A Bridge to the 18th Century Essay - 727 Words

Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century By: Neil Postman Neil Postman identifies himself as a neo-Luddite. What bothers Postman most is the fact that the great innovators of this time have no frame of reference other than their own experience, and that experience is only that of the 20th century. Advocates of trends such as information superhighways and economic globalization appear to know nothing of history, philosophy and culture; they live digitally in the hollow present. Postman assesses different ideas in each chapter: Chaper One: A Bridge to the Eighteenth Century Postman heralds the accomplishments of personalities of the 18th Century, including Goethe, Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Kant, Hume, Gibbon,†¦show more content†¦Chapter Six: Narratives Postman states that the narratives of the 20th and 21st centuries should not cause us to view prior narratives and philosophies in a derogatory or condescending light. Quoting Niels Bohr, Postman writes, The opposite of a correct statement is an incorrect statement. The opposite of a profound truth is another profound truth. Postman says that we should consider the values of other cultures and eras vision of Truth to make true progress and attain true wisdom. Chapter Seven: Children Postman stresses the importance of a childhood, a concept that Postman thinks is disappearing from our culture. Chapter Eight: Democracy Basically reiterating some themes from his chapter on language and also highlighting the works of Rousseau and Tocqueville, Postman emphasizes that we should acknowledge that democracy is an idea that is ever- changing. He also examines the effects of TV and other technological advances on the publics view of democracy. Chapter Nine: Education Postman criticizes modern American concepts of education, claiming that the facts, history, and critical thinking that is encouraged in schools does not allow for our children to be fully educated. Postman offers five suggestions for a complete reform of American schools, including courses in questioning,Show MoreRelateda bridge to the 18th century715 Words   |  3 Pages Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Neil Postman identifies himself as a â€Å"neo-Luddite†. What bothers Postman most is the fact that the great innovators of this time have no frame of reference other than their own experience, and that experience is only that of the 20th century. Advocates of trends such as information superhighways and economic globalization appear to know nothing of history, philosophy and culture; they live digitally in the hollow present. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;PostmanRead MoreWith 7,000 registered historic buildings standing as testimony to its rich architectural heritage,1300 Words   |  6 Pagesin the organic development of modern architecture. The Canal Rings are one of the most prominent features of Amsterdam’s architecture and a UNESCO World Heritage Listed site. They are essentially a concentric ring of canals built during the 17th century and have since been the icons of urban planning and architecture. The concentric rings were extended outward to accommodate the growing needs of the city as well as drain the swampland. These Canal Rings were lined by the residences of wealthy merchantsRead More Technology In The Industrial Revolution Essay1174 Words   |  5 Pagesproduction. This would mean that the Industrial Revolution began in the 13th century when the production of textiles and raw materials were centralized around mills. Perhaps the Revolution began once people started to change materials and the way they put them to use. One example would be the production of iron through blast furnaces. Such an invention would lead to the employment of more people during the 15th and 16th centuries. These people would then be working in one of the first factory systemsRead MoreMozarts First Movement for Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K6221508 Words   |  6 Pagesthese sections were only established in the early 20th century, the form’s consistency means that these terms can be applied to pieces before this time. The exposition contains the two major themes of the piece, called the primary and secondary theme, as of about 1750. The primary theme is in the tonic key, and the secondary theme is in another closely related key, which is reached through a modulatory transition, sometimes called the bridge. The development section modulates through several keysRead MoreEnlightenment And The Enlightenment Movement In The 18th Century975 Words   |  4 Pagesenlighten period had and a significant impact on the way people think a fact that changes various things about social equality, naturalness, and individual rights. Those changes impacted the society and culture in 18th century. We can notice the change when we compare with 17th century and 18th century arts, music, and architectures. Therefore, the question arise, how enlightenment revolution refined artists, musicians, and architects ideologies? Since, enlightenment create people have individual rights.Read MoreAn Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge and The Necklace1378 Words   |  5 Pagesegos like desires and believes are o ften the most important factors to affect their behaviors and cause the consequential narrative events happen. Both of protagonists in the articles, Peyton Farquhar in Ambrose Bierce’s â€Å"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge† and Madame Loisel in Guy de Maupassant’s â€Å"The Necklace,† are struggled with their identities, and suffered from the delusions caused by their egos, which lead themselves to make the irretrievable mistakes, and finally, they fall to the fantasiesRead MoreThe Development of Japanese Manga and Anime Essay1150 Words   |  5 PagesThe Development of Japanese Manga and Anime Manga is a Japanese word that is generally used to refer to comics or cartoons while Anime is a term used to refer to animation, also originating from Japan. The origin of manga can be traced to the 18th century. The word was used for the first time in 1798 in Japan to describe Shiji no yukikai, a picture book. The term resurfaced again in 1814 when it was used as the title of books written by Akinwai Minwa; Hokusai Manga and Manga Hyakujo. These booksRead MoreComparison Between â€Å"London† by William Blake and â€Å"Composed Upon Westminster Bridge† by William Wordsworth850 Words   |  4 PagesWestminster Bridge† by William Wordsworth The city of London has inspired many poets throughout the ages. Two of the most distinctive portrayals are William Blake’s â€Å"London† published in Songs of Experience in 1974 and â€Å"Composed Upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802† by William Wordsworth. While both Blake and Wordsworth comment on the conflict between appearance and reality, Blake shows the gloomy ugliness by taking down London’s streets. William Wordsworth’s ‘Composed Upon Westminster Bridge’ revealsRead MoreThe Classical Style Of The Ancient Greece And The United States1141 Words   |  5 PagesNeo- Classicism in France and the United States The classical style of the ancient Athens, derived from Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome in the 15th century, has had a universal impact on many cultures during previous time periods. The classical period reflected traditional forms focused on symmetry and elegance; it flourished during the time of the Renaissance through artist such as Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo De Vinci. The artists’ main goal was to attain the absolute beauty in their artRead MoreVocal Music Essay720 Words   |  3 Pagesof Mozart, Haydn, and Beethoven, including many of Mozarts operas made lasting contributions to the body of vocal literature. Vocal music example Opera Opera had been filling theaters in Europe during most of the 17th century and the early years of the 18th century. However, for all of its popularity, it still wasnt an art form that appealed to the masses. The librettos were usually ancient Greek or Roman in origin or based on some sort of obscure, heroic tale. Although the opera buffa,

My Philosophy of Education Essay - 1090 Words

My Philosophy of Education Is there a certain set of guidelines that need to be followed when teaching? If so, what should the main points of these rules be? I believe that when teaching, an instructor needs to consider the nature of the students and the importance of a good education. A teacher should also have some sort of idea about the teaching methods that should be used in the classroom. I believe that all students are capable of learning when given the opportunity. Children are not born evil. They are just simply born with a curiosity for new things. I think that the environment of a child affects their ability to learn. For instance, if a child is sent into a classroom where the temperature is constantly uncomfortable, the†¦show more content†¦Through our education, we learn how to think for ourselves, respect others, and communicate persuasively. A person without an education can be held captive by more intelligent people. This occurs because the uneducated person has no idea of what the truth is. He is simply controlled by the educated individual’s beliefs and interpretations of the truth. My goal as a teacher is to provide my students with the best education possible. I hope to give them an enjoyable and successful learning experience during their early education with hope that they will pursue a higher level of education. I hope that after leaving my classroom, my students will feel that they have obtained useful information that will help them succeed later on in life. My teaching method will include hands-on learning experiences. Through this method, I hope to create a desire for learning within the students. I will also model the skills that the children are supposed to learn, just like the Sophists did. After modeling the skill myself, I will have the children look to others as examples. Following this, the students should be ready to perform the skill for themselves. My teaching method will also resemble Rousseau’s style because I want my students to learn the material well. Instead of covering a great amount of material that the children partly know, I would rather cover less material that is more in-depth so they know it thoroughly. There are five ethicalShow MoreRelatedMy Philosophy On The Philosophy Of Education844 Words   |  4 PagesIn mathematics, as in life, everything must be brought to the simplest of terms. I base my teaching philosophy on the foundation that every student is capable of learning mathematics. I will strive, as a teacher, to ensure that my students are able to have a strong foundation of mathematical skills when they leave my classroom. Some students believe that they are not mathematically gifted; therefore, incapable of learning mathematics. I believe to the contrary, all students with motivation, sustainedRead MoreMy Philosophy On Philosophy Of Education852 Words   |  4 PagesMy Philosophy of Education My philosophy of education is founded on a belief that all students have a desire to learn and to feel accepted. Learning takes place when students are able to have their specific needs meet inside the classroom, to feel accepted in the environment, and find the learning to be meaningful. I believe that before learning can take place a proper educational environment must be present inside the classroom. In order to make any classroom work I believe you need meet three criteriaRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education As A Education864 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent philosophy of education, and what purpose education serves in a child’s life. The five philosophies of education that we recognize are: Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Social Reconstructionism, and Existentialism. I would most recognize my philosophy of education as Essentialism. Essentialism has been a dominant influence in American education since World War II. It focuses on core curriculum of traditional academic topics. I believe that the purpose of education is teachingRead MoreMy Philosophy of Education824 Words   |  4 Pages13 February 2011 My Philosophy of Education I believe that progressivism educational philosophy most closely matches my educational ideals. In my opinion based on the progressivism educational philosophy, the purpose of education is to enable students to learn useful knowledge that has meaning to them in the future. Thus, the most useful education for students is the skill of â€Å"learning how to learn†. When students understand the methodsRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education And Education1038 Words   |  5 PagesMy Philosophy of Education When trying coming up with a personal philosophy of education, I had to ask myself what the purpose of education is. To me, the purpose of education is to teach students knowledge that is needed to make it through school and to succeed in the world after graduation. Anyone can go into teaching, but not every teacher can teach. Teachers go above and beyond to introduce methods, philosophies, and strategies to help their students learn, as well as, retain the informationRead MoreMy Education Philosophy 1511 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Mission Statement Education is the imparting and acquiring of knowledge and skills through teaching and learning. As an educator, my personal mission statement is to master my subject area in order to serve as a role model for my students thereby producing students who thoroughly understand the subject matter, and who develop holistically. In order to achieve this goal I must have a set education philosophy with a strong Christian worldview. I must also have a general understanding of theRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education1056 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophy of Student Engagement My philosophy of education is that every child should receive high quality education that is inclusive, relevant and meaningful to their life. I am a firm believer of making pedagogy relatable to my students. My vision is driven by my personal experiences with the American school system. I was what is thought of as â€Å"A child at risk†. I am an immigrant, black, Muslim student. My life is transactional as I am a part of multiple marginalized groups. Most of my teachersRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education And Education864 Words   |  4 PagesPhilosophy of Education Children are the future and their education is the key to our society’s success. When considering this, I realize I have an immense responsibility as an educator. The main focuses of my teaching are active learning, building character within students, and providing meaningful curriculum. I want to create a comfortable setting where every student feels safe to learn. In many ways, my philosophy agrees with the holistic approach to education. I feel this challenges the studentRead MoreMy Philosophy on Education814 Words   |  3 PagesMy Philosophy of Education I think when I made the decision to become a teacher I was not thinking the seriousness of this decision. When we become teachers we also become the molder that will shape our student to be successful in life. But when you decide to become a teacher in a Christian school you are not only shaping this student to be successful in life but we are also shaping their Christian mind to do things with a feeling knowing that they are shape and where made by the image of GodRead MoreMy Philosophy Of Education1015 Words   |  5 Pagesimmediately sparked my interest in becoming an educator and share my personal beliefs on the important aspects of education. In addition to this, I will present various traits I believe are essential and critical for teachers to successfully fulfill their role as an educator. During my elementary years, I developed an urge to frequently ask many questions during the school day. Being able to question anything was astonishing to me. This was because my parents were unable to answer my questions and help

Ethical Problem Drinking Alcohol Essay Example For Students

Ethical Problem: Drinking Alcohol Essay Ethical Problem: Drinking AlcoholJim PolakGroup #3Ethical Problem4/1/96During my high school years, I had to make many decisions. Some of thesedecisions came easily to me, like what clothes to wear to school. Some of themtook more thought, like what classes I should take during the upcoming semester. And some of them were questions that kept me up all night to decide betweenright and wrong and forcing me to determine what would be in my best interest. At this time, I was thinking as a Consequentialist. Personal ethical egoismthinks that I always ought to act in my self-interest. One of the hardest decisions I ever had to make involved whether or not Iwould drink alcohol. This question kept me pondering off and on for the betterpart of three school years and the second semester of my first college year. If I just considered the legal side of things, then this should have beenan easy decision for me because of the fact that I was under age and it isobviously illegal for persons who have not yet turned twenty-one to consumealcoholic beverages. This would be the fifth stage of moral functioning,Legality. If you think at this stage, you will follow the rules and laws allthe time. The law, however, did not prevent many of my friends from drinking nor didit do much in the way of stopping them after they had started. The law was tooeasy to avoid so getting caught by the cops was rarely a matter of great concern. Besides, even when one of my friends would get caught, they were usuallyreleased to their parents with nothing more than a stern warning from theofficer who gave them the ride home. Now, being at home brings up another reason not to drink. We all want totry to obey our parents, right! Well actually, I did, want to try that is. This stage of moral functioning is called Conformity. Here you try to be goodboys and girls. I wasnt going to be able to please them all the time, but Idid want to try. My home life was a lot easier if Dad and Mom werent on mycase all the time. I had already spent most of my freshmen year of high school at home becauseof disobeying my parents. This meant that in order for me to have any sort ofsocial life, I had to watch my step so that I wasnt grounded during the nextbig social engagement. That meant that if I was going to drink with my friends,I could never get caught, because getting caught could leave me seeing myfriends only during classes. Another factor wrestling with my mind was the fact that I had tried a beeror two before to see what would happen, and all I had found was that I reallydont like the taste. I couldnt see how drinking something that tasted soawful could make people feel so good. I was also out for sports, so getting caught drinking alcohol could havelead to suspension from a few meets or even being kicked off the team. If I wason school grounds, I could also get suspended from school which could affect mygrades and also my chances of getting the big scholarship to college I wanted. So, finally after considering all of these possibilities, it occurred to methat there was truly only one decision for me to make at this point in my lifenot to drink yet. Use of Legality and Conformity, helped me decide not to drinkyet. I would say that Im more of a relativist than an absolutist because myactions would depend on the situation. I didnt decide that it would beunethical for me if I drank later in life, but during high school it had manymore downs than ups. I would still have Individual Freedom to make a differentchoice latter in my life. .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .postImageUrl , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:hover , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:visited , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:active { border:0!important; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:active , .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u77221af6138bc536b4fb2a44fa543e0d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: To Build A Fire EssayScience

Title Of Paper Organizational Change And Resistance To Change Essays

Title of Paper : organizational change and resistance to change Grade Received on Report : 78 Future generations, looking back on the last years of the twentieth century, will see a contradictory picture of great promise and equally at great uncertainty. The 1990's have all the symptoms of a "turning point" in world history, a moment when many of the structural "givens" of social development themselves become problematic and world society undergoes profound reorganization. These developments occur within a frame work of rapidly expanding social and economic interdependence on a global scale. Organizations evolve through periods of incremental or evolutionary change. The major work changes happening today are changes in organizational strategy, organizational structure and design, technology and human resources. A change in organizational strategy is an attempt to alter the organization's alignment with it's environment. Mercedes, for example, is going to introduce this year the new Classe A, which is more oriented to the new young generation who wants to own a Mercedes. Though Mercedes wants to keep its image of a high class car producer, it overtook this new strategy to reinforce its presence in the market. Organization change might also focus on any of the basic components of organization structure or on the organization whole design. Nobuhiko Kawamoto, president of Honda, recently reorganized the Japanese automaker's management hierarchy. He drew up a new organization chart, he created a planning board and he has taken steps to empower lower-level workers. All this in order to adapt better to the fierce market of car making. Because of the rapid rate of all technological innovation, technological changes are becoming increasingly important to many organizations. One major area of change involves equipment, thus a change in work processes or work activities maybe necessary. Timex, for example, 3-D design software from Toronto based software Alias Research Inc. to be able to turn out watches faster. Organization control systems may also be targets of such a change. Another area of organization change has to do with human resources. An organization might decide to change the skill-level of its work force and the level of performance of its workers. Perceptions and expectations, attitudes and values are also a common focus on organizational change. Organizational change is anticipated or triggered because of different changing circumstances, an organization might incur a change because of forces bending its environment. These forces might be either external or internal. The external forces derive from the organization's general or task environments. The general environment is parted into different dimensions: the international, the economic, the technological, the socio-cultural and the political-legal dimension. A good example is Russia's shift from a communist country to a capitalistic one. This shift affected organizations inside and outside Russia, on the economical and political-legal levels, organizations inside the country had to take on drastic changes to flow with the environment nationally and internationally. On an international level, international organizations saw in Russia an interesting potential market. As for the task environment it includes competitors, customers, suppliers, regulators and strategic allies. Pepsi Lebanon had always been the only cola producer in the country since the early 1970's, until lately Coca-Cola entered the market once more. Pepsi realizing the danger of its competitor launched a new marketing strategy to keep its customers. The internal forces are mainly related to the organization's internal environment but some internal forces might be reflections of external ones. All organizations will experience change at one time or another. Obviously, expanding the boundaries of exchange and cultural contact creates both opportunity and risk. The challenges for managers is to adapt properly the culture and the strategy of their organizations to its current environment. Unfortunately, management isn't working as it should: in a telling statistic, leading practitioners of radical corporate reengineering report that success rates are between 20% and 80%. Determined managers follow up with plans for process improvement. Managers look for enthusiasm, acceptance and commitment, but it gets something less. Hence, communication breaks down, implementation plans miss their mark and results fall short. This happens often enough that we have to ask why and how we can avoid these failures. Although each company's particular circumstances account for, some of the problems have common roots: n Managers and employees view change differently: top level management sees change as an opportunity to strengthen the business and to advance in their career, but for many employees, including middle managers, change is never sought after or welcomed; it is disruptive and intrusive. At Philips Electronics in the Netherlands, employees' failures to understand changing circumstances drove the

buy custom Approaches of Exam Preparation essay

buy custom Approaches of Exam Preparation essay Exams can be very depressing especially when one is not fully prepared. Early preparing is always the best remedy. Different students use diverse approaches of exam preparation. It is always different for each as none has equal potential with the other. In addition, they possess conflicting preferences of the class of techniques to apply in their revision (Green and Wolf, 2005). Approaches of Exam Preparation Some students divide their study techniques into two. They deal with mathematical-oriented studies different from non mathematical-oriented ones. This separation is adopted by two classifications of students. The first one start by making detailed outlines of each analysis. The do their initial pass through non mathematical substance. Afterward they craft note cards from these outlines as their succeeding bypass through the substance. Eventually, they endeavor to commit the note cards to memory. For math segment, they try all textbook problems then carry out all problems from a revision manual. Anther lot does not hassle with textbooks at all when dealing with math-oriented fragments. They fold over a piece of paper in half along the length. When studying, they note down prospective questions on one half and the answers on the other. To set up themselves for exams, they quiz themselves with the queries they have constructed. Finally, they all attempt practice exams to get ready for t he ultimate exam. Yet others use an assortment of procedures to make it interesting. This kind of students get bored a single process of studying. They formulate outlines for a number of the material and tackle the problems for other parts of the materials. Finally, they make flashcards for another section of the syllabus. Sometimes they fashion presentations for diverse interpretations on the exam. The inventor of the computer adjusted notes can even put them up for sale after the exam is over. There are other students who cover a three-way approach in preparing for exams. First, they study through the material for hours and take notes. Secondly, they commence to work on problems on textbooks and old exam questions for weeks. Lastly, they make a widespread list of lists that recapitulates most of imperative things to commit to memory in exams. Other students combine all other methods of studying. To begin with, they create tease exam questions in their opening time in the course of readings. Then, they create question, answer note cards and flashcards, and memorizes them. Towards the exam, they take perform exams. The last class of students creates note cards as the first step. Next, they embark on cracking the problems. From this, an eventual list sheet, that is carried everywhere, is created. In conclusion, they take practice exams as well. Conclusion Students need to know the existing approaches of exam preparation. In addition, they ought to discover new tactics they can apply for their benefit. Discovering what works best for them and merging it with existing study methods can boost their performance. To avoid last minute rush, all students have to start all these processes as early as possible. Buy custom Approaches of Exam Preparation essay

What to Do If You Have a Family Emergency in College

What to Do If You Have a Family Emergency in College Even though college students are often mocked for not living in the real world, many students do, in fact, deal with major life situations and events. Unexpected family illnesses, financial situations, deaths, and other events can happen during your time in college. Unfortunately, your academics might end up paying the price simply because you cant manage everything all at the same time. (And when faced with a major family emergency, its unrealistic to expect yourself to manage everything anyway.) If you find yourself faced with a family emergency in college, take a deep breath and spend 20-30 minutes doing the following. While it might seem like you dont have the time now, this small allotment of effort can do wonders for keeping your academics and college situation in check. Notify Your Professors and ​​Academic Adviser You dont have to go into too much detail, but you do need to let your professors know whats going on. Be as honest as you can without being dramatic. Let them know: What has happenedWhat it means for things like your class attendance, assignments, etc.What your next steps are, whether its an emergency trip home for the weekend or a longer absenceHow they can contact youWhen and how youll be contacting them next Ideally, everyone will then be aware of your situation and wont penalize you for having to miss class, be late on an assignment, etc. Additionally, your adviser should reach out in response and offer you some resources that can help with your situation. Tell the People You Live With Whats Going On Again, you dont need to share more than you need to. But your roommates might wonder whats going on if you leave without telling them for a few days; similarly, your RA might start to be concerned if he or she sees you missing class and/or coming and going at odd hours. Even if you just leave a note or send an email, its better to let people know that, for example, youre heading home to visit a sick relative than to cause undue worry or concern over your unexplained absence. Spend a Minute Thinking About Your Financial Situation Does this family emergency have financial consequences for you? Do you need to find funds right away for a flight home, for example? Does this emergency have a larger impact on your financial aid? It might seem awkward, but being aware of how your changed situation might affect your financial status is important. You can send a quick email to the financial aid office or even pop in for an emergency appointment. The staff there knows that life happens while youre in school, and you might be pleasantly surprised at the resources they have available for students in your situation. Think About Using the ​Counseling Center By their nature, emergencies cause turmoil, unrest, and all kinds of mixed (and often unwanted) emotions. At many (if not most!) institutions, visits to your campus counseling center are included in your tuition and fees. Even if you arent sure what youre feeling or how to feel about the situation, a visit to the counseling center might be a smart idea. Spend a minute or two calling the center to make an appointment they might have emergency slots open or at least finding out what resources are available if you decide you want them later. Tap Into Your Support Systems Whether its your best friend on campus or a favorite auntie who lives 3,000 miles away if youre facing an emergency family situation, check-in with those who support you the best. A quick phone call, text message, email, or even video chat can do wonders to update them as well as provide you with some love and support. Dont be afraid to reach out at a time you need them the most to those who love you the most. After all, if your friend or loved one were in your situation, you likely would be more than happy to support him or her however possible. Let yourself be supported by those around you as you deal with your situation.

Desert of the Skeletons (full documentary) Essay

Desert of the Skeletons (full documentary) - Essay Example Women cover their body with thick reddish cream and wash their hair with ash. People bath only once in their lives before getting married; this fact is disappointing from the western point of view because people care about high hygiene standards. The Himba live in small huts made of clay, branches and other available materials. They move across the desert according to the season in order to get enough water for their cattle to survive. All in all, this movie reveals the fact that not all people accept the changes of the world. Bushmen and the Himba prefer to hide from the rest of the world and follow their traditional way of life. The influences of globalization are obvious even in their tribes; some of hunters wear snickers. The survival skills of these people are amazing; they know all edible plants and animal species in their area. Their respect to their tradition is very relevant for other people to understand how people lived before the civilization. This movie inspires to read more about indigenous peoples to understand their customs at least a little better. Also, Bushmen people can teach other nations how to live in harmony with their

Contemporary vs. traditional of architecture design Essay

Contemporary vs. traditional of architecture design - Essay Example 3. Technology as an expression of architects is an extremely important theme. B. Traditional Architecture 1. Traditional architectural styles tend to focus on Greco-Roman aesthetics 2. Frank Lloyd Wright is an architect that married traditional architectural naturalism with modern elements that can be discussed in terms of the growing industrialism of the time. 3. Wright can be seen as part of the transition between naturalism and the Greco-Roman ideal to a more industrialized vision of architectural style. C. Architecture and Modern Life 1. One of the ways in which the development of modern identities has occurred is through the reflection of the post-industrial world in modern architecture. 2. An example of a building that was constructed in order to establish the Indian identity and create a modern example of the new economic position that India was creating was Chandigarh build by Le Corbusier. 3. India can also provide the debate against the homogenization of architectural style . 4. Most cultures are embracing the new aesthetics in architecture, however, and are supporting the construction of symbols of consumerism within their nations III. Conclusion Contemporary Architecture versus Traditional Architectural Design Name Class Date Contemporary Architecture versus Traditional Architectural Design Introduction Contemporary architectural design is a reflection of the post-industrial world with buildings being designed and constructed that reflect the modern, digital age. Contemporary architecture reflects a complexity in its design, integrating the need for sustainability and environmental responsibility through the appeal of technological solutions to those problems. Traditional architecture is typically reflective of the order and symmetry that can be found in Greco-Roman design influences, using natural materials and integrating the natural world into the works. Architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright can be shown to be a bridge between the traditional elem ents and the contemporary aesthetics with industrialized lines being expressed through the use of natural materials as opposed to steel and concrete. One of the problems with contemporary architecture, however, is that it is having a homogenizing effect as cities around the world are embracing the same types of post-industrial aesthetics as are found in Western, primarily American, urban centers. This has created a melding of cultures so that one city is almost indistinguishable from the next and culture identity has become all but washed away. Despite this effect, the homogenization of cities across the world is representative of the emergence of cultures from colonialism, their European conquerors now gone and their independence placing them in a position to have a space within the world economy. Although there are still some modern architects who embrace traditional styles of design, most modern, urban dwellers are embracing the post-industrial aesthetics of contemporary architec ture as it represents independence and economic power in the new world economy. Contemporary Design Author Kiel Moe (2008) identifies the concepts that support contemporary design for its complexity, composition, and integration. He discusses the integration of complex systems that begin at the design stage where clients, construction teams and the architect all evaluate how the system of the build needs to work and extends that to how the environment and the systems supporting that environment and work together in a post-modern world

Development of intelligence test performance Essay Example for Free

Development of intelligence test performance Essay Intelligence can be defined in several ways, ranging from broader definitions such as the ability to cope with life, to more specific definitions such as skill in problem-solving and reasoning. Intelligence tests are implemented by psychologists in order to assess such skills, and a quantitative measure of this intelligence is usually presented in the form of an IQ (intelligence quotient). IQ scores are the basis of much research into the development of intelligence test performance. One cultural factor which may have an affect on a childs measured intelligence is mother love; attachments may play a part in childrens cognitive development. This hypothesis can be tested by studying children who have been separated from an attachment object (i.e. a parent), and Skeels Dye found evidence to suggest that the formation of an attachment improves intelligence test performance. In their study, 13 of the most mentally retarded infants in an orphanage were moved to an institution for mentally retarded women, where they would form an attachment with a mildly retarded woman. Over the next four years, those who had moved had an average IQ gain of 32 points, compared with an average reduction of 21 IQ points for those who remained in the orphanage; this difference was still evident 27 years later. This study can be commended for its implications: at the time the accepted view was that IQ was constant throughout life, but the study showed that, with the right treatment, IQ can be significantly improved. Another factor in IQ development is quality of education. Schweinhart et al.s Perry Preschool Project provides evidence for this; compared to children given no pre-school education, those who had been given quality pre-school education appeared not only to have improved IQs later in life, but they were also less likely to commit crime and drop out of high school. This finding is duplicated by Operation Headstart, which provided children from disadvantaged homes with pre-school programs. There was an average IQ gain of 10 points in the first year and, although the IQ scores returned to average levels, subsequent progress such as high school graduation was higher in those who had taken part in the project. This indicates that an increased quality of education may lead to an increase in IQ. Another cultural factor that may influence the development of measured intelligence is a childs home environment. Bradley et al. Identified six factors, including parental involvement and the provision of play materials, which were significant in a childs development of intelligence, and called it the HOME inventory. If the HOME score of a child was low, a childs IQ may have declined between 10 and 20 points between the ages 1 and 3, whereas the opposite was true for those with high HOME inventory scores. This theory would be supported by Piaget and Vygotsky, the theories of both of whom suggest that the provision of age-appropriate play materials are likely to improve cognitive development. In addition, Vygotsky emphasises the role of culture in cognitive development, which is very much in line with the HOME inventory study. It may even be that diet is a cultural factor which has an influence on a childs development of intelligence. In a study by Schà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½nthaler Bier, children who had been given vitamin-mineral supplements performed better on a non-verbal IQ test than those who had been given a placebo. This supports the idea that diet has an influence on intelligence, but it it not necessarily the case that supplements improve IQ; the researchers suggested that it was a poor diet that diminished IQ, and the improved diet restored the cognitive abilities of the children who previously had a poor diet. The idea that it is environmental cultural factors, rather than race and genetic cultural factors, that have an effect on a childs intelligence test performance is supported by Scarr Weinberg, who found that both white and black children, when adopted by middle-class white families, performed better on IQ tests at age 7 than the average for their respective ethnic groups. They attributed this improvement to growing up in a culture of tests and schools, and exposure to better healthcare and socialisation. However, in a follow-up study ten years later, it was found that the black childrens IQs were not notably higher than the average for their group, indicating that an upbringing in a white, middle-class home had little or no influence on their intelligence. However, this does not necessarily indicate that it is a genetic cause, since skin colour and intelligence are believed to have very different genetic structures. It may be in indirect genetic influence, in that black children raised in a white home have lower self-expectation, or that they socialise with other black children at school (which may have more of an influence than their white, middle-class home). IQ tests have, however, been heavily criticised for lacking reliability, as an IQ result from one test can vary dramatically with an IQ result from another. Additionally, they have been criticised for being culturally biased; there are many different types of thought (e.g. language, problem-solving, pattern recognition, reasoning), and some types of thought are more valued in some cultures than in others. This may extend to sub-cultural differences between people of different socioeconomic status. For example, it has often been found that black American children perform less well on IQ tests than white children, however, Serpell (1979) found that white children performed significantly less well than black children on an IQ test aimed at black Americans. This brings into question the use of IQ tests as a valid method of measuring intelligence.

The Smart Classroom Essay -- Education Technology Smart Technolgies Es

The Smart Classroom The classroom is a place that is constantly trying to be improved for the betterment of students’ education. New teaching methods and improvement in environment are all constantly being researched; however, recently, research on technology in the classroom has flourished. The Smart Classroom contains these technological advances and triggers them toward in-hancing student learning. Classrooms in the past never really took into consideration that all students learned differently, so one method of teaching was used. This method being, oral lectures that students were expected to take notes on, followed by long winded exams. It wasn’t until later down the line that educators realized that not all students are capable of learning and understanding lessons in this way, and researched different ways to improve teaching. For example, Howard Gardner came to the conclusion that each person is one of seven intelligences. : If a student enjoys reading or writing stories and doing puzzles, then they have the intelligence of Linguistic. Students who are drawn to more strategy type games and logic kind of games are said to be of the Logical-Mathematical Intelligence. Students who are very active whether it be in a sport or art activity, such as dance, are said to be of the Body-Kinesthic Intelligence. Spatial students learn with pictures, they need to see things to un derstand, they are drawn toward drawing and building with blocks. Musical Intelligences are students who are drawn to music, they have the ability to learn by listening and can many times hear things that others are not able to. Students who thrive at being the leader and being in charge of their peers have the Intelligence of Interpersonal, these types o... ...Retrieved April 10, 2005, from http://www.classrooms.com/ Smart Classrooms Instructional Media Services. (April 3rd, 2003). Retrieved April 10, 2005, from http://www.humboldt.edu/~ims/smart/smartrms.htm Smart Classrooms. (2002). Retrieved April 10, 2005, from http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/its/smart_classrooms.htm Smart Classrooms, Huntingdon College. (2003). Retrieved April 11, 2005, from, http://www.huntingdon.edu/academics/smart_classrooms Domermuth, David. (2005). Creating a Smart Classroom. Tech Directions, 64(6), 21-22. Retrieved April 12, 2005, from Teacher Reference Center/EBSCO database. Carlson, Scott. (2002). Wired to the Hilt. Chronicle of Higher Education, 48, A33-A35. Retrieved April 12, 2005, from ERIC/EBSCO database. Human Intelligence, Howard Gardner. (2004). Retrieved May 3, 2005, from www.indiana.edu/~intell/gardner.shtml

Explication de Texte of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis

I. SUBJECT Carol Milford is a student of Blodgett College, and the protagonist of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis. Her ambition is to settle down in a prairie village and transform it into a place of beauty. She works as a librarian at St. Paul after her graduation. She marries the doctor Kennicott, whom she met at a friend’s house. Life in Gopher Prairie offers no challenges. Kennicott takes her on a long tour to California and other places. Carol returns to Gopher Prairie and tries to be enthusiastic about the town but feels tired of the hypocrisy and decides to leave. Kennicott feels distressed and she assures him that she would come back if she is able to find out what she needs. She works in Washington for two years. Kennicott visits her in Washington to woo her for the second time. Carol mellows and admits her desire to return to Gopher Prairie. Kennicott asks her to return only when she is prepared. She talks to the leader of the suffrage movement who tells her that she cannot achieve anything without total dedication. She convinces Carol that she can play at least a small role in changing life by persistently asking questions whenever she finds anything that hinders social change. Her life in Washington helps her to acquire a mature outlook towards life and is at last able to accept Gopher Prairie and its people as they are, but she does not give up her fight to make Gopher Prairie a better place. She gives birth to a daughter and feels optimistic that her daughter will carry on the fight that she had started and witness a united world. II. THEME The main theme of the story is rebellion and reformation. The rebellion is against materialism, lack of equality between the rich and the poor, the ugliness of the town, its narrow-mindedness and its prejudices. Carol wants to reform the town by teaching the people to appreciate poetry and to surround themselves with beauty and by teaching them to play. She tries to put up a play, read poetry to Kennicott and campaign for a new city hall, school and a better rest room and also by organizing parties and games. Though she cannot bring about any radical changes, her triumph lies in utting up a fight and keeping her faith. Main Street brings to light the discontent of the protagonist because of her inability to bring about a change in the attitudes of the people of Gopher Prairie. She appreciates beauty of simplicity. She believes that life should uphold the virtues of equality and freedom. She disapproves of exploitation. Therefore she opposes the industrialization which wipes out the b eauty of the land and the spirit of adventure of the pioneers of America. She also rebels against the exploitation of the farmers and the laborers. She incurs the wrath of the matrons of Gopher Prairie by paying six dollars a week to her maid and also by justifying the wages by pointing out that the job they did is very tedious. She insists that the rest room for the farmer’s wives should have better facilities, because it brought the farmer’s business to the merchants of the town. The reforms she proposes are very simple. She wants beautiful buildings. She wants to cultivate the taste of the people. She wants to teach the farmer’s wives the proper way to care for their babies and to make good stew. She suggests setting up an employment bureau so that they will not depend on charity. The women of Gopher Prairie snigger at Carol’s suggestions. They oppose the idea of empowering the poor women to be self-sufficient because that will deny them the chance to be charitable. When Carol suggests that they should mend the clothes before handing them out as charity, the women pounce once again on Carol and overrule the suggestion as unnecessary because it would encourage those women to be lazy. Carol feels frustrated by this mindlessness. Hence she leaves Gopher Prairie so that she can find out what she can achieve in life. In Washington, she gains the objectivity necessary for any reformer. She gains courage and learns how to direct her energy to effect changes, and returns to Gopher Prairie reconciled. The minor theme of the novel is that marriage is not to be taken lightly. Carol does not accept the institution of marriage blindly. Her expectations and demands as a wife are juxtaposed with the other wives in Gopher Prairie. Her rebellion seeps into her personal life as well and makes it so much the better for it. III. DICTION Sinclair Lewis has a vivid style. His description of nature provides the appropriate background for the mood of the characters. When Carol goes out for a walk with Erik they pass a grove of â€Å"scrub poplars†¦ looming now like a menacing wall† (392). When she is with Kennicott beside the lake she watches â€Å"long grass†¦ mossy bogs and red winged black birds† (57). When she is brooding she sees gray fields closing in on her. He uses verbs very effectively. Carol â€Å"perceives† when she observes something seriously. When she is upset with Kennicott for forgetting to give her money, she â€Å"commands† him to come upstairs because she does not wish to discuss the matter in the presence of company and Kennicott â€Å"clumps† after her. His use of satire is very effective and adds color to his narration. Carol watches a professional play, which to her is boringly ordinary in all aspects and finds the audience lapping it up. She comments sarcastically that â€Å"the only trouble with The Girl from Kankakee is that it is too subtle for Gopher Prairie† (225). The description of the idiosyncrasies of the occupants of Gopher Prairie is full of humor. When Raymie praises about the trust of Kennicott’s patients in the doctor comments wryly, â€Å"It’s me that got to do all the trusting†, and in a dramatic aside, whispers to Carol â€Å"gentleman hen† (59). When Kennicott is excited about the motor trip he expects Carol â€Å"to be effusive about academic questions as ‘now I wonder if we could stop at Baraboo†¦ ’† (196). Kennicott’s faith in cars is a â€Å"high-church cult with electric sparks for candles, and Piston rings become the alter-vessels† and â€Å"liturgy† composed of â€Å"intoned and metrical road comments† (196). The plot moves through a combination of dialogue and narrative. With minor pauses in some seemingly meaningless conversation, the diction shows the inner workings in Carol’s mind and throughout the other characters of Gopher Prairie, such as Vida who was a devout Christian. The narrative half of the plot gives insight characterization. For instance, she says this to no one, but Vida had considered her moment with â€Å"Professor’ George Edwin Mott† somehow naughty, and thought that she was â€Å"superior†¦ to have kept her virginity† (251). The diction upholds the subject and theme through the usage of words such as â€Å"reformer†, â€Å"suffragist†, and other choice words involving civil rights. It relates to Carol’s constant want to change the town of Gopher Prairie, and the other reformations happening in Washington, D. C. and the opposition she faces in her town, and in her own home. In times of despair, she finds her surroundings closing in around her: â€Å"She saw the furniture as a circle of elderly judges condemning her to death by smothering† (31). IV. TONE The atmosphere of hostility is produced by the conflict between Carol’s desire to change the town and the town’s resistance to Carol’s ideas. She is bewildered and hurt by the rebukes and rebuttals. Carol develops the right attitudes necessary for a reformer in the last three chapters of the novel. This helps her to face life with more sympathy, tolerance and hope. V. SYMBOLISM Carol’s interests in trains, books, and nature all symbolize her desire to escape the narrow confines Gopher Prairie. In Chapter 19, she daydreams about taking a train to escape the town. In Chapter 22, she escapes the town mentally through reading a number of books. Beginning in Chapter 5, she finds natural beauty in the countryside that she does not find in town. Indeed, throughout the novel, Carol often takes walks and spends time in the countryside in order to escape Gopher Prairie. In Chapter 2 and Chapter 38, Kennicott shows his wife pictures of Gopher Prairie as he attempts to court her and convince her return to the town. In Chapter 2, Carol sees only â€Å"streaky† pictures of â€Å"trees, shrubbery, a porch indistinct in leafy shadows, [and] lakes† (18). The fact that she sees the pictures in Chapter 2 as â€Å"streaky† and â€Å"indistinct† symbolizes her detachment from the community. However, in Chapter 38, she sees her own house and familiar faces in the photographs, symbolizing her connection to the town. As Lewis indicates in his preface, Gopher Prairie represents a microcosm of America in the early twentieth century. Lewis creates many characters as exaggerations, or typical, rather than individuals, to suggest that the people and institutions found in Gopher Prairie can be found anywhere. By criticizing Gopher Prairie, Lewis therefore attacks American society as a whole. Carol and Vida seem to be foils in that Carol is a reformer, whereas Vida is the representation of a society reluctant to let go of their ways. Though in a passage Vida thinks that she is, â€Å"and always will be, a reformer, a liberal† (253), she puts lie to this statement at the beginning of the chapter: she displays as much open-mindedness as a nun when Lewis writes that â€Å"[s]he hated even the sound of the word ‘sex’†¦ and prayed to Jesus†¦addressing him as her eternal lover† (251). Carol, on the other hand, indeed does try to bring reform to the town. She tries to bring beauty and culture, but is met by the bulwark of Gopher Prairie. Yet still she pushes on, introducing a professional play, music and poetry. Despite all her attempts, she still fails. Though some battles cannot be won, she wants to give her fighting spirit to her daughter. VI. SPEAKER The speaker of Main Street is in third person, who is omniscient of the happenings and minds of the citizens of Gopher Prairie. VII. STRUCTURE The novel is divided into six parts, plot-wise. The first part introduces Carol, the heroine of the novel. The second part deals with her marriage and elaborates on her fears of life as the wife of Dr. Kennicott in the small prairie town. The third part describes her house warming party in which Carol makes a statement about her taste and attitude followed by the details of the trials and tribulations of Carol as a reformer of the smug town. The fourth part is the thirty-sixth chapter, which may be called the climax of the story because Carol walks out of her marriage and Gopher Prairie. The following two chapters form the fifth part which describes Carol’s work in Washington, her reconciliation to life in Gopher Prairie and it also reunites Carol and Kennicott. The physical construction of the novel consists of a yellow and black cover, with a small portrait of the author in the approximate middle. It is four hundred and fifty-one pages, divided into thirty-nine chapters, which are then sub-divided; both are numbered by Roman numerals. Preceding the story is a miniature biography of the author (viii) and a small preface that explains Gopher Prairie is a small pocket of America, but America nonetheless, whose citizens are set in their ways. VIII. IMAGERY This is an example of personification: â€Å"the land humming† (139). This describes the beauty of the land around Gopher Prairie and inspires Carol, since she wants to make the town just as beautiful through her reforms. This is an example of a simile: â€Å"Kennicott was as fixed in routine as an isolated old man† (291). With the use of â€Å"as†, Kennicott is compared an old man being set in his ways. An example of antithesis would be that when Kennicott, before his marriage to Carol, had put his arm around Vida â€Å"carelessly†. While she strained away, she longed to move nearer to him† (251). In this example of personification, â€Å"the deep-bosomed bed stiffened in disgust† (32) at having such an extravagant shirt laid on it. In the same paragraph, the said â€Å"chemise and lace was a hussy† (32) and seemed overly lavish in the simple house in which Carol lived. In this conceit, Lewis writes that â€Å"[a] villag e is†¦a force seeking to dominate the earth, drain the hills and seas of color† (267). He is saying that such a village drains the world of its natural beauty, to be replaced by man-made materialistic things, with a standard style. Anything else would seem out of place. Carol calls the people who live in the Northern Middlewest â€Å"pioneers, these sweaty wayfarers† (24). They have just begun to build a society in that area, and she thinks that such an area has much hope. When Dr. Kennicott takes Carol hunting, she wonders why he hasn’t fired when a â€Å"crash† sounded and â€Å"two birds turned somersaults in the air, plumped down† (55). Such is an example of onomatopoeia.

Aggression and gender on sports and exercise psychology

Aggression in sports can be looked at from different perspectives like hostile aggression or violence which is intended to harm someone or psychologically, or instrumental aggression with a goal twin and not to harm and assertive aggression which is a legitimate force with no intent to harm.In some cases sports and exercises are seen as means of controlling aggression in the society. Some argue that sport allows someone to pen up their aggression in an assertive manner. This notion however creates an argument on whether violence in the society is controlled by sports or it’s the sports that facilitate more violence (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).Various theories can be used to explain the nature of aggression in sports and exercises: the instinct/ biological theory which is bent on people are born aggressive which is not believed anymore, the frustration drive theory where one commits an act of aggression as a release, the revised frustration concept which determines if one will rep eat that behaviour for example, the reaction of a coach toward your aggressive behaviour and social learning theory which involves reinforcement and influence and repeating actions that one sees in sports (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).There are various factors that promote aggression in sports and exercise like heat when temperature exceeds the optimal, loud noise and crowding like when riots occur. Psychological factors like low scoring sports and alcohol which can impair the judgement and induce violence.Other key factors include sociological factors like hooliganism and the media. Sport related factors like point spread, playing at home or away, a win or a loss and the standings of the game or sport (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).Aggressive acts are highly motivated, have tremendous release of physical energy and people not afraid of failure or getting hurt. Acts of aggression take place when official appear biased in low scoring games, fans unrealistic expectations of the team, early fouli ng game, player frustration, strong fan attachment to teams, where standings or records are highly different, losing, pain, embarrassment and playing poorly or unusual excitement when one cannot calm (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).There are various recommendations to reduce aggression in sports. The management should deal with alcohol at sporting events, choose calmer colors and make sports events family oriented. The media can help people approach sports in a more humanistic way.Coaches should promote sportsmanship while the officials need to be objective and change the rules of punishments. Players and fans should have individual responsibility (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).On the gender aspect the tendency for men to manifest a higher level of aggressiveness than men is quite evident. In connection to that men perceive aggression in sports to be more legitimate than men. In most cases in sports that are considered male oriented men display more aggression.Generally women tend to be less inv olved in violent or aggressive sports and exercises. Sports whose officials are female also tend to record less cases of aggression than those officiated by men. Again in most games gender has displayed impacts on instrumental aggression because men display more instrumental aggressive acts than females especially in those games are masculine characteristic (Weinberg, & Gould 2007).In other studies men have displayed more stereotypes in officiating than women, for example they tend to penalize women more than men especially in the male dominated sports.In conclusion aggression and gender greatly influence sports and exercise psychology. Gender also influences aggression in some sports.

What the President Does on the Last Day in Office

What the President Does on the Last Day in Office The peaceful transition of power from one United States president and his administration to another is one of the hallmarks of American democracy. And much of the publics and medias attention on January 20th every four years rightly focuses on the incoming president taking the Oath of Office and the challenges that lie ahead. But what does the outgoing president do on his last day in office? Heres a look at five things almost every president does just before leaving the White House. 1. Issues a Pardon or Two   Some presidents show up at the White House bright and early for a ceremonial last walk through the historic building and to wish their staff well. Others show up and get to work issuing pardons. President Bill Clinton used his last day in office, for example, to pardon 141 people including Marc Rich, a billionaire who had been indicted on charges of defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, mail fraud, tax evasion, racketeering, defrauding the U.S. Treasury and trading with the enemy. President George W. Bush also issued a couple  of pardons in the last hours of his presidency. They  erased the prison sentences of two border patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug suspect. 2. Welcomes the Incoming President Recent presidents have hosted their eventual successors on the last day in office. On Jan. 20, 2009, President Bush and  First Lady Laura Bush hosted President-Elect Barack Obama and his wife, as well as Vice President-Elect Joe Biden, for coffee in the Blue Room of the White House  before  the noon  inauguration. The president and his successor then traveled together to the Capitol in a limousine for the inauguration. 3. Leaves a Note for the New President Its become a ritual for the outgoing president to leave a note for the incoming president. In January 2009, for example, outgoing President George W. Bush wished incoming President Barack Obama well on the fabulous new chapter he was about to begin in his life, Bush aides told The Associated Press at the time. The note was tucked into a drawer of Obamas Oval Office desk. 4. Attends the Inauguration of the Incoming President The outgoing president and vice president attend the swearing-in and inauguration of the new president and then are escorted from the Capitol by their successors. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies describes the outgoing presidents department as being relatively anti-climatic and unceremonious. The 1889 Handbook of Official and Social Etiquette and Public Ceremonies at Washington described the event this way:   His departure from the Capital is attended with no ceremony, other than the presence of the members of his late Cabinet and a few officials and personal friends. The President leaves the Capital as soon as practicable after the inauguration of his successor. 5. Takes a Helicopter Ride Out of Washington Its been customary since 1977, when Gerald Ford was leaving office,  for the president to be flown from the Capitol grounds via Marine One to Andrews Air Force Base for a flight back to his hometown. One of the most memorable anecdotes about such a trip came from Ronald Reagans ceremonial flight around Washington on Jan. 20, 1989, after he left office. Ken Duberstein, Reagans chief of staff, told a newspaper reporter years later: As we hovered for a second over the White House, Reagan looked down through the window, patted Nancy on her knee and said, Look, dear, theres our little bungalow.  Everybody broke down in tears, sobbing.

A Brief History of Women in Higher Education

A Brief History of Women in Higher Education While more women than men have attended college in the U.S. since the late 1970s, female students were largely prevented from pursuing higher education until the 19th century. Before then, female seminaries were the primary alternative for women who wished to earn a higher degree. But women’s rights activists fought for higher education for female students, and college campuses turned out to be fertile ground for gender equality activism. Female Grads During the 17th and 18th Centuries Before the formal desegregation of mens and womens higher education, a small number of women graduated from universities. Most were from wealthy or well-educated families, and the oldest examples of such women can be found in Europe. Juliana Morell earned a law doctorate in Spain in 1608.Anna Maria van Schurman attended the university at Utrecht, Netherlands, in 1636.Ursula Agricola and Maria Jonae Palmgren were admitted to college in Sweden in 1644.Elena Cornaro Piscopia earned a doctor of philosophy degree at the University of Padua, Italy, in 1678.Laura Bassi earned a doctor of philosophy degree at the University of Bologna, Italy, in 1732, and then became the first woman to teach in an official capacity at any European University.Cristina Roccati received a university degree in Italy in 1751.Aurora Liljenroth graduated from college in Sweden in 1788, the first woman to do so. U.S. Seminaries Educated Women in the 1700s In 1742, the Bethlehem Female Seminary was established in Germantown, Pennsylvania, becoming the first institute of higher education for women in the United States. It was founded by the Countess Benigna von Zinzendorf, daughter of Count Nicholas von Zinzendorf, under his sponsorship. She was only 17 years old at the time.  In 1863, the state officially recognized the institution as a college and the college was then permitted to issue bachelor’s degrees. In 1913, the college was renamed the Moravian Seminary and College for Women, and, later, the institution became co-educational. Thirty years after Bethlehem opened, the Moravian sisters founded Salem College in North Carolina. It since became the Salem Female Academy and is still open today. Womens Higher Ed at the Turn of the 18th Century In 1792, Sarah Pierce founded the Litchfield Female Academy in Connecticut. The Rev. Lyman Beecher (father of Catherine Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Isabella Beecher Hooker) was among the lecturers at the school, part of the republican motherhood ideological trend. The school focused on educating women so that they could be responsible for raising an educated citizenry. Eleven years after Litchfield was established, Bradford Academy in Bradford, Massachusetts, began admitting women. Fourteen men and 37 women graduated in the first class of students. In 1837, the school changed its focus to only admit women.   Options for Women During the 1820s In 1821, Clinton Female Seminary opened; it would later merge into the Georgia Female College. Two years later, Catharine Beecher founded the Hartford Female Seminary, but the school did not survive beyond the 19th century. Beechers sister, writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, was a student at Hartford Female Seminary and later a teacher there.  Fanny Fern, a children’s author, and newspaper columnist, also graduated from Hartford. Lindon Wood School for Girls was founded in 1827 and continued as Lindenwood University. This was the first school of higher education for women that was located west of the Mississippi. The next year, Zilpah Grant founded Ipswich Academy, with Mary Lyon as an early principal. The purpose of the school was to prepare young women to be missionaries and teachers. The school took the name Ipswich Female Seminary in 1848 and operated until 1876. In 1834, Mary Lyon established the Wheaton Female Seminary in Norton, Massachusetts. She then started the Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in South Hadley, Massachusetts, in 1837. Mount Holyoke received a collegiate charter in 1888, and today the schools are known as Wheaton College and Mount Holyoke College. Schools for Female Students During the 1830s Columbia Female Academy opened in 1833. It later became a full college and exists today as Stephens College. Now called Wesleyan, Georgia Female College was created in 1836 specifically so women could earn bachelor’s degrees. The following year, St. Mary’s Hall was founded in New Jersey as a female seminary. It is today a pre-K through high school named Doane Academy. More Inclusive Higher Ed From the 1850s Onward In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell graduated from Geneva Medical College in Geneva, New York. She was the first woman in America admitted to a medical school and the first in the United States to receive a medical degree. The next year, Lucy Sessions made history when she graduated with a literary degree from Oberlin College in Ohio. She became the First African-American female college graduate. Oberlin was founded in 1833 and admitted four women as full students in 1837.  Only a few years later, more than a third (but less than half) of the student body were women. After Sessions earned her history-making degree from Oberlin, Mary Jane Patterson, in 1862, became the first African-American woman to earn a bachelors degree. Higher education opportunities for women really expanded during the late 1800s. The Ivy League colleges had been solely available to male students, but companion colleges for women, known as the Seven Sisters, were founded from 1837 to 1889.

Accounting case study analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Accounting analysis - Case Study Example The charity Help Our Homeless Offspring, look forward towards violating the rule of exceeding 25 percent expenditure and funding to survive. They must have an expensive TV for advertisement. The resulting effect is an increased expenditure to funding ratio beyond 25 percent. Such activities are unethical and unacceptable because they contradict accounting principles (Needles, Powers and Crosson, 2011). The accountant of HOH felt that the misallocation of cost at the expense of exploiting the willing donors was an unethical act because it contradicts accounting principle (Vanderbeck, 2013). For example, the following principles were violated namely; full disclosure principle, cost principle and reliability accounting principle. HOH charity should disclose the true state of affairs and avoid misleading the donors, as well as other users of accounting information (Smith, 2011). Further, the information disclose should be reliable to avoid making wrong decision. The senior accountant in this case tends to justify unethical acts applied by the company (Lerner and Cashin, 2009). As an accountant who adheres to the accounting ethics, it will be inappropriate to do nothing because misallocation of cost contravene the principle discussed. I would, therefore, tell my corporation to embrace the accounting principles. Instead of misallocating the cost to mislead the donors, the corporation should focus on minimizing its variable cost. I would not encourage my corporation to work with HOHO because the top management are encouraging unethical practices (Duska, Duska and Ragatz,

The Cultural Diversity and its Impact on the Organization Case Study - 1

The Cultural Diversity and its Impact on the Organization - Case Study Example Additionally, each organization had developed its cultural practices, but now they have to make amendments that will make them compatible. This means that the human resource management ought to be firm in managing the culture of the company. Most importantly, the department must determine the culture and study that culture (Symes 2011, 47). Moreover, there are cultural differences between the merging and the acquired company. This could be issues like how each organization measures or defines their success, working terms, insurance, benefits for the employees, form or mode of management, the attitude of the employees, how they handled the problems and the functions conducted by the managers as they operated the company’s functions (Symes 2011, 48). Therefore, this paper focuses on indicating that human resource has a role to manage the culture of organizations that merge or in the acquisition. It is known that when the merger or acquisition of an organization fails, the blame is usually placed on the culture. Interestingly, culture shock could lead to failure where there is lack of effective human resource management (Gitelson et al. 2000, 105). It even gets worse when the merge includes two or more organizations from different countries. Arguably, the conflicts arise many times when the purchasing organization that made the initial move make deals and offers around finances. Additionally, the human resource department forms the larger company acquire some benefits that will help establish the problem. For example, insurance covers and pension plans that will cause a significant amount on the organization. Besides, the company needs to know or agree on the offers it will make after the merger or acquisition. However, when the major issues are to be addressed wisely, the combination can lead to an effective organization.  

Letter to Mayor Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter to Mayor - Assignment Example I believe that the escalating crime rate is primarily because of the social inequity both in terms of socio-economic disparity amongst the diverse social fabric and the increasing rate of dropout adolescent population. I would like to take up the cause of school dropouts who have been excluded from the mainstream population. 12 week pilot study would be undertaken in the Afro American community where adolescent population is more inclined to foray into the area of crime. The discontent of the youngsters and the government’s inability to understand the demands of the changing time has become the bane of the general public. The racial profiling has added to the woes of the black community who are increasingly getting marginalized. The program would primarily study the problem of the youth in the designated community and would involve them into developing action groups which would work towards developmental goals. The program would be carried out as follow: Help create ‘self help group’ within the communities that would form linkages with the local authority, media, education institutes and social workers to promote awareness regarding government initiatives to resolve the problems of the community and help them to integrate within the mainstream population. Involve adolescents in productive activities like skill development, theatre, environment conservation activities etc. and ensure that their contribution is publicly acknowledged. This would motivate them to become more proactive towards development issue and thereby help them to develop into responsible adult. The social problems have direct impact on the policing and the law. The growing numbers of juvenile delinquents are not merely law and order problem but the wider implications of such cases pose serious threat to the future of the state itself. The need to create congenial environment to understand the problems of the youth has become the need of the hour. It is imperative that all the agencies

European Union’s Democratic Deficit: A Critical Assessment

European Union’s Democratic Deficit: A Critical Assessment Introduction The European Union is in a middle of a crisis. The worst part of its economic crisis has passed but it still faces even more severe issue: a trust crisis. People do not feel represented by the European Union and have turned their support towards populist and radical movements. What is the basis of this crisis? Some authors incline to say it is the EU’s democratic deficit. Thus, since there is a wide gap between what EU citizens want from their politicians and how the EU bureaucrats and institutions act. This leads to a situation where the public’s opinion and desires are not taking into account by the body that should represent them[1]. Yet, first we need to analyse in detail what a democratic deficit means to then address this problem. Democratic deficit is a tricky issue as it does not have a widely accepted definition between politics and law scholars. Depending on the author and its background, the term can be used with different connotations and meanings; hence, the results of the analysis tend to depend on the notion of democratic deficit the author uses[2]. Therefore, first, we shall develop our own democratic deficit conceptual approximation. Then, we will be able to lead a critical assessment on representation and participatory actual problems of the European Union. Afterwards, we will have all the tools necessary to address in detail if there is a true democratic deficit problem in the European Union and to propose some possible alternatives to solve it. The European Union and Democratic Deficit If a hyperbole is permitted, democratic deficit may have as many meanings as authors have discussed it. It is not an easy issue to address or to encompass in a single-simple definition. First of all, especially because, even though we can agree on some basis for democracy, in wide terms it is an ambiguous subject. So, what an author considers a democratic deficit will be highly influenced by what he considers to be a democracy. One of the first scholars to use this term was British David Marquand. He used it to define the democratic legitimacy faintness of –then- European Community. He suggested direct elections for representatives before the European Parliament. When this was adopted, the issue around European Community democratic legitimacy arose even further, as for the European Parliament represented the voice of the European Community citizens but the Community was not ready to give more powers to the Parliament, causing more tension. After the approval of the Maastricht treaty, the problem grew. Two pillars were added to the Union (common Foreign and Security Policy and Home Affairs), and in none of them the Parliament had any control[3]. Other authors propose the democratic deficit problem in the terms of a backwards Hume’s is/ought as they consider there is a discrepancy between is and ought/ should in the European Union[4] institutions and democracy as the transfer of substantial amounts of political decision-making towards the supranational level on non-elected institutions has diminished the democratic influence and the basic control the citizens have on their political institutions. It is obvious that at the first stages of the European Community it was reasonable and necessary to keep citizens away from decision-making as it was initially designed to be an economic community and not a political institution[5], but its goals mutated in time. The Community passed from a purely economic institution to a political one. As it was a community formed by democratic countries, one could expect that the supranational body they formed would also have democratic and participatory channels. Nonetheless, European Union turned into a bureaucratic and political giant that has slowly diminished the national entities and directly-elected supranational bodies -European Parliament- and passed it to its hands. Yet, other approaches[6] suggest that, even though the democratic deficit issue is real, it has to be attributed to the Union’s member states, rather than the Union itself. Integration between European states was responding to a series of already-existing democratic legitimacy issues within the states. They argue that the Union is not democratic enough because the member states have not been able to democratise their integration. The issue of the lack of democracy within European Union institutions is not considered as the cause of the problem, but the natural consequence of the democratic deficit of European Union members. This perspective must be necessarily rebuked. Even with their flaws, most of the European Union members have developed and stable democracies. If an institution poses itself as the supranational ruler of a continent and its legitimate representative, it must follow the same form of government that those national units it intends to rule, which is democracy. Where could European Union legitimacy come if not from its citizens? The Union’s decisions directly impact its citizens, as much as a national government decision, or even more. It also breaks citizens’ capacity to rely on the regular channels of influence –voting- to ensure they are being listened and to participate in political process[7]. The lack of democracy of the Union and is tightness to evolve and accept citizens demands only causes further disgust and loss of legitimacy. European Union is a sui generis institution, as it is not a state but it represents them and takes decisions in their name, therefore it should be held accountable for its decisions in direct elections. One cannot fail to notice that there is a deep democratic deficit in the European Union from the turnout in its elections. Ever since legislative powers were transferred to the Council of Ministers of the European Union from the national governments, the setup of the European Union shifted from that of an economic block to that of a political one. The lack of democracy in the Union has been evident in the voter turnout. From the first vote in 1979, the turnout has been going lower and lower with the 2014 election having a disappointing turnout of 42.54%. Compared to the individual member nations where the average voter turnout is 68%, this is a sign that the members of the European Parliament have noted something wrong with the setup and are thus silently revolting. This has led to the debate as to what ought to be done to get the Union back on track. While one side states that reforms are enough to make the Union serve its needs, others think the European Union should be simply debunked. The fact that the European Union has a lot of benefits for its member states and the world in general, however, means that its abolishment is not the best solution. To get the best solution for the case, therefore, requires an in-depth analysis of how the Union works and where it is failing. The Origin of the Democratic Deficit of the European Union Looking at the origins of the European Union, it is easy to make the conclusion that it was primarily meant to be purely economic and the introduction of the political aspects only complicated issues. The Treaty of Paris in 1951 saw to the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) which was meant to provide a trading bloc for coal and steel in Europe as suggested by its name. In 1957, the Treaty of Rome saw to the establishment of the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC’s original members were known as the European Communities. In 1993, the Maastricht Treaty would see to the establishment of the European Union. With the European Union came the introduction of European citizenship. The latest of the treaties in this regard is the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon. While a lot has changed in the structure and function of the European Union to the present moment, some of the problems that plague the Union are the same.   The Manifesto for the Young European Federalists by Richard Corbett first raised the issue of the lack of democracy in the European Union in 1977 where the term democratic deficit was first used. David Marquand would later use the term in reference to the workings of the European Economic Community. The coining of the term primarily focused on the European Parliament, which was previously referred to as the European Assembly, and why it had a deficit of democracy. The primary argument behind this assertion is that the Parliament was made up of members who had not been directly elected by the citizens of the European Union. As such, the European Union was not serving the needs of its citizens but those of a few people. Effectively, the European Union is thus not democratic enough given that it does not meet the definition of a democracy where there is a government for the majority. The fact that the majority is not represented through free and fair elections of the members of the European Parliament is one point to the fact that there is a deficiency of democracy in the Union. The European Constitution The European Union prides itself in democratic legitimacy through various aspects of the constitution. The first of these aspects is the European Parliament. The Parliament is subject to the electorates of the member states. The other organs are the Council of the European Union also called the Council of Ministers, and the European Council made up of the heads of national governments of the member states. The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union appoint the European Commission members. This system of making decisions is supposed to give the European Union democratic legitimacy in the same way the US House of Representatives and the US Senate give democratic legitimacy to the United States. Decisions are thus to be reached by both bodies agreeing, and a third organ in this case the European Commission. The intended democratic legitimacy has, however, not been entirely attained by the European Union. The construction of the Union itself has occasioned what the German Constitutional Court called a structural democratic deficit in the Union. This court established that the process of making decisions for the European Union was primarily those of an international organisation rather than those of a government. The difference is that, as an international organisation, the European Union based its democracy on the equality of the member nations rather than the citizens of these countries. It is thus difficult to reconcile the needs of the citizens and those of the member nations of the European Union provided its operation as an international organisation rather than a government. Similarly, the British Electoral Reform Society filed a report in 2014 to the same issue of the EU constitution having a structure which focused on the needs of the member states rather than the citizens. The r eport stated that, while the European Union has focused on upholding the principles of democratic engagement, accountability and representativeness, there is the need to focus on the needs of the minority in any democracy. The European Union, being mostly made up of minorities, thus needs to have a focus on serving the needs of the citizens rather than those of the member governments[8]. Democratic Deficit and the European Commission One of the main structures put in place by the European Union in support of democracy is the European Commission. First, there has been criticism concerning the legitimacy of the European Commission and its role in the initiation of legislation in the European Union. However, this criticism does not have the backing of facts as similar bodies within national governments have yielded similarly poor results. However, its position as a body that legitimises the European Union and its take on democracy has failed by a large extent. The main weakness with such a body, as also noted in the case of the United States government, is that the regulations may be so detailed that the member states have little freedom in making their decisions on legislation[9]. While the issue of a democratic deficit was noted as far back as the 1970s when the idea of a united Europe was still in development, democratic legitimacy has always been an issue the Union has been dealing with ever since. When the Treaty of Lisbon was put in place, its primary aim was to provide room for better democracy in the region. The Treaty of Lisbon required that the President of the European Commission ought to take account of the results of the European Union parliamentary elections. This simply means that the President of the European Commission should be nominated by the   most dominant group in the parliament. This step effectively makes the European Union a political body rather than the economic one meant for the over watch of the economic activities of Europe. In fact, the European Union, owing to this kind of structure, has become partly a federation and also an international organisation[10]. The President of the European Commission would thus be partly elected and partly appointed. This position gives the president less power than is needed to win the confidence of the population, and too much power to earn the trust of the governments of the member nations. The resulting model is one where little democracy is accorded to the citizens of the European Union and their governments as well. The European Parliament and Democratic Deficit When the European Parliament was set up, a lot of people were ready to voice its weaknesses in seeing to the implementation of legislation. However, political scientists would come to the rescue of this organ by stating that, first, the European Parliament is different from the parliaments of single countries due to various factors such as the lack of a divide between the government and the opposition, the presence of a divide between the executive and the legislature, the presence of political parties that are decentralised, bipartisan voting, and the roles of the various committees. For this reason, the European Parliament has been compared to the US House of Representatives but with the advantage of not having a governing body over it like the latter house. The fact that the majorities in the European Parliament have to be built each time while depending on negotiations, persuasions, and explanations ought to make it better in function than the US House of Representatives. This is true given that the lack of interference between the executive and the legislature has made the European Commission and the European Parliament more effective. For instance, the member states of the European Union have less than 15% of their legislative initiatives becoming the law. This is largely due to the lack of support from the executive. The executive bodies, on the other hand, rarely require the input of the legislature in the same nations to pass amendments. The role of the European Parliament is the propositioned amendments to the existing laws. The success rate of these amendments is as high as 80% with the lowest levels recorded (mostly for the hotly contested topics) is at 30%. To an extent, however, the structure of the European Parliament allows for a level of lack of accountability and weakness when it is compared to parliaments with an overwatch body like the case of the US House of Representatives. Voter Turnout in European Elections and the Impact on Democratic Deficit With any democracy, the legitimacy of the leaders in power heavily relies upon the turnout of the voters during elections. The European Parliament has had some of the lowest levels of elections voter turnout hence the reduction in its democratic legitimacy. This is based on the fact that the turnout of the European Parliament elections has been declining consistently since its formation. However, the President of the European Union, Pat Cox, said that the 1999 European Parliament elections and a far much better turnout than the presidential elections in the United States. Compared, the voter turnout for the presidential elections in the United States in 1996 was 49%. However, the voter turnout in the European Parliament elections for 1999 was at 49.51 percent. For both types of elections, this turnout was among the very lowest. While both are at their lowest, it is difficult to use this as an excuse for the lack of democracy in the European Union. As a matter of fact, the case of the United States is very different from that of the European Union and the reasons for the low voter turnouts. For the European Union, the people have an option of whether to belong to the Union or not. And the way they can show their willingness to belong or not belong to the Union is through participating (or not participating) in its activities such as elections. The social aspect of the European Union, that of being accepted or rejected by the people, has been observed in the way the people have turned out in low numbers at each European Parliament vote[11]. The massive lack of knowledge for the common citizen of the European Union has led to the lack of participation by the voters. On the other hand, the United States electorate can have a low voter turnout for many other reasons none (or very little) of which is being against the union that is the United States. As it is, the European Union is not a very effective and efficient democracy given that its workings are not in line even with the developing democracies of the world. First, it is torn between being a government, and an international organisation. Secondly, the citizens, having seen that the democracy of the Union does not work (and it is too complex to understand), are increasingly ceasing to buy into the idea of the European Union being there to improve their lives through fostering democracy. Democratic Deficit and the Council of the European Union Another organ of the European Union is the Council of the European Union. This Council is also part of the efforts of the union to foster democracy among the member states. Its primary role is acting as the voice of the member governments of the EU while adopting the laws European Union and coordinating the polices of the union as well. Depending on the policies of the union, the government ministers of the members states are the members or the Council of the European Union. The presidency of the Council is held on a rotating basis (among the states) with each president holding the office for 6 months only. The Council carries out voting on legislation and discussions with both exercises being held in public. The decisions are based on a qualified majority whereby at least 55% of the countries (which is about 65% of the total population of the European Union) are required. In blocking a decision, 4 nations are needed (being the equivalent of 35% of the European Union population). For issues that are of an administrative and procedural nature require a simple majority while a unanimous vote is needed for the very sensitive topics such as taxation and foreign policy. While the structure of the Council of the European Union seems to read democracy all through it, the same weaknesses that plague the European Parliament plague it hence it is just another example of democratic deficit in the EU. For one, own-initiative reports from either the European Parliament or the Council of the European Union do not have legal consequences as such to the member states. Also, both bodies cannot play major roles in the amendment and repealing of legislation that is already in place. Lastly, and most importantly, the bodies do not address the needs of the citizens of the member nations. Looking at the structure of the European Union, it is easy to conclude that the reason it has not met the needs of the citizens is because there is too much bureaucracy between the top organs of the Union and the common citizens for the member states. The organs are too separated from the citizens in that the decision made take a very long route to reach the citizen. The representatives also have to make decisions which serve the needs of the Union and those of their respective countries; an issue which often introduces a conflict of interest. What the European Union has Done to Better Democratic Legitimacy All the concerns expressed here about the democratic legitimacy of the European Union have been expressed before by various persons and bodies and they have been heard by the people at the helm of the Union. For this reason, the Union has put in place various changes to the constitution with the focus being on doing away with the noted weaknesses in the laws and constitution of the Union in general. Among the changes made include the introduction of the Maastricht Treaty. This was a landmark treaty which is credited with the introduction of citizenship of the European Union. This citizenship would grant EU citizens voting rights to the European Parliament in each of their countries. Even municipal elections of the European Union were also included in the treaty. The treaty would also introduce co-decision procedure in which the European Parliament was given powers that gave it an equal footing to the Council of the European Union in making legislative decisions[12]. These steps would make the European Parliament much more functional and powerful but not powerful enough to overcome the issues of being a purely democratic entity.   The other change made to the constitution of the European Union is the Treaty of Lisbon. Becoming effective from the 1st of December 2009, the treaty saw to better representation of the EU citizens both directly in the European Parliament and indirectly through the Council of the European Union. This was meant to foster democracy and representation. The treaty would also see to the implementation and acceptance of the co-decision procedure as the primary procedure for the legislative dealings of the Union. The Treaty of Lisbon is also credited with tremendously increasing the powers of the European Parliament by a large extent[13]. One of the main areas in which the Treaty of Lisbon helped focus on the EU citizens was in giving the citizens the right to make petitions to the European Parliament concerning any matters of material effect[14]. This increased the powers of the citizen and their levels of participating in the making of decisions. Further on, the treaty would ensure th at Council of the European Union meetings which discussed public matters are made public for all to see. In this way, the citizens can better understand the debates and the workings of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon also receives credit for improving on the role played by the national parliaments of the member nations in putting in place the laws and legislations of the Union[15]. Lastly, the Treaty of Lisbon is credited with giving the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union full legal effect. This meant that various steps taken by the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament would have full legal effect in areas where they apply[16]. Conclusion The workings of the European Union in seeking democracy have been so far ineffective on various levels as observed above. While there is intention from the leaders of the European Union to remedy these weaknesses in the workings of the Union, the fundamental reason why there have been low levels of success when it comes to attaining democracy for all citizens is its structure. It aims to operate like a government yet at its basic form it is an amalgamation of governments. Each of these governments have different needs, goals, histories and fundamental principles. The rest is that the leaders of each country first take care of their countries’ needs before those of the European Union. Also, its structure makes it difficult to make laws that will lead to better governance as each piece of legislation needs to have the needs of the many member states at heart. With time, it can be hoped that better legislation will be enabled for all the democracy to be attained. References Avbelj, M. 2005. Can the New European Constitution Remedy the EU Democratic Deficit?. EUMAP.org Campbell, M (2012) The Democratic Deficit of the European Union. Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union, p. 25. Castro, C. (2015). Assessing the Democratic Deficit in the EU: towards a Participatory Approach. RIPS, 14 (1), p. 63. Craig, P; Grainne De; P. P. Craig (2007). Chapter 11 Human rights in the EU. EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 379. Dilek, K. (2011). The Problem of â€Å"Democratic Deficit† in the European Union. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (5) p. 244. Electoral Reform Society — Close the Gap — Tackling Europes democratic deficit. European Parliament: Relations with National Parliaments. Innerarity, D (2015). The Inter-Democratic Deficit of the European Union: The Governance of Europes Economic, Political and Legal Transformation. Pp. 173-174. Kelemen, R. (2012). The Rules of Federalism: Institutions and Regulatory Politics in the EU and Beyond. Harvard University Press. pp. 21–22. Milev, M. (2004) A ‘Democratic Deficit’ in the European Union? Master Thesis, I.H.E.I. p. 10. Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. [1] Castro, C. (2015). Assessing the Democratic Deficit in the EU: towards a Participatory Approach. RIPS, 14 (1), p. 63. [2] Milev, M. (2004) A ‘Democratic Deficit’ in the European Union? Master Thesis, I.H.E.I. p. 10 [3] Milev (2004), pp. 11-12. [4] Dilek, K. (2011). The Problem of â€Å"Democratic Deficit† in the European Union. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1 (5) p. 244 [5] Castro, C. (2005), p. 66. [6] Innerarity, D (2015). The Inter-Democratic Deficit of the European Union: The Governance of Europes Economic, Political and Legal Transformation. Pp. 173-174 [7] Campbell, M (2012) The Democratic Deficit of the European Union. Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union, p. 25. [8] Electoral Reform Society — Close the Gap — Tackling Europes democratic deficit. [9] Kelemen, R. (2012). The Rules of Federalism: Institutions and Regulatory Politics in the EU and Beyond. Harvard University Press. pp. 21–22. [10] Charlemagne. 2013. A democratic nightmare: Seeking to confront the rise of Eurosceptics and fill the democratic deficit. The Economist. [11] Avbelj, M. 2005. Can the New European Constitution Remedy the EU Democratic Deficit?. EUMAP.org [12] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 31–32. [13] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 43–44 [14] Schà ¼tze, R (2012). European Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. p. 99. [15] European Parliament: Relations with National Parliaments. [16] Craig, P; Grainne De Burca; P. P. Craig (2007). Chapter 11 Human rights in the EU. EU Law: Text, Cases and Materials (4th ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 379.