The main theme of the poem Cynddylan Essay Example

The main theme of the poem Cynddylan Paper John Betjemans Slough is centred around the town of Slough and is a poem used to express strong political opinions and has discreet commentary on modern life, whereas the two poems by R. S. Thomas are concentrated on ideas about religion and technology but are put forward by using agricultural examples. Both poems by Thomas are slightly irregular in structure; Soil is written in Blank verse and has no rhyming and Cynddylan on a Tractor has no particular structure, but has slight rhyming of the end words at changing intervals. The structure of Slough is more organised, set out in equal verses with a regular rhyming pattern, with the rhyme of the final line continuing into the next verse. This is done to create and enhance the feeling of an on-going routine and almost entrapment throughout the poem. Thomas uses all five senses in his poetry (The soil is all: his hands fondle it, and his bones are formed out of it ) and in doing so gives the reader vibrant and realistic imagery. Formal yet emotive language is used throughout both of his poems, and in a descriptive context. This is seen especially in Soil where each object is described effectively as how it actually is, Plying mechanically his cold blade. Slough uses less formal language, but is again very emotive, bitter, descriptive and almost spits the lines at the reader, Their wives frizz out peroxide hair and dry it in synthetic air showing the falsehood of society, everyone trying to be something or someone they are not; Its not their fault they often go to Maidenhead And talk of sports and makes of cars In various bogus Tudor bars A bitter, satirical type of humour is used throughout Slough, We will write a custom essay sample on The main theme of the poem Cynddylan specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The main theme of the poem Cynddylan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The main theme of the poem Cynddylan specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough It isnt fit for humans now Slough almost welcomes the idea of being bombed, hence friendly bombs, or the author does Perhaps he thinks it will improve it. Full of sarcasm and resent, it isnt funny as such, more critical or comedy of manners style. Slough is very critical about the actual town, which is defined as basically a hole Mess up the mess they call a town. The two poems by Thomas are neither humorous nor sarcastic but occasionally in Cynddylan, a slight sense of resent is apparent because it is dealing with progress and change. It may be that Thomas is somewhat unsure about advancing technology and perhaps is afraid of change. Thomas was a reverend in a small farming community in Wales, so any changes such as a member of the village acquiring a tractor would have a big affect on everyone. As he was a religious man, God and parallels from the bible appear in his poetry especially in Soil as poetry would have been a way of expressing his opinions and views. Slough was written around the time of the second world war whereas Thomas poems are dated earlier than that. Although this is the case, there is no generation gap between the poems. Of course, apart from the fact that the war referred to in Slough had not occurred when Soil and Cynddylan were written. Again, Thomas was a religious man and this is reflected in his poems, for example, his opinion that man came from the soil and will ultimately return to it is shown with the line the blood seeps home to the warm soil from which it came. The main theme of the poem Cynddylan is progress and it is likely that Thomas felt threatened by this subject. This may be because he thinks people might neglect their faith when things like technology influence them and that they might prefer the new tractors of the world to religion Hes a new man now, part of the machine. Machines such as the tractor do not rely on the things that say, the plants in Soil do (mainly the sun) and because of the independence of the machines they are above nature, like God. In Slough the author is apparently un-threatened by progress, although he does comment on the possible affects of it; Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans, Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Famous Quotes from Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman

Famous Quotes from Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Willy Loman, the titular character in Death of a Salesman, spent his whole life pursuing what he thought was the American Dream. The play deals with themes of reality and illusion as a family struggles to define their dreams. It is one of Arthur Millers most famous plays and brought  him international acclaim. In 1949, Miller won the Pulitzer  Prize for Drama for this controversial play.    Quotes From Death of a Salesman Im the New England man. Im vital in New England. (Act 1)Hes liked, but hes not well liked. (Act 1)The man who makes an appearance in the business world, the man who creates personal interest, is the man who gets ahead. Be liked and you will never want. (Act 1)The man knew what he wanted and went out and got it! Walked into a jungle and comes out, the age of 21, and hes rich! (Act 1)I dont say hes a great man. Willie Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never in the paper. Hes not the finest character that ever lived. But hes a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him. So attention must be paid. Hes not to be allowed to fall in his grave like an old dog. Attention, attention must finally be paid to such a person. (Act 1)A small man can be just as exhausted as a great man. (Act 1)Before its all over were gonna get a little place out in the country, and Ill raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens... (Act 2)You cant eat the orange and throw the peel away - a man is not a piece of fruit. Act 2 After all the highways, and the trains, and the appointments, and the years, you end up worth more dead than alive. (Act 2)I realized what a ridiculous lie my whole life has been. Act 2Ive got to get some seeds. Ive got to get some seeds, right away. Nothings planted. I dont have a thing in the ground. (Act 2)Biff: Pop! Im a dime a dozen, and so are you!Willy: I am not a dime a dozen! I am Willy Loman, and you are Biff Loman! Act 2Im gonna show you and everybody else that Willy Loman did not die in vain. He had a good dream. Its the only dream you can have - to come out No. 1 man. He fought it out here, and this is where Im gonna win it for him. (Act 2)

The Conceptual and Theoretical Fundamentals of Management Information Thesis

The Conceptual and Theoretical Fundamentals of Management Information in Public Procurement - Thesis Example Organizational Preparedness 82 6.3. Management Information Cockpit and Its Impact on Public Administration Management 85 6.3. Impact of IM Cockpit to Administrative Performance, Efficiency, Effectiveness and Sustainability 88 6.4. Summary 90 Chapter 7 - Conclusion 91 7.1 Contributions of the Thesis 91 7.2 Implications of the Thesis 92 7.2.1 Implications for Theory 92 7.2.2 Implications for Public Administration Organizations and Information Technology 92 7.2.3 Implications for Future Researches 93 7.3 Limitations of the Thesis 94 7.4 Final Conclusion 94 Bibliography 95 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction Private and public partnership (PPP) is a recent phenomenon that seeks to breakdown the traditional barriers existing between the private and the public sector.1 PPP is an arrangement wherein â€Å"public sector bodies enter into long-term contractual agreements in which private parties participate in, or provide support for, the provision of infrastructure, and a PPP project re sults in a contract for a private entity to deliver public infrastructure-based services.†2 Several forms of transactions have been established within the parameters set by PPP and some of which are build-own –operate, buy-build-operate and others. Nonetheless, regardless of the structure of the established partnership what is integral is the rationale behind the partnership and that is to provide quality services to the public with decrease costs and minimal risks on the government. In this regard, the public-private partnership is geared towards creating the social dynamics and mechanisms that will enhance the functioning of the civil society, thus, establish a better rendering of the public goods.3 However, the relationship between the public and the private are not... Several forms of transactions have been established within the parameters set by PPP and some of which are build-own –operate, buy-build-operate and others. Nonetheless, regardless of the structure of the established partnership what is integral is the rationale behind the partnership and that is to provide quality services to the public with decrease costs and minimal risks on the government. In this regard, the public-private partnership is geared towards creating the social dynamics and mechanisms that will enhance the functioning of the civil society, thus, establish a better rendering of the public goods. However, the relationship between the public and the private are not just modified by the phenomenon of PPP, it has also been re-shaped by advancements in technology. Advancements in information and computer technology (ICT) have tremendously affected all sectors of society including the in which the government render its services to the citizenry. People now demand quality service from the government, similar to the services given by the private sector. ICT developments have innovated the concept of service by proving the vehicle wherein 24/7 customer service is available to the public. This development is a welcome change as it provides the venue where the government can reach the citizenry and vice-versa anytime, anywhere.

Career Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Career Decision Making - Essay Example It’s within a holistic paradigm that career counseling must work to aid the individual in resolving their personal relationship conflicts to achieve a more holistic lifestyle, as this will allow them to more clearly advance with their career decision making. In these regards, it’s clear that the theoretical approach most relevant to this case study is Hansen’s integrative life planning approach. According to Hansen’s theory, there is a series of four assumptions that must be incorporated into life planning decisions (Niles, & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2008). Hansen states that one of the central tasks individuals must accomplish is, â€Å"weaving our lives into a meaningful whole† (Hansen, as cited in Niles, & Harris-Bowlsbey, pg. 85). In these regards, it’s clear that Hansen’s integrative life planning approach considers not simply one’s direct choice in deciding on one career over another but also posits that any substantial life decis ion must be made in terms of the holistic effect it has on all aspects of the individual’s life. Hansen also indicates that an individual must consider their career goals in terms of life purpose and spirituality. When examining Douglas’ decision-making dilemma it’s clear that social aspects have hindered his ability to progress with his career decisions. In examining Douglas’ dilemma it seems clear that in deciding on one career choice will have a tremendous effect on another aspect of his life, namely the relationship with his parents. I think a highly relevant and notable point of discussion was when the counselor framed the career discussion in terms of the client’s siblings. While it’s clear that the client had been strongly influenced by his parents’ work ethic, working a series of jobs and seemingly having a very career-centric life, the emphasis on her siblings’ decisions contributes greatly to decisions that he might make in terms of career advancement, or purpose and meaning.

Commencement Speech for UH-Windward Class of 2023 Essay

Commencement Speech for UH-Windward Class of 2023 - Essay Example Hope that a bright future, filled with vast opportunities lies ahead. Fear that I might be entangled in the web of conflicting and confusing intricacies of professional and personal goals that none might end up accomplished. Anxious of achieving all my dreams and aspirations at once. Grateful for all the people who have, in one way or another, gave support and understanding during my incessant quest to gain more knowledge in preparation for my dream career. And relieved that my academic nightmares have finally ended. I stand here, for you today, not so much as a professional forensic photographer, but more so as a professional traveler in life who fought to delve into a career which I loved against all odds. And is it all worth it? I have absolutely no intentions to bore you to death and make you all samples of my forensic expertise. My career as a forensic photographer was all what I imagined it would be when I first dreamed of it more than twenty years ago. As you can see, the most challenging hindrance then, was my physical disability. But this seemingly detrimental barrier became my most redeeming factor which catapulted me to succeed. Impossible? Dreams and aspirations come from one’s mind and heart. When one is utterly determined to reach one’s goals, no barrier or hindrance can stand in the way. First lesson: know your goal and pursue it with valor. I am sure you all have different dreams and endeavors. Most of you have already made plans to go into careers of your choice. Some might still be ambivalent as to the specific directions. But, I am sure you have encountered people, situations, factors that block your path for success. I have encountered a lot. The Vocal Rehabilitation Officer at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Les Sakuma, (God bless his soul – although he still shares earthly pleasures with us), advised me to pursue a degree in Business Management or Computer Science, of which I have already had

Organizations group jobs and work functions into groups Essay Example for Free

Organizations group jobs and work functions into groups Essay 1. Chapter 7 addresses organizational structures (how organizations group jobs and work functions into groups). For example, a hospital may have hundreds or thousands of employees while a private physician’s office may have just a few employees. For the organizations below, describe which organizational structure they would likely use and why: †¢ A small physician’s office Smaller hospitals tend to have much simpler organizational structures. small business can use one of three primary organization structure options: functional, divisional or matrix. Essentially, the organizational structure creates a business hierarchy to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the business operations. Different small businesses operate in different ways, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution every small business should choose for an organizational structure. You can, however, determine which of the most common structures works for your business. Functional When you establish a functional organizational structure, you are building a hierarchy based on the job role of each employee. Functional organizational structure groups together employees who work toward a common goal. For example, all of your marketing employees would be in the same group. Even if you only have two or three employees who fulfill the marketing role of your small business, you would structure it so one person is in charge, such as the vice president of marketing. His team would consist of a marketing manager and a public relations manager. The functional structure provides focus to the employees, because they know they are working toward a common goal. In this example, the common goal is marketing and promoting the business. Divisional Divisional organizational structures decentralize the functional  organizational structure because the roles of the employees are divided by product or region, rather than function, within your business. For example, you could divide the United States into four divisions: north, east, south and west. Each division would then have its own employees. This provides each region with specialist in each area for that region. If your business sells different products, you can also separate roles by the product under a divisional organizational structure. Matrix Matrix organizational structures combine the characteristics of a functional and divisional organizational structure. The matrix organizational structure works more like a team. Instead of department heads, each team has a leader. Matrix organizational structures bring together employees who focus on a project, but fill different roles from across your business. The matrix organizational structure has the most decentralization, which means it can confuse employees about who is in charge. The matrix organizational structure is appropriate if your business operates on an international level, or serves different geographic regions. Trial and Error Many small business owners start off by structuring the business by trial and error, or in a haphazard manner. You could start the business with just you and an assistant until you learn more about the roles employees must fill within the organization. Changing Structures When your business starts small and then grows, it is not uncommon to start with one organizational structure and then transition to another structure. For example, if your business starts out by only serving the local city where the business operates, but eventually serves the state, you might start with one structure and change to another one to better fit the needs of your business and its customers. †¢ A hospital with one large facility in a city Large hospitals have complex organizational structures The organization structure of the HR department should comprise of the Director as head, HR manager, Assistant Managers and a number  of HR executives looking after recruitment; training;safety, security, general administration, labor, vigilance , government regulations and legal issues. The health care organizations also need to have a strong grievance redresal mechanism both for the staff and users of the facilities. This should be built inbuilt in the HR policy.Human Resource Management is the process of bringing people and organizations together sohe medical staff is a formally organized unit within the larger hospital organization. The president or chief of staff is the liaison between the hospital administration and members of the medical staff. Typically, the medical staff consists primarily of medical physicians, but it also may include other doctoral-level professionals, such as dentists and psychologist that the goals of each are met. The nursing division usually comprises the single largest component of the hospital’s organization. It is subdivided by the type of patient care delivered in the various medical specialties. These nursing units are composed of a number of patient beds grouped within a certain area to allow centralization of the special facilities, supplies, equipment, and personnel pertinent to the needs of patients with particular conditions. †¢ A major, nationwide insurance company The right structure and leadership to drive success. They are fortunate to have strong and committed leaders to help us deliver on their priorities and achieve their long-term vision for success as one company serving the needs of the members and business partners.† They can aid in decreasing the insurance coverage charges and support the person to figure out every single possible way to minimize premiums and increase protection. Most insurance businesses offer bundled deals where a person can merge more than 1 kind of coverage collectively so as to receive a discounted quality volume. The advantages include a one insurance policy service provider to make contact with and pay, as well as an reasonably priced plan for all your needs. If a person isnt asking the questions they feel ought to be answered, then the person is not actually getting the aid they want. When working with an agent or broker, take the time to satisfy that the agent or broker is experienced in a variety of kinds of insurance. Most states need licensing examinations and continuing education for  insurance producers. Question about these accreditations, knowledge in the discipline and any other variables that are crucial to you. 2. Chapter 17 addresses communication and information technology management. One of the common issues in any workplace is the quality and effectiveness of communications. Email is a form of personally addressed written communication that is common in nearly all work places. While people like using email, there are also drawbacks. Explain the pros and cons of using email messages. The pros of email are: It demands attention,which helps ensure that the receivers pay attention. Has enabled many workers and managers to become telecommuters, people who are employed by organizations and work out of offices in their own homes. Able to reach large numbers of receivers. The cons of email are The growing abuse of email. Employees sexually harras coworkers through email, and divorcing spouses who work together sometimes sign their spouses name to email and send insulting or derogatory messages to the spouses boss. Top managers also complain that sometimes their email is clogged with junk mail. Problems with email systems also happen alot. Unlikely feedback. Information overload.

Life After Brain Injuries Essay -- Biology Essays Research Papers

Life After Brain Injuries: Are We Still the Same People? During the summer of my junior year, a friend of mine, we will call her "Jen", got into a horrible car accident. Apparently sitting in the middle of the backseat, only strapped in with a lap belt, my friend hit her head on the side window, smashing the window upon impact. After 3 weeks of being in a coma, my friend eventually recovered. Even though she was deemed "physically" healed, my friend was truly never the same. Not only had her demeanor and interests changed, but also it seemed as if she had become a completely different person after her accident. I thought it very sad at the time, because the friends who had been close to her before were no longer close. I did not understand what they meant when they said that she had become a different person. Certainly, I realized that she had changed, but I could not fathom that she was now so different that they could no longer treat her like the old "Jen". I believed that this new "Jen" was still the same person as before-that the inner soul with which they had become friends had never and, indeed, could never change. However, after reading Descartes' Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain, by Antonio R. Damasio, I regret the harsh judgments I made about "Jen's" friends. Dealing with someone who has suffered from a tremendous change in personality is not as easy as one would expect. Descartes, a famous philosopher, once made the statement, "Cogito ergo sum" (6). Like, Descartes, I previously believed that a separation between the mind and one's body existed. I believed that the mind of an individual was his or her soul and that the brain and body were just the machinery used to share that soul with the outside worl... ...rror, New York: Avon Books, Inc., 1994, a great book with much about Phineas Gage and other Brain injury victims 6) Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing Co., Inc., 1998, can't read one without the other! 7)Athiest Site, a site dedicated to atheism that explores some of the questions this paper raises http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/atheism/brain.html 8)American University, a site outlining the neurospychology of emotion http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/www.american.edu/bfantie/teaching/neuropsych/fundamentals/lectures/emotion.html 9)University of Northern Iowa, a site dedicated to the effects of different injuries to the brain http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro02/web2/www.uni.edu/walsh/front.html

A Comparative Study Of Australian Indigenous And Non Indigenous Education Essay

Australia has a prominent discontinuity between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous life expectancy, educational achievement and employment opportunities. (Coag. gov. au. 2014) There is a pressing need for an Australian Indigenous Education Reform. This need for reform is especially necessary in remote and northern, socially disadvantaged Australian communities where attendance rates are low, along with low academic outcomes by Australian national standards. This reform needs to ensure consideration of Indigenous cultural needs and wants. The aim of this paper is to discuss the disparity between Australian Indigenous and Non-Indigenous persons’ Education and make recommendations based on the effectiveness of current reforms in place to minimise the inequality between the two demographics. The paper will look at attendance statistics of school aged children in primary school and high school, completion statistics of highest school qualifications completed, highest non-school qualification obtained and employment statistics for full time and part time Indigenous and non- Indigenous workers The most recent government implemented strategy will be briefly evaluated. Along with this, recommendations will be made. These suggestions can hopefully be modified and implemented in countries that have an inconsistency their in nationwide education statistics. Placing high importance on the improvement of Australia’s Indigenous and Non-Indigenous education disparities will create a ripple effect and improve Indigenous health and employment opportunities. Children who attend school on a daily basis will be exposed to health and wellbeing syllabus, putting their knowledge into practice within their community. Indigenous Primary school children with regular attendance will have an easier transition into secondary school, with the improved likeliness of achieving a higher non-school qualification thus positively affecting the distribution of workers in society. For the purpose of this paper, the following tables bellow will be referred to and the information within will be used to support and stimulate discussion. INDIGENOUS SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDINGS 3 TO 5 YEARS OF AGE AGE MAJOR CITY REMOTE AREA VERY REMOTE AREA 3 31% 12% 14% 4 63% 59% 55% 5 87% 77% 70% Table 1 Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713. 0). This table shows the percentage of three to five year old Indigenous children attending an educational institution such as a preschool or primary school in a major city, remote or very remote area. As expected, the attendance decreases as remoteness increases. There isn’t much disparity with the four and five year old age group’s attendance, however less than half three year old Indigenous children in a major city attend an educational facility in a major city and then this figure almost halves again when looking at children in very remote areas. INDIGENOUS SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDINGS 15 TO 17 YEARS OF AGE AGE MAJOR CITY REMOTE AREA VERY REMOTE AREA 15 77% 67% 53% 16 60% 49% 34% 17 44% 29% 16% Table 2 Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 4713. 0) The results in this table are noticeably alarming. In remote and very remote areas, 50% or under of Indigenous teenagers from the ages of fifteen, sixteen and seventeen years are attending school. If only 16% of seventeen year old Indigenous students are attending high school, then there is a very low chance of young Indigenous persons graduating from the final year of high school. In major cities, not even half of Indigenous seventeen year olds are attending high school. It’s highly unlikely that with an attendance rate is only 44% from seventeen year olds in major cities, that many of those students will continue on to complete a non-school qualification. HIGHTEST LEVEL OF SCHOOL COMPLETED BY INDIGENOUS SATUS AND AGE AGE GROUP 18-24 25-34 35-54 55 and over total Indigenous Highest Level (%) Year 12 or equivalent 32 28 15 8 19 Year 11 or equivalent 14 13 9 2 11 Year 10 or equivalent 25 26 34 16 28 Non-Indigenous Highest Level (%) Year 12 or equivalent 71 68 76 27 45. Year 11 or equivalent 10 9 12 7 10 Year 10 or equivalent 13 16 29 26 24 Table 3 Source: Population Characteristics, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, 2006 (cat. no. 4713) The information gathered in the above table shows that the highest school level qualification of Indigenous people is Year 10 or the equivalent and for Non-Indigenous people its Year 12 or equivalent. As assumed, for Indigenous persons, the amount of Year 12 completions declines with age. Indicating that perhaps, programs put in place to support Indigenous education has been effective. However, overall, only 19% of Indigenous persons have completed Year 12. Further studies showed that 14% of Indigenous people had completed Year 8 or the equivalent as their highest school qualification. This was exactly double the amount of Non-Indigenous persons who had completed Year 8 or the equivalent and only 5% lower than the amount of Indigenous persons who completed Year 12 or the equivalent. The disparity between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous young people (age 18 to 24 years) who have completed Year 12 of equivalent is a huge 40%. These statistics of the highest school qualification received reflects on the results of highest non-school qualifications. . Indigenous (%) Non-Indigenous (%) Males Females Males Females Higher than a Bachelor degree 1. 0 1. 4 5. 9 5. 9 Bachelor degree 2. 9 5. 0 14. 3 16. 8 Advance Diploma or Diploma 3. 1 5. 3 7. 8 10. 3 Certificate III and IV level 15. 8 8. 3 25. 8 8. 5 Certificate I and II level 1. 4 2. 5 0. 7 1. 6 Certificate not further defined 1. 2 2. 0 1. 4 2. 7 Not stated or inadequately stated 17. 6 13. 9 6. 2 7. 3 No non-school qualifications 57. 1 61. 7 37. 9 46. 8 PERSONS AGED 26-64 YEARS WITH A NON-SCHOOL QUALIFICATION BY INDIGENOUS STATUS AND GENDER. Table 4 Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006 This table displays the non-school qualifications achieved by Indigenous and Non-Indigenous males and females. Following on from the highest school qualification results, it was not surprising to find that more Non-Indigenous Australians had received certificates III and IV, diplomas, advanced diplomas and Bachelor degrees or higher. It was disconcerting to note that more than 50% of Indigenous males and females had no non-school qualification. The majority of both Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians had completed a certificate III or IV. Further research showed that Indigenous persons living in major cities, when compared to those in regional or remote areas, were more than two and a half times more likely to complete a non-school qualification (39% and 15% respectively). However, strangely for Non-Indigenous persons with a non-school qualification in remote communities, there was not a disparity as larger between those that lived in major cities (58% for major cities and 48. 6% for remote areas. LABOUR FORCE STATUS BY INDIGENOUS STATUS Indigenous Total (%) Full Time Employment 27. 7 Part Time Employment 16. 6 Non-Indigenous Full Time Employment 50. 0 Part Time Employment 19. 1 Table 5 Source: 2006 Census of Population and Housing, Australia, 2006 The above is a small overview of the overall percent of full time and part time employment for Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. ABSENTEEISM Days Absent Total Days School Terms Missed Years of School Missed 1 day per week 451 9 2 years, 1 term 1. 5 days per week 676. 5 13. 5 3 years, 1. 5 terms 2 days per week 902 18 4 years, 2 terms 3 days per week 1353 27 6 years, 3 terms 5 weeks per term 1127. 5 22 5 years, 2 terms Average 5 days per term 220 5. 5 1 year, 1. 5 terms Average 10 days per term 440 11 2 years, 3 terms ABSENTEEISM OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME Table 6 Source: Cycles For Success DETE, SA, 2002 p. 44. The above table calculates the impact of absenteeism over a long period of time, highlighting the severity of prolonged absenteeism. Even a child who only has 5 days off a term, every term can be affected; they will miss a total of 1 year and 1. 5 terms, that’s a lot of curriculum covered in that time. An abridged version of Reasons for prolonged absenteeism from School attendance and retention Of Indigenous Australian students. †¢ Parental-condoned absenteeism, parents failing to accept their legal responsibilities †¢ Poor parental/carer attitudes towards schools †¢ Insufficiently valuing education †¢ Inadequate welfare support practices, especially in the early years of schooling †¢ Inconsistent approach to absenteeism between and within schools †¢ Unsuitable curriculum for some pupils †¢ Too few out-of-school/alternative curriculum places †¢ Bullying, peer pressure, ‘cool’ to skip school †¢ Lack of career aspirations and low self esteem †¢ Inconsistent policies and practices of local schools, education welfare services and schools’ policy documents on attendance †¢ Inconsistent referral policies between schools. †¢ Local unemployment, poverty, poor community facilities †¢ Differences between boys’ and girls’ aspirations and achievements (Purdie & Buckley, 2010) MOST RECENTLY ANNOUNCED GOVERNMENT STRATERGY In December, 2013 Indigenous Affairs Minister Scullion released an announcement of a new two- year strategy to improve Indigenous school attendance. â€Å"A child attending school 70 per cent of the time is not receiving a proper education. A recent COAG report on education showed there had been no improvement in attendance of Indigenous students over the past five years and in some areas it is going backwards. It is horrific to think that in the Northern Territory, only 13 per cent of kids are attending school 80 per cent of the time. This has to change. † Minister Scullion said the two-year strategy, which is in addition to strategies discussed by COAG last week, would improve school attendance by engaging local people in each community to get kids to school. $28. 4 million will be provided over two years to: ? Employ Attendance Supervisors to manage and develop up to five School Attendance Officers in each community ? Appoint School Attendance Officers through the Remote Jobs and Communities Programme (RJCP) to work with families to get kids to school. Five officers will be engaged for each 100 enrolled children (scaled to suit local situations) ? Provide support for children to attend school with funds from the Indigenous Communities Strategic Investment and Community Development Funds for uniforms, vehicles and office space† Schlievs, M. (2011). Evaluation of Two Year Strategy RECOMMENDATIONS Introduce vocational training within schools Vocational training should be encouraged at a school level. It not only provides a post school pathway into a non-school qualification, but it provides incentive for everyday attendance and a valid reason to participate in school. Students who don’t intend on completing year 12 can obtain a non-school qualification before they leave high school, providing them with a means to enter a non- school qualification post-high school if they so wish. It will also allow students to go straight into employment post school. Schools can be set up to accommodate VET (Vocational Education and Training) and VCAL (Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning). These structured programs run in schools allow high school aged children to engage in ‘hands-on’ learning in the classroom with small assessment tasks leading to a certificate. Many Australian Indigenous communities are low socioeconomic areas; if their high schools operate these programs within the school they are providing a financially viable way for students to review a non-school qualification. Adapt curriculum to incorporate Indigenous cultural needs and wants Many Indigenous students have poor attendance because the school curriculum does not appeal to them, their family or their communities’ culture. To have students actively engaged in school, both attendance and their education, the school syllabus needs to reflect the environment the children live in. Simple adoptions can make a large difference to a child’s education. For example, ensuring the level appropriate reading lists has Indigenous story books. There are a large range of Australian Indigenous children’s picture books and novels for older children that are written by Indigenous authors and based in Indigenous communities. If a child is reading a book with a setting they’ve never encountered before, it will become difficult to engage the child in activities and it will become easier for the child to become disinterested in their education and as a result their attendance will decrease. Art and storytelling are prominent features of Australian Indigenous culture, so is spending time exploring the natural environment and learning valuable lessons from community Elders in regards to understanding the natural resources in the area, such as edible plants. Unfortunately, these skills the children acquire in their home life aren’t reflected in school curriculum, making the children and their families feel not only that their culture isn’t valued, but attending school isn’t relevant to them and their community lifestyle. Encouraging more parent participation in children’s schooling It is easier for a child to attend school if the parent or guardian encourages, supports and helps further their education in the home. When parents are stringent on their child’s attendance, it assists the school in having the child attend each day. For a parent to be involved in the child’s formal learning, they must be a involved with the school community. Schools and educators acknowledge that learning first comes from the home, and in the case of Indigenous culture, it comes from the wider community. It would be very fitting for the school in Indigenous communities to run community days and activities in which the children and their families can participate, making it easier for families to accept the school as part of the community. Financial assistance outside of school educational assistance Indigenous students can miss large portions of school during the time of Sorry Business. When Aboriginal people mourn the loss of a family member they practice Aboriginal death ceremonies, or Sorry Business. The family will leave the community for an extended period of time, and if they choose to return to the community, they will move houses. This can cause a large amount of absence for a school child, or if they move to a new community, they may never enrol back into school again. It’s difficult for a child to catch up on such a prolonged absence. If, as part of the national plan for lack of Indigenous student absences, a funded educator could assist children a community centre, such as a religious place, health centre of community recreation centre to catch up on missed school work, it would be most beneficial. This program could also be used to provide extra assistance to children who are falling behind in their school work, before they decide it’s too difficult and never return to school. Initiatives such as this are respectful to the culture, but also combat the issue of students not returning to school after prolonged absence. CONCLUSION It is important to first discover what is causing the problem, before deciding on a strategy to solve a problem. Indigenous communities need to find out from their youth what would encourage them to attend and be engaged at school. Education is a foundation for any community, whether it is developed or developing. In the case of Australian Indigenous communities, school ages education doesn’t only assist a person achieve a qualification, it is important for social development, encouraging health and wellbeing in a community and will enhance future employment opportunities. There is a pressing need for an Australian Indigenous Education Reform. This need for reform is especially necessary in remote and northern, socially disadvantaged Australian communities where attendance rates are low, along with low academic outcomes by Australian national standards. This reform needs to ensure consideration of Indigenous cultural needs and wants. Any recommendations that have been made, can be adapted to assist with similar situations in various countries with remote education being behind the national benchmark in major cities. REFERENCES Abs. gov. au. (2014). Indigenous statistics for schools. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. abs. gov. au/websitedbs/cashome. nsf/4a256353001af3ed4b2562bb00121564/95ed8 14872649b0dca25758b000314ef! OpenDocument [Accessed: 12 February]. Abs. gov. au. (2014). Indigenous statistics for schools. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.abs. gov. au/websitedbs/cashome. nsf/89a5f3d8684682b6ca256de4002c809b/5cd416 49a06a3033ca25758a0080249e! OpenDocument [Accessed: 20 February 2014]. Coag. gov. au. (2014). Closing the gap in indigenous disadvantage | council of australian governments (coag). [online] Retrieved from: https://www. coag. gov. au/closing_the_gap_in_indigenous_disadvantage [Accessed: 20 February 2014]. Daretolead. edu. au. (2014). Attendance: research and approaches. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. daretolead. edu. au/RES_IS_ATT [12 February 2014]. Ferrari, J.. (2012). Reforms failing to close indigenous schools-gap. The Australian. Humanrights. gov. au. (2014). Statistical overview. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. humanrights. gov. au/publications/statistical-overview-aboriginal-and-torres-strait- islander-peoples-australia-social [Accessed: 12 February 2014]. Indigenous. gov. au. (2013). Minister scullion: government unveils plan to get remote indigenous children back to school | indigenous. gov. au. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. indigenous. gov. au/minister-scullion-government-unveils-plan-to-get-remote- indigenous-children-back-to-school/ [Accessed: 12 February 2014]. Kearns, K. (2010). The business of childcare. Frenchs Forest, N. S. W. : Pearson Australia. Kearns, K. & Austin, B. (2007). Birth to big school. Frenchs Forest, N. S. W. : Pearson Education Australia. Mychild. gov. au. (2014). Programs for indigenous families | mychild. [online] Retrieved from: http://www. mychild. gov. au/pages/FamiliesProgIndigenousFam. aspx [Accessed: 3 January 2014]. Purdie, N. & Buckley, S. (2010). School attendance and retention of indigenous australian students. issues paper no. ERIC. Schlievs, M. (2011). Aboriginal children in remote areas ‘missing school for weeks’. The Australian, September.

Deception Point Page 92

Through the darkness, a staccato burst from the nose of the chopper sent a torrent of bullets chewing across the Goya's fiberglass deck, slashing a line across the stern. Rachel dove for cover too late and felt the searing slash of a bullet graze her arm. She hit the ground hard, then rolled, scrambling to get behind the bulbous transparent dome of the Triton submersible. A thundering of rotors exploded overhead as the chopper swooped past the ship. The noise evaporated with an eerie hiss as the chopper rocketed out over the ocean and began a wide bank for a second pass. Lying trembling on the deck, Rachel held her arm and looked back at Tolland and Corky. Apparently having lunged to cover behind a storage structure, the two men were now staggering to their feet, their eyes scanning the skies in terror. Rachel pulled herself to her knees. The entire world suddenly seemed to be moving in slow motion. Crouched behind the transparent curvature of the Triton sub, Rachel looked in panic toward their only means of escape-the Coast Guard helicopter. Xavia was already climbing into the chopper's cabin, frantically waving for everyone to get aboard. Rachel could see the pilot lunging into the cockpit, wildly throwing switches and levers. The blades began to turn†¦ ever so slowly. Too slowly. Hurry! Rachel felt herself standing now, preparing to run, wondering if she could make it across the deck before the attackers made another pass. Behind her, she heard Corky and Tolland dashing toward her and the waiting helicopter. Yes! Hurry! Then she saw it. A hundred yards out, up in the sky, materializing out of empty darkness, a pencil-thin beam of red light slanted across the night, searching the Goya's deck. Then, finding its mark, the beam came to a stop on the side of the waiting Coast Guard chopper. The image took only an instant to register. In that horrific moment, Rachel felt all the action on the deck of the Goya blur into a collage of shapes and sounds. Tolland and Corky dashing toward her-Xavia motioning wildly in the helicopter-the stark red laser slicing across the night sky. It was too late. Rachel spun back toward Corky and Tolland, who were running full speed now toward the helicopter. She lunged outward into their path, arms outstretched trying to stop them. The collision felt like a train wreck as the three of them crashed to the deck in a tangle of arms and legs. In the distance, a flash of white light appeared. Rachel watched in disbelief and horror as a perfectly straight line of exhaust fire followed the path of the laser beam directly toward the helicopter. When the Hellfire missile slammed into the fuselage, the helicopter exploded apart like a toy. The concussion wave of heat and noise thundered across the deck as flaming shrapnel rained down. The helicopter's flaming skeleton lurched backward on its shattered tail, teetered a moment, and then fell off the back of the ship, crashing into the ocean in a hissing cloud of steam. Rachel closed her eyes, unable to breathe. She could hear the flaming wreckage gurgling and sputtering as it sank, being dragged away from the Goya by the heavy currents. In the chaos, Michael Tolland's voice was yelling. Rachel felt his powerful hands trying to pull her to her feet. But she could not move. The Coast Guard pilot and Xavia are dead. We're next. 111 The weather on the Milne Ice Shelf had settled, and the habisphere was quiet. Even so, NASA administrator Lawrence Ekstrom had not even tried to sleep. He had spent the hours alone, pacing the dome, staring into the extraction pit, running his hands over the grooves in the giant charred rock. Finally, he'd made up his mind. Now he sat at the videophone in the habisphere's PSC tank and looked into the weary eyes of the President of the United States. Zach Herney was wearing a bathrobe and did not look at all amused. Ekstrom knew he would be significantly less amused when he learned what Ekstrom had to tell him. When Ekstrom finished talking, Herney had an uncomfortable look on his face-as if he thought he must still be too asleep to have understood correctly. â€Å"Hold on,† Herney said. â€Å"We must have a bad connection. Did you just tell me that NASA intercepted this meteorite's coordinates from an emergency radio transmission-and then pretended that PODS found the meteorite?† Ekstrom was silent, alone in the dark, willing his body to awake from this nightmare. The silence clearly did not sit well with the President. â€Å"For Christ's sake, Larry, tell me this isn't true!† Ekstrom's mouth went dry. â€Å"The meteorite was found, Mr. President. That is all that's relevant here.† â€Å"I said tell me this is not true!† The hush swelled to a dull roar in Ekstrom's ears. I had to tell him, Ekstrom told himself. It's going to get worse before it gets better. â€Å"Mr. President, the PODS failure was killing you in the polls, sir. When we intercepted a radio transmission that mentioned a large meteorite lodged in the ice, we saw a chance to get back in the fight.† Herney sounded stunned. â€Å"By faking a PODS discovery?† â€Å"PODS was going to be up and running soon, but not soon enough for the election. The polls were slipping, and Sexton was slamming NASA, so†¦ â€Å" â€Å"Are you insane! You lied to me, Larry!† â€Å"The opportunity was staring us in the face, sir. I decided to take it. We intercepted the radio transmission of the Canadian who made the meteorite discovery. He died in a storm. Nobody else knew the meteorite was there. PODS was orbiting in the area. NASA needed a victory. We had the coordinates.† â€Å"Why are you telling me this now?† â€Å"I thought you should know.† â€Å"Do you know what Sexton would do with this information if he found out?† Ekstrom preferred not to think about it. â€Å"He'd tell the world that NASA and the White House lied to the American people! And you know what, he'd be right!† â€Å"You did not lie, sir, I did. And I will step down if-â€Å" â€Å"Larry, you're missing the point. I've tried to run this presidency on truth and decency! Goddamn it! Tonight was clean. Dignified. Now I find out I lied to the world?† â€Å"Only a small lie, sir.† â€Å"There's no such thing, Larry,† Herney said, steaming. Ekstrom felt the tiny room closing in around him. There was so much more to tell the President, but Ekstrom could see it should wait until morning. â€Å"I'm sorry to have woken you, sir. I just thought you should know.† Across town, Sedgewick Sexton took another hit of cognac and paced his apartment with rising irritation. Where the hell is Gabrielle? 112 Gabrielle Ashe sat in the darkness at Senator Sexton's desk and gave his computer a despondent scowl. Invalid Password – Access Denied She had tried several other passwords that seemed likely possibilities, but none had worked. After searching the office for any unlocked drawers or stray clues, Gabrielle had all but given up. She was about to leave when she spotted something odd, shimmering on Sexton's desk calendar. Someone had outlined the date of the election in a red, white, and blue glitter pen. Certainly not the senator. Gabrielle pulled the calendar closer. Emblazoned across the date was a frilly, glittering exclamation: POTUS! Sexton's ebullient secretary had apparently glitterpainted some more positive thinking for him for election day. The acronym POTUS was the U.S. Secret Service's code name for President of the United States. On election day, if all went well, Sexton would become the new POTUS. Preparing to leave, Gabrielle realigned the calendar on his desk and stood up. She paused suddenly, glancing back at the computer screen. Enter Password:_ She looked again at the calendar.

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics The field of statistics is divided into two major divisions: descriptive and inferential. Each of these segments is important, offering different techniques that accomplish different objectives. Descriptive statistics describe what is going on in a  population  or  data set. Inferential statistics, by contrast, allow scientists to take findings from a sample group and generalize them to a larger population. The two types of statistics have some important differences. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics is the type of statistics that probably springs to most people’s minds when they hear the word â€Å"statistics.† In this branch of statistics, the goal is to describe. Numerical measures are used to tell about features of a set of data. There are a number of items that belong in this portion of statistics, such as: The average, or measure of the center of a data set, consisting of the mean, median, mode, or midrangeThe spread of a data set, which can be measured with the range or standard deviationOverall descriptions of data such as the five number summaryMeasurements such as skewness and kurtosisThe exploration of relationships and correlation between paired dataThe presentation of statistical results in graphical form These measures are important and useful because they allow scientists to see patterns among data, and thus to make sense of that data. Descriptive statistics can only be used to describe the population or data set under study: The results cannot be generalized to any other group or population. Types of Descriptive Statistics There are two kinds of descriptive statistics that social scientists use: Measures of central tendency  capture general trends within the data and are calculated and expressed as the mean,  median, and  mode. A mean tells scientists the mathematical average of all of a data set, such as the average age at first marriage; the median represents the middle of the data distribution, like the age that sits in the middle of the range of ages at which people first marry; and, the mode might be the most common age at which people first marry. Measures of spread  describe how the data are distributed and relate to each other, including: The range, the entire range of values present in a data setThe  frequency distribution, which defines how many times a particular value occurs within a data setQuartiles, subgroups formed within a data set when all values are divided into four equal parts across the rangeMean absolute deviation, the average of how much each value deviates from the meanVariance, which illustrates how much of a spread exists in the dataStandard deviation, which illustrates the spread of data relative to the mean Measures of spread are often visually represented in tables, pie and bar charts, and histograms to aid in the understanding of the trends within the data. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistics are produced through complex mathematical calculations that allow scientists to infer trends about a larger population based on a study of a sample taken from it. Scientists use inferential statistics to examine the relationships between variables within a sample and then make generalizations or predictions about how those variables will relate  to  a larger population. It is usually impossible to examine each member of the population individually. So scientists choose a representative subset of the population, called a  statistical sample, and from this analysis, they are able to say something about the population from which the sample came. There are two major divisions of inferential statistics: A confidence interval gives a range of values for an unknown parameter of the population by measuring a statistical sample. This is expressed in terms of an interval and the degree of confidence that the parameter is within the interval.Tests of significance or hypothesis testing  where scientists make a claim about the population by analyzing a statistical sample. By design, there is some uncertainty in this process. This can be expressed in terms of a level of significance. Techniques that social scientists use to examine the relationships between variables, and thereby to create inferential statistics, include linear regression analyses,  logistic regression analyses,  ANOVA,  correlation analyses,  structural equation modeling, and survival analysis. When conducting research using inferential statistics, scientists conduct a test of significance to determine whether they can  generalize their results to a larger population. Common tests of significance include  the  chi-square  and  t-test. These tell scientists the probability that the results of their  analysis of the sample are representative of the population as a whole. Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics Although descriptive statistics is helpful in learning things such as the spread and center of the data, nothing in descriptive statistics can be used to make any generalizations. In descriptive statistics, measurements such as the mean and standard deviation are stated as exact numbers. Even though inferential statistics uses some similar calculations - such as the mean and standard deviation - the focus is different for inferential statistics. Inferential statistics start with a sample and then generalizes to a population. This information about a population is not stated as a number. Instead, scientists express these parameters as a range of potential numbers, along with a degree of confidence.

How to lose weight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How to lose weight - Essay Example The major causes of obesity and overweight includes increased intake of foods with high energy density, such as sugars and unsaturated fats. Another cause of obesity is leading a sedentary or physically inactive lifestyle, especially in people consuming foods with high energy and fat contents (WHO 2). There are various methods of losing weight including exercises, controlling dietary intake, taking diet pills among other techniques. This paper discusses on how to lose weight through exercises and controlling dietary intake. According to WHO, the rate of obesity in developed countries has risen more than three times since 1980 mainly because of increased consumption of foods that have high energy density, such as sugars and saturated fats(2). These poor eating habits are accompanied with reduced physical activity, because of engaging in passive working environment or aversion to physical exercises. Currently, gaining excessive weight is not limited adults alone. Steer and Jebb noted that an increasing number of school going children are affected with the condition that has reached epidemic levels in the world. Thus, the high rate of obesity is a clear indicator of the changing behavioral patterns of different communities in the world. Although genetic composition determines vulnerability of a person to gain weight, energy balance in the body is influenced by the amount of calories in the diet and the physical activity .Changes in the society such as high economic growth, urbanization, liberalization of food markets and advance in technology are some of the factors that have acerbated the epidemic. In addition, technology has resulted in the production of automated transport, passive entertainment and leisure activities at home, which require less physical activities (WHO 2). According to Steer and Jebb, controlling the amount of calories in food that we eat is one of the most practical ways of losing weight. People of

Discussion Questions Week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Discussion Questions Week 5 - Essay Example They select fruit juice. Passing the grocery shelves to explore options, the consumer sees fruit juice on the Sunshine label and picks up the bottle only to realize in the post-purchase situation that the product did not fulfill their needs. The ethical problem in this situation is one of being misled and the company should reconsider new positioning tactics which are low cost and easy to incorporate. Instead of focusing on the product’s attributes, a new positioning tactic should be decided which focuses less on the product and more on quality. Rather than calling Sunshine a fruit juice, it could be marketed as a quality fruit juice substitute to undo any negative public relations damage done by the consumer and government groups. In this situation it was probably not an intentional deception, however the company does maintain the responsibility to be as truthful as possible to avoid losing customers and reputation. Technology impacts marketing in a variety of ways, including how quickly the marketing message can be received by the consumer as well as how many consumers can be reached. For example, in a form of mass advertising, e-mail and mobile handset devices can target willing buyers who have already shown an interest in the product by signing up for auto promotional alerts. Those consumers who might have visited the company’s website can receive exclusive coupons, as another positioning strategy, to build loyalty in a way that the bricks-and-mortar sales environment could not. Technology also impacts methods and activities of distribution, as new software programs designed to enhance internal warehousing functions can minimize labor costs associated in the supply chain or any other number of cost reductions. More efficient external partners can minimize the risks and costs of marketing. This is an important improvement when marketing budget is on the line. From a business to business view, technology such as the VoIP, or voice