Historical laws and Security Essay Example for Free

Historical laws and Security Essay Historical Laws and Security Checkpoint CJS/250 April 24, 2013 Historical Laws and Security Checkpoint The Babylonian King Hammurabi established the code of Hammurabi. It was established by the king himself in 1750 B.C. and discovered intact in 1901. It contains 282 clauses variety of obligations, professions and rights, as well as retail, slavery, marriage, stealing, and outstanding debts. If any of the clause was to be violated the punishment that would be handed down would be severe (Clifford, 2004). This code is well known for serious punishment. The principles outlined are in the form of Lex talionis, or the law of retaliation to fit the crime (an eye for an eye). The Draco’s code was named for the Greek of Athens citizen where it was written in 621 B.C., the first law written in Greece was very harsh that the word Draconian is used today to describe how severe and unreasonable the law is. Concerns to penalty for any offense that was committed death would be the result. It was very important to introduce the notion to the state, not the private citizens, is responsible for the punishing persons accused of crimes. The Law of The Twelve Tables originally included 10 laws. Written in Rome in 450 B.C. was meant to govern the Romans. It was the foundation of the modern public and private law. They helped organize how crime would be prosecuted publicly and instituted a method whereby the involved parties could look for compensation from their aggressors. It was then the basic rule of Roman law was written and that justice would not be left at the hands of the judge alone to interpret. In 529 A.D., Corpus Juris Civilis or Justinian code was the result of Emperor Justinian’s desire and remembrance for his codification of Roman law  in a series of book (Clifford, 2004). Legal maxims derived from Justinian Code which inspired the modern concept of justice a word that comes from the emperor’s name. The foundation of civil law, one of the two main legal system, the other been English common law was formed by the Roman code that govern modern Western civilization. One of the high point in the middle ages occurred under King John of England, with the creation of the Magna Carta in 1216 which he was forced to sign. This document established the English due process which greatly reduced the king power by making decision in parliament instead on his own. The most important of the Magna Carta’s 61 clauses was the 39th it states no freeman shall be captured or imprisoned except by lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land (Clifford, 2004). Within a 70 year span England produced the next significant contribution to the system of law enforcement in developing the Statue of Westminster in 1285. King Edward involved the citizens in crime prevention and apprehension. It established three practical measures focusing on the security of affected citizens, the watch and ward, a hue and cry, and the assize of arms. In our current society, publicly and privately these laws have played a major role today. The legal system which we have in place would be the same, but instead it is different. One of the most important is the Magna Carta, and it can be seen in the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Article 21. Our economy today is drastically changing. With the amount of cutback it would be difficult for our finest to be all over the city to monitor any issues that may occur. With the assistance of the private forces the numbers has double or triple with less authority or priviledge as would an officer. Having both is beneficial to our society and the feel of safety is an encouragement to us all. References Clifford, M (2004) Identifying and exploring security essentials. Upper Saddle River, NJ Pearson Prentice Hall.

Lifes Ups And Downs

Lifes Ups And Downs Making Sense Of Lifes ‘Ups And ‘Downs (4) What To Do When You Run Out Of Answers There are some very deep questions we often wrestle with. Like, when cheese gets its picture taken, what does it say? You must have wrestled with that problem from time to time. Or, how can you tell when sour cream goes bad? That could keep you awake at night! And then theres the question: what hair colour do they put on the drivers licenses of bald men? Difficult isnt it? And one other Im sure you must have struggled with for years is this: if buttered bread always lands on the butter-side down and a cat always lands on its feet, what happens if you strap buttered bread to a cats back? Now, of course these kind of questions are not worth answering. Its just a bit of fun. However, there are sincere questions we certainly wrestle with. We long to make sense of lifes ‘ups and ‘downs. GNB You are listening to Word Alive. Thanks for joining us today. My name is Brenda Critchley and Dr Derek Stringer is our Bible Teacher. The current series on Word Alive is based on Job. Derek has been looking at three key truths from this book which can help us in our struggles and problems. DS And today we look at the fourth. Because Job, kept asking God, â€Å"Lord, why am I suffering?† GNB We have are making this series of 4 messages available on CD. Its fast becoming our most popular series. Ill give you details at the end of the programme. Todays message is based on Job 40 to 42 and Derek gives this the title, ‘What To Do When You Run Out Of Answers. Ill chip in with a scripture here and there. But, heres Derek. DS Thanks again Brenda. Now, for most of the book God was silent. Jobs wife wasnt silent. â€Å"Why dont you just give up on God. He hasnt helped you any. Just curse him and die.† Once Jobs three friends got round to talking they really couldnt stomach that Job wouldnt accept that they were right and that he was wrong. He must have done something really bad to be suffering as he was. A young man listening to the debate is Elihu. He tries hard to say something wise about Jobs trauma. All this time a storm has been brewing and the people take cover and leave Job all alone. And then in chapter 38, God breaks into the story and speaks to Job out of the storm. He didnt give Job the answers he was seeking. Actually he gives him 187 questions. None of which can he answer. Then in chapter 40, God began Round 2 of questions. Its like a TV Contestant. The Quiz Master says: â€Å"Our categories are: earth, stars, light; and two new categories: Behemoth and Leviathan. Job scored zero in Round 1, lets see how he does in this next round.† GNB Chapter 40 verse 6, â€Å"Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: ‘Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like Gods, and can your voice thunder like His?† DS At this point, God described two monstrous animals, the Behemoth and Leviathan. They are fascinating and mysterious. Skip ahead to Job 42. God has finished speaking and Job responded to Gods questioning. GNB â€Å"Then job replied to the Lord: ‘I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures My counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me. My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.† DS Everything comes to a climax. God finished questioning Job and waited for his reply. If Job had argued with God and said, â€Å"This isnt fair. I deserve a better explanation.† Then there would have been no book of Job. Instead Job finally gets it and responds to God in the proper way. If you are suffering and hurting this is the way you need to react. Notice what Job said and did when he ran out of answers. FIRST: HE ACKNOWLEDGE GODS UNLIMITED POWER. God had convinced Job that his power was unlimited. Gods point was driven home by the Behemoth and Leviathan. The New International Version footnote says that the Behemoth is a Hippopotamus and Leviathan is a Crocodile. This are poor guesses. What was Behemoth? I believe it was a Dinosaur we call the Brachiosaurus. The Hebrew word ‘Behemoth simply means â€Å"enormous creature.† Notice the way God described Behemoth in Job 40:15, GNB â€Å"Look at the Behemoth, which I made along with you and which feeds on grass like an Ox. What strength he has in his loins, what power in the muscles of his belly! His tail sways like a cedar† DS That rules out a hippo or an elephant! GNB â€Å"The sinews of his thighs are close-knit. His bones are tubes of bronze, his limbs like rods of iron. He ranks first among the works of God† DS That could mean it was the largest land animal ever created. GNB â€Å"Yet his maker can approach him with his sword.† DS That may be a reference to the fact that Brachiosaurus is now extinct. A Brachiosaurus was one of the largest land animals to walk on earth. Three times the size of the Giraffe. 80 feet long weighing around 88 tons. The largest African Elephant on record is 10 tons. What was Leviathan? I believe it is the sea creature we know as the Kronosaurus. Look at chapter 41 and verse 1, GNB â€Å"Can you pull in the leviathan with a fishhook or tie down his tongue with a rope?† DS Drop down to verse 7 GNB â€Å"Can you fill his hide with harpoons or his head with fishing spears? If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle and never do it again! Any hope of subduing him is false; the mere sight of him is overpowering. No one is fierce enough to rouse him. Who then is able to stand against me? Who has a claim against me that I must pay? Everything under heaven belongs to me. I will not fail to speak of his limbs, his strength and his graceful form. Who can strip off his outer coat? Who would approach him with a bridle? Who dares open the doors of his mouth, ringed about with his fearsome teeth? His back has rows of shields tightly sealed together; each is so close to the next that no air can pass between.† DS And verse 31 gives concluding description of Leviathan, GNB â€Å"He makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment. Behind him he leaves a glistening wake; one would think the deep had white hair. Nothing on earth is his equal—a creature without fear.† DS Leviathan is mentioned in Isaiah 27:1 and Psalm 104 as being a mighty sea creature. Kronosaurus was a sea creature. Head 9 long and razor-sharp teeth 10† long. Sometimes people ask, â€Å"What about the dinosaurs? Why no mention of them in the Bible?† As if this invalidates Scripture. It doesnt. The word â€Å"Dinosaur† was first coined in 1841 by Dr. Richard Owens. So, of course its not mentioned in the Bible. The point of all this about these strange powerful creatures is that its not about Jurassic Park but Jehovahs power. God brought up Behemoth and Leviathan to illustrate His unlimited power to make or do whatever He wants. GNB Verse 11, â€Å"Who then is able to stand against me? Everything under heaven belongs to me.† DS Job got the point because he said, â€Å"I know you can do all things.† Have you come to that point in your life? You may think your situation is impossible but God specialises in the humanly impossible. In the midst of your impossible circumstances remember 5 words: ‘Nothing is impossible with God! The second thing to do when you run out of answers is to ADMIT INABILITY UNDERSTANDING GOD. As Job reviewed all his words he confessed in 42:3, â€Å"I spoke things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know.† Sometimes we want people to think weve got it all together and nothing gets us down. Thats living in unreality and a good reason for never knowing God because He only moves in unreality. Starting moving in unreality and we will miss the real God. Theres a Peanuts Cartoon where Lucy is dispensing her psychiatric advice. â€Å"Life is like a deck chair on a ship. Some people sit looking forward and some people sit looking back.† Charlie says, â€Å"Its all I can do to get mine unfolded!† Job was finally admitting to God that he didnt have everything figured out. He had made the critical error of presuming and he was dead wrong. TV Evangelists may tell you about health and wealth if youll just confess your faith, everything should work out fine for you. You know the kind of thing, â€Å"God loves you and has a wonderful Porsche for your life.† Their theology doesnt allow any room for righteous suffering. Those who have walked with God realise that there are things we will never understand. Heres a third thing to do when you havent got the answers. SEEK GODS FACE NOT ANSWERS. Job had run out of answers but has discovered something better. He found God. Verse 5. GNB â€Å"My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen you.† DS An advert said: â€Å"Youve got questions, weve got answers.† Job said, â€Å"God, youve got questions, but I dont have any answers.† People are still seeking to find answers to the tough questions. Job discovered it is better to seek Gods face than to find answers. In a TV sit-com a son-in-law asks: â€Å"If there is a God, why is this world messed up?† The father-in-law doesnt know how to reply but wont acknowledge that. So he says, â€Å"Why do I always have to give the answers?† Turning to his wife he says, â€Å"You tell him. â€Å"She says, â€Å"To make us appreciate heaven better when we get there.† Right on! Life is full of pain and sorrow so well enjoy heaven so much! Are you still seeking answers, or are you seeking Gods face? Back in chapter 1 Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children. He wasnt sure what they were getting up to when they had parties. So, he did some religious things. It may well have been an empty ritual. Now everything is different. And let me tell you a very important thing to do when you are looking for answers and they wont come. HUMBLE YOURSELF AND REPENT. GNB In chapter 42 and verse 6 Job says, â€Å"I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.† DS Before seeking Gods face be willing to humble yourself and repent. Job wasnt degrading himself when he said, â€Å"I despise myself.† He was simply stating his condition as he stood before a perfect God. Humility is not thinking lowly of yourself. Its not thinking of yourself at all. When Job saw God, he fell to his face to repent of his sins. What sin had he committed? It wasnt brazen but subtle. Job never cursed God but he was guilty of trying to justify himself. He was guilty of bitterness. The best thing is to do when going through the mill is repent! You may say, â€Å"But I dont know anything that Ive done that I need to repent.† Just get on your knees before God and ask Him and see what happens. The question about why good people suffer has been with us for generations. Imagine a first century news item: â€Å"Good evening Im Josephus Jeremias and this is the Fox News sp0onsored by King Herod. We have some breaking news. Governor Pontius Pilate ordered a detachment of Roman soldiers into the Temple today to break up the protests of the Galilean rebels. The rebels refused to leave so swords were drawn, and we have reports that several of the rebels were killed by the sword. Not only were they killed, but their blood was splattered near the altar of sacrifice. More details at eleven. In another unrelated story, eighteen Jewish construction workers were killed when the stone tower they were building at Siloam collapsed. The names of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of family members.† And now to comment on these two breaking stories is Rabbi Ben Ezra. Rabbi, whats your take on these two tragedies? One a man-made tragedy, and the other an unfortunate accident?† â€Å"Shalom Josephus. These were not accidents. The truth is simple: The Galilean rebels got what was coming to them. They were sinners and God was punishing them. The same can be said for the construction workers at the tower. Obviously, they were rotten sinners, too. Thats why God caused the tower to fall and kill them.† And now to be fair and balanced, we have a remote hook-up with the roving Galilean teacher, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus, are you there? Josephus Jeremias here with Fox News, what do you have to say about these two terrible tragedies? â€Å"Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them-do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.† Jesus stressed that it is futile to try to figure out WHY bad things happen to people. He moved the issue beyond why and focused on WHAT every one of us must do: Repent! The word â€Å"repent† means â€Å"a change of mind that leads to a change of behaviour.† In order to become a Christian you must repent of your sins; instead of thinking your sins are just minor flaws that everybody does, you must change your mind about them. You must repent and realise every sin is like spitting in the face of God; every sin is like pounding the nails into the flesh of Jesus. Thats what it means to repent-change your mind, then change your conduct. Even after you become a Christian, you must keep on repenting. Whenever you find your thinking and Gods thinking dont match, its time to change your mind again. What did Job repent of? He repented of the way he had been thinking about God. He had made the mistake of thinking God was mean, vicious, and cruel. He wanted to argue his case before God. But once Job heard Gods voice, and saw His face, Job realised his thinking was all wrong. He changed his mind about himself and about God. So if you are suffering and struggling, do what Job did. Humble yourself and repent-even if you dont think at this point there is anything in your life that needs repenting. GNB Job didnt get the answers he was looking. He got something much more valuable. DS Yes, he came to know God on a personal level. And so can we. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU RUN OUT OF ANSWERS? You ADMIT there are questions in this life that will never get answered. You can discover something much better than answers. I love the words of this song: â€Å"You have faced mountains of desperation. You have climbed, you have fought, you have won. But this valley that lies coldly before you, Casts a shadow you cannot overcome. Just when you thought you had it all together. You knew every verse to get you through. But this time all the sorrow broke more than just your heart. And reciting all those verses just wont do. When answers arent enough, there is Jesus. He is more than just an answer to your prayer. And your heart will find a safe and peaceful refuge. THEN NEXT, JOB DISCOVERED INTERCESSION. God instructed his friends to go to him for prayer. This was Jobs final test. Would Job vent his hostility and resentment? â€Å"Pray for you after what youve said? No way!† GNB But his three friend did ask home to pray for them. DS Yes, and Job prayed and the Lord accepted his prayer. GNB â€Å"After job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.† DS To me, the most important word is that one, â€Å"After.† When Job prayed for his friends, he was still in agony. It was only after he prayed that God released him from his suffering. You are enslaved until you can pray for those who have hurt you. The moment I start hating a man, I become his slave. I cant even do my work anymore because he even controls my thoughts. The man I hate hounds me. I cannot escape his tyrannical grasp on my mind. The person I resent may be miles from my bedroom, but more cruel than any slave driver, he whips my thoughts into such a frenzy that even my inner spring mattress becomes a rack of torture. Someone has hurt you. Are you harbouring resentment? Are you let it make you bitter? Are you looking for revenge? Do yourself a favour: start praying for them. You will find it so releasing. Youll also find one more great discovery. JOB DISCOVERS RESTORATION. God gave Job back more than he ever had before. GNB Verse 11: â€Å"All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The Lord blessed the later part of Jobs life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, DS (her name means â€Å"dove.†) GNB The second keziah, DS (which means â€Å"cinnamon†) GNB and the third keren-happuch DS (which means â€Å"dark-eyes†) GNB nowhere in all the land were found women as beautiful as jobs daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. After this, job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so he died, old and full of years.† DS God doubled Jobs wealth. He had exactly twice what he had before. Jobs brothers and sisters helped him with venture capital. And God doubled Jobs ‘children. He had 7 son and 3 daughters before his troubles and another 7 sons and 3 daughters after. But he hadnt lost the first ten. They were safely home in heaven. A man who buried a child said: â€Å"I have two teenagers on earth and one child in heaven. Frankly, I worry sometimes about the two kids on earth, but I never worry about the one in heaven.† God added ‘life to Jobs years. People are looking for special diets, exercise, and medicine to extend their lives. Far better than adding years to your life is to add life to your years. Getting older we understand the great gift is relationships. You want to know how rich you are? Look at what friends you have. God always saves the best for last! The last word about Job is in the letter of James. GNB â€Å"You have heard of Jobs perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.† DS The best thing about Job is hes become a patient man. That quality can really help you to live with depth not just in length. Do you know the first public miracle of Jesus? Its when He turned water into wine at a wedding. A young couple were in trouble and he helped them out by bringing the best on last. Thats the difference between Christianity and other philosophies of life. For us the best is always yet to be. Job is an object lesson for God bringing the best on last. Are you living with some unanswered questions? Would you like to make some great discoveries? Did you notice that what Job did triggered his discoveries? When he repented, God vindicated him. When he prayed for his tormentors God rewarded him. Is there something you need to repent of today? Are there people you need to pray for and forgive? God is waiting to prove himself strong on your behalf. Wouldnt it have been sad if the book of Job ended with chapter 41? A man unable to answer the questions. Still in trauma, still battling with his pain. Job didnt quit he persevered. And in chapter 42 he was rewarded for his faithfulness. Right now, you may be in Job 41. Dont quit! Dont give up on God! He always saves the best for last! GNB Derek Stringer has been teaching from the Book of Job. This is a series of 4 messages. You can have then on CD, just ask is for details. We will send free transcript to an email address. Word Alive is produced by Good News Broadcasting Association. You can email us through the web site on www.gnba.net Thats gnba.net Theres a FREE PHONE number here in the UK. We really do love to hear from you, its such an encouragement. Just pick up the phone and leave us a message if you are calling outside office hours. That FREE PHONE number is 08,000 92 78 92. Thats 08,000 92 78 92. This is Word Alive produced by the Good News Broadcasting Association. Im Brenda Critchley with our Bible Teacher Dr Derek Stringer. DS Were back with a brand new series next time. I hope that you will plan to join us then. Meanwhile do contact us. GNB 08,000 92 78 92 or email us through the web on www.gnba.net DS Good-bye for now and God bless and keep you.

Euthanasia Should Be Legal Essay -- Argument for Euthanasia

Euthanasia is a controversial issue. Many different opinions have been formed. From doctors and nurses to family members dealing with loved ones in the hospital, all of them have different ideas for the way they wish to die. However, there are many different issues affecting the legislation and beliefs of legalizing euthanasia. Taking the following aspects into mind, many may get a different understanding as to why legalization of euthanasia is necessary. Some of these include: misunderstanding of what euthanasia really is, doctors and nurses code of ethics, legal cases and laws, religious and personal beliefs, and economics in end-of-life care. Across Europe palliative care is an intensifying and acknowledged part of healthcare. Palliative care is mostly known as an approach that aims to prevent or reduce suffering and hopelessness at the end of life. Using this information one may understand better as to what euthanasia is associated with. Many people are unable to form solid opinions and stances on the legalization of euthanasia due to their lack of information on the subject. According to the study conducted by the European Association of Palliative Care’s Ethics Task Force, euthanasia is killing on request and can be defined as a doctor intentionally killing a person by the administration of drugs, at that person’s voluntary and competent request. There are two different types of euthanasia. Medicalized killing of a person without their consent, whether it is non-voluntary, where the person is unable to consent, or involuntary where it is against the will of the person, is not euthanasia, it is however, murder. This means that if euthanasia did occur it would have to be voluntary. The different types of euthanasia woul... ...sh. "Euthanasia: Right to life vs. right to die." Indian Journal of Medical Research Dec. 2012: 899+. Academic Search Premier. Web. 17 Sept. 2013. Piercy, Mathew. â€Å"Euthanasia Is a Rejection of God’s Gift of Life.† The Right to Die.Ed. Jennifer Dorman.Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2010. 11-14. Print. Quill, Timothy. â€Å"The Right to Die May Be an Important Part of End-of-Life Care.† The Right to Die.Ed. Jennifer Dorman.Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2010. 64-71. Print. "Code of Ethics for Nurses."Code of Ethics for Nurses. Christine Zhou, 15 Feb. 2013. Web.19 Sept. 2013. . ProCon.org. â€Å"Would Financial Motivations Encourage Insurance Companies, Health Care Providers, and Patients to Seek Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Suicide if Those Options Were Legally Available?†ProCon.org. 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.

Emma and Clueless Speech

Through close analysis of the novel Emma, by Jane Austen and the film Clueless by Amy Heckerling, we discover that both texts are influenced by, and reflect the values of their respective contexts. Emma is set in the isolated, rural town of Highbury, England in the early 1800’s, at a time where society had placed value on social hierarchy. This distinction between classes was largely determined by family lines and inheritance. It is in the upper class of society that Jane Austen places her protagonist, Emma, â€Å"handsome, clever and rich†¦with very little to distress or vex her†. Emma’s desirable situation had led her to possess a self indulgent attitude towards life, as Austen intends her audience to identify with the cynical remark that she has â€Å"the power of having rather too much her own way†. However, Austen contradicts this third voice by the dialogue which establishes Emma to be a character of good intentions â€Å"No papa, nobody thought of you walking†. This contrast between third person and dialogue creates a discrepancy between Emma’s thoughts and Austen’s intrusive moralistic views. From the irony present here, satire is created, encouraging the reader to reflect on Emma’s behaviour as a reflection of the context of her society and the value put on social hierarchy and status. The opening scene of Amy Heckerling's film, Clueless, made in the 1990’s, immediately adopts Austen's ironic tone. The energetic montage and quick succession of camera angles of Cher and her fellow teenagers indulging in luxurious activities in Beverly Hills USA, establishes the materialistic world in which the movie is set. Heckerling appeals to her audience by creating such strong imagery, however she contradicts these perceptions by juxtaposing everything her audience views. The blaring song â€Å"We’re the kids in America† provides ironic commentary in that it is strikingly evident that these wealthy teenagers are the complete opposite from the average ‘kids in America’ as they have the ability to embrace all aspects of consumer ideals. Through this Heckerling establishes Cher as being an imitation of Emma â€Å"having too much her own way†. The contrast between Cher’s first voiceover â€Å"I actually have a way normal life for a teenage girl† whilst she picks out her designer outfit on a computer allows Heckerling to provide an authorial voice, much like Austen, where she critiques teenage self absorption and the society that cultivates this trait. Both texts primarily focus on the social values of marriage, romance and sex. During Austen’s time, marriage was concerned as a way of preserving your social rank and financial status and often these values took primacy over romance. This is evident when Emma speaks that Mr Elton would give Harriet â€Å"everything she wanted- consideration, independence, a proper home†. Austen challenges societies values by making Emma oppose these views and have â€Å"very little intention of marrying at all†. However, Austen allows Emma to succumb to society’s expectations with her marriage to Mr. Knightely. This reaffirms the reality of Austen’s society, she allows her audience to see her view but highlights that she cannot change this value. Heckerling chooses to replace the importance of marriage, with the importance of sex to suite the context of contemporary society. Sex before marriage is a prevalent issue in the film and is highlighted as common amongst most social classes. Tai’s comment to Cher â€Å"Why am I even listening to you- you’re a virgin who can’t drive† reflects societies consideration as to what is important. Like Emma, Cher rejects her social expectations and admits to remaining a virgin. However, Heckerling sets up a paradox around Cher, exaggerating a materialistic and sexual blonde who ironically remains a virgin despite this image. Although the importance of sex takes focus in the film, Heckerling chooses to end Clueless with a marriage, highlighting that it is still a value in modern society. Both Austen and Heckerling challenge their audience to confront their own presumptions concerning their society’s values. Moral education is a value personified through significant figures in both protagonist’s lives. In Emma, Mr Knightely is the catalyst for Emma’s moral education and growth. One of the significant turning points for Emma’s transformation is the Box Hill incident where Emma cruelly insults Miss Bates. Jane Austen use’s Mr Knightely to enter her novel to criticise Emma’s behaviour â€Å"Better be without sense, than misapply it as you do. † In Clueless, it is Josh who sparks Cher to â€Å"make-over her soul†. It is the incident when Cher insults Lucy saying she is a Mexican and Josh insults her saying â€Å"your such a brat† that is the vehicle for Cher’s moral education and ultimately making her a better person. Through these men, both Austen and Heckerling are able to criticise not only Emma and Cher, but the moral values society shape as acceptable. Through exploring both texts, it becomes increasingly evident that both authors have attempted to reflect their societies. Through their protagonists, they challenge societies standards and expectations and appeal to their audience to overcome these barriers. Therefore we come to the point that while human nature does not change, the context and values do.

Virtual Work

1. Introduction Recent years have witnessed an incredible development of information technology and the structure of traditional work environment is changing. The emergency of virtual work has been reflected in some companies’ new work policy. For example, Jetblue Airlines has changed its working conditions and established a virtual call centre where employees can work from home without a central office. Despite the technology advancement that enables virtual working, the amount of people adopting this new working pattern is still very low.This report will explore the nature of virtual work and analyse the barriers of adopting this work policy, as well as give suggestions on how to overcome these barriers. 2. Nature of virtual work Virtual organisation, by definition, is a principle of management that has been used in a variety of applications, including virtual memory, virtual reality, virtual classrooms, virtual teams, and virtual offices (Mowshowitz, 2002). Unlike tradition al organizations, the virtual organization itself has no need for physical representation.Its output, however, might influence the physical world directly, such as the direct buying or selling of stocks, or indirectly, such as providing decision support for a human agent in a traditional organization. Virtual offices, also known as virtual working, allow employees to operate in dynamically changing work environment. Virtual working as part of the virtual organization can be defined as the use of communications networks rather than buildings and physical assets, meaning that the physical location of work is now less important (Pang, 2001). As the result, departments and teams no longer have to work in close contact with each other.The common denominator for all virtual workers is that they communicate and perform work duties almost entirely through electronic technology, such as instant messaging, blogs and social networking. Employees in this situation, need a certain level of self- control ability, andvery often need to structure the environment and systems they use to perform a variety of tasks, for example, getting familiar with different types of communication software. 3. Advantages of virtual work 3. 1 For companies 3. 1. 1 Less cost Virtual work enables a company to reduce costs in renting, travelling and labor salary.Telecommuting allows people to work from home or anywhere they want instead of staying in an office and thus helps an organisation to reduce expenditure in renting the building (Tomic, nd). Also, no office means that the company does not have to hire cleaners or other labors and pay their salary. Additionally, companies can reduce the travel expenses as geographical distance in virtual organization is no longer an obstacle to hold meetings and conferences. Virtual workers can communicate through the internet instead of going to other places to observe and study. 3. . 2 Increased effectiveness Companies that implement virtual work policy can increase effectiveness because employees can save the time of commuting to work. Better communication, fewer distractions, better concentration and less traveling time contribute to the increased 15-50% productivity in a virtual organization (Tomic, nd). Employees can also improve work quality due to more strategic use of work time and less disruption. 3. 2 For employees 3. 2. 1 Less stress Virtual working not only eases their traffic problems, but also relieves employees office pressure.Most employees worry about their privacy and do not feel comfortable in office. By working from home or other places employees no longer have to deal with office politics and office gossip (Anderson, 2012). Also, virtual workers do not have to rush bus and metro during the peak hours. By working from home, employees can have more time dealing with work in a relaxing environment, which is beneficial for their mental health. 3. 2. 2 Improved work-life balance Working from home gives employees the opp ortunity to balance their work and life. Telecommuters have more flexible work hours and are able to manage their own time.They do not have work in an office from 9am to 5pm every day and they can do anything they want as long as the work can be finished as planned. For example, they can go shopping and are able to respond to phone calls from their family (Anderson, 2012). Also, when the work is done, remote workers can clean the house, communicate with family members, and take care of their children which are beneficial for improving family life. Furthermore, if employees want to better equip their knowledge, they have the ability to go to school without affecting normal work. 3. For society Adopting telecommuting brings benefits to the society. Working from home eases the traffic pressure. Remote workers do not need to commute to work, therefore, there is less air pollution and fewer traffic problems. Also, virtual working creates more business opportunities for people in suburbs and rural areas because it is not restricted by region. 4. Why virtual working is still not universal Innovative workplace strategies that efficiently leverage human capital are becoming increasingly valuable in today’s economic environment (Thompson and Caputo, 2009).Some organizations have long employed virtual work arrangements as a tool to recruit and retain key employees. Despite the technological capabilities that enable lower operating expense and offer employees greater work flexibility, organizations that adopt the virtual work policy and the amount of workers working virtually is still very low. The problem can be analysed from two aspects: companies and employees. 4. 1 For companies As company’s major goal is to maximize profit in each activity, virtual working enables lower operating expense.Adopting the virtual working approach for organization seems the most tendency option. However, basic on company’s strategy and structure, in some case, virtual working would more like to be the obstacle for it’s development. The communication issues are not always technical in nature, but related to human factors. Members in a virtual team would face the misunderstood messages, thereby resulting in inefficiencies (Pang, 2001). More importantly, as there might be different security data protection in employees network, the risk of leakage of information will be increased.Organizational restructuring resulting in an increase in virtual workers and decrease in on-site employees can yield cost savings (Pang, 2001). However, having a human capital management strategy for newly transitioned virtual workers would cost an amount of money for training. Controlling and monitoring off-site employees become essential. For organization restructure, large amount of money would be invested for supporting the restructuring. That would be the difficult for company to adopt the virtual working. 4. 2 For employeesDespite the conveniences of telecommut ing, the potential downsides of the virtual workplace often go overlooked (Heidrick, 2011). Employees who work outside the office, feels isolated from coworker. In some cases, these employees start to feel disconnected from company culture and come to believe they are less respected in their organizations than their colleagues who work together in person. An organization’s ability to flexible depends on employees’ commitment to the organization, their motivation to stick with it. Respect ensured that employees are up to the challenge.Most employees generally feel respected when managers and coworkers hold them up to the same standards as everyone else at the organization. As employee feels isolated and disrespected while working by telecommuting, an organization that adopted the virtual working approach will most likely turn into less efficiency. 5. Barriers to virtual working 5. 1 For companies 5. 1. 1 Technical issues Increased data security concerns One of the bigge st barriers for companies implementing virtual work policy is the concern for data security. Virtual work needs technical support, which creates safety hazard potential nowadays.Due to the fact that multiple clients are in a web-based architecture, there are many points of possible intrusion into the centralized applications and data sources of an organization (Pang,nd). When a company holding e-conference to make important decisions or transfer confidential documents, hackers who have ulterior motives may filch the core strategy or information of the company by attacking system vulnerability. 5. 1. 2 Managerial issues Controlling and monitoring difficulties Controlling and monitoring telecommuters’ work is the most difficult section in managing a virtual organisation.Lipnack and Stamps (1997) stated that managing a successful virtual company requires 90% people and 10% technology. Productivity can be reduced without controlling and monitoring system because some employees ar e not self-disciplined and can be interrupted by an overabundance of distractions around the home (Hortensia, 2008). There are also some critical situations where managers are not able to contact subordinates and make remedial measures timely. Employee incentive difficulties High productivity of a company will largely depend on good employee incentive.However, in a virtual organization which has inefficient measuring methods to evaluate employee’s contribution, the manager may not detect potentials of different employees. Employee incentive is often overlooked in virtual organizations (Liu, 2004). Therefore, companies need to adjust their internal performance assessment and salary system, and spend a lot of time establishing a complete system for training and motivating employees. 5. 1. 3 Communication issues As virtual team members are usually in different area or even different time zones, communication can be a big issue. Lack of trustThe lack of face-to-face interaction o f remote workers can lead to difficulties in building trust. Virtual work is based on Computer-Mediated Communication, which is different from the communication pattern that traditional work has. When communicating face-to-face, the speaker can use visual cues from the audience to gain immediate feedback quickly and make necessary rapid adjustments (Storper et al, 2004). Visual cues and social existence in face-to-face dialogue also help team members to know background, skills, experiences, and areas of expertise of each other (Rosen et al, 2007).The traditional communication pattern can help people build trust within groups, but remote workers can find it difficult to achieve this. Additionally, virtual organizations are usually short termed. Employees may feel that the team will break up when the task is finished, and they do not feel their membership in the organization. Mayo George Elton pointed that employees need good inter-personal relationship, and also need feel being cared by the organization, the satisfactory feeling of being cared by the employer is very helpful to improve work productivity.Lack of trust in virtual organizations may cause low motivation and low productivity. Cultural barriers and limited knowledge/ experience sharing Virtual workers are usually separated by geography, which restricts knowledge or experience sharing opportunities by working together. Also, cultural barrier exists and is adverse to good teamwork in a virtual organisation. Members of a virtual team sometimes come from different countries. Virtual works go against the transfer of tacit knowledge, or knowledge that is not written or definable, but are gained through experience (Griffith et al, 2003).It is clear that many of the behaviors of a good teamwork are culturally rooted. For example, in some cultures, sharing information is both a manifestation of power and a way of building relationships. In other cultures a number of information sharing take place in off-line settings, which are limited in the virtual work environment. Furthermore, direct communicators who are low-context focus on sharing just the facts, which will leave high-context communicators feeling under informed. 5. 2For employees 5. 2. 1 Reduction in chances of promotionAt an organizational level, virtual employees’ efforts may not be recognized and valued and therefore chances of promotion in career are far less than traditional office counterparts. Adams(2012) noted researchers’ finding that managers are 25% more likely to attribute the traits ‘committed’ and ‘dedicated’ to people who logged extra hours in the office instead of those who work remotely. As a result, employees are not willing to work from home, holding the belief that managers consider them less committed to their task, and give them less career support.Employees’ desire for organizational identification is not necessarily satisfied due to negligible mentoring from supervisors and the lack of opportunities for developing relationship with crucial person in the workplace. To conclude, working from home distance employees from their manager, and leave them with less support and direction than on-site workers may get, thus reduce the chances of career advancement. 5. 2. 2 Social and professional isolation Perception of isolation from the group is one of the major concerns for employees who work from home.When employees are isolated in remote workplaces, the physical distance can diminish their opportunities for interacting and communicating with colleagues, further raising their perception of being separated. Marshall et al (2007), cited in Buss (1996) found that humans have long perceived physical and social separation from the group as negative, for the reason that isolation means deprivation of support and protection, which are critical for survival. The unavailability of networking, gaining support and recognition from co-workers creates peop le’s consciousness of not being part of the group and sense of loneliness. . Overcome barriers of adopting virtual work The barriers of adopting virtual work can be overcome by utilizing online communication techniques, conducting prior training and holding regular meetings etc. Virtual teams have to develop the better way for communicating, trust between each other and knowledge sharing in the electronic space. Developing a team culture and common procedures are essential for the development of credibility and trust among virtual team members in a virtual environment. (Raghuram, et al, 2001). Utilize online communication techniquesVirtual employees often need to share work-in-progress with others, which may require advance technologies to support. As a result, virtual team can work more effectively by using online communication techniques. Microsoft is the world’s largest software maker has developed some software that can be very useful collaboration tools for managi ng the virtual team, such as instant messaging, live meeting and Outlook (Courtois, 2012). By using collaboration software, virtual employee can check coworkers’ status to see whether they are available to chat online.Manager can held web-based staff meeting, make a shared calendar, and cloud computing that everyone can edit and see any changes instantly (The Observer, nd). Prior training Prior training or experience is positively associated with virtual work efficacy. Organisations should implement adequate training programs in order to provide better understanding of telecommuting for both virtual employees and their managers. Caudron(1992) suggested that training activities can include dealing with interruptions by family members and friends, communications with virtual co-workers etc.Hiring the right people can be helpful for the virtual organisation, like someone can be productive in an isolated environment but is wise enough to maintain connections with other outside co mmunities. Managers should always be open to the comments of employees and give supportive mentoring. Hold regular meetings In order to better manage remote employees, ensure efficient communication and information sharing, holding regular meetings is important. All employees should be included in all team meetings. During these meetings, manager should provide the perception of how things are progressing.This type of meeting is especially valuable in a virtual work environment, as there are fewer opportunities for interpersonal communication. Also, managers can organize employee retreats once a year so that virtual and traditional employees can interact with one another, to share information and to create a sense of unity and teamwork. These can reduces employee’s loneliness and make them feel a part of the team. Reward virtual employees’ desirable behavior in ways that are meaningful to them (Deannamaio, nd). Manager can simply reward extra holiday time off for emplo yees who work hard.Benefit from the reward policy, employee would feel more motivating in their job. 7. Future of virtual work Today only a small proportion of virtual teams have reached a level of performance that goes beyond what the individuals concerned could achieve independently (Benson et al, 1997). Despite difficulties in implementing virtual work, the overall trend for future is the increase of telecommuting. Development of technology is helping organisations to adopt a virtual work policy, and employee expectations will change towards a more flexible working environment. IBM has announced Virtual Desktop for Smart Business.The new workforce mobility provided anytime, anywhere access to personal desktops from mobile devices — including tablets, netbooks and laptops (Khalil, 2011). With the significant development of technology nowadays, more and more firms will adopt the virtual working in order to gain competitive advantage worldwide. 8. Conclusion Virtual work as a new pattern of work is exposing invaluable potential advantages to organisations, employees and the society as a whole. As information technology is developing at an incredible speed, some organisations have already evolutionisedtheir traditional office work pattern to virtual working.However, teleworking is still not universal despite the technology capabilities that enable people to work from home or remote offices. The barriers of adopting virtual work can arise from both companies’ and employees’ considerations. Companies will face a lot of difficulties such as technical, managerial and communication issues. Employees are also not willing to work from home due to their fear of being isolated and reduced promotion opportunities. In order to overcome these barriers, there are some practical solutions such as utilizing online communication techniques, prior training and holding regular meetings.Therefore, the future of virtual work is promising, and there will be an increasing number of people who change their professional roles from traditional office workers to telecommuters. Bibliography Adams, S 2012. ‘Why Working At Home Could Hurt Your Career’, Forbes. Com, p. 39, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 3 December 2012. Anderson,  A. (  2012). Demand  Media. Advantages  of  Telecommuting  Jobs. [online]  Available  from:  http://smallbusiness. chron. com/advantages-telecommuting-jobs-765. html  [cited  28  Nov  2012] Bullock, C. (2011). ‘Virtual Work Environments in the Post – Recession Era’.Brandman University. Available at http://www. brandman. edu/pdf/virtual_teams_brandman_forrester_white_paper. pdf. Access in 2 December, 2012. Buss, D. M. (1996). The evolutionary psychology of human social strategies. In E. T. Higgins& A. W. Kruglanski (Eds. ), Social psychology: Handbook of basic principles(pp. 3-28). New York: Guiford Press. Courtois, J. (2012). ‘Microsoft’ s new world of work is all about people’. Available at http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/business-17064032. Access in 3 December, 2012. Deannamaio (nd). ‘Managing and Motivating Virtual Employees’. Available at http://deannamaio. om/managing-and-motivating-virtual-employees/. Access in 5 December, 2012. Fried, C. (2011). ‘8 Ways to Convince Your Boss to Let You Work from Home’. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/8301-505123_162-41141951/8-ways-to-convince-your-boss-to-let-you-work-from-home/. Accessed 28 November 2012. Gitman, L. J. and McDaniel, C. (2008) The Future of Business: The Essentials, Cengage Learning. Page 242 Heidrick, R. (2011). ‘Why Off-Site Employees Feel Virtually Disconnected’. Available at http://www. texasenterprise. utexas. edu/article/why-site-employees-feel-virtually-disconnected.Access in 1 December, 2012. Hortensia,  G. (2008). Virtual  workplace  and  telecommuting:  challenges  that  red efine  t he  concept  of  work  and  workplace. Annals  of  the  University  of  Oradea,  Economic  Science  Series,  17(4),  269-274. Liu,  T. Ma,  G,  C. (2004)  Human  Resource  Management  in  Virtual  enterprise. Theoretics  Study,  (4):  48-49(in  Chinese) Griffith,  T. L. Sawyer,  J. E. Neale,  M. A. (2003). Virtualness  and  knowledge  in  teams:  Managing  the  love  triangle  of  organizations,  individuals,  and  information  technology. MIS  Quarterly,  27(2),  265-287 Peng,  L. (nd). Understanding  Virtual  Organizations.ISACA. Journal. [online]  Ã‚  Available  from:  http://www. isaca. org/Journal/Past-Issues/2001/Volume-6/Pages/Understanding-Virtual-Organizations. aspx  [cited  20  Nov  2012] Hurd, Brian M. (2011). ‘Virtually engaged: the effect of a virtual work environment on task engagement, its antecedents, and consequences’. Colorado State Unive rsity. Libraries. Available at http://digitool. library. colostate. edu/R/? func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=129655&local_base=GEN01. Access in 1 December, 2012. Khalil, L. (2011). ‘IBM offers virtual desktop solution for workers on the go’. Available at http://www. igitaltrends. com/computing/ibm-offer-virtual-desktop-solution-for-workers-on-the-go/. Access 5December 2012. Lipnack, J. and J. Stamps. (1997). Virtual Teams: Reaching Across Space, Time, and Organizations with Technology, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Marshall, G, Michaels, C, &Mulki, J 2007, ‘Workplace isolation: Exploring the construct and its measurement', Psychology & Marketing, 24, 3, pp. 195-223, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 26 November 2012. Marshall, M (nd). ‘3 key to building trust between managers and employees’. Available at http://www. eliableplant. com/Read/27611/Build-trust-managers-employees. Access in 5 December, 2012. Mowshowitz, A. (2002) Virtual Organization: T oward a Theory of Societal Transformation Stimulated by Information Technology. Greenwood Publishing Group. Page 24 – 25 Pang, L. (2001). ‘Understanding Virtual Organizations’. Available at: http://www. isaca. org/Journal/Past-Issues/2001/Volume-6/Pages/Understanding-Virtual-Organizations. aspx. Accessed 28 November 2012. Panteli, N and Dibben, M. (2001) Revisiting the nature of virtual organizations: reflections on mobile communication systems.Futures, 33(5). Page 379 – 391 Panteli, N. and Dibben, M. R. (2001) Revisiting the nature of virtual organizations: reflections on mobile communication systems. Futures, 33(5). Page 379 – 391 Pinola, M. (nd). ‘ Stress Management for Mobile Professionals and Telecommuters: 5 challenges remote workers face& how to reduce the stress they cause’. Available at: http://mobileoffice. about. com/od/tipsfortelecommuting/tp/stress-management-for-telecommuters-and-mobile-professionals. htm. Accessed 2 Decem ber 2012. Raghuram, S and Garud, R and Wiesenfeld, B and Gupta, V (2001). Factors contributing to virtual work adjustment’. Journal of Management 27 (2001) 383–405 Rosen, B. Furst, S. Blackburn, R. (2007). Overcoming barriers to knowledge sharing in virtual teams. Organizational Dynamics, 36(3), 259-273. Storper, M. Venables, A. J. (2004). Buzz: Face-to-face contact and the urban economy. Journal of Economic Geography, 4, 351-370. Sundin, K. (nd). ‘Virtual Teams: Work/Life Challenges – Keeping Remote Employees Engaged’. Available at https://est05. esalestrack. com/eSalesTrack/Content/Content. ashx? file=9e2e8332-6b1b-4592-9dd2-4963636c94c4. pdf. Access in 1 December, 2012.

Are Gap Years a Good Idea? Essay

When you think about graduating high school, it is almost ingrained in your brain that college is the next step. You think, â€Å"Who doesn’t have a college degree?† And where in life am I going to get without one. But school is not for everybody. A lot of kids, including me, just go to college because it seems like the right path. Kids who have no idea what they want to do, think â€Å"well a college degree could be useful,† well why would you want to go do something, when you have no idea why you’re even doing it. Well, there may be another option. There is a British tradition, which is called a gap year. Defined by Cambridge Dictionaries Online as â€Å"a year between leaving school and starting university which is usually spent travelling or working† (Cambridge University 1). Now this sounds interesting, doesn’t it? What if you had a whole year to do what you needed, travel or work, something to help you figure out what you really want to do with your life. In Britain, there is now this option. With this idea in your head a question comes to mind, should the U.S. adopt the British tradition of students taking a gap year? In the paragraphs below, I will tell you why I think the U.S. should. I have looked at both sides of whether or not the U.S. should adopt this British tradition. I have found though, that it is working tremendously for the UK. That is the main reason I think that the U.S. should use this idea, if it is working so great for the UK and their colleges have a better reputation maybe we should also think about adopting this idea. I think students should take a gap year for many other reasons also though, which have to do with the student. First and foremost, it offers a great worldly experience and gives students time to do what they need to do. It also gives those students who have no clue what they would like to major in or do after college, time. Time is what many students need, being rushed into college right after high school and having to do college applications during senior year really stresses some students out. Me being one of these students, last year when applying to colleges, I had to write that I was undecided. And here we are midway through my first semester of college, and I am still undecided and have absolutely no clue what I want to do. And I feel like a lot of students are in the unspoken situation I was in. Maybe if gap years were a more widely accepted idea and promoted then students who didn’t quite know what to do would have another option. Anybody can do gap years also! It is not just used for young students. Older people going back to school, have this option also. And no matter the money situation there are so many options, so no matter what if you wanted to travel you could. There are student travel abroad programs, volunteer and scholarship options. No matter if you have money or not, you can get a great worldly experience that will give you time and extra skills which most students will not have in college. Many people think taking a year off of school is dangerou s. Not dangerous in a physical way, but mentally. An opinion of many who are asked about gap years is that students will not return to school once they have had the freedom of no school for a year. It is believed that students will become mentally lazy, and will not want to work again and realize that they really do not have to go back. But in researching this, I have found that kids who take gap years to do progressive things have loved their decisions and come back ready to learn again. On the infamous website planetgapyears.com, many students tell about their experiences with gap years and how it really helped them become motivated again. Even though people think kids will not go back to school, I think it’s better for someone to take a break then go to college when they are not ready. Studies show that â€Å"the dropout rate for incoming college freshman is almost 30%† (NCES 1). Most freshmen who are not equipped to handle college yet or who are not ready, but do it anyways, just end up dropping out. A Student dropping out provides lower statistics for good colleges, not because the college is doing a bad job but because kids just are not ready. Why should a person go to college when they are just not ready for it? If the dropout rate is high why not let a student defer their application until they are ready? This is how the British gap year works, a student applies to colleges their senior year of high school, like a normal fall applicant would. Once accepted, the student then defers their application and the university gives them an amount of time off. When this time is over, they start in the next semester. Most British colleges offer this to students, and a lot of colleges actually encourage it to students who think they are not ready to handle the college life. I think the U.S. should do this to, only because it is working so well in Britain. The gap ye ar is proven to be a helpful and great experience for students. If it wasn’t why would universities encourage it? Students come back from these trips or years off with a new found want to learn and a refreshed mind. After going to school for four year, it is definitely hard to be excited to do the same thing for another four years. But with a gap year, you’re doing something else for a year, so when you come back you are in learning mode. Another argument someone who is against gap years may make is that they are expensive, especially if you are looking to travel. This is completely wrong though! Travelling is only one option, you can choose to just live at home and work, or focus on something else! You do not have to spend money to take a gap year. But there is always that option too! Many students want to take a gap year, but have no savings or money to do so. No problem! British universities offer thousands of travelling options, such as scholarships, and study abroad programs. Scholarships can help you get started and make it mu ch cheaper. And study abroad programs are too, they help students get more for their money. And the study abroad option also helps them still be a part of the university they would like to attend! So you’re not fully out of school, you’re just off the main campus for a little while. Also there are volunteer options, where you can spend a little bit of your time volunteering but get to go somewhere for free or for a small fee! So there are many options for students who are not well off with money, which we know in this economy is a lot of us, so why not do it? You must wonder truly how popular gap years are in the UK. Well I found statistics on a website called gapadvice.org. A non-biased website towards gap years, this website is geared towards students who are looking to take gap years. It gives basic statistics and even research on gap years into how helpful and beneficial they are for students. According to UCAS Figures, the ‘students take a gap year’ rate per year is about 7%, and has stayed close to around 7% since 2002 until around 2011. But this year had a surprising, 37% reduction rate in the amount of students taking a gap year. You may ask why this year had a reduction rate. Nobody is really sure why, but a study called â€Å"Revision of Gap Year Provision† report commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills could only talk good things about gap years. This report was carried out by Dr. Andrew Jones from Birkbeck, University of London, to talk about if he thought gap years were hurting or beneficial to students. All he says in this report is that it is beneficial to students to take gap years, finding that â€Å"Planned and well-structured gap years are a highly beneficial experience for young people. They are often important factors in facilitating the next step in education or employment. Participants gain a wide range of life skills and other more specialized skills. These skills are often the ones employers identify as lacking in new recruits and are valued by universities. Gap year participation also benefits wider society both in terms of the activities young people undertake and the wider impact of facilitating the integration of young people into society as functioning citizens† (Jones 1). This is amazing. A professional does a study and finds only good things about students taking gap years. He also found that in the UK â€Å"between 200,000 and 250,000 young people aged 16-25 are estimated to take a gap year of some kind each year† (Jones 1). This number is huge and has only gone up since the earlier 2000’s. I think with only good things to say about gap years, what is the hurt in taking one? So I’m sure most students think, what’s the point? But if you really think about it, everyone has somewhere they would like to travel to eventually. So take this time to travel there. Almost every student story I read online from a student’s perspective, said that taking the gap year was one of the smartest things they have ever done. And on top of that, that it was one of the best experiences of their life. I’m sure as soon as you would mention taking a year off of school to your parents, is as soon as you would jump off a bridge, this is the same for me. My parents believe college is a necessity and would give me some crazy look if I had even mentioned taking a year off of school last year. But I do regret not even mentioning it. As of now, it’s taking me some time to get used to college. I have adapted pretty well, but I definitely think a student like me who has no idea what they want to major in or do outside of college, a gap year would have been a good learning experience for me. I didn’t have a chance to do this, but you do. With so many programs you barely have to pay any money to experience a whole new culture and part of the world. You can experience hands on activity and travel at the same time with volunteering. And you could even stay home, but don’t be lazy, take an internship, get a job, do something productive. It gives you time and options to think about what you would like to do when you grow up, and gives you time to set a financial ground for yourself before going into college. Students come back with worldly experiences and things many people have never seen before, which gives them a leg up in college. If there is only good to say about it, then why not?

History - 10th Grade Short Essays. - 1379 Words

HISTORY VII ESSAY QUESTIONS Grade 10 What qualities in George Washington made him a good choice for commanding the revolutionary army? What were his most valuable contributions to independence? Washington would lead the Patriots to a surprising victory over Great Britain. There are many qualities that made George Washington into the great leader that he was. These qualities can be seen by the many decisions he made throughout his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and as President. Washington was a heroic man. As a general of the Continental Army, George Washington often rode with his troops along the†¦show more content†¦Why, then, did the declaration of independence single out king George iii as a tyrant threatening their liberties? The King was the obvious symbol of the British Empire. He was also the single most determined person in trying to prevent independence. A speech by the King in late 1775 called for the maximum level of force to stop the revolution and to punish the colonies and included language that made the rebels very angry. The King was extremely unpopular in America. George III represented England and by extension parliament and n ever did anything to protest those acts. The reason why they were treated badly was because the American people felt that they were powerless against them and the British evils of America. Write your definition of loyalty. Then explain why the loyalists were held in such low regard and treated with abuse during the revolutionary war. Loyalty is faithfulness or a devotion to something. Loyalty is standing up for what you believe in, when everyone sits down. Actually, during the American Revolution, Loyalists also would have considered the Rebels with low regard. Only the outcome of the war made the Loyalist cause the losing side, which were the bad guys. This is because history tends to brand losers of war as the villains. Fighting between Loyalists and Rebels in South Carolina was particularly bitter. We forget that not all American colonists wanted independence from Britain. A rough assessment mightShow MoreRelatedThe Power Of A Word Is Humongous1247 Words   |  5 Pagesalways associated with prestige and class for me. Also, writing has impacted my life in many significant ways, and due to writing I believe I became the person that I wanted to be. I lived in Russia for seventeen years of my life. In the 10th grade of my high school, my English teacher decided to organize a volunteer project the main purpose of which was to gather food for animal shelters. In Russian society, volunteering does not play such a significant role as in the United States. ThereforeRead MoreHuman Nature And Nature1375 Words   |  6 Pagesnot able to survive outside of our natural world of air, earth, water and life. But we tend to be poor leaders in the hierarchy of animal life. Despite our greatness, too often we waste, we fight, we breed heedlessly, and are too self-centered and short-sighted. I take note of the increasing awareness of ecology, at least in Western culture, and am heartened. We may still change our weapons of war into tools of peace, and our habits of despoilation into nuturing.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Earth is so large, that even ifRead MorePersonal Project is a project that each 10th grade students must design and exhibit at the end of1300 Words   |  6 PagesPersonal Project is a project that each 10th grade students must design and exhibit at the end of the process. Students all have chosen different types of project that’s significant in their different areas of interaction. The project I have chosen to do is creating special effects that often appear in movies. My area of interaction is Human Ingenuity. Special effects were created by human and it’s used a lot in the current world. I choose to focus on the process of learning the actual process ofRead More Globalization Has A Negative Impact on Global Health1799 Words   |  8 Pages(www.merriam-webster.com, 2012). Globalisation has had both, positive and negative effects on health. This essay will examine how globalisation has helped alcohol and tobacco trade around the world and in doing so affected health, how globalization has enabled the global community to combat these issues and an estimation of alcohol and tobacco consumpti on in different countries. This essay will also contain statistics from the World Health Organization based on alcohol and tobacco to illustrate theRead MoreTeens And Drug Abuse2146 Words   |  9 Pagesrealized that the person is not aware of whats going on because when you use drugs it interferes with your decision making. When youre under the influence of drugs or alcohol you are unaware of the harm you are causing to your family. In my other essay i mentioned my cousin who is my age. He has used drugs like methamphetamine and ecstasy he is also a alcoholic.I really hope one day he will see that he is not only hurting himself but those around him like his family and close friends. Drugs and alcoholRead MorePol 201 American National Government2975 Words   |  12 Pagesfor repeal of the 17th Amendment, eliminating the popular vote for Senators. While most Republican politicians have backed away from that view, many Tea Party chapters continue to demand its repeal. POL 201 Week 2 Short Essay Policy-making in the Federal System Short Essay – Policy-making in the Federal System. The U.S. government’s expansive role in public policy is caught in a swirl of conflicting cross-currents. On the one hand, popular expectations about government’s responsibility toRead MoreNurse Practitioner Consultation Essay4910 Words   |  20 PagesFor the purpose of this essay, I will discuss the case of a five years old patient presenting to my place of work with the symptom of shortness of breath (SOB). To maintain confidentiality the pseudonym â€Å"Ryan† will be used to refer to the child and Ryan’s mother will be frequently referred to as â€Å"mum†. As this assignment is a critical evaluation of my own practice, elements of it will be written in the first person. Webb (1992) considers writing in the first person acceptable when personal experiencesRead MoreAdvanced Corporate Finance4303 Words   |  18 Pageshome. If you cannot reach me, please leave a number so that I can get back to you. Email: butcher@pugetsound.edu Home: 206-285-3990 or 360-779-4706 Required Course Materials: 1. Brigham and Daves, Intermediate Financial Management, 10th Edition, South-Western, Cengage Learning, 2010 2. Cases from Harvard Business School, the University of Virginia Darden School, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business The URL is http://cb.hbsp.harvard.edu/cb/access/11776381Read Morecibm7098 Words   |  29 PagesIntroduction to the module and evolution of management thinking (No tutorials this week) RA Essential Reading: Core Text: Robbins Coulter (2014) Management: Ch1 Foundations of Management and Organizations Plus: Management: Looking Back, the history of management module Additional reading: Pfeffer, J. (2010). Building sustainable organizations: The human factor.  The Academy of Management Perspectives,  24(1), 34-45. COY, P (2007) Cog or Co-Worker Business Week Online Available at: http://wwwRead More The Importance of Educational Improvements in California Schools3272 Words   |  14 Pageseconomy.† United States citizens devote a significant portion of their incomes to educate future generations through the taxes they pay, and the resultant expenditures of federal, state, and local governments on education. As the epigraph of this essay suggests active participation in a competitive global economy will be required of future tax payers, if we (the people of California) desire to create an environment in our state in which individuals can continue to pursue personal, public, and economic

Famous Steven Wright One-Liners

Steven Wright is an American comedian who is famous for his deadpan expression while performing on stage. His one-liners seem intelligently designed, focusing on absurdities that we take for granted. In 1985, Steven Wright featured in an HBO special titled, Steven Wright Special, which had a huge fan following. Apart from comedy, Steven Wright has also created short films. He won an Academy Award for Best Short Live-Action film in 1989. Steven Wright does not use coarse language to create jokes. His one-liners make you marvel at his sharp wit. He shakes every belief system and pulls you out of your comfort zone. Steven Wrights one-liners create a riot of laughter. If you are good at dialogue delivery, use these one-liners to sharpen your speech. Use them as ice-breakers in a meeting or as a punch-line in your presentation. I wrote a song, but I cant read music so I dont know what it is. Every once in a while Ill be listening to the radio and I say, I think I might have written that.I brought a mirror to Lovers Lane. I told everybody Im Narcissus.I busted a mirror and got seven years bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.For a while, I didnt have a car... I had a helicopter... no place to park it, so I just tied it to a lamp post and left it running...[slow glance upward]For my birthday I got a humidifier and a de-humidifier. I put them in the same room and let them fight it out.George is a radio announcer, and when he walks under a bridge, you cant hear him talk.Hermits have no peer pressure.I didnt get a toy train like the other kids. I got a toy subway instead. You couldnt see anything, but every now and then youd hear this rumbling noise go by.I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol.I put my air conditioner in backward. It got cold outside. The weatherman on TV was confused. It w as supposed to be hot today.I rented a lottery ticket. I won a million dollars. But I had to give it back.I replaced the headlights in my car with strobe lights, so it looks like Im the only one moving.I saw a bank that said 24 Hour Banking, but I dont have that much time.I saw a close friend of mine the other day... He said, Stephen, why havent you called me? I said, I cant call everyone I want. My new phone has no five on it. He said, How long have you had it? I said, I dont know... my calendar has no sevens on it.I saw a sign: Rest Area 25 Miles. Thats pretty big. Some people must be really tired.I saw a small bottle of cologne and asked if it was for sale. She said, Its free with purchase. I asked her if anyone bought anything today.I saw a subliminal advertising executive, but only for a second.I spilled spot remover on my dog. Now hes gone.I stayed in a really old hotel last night. They sent me a wake-up letter.I still have my Christmas tree. I looked at it today. Sure enough, I couldnt see any forests.I think Gods going to come down and pull civilization over for speeding.I think its wrong that only one company makes the game Monopoly.I took a course in speed reading. Then I got Readers Digest on microfilm. By the time I got the machine set up, I was done.I took a course in speed waiting. Now I can wait an hour in only ten minutes.I took lessons in bicycle riding. But I could only afford half of them. Now I can ride a unicycle.I used to work in a fire hydrant factory. You couldnt park anywhere near the place.I was a peripheral visionary. I could see the future, but only way off to the side.I was born by Caesarian section... but not so youd notice. Its just that when I leave a house, I go out through the window.I was going 70 miles an hour and got stopped by a cop who said, Do you know the speed limit is 55 miles per hour? Yes, officer, but I wasnt going to be out that long...I was in a job interview and I opened a book and started reading. Then I said t o the guy, Let me ask you a question. If you are in a spaceship that is traveling at the speed of light, and you turn on the headlights, does anything happen? He said, I dont know. I said, I dont want your job.I was in the first submarine. Instead of a periscope, they had a kaleidoscope. Were surrounded.I was in the grocery store. I saw a sign that said pet supplies. So I did. Then I went outside and saw a sign that said compact cars.I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything.I was sad because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet. So I said, Got any shoes youre not using?I went over to the neighbors and asked to borrow a cup of salt. What are you making? A salt lick.I went to a fancy French restaurant called Deja Vu. The headwaiter said, Dont I know you?I went to a garage sale. How much for the garage? Its not for sale.I went to a general store. They wouldnt let me buy anything specifically.I went to a haunted house, looked under the kitchen t able, and found spirit gum.