Enzymes are important for food digestion Essay

Enzymes are protein molecules produced y the living cells as â€Å"instructed† by genes on the chromosomes. Enzymes referred to as biological catalyst – biological molecules that catalyze metabolic reactions. A catalyst is defined as an agent that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process (Burton, G. R. W. , 2004). Enzymes are important in digestion of food in our body because they act as the vehicle in the chemical reactions of breaking up the food elements. If the enzymes are not present in the digestion of the food, the energy of the chain reaction will face different problems such as acidity, diarrhea, bloating and burning sensation and it also helps strengthening the immunity of the body. There are different types of enzymes. These are metabolic enzyme, digestive enzyme and food enzyme. Metabolic enzymes are responsible for the destruction and removal of toxins in the body. Digestive enzymes are responsible for the digestion of food, absorption and the delivery of nutrients throughout the body and food enzymes enables the body to digest the food by breaking down the various nutrients and this enzyme are responsible for maintaining the optimal health. I will focus more on the digestive enzyme because it has an important role in the digestion and distribution of nutrients in the body. This enzyme can also help on the recovery of many diseases such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Crohns disease. There are 3 important enzymes for the digestion and these are protease which digests protein; amylase which digests carbohydrates and lipase which digests fat. The two groups of digestive enzyme are intrinsic and extrinsic digestive enzyme. The intrinsic digestive enzyme is naturally produced inside the body and secreted from several organs to break down foods. Salivary gland is the most common enzyme produced by the mouth and the gastric gland produced by the stomach. If you experienced burning sensation and bloating and always in need of antacids after eating a certain types of food, the most common reason for this is due to eating of highly processed or over cooked food. This is commonly called indigestible foods. This type of food has naturally occurring enzymes but some healthy nutrients have been removed. The foods that has no enzymes and indigestible is bad for your health. The enzymes will work with the help of other necessary nutrients called the co-factors such as vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. In the absence of the co-factors of the enzymes, enzymes will have no activity. In some studies, it shows that the burning sensation you feel after eating a heavy meal like steaks, chickens, hamburgers and the like is because the digestive system demands more enzymes to digest them but if you eat raw type of food like fresh fruits and vegetables you will not feel any burning sensation because fresh vegetables and raw already contains lots of enzymes that digestion can be easier. We can eat any kind of foods that are rich in fat and sugars and our body will try to break it down by means of enzyme (Garcia, B. , n. d). To prevent the burning sensation, acidity and excessive gas, we should eat a natural raw kind of food and light cooked foods. Over cooked foods and processed destroys the enzymes that we need. Reheating the left over food at 47 degrees Celsius also destroys the enzyme that we need for digestion. The best way to have a good digestion is we should eat fresh fruit, steamed vegetables and dairy products to get plenty of digestive enzymes for easy digestion and absorption of nutrients in our body. If we are about to eat roasted meat, try to add some raw vegetables because it contains vegetable enzyme that will help for easy digestion. Eating this kind of food is very economical and it helps with digestion illnesses. Enzymes are important in our life. Without enzymes we easily get sick or acquire diseases. Lacks on enzyme in our body makes our blood dirty and dirty blood are the basis of acquiring diseases. One specific function of enzymes is to reduce and lighten the inflammation such as arthritis. We should always remember that the healthier that we eat, the longer we live. With the help of this enzymes other diseases or illnesses such constipation and gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD will be prevented. Proper nutrition and exercise is the key to a healthy life (Garcia, B, (n. d).. References: Burton, G. R. W. (2004). Biochemistry: The Chemistry of life. Goucher, J. (Ed. ), Microbiology for health sciences (p. 149). Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Garcia, B. (n. d). How the Different Types of Enzymes Support the Process of Life. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? How-the-Different-Types-of-Enzymes-Support-the-Process-of-Life&id=291981 Garcia, B. (n. d). Enzymes: An overview. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? Enzymes:-An-Overview&id=275873

History of Database Technology and Data Models Essay

Imagine that you own bank and along with that, you own your bank’s credibility to your 100,000 clients. Just writing down each client’s information in a piece of paper would not be very secure and practical nowadays. That’s how an electronic database system comes in the picture. In this fast growing world, a technology like a database system is very necessary for establishments that hold a huge amount of data. However, the development of the current database technology and database models underwent an intricate process before it comes to a full bloom. In 1964, the word â€Å"database† technically denoted collections of data shared by end-users of time sharing computer systems and was coined by workers in a military information system. In addition, around 1960s, private companies started to own computers because of their increasing storage capabilities. Two data models were introduced: network (CODASYL) and hierarchical (IMS) model. During that time, database management systems were unsystematic. There no actual theoretical model about data organization. There was more emphasis on the processing of the records rather than the overall structure of the database system. During the 1970s, many astonishing breakthroughs on databases were witnessed. It was about the 1970 that E. F. Codd proposed a relational model for databases. The presented a system that separates the logical organization (schema) of a database from the physical storages and since that, it has been a standard in the field of computing. The term Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) was coined during this period. Theories about databases had finally made its way to the mainstream research projects. Two main prototypes for RDBMS were created: Ingres that was developed at UCB and this system used QUEL as query language and System R that was developed at IBM San Jose and this system used SEQUEL as query language. Meanwhile, in 1976, P. Chen suggested the Entity-Relationship (ER) model for database design which was proved to be vital in conceptual data models. This proposal enabled the designers to focus more on the data usage rather than its logical table structure. Commercialization of database systems for businesses began during the 1980s as demands for computers boomed. In addition, Structured Query Language (SQL) became a standard for database systems during these periods. DB2 became IBM’s flagship and development of IBM PC paved the way for more database companies and products like Dbase III and IV, Database Manager, OS/2 and Watcom SQL. The network and hierarchical models for database also started to disappear in the background. When the 1990s came, only a few surviving companies began to offer complex products at higher prices. Developments on database systems were more focused on client tool applications such as PowerBuilder (Sybase), Oracle Developer and VB (Microsoft). Some personal productivity tools related to database management were also created such as Microsoft Access and Excel. Some prototypes of Object Database Management System (ODBMS) also arose in the 1990s. It was also during the 1990s that the World Wide Web appeared. Large investments were made by Internet-related companies on Web and database connectors. Examples of these connectors are Active Server Pages (ASP), Java Servlets, JDBC, ColdFusion, Dream Weaver and Oracle Developer 2000. A solid growth of database applications was still observed in the early 21st century. Three companies continually dominate the database market: Oracle, IBM and Microsoft. In the near future, it is generally seen that databases management will be more sophisticated since huge systems (systems with storage measured in terabytes) are currently existing today. Most of these systems are used by most projects with science databases (genome projects, space exploration data). However, the â€Å"next great thing† on is the usage of XML with Java and other emerging technologies as a way to store data.

Coaching Log Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coaching Log - Essay Example The coaching session began with motivational interviewing that would allow the coach to assess the client's needs as well as make the client aware of what her problem is. Motivational interviewing was again used to help the client realize the solution to the problem. Activity scheduling was then used to help the client create an action plan. In order to remove emotional obstacles like fear of failure or fear of rejection, the client was given problem-solving skills training before the session ended. The subject is a woman named Anne, who has graduated from college and has been working for a consulting company for almost two years now. She has been undergoing a lot of mood changes as well as sleeping disorders. At the beginning of the interview, motivational interviewing (MI) was used to draw out the client's problems and needs. Below, the coach asked some open questions and leading questions in order to help the client verbalize her problems and needs. When I was in college, I tried out a lot of sports. And, there was this one time when I got really hooked with judo. I loved the struggle and the challenge. I loved the way I set myself up for success by doing the right technique at the right time. And, I love the way I can find ways of turning things around when I am about to lose. And, I remember the first time I won a tournament. It was something that I worked hard on and succeeded in. I don't really know. ... And, I love the way I can find ways of turning things around when I am about to lose. And, I remember the first time I won a tournament. It was something that I worked hard on and succeeded in. What do you think would make you feel that way again I don't know. That is what I'm trying to look for. It's frustrating. I want to have some changes in my life but I don't know where to start. When do you usually feel this "emptiness" I don't really know. It just happens. It just hits me. Sometimes, it gets to me at work. It's like my days are always the same. And, I feel that there should be more to my life than this. And, when I get home, I come to an empty place. And, I feel afraid that this is what it's going to be like forever. And, I can't stand it. I want to have something more. Let's start with your workplace. Have you always felt this way about your work Of course not! I was excited. I couldn't wait to interact with the clients. And, I liked the fact that every single client was different. And, the projects I worked on were never the same. But then, after some time, I started feeling that I was saying the same lines and working on the same things. And, somehow, I felt that every day was the same. Why did you suddenly feel that way I don't really know. But, I guess, it's because I have the same approach for each client. The accounts that I'm assigned to are very different but my means of evaluating them and presenting my ideas to them are always the same. Somehow, I found myself doing the saying the same lines everyday. And, it has become very tiring. How can you change the way you see your job I don't know. Do you think you should quit your job No. I do love my job. It has

Final question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Final question - Assignment Example This has led to a situation where no one is taking care of the workers because of poor labor standards. In addition, the environment is least cared for. These can be corrected by forming powerful unions that advocate for the rights of workers. In addition, international laws on issues such as environment need to be adopted by all countries to avoid further environmental degradation. Thirdly, globalization has led to the increase in arms trade thereby increasing conflicts. To avoid this, governments need to check their military budgets and allocate more resources to other key sectors of the economy. In addition, enforcing international rules on arms trade can help prevent the excessive movement of arms. Finally, economic globalization gives rise to complex trade rules that limit trade between countries. Such complexities can be avoided if countries formulate rules that enhance equity and fairness. Although globalization promises benefits to all countries, economic inequality is however causing the opposite. Countries that are economically sound continue to exploit the poor countries, thereby creating unbalanced development. Globalization has worsened the issue of inequality in the sense that powerful countries have formulated laws that limit the ability of other countries to predicate in global economic activities. For instance, it has been argued by Jennifer Olmsted (2007) that countries such as Iraq and Palestine have been denied the right to take part in the globalization economy due to sanctions and international policies. Powerful countries continue to exploit poor nations, thereby making the rift bigger. Due to inequality, people from poor nations are engaging less in productive activities; suffer high mortality rates and the rates of illiteracy increase. This in turn shapes globalization by limiting the ability of these people to engage in globalization activities. The solution to this is

U.S. War on Terror and Africa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

U.S. War on Terror and Africa - Essay Example While some causes are internal, others are due to external factors that come as a result of the relationship between Africa and other countries in the world. Examples of major crises that have happened include genocide (e.g. Rwanda genocide of the 90s), rules of dictatorship and recently a string of terrorist attacks among others. The worst blood-letting in the period of the twentieth century happened during the colonial era in King Leopold’s Congo Free State (Leavitt and Nathan 14).The costs of these conflicts cannot be in doubt nor the need and urgency to solve them. This should happen rapidly if Africa is to navigate the current century more successfully than it did the previous century. The last century was marked by colonialism- related degradations and its debilitating legacies and post-colonial disruptions. This paper purposes to advance the understanding of African conflicts that result from terrorism, genocide, and other conflicts and how the United States has respond ed to the same. For over a decade, the United States has considered the Horn of Africa, as well as other parts as a significant zone in matters concerning terrorism. Major terrorist attacks that have occurred in Africa have been linked to other terror attacks in the United States (Ba 341). For example, in 1998 there was bombing of the United States Embassy in Kenya that caused a great number of casualties. Following the attacks that occurred on September 11th 2001 against the United States, the horn has been consistently scrutinised as a strategic focal point in United States War against terrorism. For instance, in May 2003, the government of Kenya admitted that a key member of the al-Qaeda group was plotting a major attack on Western targets, confirming al Gaea’s firm presence in the country. Djibouti’s importance to agents of terrorism is a result of its transit capabilities and events since 1999, may have increased Djibouti’s

Obstetric Hemorrhage Project Report Research Paper

Obstetric Hemorrhage Project Report - Research Paper Example Absolute care is therefore necessary for pregnant mothers during delivery to ensure that in the case of such emergencies appropriate attendance can be given (Flamm, 2003). In the US alone, this occurrence has contributed to several deaths with the Department of Health in Illinois raising alarm over the increased deaths in the related areas. It has therefore been an issue of national interest and should be looked into with much care to reduce the preventable morbidity experienced in the areas. Preventive measure of this condition is thus important in relation to the loss of lives experienced in the hospitals during births. In this regard, a practicum and a simulation was done in this relation to give an account of what is the problem is, this was done in the hospital environment and a report given ultimately (Derrick, 2012). Because of the increased deaths associated with postpartum hemorrhage, this simulation was aimed at identifying areas that needed reinforcement so that it can be ascertained that the hospital system for the care is up to standard. The cause of death has remained speculative and as a rule, there are prerequisites that must be present in the hospital environment to facilitate such cases in the hospital (Davidson, 2009). This simulation was aimed at gauging the preparedness of the hospital in dealing with such emergency cases in the hospital. In most cases, inadequate preparations to some of the emergencies in the hospital environment is also a contributing factor to occurrence of deaths, the simulation program was thus intended to give all round account of the contributing factors in this situation (Arulkumaran, 2012). Several causative agents can lead to the condition occurring in mothers at delivery period. Some of the much known cause of the condition are; the retention of the placenta in the womb of the mother during after birth, trauma, uterine atony, and coagulopathy, this is commonly known as the four Ts (Lynch, 2006). The

CyberSecuirty Threats Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CyberSecuirty Threats - Essay Example This compromise may include a covert computer terminal is connected to the same line through the telephone switching equipment and is then used when the legitimate user is not using the terminal. The computer cannot differentiate between the two terminals; it senses only one terminal and one authorized user (Peter & Allan, 20). A user may also improperly sign off when leaving a terminal session. Here, the intruder will find the terminal session in active state and access the user’s files as the computer believes the user is still active. The perpetrator may also use another form of piggybacking where they forward the call of the victim’s calls to the perpetrator’s phone (Peter & Allan, 120). Passwords are the other form of security verification methods implemented in computer networks and devices. With passwords, the user is required to enter secret digits or letters or both to provide access to a system or files in a system (Lynch, 401). Passwords have been in existence since long ago and are applicable in many fields such as in automated teller machines, mobile phones and computer operating systems (Peter & Allan, 70). However, passwords have been known to be cracked and as such very in strength where alphanumeric patterns of passwords offer the strongest passwords while simple letters or digits offer weak and vulnerable passwords (Peter & Allan, 80). Phishing in internet security is a form of crime that occurs in the internet. Here, deception is used to acquire someone’s or a company’s sensitive information such as their bank account details, credit card number, usernames and passwords. The culprit masquerades as a trustworthy party such as a bank or popular site (Lynch, 410). They in turn send emails or instant messages that are infected with malware and harm the unsuspecting victim. Once the message or email is opened the malware retrieves the user’s

From financial crisis to global recovery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

From financial crisis to global recovery - Essay Example Despite the global economic turmoil, the global FDI inflows rose significantly by 17 percent in 2011 in most of the economies to $ 1.5 trillion. The FDI flows increased in major economic groupings such as developing economies, transition economies and developed economies. Developing and transition economies recorded $ 755 Billion FDI inflows that were driven mainly by robust investments (Lapavitsas, 2012). FDI flows in Europe increased by 18 percent while the flows in the United States declined by 8 percent. Ireland experienced the largest FDI flows due to movements in debt and equity financial markets. The increase in FDI flows in Europe was mainly driven by cross-border corporate restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and stabilization of the economies (Ramamurti & Hashai, 2011). However, this trend was not even in all European countries since Greece and Germany experienced a decline while countries like France saw an increase in FDI flows. Developing counties accounted for most of the global FDI flows in the first half of 2011 (Shambaugh, 2012). The FDI inflows in developing countries were at $ 684 billion. The FDI flows in transition economies rose by 6 percent in 2011 to reach $ 92 billion. ... The Sub-Saharan African region witnessed $ 37 FDI inflows in 2011 (Shambaugh, 2012). The FDI outflows from Africa were 50 percent lower in 2011 and amounted to $ 3.5 billion and mainly came from Egypt and Libya. FDI outflows from the United States reached $ 397 billion in 2011 due to appreciation of Japanese Yen since Japan was the second largest investor in the US (Shambaugh, 2012). From the above graph of global FDI flows, it is evident that the recent financial crisis negatively affected the global FDI flows. The global FDIs flows are currently on the increasing trend (Breitfeld, 2010). US economy FDI flows and balance of payments The global financial crisis of 2007-2009 led to the decline of the US trade deficit due to slowdown in imports. The US exports increased by 16 percent from 2010 to $ 1,497 billion in 2011 due to increasing economic growth in the economy. The imports also increased by the same percentage during the same period to $ 2,236 billion (Richardson, 2011). Though the two increased at the same percentage, the net effect was an increase in the trade deficit by 15 percent or $ 93 billion. In 2009, the recession led to an 18 percent in US merchandise exports and 26 percent decline in imports (Richardson, 2011). The figures however reversed in 2010 when exports in merchandise increased by 21 percent while the imports increased by 23 percent. In 2011, the trade deficit in goods was $ 738 billion on the BOP but was still lower than the previous peak of $ 836 billion in 2006. The deficit on the current account which includes the trade plus investment income and any unilateral transfers grew from $ 442 billion in 2010 to $ 466 billion in 2011 thus leading to an increase in the current account deficit by $ 24 billion. The

Psychological Effects of Being A Police Officer Research Paper

Psychological Effects of Being A Police Officer - Research Paper Example For one to be a police officer, he has to go through thorough training to prepare him for the job at hand. Law enforcement is a career field in which one must not only be physically strong but also mentally because the psychological effects can have the ability to damage one’s mental well being, personal life, and career performance. Below is an overview of the effects of police work on their mental, personal and career lives. Police officers are exposed to episodes of violence, deception and victimization throughout most of their careers. The impact of having to deal with these issues can weigh very heavily on their mental well being (Villiers 25). Policemen as human and although they may have undergone training to enable them to deal with stressors that accompany their work, they can sometimes succumb to the pressure. Some of the events that may have detrimental effects to the mental well being o a police officer include witnessing the death of a colleague or being involved in a shootout (Paton 85). These incidences may be traumatic for the officer and they may affect his mental abilities and concentration at work and at home. In some cases police officers may have suicidal tendencies. This is the extreme mental effects that the work of policing can have on an officer. Due to the stress caused by certain experiences while on the job, some policemen have tried and others succeeded in committing suicide (90). These suicidal tendencies are caused by the officers not being able to reconcile with a situation that they found themselves in. in this case, the brain cannot fully deal with a certain situation and the resulting stress becomes too much for the officer who decides that he would rather end his life than continue being faced by the same problem everyday (Villiers 32). Police officers, like everyone else in the society have their own private lives. Many of them have families that they care about. One of the requirements

Environmental Law, Air Pollution Permits Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environmental Law, Air Pollution Permits - Essay Example Whenever a directive relating to emission principles or other requirements is adopted, it provides for the compliance with standards no later than the specified date (Theodore, 2008). Cap and trade is an ecological policy tool that delivers results with an obligatory cap on emissions while providing flexibility on how they comply. Successful cap and trade programs reward efficiency, innovation and environmental responsibility without infringing on economic growth. Examples of cap and trade programs consist of the acid rain program and the budget training program. This program is also known as emissions trading. These two programs differ in several ways. They include, the cap and trade program involves the purchasing of emission credits while the bubble program entails the controlled emissions with breaking any of the agreements incurs heavy fines. The use of emission trading has enhanced the achievement of environmental goals. Some skeptics have suggested that emissions’ trading has become an avenue for evading environmental requirements, while the bubble program enhances the achievement of environmental goals (Schaltegger, 2010). A stationary source is the basis that discharges more amounts of pollutants other than those defined by the Environmental Agency that protects the environment. This organization is in charge of regulating and monitoring of pollution. New Source Performance Standards define the amount of pollutants allowed by certain sources. A stationary source of air pollution is any fixed emitter of air pollutants. They include power plants, petroleum refineries and petrochemical plants (Reitze, 2005). Mobile source air pollution is any form of air pollution emitted by equipment that can be moved from one location to another. They include motor vehicles, airplanes, locomotives and other engine driven machines. Most of these pollutants contribute to environmental degradation and have a harmful

Critiquing Internet Sources Essay Example for Free

Critiquing Internet Sources Essay The internet is filled with information. Podcasts, videos, and blogs are the most used forms of information on the internet. Three factors that need to be used when evaluating internet sources for use in research are authority, can the speaker be authenticated, and is he qualified to speak on the subject, accuracy, can the information be found in other credible sources, and currency is the information current or when was the last revision to the page? The topic is Elder Abuse, a blog, video, and podcast, have been evaluated pertaining to the subject to show the credibility and reliability of the sources. A blog is a website containing a writer’s or group of writers’ own experiences, observations, opinions, etc., and often having images and links to other websites (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). The blog Elder Care and Technology is written by a group of writers’ in the Walton Law Firm. The blog explains in detail the impact of modern technology on Elder Abuse. The law firm based in San Diego, California specializes in court cases representing abused elders and their families. The Law firm can be authenticated and has been successful in prosecuting and retaining damages against nursing homes and personal care homes for years (Walton Law Firm, 2014). The blog does show some bias against people and organizations accused of elder abuse. The information in the blog is accurate and valid, because there are links to the law firm site that confirm the blog’s content. The information is current and applicable to the topic of Elder Abuse. A video is the recording, reproducing, or broadcasting of moving visual images (Oxford Dictionaries, 2015). The video Elder Abuse: the Crime of the Twenty-First Century, was produced by The Stein Institute for Research on Aging. The guest speaker is Deputy District Attorney of San Diego County; Paul Greenwood J.D. Attorney Greenwood has prosecuted over  four-hundred felony cases of Elder Abuse, both physic al and financial. The video gives a detailed explanation of what is being done in the state of California to combat Elder Abuse. The speaker is biased towards the prosecuting of those who mistreat the elderly. Attorney Greenwood is a valid source and the information he shares in the video is applicable to this research. The video shares information that can be found in other resources and is just one in a series offered by The Stein Institute for Research on Aging to show the new ideas that the state of California is implementing to fight elder abuse. District Attorney Greenwood is a credible source for information because of his background in the fight against elder abuse. The video is informative and the speaker is clear and concise in his reporting of the facts. A podcast is a digital audio file made available on the internet for downloading to a computer or portable media player, typically as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically (Oxford Dictionaries, 201 5). The New York City Elder Abuse center has a series of podcasts about Elder Justice. The center was erected in 2009 to improve professional, organizational, and system responses to elder abuse (NYCEAC, 2013). The most current podcast in the aging series is Ageism, Elder Justice, and The Legacy Project, each podcast has a guest speaker and the speaker on this podcast is Professor Karl Pillemer, a noted author, Director of Bronfenbrenner’s Center for Translational Research, Hazel E. Reed Professor in the Department of Human Development, Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at the Weill Cornell Medical Center, and a collaborator on the Legacy Project (Cornell University, 2015). Professor Pillemer is an expert on the issues of the elderly, and his qualified to express his opinions though somewhat biased in favor of the elderly. He uses his bias in a way that expresses the deep concern for the elderly and their treatment, which tends to sway one to favor his arguments. The podcast is one in a series of valid podcasts and the information is easily applied to this research. The information can also be found in other credible sources on the internet. The information given in blogs, videos, and podcasts are great examples of web-based information. Web-based information has a major influence on how students gather information for research, global citizenship, and multicultural understanding. Web-based information helps develop intercultural literacies that students, parents,  educators, and leadership groups need to live and work as a diverse and globalized population. Web-based information gives the user awareness of the interconnectedness with people and environments around the globe (Department of Education, 2013). Web-based information is being infused in today’s global history classroom curriculum to enable students to have access to the global network of multimedia information while being engaged in self-directed learning activities (Scheidel, 2003). Web-based information influences the understanding of global citizenship and multicultural understanding, because people are able to put themselves in the position of the citizens of foreign countries, which helps them broaden their understanding of the different cultures that they meet right here in the United States, and helps us understand the complexities of ethnicity and culture (Hickling, 2012). Elder Abuse is a subject that has recently been raised by different organizations and advocates that fight for the elderly and their rights. The different blogs, videos, and podcasts, are ways that a researcher can find the relevant information they need to learn more about the subject and the policies being used to combat elder abuse. The internet is the leading source of information in society today. The information by way of blogs, videos, and podcasts are all perfect ways to get and exchange information. The credibility and relevance of the information should be easy to prove and sh ould always be authenticated when using these methods for research. References Ageism, Elder Justice The Legacy Project (April 22, 2014). Retrieved from: http://podgallery.org/elder-justice-podcast-series/ January10, 2015 Cornell University College of Human Ecology (2015). Karl Pillemer-Bio Retrieved from: http://www.human.cornell.edu/bio.cfm?netid=kap6 January 11, 2015 Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Education for Global and Multicultural Citizenship: A Strategy for Victorian Government Schools 2009-2013. Retrieved from: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/studentlearning/programs/multicultural/default.htm. January 11, 2015. Elder Abuse: The Crime of the Twenty-First Century? Research on Aging MAY 5, 2014 University of California Television (UCTV) Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JoUapRfjZw January 10, 2015. Elder Care and Technology By Walton Law Firm http://www.nursinghomeabuselawyerblog.com/2014/05/elder-care-technology.html Hickling, F.W. (2012). Understanding Patients in Multicultural Settings: A Personal Reflection on Ethnicity and Culture in Clinical Practice. Ethnicity Health, 17(1/2), 203-216. Doi:10. 1080/ 13557858.2012 655266. Retrieved from: Ashford University Library, January 14, 2015. Oxford University Press (2015) http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/ Scheidet, R.A. (2003). Improving Student Achievement by Infusing a Web-Based Curriculum into Global History. Journal Of Research on Technology in Education. International Society for Technology in Education, 36(1), 77-94. Retrieved from: Ashford University Library, January 14, 2015.

Misunderstanding Within The Group Social Work Essay

Misunderstanding Within The Group Social Work Essay Abstract: Free riders are those who take the same credit of you without exerting efforts. They are present in many groups, but it depends whether they are known early or not. Also many guys tolerate with free riders if they were their friends, but work and friendship are separated things. Every group should have a communication way, where all the group members agree on. And no one says that I did not know or I did not get the message. And this is something we suffered from. And because there are many members in the group and everyone has his own business, everyone should be on time for the meeting. When any group want to choose their topic, they should choose it wisely because wrong choosing will cost them time and effort. Working like a team is better than working like a group, but team work requires discipline, which we lacked. The abilities within the group differ, but you should try to get the maximum from everyone. Interpersonal relationship is the social connection between the group memb ers which grow with time. Positive interpersonal relationship between group members leads the organization forward and to employees satisfaction. Organizations know interpersonal relationship effects, so they try to provide the appropriate working climate for it. The managers have influence on employees interpersonal relationship and he tries to make it positive of the benefits he can get from it. Group members working together at all times and seeking a common goal is working like a team. To have an effective team you need to work hard and combine the right people together. Team effectiveness is measured by the final outcome and employees satisfaction. Introduction: Group assignments provide postgraduate students with opportunities to improve their capabilities and demonstrate a professional behaviour. Personally, the group assignment is considered to be a valuable experiment that led me to write this reflective essay. The group assignment had a great impact on my skills as it had lot of benefits. I learned lot required behaviours from working with a diverse group. Group work differs from working individually as it involves an interaction with others that might result in conflict occurrence, misunderstanding and so on. There may be difficult times during group work, but a group member should be wise and help the group to pass those difficult times. I have relied on my diary notes captured after group meetings to write this essay to reflect reality. Although there is a distinction between friendship and work, I prefer to work with friends rather than people that I do not know. Effective cooperation among group members would be required at all tim es, so they can complete assigned work and deliver it in the best way with highest level of satisfaction. Free Riding: Free Riding is the absence of contribution and getting the benefit of that good. This view has been supported in the work of Marwell, Ames (1981). Before the module starts we knew that we had a group assignment and it must contain 4-6 individuals, so we were four friends knowing that we can make a group of friends only, but we have been thinking that if we entered two more participants it will be easier for us as everyone will write less and concentrate more on his points, and that will help us to concentrate on our other assignments also, but what we have been afraid of is that we may have two free riders who will make the work harder. From the first day that we have decided to meet at, we found that 3 of the group members were not there, so we were thinking about free riders and will we accept those free riders in our group because of the friendship we have. I and the present group members decided that this is work and we do not like to work hard and the free riders get the same cr edit. A personal experiment of being in a group with free riders made us insist of our situation that we do not want free riders in our group, as before the submission date they came with no work in their hand saying that we did not know what to do, so we have decided to work together all the time and to divide the work and everyone do his part, but we have a weekly meeting to ensure that there will be no one free riders. Discovering free riding before the grading is important, but detecting the free riding early is much better for the group to take the corrective action and to work all together and get those free riders involve in the work again (Free riding in group work Mechanisms and countermeasures, n.d.). Therefore, we decided to meet often so we can ensure that we are all walking on the right side. And we have asked the professor about the grading system and she said if you were the manager and you have free riders in your group, what you would do? And I was thinking of leav ing them behind as they will delay our work and make it harder, but if I must have them in my group I will give them specified tasks and ask them often about their progress with an evidence to ensure that they are really working and contributing with the group. Misunderstanding within the group: There was a misunderstanding regarding the time at the first meeting, as we have decided to meet at 11 am and then some of the group members changed the meeting time till 3 pm and they have said that we have sent a message on Facebook, but not all of the group members actually got the message, so we ended up blaming each other. I think that happened because we did not have that person who could take the responsibility to tell everyone about the exact time and if the time changed or there was any kind of change in plan, he would tell all the group members. Also, I think the existence of that kind of person in every group is important and will lead to a better performance and satisfaction from all the group members. Because of the misunderstanding, we have delayed our work for one more day as the members who came early had other plans to do at the time of the new group meeting appointment. Consequently, we have decided to have one communication channel for the group and it is doing a g roup chat on Facebook and everyone contributing in deciding the meeting time, so no one can have any kind of excuse of not attending the meeting. Meeting time: When we wanted to choose our meetings time, we were asking all the group members if that time was appropriate for them, because we wanted our meetings to be on time. The thing that happened was that I am there on time, but I had to wait at least an hour and half for the group meeting to start, because the members were always late. I waited and we did our meeting, but I was frustrated because of the late start. I have told them many times to choose the right time that they will be there and they have apologized for their lateness and promised to be on time for the next time. The same lateness behaviour had reoccurred as usual in which late members were acting normal, but the other group members were frustrated and complaining. The other group members had cool nerves and sometimes they have just waited others for an hour and a half to let us complete the work. I think this has affected our group performance, as if we were committed to the meeting time we would have done better in the g roup assignment. Improper Subject Selection: At the first we have choose Bloomberg as our subject because there was a Bloomberg guy who came and talked well about Bloomberg and we all found that the subject is very interesting, so we have decided to write about it. Therefore, we have decided on the points that we are going to talk about and that everyone would come back after 3 days with the information about Bloomberg. Apparently, no one has written a thing when the meeting day came and we were all complaining that there was not much available information. Therefore, our improper selection of the subject has led us to a waste some time. Team or Group?: I knew the difference between the team and the group from prof. Sally Sambrook, as she told us that working as group is discussing the points together, distributing the tasks and then everyone do the work individually. In the other hand, working as a team is doing everything together from discussing the points till the end of work. We tried to work as a team because it is more effective and creative than working individually, but the continuous absenteeism and lack of commitment of members in the meetings made it difficult, so we decided to work as a group. In addition, we decided to distribute the tasks in a way that please and satisfy everyone, so we wrote down the tasks and every one chose his favourite task that he would be interested to write about. Individual differences: There were individual differences in the abilities of the group members, as when we met to see and assess everyoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s work we found that some members of the group have covered their tasks perfectly while other group members made it difficult because we had to modify their work. My point of view is that I do not consider them free riders because they have tried and I could feel that they made an effort on their tasks, but the abilities within the group are different. Moreover, I suppose that their aim is just to pass while other group members who wanted to have a good grade in the assignment. We found the module is interesting and easy, so there is nothing to prevent us from having A* while others saw it impossible, so there were different aims within the group. Members with high ambitions did not get disappointed from others and have worked very hard. These members with all honesty have gained my respect and gave me a lesson for life that I can do everything even if t he group members are reflecting discouragement and laziness. If you want anything and you work for it very hard, you will achieve it. Interpersonal relationship and team effectiveness: What is an interpersonal relationship? Interpersonal relationship is a strong social connection between two or more people. There are many types of interpersonal relationships, but what we care about is the organizational interpersonal relationship which is the relationship between individuals working together in the work place. They spend a lot of time in the work and for sure they want to talk and discuss their issues with others rather than working alone all the time and that is a natural part of the working environment. Also, there may be a previous relationship between the individuals before working together and this helps the relationship to expand. We as students knew each other before the group assignment, but within the group work we came closer and worked together for longer hours. I think that I have a stronger relationship with them now, after the group work. I would prefer working with them again rather than working with a new group members that I do not have any kind of relationship with them (Management stu dy guide, [online], n.d.). Do interpersonal relationships affect the performance of the individuals? There are many beneficial outcomes for individuals and organizations because of the positive interpersonal relationship at work. Employees can feel job satisfaction and commit to their work because of their positive interpersonal relationship within their workplace. In the other hand, a negative interpersonal relationship could affect the employees and make them upset, and that will lead to lack of commitment towards their work. Obviously, it depends on the individual himself whether he was a social person and like to communicate and interact with the others or he likes to work individually and isolated from the others. A positive interpersonal relationship within the organization will build a supportive and innovative working climate for the employees, which will lead to an increase in the organizational productivity and institutional participation, and that will lead to employees satisfaction (Dachner, 2011, Abstract). In our group work there was a positive interpersonal relationsh ip which have made the work easier and more interesting. Furthermore, we were friends and knew each other before the group work, so it helped us a lot. It is interesting to have friends working together and it would form a comfortable working climate which can help to improve the performance and encourage the members to work hard. In the other hand, friendship in the group can make the members lazy; as they know that if they do not do their work; their friends will not leave them behind and will do their work. Our group had agreed from the beginning to isolate friendship from group work because we did not want the group members to keep depending on the others to do their own work. In my opinion, working with group members that I have a positive interpersonal relationship with them is much easier than working with new groups. Also, from my previous experiment of working with members that I do not know, I can say that there is a risk of being in a group with members who do not care ab out the grades they get, so you find yourself obligated to do their work. How could the organization build a positive interpersonal relationship? The variety of the advantages of the positive interpersonal relationship within the organization has encouraged organizations to build, support, and try to form a strong positive interpersonal relationship. The organization attempts to make the coworkers to become friends, because coworkers with friendship help each other more than normal coworkers. Besides, the organization helps the workers to communicate and work together in groups or teams to build a positive interpersonal relationship in order to provide the appropriate working climate for the workers to communicate and interact with each other. Moreover, the theories propose that demographic characteristics affect social relationship between individuals (Dachner, 2011, Antecedents of Interpersonal Relationships at Work). Consequently, organization could form group works with individuals who share the same demographic characteristics. Our assignment group consists of people from India, China, and I am from Kuwait, but it was eas y to work with them because we all shared the same goal and were working for the same purpose. I think that it depends on the person himself if he wants to make friends with his group and try to help them with their work or he just want to do his part and leave. How the management could affect the interpersonal relationship? Managers want the employees to be friends, help each other, and work together so they can get the most of their performance. Managers could give them the opportunity to socialize and encourage them to be friendly with each other and become friends. There are two influences that managers could have on employees interpersonal relationship. The first is direct and it is forming groups and giving them the chance to work together and compete with other groups which can provide a healthy competition for the organization. The second is indirect and it is giving them appropriate working condition, and not to give them a lot of work that they do not have the time to interact with others (Department of Public Health Sciences, 2010) 2.1 interpersonal relationship at work. A Team in an organizational point of view: A team in an organizational setting is a group of individuals whose tasks are done by working together, who share outcomes responsibility, who consider themselves and are considered by others as a unit inside the organization, who work together at all the times, help each other, and correct each others mistakes to increase the efficiency and improve the quality of the teams outcome, because they are all sharing the responsibility of the final outcome (Cohen, Bailey, 1997). As individuals who worked together for the assignment, although we shared the responsibility for the final outcome, we were not working together at all the time. If we worked as a team, it would have been better than working as a group but the conditions hindered us from working together as a team. Team effectiveness: Teams with high performance need to be developed and nurtured, as they do not just appear without working hard on them. The development of these teams cannot be guaranteed even with visionary leaders. Because if you want to have a high performance team, you should combine visionary leaders and motivated team members. There are many characteristics that help to build a high performance team such as, having a clear plan and a common goal, utilizing teams resources, valuing the differences in the team and trying to get the best from each member, the willingness of the members to give their best for their teams, managing the meetings in the perfect way, and exerting the efforts to achieve the goals. Also there are other things that affect the high performance teams and it is the teams size, the abilities and the skills within the team, the way of communication, and the conflict resolution (Cliffs Notes, n.d.). I agree that high performance teams needs co-operative and hardworking members . Also it requires the commitment from the team members, especially in the meetings time, because we suffered a lot from the members who were always late on our meetings. Measuring the teams effectiveness: As the team members work together all the time with shared responsibility of the final outcome, it is hard to evaluate each members contribution to the work. The manager wants and sees the final outcome only regardless whoever contributed more to the work. The effectiveness of the team is measured by performance and personal outcomes. Measuring the final product, customer satisfaction, items sold, etc. are all kind of performance outcome measurement. While measuring team members commitment and satisfaction and their desire to work with the same team members again is kind of personal outcome measurement. Hence, the grade that we will get in the group essay is the performance outcome, while if I wish to work with the guys that I have worked with again is the personal outcome. In my opinion, our group works both the performance outcome and the personal outcome was excellent. Conclusion: In conclusion working in a group assignment has many advantages and make you learn a lot of things, but everyone should try to get the maximum benefits that he could get. I can say that the group work made me better prepared for the real practical world. Although I had many hard times during the group work, it was interesting and earned me some good friends for lifetime. It was exciting to work with my friends in a group assignment and to help each other trying to get the maximum grade. After reading a lot about the interpersonal relationship and team effectiveness, I realized its importance in the work place and it really affects any organisation, and that is why every organisation is keen on it. Working in a group is totally different from working individually, as working in a group imposes you to respect the group members and their opinions even if these opinions conflict your own opinions, but if you are working alone you are the decision maker. That is the difference that I knew from working in the group assignment and the individual assignment. Finally, working in a group has many benefits that contribute in refining the personality of the participants and often better than the individual work and this is what I had concluded from my personal experiment in the group work.

Globalisation The Prospects And Challenges Politics Essay

Globalisation The Prospects And Challenges Politics Essay Without an iota of doubt it can be said that one of the metanarratives of our time is globalisation. Indeed, the phrases like the world has become a global village have become clichà ©s. To quote Fred Halliday Globalization has become, over the past few years, the catchword of international economic and political analysis. [Halliday, 2000, pp. 238] David Held and Anthony Mcgrew have expressed this in a slightly different way Indeed, globalization is in danger of becoming, if it has not already become, the clichà © of our times: the big idea which encompasses everything from global financial markets to the Internet but which delivers little substantive insight into the contemporary human condition [Held, Mcgrew, et al. 1999, pp. 1] They then superinduce globalization reflects a widespread perception that the world is rapidly being moulded into a shared social space by economic and technological forces and that developments in one region of the world can have profound consequences f or the life chances of individuals or communities on the other side of the globe.[Ibid] Here in this paper, first we will deal with the definitional and conceptual aspects of globalization. Then we will focus on the prospects and challenges of globalization. Finally, we will try to arrive at a cogent conclusion. Globalization has been defined by different writers in different ways. Indeed, it has got different meanings to different people. According to Anthony Mcgrew, in simplest terms, globalization refers to widening, deepening and speeding up of worldwide interconnectedness [Mcgrew in Smith and Baylis (ed), pp. 20]. Martin Griffiths and Terry O Callaghan have defined is as the acceleration and intensification of mechanisms, processes and activities that are allegedly promoting global interdependence and perhaps ultimately global political and economic integration. It is, therefore, a revolutionary concept, involving the deterritorialisation of social, political, economic, and cultural life. [Griffiths and OCollaghan, 2004, pp. 126-127]. According to Steve Smith and John Baylis, globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies such that events in one part of the world have more and more effects on peoples and societies for away. They have also conceptualized the global world as one in which political, economic, cultural and social events become more and more impact. [Smith and Baylis ed, 2005, pp. 8] It is to be viewed not as a mere series of reforms giving free rein to transnational companies but as a radical programme to reshape the entire, economic, political, legal and ideological landscape of capitalism [Zuege, Leys et al (ed), 2006, pp. 1]. Amiya Kumar Bagchi has provided a different interpretation of globalization in his paper Womans Employment and well-being in a Globalising world as a deliberate concatenation and control of processes of production, exchange, information and services by the rich in rich nations of the world in collusion with the rich of most countries so as to increase their own power and wealth at the cost of the poor and disadvantaged everywhere. [Bagchi in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 276] We may cite a few more definitions of globalization In words of Giddens, globalization refers to the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa. [Quoted in Smith and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 24] Gilpin calls it The integration of the world-economy. [Ibid]. Scholte conceptualizes it in terms of De-territorialisation or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the growth of supraterritorial relations between people. [Ibid] David Harvey defines globalization in terms of time space compression. [Ibid] Anthony Mcgrew defines globalisation as a historical process involving a fundamental shift or transformation in the spatial scale of human social organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power relations across regions and continents. [Mcgrew in Smith and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 24] In his presidential address to the 78th Annual Conference of the Indian Economic Association (28-30 Dec, 1995), Deepak Nayyar defined globalization as the expansion of economic activities across political boundaries of the nation states. More important, perhaps, it refers to a process of increasing economic integration and growing economic inter-dependence between countries in the world economy. It is associated not only with an increasing cross-border movement of goods, services, capital, technology, information and people also with an organization of economic activities which straddles national boundaries. [Nayyar, 1996, pp. 1] Held and Mcgrew have written, A satisfactory definition of globalization must capture each of these elements : extensity (stretching), intensity, velocity and impact. And a satisfactory account of globalization must examine them thoroughlyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. By acknowledging these dimensions a mere precise definition of globalization can be offered. Accordingly, globalization can be thought of as: a process (or set of process) which embodies a transformation in the spatial organization of social relations and transactions assessed in terms of their extensity, intensity, velocity and impact generating transcontinental or interregional flows and networks of activity, interaction, and the exercise of power. [Held and Mcgrew (ed), 1999, pp. 15-16]. According to C. Sheela Reddy, Globalisation is a complex, multidimensional, social, economic, cultural, technological and political process in which the mobility of capital, ideas, technology, organizations and people has acquired a growing global and transnational form. Advances in new technology (in particular information and communications technology), cheaper and quicker transport, trade, liberalization, increase in financial flows and growth in the size and power of corporations are its distinctive features. It is a blessing to people benefitting from the new opportunities. At the same time others are being left behind in poverty, effectively marginalized from the hopes that globalization holds out. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 84] Thus, from the above definitions, we may reiterate some important aspects of globalization like increasing interaction of social, economic, and political activity, relative deterritorialisation and de-nationalisation of the state, increasing movements of good and services, deregulation of national economy and so on. Anthony Mcgrew observes that globalization is characterized by a stretching of social, political and economic activities across political frontiers. the intensification, or the growing magnitude of interconnectedness in almost every sphere of social existence. the accelerating pace of global interactions and processes as the evolution of world wide systems of transport and communication. the growing extensity, intensity and velocity of global interactions. [Mcgrew in Steve and Baylis (ed), 2005, pp. 22] PERIODISATION OF GLOBALISATION: The periodisation of the process of globalization has been a matter of intense debate. Some regard it as a new phenomenon, while others regard it as the new phase of an old phenomenon and thus old wine in a new bottle. Chandan Sengupta has written One opinion is that the concept of globalization dates back to the voyage of discovery in the 15th century. According to Immanuel Wallerstein, the capitalist economic foundation of globalization was laid as early as in the16th century. Ronald Roberstson traced the historical temporal path of globalization to the present complex structure of global system through five phases: (i) the germinal (1400-1750) phase of dissolution of christendom an emergence of nationalism in Europe, (ii) the incipient (1750-1875) phase of nation state and the initial phase of internationalism and universalism in Europe, (iii) the take off (1875-1925) phase of conceptualization of the world as a single international society, global calendar, first world war, mass international migration and inclusion of non-Europeans in the international club of nation states; (iv) the struggle for hegemony (1925-1969) phase of cold war, the emergence of legue of Nations and the UN, and the emergence of third world, and (v ) the uncertainty (1969-1992) phase of space exploration, recognition of global environmental problem and global mass media, via space technology [ ] The roots of newly emerging forces of globalization have been traced in specific economic and political developments in the late 1980s or early 1990s. [Sengupta, 2001, pp. 3137] TWO PERSPECTIVES OF THE CONCEPTUAL CONSTRUCTIONS OF GLOBALISATION: According to Chandan Sengupta, there are two broad contexts in which globalization has been defined. These two contexts are not very far from one another. One is the economic context, the other that of non-economic which broadly includes socio-cultural, historical and political dimensions of globalization. Such a division of however, the author admits, in reality appear to be false because it is difficult to observe cultural dimensions of globalization totally independent of its material aspects. Scholars like Immanuel Wallerstein have resorted to the first perspective. While, Giddens, Robertson and Waters et. al, have tried to look globalization through the prism of socio-cultural perspective. [Ibid, pp. 3138]. THE GLOBALISATION DEBATE AND THE THREE SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT: Anthony, Mcgrew, David Held et. al have pointed out three broad schools of thought in relation to the globalization debate namely the hyperglobalizers, the sceptics, and the transformationalists. In essence each of these schools may be said to represent a distinctive account. We will highlight briefly what these theses are: For the hyperglobalisers, such as Ohmae, contemporary globalization defines a new era in which peoples everywhere are increasingly subject to the disciplines of the global marketplace. By contrast the sceptics, such as Hirst and Thompson, argue that globalization is essentially a myth which conceals the reality of an international economy increasingly segmented into three major regional blocs in which national governments remain very powerful. Finally, for the transformationalists, chief among them being Rosenau and Giddens, contemporary patterns of globalization are conceived as historically unprecedented such that states and societies across the globe are experiencing a process of profound change as they try to adapt to a more interconnected but highly uncertain world. Interestingly more of these three schools map directly on to traditional ideology positions or worldviews. [Held and Mcgrew, et. al, 1999, pp. 2] Held and others have also summarized the three dominant tendencies of globalization debate in a tabular form as follows. Conceptualizing globalization: three tendency Hyperglobalists Sceptics Transformationalists Whats new? A global age Trading blocs, weaker geogoverance than in earlier periods Historically unprecedented levels of global interconnectedness Dominant features Global capitalism, global governance, global civil society World less interdependent than in 1890s Thick'(intensive and extensive) globalization Power of national governments Declining or eroding Reinforced or enhanced Reconstituted restructured Driving forces of globalization Capitalism and technology States and markets Combined forces of modernity Pattern of stratification Erosion of old hierarchies Increased marginalization of south New architecture of world orders Dominant motif McDonalds, Madonna etc. National interest Transformation of political community Conceptualization of globalization As a reordering of the framework of human action As internationalization in regionalisation As reordering of interregional relations and actions at a distance Historical trajectory Global civilization Regional blocs / clash of civilizations Indeterminate global integration and fragmentation Summery argument The end of the nation-state Internationalisation depends on state acquiescence and support Globalization transformation state power and world politics [Ibid, pp. 10] It is noteworthy that when it comes to the sources of contention in the globalization debate, Held and others have mentioned five principal sources namely conceptualization causation periodisation impacts and the trajectories of globalization. [Held and Mcgrew et al.,1999,p10 ] It is not the purpose of this paper to explore them all at length. So, we will limit our discussion to the prospects and challenges of globalization only. PROSPECTS OF GLOBALISATION: Globalisation is a double edged phenomenon. It has got prospects as well as challenges. As regards the prospects or post dimensions of globalization, Smith and Baylis have written: The pace of economic transformation is so great that it has created a new world politics. States are no longer closed units and they cannot control their economies. The world economy is more interdependent than ever, wit trade and finances ever expanding. Communications have fundamentally revolutionized the way we deal with the rest of the world. We now live in a world where events in one location can be immediately observed in the other side of the world. Other side of the world. Electronic communications alter our notions of the social groups we work and live in. There is now, more than ever before, a global culture, so that most urban areas resemble one another. The world shares a common culture, much of it emanating from Hollywood. The world is becoming more homogeneous. Differences between peoples are diminishing. Time and space seem to be collapsing. Our old ideas of geographical space and of chronological time are undermined by the speed of modern communications and media. There is emerging a global polity, with transnational social and political movements and the beginnings of a transfer of allegiance from the state to sub-state, transnational, and international bodies. A cosmopolitan culture is developing. People are beginning to think globally and act locally. A risk culture is emerging with people realizing both that the main risks that face them are global (pollution and AIDS) and that states are unable to deal with the problems. [Smith and Baylis, 2005, pp. 10-11] C. Sheela Reddy wrote about the positive dimensions of globalizations as follows Increasing economic opportunities for countries to find markets in which their labour forces can compete effectively. Opportunities for countries with institutional and technical infrastructure to attract investments. Increasing consumer choice and falling prices for individuals around the world. Increasing protection of vulnerable groups, as communications technology facilitates global awareness and actions by international solidarity and human rights movements. Better protection of the right to seek, receive and impact information through new communication tools including cellular phones, satellite television and the internet. The right of freedom of association or freedom of assembly for which physical presence is no longer required due to new communication tools. Facilitating exchange of information on social policies and services, access to educational information and multicultural link with people of other cultures. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 86] Certain writers argue that now national boundaries do not stand in way of process of an individual or a community thanks to globalization. Men (and women) have gained access to the treasure of knowledge and culture which is the product of genius all over the world. Now local communities have the opportunity to benefit from technology information, services, and markets available anywhere in the world. Finally, globalization has created an awareness regarding the global environment all over the world, and different nations have come to recognize global problems as a matter of their individual and collective responsibility [Gauba, 2005, pp. 173] Another section of writers who strike a balance between the merits and demerits of globalization have noted that globalisation has raised per capita income in the world to three times since 1945; it has created awareness regarding environment, and congenial conditions for disarmament. It has brought the condition of subordinate groups to limelight and inspired them to form their global organizations for their emancipation. It has also liberated them from the ideological domination of their local communities and enabled them to fight for their legitimate rights. [Ibid] As regard the impact of globalization on women, Lene Sjorup has written: women are ( ) involved in globalization at a number of interlocking, diverse and sometimes even contradictory levels. They may very well be the victims of one aspect of globalization, while they remain central actors in other aspects. Why, I ask myself, paint a picture of an overwhelming enemy confronting women, when a more detailed socio-religio-political analysis shows that women participate in complicated ways in global developments? Women surely are confronted with a number of obstacles at many levels. But, why use a mega-term like globalisation for describing the arch-enemy, instead of analyzing the many forms of oppression women face within the process of globalization, and including those from which we also benefit. [Sjorup, 1997, pp. 97] Thus, it would be wrong to treat globalization as a total anathema. As regards the future of globalization, Stanley Fischer (the first Deputy Managing Director of IMF) commented to Closing Panel Discussion of IMF on Aug 26, 2000: What about the future (of globalization)? Two cheering observations to begin with: First, most developing countries continue to liberalize trade despite their complaints about the global trading system. We calculate an index of trade barriers for individual IMF member countries. Almost uniformly, it shows that barriers to trade have been declining in the developing countries. They understand that unilateral trade liberalization is in their own interest, they are arguing for the advanced countries to open up not for themselves to close down and that is good news. Second, despite the recent crisis, capital accounts in almost all emerging market countries have remained open. And the two largest economies with relatively closed capital accounts. They understand that is the best way to go. They understand that is the best way to go. They are doing it cautiously and gradually and they are right to do it that way. But the direction in which they are moving is clear. Policy-makers in almost all developing countries have no intention of reversing the process of capital account opening, despite their complaints over much of what is going on in the world, and despite their concerns over the recent crises. [http: // www.imf.org/external / np/ speeches/2000/082600.htm. visited on 21/03/10 at 8.30 p.m] He has also mentioned two forecasts.The first is conditional : if we, and this means policy makers of the advanced countries and the international institutions, manage the processes well and bring the developing countries into the process of globalization, it will continue, to the potential benefit of all and to the likely benefit of almost all. And, second, there will be surprises along the way. [Ibid] CHALLENGES OF GLOBALISATION: The rewards of globalization has not been uniform and equitable. It has benefitted only a certain category of states and people. M.A. Ommen has even called it a contrived phenomenon. He cites three reasons why globalization is not the culmination of a natural process: Firstly, the world today is virtually governed by the G-7 countries (the USA, the UK, Japan, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy). The IMF, World Bank and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the avatar of GATT, are neatly co-opted into the process of the economic management of the world. Second, science and technology are not a free pursuit. They are in captivity, so to say. The military powers (this includes the former Soviet Union) and transnational corporations (TNCS) have manipulated science technology for power and profit. This trend continues. The end of cold war has not materially altered the situation. Third, the United States of America as Prof. Vernon points out, has been trying to create an international system in its own image has pioneered the so-called development ideology to counter communism. [Ommen, 1995, pp.75] GLOBALISATION : THE NEW AVATAR OF IMPERIALISM Some scholars are viewing globalization as the new face of imperialism. They are of the view that imperialist globalization is gradually spreading its wings to cast an abysmally dark shadow world over. Thinkers like Ranen sen are very much critical of this contretemps. He writes Globalisation is paving the way for the US imperialism which is out to exploit the unipolar geopolitics. Militarization and more aggressive programmes are designed within framework of hegemenistic objectives of the CIS authorities à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. Washington has a long-term plan to destabilize the south and central Asian countries which have untapped hydrocarbon resource. Afghanistan has a massive resource of natural gas and Iraq has a developed oil industry. The US scheme of subversion in Afghanistan, Iraq and adjacent countries in nothing new. After becoming the hegemonistic ruler of world capitalist order, following the collapse of the USSR, Wash ington pressed Pentagon more vigorously into service to dominate the oil and natural gas sectors in those countries.[Sen in Kar (ed) 2005, pp. 93-94] It is often claimed that globalization has led to the increasing interdependence. Now, the basic questions concern. Interdependence among and who are the beneficiaries? Samit Kar writes in the preface of GLOBALISATION : ONE WORLD MANY VOICES [pp. 12] Is this interdependence of world society real or tilted in favour of the richer nations? Neo-Marxists are also apprehensive of the lopsided development brought by globalization Robert Cox and other neo-Marxists à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ stress the uneven hierarchical nature of economic globalization. The global economic power is increasingly concentrated in the leading industrialised countries, including the United States, Japan, and the States of Western Europe. That means the economic globalization will not benefit the impoverished masses of the Third World. Nor will it improve the living standards of the poor in the highly industralised countries. [Jackson and Sorensen, 2003, pp. 217] Mahuya Chakrabarty writes in the same vein in the article Free Market Globalisation: Oil conflict and US aggression-This so-called free market globalization does not actually mean the spread of productive capital in the world but the accelerated accumulation and concentration of capital in the few imperialist countries, chiefly the US. Liberalization, p rivatization and deregulationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the key factors attached with free market globalization à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. have accelerated the outflow of social weather created by the people from the neo-colonies to the neo-imperialist countries. Here, the principal actor is the MNCs à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the multinational agencies like the IMF, World Bank and WTO. [Chakrabarty in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 108] Ranen Sen has written Globalisation is a bid to restructure the power and politics of developed capitalist countries under the US hegemony. It is in a way to recolonization through the trinity of World Bank, IMF and WTO. [Sen in Kar (ed), 2005, pp. 94] In the same tune Petras and Polychroniou, have pointed out the real nature and motives of these financial institutions These institutions were controlled by appointees of the respective imperial states and their function was to displace national markets and local producers and undermine popular social legislation in order to facilitate the entry of multinationals and the primacy of domestic export elites producing for the markets of the imperial counties. [Petras and Polychroniou, 1997, pp. 2251] GLOBALISATION AND UNEVEN DEVELOPMENT: The process of globalization is highly uneven. Deepak Nayyar observes There are less than a dozen developing countries which are an integral part of globalization in the late twentieth century. Argentina, Brazil and Mexico in Latin America and Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in Asia. These eleven countries accounted for about 30 percent of total exports from developing countries during the period 1970-1980. This share rose to 59 per cent in 1990 and 66 per cent in 1992. The same countries, excluding Korea, were also the main recipients of direct investment in the developing world accounting for 66 per cent of the average annual inflows during the period 1981-1991à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ this evidence suggests that globalization is most uneven in its spread and there is an exclusion in the process. Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia are simply not in the picture, apart from many co untries in Latin America, Asia and the Pacific which are left out altogether. [Nayyar, 1996, pp. 15] Nayyar also notes that the benefits of integration with the world economy, through globalization, would accrue only to those countries which have laid the requisite foundations for industrialization and development. This means investing in the development of human resources and the creation of a physical infrastructure. This means the acquisition of technological and managerial capabilities at a micro-level. This means the creation of institutions that would regulate, govern and facilitate the functioning of markets. In each of these pursuits, strategic forms of state intervention are essential. The countries which have not created these pre-conditions could end up globalizing prices without globalizing incomes. In the process, a narrow segment of their population may be integrated with the world economy, in terms of consumption patterns or living styles, but a large proportion of their population may be marginalized even further. [Ibid, pp. 16] According to C. Sheela Reddy, the benefits of economic globalization have not accrued to the majority due to certain adverse consequences like: The increase of inequalities among regions and nations, within nations and among individuals The continued growth of poverty. The increase of peoples vulnerability due to social risks such as unemployment and crime. The decrease in opportunities for regions, nations, communities and individuals to enjoy the benefits and advantages provided by globalization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Thus the benefits of globalization are not uniformly enjoyed at present as many people still live in poverty and the result of alleviation efforts are uneven within and between the regions of the world. [Reddy, 2008, pp. 87-88] Hirst and Thompson have made a very harsh criticism of globalization. According to them, the most extreme versions of globalizations are a myth. In support of this claim, they have offered five arguments. First, the present internationalized economy is not unique in history. In some respects they say it is less open than the international economy between 1870 and 1914. Second, they find that genuinely transnational companies are relatively rare, most are national companies trading internationally. There is no trend towards the development of international companies. Third, there is no shift of finance and capital from the developed to the underdeveloped worlds. Direct investment is highly concentrated amongst the countries of the developed world. Fourth, the world-economy is not global, rather trade, investment, and financial flows are concentrated in and between three blocs Europe, North America, and Japan. Finally, they argue this group of three blocs could, if they co-ordinated p olicies, regulate global economic markets and forces [quoted in Smith , Baylis, 2005, p. 11] We will highlight here some other challenges of globalization First it must be borne in mind that competitive markets may be the best guarantee of efficiency, but not of equity. And markets are neither the first not the last word in human development. There was a time when many activities and goods that are crucial to human development were provided outside the market à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but these are now being squeezed by the pressure of global competition. The policy of structural adjustment which was forced on most of the third world countries has reduced the amount of government expenses in health, employment as well as in education sector, subsequently making the people of the third world the victim of globalization. Second, unequal distribution: When the market goes too far in dominating social and political outcome, the opportunities and reward of globalization spread unequally and inequitably à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. concentrating power and values in a select group of people, nations and corporations, marginalizing the others. When the market goes our of hand, the instability grows up, as in the financial crisis in East Asia and its worldwide implications cutting global output by estimated 2 trillion dollar in 1998-2000. Since 1980s many countries have captured the opportunities of economic and technological globalization. Other than the industrial countries, the countries like India, Poland, Turkey, Chile are attracting foreign investment and taking advantage of technological progress. At the other extreme there any many countries, not all benefited from expanding markets and advancing technology Madagascar, sub-Saharan countries among others. Third, Inequality within and between countries: Jayati Gosh has written in her article Imperialist Globalisation and the political economy of South Asia à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The recent process of imperialist globalization has been marked by greatly increased disparities, both within countries and between countries. [Ghosh in Kar (ed.), 2005, pp. 260.] Inequality has been rising in many countries since the early 1980s In China, disparities are widening between the export oriented region of the coast and the interior. The human poverty index is just under 20% in coastal provinces, but more than 50% inland Guijhou. Inequality between the countries has also been increasing. Noteworthy that the income gap between the richest and the poorest fifth in the world was just 3:1 in 1820. Today, the gap in one word is gargantuan. Let us look at the following statistics included in UNDP 1999 Report: Year Income Gap Ratio 1820 3:1 1870 7:1 1913 11:1 1960 30:1 1990 60:1 1997 74:1 Again at the turn of the 21 century, the richest 20% of the worlds population had: > 86% of world GDPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. The bottom fifth had 1% > 82% of world export markets à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the bottom fifth had 1% <

Free College Admissions Essays: I can fly a kite :: College Admissions Essays

"I can fly a kite" I can fly a kite, make a great roast beef sandwich, read an entire Patricia Cornwell paperback book in less than a day and change a diaper without flinching. These characteristics combined are what separate me from the hundreds of other students that apply to Lynchburg College, that and the fact that I am applying with only one week left before classes start. Writing this college essay seven days before the start of the spring semester at Lynchburg College is a very unusual move for me to be making; but I have come to the conclusion that this is the only place I want to be. My entire life I have never been spontaneous. All my decisions have been well thought out and planned, this decision is no different, I just went about it a little quicker, with a lot less time to spare. I began my freshman year at Roger Williams University in Bristol, Rhode Island. Choosing Roger Williams University was a decision that I made without understanding the important issues I needed to consider in orde r to thrive in a college environment. Now, after experiencing college for myself, I realize that Roger Williams does not have what I am looking for. I didn't consider quality of education when I chose Roger Williams, the school had the major I wanted, communications, but when I started taking classes there the program was not as developed as I would have liked. Although I did well in all my classes, I felt that the education I would continue to receive if I stayed at Roger Williams would not be as beneficial to me as the educational oppurtunites elsewhere. Looking at Lynchburg I saw that not only was there Communications Print/Broadcast journalism major, but a Speech Communications major as well. My original plan was to finish freshman year at Roger Williams, and then go someplace that could meet my needs; this was until I visited Lynchburg College. When I saw the college, all I could think of was how much I would love to attend school there, but I never even considered it an option . I thought I was stuck at Roger Williams, until I realized that the only way I was going to be happy was if I made things happen for myself. I realized that Lynchburg College was exactly what I had been looking for, and everything about the educational opportunities, social opportunities, location and just the general environment I observed was something I wanted to be a part of, and contribute to.

Gangs Essay -- Gang Essays

Gangs Introduction I. -A Los Angeles family takes a wrong turn into gang territory and is fired upon. A 3-year-old is killed and her 2-year-old brother wounded. -A Chinese immigrant in Brooklyn is kidnapped by a Chinatown gang which demands ransom payments from her family. She is murdered when the family fails to pay. -Two FBI agents and a police sergeant are murdered inside the Washington, D.C. police headquarters by a gang member. -A Pittsburgh police sergeant walking home with his daughter is killed with his own gun after he stops and confronts a gang spraying graffiti on a street. II. Resolved : that the Federal Government should pass laws to prevent the development gang related youth violence. Definitions- 1. Development: as defined in Websters Dictionary is â€Å"to make more elaborate; to enlarge† 2. Gang: as defined in Websters is â€Å"A group of persons who are organized and work together or socialize regularly; a group of adolescent hoodlums or criminals; gang up on; to attack as a group.† 3. Violence: as defined in Websters is â€Å"Physical force or activity used to cause harm, damage or abuse† 4. Youth: as defined in Websters is â€Å"The appearance or state of appearing young; the time of life when one is not considered a adult; a young person† III. Our current juvenile justice system is no longer adequate for today's hardened young gang members. Demographics indicated this problem is not going away. In fact, only will get worse. This is a serious problem that can not be left unchecked. If this is not addressed it will only lead to the decay of our society. We must take action to combat gangs in a new way. Vice President Albert Gore recently told the White House press corps, "Gangs have been a major cause of the growth in violent crime in the past decade." He cited a Treasury Department report that found the presence of rival gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, in 35 states and 58 cities across the country. At the same press conference, Attorney General Janet Reno cited the impact of disabling one gang in New Haven, Connecticut. Eighteen members of the "Jungleboy" street gang were put in jail, and, according to Reno, New Haven's murder rate fell by one-third in 1993. I. Outline of Need Arguments A. Problem: Many highly rated experts warn of the impending youth crime crisis. Youth violent crime has been... ...where gangs dominate life and rain violent crime. Many of these children join gangs to find purpose, security, and self-esteem. The gang culture gives them a sense of belonging and remakes their value system. Partying, fighting, and vicious gang loyalty become their primary values, thus pushing aside virtues that favor family life. This is a vicious cycle and it must be broken. Given that youth gangs account for a disproportionate share of youth violence, their potential for contributing to a future crime wave is enormous. A recent decline in violent crime appears to be more a result of fewer teenagers than better law enforcement. When the current bumper crop of elementary-age children become adolescents, the violent crime rate is likely to explode. Gangs are the powder magazine, they must be dealt with before the bomb goes off. Rebuttal extensions- Population of 14-18 year olds Now 17,620,472 5 Years 18,628,635 + 6 % 10 Years 20,284,601 + 15%

Essay --

There is 317,327,804 million citizens in the United States as of 8:05pm on January 6th, 2014 (U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base). 37.4% of the United States population lives in the South, 23.5% live in the West, 21.4% in the Midwest and the final 17.7% live in the Northeast (U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base). Given the fact that the United States is the best country in the world, it is also one of the biggest. 82.3% of the population live a long way from the White House. Before the 1950s, and the development of the internet and media, it was more difficult to influence a political party to focus on certain issues from thousands of miles away. Those citizens didn't have the technological advancements that modern America have such as T.V., E-mail, and even Twitter. Newspapers were only a sufficient way of getting news a crossed the country. The average population in the 1940s that are significantly far from the White House was 75% (U.S. Census Bureau, International Data Base). With the creation of linkage institutions in America, that 75% was provided the link they strived for to voice their opinion and play their part. The United States is run under democracy and a democracy depends for its very livelihood on the consequential contacts between the government and the people. The Founding Fathers of the United States destined for the members of Congress to provide the link between government and the citizens. On of the founders, James Madison explains that public views are enhanced and refined â€Å"by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may best discern the true interest of their country..." (Federalist #10). â€Å"In our Modern American Government, each House member represents almos... ...r office, public officials' activities, and the public service announcement of the day through television, newspapers, radio, and the Internet. The media's power to shape the American mind has often been criticized, but it also allows people to give feedback to the government† (Steve Jobs). Being able to have free media and paid media, the press is able to swing voters by informing them what issues are important at any given time. While there is a wide spread belief that they media is bias to either the right of the left, it should be less of a concern to the public because the media is largely unsuccessful in shaping opinion but it also allows people to give feedback to the government. Equally, the media is affected by the government, who is able to use the media as a political instrument by furthering the political views of whatever power is currently in office.

How Modern Technology Affects Library Books

The importance for polished English remains high on the priority among many firms as a basic requirement. The emphasis for proficiency in the English language starts from school for most, but most adults do not maintain a habit of constantly improving and updating their ability to read and write. Speaking has become a part of our daily lives and our reliance on English has turned it into the first language of many Singaporeans. Our heavy reliance on English gives us an edge when practising it throughout our daily lives. This however comes at the cost of having too much comfort and usually leads to arrogance that stops us from constantly improving and updating our language skills. The habit of good English could not only help with a person's daily life but also with any possible career prospectus. The ability to be more qualified than your competition in terms of articulation gives the everyday working adult an edge towards a better prospectus. It's a form of communication that exceeds the boundaries of Singapore, reinforcing its importance as a major world language. Other than simply being a means of communication, it also serves as the most universal form of articulation. A person can express his or her thoughts more concisely when using the appropriate language in a certain context. This means of expression precedes many generations before and was passed down to most citizens as their first language. Language proves to be timeless in its use and the relentless pursuit of self improvement can begin with good English.

Benvenuto Cellini and the Importance of Individualism, Masculinity, Family and God Essay

Benvenuto Cellini and the Importance of Individualism, Masculinity, Family and God The Renaissance era, to this day, is thought to be the most influential period in human history as it brought about the rebirth of classical forms, interest in humanisms, and the concern for individualism. Renaissance, over many years, has been known as the idea of rebirth, expansion of culture and art, and individualism. There have been many Renaissance before but the most recognized was that of the Italian Renaissance. It led to the rebirth of art, architecture, Latin, religion, law which are just a few of many more. This era gave birth to the Humanist movement, which advocated the importance of individualism and human values. Most importantly, the Renaissance included some the most magnificent minds, which were polymaths and had immense skill and creativity. Over the years these great minds have come to be known as Renaissance men or women, people who are well educated and or excel in a wide variety of fields. Renaissance men like Michelangelo inspired all of Italy and Europe with his architectural designs and sculptures, the father of Humanism, Petrarch changed the concepts of scholastics, while Leonardo da Vinci left his fellow Italians in awe with his magnificent artistic and engineering skills. All of these men advocate the idea of secular ideas, freedom of thinking and individualism. It was during this substantial growth in the arts, sciences and religion that Benvenuto Cellini, one of the greatest Italian Renaissance Man, was born. Benvenuto Cellini was born in Florence on 3rd November 1500 and was professionally an Italian goldsmith, musician, sculptor, soldier and painter. This background of the Renaissance from the fourteenth and fifteenth century and the intellectual and artistic ideas of the sixteenth century are what shaped Benvenuto Cellini and his life to come, and then ultimately led him to write undoubtedly the most famous autobiography and the most important biography from the Italian Renaissance Era. Cellini started writing his autobiography at the age 58, in the year 1558, as he believed that he had lived a significant portion of his life and that he should write so people could learn of his great battles and achievements throughout his lifetime. Cellini mentions, â€Å"All men of whatsoever quality they be, who have done anything of excellence, or which may properly resemble excellence, ought, if they are persons of truth and honesty, to describe their life with their own hand; but they out not to attempt so fine an enterprise till they have passed the age of forty† (section 2, page 4). Although Benvenuto thinks of himself as an uneducated man, his beautifully written sonnets and carefully orchestrated work, says otherwise. Unlike many works of his time, the â€Å"Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini possesses both a historical and cultural significance. Benvenuto Cellini was the son of Maestro Giovanni Cellini and Madonna Elisabetta, who were both Florentine citizens. This fact, with others, act as a driving force in his love for Florence and why he decided to start writing his autobiography when he came back to Florence after several years traveling around Rome, France and many other cities. The reader can obvious conclude that this document can be of great importance in the study of Italian life during the Renaissance, but the tone with which Cellini wrote, remarkably relates to the movements that took place during the latter years of the Renaissance. Benvenuto unquestionably shows fondness toward individualism, humanism and self-development, two of which movements were common around the sixteen century. The term Autobiography is defined as study of oneself, and is obviously an ideal example of individualism. Cellini’s Autobiography surpasses that of his time, autobiographies during the sixteenth century exhibited a narrative of the works of the author. While Cellini expresses a detailed chronicle of his life, the triumphs he faced, the deepest secrets and his feelings towards his actions. No one from his time was able to document a masterpiece like such. Benvenuto shows the importance of individualism, masculinity, family, and God through this detailed account of his life. This style of writing was rare during the sixteenth century as Benvenuto opened his soul put it on a document, everything that he loved or hated, his legal or illegal actions, his friends and enemies. Benvenuto, like many others during the Renaissance era, was a true believer of God and that whatever good happened to him was due to the gift of God. He talks about the great lineage of his family and that he was born into a family with honorable men and states that God is very pleased that he should be born so that he could sustain this great foundation his ancestors laid down. One can see here that he exhibits everything that is of great importance to him. Family, as he talks about the honorable foundation of his family, individualism and masculinity is shown when he boasts about have great qualities to hold the foundation, and finally God, which he believes that it pleased God that he, was born. Even though Benvenuto believes that he is a true Christian, his actions are a long way from Christian, they prove otherwise. People during the renaissance were seen to have very unclear value and moral during to different renaissance movement. This effect is seen with some of Benvenuto’s decisions and actions throughout his autobiography. More than half of his conflicts and stories were handled immorally, for instance Benvenuto kills a person he dislikes without even thinking of the consequences or him fathering some illegitimate children. One can see from his tone that Benvenuto does not realize that he has committed a sin according to Christianity. He recognizes that there is a God and cherishes the religious ceremonies but does not live by it when it comes to morality. Here we can see that the idea of individualism and masculinity is of more importance to him. On one occasion Benvenuto he had to pay bail for an argument he had with his competitors. So, he reached out to his cousin for bail money, but the cousin refuses. To many people this does not seem like a big reason to be angered but Benvenuto’s anger causes him to kill around half a dozen of his enemies. Clearly, Christian morals were not thought about when Benvenuto decides to murder those men. Another important Renaissance aspect that was exemplified by Benvenuto in his autobiography was individualism. Individualism is defined by Webster’s as a theory maintaining the political and economic independence of the individual while stressing individual initiative, action, and interests. However, in context of Benvenuto’s work, individualism has a much deeper significance. He describes that his father began to breed him in many trades and hobbies especially music. The idea of individualism is greatly displayed here because even though his father wanted him to be interested in music and playing the flute, he followed his own interest and learned to become a skilled goldsmith. Today this type of action is very common, but as historians know, the profession on men in renaissance Italy depended on the profession of their father or family. The fact that Benvenuto thought was becoming a goldsmith shows that some of the renaissance movements had an affect on Benvenuto’s decisions. Although you also see here, the importance of family, Benvenuto decides to play the flute at times just to please his father, even though he hates playing a musical instrument. This family influence plays an important role in making Benvenuto part of the great list of Renaissance men, a good musician, magnificent goldsmith and many others. At a very young age, he mastered the skill of time management and gave up immature activities. This level of discipline was obviously very crucial because it would stick with him for the rest of his life also for the same reason make him one of the most famous figures in the Italian Renaissance Era. Boasting about oneself was not very common among autobiographies during the time of the Renaissance, which is what makes Benvenuto’s autobiography such a unique and important one. As mentioned earlier about his conflicts, Benvenuto loved to show his masculinity when he wrote about his conquests and his time as a soldier. Normally, the first time any person kills another human being, they do not brag about it but Benvenuto seems not affected by it and boast about how masculine it was. He describes in detail, â€Å"I found them at table; and Gherardo, who had been the cause of the quarrel, flung himself upon me. I stabbed him in the breast, piercing doublet and jerkin through and through to the shirt, without however grazing his flesh or doing him the least harm in the world. When I felt my hand go in, and heard the clothes tear, I thought that I had killed him; and seeing him fall terror-struck to earth, I cried: Traitors, this day is the day on which I mean to murder you all. Father, mother and sisters, thinking the last day had come, threw themselves upon their knees, screaming out for mercy with all their might; but I perceiving that they offered no resistance, and that he was stretch for dead upon the ground, thought it too base a thing to touch them†¦ When I got among them, raging like a mad bull, I flung four or five to the earth, and fell down with them myself, continually aiming my dagger now at one and now at another† (Section 17) Obviously, this detailed episode was meant to show the readers that he was the bravest man in Italy and that no one can bring him down. His masculinity was not all bad because it had a major contribution to his goldsmith profession. When he first got into a fight in Florence along side with is brother, he mentions that even though they were throwing stones at him, he never left his brothers side. He also mentions that the soldiers that rescued them praised and wondered how a young boy had such a valor. But this played to his advantage because due to this fight, he was banished to Siena for six months, during which he took up the goldsmith’s business and mastered his skill. Lastly, he mentions that when someone killed his brother, Benvenuto, in response to this, in an act of revenge, murdered his brother’s killer. After which he fled to Rome. This was the purest form of masculinity because it has to do with power, both physical and mental. Benvenuto embodied his masculinity by over powering his brother’s killer and taking revenge, really showing that he was a man. Lastly, importance of family and heritage was very common during the Renaissance Era, which meant family always came first. Benvenuto shows a great attachment to his family and was proud of his heritage as he says that his ancestors were men of valor. All throughout the autobiography he mentions his father and you can see that he always seeks for his fathers approval. As we know Giovanni Cellini was a musician and also made his own instruments, he wanted Benvenuto to follow in his footsteps but Benvenuto had no interest. Nevertheless you see on several occasions that Benvenuto plays the flute just to please his father. Giovanni Cellini’s influence is greatly seen in Benvenuto’s life, as he is partly responsible for why Benvenuto chose to become a goldsmith. He mentions in section seven that Giovanni posses a simple vein of poetry, instilled in him by nature, together with a certain touch of prophecy, through which he wrote these four verses under the arms of the Medici crest: These arms, which have so long from sight been laid Beneath the holy cross, that symbol meek, Now lift their glorious glad face, and seek With Peteris sacred cloak to be arrayed. This beautifully written verse inspired Pope Leo X to the extent that Giovanni was invited to Rome to take his place in the palace. Seeing the great influence this one inscription had on the Pope, Benvenuto commenced goldsmith in Rome. The earning he made from this business were also sent to his father because he was always worried about him. Clearly you can see that family was of great importance to him. Benvenuto Cellini’s life story is only one example of the Italian Renaissance Era. Observing all the events that took place in his life, we can now conclude how the Italian Renaissance affected individuals during that time period. But more importantly, the ramifications of the Italian Renaissance can still be seen in today’s modern world. Freedom and individuality is what American was built on and I conclude that many historical events played a role in world freedom, with specific significance on the Italian Renaissance Era. It is significant because it changed the thought process of people. Going back to Cellini and his self-development in terms of multi-mastery in a variety of tasks, art, music, sculpting, goldsmith, etc; now, imagine that every person during that time was improving himself or herself. When a movement like the Renaissance affects a mass population, the influence of it can be sustained and passed on from generation to generation for years. With his autobiography, Benvenuto shows the mastery of narrative and cleverly recites his life story as if the reader was listening to the great Benvenuto Cellini tell us about the great tales of his life. The successful way of incorporating his personality into his saga makes this autobiography a work of art. BIBLIOGRAPHY Primary Source Cellini, Benvenuto. The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini. London: Penguin, 1998. Secondary Source Cellini, in Italian Renaissance Reader, 343.