her Nielsen scores. The score is the most important measure of the ability of a talk show to create and maintain a strong connection with customers. The responses provided suggest that the student did not invest their time in understanding the talk show industry. Moreover, the post has shifted a lot of focus to online channels at the expense of mainstream television channels. Although the latter is facing a stiff challenge from the former, it has succeeded in maintaining its position as the primary source of entertainment for most Americans. Ellen Degeneres should be rewarded for her hard work. She has managed to establish herself as a major player in the entertainment industry (Rocca, 2012). 1 Kings 11:28 indicate that Solomon appointed Jeroboam due to his skills and outgoing nature. Johns, R., Weir, B &Weir, R. (2014). The power of celebrity: exploring the basis for Oprah’s successful endorsement of Australia as a vacation destination. Journal of Vacation Marketing, Online first version, pp.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Life of D. H. Lawrence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Life of D. H. Lawrence - Term Paper Example In fact there are only few subjects which failed to grab the attention of DH Lawrence. Since many of his opinions were against the traditions and existing laws of English social life, he earned many enemies during his life span. In fact he forced to live in exile just like the current literature writers Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin because of the controversial remarks he made against English social life through his literatures. His liberal views about sexual life earned him the reputation or title as a pornographer during the latter stages of his life. In short, DH Lawrence was a misunderstood a person during his life period even though he got wide recognition at present. This paper analyses the life of DH Lawrence and his contributions as a novelist, poet, play writer, essayist, literary critic and painter. â€Å"David Herbert Lawrence was born on September 11, 1885, in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, central England. He was the fourth child of a struggling coal miner who was a hea vy drinker. His mother was a former schoolteacher† (DH Lawrence). His mother had better education than his father and therefore his father developed some inferiority complex which caused many problems in the family. As his father spent majority of his earnings for drinking, only the mother’s earning were used for the family expenses. However, her earnings were not sufficient enough to meet the living expenses of a big family and therefore DH Lawrence faced poverty during his childhood life. In fact his bitter early childhood experiences made him tougher as he grown up. DH Lawrence was a smart student during his childhood and has completed his school studies with some scholarships. After the completion of school education or matriculation, he failed to get college education because of poverty in his family. He accepted various jobs like clerk, school teacher etc immediately after the completion of his school education in order to support his family. At the age of 25, DH Lawrence lost his mother. In fact, â€Å"he helped her die by giving her an overdose of sleeping medicine† (DH Lawrence). Even though mercy killing is acceptable up to certain extent in the current society, it was not so in the past. Lawrence’s action of assisting his mother die brought many criticisms during that period. The conservative English society was not in a position to accept such activities at that time. DH Lawrence suffered lot of criticisms because of this act and even though his intentions were positive. DH Lawrence started his literature writing even before the death of his mother. In 1909, a number of Lawrence's poems were published by Ford Max Ford in the English Review. The appearance of his first novel, The White Peacock (1911), launched Lawrence into a writing career. In 1912 he met Frieda von Richthofen, the professor Ernest Weekly's wife and fell in love with her. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers appeared in 1913 and was based on his childhood. In 1914 Lawrence married Frieda von Richthofen, and traveled with her in several countries. Lawrence's fourth novel, The Rainbow (1915), was about two sisters growing up in the north of England. Lawrence started to write The Lost Girl in Italy. He dropped the novel for some years and rewrote the story in an old Sicilian farmhouse near Taormina in 1920 (DH Lawrence). The beginning of

Reggio Emilia Approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Reggio Emilia Approach - Essay Example According to Gandini, this was the time when men and women became motivated towards building schools by themselves for their children. At the same time, teachers also began to work hard in creating fresh methods of educating in order to "support the new democratic society." The schools built up at that time merged the theory of "social services with education." There was a sequence of national regulations accepted during the years 1968 and 1971 which made it feasible for the progress of Reggie Approach. According to Rinaldi, who is an educational director, the teachers worked as a steady piece in order to establish a new strength, and had rights to assign certain working terms like the authority to suppose, to arrange, and to understand various things. Every single child has prospective, inquisitiveness, and divert ness in communal dealings, creating affiliations, building their knowledge, and bargaining with whatever their surroundings offer them. When a child takes part in a commotion, it is necessary that they pick out their wrong doings and correct them. This step can help kids in becoming more practical and solving matters more by themselves. Teachers' role here is vital, as they should give children enough space to correct and improve themselves without being criticised and pointed out by teachers. Due to their young age group, they are tending to be more proficient than any other age group. The Reggio Emilia Schools take this picture of children as being more enthusiastic and confident towards life instead of being dull and dependent. "Children's Relationships and Interactions Within a System" Schooling involves paying attention to each child individually with respect to their behaviour with their family, other mates, their teachers, their surroundings, and their society. "The Rights of Children, Parents and Teachers" All children have their own rights of getting worthy care and proper schooling which could further enhance their prospective and abilities. "Parents have the right to be involved in the life of the school; teachers have the right to grow professionally." "The Value of Relationships and Interactions of Children in Small Groups" Children get this chance to work along with their teachers and in a form of huge cluster of children, or a small one, or as an individual. Teachers are supposed to choose that which type of grouping is suitable for each child depending on the type of project and work assigned to children, children's interest in the project, and the duration of time taken by them to complete the task. The teachers play a vital role while making children work in small groups in order to make children comprehend their tasks better. "Cooperation and Collaboration as the Backbone of the System" Collaboration between all elders in the educational institute should be inclusive of asking questions about various things, sharing their views, and developing a trust in each other. For the sake of achieving this goal, all teachers should pay close attention towards children, enquire about their interests and explore their knowledge and ideas.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Life of D. H. Lawrence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Life of D. H. Lawrence - Term Paper Example In fact there are only few subjects which failed to grab the attention of DH Lawrence. Since many of his opinions were against the traditions and existing laws of English social life, he earned many enemies during his life span. In fact he forced to live in exile just like the current literature writers Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasrin because of the controversial remarks he made against English social life through his literatures. His liberal views about sexual life earned him the reputation or title as a pornographer during the latter stages of his life. In short, DH Lawrence was a misunderstood a person during his life period even though he got wide recognition at present. This paper analyses the life of DH Lawrence and his contributions as a novelist, poet, play writer, essayist, literary critic and painter. â€Å"David Herbert Lawrence was born on September 11, 1885, in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, central England. He was the fourth child of a struggling coal miner who was a hea vy drinker. His mother was a former schoolteacher† (DH Lawrence). His mother had better education than his father and therefore his father developed some inferiority complex which caused many problems in the family. As his father spent majority of his earnings for drinking, only the mother’s earning were used for the family expenses. However, her earnings were not sufficient enough to meet the living expenses of a big family and therefore DH Lawrence faced poverty during his childhood life. In fact his bitter early childhood experiences made him tougher as he grown up. DH Lawrence was a smart student during his childhood and has completed his school studies with some scholarships. After the completion of school education or matriculation, he failed to get college education because of poverty in his family. He accepted various jobs like clerk, school teacher etc immediately after the completion of his school education in order to support his family. At the age of 25, DH Lawrence lost his mother. In fact, â€Å"he helped her die by giving her an overdose of sleeping medicine† (DH Lawrence). Even though mercy killing is acceptable up to certain extent in the current society, it was not so in the past. Lawrence’s action of assisting his mother die brought many criticisms during that period. The conservative English society was not in a position to accept such activities at that time. DH Lawrence suffered lot of criticisms because of this act and even though his intentions were positive. DH Lawrence started his literature writing even before the death of his mother. In 1909, a number of Lawrence's poems were published by Ford Max Ford in the English Review. The appearance of his first novel, The White Peacock (1911), launched Lawrence into a writing career. In 1912 he met Frieda von Richthofen, the professor Ernest Weekly's wife and fell in love with her. Lawrence's novel Sons and Lovers appeared in 1913 and was based on his childhood. In 1914 Lawrence married Frieda von Richthofen, and traveled with her in several countries. Lawrence's fourth novel, The Rainbow (1915), was about two sisters growing up in the north of England. Lawrence started to write The Lost Girl in Italy. He dropped the novel for some years and rewrote the story in an old Sicilian farmhouse near Taormina in 1920 (DH Lawrence). The beginning of

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Effective strategies in dealing with DUI offenders - Incarceration and Research Paper

Effective strategies in dealing with DUI offenders - Incarceration and Treatment - Research Paper Example This essay analyzes the traditional model of solving the issues of driving under the influence (DUI) is that the offender is incarcerated or fined. However, with increasing frequency, the traditional model of incarceration of fines has been supplanted by other ideas. Specifically, one of the ideas is that DUI offenders are amenable to treatment. Treatment programs have been around at least since the early 1970s, with the innovative for its time pilot project instituted by the City of Phoenix. Additionally, programs were also aimed at schoolchildren. These programs, unlike later programs, were geared towards individuals who had not yet offended, in hopes that they never would offend. The program which worked the best in this context was a â€Å"shock† program – students were shown grisly pictures of accidents. These programs were aimed at the primary audience. Other programs were aimed at a secondary audience, which consisted of individuals who had already offended. Thes e programs had limited success, according to Ross. However, other programs which concentrated on a variety of approaches have had success. These programs are considered to be DUI court programs. These programs typically require the offender to complete some kind of treatment protocol, check in with the judge on a regular basis and be intensely monitored. One program, in South Dakota, only monitored the offenders, on a continuous basis. These programs all showed a great degree of success, as indicated below. Less successful are traditional incarceration programs, according to Weinrath & Gartrell. (2001). They found that those sentenced to incarceration generally had a very high rate of recidivism. Incarceration treatment programs are a hybrid of incarceration and treatment programs, and this has had success, too, in reducing recidivism. Another aspect which has long been overlooked, however, and could be the key to long-term remission of alcohol-related problems, especially drunk dri ving, is the existence of psychiatric problems in persistent DUI offenders (Shaffer et al., 2007). Up until recently, this is a factor which has been rarely studied and is not generally made a part of typical DUI rehabilitation programs. That said, this article will go into detail about this aspect, because it is such a new factor which has been studied with regards to DUI treatment protocols. The hypothesis regarding the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities with DUI offenders is that these psychiatric problems are going untreated, even in a typical DUI rehabilitation program. Because of this, long-term prospects for DUI offenders are limited. After all, the treatment programs listed in this paper do not posit about long-term effects of their programs, only short term ones of up to two years after the program has ceased. Incorporating psychiatric screening for every DUI offender might be the most effective program in the long run. TREATMENT The idea of treatment of the persi stent DUI offender has been around for a long time. For instance, in 1970, authors Ernest Stewart and James Malfetti wrote a book called Rehabilitation of the Drunken Driver. In this book, they advocated for the Phoenix DWI curriculum. The Phoenix DWI curriculum acknowledges that DWI violators can be helped if they â€Å"understand the foregoing assumptions [that 'Alcohol reduces the skills needed in driving: vision, perception, judgment, motor response] and to consider and adopt ways to improve their own DWI behavior† (Stewart & Malfetti, 1970, p. 25). In other words, the Phoenix program during this time was geared towards helping individuals understand the effects of alcohol consumption upon driving, and how alcohol consumption is detrimental to driving. This pilot program included a class which had the stated purpose of helping the students of the class understand how alcohol affects driving skills. The students are also reinforced that their behavior

Monday, October 14, 2019

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Example for Free

Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel Essay Friedrich Wilhelm Froebel is said to be the â€Å"Father of the Kindergarten† for his huge involvement, and devoting his life to the development of a system of education for young children. In German, the word kindergarten means children’s garden, and he thought that this was best in the age of six and younger. He spent his entire life helping with the development of the young and early childhood development. Wilhelm Froebel was born in the Thuringia region of Germany. He had a childhood that was not so fond for remembrance because of how terrible it had been for him. This is what shaped him to be able to come up with the idea of kindergarten. Froebel lost his mother before the age of one, and this meant that he had been left with this father who had to take care of three boys because Froebel had two other brothers. Their father never had much time for any of them. As a boy that would be hard for any child, and this caused him to have to spend most of his time alone at his home. He spent a lot of that time in the gardens by his home, and would play there for most of the day (Coron 4). Exploring all day was what he loved to do the most, and this would make a major influence on what he would do for the rest of his life. He started teaching at a school when he was a young man at Frankfurt Model School, and this school was a school that was focused on the teachings of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, who was a very well respected teacher of his day. This school accepted poor children, and orphans. He believed that children needed to be involved in very active ways. As he left this school, he left it with his very hands on learning approach, and went to privately tutor children. The parents of the children that he tutored were very kind in giving him space in their garden to use to help teach the children. In 1837 Froebel founded his first school, and called it Kindergarten, or the children’s garden (Coron 4). This was a very exciting thing because before he opened this school, if you were under the age of seven, you did not attend school. At the age of seven, you then could go to school. Now that Froebel opened his school, children at the age of two were able to go to school (coron 3). Froebel was very free with the children, he allowed them to have a lot of activity time to be free with themselves, and figure things out. He believed that this was the best idea for them to have their own space, and time to figure out, as he did as a child. The mot that Froebel gave the children was a classroom, he believed that giving children a place to create, and imagine freely was the best gift anyone could have given them. Froebel wrote books, and in his book â€Å"Education of Man† he wrote â€Å"Play is the highest phase of child development-the representation of the inner necessity and impulse.† (coron 5). He thought that teachers should be friendly people who are helpers, not discip linarians. In his classroom there were blocks, pets, and finger plays. (Coron 5). He was inspirational to all. Froebel designed his classroom to have the following things as meeting a child’s needs; Physical activity, because it is important for a child to move, the development of sensory awareness and physical dexterity, creative expression, exploring of ideas, the pleasure of singing, the experience of living among others, and satisfaction of the soul. (Coron 4). These are all things we teach today to our children, and encourage our children to do. I think going back and looking at the bones of things could really help our society as a whole. Froebel was a very inspirational man to a lot of other great theorists such as Maria Montessori, who started Montessori schools. (Coron 2). I am in great belief of how much of a influence Froebel had on the early childhood education as a whole. He really was the father of kindergarten. I think that him having such an influence, really helped us shape the early education now. Froebel believed that â€Å"Humans are essentially productive, and creative† (coron 1.) I believe he is right, no matter what age you are, you are creative in your own way. It starts out at birth, even with how you relate to your mother, and father is creative, and how you interpret things as a young child is important. I know that if Froebel had not been involved, that what we call early childhood now, would not be the same as it is now. I am a firm believer in how he started to do things, letting children develop their own ideas about who they are, and how to do things in the world around them is really all a part of life.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Impact of Colonization on Aboriginals | Alcoholism

Impact of Colonization on Aboriginals | Alcoholism Introduction The native tribes of Canada include the Inuit, The Metis and the First Nations. The term ‘First Nations is widely used to describe Canadian Aborigines who fall in neither of the above two groups. The Inuit comprises of indigenous people leaving in the colder regions of Canada, the Arctic, Russia, and Alaska in United States. The Metis people are the direct descendants of the mixed First Nations. The characteristics of their civilization included strict traditional networks and values, highly developed societal hierarchies, agricultural practice and permanent settlements. Aborigines and alcohol consumption Before their colonization by the Europeans, the Aboriginal people took alcoholic drinks made from various plants with relatively low alcoholic content. These included; alcoholic drinks made from the purple orchid tree and honey, pandas plant which would be soaked and pounded to make alcohol, mien cider gum, fermented honey, and the coconut. After the Europeans invasion, alcohol consumption patterns among the Aboriginals changed drastically. The Europeans brought trade. The Aborigines traded with fur for other essential commodities brought by the Europeans. As this trade developed, the Europeans started to use alcoholic drinks as a bargaining tool to soften the fur traders on their prices. â€Å"Alcohol was used as an inducement to participate, as a medium of exchange, and as a standard of competitive access.† (Smillie, Dec 16, 2009) The drinking patterns of the Aborigines commonly took the form of binging, spending whole days drinking. Women were also involved in excessive drinking and intoxication and this largely resulted in increased acts of violence and the eventual neglect of the children’s welfare. The women would engage in prostitution, which in turn affected childrearing and accelerated the birth rate of mixed race children who usually were abandoned by their European fathers. It is however instructive to note that alcohol consumption was later abolished, and the Aborigines largely abstained from it. This compliance to the abolition was, to a large extent a result of the lessons learned from the social problems it had created. Furthermore, even some of the trading partners requested that alcohol should not be made available to the band members. Impacts of alcohol consumption among the Aboriginals The following socio-economic impacts were normally associated with the Aboriginal people who consumed alcohol excessively; Let us take a look into Australia’s case, which bears great similarity to that in Canada, (this source was selected due of its readily available data and its similarities with Canada’s case) Violence: According to a new study that finds alcohol as the biggest risk factor (Sharp, April 9, 2010), indigenous people are up to 20 times more likely than the rest of the population to commit violent crime. According to a criminologist, most of the arrests made of indigenous people were due to minor physical assault, more than sexual abuse, and that these offenders were much more likely to repeat their actions on non-indigenous people. It was also found out that; a violent act against an indigenous person was most likely to be perpetrated by a fellow indigenous person, most likely f a family member. From the police data used, it was found that the apprehension figures for indigenous people were 20 times higher than those for the non-indigenous. These violent acts were found to have direct link to excessive consumption of alcohol. This reinforces an indigenous lawyer Noel Pearson’s view that alcohol consumption should have been tackled directly, through the formation of protective factors such as family links, coping skills and cultural resilience, rather than seen as a consequence of their past oppression by the colonialists (Sharp, April 9, 2010). Mortality: The indigenous people of Australia on average die earlier than their non-indigenous counterparts. This is partly attributable to excessive consumption of alcohol. It is estimated that 7% of these deaths, are as a direct result of alcoholism. The Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision also estimated that alcohol related deaths among these peoples were 5 – 20 times more than among their non-indigenous counterparts in WA, NT and SA. Self-inflicted injuries such as suicides are also high among these people, and alcohol has also been deemed to contribute a considerable percentage of these; with 40% and 30% of the male and female population respectively falling victim. Between 2000– 2004, the figures for the males and females who died from alcohol related suicides were 159 and 27 respectively, compared to the non-indigenous Australians whose figures were 123 and 27 respectively. This is a major source of concern given that the indigenous people comprise of only 3% of the entire Australian population (Wilson, 2010). Social breakdown: excessive consumption of alcohol has also been blamed for most social and emotional breakdowns. For example, Tyson and colleagues found that of the 4% of females and 9% of males with an alcohol use disorder in the general Australian population, 48% and 34% respectively, also met the criteria for anxiety, affective or drug use disorder. While there appears not to be any directly comparable studies for Indigenous Australians, it is likely that comorbid conditions occur more frequently among this population. To date, most of these indigenous people, both male and female, have been hospitalized for mental disorders associated with alcohol use, whose figures are 3-4 times higher than those of the non-indigenous population (Wilson, 2010). Other impacts of alcohol among the Aboriginals include; theft and crime, accidents and deaths, unemployment, community breakdown and fetal alcohol syndrome, all of which are high among these people compared to the rest of the non-indigenous population. Other problems that affected the Aboriginals The Indian Act of Canada â€Å"Indian Act of Canada, law designed to integrate Indians in Canada into the mainstream economy and culture (Indian Act of Canada, n.d).† This act was introduced in 1876, which allowed the Canadian government to have total control over the lifestyle of all Indians and their mode of interactions with the non-Indians. It was also given the power to look after the lands, education and health of these people. In 1951, the government agreed to abolish the existing Act and introduce a new one, after revelations of the suffering caused to the Indians came to the limelight occasioning a public uproar. However, despite the drastic measures taken, not all power was removed from the hands of the government, thus resulting in impacts different from what was anticipated. This further led to isolation of the Indians from the rest population. How the Act was passed; the establishment of Canada as a confederate state took place in 1867. It was done under a constitutional Act that gave it massive power over the lives of the Aboriginal people, including their property and lands. This was followed by the formation of many Aboriginal-related laws in the following years. By 1876, these laws were so many, that for ease of interpretation and implementation, the government decided to consolidate all of them to a single Act, known as the Indian Act. This Act gave definition on who was and was not Indian, basing lifestyle as its selection criteria. Thus it was the government’s prerogative to decide on who was and was not an Aboriginal Indian. The act stated the rights and protections the Indians were subject to, which included; fishing, hunting, education and healthcare which were state funded. The Indians were also protected from land grabbing by the white settlers and the non-Indians, but were denied the opportunity to govern themselves and to acquire Canadian citizenship. Thus, they could not participate in public functions such as voting in federal elections, business and commerce, land ownership, consumption of alcohol, and freedom of movement from their reserves without government permission. Despite its apparent segregation, the Act aimed at assimilating the Indians into the European lifestyle, giving guidelines which if any Indian could meet, he or she would be rewarded with Canadian citizenship. The reformation of the Act: The Act was later reformed in 1956 after World War II, which had proved that the Indian men were equally good soldiers in the battle field, an indication of their unwavering service to the Canadian Army. Further, the release of a federal report that exposed the extreme poverty levels of the Indian community caused a public uproar that led the government to revise the Act in 1951. The level of power and control of the federal agents was reduced, and the Indian people were given some level of self-governance. They were also allowed to consume alcohol, move out of their reserves without government permission and participate in any business activity. Further amendment saw the Indians allowed to vote by 1962. By 1985, they were not forced to reveal their identity in any circumstance, and by 1990 the Indians had gained more ground on self-governance. Residential schools In the early 1980s, the Canadian Federal government tried hard to convince the Aboriginals that they needed schools in order to become important and productive individuals in the society. This was as a result of the government’s deep rooted belief that it was its responsibility to take care of the Aboriginals and educate them. The government believed that the only chance at success lay in the natives’ learning English and therefore adopting the European way of life. They had to learn the Canadian customs as well as convert to Christianity. This adopted lifestyle would be passed down to their children and grandchildren, and the primitive native traditions would disappear in a few generations. Thus the Canadian Federal government developed an attitude of aggression towards its assimilation policy by ensuring it was preached in churches and taught in the government schools, which were later transformed into residential schools. The boarding school programs were initiated b ecause it was felt that it would be easy to convert and shape children than adults under similar circumstances, in preparation for them to join the mainstream societal lifestyle. These schools ; residential schools, were government funded and placed under the care of the Department of Indian affairs which oversaw the running of its daily activities including the learning exercises for its Aboriginal students. Attendance to these schools was made mandatory and thus the government employed agents to enforce these orders. â€Å"Initially, about 1,100 students attended 69 schools across the country. In 1931, at the peak of the residential school system, there were about 80 schools operating in Canada (Residential Schools: A History of Residential Schools in Canada, May 16, 2008).† At the time of closing of these schools in 1996, there were about a total of 130 schools in each province and a total of about 150,000 children of Aboriginal descent who had been forcefully removed from their communities to attend these schools. The major problem in these schools was that, right from their conception, the Aboriginal culture was considered inferior, and that with it, they would totally be unable to modernize and therefore adapt to the developed society. Therefore, there was a strong believe that children would bridge this gap should they shun that ‘primitive’ lifestyle and get exposure to developed society. That they would learn and accustom themselves to these new changes, by conversion to Christianity and speaking of English or French. These students were thus discouraged from using their first language as a medium of communication, or practicing any traditions. The living conditions in these schools were substandard and students were subjected to constant bullying and sexual harassment. Children would stay away from their parents for more than 10 months, and correspondence from the children was done in English which their parents didn’t understand. When children finally would go home, they found it difficult to fit in and therefore became ashamed of their native heritage. Further, the education and training received was minimal meaning that they could not survive in an urban setting. Thus, the objectives of these programs meant devastation to these children. This resulted in opposition, demonstrations and formation of commission of inquiries that investigated the matter. This later culminated to government agreeing to abolish the system and compensate its victims in 2007, where $1.9 billion was initially set aside as compensation package. Community based intervention A case scenario is presented here below, that shows how a combination of the above stated problems resulted to an increase in alcohol consumption, which thus led to moral degradation of a community, and how the problem was eventually solved. Let’s consider a case study of the Alkali lake community story. According to the elders, there was no alcohol drinking before 1940 on the reserve. But â€Å"just before World War II, a general store and trading post was set up at Alkali Lake by a European immigrant to the area. The people brought their furs to the store and received cash or merchandise, such as food staples, in exchange† (The Alkali Lake Community Story, n.d). The traders then introduced alcohol to soften them during negotiations. Once it entered the community, there was gradually shift in the health of the people, as many fell sick. Other pressures started mounting also as a result of the residential school system that saw many children sent away from their homes. These children would grow far away from their parents and family lifestyle, forced to abandon their first language for English or French. They were also taught that they cultures were ‘primitive’ compared to those of the Europeans, and therefore they had no choice but to leave them. Their conversion to Christianity was also made mandatory against their spiritual believes. These led to the Alkali people believing that unless they are converted into white race, they were of no good to the society. These beliefs were demonstrated in every facet of life, even to their subconscious level. Another major blow of these residential schools was the introduction of massive bullying that often accompanied both physical and emotional torture, and the wide spread sexual abuse of the students. When these students later returned home after months of schooling to start their own lives, they could not fit in because they had not been taught their traditional family values and virtues, and because they themselves had not been parented, they found it hard to grasp the concept of parenting and family life in general. Hence these people were more vulnerable to over consumption of alcohol which they did without control, making them violent and committed to more crimes. In 1965-1985, life in this society was unbearable. It was the height of all negative impacts of life pressures coupled with overconsumption of alcohol. â€Å"As one prominent community member put, We had become what others called us: the Indians of Alcohol Lake. Most of the people were so immersed in this reality that they were unable to see any other possibility for themselves. As another young man put it, I thought that was how Indians lived (The Alkali Lake Community Story, n.d). Economically, all the money received from the government as social assistance, was wasted on alcohol, and hence stores selling alcohol made tremendous profits from this region. Illegal selling of alcohol was also wide spread. It was accessible to underage children so long as they had money. Despite their social degradation, these people were willing to stop alcohol consumption and begin a new life of prosperity. This, however did not happen until in 1972 when a new chief by the name of Andy Chelsea was elected. A story is told of Andy’s daughter, Ivy Chelsea who refused to live with her mother until she quit drinking. Her mother, on hearing that, promised to quit. She went back home and poured all liquor on the floor. Four days later, the father also quit, thus becoming the first two non-alcoholic drinkers in the Alkali community. The following seven years, other people also quit and joined Andy and his wife Phyllis, in an effort to bring some sanity within the community. The community desire to quit its consumption saw Andy elected as the chief of the Alkali community in 1972. Solution to alcohol problem: As a chief, Andy took various steps including; banning the sale of alcohol in the community. He then thus refused entry of the Dog Creek Stage who was the main distributor of alcohol in the community, bringing it three times a week. He ensured that the sale of alcohol to minors was stopped. He called the RCMP who used marked bills to track these sellers, and ensured that they were arrested and their businesses put out. He also oversaw their severe punishment, which acted as a warning to others who thought of venturing into similar business. A voucher system was introduced that saw people with drinking disorder not allowed carrying cash but, their money converted to vouchers that were exchanged for food and other basic needs in the stores. Those who were caught committing crimes, both violent and non-violent under the influence of alcohol were given choice to book treatment or face a jail term. Since many people feared imprisonment, they chose treatment. Andy also sort help from the church to help eradicate alcohol consumption by approaching a priest of the Catholic Church. As it turned out, the priest was also an alcohol addict, and was actively fanning opposition against the chief. In light of those revelations, he was expelled from the community. At first, these measures were met with extreme opposition coupled with great anger and hostility from many community members. But by 1975, 40% of the community’s population had been set free from alcohol consumption and by 1979, 98% of the Alkali people were clean and sober. Conclusion The combinations of excessive consumption alcohol and the unfair Acts, instituted by the government, contributed greatly to the social ills that afflicted the Aboriginal communities. But through strict discipline, as indicated in the case study, it was possible to overcome the alcohol consumption problem, and through revision of the Acts by the parliament, the Aboriginal livelihoods have since improved. 1 Merce Cunningham: Symbolism in Dance Merce Cunningham: Symbolism in Dance Merce Cunningham is one of the pioneers in the field of dance and choreography. He had been a mentor to most of the choreographers who have now become major names in modern times. In addition, there are certain body movements and symbolism in his dancing techniques that make him a distinctive pioneer in choreography; also, there are numerous choreographic pieces by Merce Cunningham that are still being imitated by many choreographers of our present time. Most importantly, I have analyzed the dancing techniques, music, costumes, and movements in certain dancing pieces by Merce Cunningham. The choreographic pieces that I have analyzed for this purpose are Changing Steps, Deli Commedia, and Beach Birds for Camera. The choreography piece Changing Steps profoundly reflects the true geometrical dancing manner of Merce Cunningham. As per my analysis, Merce Cunningham had made use of steps and body gestures in the form of dance to reflect movement. I observed that Merce Cunningham has been successful in highlighting that subtle and weightless footwork has been used to form the dancers movement. Moreover, when the dancers change their body gestures quickly, that left an impression of light weighted foot stepping. Additionally, I have also observed that in order to create extensions to the movements of the body, special focus has been made on certain movements, such as the physical contact among the dancers during the sequence (Merce Cunnigham Dance Company). In my view, the highlight of the dance sequence is that it is another successful collaboration of music and choreography by John Cage and Merce Cunningham respectively. The work done by the cooperation of both invites the spectators to experience something that has never been focused on before; which is the way the collaboration had presented joy and freedom through the context of the dancing steps of the dancers. I believe that the collaboration of John Cage and Cunningham is the success factor as the dancing language of Cunningham is independent, but somehow John Cages music is irreplaceable. I also think that John Cages music in the dancing piece works as a catalyst. In addition, I would also like to mention that the wider acclaim to the dance sequence Changing Steps is increased because of the three-dimensional gesture stepping. Three-dimensional gesture stepping means that three dancers collaborate and make body movements that together make up a three-dimensional posture (Copela nd). Furthermore, the costumes used in the choreography sequence have been designed by Mark Lancaster. The colors of the costumes are single toned and darker colors. The costumes in the three-dimensional stepping had been used in a way that two of the dancers wear the same colored costume while the third dancer wears another color (Merce Cunnigham Dance Company). My experience with the dance sequence Changing Steps has been full of delight. The dance sequence greatly reflects an entirely new idea and form of dance. The usage of the title perfectly suits the dancing sequence, and as viewed in the sequence, changing in steps has been quite swift, thus, the title also elaborates the same idea. Also, the flow of stepping in the dance sequence of Changing Steps is so powerful that the spectator would feel that he or she is actually dancing with the dancers. I observed that in the beginning of the dance sequence the choreography has been done in a way that makes a rectangular box and further forms a curved structure of stepping and to me, the setting appeared to be something that I did not expect in a dance. In addition, I think that the union of dancers after every three-dimensional stepping of feet appeared to be amazingly active and fresh. Moving on to another great piece by Merce Cunningham entitled Deli Commedia. Deli Commedia is another accurately choreographed piece that represents the legacy of his contributions to the dance. He contributed in the field of dance by introducing the concept of geometry in his dance sequences. For instance, I have observed the concepts of geometry when one dancer stood perpendicularly while other dancers made curves through molding their bodies into an arch-like structure. Moreover, the costumes which have been used in the dance sequence were rather colorful, which exactly matched the theme of the stage. The usage of colors such as blue, yellow, green, magenta etc. is catchy which creates a distinction every time a new fragmentation is made while dancing. Deli Commedia reflects the collaboration of the musician, John Cage as the music played during the sequence holds beats in a synthesized manner (Ib50ib50 Channel). Deli Commedia managed to impress me as the dance sequence was filled with fragmentation and quick body movements, and I also liked the colorful costumes of the dancers which made use of the stage distinctively. Last but not least, the choreography sequence of Beach Birds for Camera illustrates the movement of coastal areas. The inspiration that I got from such a dance piece is freedom because the stepping of the feet and hand gestures are more bird-like movements. Birds usually symbolize freedom and the basic intrigue that one would get by applying the dancing gestures as in Beach Birds for Camera explains the Eastern dance themes. I also noticed that the theme of Eastern dance is evident from Cunninghams dance sequence because Eastern dancers perform in a way that is apparently similar to that of dancers of Beach Birds. Most of the Eastern dances are especially choreographed in outdoor locations reflecting nature (Copeland). The idea of stepping that illustrates the scenario of beach birds gives a joyful awakening in the field of the dance. Beach Birds for Camera is another victorious teamwork between Merce Cunningham and John Cage. According to my perspective, the music and choreography h ad complimented the theme of the ocean as the dancers use fragments imitating the effect of water, also the music of the dance sequence sounds like rain drops, or drops of water (Ib50ib50 Channel). If I compare Beach Birds for Camera and other dance sequences by Merce Cunningham, I have observed here that the fragmentation is used lesser in this sequence, and the layering of the body gestures is most prominent, which is something that I have liked, and what I mean about the layering of the body gestures is in terms of the postures the dancers take where they come in contact with other dancers through leg touch, or back touch. Also, the change in directions is more obvious than in any other dance sequence making the spectators navigate towards the dancing steps more (Merce Cunningham Dance). Moreover, the costumes designed by Marsha Skinner are according to the theme of the dance sequence. The costumes are especially made black and white in order to reflect the color of coastal birds; also, the use of black and white enhances the body gestures used in the fragmentation manner (Daly). I believe that costumes greatly suited the main theme of the dance sequence. Through my analysis of the three dance sequences by the collaboration of Merce Cunningham, the choreographer, and John Cage, the musician, it comes to my understanding that the field of dance had been made wide because of the legendary collaboration. In addition, being a spectator of such dance sequences helped me observe the development that has taken place in terms of the dance. I would also say that the development which had taken place in dancing by the advent of geometrical dance sequences by Merce Cunningham in 1956; also, making Merce Cunningham a legendary figure in making use of fragmentation, body gestures in a layering manner, and foot stepping. Overall, my experience of watching dance sequence by Merce Cunningham was joyful and thoroughly entertaining.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Astrology :: essays research papers

Have you ever wondered what astrology is? Astrology has been around for many years, but many people don’t understand what astrology is, who used astrology, and it’s connection with the zodiac. Many people don’t know this, but the actual term astrology comes from two words, which are â€Å"astra† and â€Å"logos†. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) When people believe in astrology, what they believe is that the planets and stars directly or indirectly influence their lives and determine what happens to them in life. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) The stars are said to show guidance and meaning for the lives of people. (Woolfolk, p.297) Most people think that astrology is a recently thought up science, but it has actually been around for many generations. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.1) The actual science of astrology can be dated to about six thousand or so years before the birth of Christ! (Woolfolk, p.297) The oldest astrology chart dates back to 4,200 BC (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) At this time, astrology and religion went hand in hand with each other. (Woolfolk, p.297) Most astrologers were priests. (Woolfolk, p.297) Many people looked up to these astrologers as â€Å"taught men†. (www.astrology.net/about.html) Astrology has had its ups and downs through history, but it always maintained that station of being. (www.astrologers.com/history.html# Relevant, p.1) After some aspects of religion became prevalent, astrology became known as the â€Å"work of the devil†. (Weblinker.com Enterprises, p.1) During the Renaissance, though, astrology became more liked than before. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) Even religious leaders began to practice astrology more often. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) People of the royal families had their own astrologers. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) That is how worldwide astrology was. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) Modern day astrology is meant to be a philosophy to put into detail different aspects of life instead of predicting the future. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.2) Astrology has been the stuff that has brought people together. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.2) It explains the power that people contain in their lives. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.2) Of course, there are many different aspects or branches of astrology. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.3) Some are medical, business, stock market, weather, mundane, electrical, horary, and natal. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.3) They are practiced for health, financial, politics, marriage, business, and other things that concern people in their lives. (www.astrology.net/about.html, p.3) As a matter of fact, even Hitler used an astrologer during World War II. (Weblinkers.com Enterprises, p.1) One of the astrologers said that he should seek peace, and Hitler became mad at the astrologer and burned him and all astrology books.