Leadership Plan to Facilitate Prof. Dev. focusing on BrainSMART Essay

Initiative Plan to Facilitate Prof. Dev. concentrating on BrainSMART methodologies - Essay Example A portion of the cerebrum practices that is important for individuals at various features of life confronting various issues are likewise examined. Cerebrum learning framework has become a significant instrument in the possession of teachers for expanded proficient advancement of the understudies. Through this framework iit is conceivable to improve fixation, cooperation, social aptitudes, language capacity, capacity to communicate thoughts eyc could be improved a great deal. So as to utilize this framework, the teachers must be appropriately prepared and ought to comprehend the idea driving this. Be that as it may, a large portion of the instructors are unconscious of this reality and a considerable lot of them dislike interfacing this to the exercise plans. Examination has uncovered that it is conceivable to expand the levels or scores of the understudy by consolidating this framework into the study hall directions.( Chiappetta, 2009). Administration is a quality, which could be created by appropriate mind works out. This is a quality that require colossal capacity to impart, comprehend feelings of the individuals, control one's own feelings, social communication, abilities for discourse and to get the consideration of crowd. The accomplishment in this perspective relies upon how cerebrum is preparing the knowledge and through legitimate mind practices it is conceivable to improve IQ of an individual and along these lines his administration capacity (Dickmann and Stanford-Blair, 2002) The mind research has begun going full speed ahead after the advancement of innovations for electroencephalograms, positron discharge tomography, practical attractive reverberation imaging and so on, which have empowered researchers around the globe to comprehend the progressions that are occurring in the cerebrum at every single second. The mind practices have been consummated dependent on such examinations and accordingly are solid. An individual, regardless of whether he is an understudy or a representative at a lower level or a business official, he could profit a great deal from cerebrum works out (Dickmann and Stanford-Blair, 2002). The general points of interest of doing cerebrum activities could be summed up as follows (Bailey, 2009). It would build the capability of the mind by improving the range of consideration, increment social aptitudes and improve social conduct and it would diminish battle for power. In this way it would help in building bonds with individuals as opposed to upset it. The vast majority of the psychological incapacities could be veiled by mind works out. Various understudies have distinctive learning style. The educator ought to permit the understudies to embrace their learning style to learn. This is on the grounds that an understudy who is learning in their own learning style would have the option to learn better and the subject would be increasingly significant to her/him (Conyers and Wilson, 2005, p.45). In this manner it is significant that the instructors ought to see how mind influences learning and consolidate their insight in the homeroom with the goal that the spot would be viewed as a protected spot by understudies and would prompt positive improvement sincerely and socially. There are five diverse learning styles for any understudy (Given, 2002), which ought to be comprehended by the instructors for making them to learn all the more adequately. They are

How Different Leadership Styles Affect Workspace Performance Essay

How Different Leadership Styles Affect Workspace Performance - Essay Example It is very hard for one individual to deal with a huge gathering without managing the components referenced previously. In any case, the way objective hypothesis sets a reasonable reason for guaranteeing that each individual from the gathering gets an opportunity at performing as well as could be expected and getting the awards for it. Likewise, nature in which the medical attendants work is very assignment based and has a conventional power framework that suits the way objective style. The pioneer can lead by coordinating, supporting, defining objectives or advancing cooperation among the individuals from the group, contingent upon the subordinates' needs. Thusly, the subordinates gain understanding and fulfillment in their work. This initiative style is ordering utilizes power. Cook would be providing requests to the subordinates and anticipating that them should follow these requests intently and follow up on them right away. The tone that Cook would utilize is upper-given and she could be heard requesting to do what I instruct you to do. Cook would screen the subordinates work execution intently. As she would like to think, the subordinates don't settle on educated choices. The discussions and cooperations are chilly, brief and for the most part business related. This style imparts dread in the subordinates and Cook would inspire them through compromising ways. Legitimate Leadership Style In spite of the fact that this style may appear to be exceptionally negative, it has a positive methodology in light of the fact that the style permits the subordinates to investigate and find approaches to accomplish the objectives. It rouses the workers. Cook would lead by genuine models and she could be heard unhesitatingly saying, accompany me. As she would see it, the subordinates are people with an energy to accomplish objectives. The discussions and cooperations are empowering and inspiring. Cook would propel the workers by urging them to perform better. Affiliative Leadership Style Cook would empower the group by having group building endeavors to make agreement. In Cooks assessment, individuals start things out. In any case, whenever utilized unreasonably, Cook could choose not to see the missteps that the subordinates make. The correspondences and associations are amicable and go past work issues. As it were, the subordinates are persuaded through the agreement and feeling of having a place that the initiative style creates.â

Theres More to Life Than Tooling

There’s More to Life Than Tooling The most exciting series of words you can ever hope to hear out of an MIT students mouth are these: You know what would be awesome? followed shortly by Waitwe could actually do this. These words are exciting, because MIT students take awesome and we can to a whole new level. And thats why this story starts with that question. Julie H. is a senior in Mechanical Engineering, who arrived at MIT thinking that her musical days were over. Courtesy of the HASS-D requirement, she ended up taking Harmony and Counterpoint in her sophomore year and is now double-majoring in Music. She discovered a love for composition, and, since shes always loved musical theater, began to throw around the idea of writing a musical but, in her words, it was sort of a pipe dream and she never expected it to happen. Famous last words. This IAP, Julie joined the Musical Theater Guild (MTG), and was Assistant Music Director for their performance of Jekyll and Hyde. One day, at an MTG party, magic happened. Rachel B. 11: You know what would be awesome? A musical about hacking at MIT. Julie: Ive been looking to write a musical! If you decide to do that, I will totally write music for you. *Cue lots of joking around* *Pause.* Waitwe could actually do this. And it was thus that Hack, Punt, Tool, the musical, was born. Julie even managed to find an advisor, and have the project count towards her music major as an independent study. Work began on February 6: Daniel L. 12 writing lyrics, Rachel B. 11 and Zach B. 13 writing the script, and Julie writing the music. Every Tuesday evening, they meet from 10pm to 1am, along with other MTG members who are keen to lend ideas. Today, MTG held their selection process, which occurs in two rounds. In the first round, people suggest any number or shows (usually around 30), and these are narrowed down to 4-6 shows for each production period. Anyone who has been in an MTG show in the past year can come, and cast his or her vote. There are four slots fall, IAP, spring, summer and the crew hoped that Hack, Punt, Tool would be chosen for fall or IAP. Guess what? Julie will learn the trip from Connecticut to Boston very well next year, because shes going to be doing a lot of commuting. Thats right: Hack, Punt, Tool was selected to be performed during IAP. Hooray! A little blurb about the storyline, in case youre curious a freshman comes to MIT, keen to get involved in the hacking community. All he wants to be is hardcore (there is, in fact, a song called Hardk0re*), but learns that there is more to hacking than that. *Spelled like that. Now you HAVE to come see the show. Ill let a quick excerpt speak for itself (from the song: Theres More To Life Than Tooling): Theres more to 8.01 Than getting p-sets done Studying alone youll find it rough But in a group youll find That with your minds combined The hardest problem never seems that tough. Yeah. Pretty awesome. But as awesome as the product is, it cant compare to its creator. Youve heard a gajillion times that MIT students are time management ninjas, but this takes ninja to a whole new level. Julie is a senior, which means that springtime is thesis time. I asked her what else shes been up to while writing this musical. I almost wish I hadnt. Well, Im writing my thesis, which is in product design. Im taking 2.72 Elements of Mechanical Design where we design and build our own lathe. Im taking Senior Seminar in Music, where we wrote a 20-page research paper on a field of our interest in music, and 2.674, which is a nanotechnology lab. Oh, and Im in Concert Choir. I think thats it. *Silence* Oh, and Im president of RoboCup. Yeah, no big deal. Its not like building autonomous soccer-playing robots would take up any time at all. It takes a special sort of person to successfully juggle that many commitments, but what has impressed me above class titles and thesis projects and musical endeavors has been Julies smiley face. Shes NICE. AND CHEERFUL. ALL THE TIME. ITS INCREDIBLE. There have been sleepless nights and what I would imagine has been a mind-bending amount of stress, but it never shows, and I admire her for that more than I can do justice to here. As I write, shes sitting at her computer behind me, singing. So, know this: music exists at MIT. At any given time, 30% of the student body is enrolled in a music class*. We have a Pulitzer Prize-winning professor who wrote an opera that premiered at the Metropolitan Opera. Working with the Musical Theater Guild is, according to Julie, the most fun shes ever had at MIT. *Credit to Daniel L. (lyricist and tour guide) for this statistic So, if you get the chance to be around campus during IAP 2012, swing by during the last weekend of January and the first weekend of February, and bear witness to what happens when a few dedicated undergraduates pool their brains and energy together, and turn what would be to what is. See the result of an unbelievable amount of hard work and understand what I mean when I say that, to me, Julie has redefined what it means for there to be more to MIT life than tooling.

Capital Punishment The Death Penalty - 1878 Words

Introduction This research paper focuses on capital punishment (also known as the death penalty) and the issues surrounding it. It involves death that is the termination of an individual’s existence. The paper portrays death penalty as a significant yet divisive issue in the United States, especially in a deliberate exercise of it. Various arguments concerning the subject are also precisely evaluated. Comparing both sides of the argument, I don’t tacitly agree with the practicing capital punishment and that justice is not upheld while exercising it. Only citizens are mandated to decide how to punish criminals so as to preserve the security of the community. The decision comes with the responsibility for determination of factors and†¦show more content†¦Capital punishment has always been practiced in the United States since the colonial times. It is a penalty carried from England, even though Americans narrowed the scope. For a very long time capital punishment, has been a c ontentious issue. The abolition or narrow down efforts date back to the Revolutionary era which is the birth of the Nation. Some states have since managed to abolish it completely, whereas others merely reserved it for murderers. Since the Nation was born, capital punishment has always been an acutely controversial matter. Various motives have been articulated even as advancements in arguments against and for are made. The heated controversy can’t be explained on the basis of differences over the practicality of wisdom. Even though the death penalty is a government policy the battle is waged on morality and ethics. On various occasions, the country has witnessed debates on whether the society should deliberately put some of its members to death, yet the supremacy and values of the land have a life as their pillar. Just like in other nations, the United States have seen the struggle surrounding capital punishment is based on beliefs, dignity of the people. The other hand of the struggle is based on vengeance and beliefs in the retribution that are the results of scientific studies of human behaviors or conduct. The layman’s arguments, however, were products of the democratic movements in the eigh teenth century.

Essay on The Outsider by Albert Camus - 1536 Words

The Outsider by Albert Camus BACKGROUND: ‘In our society,’ wrote Albert Camus, ‘any man who doesn’t cry at his mother’s funeral is liable to be condemned to death.’ This may seem a bewilderingly dramatic, almost self-indulgent sort of assertion, but it is one which Camus brought to life in The Outsider, and to frankly devastating effect. The Outsider has become something of a cult classic over the years, especially in undergraduate circles. It inspired The Cure’s ‘Killing an Arab’, a song which attracted a degree of controversy when it was (wrongly) assumed to advocate racial violence. The Outsider itself has also been subject to an array of assumptions and misconceptions, particularly with regards to its philosophical project. In my†¦show more content†¦In practical terms, this amounted to the avoidance of what Sartre was to term ‘Mauvaise foi’, or Bad Faith. Over-simplifications are unavoidable here, so to summarise; to live in B ad Faith is to exist in a state of intellectual sloth and emotional dishonesty. It is to define oneself, not according to one’s own humanity, autonomy and free will, but according to a role (doctor, waiter, parent, husband) or a collection of roles, or as an object with a prescribed role in the collective, societal machine. CAMUS’ philosophical position amounts to very much the same thing, but he places particular emphasis upon the notion of the ‘absurd’. He found his ultimate metaphor for the absurdity of the human condition in the myth of Sisyphus, who, according to Greek mythology, was punished by having to roll a stone up a mountain for all eternity, only to have it roll down to the bottom again. Once God is escorted from the equation, human life is revealed in its full absurdity. The only appropriate response to this is to recognise life for what it is, and to live accordingly, with knowledge, passion and above all, freedom. The essence of this philosophical project is discernible within the second part of The Outsider, but is presented with a simplicity and literary restraint that renders its premise all the more forceful. It is a philosophical novel, butShow MoreRelatedAlbert Camus-the Outsider1194 Words   |  5 PagesO’Brien. First published in French as L’Etranger in 1942, Albert Camus’ The Outsider addresses the constrictive nature of society and what happens when an individual tries to break free from the conformity forced upon him by staying true to himself, and following his own ideal of absolute truth and sincerity in every action. Propelled more by the philosophy of existentialism and the notion of the absurd than plot and characters, Camus’ novel raises many questions about life, and answers themRead MoreThe Outsider By Albert Camus1139 Words   |  5 PagesAlbert Camus’ novel The Outsider follows a young French Algerian, Meursault, who lives his day to day life detached from the rest of the world. Along with his indifference towards others, Meursault has alienated himself from society with his absurdist ideas and blatant honesty. Camus has structured the novel into two parts. In Part I we see Meursault’s routines, habits and general reactions to daily events around him. At the end of Part I Meursault kills an Arab man whi ch eventually leads to hisRead MoreThe Outsider by Albert Camus Analysis of Themes672 Words   |  3 Pagesresonance of Camus’s philosophical notion of absurdity. In his essays, Camus asserts that individual lives and human existence in general have no rational meaning or order. However, because people have difficulty accepting this notion, they constantly attempt to identify or create rational structure and meaning in their lives. The term â€Å"absurdity† describes humanity’s futile attempt to find rational order where none exists. Though Camus does not explicitly refer to the notion of absurdity in The StrangerRead MoreA Outsider Of The Stranger By Andre Gide And Albert Camus1850 Words   |  8 Pages Andre Gide and Albert Camus seemingly had much in common. Both were French-speaking Nobel Prize winning writers with deep ties to France’s African territories and strong anti-establishment tendencies who sought to cast off the burdens society foisted upon them. Yet their as best evidenced by their respective best-known texts, Gide’s L Immoraliste (The Immoralist) and Camus’ L’Étranger (The Stranger). While both novels center around aloof young men hostile to the norms that society foists upon themRead MoreThe Outsider, by Albert Camus and The Assault, by Harry Mulisch1380 Words   |  6 PagesCamus and Mulisch present that the past and present are interrelated. The authors do this through the two characters, Meursault and Anton. Through Meursault, we see that his past actions affect the outcome of his trial. Through Anton, we see that his present situation constantly brings him back to his past despite him trying to escape it. Thus the authors stylist ically link the past and present to demonstrate that they are inevitably related, where certain events are unavoidable or the past is undeniableRead More Comparing Story Openings of Bleak House by Charles Dickens to The Outsider by Albert Camus954 Words   |  4 PagesAt the opening of the story The Outsider, the writer Albert Camus places time in the wrong order. This creates the impression that we are seeing into the characters thoughts rather than a story being told to us. It works very effectively as the paragraphs are spontaneous and not in any form of order, thus creating a mental picture in our heads of one or two day?s worth of events, as if we were remembering them ourselves. This, however, does not apply to Bleak house. Dickens does not use any formRead More Comparing Albert Camus The Stranger (The Outsider) and Jean-Paul Sartres Nausea2131 Words   |  9 PagesLack of Order in Albert Camus The Stranger (The Outsider) and Jean-Paul Sartres Nausea  Ã‚   Nausea, by Jean-Paul Sartre, and The Stranger, by Albert Camus, refuse to impose order on their events by not using psychology, hierarchies, coherent narratives, or cause and effect. Nausea refuses to order its events by not inscribing them with psychology or a cause for existence, and it contrasts itself with a text by Balzac that explains its events. Nausea resists the traditional strategy of includingRead MoreComparison of How Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in the Outsider Have Used Moral Issues to Develop Their Works1599 Words   |  7 PagesComparison of how Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in The Outsider have used moral issues to develop their works It is debatable whether morality is a code of conduct that is considered right by society or whether it is a code unilaterally decided upon by an individual. When we consider morality as a tool used by both Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in The Outsider, this debate holds immense relevance. Wonderful Fool, heavily influenced by Christian doctrine, addressesRead MoreComparison of How Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in the Outsider Have Used Moral Issues to Develop Their Works1612 Words   |  7 PagesComparison of how Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in The Outsider have used moral issues to develop their works It is debatable whether morality is a code of conduct that is considered right by society or whether it is a code unilaterally decided upon by an individual. When we consider morality as a tool used by both Shusaku Endo in Wonderful Fool and Albert Camus in The Outsider, this debate holds immense relevance. Wonderful Fool, heavily influenced by Christian doctrine, addressesRead MoreThe Outsider1524 Words   |  7 Pagesof an extract from pages 14 to 15 from The Outsider by Albert Camus Word Count: 1,378 I have decided to focus on an extract from chapter 1 of Albert Camus’ The Outsider as I feel this extract is highly significant as it serves as a device of exposition to develop Meursault’s, continuously judged, character and provides foregrounding for the rest of the novel. The prose style throughout this extract allows Camus to convey his philosophy of the absurd and portray

Youths Today Are Too Obsessed Free Essays

Totally agree! Youth today are too easily obsess with all kind of thing, not only material thing but also idol, games, something that may attracted their attention. E. g. We will write a custom essay sample on Youths Today Are Too Obsessed or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"American idol† A new generation has come of age, shaped by an unprecedented revolution in technology and dramatic events both at home and abroad. They are Generation Next, the cohort of young adults who have grown up with personal computers, cell phones and the Internet and are now taking their place in a world where the only constant is rapid change. Did you think anything about your dream, your health or your family; forget about computers, it’s just material things. WHAT IS OBSESSION? It’s a passionate feeling of fascination that often quickly evolves into domination. One who becomes obsessed does so out of a lack of self worth or self esteem. The person they are obsessed with is their object of self worth. They believe that this person, as their mate, will bring value to their life. This person also believes they have very little value, which adds to the need to have a mate with value. Even if it’s imagined. Materialism Many people these days se em to have their priorities out of line. They seem to put way too much emphasis on material things such as money, jewellery, toys, games, and other things that they think will bring happiness. They feel that these things will make them happier in life and will make them live better lives. There sure are a lot of problems with that theory. So why is it that so many people are stuck in the train of thought of materialism and in an obsession with material things? Here are some ideas. Many people are lonely and feel that this will keep them entertained and happy and make them feel better and fill the hole that they feel. They don’t understand the importance of people in their lives so they try to fill the emptiness with materials thinking that it will make them happy and fill that gap. Another reason is that they just want to show off to people how much they have and own. They think that this will make them a better person because they own these things and that the more they have the better off they are. They believe that it’s a race to see who can have the most things, because whoever has the most, is somehow the best. Something is clearly wrong there. Also, many people are insecure, and are obsessed with what other people think of them. They don’t comprehend that they are who they want to be and who they become. They instead, rather believe that they are who other people claim that they are and therefore try to get as many cool things as possible, or beautiful things, to make other people wow at what they have. They feel like if other people think that what they have is awesome, then that must mean that they are an awesome person. It is tough for many people to get out of that train of thought. Finally, a lot of people do it without thinking. They are just caught in the wave of people who are materialistic. If they see something cool, they feel that they have to get it and don’t completely think through whether or not they need it. Of course, this isn’t the situation for all people. Some people just like the look of jewellery or like certain things or collecting items as a hobby. However, for a lot of people they are becoming lost in materialism and need to find the real things that make them happy and not the fake things. They need to locate the big ideas of life and find what truly makes them happiest. If you liked this article, a great book to read would be: The Gospel According to Larry. It is a book on materialism and a boy who tries to fight for a non-materialistic world movement. Trend toward something In this and other countries we tend to have an obsession with â€Å"youth† – especially for females. We have grown into a truly youth obsessed society, and the cosmetic, food, beverage, and supplement offerings are proof of the incredible market there is for anti-aging beauty products. There’s a glut of marketing that targets the beauty consumers, where the same products in many of these campaigns can do so much more for our health. Case in point: years ago there was an herbal product that claimed to treat and prevent gray hair. The product was originally formulated to lower cholesterol. During their research, they found that the product not only lowered cholesterol, but a considerable amount of test subjects lost their gray hair. What angle could they take? Health, vanity, health, vanity, health, vanity†¦ not surprisingly, they focused their marketing campaign on the gray hair aspect, not on the cholesterol treatment. I don’t disagree with their logic. Now that I have a few gray hairs, I want to track down this product. I can’t remember what I ate for dinner last week, yet I can remember a beauty product from well over a decade ago. How’s that for case in point? ***As an example, why if I send a bunch of teenage or youth to a village or a country without taking any entertainment gadget such as computer and even cell phones, they certainly will get bored. I love fashion but I’m not obsess with it Things are like this because people are corrupted by society. For many years, we are geared towards wanting the best things, the hottest spouses, and the shiniest sports cars–all so that we can have the bragging rights. By being able to boast about your wealth gives you power. Ultimately, power is what we all want–being able to tell people what to do so that we get what we want, when we want it, and the way we want it. Material objects that cost a mother lode makes us feel good when have it in our possession–a Louis Vuitton bag or a Lamburgini are so damn expensive that when we do have one to flaunt, we feel like we are at the top of the social hierarchy because vitrually no one else can have what you have. YOU can afford the expensive stuff, not â€Å"other people. In short, it’s all about greed, pride, lust, and corruption. Clearly, the world is messed up. Reasons Why youth today tend to obsess with material things. â€Å"How long can you go with out using an electrical device? How long would you go without power? Does your bank account reflex your narcissistic materialism or need for survival. The answers to those questions would be a good gauge of whether â€Å"we† are obsessed. † Good points nicshack. Our culture seems to be obsessed with the acquiring stuff and things. We have a very consumptive economy and ecology and we need to make some fundamental changes on a wide spread social and philosophical level or we might be in trouble as a species. Here’s what it boils down to: because we live on this slightly tilted planet Earth, revolving a certain distance from the star Sol, life as we know it can exist and flourish and grow and change and fill this great big Universe with life and light and hope. We owe it to ourselves as a species, our children, and our ancestors; to nurture and live in harmony with our planet and fellow life. So you have to ask yourself, do you help life continue and grow? Or do you tear things apart and consume for the sake of consumption to try to fill a hole that should be filled with love and empathy? I know it sounds really heavy and pedantic, but we seriously need to wake up and evolve, break the cycles of destruction in all forms, and start building and learning. It all comes from self satisfaction. People live their lives feeling very unsatisfied, there are always desires. These desires are a very unskilful attempt at becoming happy. When people become obsessed with material things, it is out of fear – if they already possess the matter, they don’t want to lose it because they feel without it, they will be unhappy. Other people desire and cling to money and what not because they feel that if they have it, they will be happy. But in both cases these people are driven by fear. Fear is heads on the coin, Desire is tails. Both complement each other. When people compare, they do this because they’re attempting to please the self-identity that they carry of themselves, the idea they have of themselves, of who I am. If the I is better off than others, they feel happy. And if it isn’t, they feel that they have to gain more material goods. The reason, primarily, is because we live in a capitalist society and is ‘taught’, from the moment we first enter society that the gaining of material wealth is our reason for being. The acquisition of status in our society comes from the striving for and gaining of wealth and the trappings associated with it. Once acquired, the structure or system we live within tells us that we require more to maintain our status and that, actually, we can never have enough. Karl Marx wrote about it in the Nineteenth Century. How many times a day are you bombarded with advertisements, telling you that you ‘need’ this, that or the other product? That if you don’t have it, you’re somehow missing out? While this may sound very obvious and simplistic, it’s the stuff we’re surrounded by all the time – constant messages informing us that our lives are in some way lacking or incomplete until/unless we have that house, this car, that phone, this brand, etc. We’re so used to it that we don’t question it. Zombie-like, we believe we ‘need’ these things – and that’s what keeps everybody on the same treadmill and all the multi-million dollar companies in business. Ways to solve your â€Å"bad habits†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"It’s like I have to buy things to validate myself. † It sounds to me like you get envious of other people’s possessions because you feel inferior or inadequate, and something in you believes that if you just had what they have, you wouldn’t feel inferior to them anymore. As far as how you can stop obsessing over material possessions, I think the root cause of your coveting other people’s things comes from your own feelings of inferiority and low self-esteem. I think that by building up your own self-esteem, you will be able to love yourself more as a person, completely independent of material possessions. Then when you see other people with nice things, you won’t feel like you need those nice things to be â€Å"as good as† that person, because you will know that you are a good person regardless of what you have. One of the best ways that a person can build self-esteem is by volunteering. Helping others actually helps you in ways that you would never anticipate until you do it. Try to find an organization that is close to your heart, and ask if they allow teenage volunteers to help out on weekends. Do you love animals? Volunteer at a pet rescue. Do you enjoy spending time with kids? Volunteer at a children’s hospital or in a church nursery. Do you feel for the homeless? Volunteer at your local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. There are also national organizations like the Ronald McDonald House, United Way, The Salvation Army, etc. ho helps people in the community and are always looking for volunteers to keep them up and running. By doing something that helps others, you will help build up your own self-esteem. You begin to see yourself as someone who is important to others, who is able to do something that is valuable and helpful to society. I can tell you from experience that even doing something as mundane as cleaning out kennels makes you feel important whe n you think about the reason WHY you’re cleaning those kennels – you’re helping that rescue save the lives of more animals that would otherwise be put to death. You are saving lives by doing something as simple as cleaning a kennel or taking a dog on a walk, and that makes you a seriously awesome person. When you see yourself in that light – as someone who is important to others, who is helpful to their community, who can give to others in a positive way – you will really begin to internalize those feelings and feel good about yourself as a person. Also, being able to see others who have a lot less than you will really put those materialistic feelings into perspective. When you go out to a rural community and hand out shoes and coats to kids who are walking around barefoot because their family literally cannot afford to put shoes on their feet, it really makes you think twice about what’s important in life. It can be a real good eye opener. I hope that helps! I don’t think you’re a brat, the fact that you said you don’t want to be a brat and don’t want to be shallow shows just how much you are not those things. Give yourself more credit, you already sound like a good person who is on the right track in life by trying to do the right thing. Other information that can be used It can seem, in the affluent parts of our globe, that to buy is our fortune. It could also be said that, if buying is good, more buying is better. Of course, we’re in the middle of an economic crisis and some folks might think we need moderation in interaction with the human-created marketplace—that we not treat it as some magically powerful entity that must be worshiped with human sacrifice. Are we completely obsessed with material possessions? Do they mean anything?. Here’s a representative sample of the comments: â€Å"An iPhone to match your sneakers? Sneakers to match your vest? † â€Å"I love clothes and dinners out with friends, and new shiny things but understand the completely vapid nature of these things. † â€Å"They only mean something if you let it mean something. If it makes you happy then buy it. † â€Å"Honestly, if you have the CASH to buy this stuff up front, go right ahead. † â€Å"Few people lie on their death bed and talk about that car they should have bought or that purse that they were so close to buying† â€Å"As someone below pointed out it does have a huge impact on making the world as we know it go round† â€Å"†¦yes we are obsessed, and its not a good thing. And yes, these things are important but shouldn’t be occupying our thoughts and efforts to the extent at which it is. † † Its all one big contest and a race to the finish line. Its a shame most people don’t stop and look around them more often. † I was happy to see, at least, a range of responses in the normally affluent participants on the site. I was very sad about a few of them: â€Å"If it makes you happy then buy it. †, â€Å"Honestly, if you have the CASH to buy this stuff up front, go right ahead. † Here’s where the idea of materialism brings up the idea of human sacrifice. Who suffers for the extraction of the raw materials needed to make all the fanciful things people buy? Who receives no help in their daily lives because they happen to live where the marketeers won’t put their markets? Who sweats away their days making the toys of the affluent? Who can any longer ignore that We are One Human Family and what hurts one hurts all ? Spiritual Quote: â€Å"Whether as world-view or simple appetite, materialism’s effect is to leach out of human motivation—and even interest—the spiritual impulses that distinguish the rational soul. For self-love,’ ‘Abdu’l-Baha has said, ‘is kneaded into the very clay of man, and it is not possible that, without any hope of a substantial reward, he should neglect his own present material good. ’ In the absence of conviction about the spiritual nature of reality and the fulfilment it alone offers, it is not surprising to find at the very heart of the current crisis of civilization a cult of individualism that increasingly admits of no restraint and that elevates acquisition and personal advancement to the status of major cultural values. The resulting atomization of society has marked a new stage in the process of disintegration about which the writings of Shoghi Effendi speak so urgently. â€Å"To accept willingly the rupture of one after another strand of the moral fabric that guides and disciplines individual life in any social system, is a self-defeating approach to reality. If leaders of thought were to be candid in their assessment of the evidence readily available, it is here that one would find the root cause of such apparently unrelated problems as the pollution of the environment, economic dislocation, ethnic violence, spreading public apathy, the massive increase in crime, and epidemics that ravage whole populations. However important the application of legal, sociological or technological expertise to such issues undoubtedly is, it would be unrealistic to imagine that efforts of this kind will produce any significant recovery without a fundamental change of moral consciousness and behaviour. † How to cite Youths Today Are Too Obsessed, Papers

Monitoring and Controlling Process in Project Management

Question: provide a detailed explanation reviewing how the knowledge gained in this course provided you with an understanding of an important face of a critical component of project management: monitoring and controlling the project during execution. How would you define successfully monitoring and controlling a project? What challenges do project managers face during monitoring and controlling? This paper will serves as the foundation for your discussion with your course instructor and possibly other students in Part 2 of this assignment. Answer: Meaning of Monitoring and Controlling Process in Project Management: Monitoring and Controlling method in the project management help the manager of the project to track the progression of the project. The main goals of monitoring and controlling the project are to measure the performance of the project and to track the progression of the project. With the help of monitoring and controlling technique, the manager of the project can manage the changes of the project and can also verify the workers. The monitoring and controlling of project help the management to verify the performance of the project (Heagney, 2012). This technique will also help the manager of the project to measure the quality of their performance. The management can make deliverables for the project to use the deliverables as a guideline of the project. This guideline helps the manager to track the progression of the project and can also measure the quality of the performance to execute the project plan. Monitoring the project and controlling the project can help the manager and the management people of the project to identify the risk factors involved in the project. With the help of this technique, the manager of the project can reduce all the risk factors involved in the project (Holzmann, 2013). The monitoring technique helps the management of the project to understand the costs required to complete the project, the risks factors involved in the project. The management can align the objectives of the business. The deliverables of the project present the status of the project to understand the progression report of the project. Fig 1: Monitoring and Controlling Process Sources: (Huemann, 2013) The controlling process of the project helps the manager of the projects to implement their plans to complete the project. The management of the project and the managers of the project develop a plan for the project and after developing the plan for the project, the manager tries to implement the plan during execution of the project (Huemann, 2013). While executing the plan in the progression of the project, the managers need to control their employees to perform better to complete the project in time. Monitoring technique and the controlling technique is an important technique to complete the project by maintaining the quality of the project. In each and every stage of the project completion process, the managers of the project should monitor the progress of the project and control the project to complete their work in time. The managers of the project use Key Performance Indicator to measure the progress the project and to track the progression of the project work (Indelicato, 2013). The key performance also helps the manager of the project to identify the risks factors involved in the project and also helps the manager to reduce the risks factors involved in the project. The main purpose of using the key performance indicator in the project is to maintain the project quality and to control the checkpoints of the projects. The key performance indicators also help to forecast the views of the projects outcomes. The Challenges Faced by the Manager of the Project during Monitoring and Controlling: Challenges Purpose Key Performance Indicator The key performance indicator helps to measure the progress the project and to track the progression of the project work. The key performance also helps the manager of the project to identify the risks factors involved in the project and also helps the manager to reduce the risks factors involved in the project (Levin, 2013). This technique helps to identify the problems but cannot explain the problems and challenges present in the project. Risk Management While working on the project, the project manager has faced lots of challenges. The vital challenges faced by the manager are the risk involved in the project. The risk involved is cost factors, the time management, and the resources. Sometimes the managers of the project have observed that there is the lack of resources to complete the project. The estimated budget has crossed the baseline and needed more money to complete the project. Due to lack of resources, the project may not be completed on time so the management of the project should generate more funds for the project to buy more resources to complete the project in time (Martinsuo, 2013). Post project challenges Due to lack of resources, the project may not be completed on time so the management of the project should generate more funds for the project to buy more resources to complete the project in time. Reference List: Heagney, J. (2012). Fundamentals of project management. New York: American Management Association. Holzmann, V. (2013). A meta-analysis of brokering knowledge in project management. International Journal Of Project Management, 31(1), 2-13. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.05.002 Huemann, M. (2013). Excellent research to move project management forward. International Journal Of Project Management, 31(1), 161-163. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.10.002 Indelicato, G. (2013). Total Quality Management for Project Management. Proj Mgmt Jrnl, 44(4), e1-e1. doi:10.1002/pmj.21351 Levin, G. (2013). Project Management for Non-Project Managers. Proj Mgmt Jrnl, 44(5), e2-e2. doi:10.1002/pmj.21362 Martinsuo, M. (2013). Project portfolio management in practice and in context. International Journal Of Project Management, 31(6), 794-803. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2012.10.013

China as an Economic Threat

Introduction Tremendous economic growth in China coupled by the â€Å"open door† policy adopted by the regime has presented Asian and Western nations with major trading and investment opportunities. Nevertheless, the size and political complexion of China together with its current rate of economic growth make it a potential threat for many countries (Hà ¤uslein, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on China as an Economic Threat specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As economic expansion continues in China, there is an increase in potential benefits and perceived threats of this phenomenal development by various countries. This essay will highlight China as an economic threat. Discussion According to Steinfeld (2010), China provides a dynamic economy in a world that is coming into terms with the effects of recession. Multinationals, western exporters, and investors are wary of the remarkable transformation the country has achieved since 1978. Before this year the role of China in the global economy was insignificant. The Americans are the most concerned over the increased economic strength of China. According to new surveys, most of the Americans want the U.S. leaders sturdy with the Asian giant on economic and trade issues. Moreover, a firm populace alludes to outsourcing of work and trade arrears as perturbing issues. Americans are more concerned of the trade and industry power of China and its incredible expansion than its martial prowess. The economy of the United States is bigger than China’s. China overtook Japan in the latest years and is currently the second economy. Nevertheless, China’s economy is growing at a more rapid rate than the economy of the United States. Even in the event of an economic slowdown, the economy of China registers an annual growth of more 7%. In contrast, the economy of the United States has an annual growth of 2% or 3% during a slowdown . According to Peerenboom (2007), the trade opening between the United States and China widen to $280 in the last year and experts predict that it will continue to widen in the coming years. Although the Americans consider the economic ascend of the Asian Nation as a risk, they consider several positive attributes to the population of China.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The majority of the Americans depict Chinese people as aggressive, creative, and assiduous. The Americans also consider that economic expansion will culminate in a democratic China. However, only a fraction of the American population designates that China can be relied on a fair amount or a great deal. A depiction of China’s economic condition (Source: Yee Storey, 2013) Another country equally bothered by the economic rise is Japan. Japan has been overtaken by China in the recent years as the second economic power after the United States. The Ministry of Trade, Economy, and Industry in Japan highlighted the need for cooperation with China rather than competing in global trade. The ministry advised that Japan was supposed to seek the creation of an innovative system, which would split the fiscal roles of the country and East Asia countries. This would progress effectiveness amid increased competition. According to a draft by the ministry, while the competition intensified between the rising economic giant and other countries in East Asia like Japan, the establishment of a system that would efficiently distribute labor within the Asian region would develop the region as a whole (Menges, 2005). The ministry of trade and economy in Japan sees China as a country that has improved competition in various industries, which vary from information technology, and textiles among other labor-intensive activities. The ministry sees China as the main production center in the world and the largest manufacturer in the world.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on China as an Economic Threat specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Costs of labor in the Asian nation, which are very low compared to Japan, have promoted investment by European, the United States, and various foreign companies in the manufacturing field. This has raised the economy of China in the recent years (Summers, 2012). A report by concerned authorities in Japan deemed the Chinese economy a mighty rival. This report added that the period in which Japan led other Asian countries in economic matters had ended and that the period of intense competition amid various nations had commenced. While the economy of Japan has remained stagnant for many years, the economy of its rival has roared ahead and is on the course of overtaking the economy of the United States. If China will become the next big producer, American companies will strive for inclusion. Failure to be included in the country’s manufacturing operations will lead to loss of competitiveness to EU firms and Japan (Ravenhill, 2006). The competition between top economies to get involved in China’s operations is similar to the scramble for influential spheres that occurred a century ago. However, there are numerous critical disparities from the scramble that happened a century ago. First, the reference outline for firms in America has changed. Industrial competition was between Industrial centers in Europe and the United States into the Chinese market to maintain local operations. During this period, exports were important. Yee Storey (2013) indicate that during economic competition, the basis for low cost manufacturing is to operate at full production. However, the output was deemed greater that consumption by the American market. Foreign markets were the only feasible locations for the disposal of surplus goods. This outlook was credited by the two decades of economic troubles that overwhelmed the United States at the later quarter of the last century. Various administrations in the North American economic giant have seen that exports only can save the United States economy with a limited potential for growth. This is the reason that the country has emphasized on China. However, the current China is not concerned about trade but investment. It is not only a market but also the largest production center in the world.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This is whereby the local needs are served by home factories. Meanwhile, the rivalry between international firms is not the same as with local industries. The companies base the rivalry on establishment of industries in times of low costs (Yee Storey, 2013). The interaction of changes in the status of China and change in commercial orientation leads to the current scenario. At the start of the 20th century, the country had a fragile government. At the start of the 21st century, the country has the sturdiest administration in the region with regard to its power. Beijing will manipulate the foreigners in corporate matters and use the wealth in the expansion of influence and strength to dominate political matters in Asia and beyond. China will embark on the strategy because the major element is that the country has not changed in a century. The location of industrial centers determines material balance between national bodies. The stance of China is formidable. The country has the lar gest population of hardworking people, large capital inflows, considerable resources, and a fascist regime that guides its operations. This regime guides the manner in which trade is conducted (Menges, 2005). Menges (2005) reveals that the associations between the United States and China, particularly on trade and industry issues, have been of foremost spotlight recently. The current United States’ government complained to the WTO that the Asian economic giant had made unlawful promotion of motor vehicle exports. This move undercut suppliers from the United States. Several of the key players typified the occasioning of this complaint as being politically engineered. In the light of this, most Americans thought that the 2012 elections would bring genuine changes to the relationship between the two economic giants. Obama’s competitor, Mitt Romney, who was the Republican candidate, had offered to take an aggressive position toward China. He has also promised to label the Asian nation a monetary manipulator and strike China’s exports to the country with numerous tariffs. Onlookers deemed his plans a formula for a trade confrontation between the two trade and industry giants. Conclusion In summary, the meteoric rise of China as an economic giant because of its economic growth coupled by an open door policy adopted by the regime has presented various countries with trading and investment opportunities. However, the political complexion and size of the country alongside its rate of economic growth have made it a potential threat for numerous countries. As the expansion of economy continues in China there is an increase in potential benefits and threats of China’s phenomenal development by a number of countries. Japan and the United States are the most threatened by the rise of China as an economic giant. References Hà ¤uslein, K. (2010 ). Is China an economic threat or boon to European trade? Munich: GRIN Verlag. Menges, C. (2005). China: The Gathering Threat: The Gathering Threat. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Inc. Peerenboom, R. P. (2007). China Modernizes: Threat to the West Or Model for the Rest? Oxford: Oxford University Press. Ravenhill, J. (2006). Is China an Economic Threat to Southeast Asia? Asian Survey, 46 (5), 653-674. Steinfeld, E. S. (2010). Playing Our Game: Why China’s Rise Doesn’t Threaten the West. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Summers, L. (2012). China: Imposing economic threat or unprecedented growth opportunity? Journal of Policy Modeling, 34 (4), 529–532. Yee, H., Storey, I. (2013). China Threat: Perceptions Myths. London: Routledge. This assessment on China as an Economic Threat was written and submitted by user Lilandra to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Gwen Harwood- Father and Child Essay Example

Gwen Harwood Gwen Harwood- Father and Child Essay Gwen Harwood- Father and Child Essay Gwen Harwood- Father and Child The ability of a text to be universally accepted in a range of contexts ultimately determines its textual integrity and appreciation. Gwen Harwood’s work draws from the inspiration of her context, her lifelong influences, primarily music, her childhood and religious beliefs. This can be identified through study of Gwen Harwoods poem, Father and Child that is able to be appreciated in a multitude of different contexts due to its universality and textual integrity. Gwen Harwood’s coherent use of form and language to produce an integrated whole in terms of meaning and value affirm the textual integrity of her work â€Å"Father and Child†. The poem delicately integrates a host of re-iterated universal motifs to produce the poem as a collective whole and confirms Gwen Harwood’s ability to transcend time in her poetry so that it can be accepted in a great deal of contexts. Perhaps the pivotal idea presented in the poem is time. Harwood has clearly articulated the concern for time passing by, and the loss of innocence that comes as a child gains experience, also reflecting the trademark interwoven Romantic style of her poetry. The structure of the poem further delves into this idea of the concern for time. The two symmetrical linked poems place emphasis on how time has moved on and separate childhood from adulthood. The constant use of enjambments reflect the passing of time and the ambiguity of where time disappears to in our vast existence. : Harwood’s use of structure and language affirm her ability to transcend time throughout her work, further enhancing its capability to be accepted in different contexts and upholding its textual integrity. A prominent aspect of the poem is the amalgamation of religions and biblical allusions ranging through multiple belief systems. Harwood’s integrated insinuations â€Å"horny fiend†, â€Å"times long promised land† that relate both to the Christian and Jewish religions, present all responders the opportunity to find their own personal interpretation and acceptance in her work. It is through her constant allowance of subjective understanding such as the religious undertones that the capacity of Gwen Harwood’s work continues to be appreciated in different contexts. This notion is additionally developed through the profundity of the inter-textual relationship of Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’. There is a lateral connection between Harwoods Father and Child, and William Shakespeares King Lear that can be appreciated through the inclusion of direct quotes such as â€Å"be your tears wet†. The ambiguity of the gender of the child is another important aspect of Harwood’s work that is linked to King Lear. It is through the extended allusions that the responder can fully understand the connection of the poem to the play and the link between the father/daughter relationship in both compositions. Through this integration it is evident that Harwood’s work can be appreciated in a multitude of contexts through its unified whole that maintains its textual integrity. Harwood develops a distinct motif of eyes and blindness echoed repeatedly through the story told in the poem. The repetition of the imagery of eyes is used to emphasise the importance of sight that becomes significant as the owl is unable to see in the day time. â€Å"Those eyes that did not see mirror my cruelty†. This powerful imagery used by Harwood exemplify how the child can see herself reflected in the dying eyes of the owl and expresses how the poem reveals the magic and consequences of childish acts and how experiences and discoveries during childhood delicately reshape the mind and character of a person, which can be noted through the change in Nightfall. The reflection she is mirrored by articulates her loss of innocence occasioned through this experience. The universal notion in the poem and a trait of Harwood’s work is the inclusion of music and musical allusions. Through music Harwood finds herself able to express what she cannot through plain words. The reference to a violin in the poem â€Å"you speak as if air touched a string near breaking point† is important in creating the idea of a dichotomous relationship between individuals, specifically herself and music. Harwood once again has successfully unified a universal motif to make her work able to be accepted in different contexts with different responders. As the character comes to accept the passing of time and how it in inevitable despite the authors ability to transcend it, the responder comes to understand the true delicacy of the story, how Harwood comes to terms with not only the passing of time but of her father and how he cannot make things right for her as he use to when she was a child. It is through this realisation that we can truly understand the essence of Harwood’s work and become aware how the textual integrity of her poetry remains definitive through time. The universal motifs mentioned above create a sense of ubiquity that provides the responder the opportunity to find an acceptable interpretation of her work

Business environment of UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business environment of UK - Essay Example Price is the key mechanism in this system. Changes in prices change the production and consumption patters and this system is dominated by private individuals and firms. On the other extreme, we have command economy system (John Sloman, 2002). This system is dominated by government's rules and regulations and government decide where to allocate resources, what to produce, how to produce and ration the produced resources accordingly. If we look at the economic system that is being followed in our Country (i-e England), we can clearly see that we follow a system that is a mixture of both private ownership and government control. This system is known as mixed economy and it combines the positives of both free-market and command economy. Like us, all the major countries like USA, Canada and France use this system. This system is considered as an ideal system for the businesses to thrive and government control establishes stability in the system. Macro-Economics concerns the working of an economy as whole. It provides various aims to the economy to work towards. Generally, these macro-economic aims include: Low inflation, Low unemployment, price stability and keeping balancing of payment. However, more often than not, economy moves away from these aims. To bridge this gap the government takes certain measures and actions. These actions are also known as instruments of macro-economics aims. England uses the following instruments to fulfill the macroeconomic aims. (McConnell and Brue, 2000) Monetary policy is deliberate manipulation of interest rates and money supply in the economy to fulfill the desired macroeconomic targets. Whenever there is inflation, it means that demand for good is higher than supply. In this case government usually raises the interest rate and reduces the money supply in the economy. This is known as deflationary monetary policy. When government uses this policy, less money is pumped into the economy and people now have less money in their hands to spend. Similarly, higher interest rates discourage them from borrowing from banks and this curtails their spending. When demand goes down, prices come down and inflation is taken care of. This policy also affects the business in adverse way. When government follows this policy, the businesses experience fall in their sales and some businesses might close down due to plummeting demand that this policy may lead to. On the other hand, when England is going through a period of recession, government helps b y starting an inflation fiscal policy to increase the aggregate demand in the economy. They lower interest rates and increase money supply in the economy. As a result of this policy people have more money to spend and businesses flourish as a result of high demand which is brought about by more supply of money in the hands of people and their ability to borrow money increases due to lower interest rates. This is how England's government uses the monetary policy to stimulate the aggregate demand. (Lipsey, 2003) Another instrument used by the government of England is fiscal policy. This includes varying tax rates and changing government expenditures in the economy to achieve desired targets. The Government of England usually increases taxes rates and lowers expenditure when faced with inflation. It again reduces the money that people have. As a

Adolescent health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Adolescent health - Essay Example In the OECD countries, 1 in 2 adult is overweight and 1 in 6 is obese. In some countries, the rate of overweight people is estimated to increase by a further 1% per year for the next 10 years (Robb, 2010). According to various surveys and statistics, 101,310 deaths were reported in UK due to Coronary Heart Disease, the leading cause of death for both sexes, in 2005. Cerebrovascular disease which is the second leading cause of mortality in U K killed 21,966 men and 35,902 women in 2005. Lung cancer was the third leading cause of death in U K which caused 7.15 % death rate in males and 4.65 in women in 2005 (Hawe, 2008) According to the Health Survey of England (2009) childhood and adult obesity have increased drastically over the past 30 years. In England, about 31.4% of boys and 28.2% of the girls are either overweight or obese in 2009. The well-established Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)  conducted a study on the effects of childhood obesity on proven card iovascular risk factors. The study showed that, in most cases childhood obesity is tracked into adulthood and onward; therefore, risk factors would already be present in youth will continue and finally increase risks for both cardiovascular events and diabetes in adulthood. (Logue and  Sattar, 2011) Figures from the report Statistics on Smoking: England 2010 showed that in 2009, smoking contributed to over 81,400 deaths per year in UK. The latest guidelines from the British Hypertension Society emphasize the importance of changing lifestyle choices in order to reduce the occurrence of serious cardio vascular events.( NHS, 2009) This paper emphasises the need of further action in childhood obesity control both at a population level by changing eating and exercise behaviours and at an individual level by reducing weight in a safe, successful way and thereby; reducing the risk of developing diabetes and cardio vascular diseases in adulthood. It also describes the campaigns and progra mmes arranged by public health institutions and other institutions for providing awareness about the hazards of tobacco, alcohol etc and also the necessity to follow a healthy diet from childhood in order to avoid the high risk of some diseases. Role of Public Health Services in Promoting Healthcare from early adolescents The National Health Service (NHS) Stop Smoking Services provides support to help people quit smoking. This includes intensive support through group therapy or one-to-one support provided by trained personnel, such as specialist smoking cessation advisors and trained nurses and pharmacists. During the period April 2008 to March 2009, 337,054 people successfully quit smoking with NHS Stop Smoking Services. The statistics proved that the success rate of quitting smoking increased with age, from 39% for those below 18, to 53% of those above 60. About 37% of those below 18 were failed in their quit attempt. (NHS, 2009) The Government is concerned about the increased rat e of obesity in U K. In 2007, the Government-commissioned Foresight report forecasted that 60% of men, 50% of women and 25% of children would be obese by 2050, if no action was taken. By considering the impact of obesity on people’s health, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and heart and liver disease, it has become a priority for the government to take action to reduce obesity. The government works in partnership with local government, charities and business institutions with the aim to reduce obesity by providing clear, consistent messages to people on why they should change their lifestyle, how to do so, and come up with strategies and approaches make this easier.

Beijing 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Beijing 2008 Olympics Opening Ceremony The Olympic Games are one of the most important international sporting events for most of the world. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was especially one of particular focus and attention. China has long wished to show the world its greatness and, in June 2001, it finally got that chance. The Opening Ceremony as an event was the primary opportunity for China, besides the sporting events themselves, to demonstrate its power, wealth, and prosperity to the world; through visual and artistic spectacle. It would also allow the world to observe and witness how far China has progressed, as a country, to becoming more open and willing to being a bigger part in the global community. Aspects of the Opening Ceremony may be divided into three main categories; the Political, the Historical and Cultural, and the Ideals and overall Message. The concept of Unity is one of the main historical political ideas, presented throughout the Ceremony; which may be first interpreted in the mass-scale performances. Syncopation was essential during the highly choreographed displays of drummers, martial artists, and actors and dancers; in large formations. The theme of Unity has always been significant throughout Chinese history, since the unification of China under the first Emperor in 221 BCE. With rise and fall of subsequent dynasties, the prosperity of the land depended on that unity. The idea of Unity in the new era may be more clearly displayed by the 56 children carrying the national flag, dressed in costume, representing the 56 ethnic groups of modern China; promoting China as a unified multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, nation.   Chinas economic strength is implied by the ability to fund and organize the large-scale use of fireworks, lighting, and man power; in order to put on such a spectacular mega-event. The Opening Ceremony may also be considered to be a promotion of Chinese pride and nationalism. It not only promotes Beijing itself as a city, or as the Capital, but as the center of the great country of China; as a while. This event is not only for China to impress all the foreign visitors, but may also prove to their own citizens, and to Chinese communities worldwide, how far theyve come. They have the chance to make the best impression possible on the world; and to impress all with the speed and scope of Chinas development. The Historical and Cultural aspects played a major part in the Opening Ceremony through the presentation and celebration of ancient Chinese culture. Chinese director Zhang Yimou was the creative mind behind the Ceremony. He is perhaps known to Westerners for his films Hero, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower. There is a strong focus on spectacle and aesthetic beauty, and artistic tradition and history of China, with the central theme of the four great Chinese inventions; the first being fireworks. A brief film was shown during the ceremony, displaying the second of the four great inventions of paper making. The showing of the traditional ink brush making was shown to segue way into the next performance, as a giant L.E.D. paper scroll was rolled out in the middle of the stadium. At the centre lay a canvas upon which dancers in black, with a sleeve dipped in ink, left trail marking as they moved on the paper; creating a landscape of mountains, a river, and the sun. The look of it was in the style of traditional ink painting. Their dance was accompanied by the music of a Guqin, the ancient Chinese seven-stringed zither. It was a blending of brush painting, dance, and music, and the connection of all the fine arts as part of the same philosophical artistic process. In celebration of the Chinese language, of movable blocks were used in a large formation to present three variations of the character for harmony; another political ideal. The performance pays tribute to the third great invention of the movable type press. Meanwhile, hundreds of costumed Han Dynasty feather-capped scholars, holding bamboo scrolls, sang out key excerpts from Analects of Confucius. Confucius was one of the most significant ancient philosophers that helped shape Chinese society, who still retains importance and influence in East Asia today. Other presentations artistic traditions of Beijing Opera and Puppetry were performed. A grounded map of the Ancient Silk Road was a ccompanied by Tang Dynasty dancers. The last of the great Chinese inventions, the compass, was held by the central actor in a performance presenting the voyages of Zheng He; the Ming Dynasty eunuch who led seven great naval expeditions to explore the world from 1405 to 1433. All these represent Chinas glorious past. The following segment represented present day China, with a performance by pianist Lang Lang surrounded by luminescent performers; who arranged themselves into the Dove of Peace. The Doves wings took flight as the performers moved. A young girl, suspended by wire, ran in mid-air while flying a kite. 2,008 of male performers, in white, took formation to display a mass performance of Tai Chi in fluid unison; a martial art based on the principles of the Yin and Yang, and harmony with nature. The ink painted landscape returned for a group of schoolchildren to add their marks by colouring over it, while chanting poetry; suggesting an environmental and Green Olympics. The in t he landscape was filled in with a smiley face. The accompanying light presentation showed bright coloured birds, flying into the sky; possibly to further the thoughts of peace, or environmentalism. An astronaut, and a giant glowing ball representing Earth, came forth to represent modern, and possibly future, space exploration. The ball changed colour and glowed like a Chinese lantern, while acrobats tumbled rolled along its surface. Chinese and British singers, Li Huan and Sarah Brightman, stood on top of the ball which reverted back to showing the Earth, and sang the 2008 Olympic theme song You and Me; in both Mandarin and English. It was a song of friendship and peace. The 2,008 performers returned, with bearing parasols with images of the smiling children; and fireworks in the shape of smiley faces were ignited. The Opening Ceremony was the event for Beijing to welcome the world. They were able to introduce, or share more of, Chinese culture and heritage to the world. It also showed a new sense of China, more built on unity, peace, harmony, and openness with the global community. These ideals were made clear throughout the Ceremony as part of the themes for the 2008 Olympics; the slogan being One World, One Dream. China opening itself to the world is perceived in the Beijing Olympic Logo; a stylized representation of the character of Jing, meaning capital. The character resembles a dancing figure with arms wide open, and Chinas invitation and welcome to the world. The Red in the emblem is the Chinese colour of good luck and fortune. The Mascots for the 2008 Games, called Fuwa, have five members; Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. Their designs were inspired by a fish, a giant panda, a flame, a Tibetan antelope, and a swallow; each also representing one of the five Olympic rings. Put together, their names for a pun on the phrase Beijing huanying ni, meaning, Beijing welcomes you. The Olympic Committee also chose three specific themes to promote for 2008. The first was technological Olympics, as high-tech media broadcasting and promotion was important to a successful Olympics; the 2008 Beijing Olympics being the first in history to be broadcasted in high-definition. The second theme was humanistic, and the original ideal that the Olympics is a cultural event; for all people. It not only refers back to the contributions by Ancient Greece, but is also gives the Chinese people the opportunity to share their own 5000 years of traditional and modern culture. Harmony of humanity also includes harmony with nature, which leads to the final theme of a green Olympics. China worked hard to tackle this issue in preparation for the 2008 Olympics, to accommodate the arrival of so many foreign spectators and athletes; to be able to attend and perform in an agreeable enviro nment. While pollution as one of the main criticisms China faces today, it remains a problem in many other countries; and was a question raised for many previous Olympic cities. The 2008 Games were used to continue to increase global awareness and the promotion of green consumption. The 2008 Beijing Olympics was the means for China to demonstrate its wealth and power to the world. It was through art and creativity, demonstrated by the Opening Ceremony, that China was able to celebrate and share its culture with the rest of the world; while also supporting current day ideals of peace, harmony, progress, and environmentalism. It was a promotion of a new image of China as willing and ready to open itself to all, and to be accepted as among the worlds top respectable countries. Bibliography: http://en.beijing2008.cn/ Gold, John R. And Margaret M. Gold, Olympic Cities: City Agendas, Planning and the Worlds Games, 1896-2012. London: Routledge, 2007 Fan, Hong, Duncan Mackay, and Karen Christensen. China Gold: Chinas Quest for Global Power and Olympic Glory. Great Barrington: Berkshire Publishing Group, 2008.

How Media Actually Affects the Culture of the Human Society Today Essay

Introduction The contemporary problem of a society which has a democratic and liberal political setting alongside a free market economic system or any society which gears towards such characterizations remains to be one that involves what contemporary political thinkers and scholars refer to as the notion of the plurality of values. Isaiah Berlin, for instance, considers what he called values pluralism as an inevitable consequence of the processes of democratization and liberalization. For the sake of clarity, it is but proper to lay down at the onset, what the task of this paper is. This paper’s task remains two-fold; first it seeks to explicate Thomas Frank’s views in his essay entitled, Why Johnny Can’t Dissent from the book, Commodify Your Dissent, and second, it aims to give substantive criticisms to Frank’s views and comment on how media and advertising have caused business culture and counterculture to become, essentially, one and the same; primarily answering the question â€Å"in what sense may they be considered as one and the same?† Relating the Thoughts of Frank with the Theories of Selznick Understanding the business industries today, it should occur to everyone that the said field of concern actually notes the impact of business upon the culture of the society today. Good manners involve showing consideration for the feelings of others, according them respect, treating them as we would like for them to treat us. Many have noted, however, that manners themselves have undergone a breakdown. Indeed, courtesy becomes one of the most wanted character among people which proves that the society lacks so much manners an is still lacking some as the years pass by. Certainly the idea of being polite have been used by many personalities in the human community today to conceal the real score behind politics and its connection with selfishness, hence making the society more prone to demands of fine manner which even people in authority fail to show. Children as young as five years of age are increasingly belligerent, disrespectful of other children’s property, lacking in respect for adults, and using obscene language. Most teachers surveyed feel that parents are spoiling their children and that this is the root cause of the increase in unsocial behavior. At one point, it could be said that the issue of display of fine manners starts decaying within the four walls of the homes where individual characters are developed within a person. Many factors concerning a child’s development have been causing social chaos as the children of certain generation grow to take over the society. As result the characters once set in a child to be right and acceptable causes problems to the society as they grow older. True, in many cases, the homes which are supposed to be the modeling clay of a person’s being becomes highly incapable of doing its part in making a better society for the future. Instead, divorces and other family failures present in the society today drives the very idea of the mistaken identity of the ‘wrong’ to become accepted in the human community.   The used to be ‘fine atmosphere’ of parks and playgrounds is now replaced with the view of groups of children ages nine to thirteen gathered in gangs and not by playmates. Even the children’s views of ‘fun’ have now changed to violence and authority. Certainly, world reports are mostly making much clear points on showing that the world’s moral belief and application is already falling off from the supposed needed application for the social development and peace to be highly implemented. Regarding these issues of moral-lack, Philip Selznick has produced a written repot on the needs of having moral standards back in the human society today. In the paragraphs to follow, the beliefs of the said author regarding the said issue shall be tackled and discussed for closer evaluation. Sociology and the Perfect Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The present human condition is dealing with so much problems and issues involving human morality. The values of moral, which are obviously lacking on the present human society is quite an obvious dilemma in the present system of things in the human community. Hence, it is necessary for the present human generation to recognize the need of bringing back morals in the society to be able to save the present generation from perishing in a moral basis. According to Selznick, â€Å"Morality is made for humans and not humans for morality† (Selznick, 12), this means that morality is a provision for the human generation and not a responsibility. In this regard, it is important for all humans that everyone recognizes the value of morals at all times. However, this truth has never been totally effective with the human generations that passed the world history. In many points of history, the human civilization has posted so much violence and disrespect for life. This is the exact opposite of what is morally accepted in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In this manner, it is indeed a factor of consideration that morals are also affected buy the different organizations that humans form in the society. Indeed, it is true, that by the existence of an influential environment, morals get so twisted and are thus mixed up with immoral beliefs. As Selznick says: â€Å"when it comes to bureaucracies, whatever their dysfunctions, hold open the possibility of overcoming local obligations in favor of more universalistic claims† (Selznick, 14). In this regard, it could be noticed that Selznick strongly points out that as an individual develops, the society goes with the development as well. However, since the individual population of today’s society seems to develop to a more negatively enhanced improvement, the society too becomes more negatively rooted as the years tend to pass. The Elements of a Perfect Community   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Selznick, the real definition behind a society that is perfectly designed for living is based upon morals. He adds in his written work that â€Å"definitions in social theory should be weak, inclusive and relatively uncontroversial†, in this way, morals are preserved and the established by humans themselves do not intercept in the implication of what is morally accepted in the human community.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   He also adds that to be able to attain a perfectly created society, there are seven essential elements that should be considered. The seven elements are as follows: Historicity This defines the strong foundation of any community based upon the past of a certain group of society. The foundation of morals, which are already accepted in the said society, would be the basis of what is morally right. However, since time changes, morals too either develop or in some ways decrease in its strength through the test of time. Identity A society is indeed known through its identity of moral difference against other social groups. The way they are accepting morals usually differs from how others tend to accept morality as a part of their daily living. In this regard, the different societies are considered different form each one because of their own carried identity. Mutuality It is very important that everyone accept the moral standards set up for their own community. This way the social standards of morality could be considered highly practical and effective for everyone. This means that everybody within a society has mutual understanding and acceptance of what is considered righteous. Plurality The majority that accepts the moral values that are standardized for social reference is very important. The more there are who accepts the values to be morally righteous, the more effective the said principles are for everyone. Autonomy Everybody is bound to do what is right; they are bound to do what is accordingly acceptable with the set principles of morals within the society they are living in. However, it should still be recognized that every person has their own will, their own capability of deciding. This means that to be able to do what is right, a person must also consult his own thoughts and beliefs regarding what should be considered moral, basing from their own individual foundation of knowing what is right and wrong. Participation As earlier said, participation of the majority with regards to the acceptance of moral principles in the entire population of the society is an important factor of making or creating a perfect society. Integration Being able to integrate with the acceptable moral principles of the society is indeed an important part of making a completely peacefully interconnected society. Certainly, this means that being socially integrated within the community through moral principles is a basis of a perfect community. (Source: Selznick, Philip. (1994). The Moral Commonwealth: Social Theory and the Promise of Community (Centennial Books). University of California Press; Reprint edition.)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   These factors of a community makes it possible for the entire population to realize their worth in the society. Being able to fully grasp the importance of being a part of the developments in a community indeed makes a person’s view of life and worth of living a more improved factor of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is evident that Selznick wants to point out the importance of one’s satisfaction with his life and his worth to the society. This moves an individual to fully grasp the importance of his presence and the worth of his life to others, thus making a positive move to be able to do so, helps that person to become more righteous and positively inclined when it comes to the display of his manners.    As an overall view, Selznick’s theory with regards to a perfect society is indeed an epitome of social utopia derived from individual developments. The fact that as the basic sector of the community, the individual’s growth determines the society’s growth as well, Selznick points out that to have a perfect community, a person must not only realize his worth as an individual but as a part of a big society which needs his presence to grow in becoming more developed and socially mannered.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Being a member of a community leaves a person certain responsibilities of being a continuous contributor towards the good of every one involved within the society as well. Constant observance of the moral values in the society is an important factor of creating a perfect kind of community, which makes it more livable for most of the population in the society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For these moments, it is important to reconsider morals to bring back the peaceful situations of a utopian model of a society. Although the world today has a hard time implementing the social principles of what is morally acceptable, the theories and elements of a perfect community as mentioned by Selznick is still indeed an effective way of implementing peace in a certain society; and thus if implemented, a society borne to peace and security is not far from being developed. However hard to apply the changes may be, it could still be expected that with ample effort, the aims of a perfect community could be achieved. These views of the said theorist has been further enhanced and introduced for social understanding. Likely, the understanding of such balance that makes a clear connection between media and popular culture is the main feature of Thomas Frank’s views.   Primarily, the focus of the discussion shall be centered upon the understanding of media and its implications with the social culture that is obviously one of the essential factors of a utopian society. Understanding Thomas Frank’s Views In this regard, with the aim of pursuing the understanding upon the views of Thomas Frank, the discussion in this paper shall then be stressed on the direct effects of the assumptions of the said expert with regards media and human culture. Adorno and Horkheimer, for instance, view commercialism, the weapon of capitalism in and through which it is possible to transform a society into a mediocre herd which prefers popular culture’s logic of style and false notions of values such as â€Å"individuality† over more pure expressions of truth, as the culprit for the erosion not only of societal values but also of culture. As they see it, commercialism made possible the existence of the â€Å"deceived masses† (133). The deception of the masses is a phenomenon that is worth the time to evaluate. How is this phenomenon possible? It is at this point that media and advertising steps into the scene. In Legal Philosophy, fundamental rights are those rights that are inalienable to human persons. An example of this kind of right is the right of free speech. The state’s recognition that free speech is a fundamental right that ought to be granted to individuals or citizens of a free democracy has crucial implications on the current problems of any state claiming to be â€Å"democratic†. For one, free speech, by virtue of being a fundamental right, paves the way for differing ideas, worldviews and values. In a liberal and democratic political setting, this is actually healthy. Ideally, it ensures that decisions are arrived at through proper deliberation. By proper deliberation, we refer to different ideas being examined critically through rational discourse. However, there had been considerably significant drawbacks to the recognition of free speech as a fundamental right and these drawbacks involve among many other things the core notions of social obligation and social responsibility that the press or the media ought to be mindful of in terms of proliferating false notions and values through the mechanism of advertising. Naturally, societies which adhere to the tenets of liberalism and democracy will be flooded by too many ideas, worldviews and values. This is an accurate characterization of current liberal and democratic societies. Capitalism, in itself, has a commercial mechanism which Barthes calls â€Å"censorship by repletion† (185). Commercialism thus, produces confusion and perhaps, intellectual anarchy, by flooding too many false notions as exemplified in the slogans that capitalists use to market their products. In a certain sense, the rise of commercialism endangers the very fabric of society; society’s cultural, historical and intellectual heritage. Eventually, marketing and advertising were able to replace political discourse. People, oftentimes readily accept the truthfulness of advertisements. They rarely take the time to think for themselves the truthfulness of slogans and advertisements on the television and the Internet. Such a setting of course, poses serious threats not only on the individual but more importantly, to the whole of society. We seem to forget that we have an important epistemic obligation, that is, not to accept the truth of a belief or a statement unless we have sufficient evidence for it. Undeniably, popular culture affects how the current generation thinks and reasons. To a certain extent, popular culture predisposes and moulds our children to behave and more importantly, to think in such and such ways. Culture, being a way of life, is a social phenomenon; it is the society which creates culture. It is the society which creates certain patterns of living, as argued by some social theorists. The idea is that it is ultimately, the people who draft their culture and their history. This idea is however, threatened by commercialism and capitalism. Vein Lasn adds up to this idea: â€Å"Culture isn’t created from the bottom up by the people anymore – it’s fed to us top-down by corporations† (189). What Van Lasn is pointing out is the fact that the market is too powerful a force that dictates culture. In Frank’s view, the corporate world feeds on the masses’ desire to individuality. The capitalists exploit this desire to be different, to be unique, or to stand out by linking the notion of individuality with a certain product that they sell on the market. The commercial mechanism of capitalism is, as stated earlier in the discussion, is the media through advertising. Businesses make extensive use of media and advertising to get the attention of the consumers. Capitalism, through media and advertising commodifies values such as individuality. By linking the false notion of individuality to a certain commodity, consumers think that they are unique, that they are different. A deeper analysis however reveals that the aforementioned claim to individuality is nothing but an illusion; a figment of the mind manufactured and institutionalized by capitalists. It is not only the case that it is manufactured and institutionalized; it is also sold to the consumers. Frank offers a metaphor: â€Å"The race track, the plane on which all individuals race for stardom, is run by those who create and instill conformity. The harder one tries to rebel, the deeper they play into the new consumer hip world, thus defeating their original goal entirely†. At this point, it would be discussed how media and advertising marketed the idea of rebellion and how the subversive youth counterculture became, in itself, an affirmation not of individuality but of conformity. The quoted statement above from the last paragraph of Frank’s essay raises considerably significant issues that need to be dealt with accordingly. As Frank sees it, the race for individuality is a race that can never be won. The problem, as he sees it, is the fact that the â€Å"race track† or the playing field is in itself, owned by those who create and instill conformity – the capitalists. In addition to this, the aforementioned race cannot be won simply because it is the capitalist who dictates the rules. As a matter of fact, they do so because they are the ones who create the rules. So, following Frank’s reasoning in his metaphor, it is indeed the case that no matter how one tries to rebel, one inevitably gets caught up, entangled with the webs of commercialism and capitalism. The goal to be non-conformists is in vain. Why is this so? As Frank sees it, the current youth counterculture and its attempt to rebel involves a contradiction at its very core. Frank argues that â€Å"consumerism is no longer about conforming but about difference† (113). How did this happen? In the preceding discussions, consumerism is associated with conformity but why is it that Frank now claims that it is about difference? For him, the answer is simple. The youth counterculture rebels through material means like fashion and clothing or cars. The idea of individuality, the idea of being unique or different is limited to the shallow definition that the youth appropriates for itself. Consumerism is no longer about conforming but about difference, as Frank claims, since individuals are desperately trying not to conform but by trying not to conform, they end up conforming. Indeed, conforming and not-conforming becomes one and the same since they all play by the rules of the game; and the rules of the game as stated earlier, are created and thereby, controlled by the capitalists. Frank also makes mention of how the television makes significant contributions to the deception of the masses. It makes them believe that they are in control of themselves and their lives. On a superficial level, one may think that one is free in choosing the kind of television shows that he or she may choose according to the dictates of his or her will. The problem is however, much more complex and to think in the way described above is an oversimplification of the problem. It simply misses the point, so to speak. For even the shows on the television are dictated by the â€Å"fad†, by what is considered hip during a particular point in time. As Frank states: â€Å"hip is their official ideology† (121). Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Certainly, manners have already become a lesser element that is concentrated upon by the society today. Likely, the aim of being industrially known throughout the world has made the present society lesser concerned about morals, for as long as they are able to persuade the society to take consideration in giving attention to their product offerings no matter what it takes. Confidently, many people are able to live their lives even though they are considering less focus upon the morals that they are implying upon in the growth of the entire society. In this manner, they are then having a hard time relating the present situation of the society with the idealism of a modern social utopia as per suggested by Selznick. Obviously, Thomas Frank actually explains that this particular factor in the society has already been lost by the human generation as they began embracing the trends of industrialization thus jumping into the band wagon of popular culture and modern commercialism along the way.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obviously,   as the years has passed the human generations that are existing at present, the idealism of a modern social utopia has been lost to the aims of gaining much profit for a more economically progressive society. Understandably, the measure of the possibility of making a more socially moral community of humans in the world today becomes more and more involved with the influential factors that hold the key towards the believed progression that has been longed for by the human society. Through the use of media and advertising, the morals of the humanity actually begins to fade as it embraces the effects of globalization that also consequently subject major moral rules to jeopardy for the sake of continuing the advancements of the society that is highly wanted by the entire human generation today. References: Adorno and Horkheimer. The Dialectic of the Enlightenment. Herder and Herder, c. 1972. Barthes, R. Image, Music, Text. Hill, c. 1977. Frank, Thomas. â€Å"Why Johnny Can’t Dissent.† Commodify Your Dissent: Salvos from The Baffler. W. W. Norton & Company; 1st ed., c. 1997. The Conquest of Cool: Business Culture, Counterculture, and the Rise of Hip   Ã‚  Consumerism. University of Chicago Press, c. 1997. Lasn, K. Culture Jam: The Uncooling of America. Eagle Brook, c. 1999. Levinson, Sanford. Our Undemocratic Constitution: Where the Constitution Goes Wrong And   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How We the People Can Correct It. Oxford University Press, c. 2006. Sunstein, Cass. Why Societies Need Dissent. Harvard University Press, c. 2003. Selznick, Philip. (1994). The Moral Commonwealth: Social Theory and the Promise of Community (Centennial Books). University of California Press; Reprint edition.