Galileos Work :: essays research papers

Galileo Galilei was born on February 15, 1564 in Pisa, Italy. In 1570 his family relocated to Florence. Galileo pioneered "experimental scientific method" and was the first to use a refracting telescope to make important astronomical discoveries. In 1581, Galileo studied at the University of Pisa. There he became interested in the workings of science and concluded that the period (the time in which a pendulum swings back and forth) does not depend on the arc of the swing (the isochronisms). In 1609 Galileo learned of the invention of the telescope in Holland. From the barest description he constructed a vastly superior model. Galileo made a series of profound discoveries using his new telescope, including that the moon has craters, valleys, and mountains much like the Earth’s terrain. He also was able to see four small lights orbiting around the planet Jupiter. He was then able to conclude that it too was moons. Galileo was also able to discover that the planet Venus had phases much like our Moon. As a professor of astronomy at University of Pisa, Galileo was required to teach the accepted theory of his time that the sun and all the planets revolved around the Earth. Later at University of Padua he was exposed to a new theory, proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus, that the Earth and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo's observations with his new telescope convinced him of the truth of Copernicus's sun-centered or heliocentric theory. In 1610, Galileo published a book, The Starry Messenger, describing his findings that supported the Copernican theory. Galileo's support for the heliocentric theory got him into trouble with the Roman Catholic Church. He was forced to abandon his astronomical pursuits. But, Galileo retaliated by publishing a book, Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems. This book cause more arguments with the church due to it were in Italian which was a direct conflict with the church. In 1633 the Inquisition convicted him of heresy and forced him to recant (publicly withdraw) his support of Copernicus. They sentenced him to life imprisonment, but because of his advanced age allowed him serve his term under house arrest at his villa outside of Florence, Italy. It was not until 1992 that the church publicly forgave Galileo. But due to the timeframe, the damage had already been done.

Wa Student Duty of Care Policy

Memo for The Department of Education and Training, Western Australia (DETWA) To: All School Principals within the DETWA. Subject: A GUIDE TO HELP PARENT’S UNDERSTAND, THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & TRAINING, DUTY OF CARE POLICY FOR STUDENTS. Please find enclosed a detailed guide to helping your parents / caregivers understand the â€Å"Duty of Care Policy for Students†. This guide is an analysis of the policy document noting the key points that are easily understood by parents.The report will also detail two scenarios providing examples of situations that can occur at any school and an action plan response to each scenario by following the duty of care policy guidelines. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. 0 Introduction 2. 0 Background regarding the policy & Part 1 -Document Analysis 3. 0 Duty of Care explanation 4. 0 Reasonable Care explanation 5. 0 Key points to note 6. 0 Part 2 -Action Plans 7. 0 Scenario 1 & action plan response 8. 0 Scenario 2 & action plan res ponse 9. 0 Conclusion / Personal Reflection 0. 0 References 1. 0 Introduction As parents, the â€Å"Duty of Care† policy is more than likely decidedly foreign. From here many questions, no doubt will arise? Why did the Western Australian government put this in place for their Department of Education and Training? What significance does this document have towards my children, parents may also be thinking? So many thoughts and questions have no doubt once or twice crossed a parents mind. I am sure some may not even be aware of this documents existence. 2. Background regarding the policy & Part 1 – Document Analysis To answer these imminent questions above, the significance of this report is to offer the Parents of Western Australian students attending primary and secondary schools, a further understanding. The Western Australian Government wrote the policy so that it would be implemented within the Department of Education WA and then handed down to all teachers. The docu ment became effective on the 26/06/2007 and updated 02/08/2012. (Department of Education and Training, Western Australia (DETWA), 2012,1). As noted by the Department of Education and Training, Western Australia (2012,3)† this policy was created to ensure that all teaching staff, non teaching staff and volunteers know their legal responsibilities in ensuring reasonable care occurred to maintain the safety and wellbeing of all students whilst in their care and avoid acts that may result in injury. This policy is not just limited to within the school grounds but also outside school grounds, excursions and activities that fall under the care and guidance of school teachers, regardless of where the activity or lesson may occur. 3. 0 Duty of care explanationWhat is the Duty of Care? Newnham (2000, 2) describes the Duty of care as a legal concept that was put in place under the Common Law, and it is well established in education regulations. 4. 0 Reasonable Care explanation with key points to note What is Reasonable Care? The Department of Education and Training, Western Australia, (2012, 3) also describe reasonable care as a situation that will always vary according to the overall circumstances involved. Teachers are to assess the â€Å"reasonableness† of the level of care needed by noting the following probabilities that can interfere or affect the outcome of care.These probabilities are; * The school activity and its nature. * The environment upon which the activity will occur in, therefore the teacher must assess the risk, if any, involved. * Pre-existing medical conditions, like allergies, epilepsy, diabetes. * Ages and skills of the students. * Physical or Intellectual impairments & Behavioural issues 5. 0 Key points to note There are some other key points that the Duty of Care policy would acknowledge. These include that a principal or teacher must ensure that all department employees must hold the necessary identification and qualifications requi red including non teaching staff.Also, volunteers and the like must also possess a working with children check card. The details of this policy and how this check can be completed is found via the following government website, http://www. checkwwc. wa. gov. au/checkwwc The importance of having such a policy is to protect both student and teacher and offer the teacher clear, concise guidelines on what â€Å"duty of care† is expected of teaching staff to reduce the chance of negligence and possible legal implications.A highly topical direct quote included below is from abstract, Newnham, (2000, 1) is particularly pertinent to this report and extremely beneficial to take note: â€Å"The law is increasing affecting the practice of education. The most likely reason a teacher or school will face legal action is in negligence where a student has been injured while under the school’s protection. This may occur in a variety of settings.To satisfy the elements of the tort of ne gligence the student who becomes in law the plaintiff must prove that a duty of care was owed, that the duty was breached, by not maintaining the appropriate standard and that the injury was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that breach of duty. It would be rare for a teacher to face criminal charges but it could happen if a teacher had an intention to harm or acted recklessly. † (Newnham 2000, 1) The policy document also offers guidelines for parents and caregivers and their responsibilities for their children before and after school care time slots and whilst on school grounds.This will clearly advise the parent / caregiver the times for when their children will and will not be supervised and offer a guide as to whether the student is protected or not under the school’s duty of care policy. 6. 0 Part 2 – Action Plans Below are action plans that a teacher in the following scenarios could note and introduce to ensure that the teacher is consistently adherin g to the Western Australian Government and the Department of Education & Training’s, Duty of Care Policy. 7. 0 Scenario 1 & Action Plan A student is consistently interrupting other students during a classroom lesson.In dealing with this student’s interruptions, the teacher sends the student out of the classroom for ‘timeout’. The teacher tells the student to wait outside the classroom door until asked to return to the room. This reprimanded student is no longer in the teacher’s view. The scenario above notes that the teacher involved has not exercised her duty of care and could be seen to be negligent as the student was no longer in the teachers view. As per notes from Newnham, (2000,46) the teacher has a duty of care to ensure that they are providing adequate supervision and no longer being in view is detrimental to this.The teacher was no doubt disappointed in the student and his associated behaviour but asking the student to leave for timeout cou ld have been handled in a more appropriate way. As per the teachers duty of care policy (Department of Education and Training, Western Australia, 2012, 3) the teacher needed to provide a suitable disciplinary action that ensured the student remained in full view. Otherwise by no longer being in view, the student could have harmed or injured, himself and the teacher would possibly be held responsible for not following the act of reasonable care and therefore classed as being negligent.The teacher could have opted for a variety of disciplinary actions from as painless as giving the timeout punishment and asking the student to remain in the far corner of the classroom until notified or the teacher could have phoned the principal’s office and asked that the principal come and escort the student to the office to remain in timeout whilst in a supervised environment. 8. 0 Scenario 2 & Action Plan A first year student teacher accompanies a supervising teacher out on duty at lunch tim e.While on playground duty, an incident occurs that requires the supervising teacher to accompany a student to the administration block, which is not within the supervision area. The supervising teacher asks the student teacher to remain on duty for her as she tends to the dilemma. This would mean the student teacher would be the only teacher supervising the designated play area at this time. Firstly Newhman, (2000, 49) notes that if the incident was indeed severe enough, ensure that the nature of the incident was documented.Other details that would need to be included in the incident report would be with who was present at the time in the events leading up to and when taking place. This will ensure that if further issue is raised, the teacher can be at ease that they have completed the right steps to ensure that negligence did not take place. Secondly, under the Duty of Care policy (Department of Education and Training, Western Australia, 2012, 3) the teacher should have clarified with the student teacher if they were comfortable to be left to undertake the primary care of the remaining students and be given the right to refuse.If refused, the student teacher would have been best to escort the student to the administration block or even more so the student teacher could have quickly alerted another teacher to come and assist the situation at hand and escort the student or takeover the supervisory role. 9. 0Conclusion & Personal Reflection Whilst reading through the DETWA Duty of Care Policy for Students, I was certainly not aware of the importance of one component of the policy document.The component I was not aware of was that as a teacher, I should be ensuring that any student teacher, non teaching staff or volunteer who may assist in my classroom, has the right to refuse the role of undertaking primary care of the students. If I had to leave the classroom or area where the class was being conducted, I must first ask this pertinent question of â€Å"Are yo u comfortable if I leave the room for said period of time? † This question was simply was not something that I gave much thought to.When I thought about this more, I realised it actually is common courtesy, to simply, ask first and then I will ensure the level of comfort of the other person helping is ascertained. I know that this element of the Duty of Care policy will be something I personally will take on board and remember to use within my classroom. In summary, the Western Australian Government’s, Duty of Care policy is undoubtedly a particularly crucial document. It’s a crucial document that all Western Australian Teacher’s who are employed within the Department of Education & Training, need to follow. As I ecome a teacher, this policy is simply another tool that I as a teacher, must concur with and abide by at all times, whilst the students are under my care. A Student’s safety is one of the most respected trusts that a caregiver / parent wil l ask of me as their child’s teacher. To ensure that I do not lose that vital trust placed in me, it will be essential that I follow these set guidelines from this document. I should also consistently using common sense, adhere to school policy and I then should never have to be concerned with the legalities of negligence and that my students should always be cared for well. Word count 1744) 10. 0 References The Government of Western Australia, (2012) Department of Education & Training: Duty of Care for Students. Western Australia: Retrieved from http://det. wa. edu. au/policies/detcms/policy-planning-and-accountability/policies-framework/policies/duty-of-care-for-students Department of child protection, (2008) Working with children check: Retrieved from http://www. checkwwc. wa. gov. au/checkwwc Newnham, Helen (2000) â€Å"When is a teacher or school liable in negligence? † Australian Journal of Teacher Education: Vol. 25: Iss. 1, Article 5. Available at: http://ro. e cu. edu. au/ajte/vol25/iss1/5

Popular culture Essay

The idea of popular culture can be epitomized in many mediums nowadays whether it is in films, books, songs or photographs. This paper discusses the way that the `ghetto culture’ is portrayed within various mediums. The first part of this paper will deal with the popular movie `Boyz in the Hood (1991)’ written and directed by John Singleton. Music is known as the avenue where contemporary culture exists – this paper will look at the lyrics in the Crompton’s Most Wanted (CMW) song Growing up in the Hood. It is clear to see the similarities that exist between the two mediums and how ghetto life is expressed. The third medium that will be analyzed in this discussion is that of African American poetry. The poem to be analyzed here is Ghetto Child by Langston Hughes. This poem can be seen to be in line with the other two artifacts that are analyzed this paper. When as an active audience people view these forms of media together we can see how powerful different forms of literature can be on the human soul. Boyz in the Hood known as a groundbreaking movie for its hard-hitting realism and its â€Å"street’’ outlook. This realism made the film so popular and the reason it had so much interest to both black and white audiences. It is a rare instance when a film about one socio economic group can apply to everyone, however John Singleton was successful in doing this in this piece of work. It has been said that the realism of the film and the fact that there was such a human element to the characters that made the characters seem so real and so close to home (as though Tre or Ricky could be one of your neighbors). The film also brought black ghetto culture into mainstream movie theatres (this was not the case prior to this where very little is known about African American films before Boyz in the Hood such as Sweet Sweetback’s Badassess Song (1971) – in the past 10 or more years since this film was made it is clear to see that the African American film industry has become more visible. This is a good thing as African American Culture is no longer hidden behind closed doors – people have the chance to see what life is like in the black ghetto culture of the United States. Singleton wrote and directed a movie that appeals to many different audiences. Critics have praised this film time and time again for the way that it portrays the realistic elements of African American life. A point that is of interest to note that creates a point of difference to a number of films produced prior to Boyz in the Hood was in the way that women are portrayed. Typically, in other films that deal with African American life we (the audience) see women portrayed as servants, prostitutes and welfare mothers. This film is the exception where the stereotype of the black women being unemployed does not exist. We see a glimpse of it at the start of the film when the teacher was speaking to Tre’s mother on the phone and the teacher insinuated that the mother did not work. However, this stereotype came to a pass quickly. The women who play the main characters especially Tre’s mother are seen as strong educated and successful women. Even at the end of the film Tre’s girlfriend ends up going to college (this is a different action to one that people would expect in such a film). Another way we can look at the way that powerful black women are portrayed in this film is so look at Tre’s mother and see how she carries herself and the way she dresses. In comparison to many other films where the African American woman is in a lead role we see her struggling in the African American world, however in this film we see Reva (Tre’s mother) as the strong female living in a white world where it is not important whether you are black or white. Another theme/ idea portrayed in this film in relation to the `ghetto culture’ pertains to the way that Tre’s father (Furious) is adamant that he does not want Tre to turn out like the other boys from the ghetto – he wants him to make something of his life and not be one of the kids committing robberies and loitering around liquor stores. This is a strong and powerful message that Furious portrays throughout the film and one the many reasons why this film was such a success in portraying what life is really like in the `ghetto’. Another theme/ idea that is evident throughout the film is the idea of having a positive role model when growing up in the ghetto. Throughout the film Furious tries to teach Tre what is right and what is wrong. In the early part of the film we see Furious teaching Tre his very first lesson in the scene where Furious shoots at a burglar and talks to Tre about it after wards sitting on the porch waiting for the police to arrive. Furious: Somebody must have been praying for that fool, cause I swear I aimed right for his head. Tre Age 10: You should have blew it off. Furious: Don’t say that. Don’t say that. Just would’ve contributed to killing another brother. This being a contributing factor to killing another brother is another theme that permeates throughout the film. However, it is the final part of the film when Ricky is chased and murdered that we understand what this whole idea of killing another brother is like and how fragile and fleeting life is if you live in the ghetto. All Ricky did was annoy a guy the night before which led to his untimely death when he walked down to the corner store to pick up some oatmeal. The audience learns in the final scene that what goes around comes around if you kill one of your `brothers` you in turn will be killed. The shooting scene further indicates the powerful influence that Furious has had on Tre in making the man that he grew up to be. Despite, being so angry with the person that shot Ricky, Tre had a permanent voice in his head that told him that he could not be involved with Doughboy in shooting down the perpetrator responsible for Ricky’s death. Tre understood that everything his father taught him was for a reason and to protect his son. This is indicative in the credits as two weeks after Ricky was buried Dough boy was murdered and so the `circle of death’ continues. Because Tre lived his life in the image of his father he went to college and escaped from the `hood’ to create a better life for himself. In today’s society music is one of the major forms of expression and because of this it is clear to see how the lyrics in songs come to mean certain things in popular culture. In looking at the lyrics in Crompton’s Most Wanted (CMW) song Growing up in the Hood we can understand how the artist feels about growing up in the hood and can understand the words in a song in much the same way that you understand an underlying message when you watch a film. In looking at just the one song is it interesting how many different themes and ideas are permeated in a three-minute recording. In this song the artist has made it clear that living in the hood is violent and because of this you constantly live a dangerous lifestyle and are constantly running away from people so that they do not hurt you or try to kill you. Quick up the stairs so little sucker stop looking Stagger up to the house so I can collect my whooping But watch out ‘cause a little nigga’s up to no good Growin’ up in the hood. The lyrics in this song further describe the fear that exists when one lives in the hood that if you stay in the hood you will die in the hood. The lyrics above indicate the fear that men living in the hood have to come to terms with in everyday of their lives. The song also suggests that when young boys grow up in the hood they are not always aware of what lies ahead. â€Å"Growing up in the hood, yea boy, 1984 Was the year my peers didn’t know what was in store. â€Å" Another idea that is permeated in this song and that is an issue for African Americans living in the ghetto is that of the police. Police are awful to those people who live in the hood – they make them feel as they are dirt and they do not have the right to exist. Police sweat my tip and keep harassing Trying to lock me up ’cause I keep on blasting Community trying to shut me out Through song lyrics it is almost as if the listener feels the pain that the rapper is going through in terms of the way that the police treat him. Music is a powerful way where one person can express how they feel and how deep they feel. Throughout mainstream media it is clear to see the negative relationship that exists between those in the hood and that of the police. It is indicative in the lyrics to the above song and in the way that the brutality of the police force was described in Boyz in the Hood and in other mainstream films that dealt with the hood culture. Another theme that is expressed through the lyrics in this rap deals with the singers feeling towards his own violence where he feels that because he has existed in that environment for so long that he has become violent to and cannot seem to escape from the violent behavior. Throughout out the rap, the listen understand that life in the hood is all about women (â€Å"bitches’’) and money – those are the man thing that a mans life revolves around in the end. An image of frustration seems to be permeated throughout the rap at the same time and certain lyrics further create this image – â€Å"I got hard times and realize †¦ sometimes I wonder†¦ but it just seems that the hood took me under. ’’ It is interesting to note that in ghetto culture that women do not like to be referred to as `bitches`, `hoes` etc they like to be thought of as women and to be called a women. By referring to women as `bitches’ and the circle will continue – children learn from their parents. In Boyz in the Hood the young men do not seem to respect women and refer to them in derogatory ways and views women as `bitches’ and `hoes’. Doughboy was the character that permeated this stereotype. In the scene where all the young people were at the community barbeque and Tre said to the boys that the women should be the first to eat (he was being polite and being a gentleman). Doughboy was not however. Doughboy: Ho’s gotta eat too. Shalika: Who you callin’ a ho’, I ain’t no ho’. Doughboy: Oops, I’m sorry, bitch. It is clear to see that throughout the movie that Doughboy has no respect for women/ has grown up speaking to women and referring to them in a particular way. Doughboy: Don’t go to college to be talkin’ to no bitches. Your black ass ‘posed to be learnin’ somethin’. Can’t learn shit talkin’ to no stupid ass bitch. It is through the power of words that we as individuals learn what life is like for others and what life means to a particular person. The last cultural artefact that will be analysed in this paper pertains to that of African American poetry. The piece of poetry to be analysed here is apiece by C. Highsmith-Hooks called Ghetto Child. Even from the title of the piece we can come to an understanding of what the poem will be about and the fact that the poem is going to feed deep into your soul once you read the poem. This poem is found in the famous collection by C. Highsmith-Hooks called The Soul of a Black Woman. There were a number of reasons why I chose to analyze this poem and relate it to the other two cultural artefacts but the main reason was because this is a poem written by a woman and the other two mediums analyzed were written by men. Ghetto Child tells the story of a child from the `hood’ whose senseless death is mourned by his mother only. This poem was interesting because it pertained to the very essence of what was conveyed in the other two mediums analyzed that a life in the hood leads to death no matter what way one looks at it. In Boyz in the Hood both Ricky and Doughboy were murdered in the hood. This poem helps the audience understand what it is like for a woman in the `hood’ when she looses a child. This notion was briefly shown in Boyz in the Hood when Ricky was murdered and his mother broke down. It is always said that it is better reading a book before you see a film. In this same sense it is important to understand that reading a poem is much better than watching a film as you get to understand and create your own imagery and understand the character in your own mind. In Conclusion, it is clear that there are similarities in the way that the `hood culture` is conveyed in the three cultural artefacts – film, music and poetry that were analyzed in this paper. The major themes explored in these cultural artefacts were that of the permenant violence that surrounds life in the hood – especially for young males. It is a dog eat dog world in the hood and as a young man you need to make a choice about whether or not you will be using a gun because if you do you surely will get killed in the end. Another point that is of interest and has produced ideologies in all three cultural artefacts was how women are viewed in the ghetto. Males seem to have little respect for women with the except being the character of Tre in Boyz in the Hood where he was taught from an early age how to be a good man and in turn respect women. The other characters in the film had little respect for women and often referred to women as â€Å"bitches’’ or â€Å"hoes’’. References: Film: Boyz in the Hood (1991) : Written and directed by John Singleton. Lyrics: Growing up in the Hood – CMW Poem: C. Highsmith-Hooks â€Å"Ghetto Child’’ in The Soul of a Black Woman: From a Whisper to a Shout (2002).

High School Dropouts and Crime

WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS TO LEAD CRIMINAL LIVES? Michael Webbers 13APRIL2013 Criminology ADJ 107 Spring 2013 Professor George D. McMillan Purpose:It is extremely important to get an education and graduate high school. Without obtaining a high school diploma, a GED or College Degree, an individual will likely experience great difficulties in finding and obtaining a job. As a result of such basic educational requirements enforced by society and more specifically employers†¦ an individual may also have a difficult time functioning and earning a reasonable income. Additionally, with no financial resources to support a family, this puts the individual in the bottom 5 to 16 percent of Americans whom we deem to be in poverty. With crime most apparent in the lower- and underclass, we can make the assumption that a lot of dropouts come from these groups of individuals. To make a difference, we must start where there is the greatest chance of dropouts, and that of cours e is at the bottom of the societal pyramid. So, if we reduce the dropout rates, it may help with the crime rates.The intent of this research proposal is to better understand the cause of dropouts and the affect they have on society. More importantly, it is to identify the problems so that the juvenile system can help prevent further continuance and ultimately reduce the underclass crime rate in dropouts. In efforts to help diminish the dropout rate, it can: (1) stimulate the economy; (2) decrease the amount of unemployment; and (3) cut the size of the underclass in half, which in turn will decrease the vast majority of visible crime.By making it difficult for high school students to become predisposed to poverty and crime, we can improve the outcome for future generations. I want to better understand the internal cause of this phenomenon, but in order to do that we have to start from the external cause. I am going to be looking at how society is affected, as well as, how they affect the dropouts. On my search for information, I will try and obtain an interview with some old schoolmates who dropped out during our Sophomore year at West Springfield High School.The reason they dropped out was always a mystery to me, and I always just thought to myself that, â€Å"These people must be stupid, so they dropout. † I was quick to learn how ignorant I was myself. Background:High school graduation was never really tracked until the late 1900's. 3 So, dropout rates were never really a sought after statistic. Archived data has now been used to understand the graduation rates dating back almost a century ago. In 1870, the earliest date on record, only 2 percent of 17-year-olds in the nation had a secondary-level education.In 1940, for the first time, half of all students finished high school. Although graduation did not become an established norm until the 1950s, the U. S. graduation rate reached its historical high point at the end of the 1960s, with the graduation rate peaking at 77 percent in 1969. 3 It looked as though high school graduation was becoming a trend, but something must have happened after Class of '69 to cause the national average to drop more than ten percent in just over 30 years.In the late 1980's, when modern-day data became readily available to public schools, the graduation rate slowly was on the decline from record highs of around 70 percent. 3 The graduation rate plummeted during the early 1990s, eventually stabilizing around 66 percent by the end of the decade. As stated by the EPE Research Center, 2010; U. S. Department of Education, â€Å"since then, [graduation rate] has generally been characterized by gradual but steady improvements. The class of 2005 was once again earning diplomas at a pace last seen in the early 1990s.However, two consecutive annual declines since then have eroded the nation’s graduation rate, which stood at slightly less than 69 percent for the class of 2007†. 3 With all this tal k about graduating or not, the underlying reasons for the decline were unheard of; dropping out to help support their family financially, to pursue work, or probably the worst thing that can happen from dropping out of high school – living the criminal lifestyle. Key Questions: What actually defines a high school dropout? What provokes students to drop out of high school?What is the dropout rate of high school students in Virginia? How do high school dropouts affect society? Are high school dropouts more prone to lead criminal lives? How can society go about preventing future dropouts? Introduction:Every year nationwide, thousands of students dropout of high school. Of these students, 54 percent of dropouts ages 16 to 24 were jobless, compared with 32 percent for high school graduates of the same age, and 13 percent for those with a college degree. 8 High school dropouts are a very serious topic in modern-day society.With such a debate about taxes and who should be paying for what, it is important to get an education; not only to voice an opinion, but not to be a detriment to the economy as a teen/young adult. High school dropouts hurt the economy, costing the federal government millions of tax payers dollars. Since dropouts are more prone to lead a lifestyle involved with drugs, alcohol, and early pregnancy, it is crucial to identify individuals early in their high school career, and give them the assistance needed to stay in school.By taking action in helping the community decrease the dropout rate and encourage more students to graduate, we can help our economy save billions of dollars a year. An increase in graduation rates can mean less tax payer money towards school assistance programs, and more tax payers to pay the government to maintain our cities and keep crime off the streets. According to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Research Center, â€Å"poor earning power, unemployment, or frustration,†1 may lead individuals to commit criminal acts.Crime rates in Virginia are still on the low end of the spectrum, but by decreasing dropouts, we can keep the crime rates even lower. By helping in our community and informing schools of the ongoing problem, it is possible to make a tremendous difference in our economic state. What actually defines a dropout? In Virginia, we use the definition that was determined by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Stated by the NCES, â€Å"a dropout is an individual who was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year but was not enrolled on October 1 of the current school year.Or, they were not enrolled on October 1 of the previous school year although expected to be in membership; and – has not graduated from high school or completed a state- or district-approved educational program, and – does not meet any of the following exclusions: transfer to another public school district, private school, or state- or district-ap proved education program; temporary school-recognized absence due to suspension or illness; death†. 2 The state does not consider students a dropout by merely not attending school, although that is the only way to pass and get a diploma, it is based on the students actual enrollment.What provokes students to drop out of high school? There are many factors that cause students to drop out of high school. Without identifying the specific cause for dropouts, it is hard to know how to help prevent it. One significant factor influencing high school dropout rates is family income. Along with income, older siblings or friends can influence dropouts by dropping out themselves and ensuring it is the right thing to do. Ultimately, dropouts can be triggered due to the racial and gender attacks that seem more relevant these days. According to the U.S. Department of Education, students from low-income families are six times more likely to drop out of high school than students from high-inco me families. 2 In other words, due to the predisposition to a life of poverty, it is more likely the student will end up in poverty due to incompletion of high school. While living in poverty, school may not be the first thing on a students mind. Survival is always the most important factor to human beings. Without means of surviving, humans can't accommodate the other necessities, like getting a high school education.At a young age, it is really hard to keep oneself away from drugs, alcohol, and crime. Students whose parents have low expectations are also more likely to dropout of high school and resort to crime by means of rebelling against their parents. A study done by the New York Times demonstrated that, â€Å"[high school dropouts] will commit crimes to get an adrenaline rush and so that they can release some built up stress from the household†. 8 What this means is that students have too much time on their hands, and too little time is spent concentrating on school wo rk.Either the parents do not stress the importance of homework, or they are not there to help the student when he or she is struggling in class What is the dropout rate of high school students in Fairfax County, Virginia? Fairfax County, Virginia projected a much lower dropout rate in contrast with the national average. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), â€Å"Virginia's high school dropout rates have decreased in recent years†,2 and subsequently the â€Å"Virginia's property crime rate (as measured per 100,000 population) was 2,250, a decline again from the previous year†. Virginia has been on a good trend of ‘cleaning our act up' when it comes to turning around our educational system. According to the NCES: Virginia had the 14th lowest dropout rate in the country. Virginia's 2009 rate was also lower than the national rate of 4. 1 percent and the rates of its peer states. Tennessee's dropout rate in 2009 was 3. 2 percent, North Car olina was at 5. 3 percent, and Maryland's rate was 3. 0 percent. Wyoming had the lowest dropout rate in the nation in 2009 at 1. 1 percent. How do high school dropouts effect society?High school dropouts destroy the nation’s competitive edge when it comes to education. The U. S. ranks 18th in high school graduation rates among developed countries, and workers with an education beyond high school are predicted to increase by only four percent through 2020. 2 At the same time, the nation’s senior citizen population will greatly increase over the next decade, especially when compared to the number of working-age Americans. This is going to lead to an increase of assisted living senior citizens. Furthermore, high school dropouts earn a tremendous amount less and contribute much less to stimulate the economy.The lifetime income difference between high school graduates and dropouts is estimated to be $260,000; the difference in lifetime income tax payments is $60,000. 6 What this shows is, dropouts alone are going to make a significantly less amount of money, but along side the fact that they live in poverty as a student, this just means they will be in more of a deficit as an adult. The combined lifetime earning losses of one group of 18-year-olds that never completes high school is $156 billion or 1. 3 percent of Gross Domestic Product.So, for example, if the United States was able to cut the number of dropouts in half, in a single cohort of 20-year-olds, the country would gain $45 billion through extra tax revenue and reduced public health, crime and justice, and welfare payment costs. 6 Moreover, families of high school dropouts are likely to be on some form of public assistance. For example, single mothers who lack a high school diploma are very likely to access housing assistance, food stamps, and/or federal assistance to needy families. If all single mothers obtained at least a high school education, the annual cost savings would be $3. billion. 6 We can clearly see that getting an education is crucial if there is any sight of having a family. Without any means of money and no education, it is extremely hard to get a well-paying job to survive in our economy. What is the a connection between dropouts and criminal activity? Dropouts are 3. 5 times more likely to be arrested than high school graduates and more than eight times as likely to be incarcerated, says â€Å"School or the Streets: Crime and America’s Dropout Crisis,† a report from the non-profit organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.What this can mean is that dropouts are seeing crime as an alternative. Through music, media, and social networking, students can be often aroused by the thought of stealing, gangs, or even killing to survive. Crime is talked about everywhere, including the news and social networks. To most citizens, it is a mystery at how people can commit such inhumane crimes. This can be understood by knowing the type of environment t hat the individual grew up in. For example, a student whose parents always fight, might come in to school and get in a lot of trouble because his anger towards his parents.On the other hand, if they lived in a neighborhood with gang activity and gun shots at night, they are more inclined to get involved with violent crime later in life. Students who dropout are more likely inclined to a criminal life to survive. A study by the New York Times showed that, male dropouts were 47 times more likely than college graduate to be jailed; more than half, 53 percent to be exact, become recidivists. 8 By preventing dropouts, and increasing the amount of students going to college and continuing education, we can prevent more crime.How can society go about preventing future dropouts? Our society has been trying to combat the increasing number of teens dropping out of high school every day. The Advertising Council and U. S. Army’s high school dropout prevention campaign evolved into the nat ional â€Å"Boost† campaign. This campaign was established to help students get on a better track for graduation. Extra learning assistance offered outside of school, and peer-to-peer learning classes for students to have one-on-one teaching in school.These programs help the students feel more inclined to succeed in high school and fill that gap of time students have after school to get involved with gangs or crime. Another good way the community helps students is by Big Brother Big Sister. They have been proven to help increase student grades, and help make it less likely students will interact with drugs and alcohol. This in turn will prevent students from having exposure to these things, and keep them from experimenting later in life. Also, another program dedicated to keeping students in school and away from crime is BoostUP.This group is sponsored by the AdCouncil and the U. S. Army to help students get support and assistance needed to graduate high school. Methodology:F or a better understanding of high school dropout rates and the cause of them, I would first go to different high schools, in varying income areas, and obtain the names of the students enrolled in the previous year who are not currently enrolled. For example, get a list of students enrolled before October 1, 2010 and then get a list of students who were not enrolled after October 1, 2011, and this will determine the list of dropouts.I would give each dropout a number, and then randomly choose the individuals with a random number selection software. I will have a survey for the student to fill out without the parents in the room; this gives the student the feeling of privacy, and hopefully more honesty in the answers. The questions would be related to how much time they have to do homework and if the parents help them; along with how much time is spent doing chores around the house, and are their parents working a lot or unemployed. The income of the family is one concern, but at the same time, the psychiatric state of the student is most important.If the student is not doing well in school and feels like nothing will change, it can lead the student to be less motivated and more likely to follow the path of dropouts. Understanding a students psychological state of mind can help draw trends about how other students are behaving in school. Field Work For my field work, I got in touch with an old friend to understand the cause of his dropout Sophomore year. At the time, I figured he just dropped out of high school because he was failing his classes. I never thought that there was more to it.I chatted with him over Facebook and asked a couple questions. He asked that I keep it anonymous. What caused you to drop out of high school? â€Å"I was 15 years old, dating [a girl] for almost a year. It was our first time and we didn’t use any protection. I got [her] pregnant and wanted to leave her because I was scared, but my mother told me that ‘You got into this mess, so you have to handle it. ‘ I picked up a job doing yard work with my fathers company and he paid me under the table. I then had to use the money to support my wife, but also asked my mother for some help.When [the baby] was born, my wife and I faced more struggles than we could ever imagine. I was so busy with going to school and passing, my mother took care of my son. Going to school was one of my least concerns, especially since I was always thinking about the child. I didn't think it would impact me so much, but without providing for my own family, I felt like a useless father. At the end of my Freshman year, my father passed away from a heart attack. † How did this effect your family? Peers? â€Å"The event as a whole, dropping out and having a kid so early, really hurt my mother.I felt as though she looked down on me and thought worse of me because I wasn't like all the other kids who go to school. But after my father passed away, I realized how much my mother and siblings needed me there. I stopped attending high school Sophomore year to get a job at McDonalds and to continue working for my fathers company so I could provide for my family. My family wasn't the most wealthy, but we weren't poor. My mother would always talk about me as â€Å"The Man† of the house. She [worked] full time so she wasn't home with all of the kids much.Without a father figure, it is hard to really grow up, and I had to play that role for my younger brother, Juan who was 8 years old at the time. I am now working to get my GED, slowly, but it is in progress. It isn't easy to go back to school after being away from it for so long. Work and family is still my #1 priority, but school is definitely a necessity in this day and age. I lost touch with all my friends, but it's inevitable when you have a child at a young age, and work two jobs. Facebook helps, but I accepted it pretty easily knowing I had the love of my life and a family. What would you hav e done differently to prevent these effects? â€Å"Wear protection! But in all seriousness, I wish I would have completed high school so that it would be easier to support a family. There isn't much you can do to prevent everything else that happened to me. I am glad I could learn from it rather than regress. I am now 22, working two jobs, have a wife, and a five and a half year old son who I provide for. School is extremely important and if you can't make time for that opportunity given to you, then I don't know what else there is to do.I couldn't prevent my fathers death, but I definitely should have gotten my GED sooner. It is hard to think of other ways I could have handled this of situation. † Did dropping out of high school lead you to any crime? Gangs? No, never. My wife and I are very Christian and would never steal or commit crime. Maybe a traffic violation, but never any serious crimes. I have seen too many friends and family live a life of crime, and I have been to more funerals than I would ever like to. It definitely crossed my mind when I was still a teen, but I'm much happier knowing I never resorted to illegal means to make a living.And no, never considered a gang because then it would have defeated my purpose of leaving school – my family. Bibliography Unknown Author. (2010). The Importance of Education. Retrieved from http://education. laws. com/importance-of-education 1 National Center for Education Statistics (February 04, 2013). High School Dropout. Retrieved from http://vaperforms. virginia. gov/indicators/education/hsDropout. php 2 EPE Research Center. (2010). Graduation by the Numbers [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www. edweek. org/ew/articles/2010/06/10/34swanson. h29. html 3 SLJ Staff. (2008).Crime Linked to Dropout Rates, Report Says. Retrieved from http://www. schoollibraryjournal. com/article/CA6590701. html 4 Johnston, Cindy. (2011). Series Overview: The Cost Of Dropping Out. Retrieved from http://www. npr. org 5 Dianda, Marcella R. Ed. D. (November 2008). Preventing Future High School Dropouts: An Advocacy and Action Guide for NEA State and Local Affiliates. Washington, DC: National Education Association. 6 Dillon, Sam. (2009). Study Finds High Rate of Imprisonment Among Dropouts. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2009/10/09/education/09dropout. html? _r=0 8

Effect of Force Majeure or Act of God Essay

If upon the happening of a fortuitous event or an act of God, there concurs a corresponding fraud, negligence, delay or violation or contravention in any manner of the tenor of the obligation as provided for in Article 1170 of the Civil Code, which results in loss or damage, the obligor cannot escape liability. It has been held that when the negligence of a person concurs with an act of God in producing a loss, such person is not exempt from liability by showing that the immediate cause of the damage was the act of God. To be exempt from liability for loss because of an act of God, he must be free from any previous negligence or misconduct by which that loss or damage may have been occasioned. Fortuitous Event – an event which could not be foreseen, or which, though foreseen is inevitable. Essential Characteristics of a Fortuitous Event 1. Cause is independent on the will of the debtor;  2. Impossibility of foreseeing or impossibility of avoiding it to be foreseen even if foreseen; 3. Occurrence renders it impossible for debtor to fulfill his obligation in a normal manner; and 4. Debtor is free from any participation in the aggravation of the injury to the creditor. General Rule: No liability in case of fortuitous event Exceptions: 1. By contrary stipulation in the contract;  2. Declared by law e.g. Art 552(2), 1268, 1942, 2147, 2148, 2159 of the New Civil Code; 3. Nature of the obligation requires assumption of risk when expressly declared by law; 4. When the obligor is in default or has promised to deliver the same thing to 2 or more persons who do not have the same interests (Art. 1165 (3)) Art. 1174. Except in cases expressly specified by the law, or when it is otherwise declared by stipulation, or when the nature of the obligation requires the assumption of risk, no person shall be responsible for those events which could not be foreseen, or which, though foreseen, were inevitable. If the performance of this Agreement, or any obligations hereunder is prevented, restricted, or interfered with by reason of: fire, flood, earthquake, explosion or other casualty or accident or act of God; strikes or labor disputes; war or other violence; any law,  order proclamation, regulation, ordinance, demand or requirement of any governmental authority; or any other act or condition whatsoever beyond the reasonable control of the affected party, the party so affected, upon giving prompt notice to the other party, shall be excused from such performance to the extent of such prevention, restriction or interference; provided, however, that the party so affected shall take all reasonable steps to avoid or remove such cause of non performance and shall resume performance hereunder with dispatch whenever such causes are removed.

How important are marketing promotion strategies in the success of a Term Paper

How important are marketing promotion strategies in the success of a monopoly - Term Paper Example Monopoly can be created as a result of social or political inclination whereby consumers are influenced to prefer a particular producer or seller. This is evident where nationalism dictates what is produced and sold in the market. For instant, there are certain market economies that advocates for protectionism where consumers in that market are influenced to buy products from a particular producer or seller. This strategy often restricts other producers or sellers with intention to invest in the same market structure. In a monopoly market structure, the government often plays a greater role in selecting the producer or seller to dominate a particular market for products and services. For instance, the government often maintains monopoly in selecting firms the favor in a particular sector. In most markets, the sectors that monopoly structure is dominant include the telecommunication sector or the pharmaceutical sector (Amadeo, 2014). This paper explores how marketing promotion strateg ies are important in the success of a monopoly. Maintaining monopoly over a product means that the producer or seller has to stay ahead of other firms in terms of coming up with strategies main to retain their customer base. This is because the demands from customers or consumers are dynamic and maintain a static strategy may result to a backlash from consumers who can decide to look for other sellers or producers willing to meet their demand or reject products from a monopoly producer or seller (Freire, 2009). The drawback with a monopolistic structure is that a product or service often becomes monotonous in the market and customers may lose interest in their products if the monopolistic producer or seller is not creative enough to keep consumers enthusiastic about their products or services. As a result of globalisation and a pressure to liberalize the global market, maintaining a monopolistic market structure is becoming more difficult as similar products are

Analyze and Appraise each of the (15) articles OBESITY IN CHILDREN Essay - 1

Analyze and Appraise each of the (15) articles OBESITY IN CHILDREN (Pay particular attention to evidence that supports the problem, issue, or deficit, and your proposed solution - Essay Example The research found that most interventions that meet the immediate needs of children are either pre-school or school based interventions. Though community based interventions may work they are not as effective for children as school based interventions. Children with obesity often exhibit metabolic complications and these complications are a major cause of early morbidity for such obese children. An effective intervention would thus be one that makes use of a critical understanding of the key pathogenesis of the phenotype of this group of children. Curtailment of sleep was found to be a major cause of obesity in both children and adults. The same risk factor is also valid for people of different setting from different parts of the world. The reason why curtailment of sleep would increase risk in obesity is that it leads to â€Å"constellation of metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, and increased hunger and appetite.† Low self esteem was recorded in children with obesity. In light of this, â€Å"weight loss treatment programs appear to improve self-esteem.† However, the research could not clarify if low self esteem is a risk factor associated with the cause of obesity. This is another confirmation on the usefulness of the multidimensional theory in tackling the problem of obesity from as many angels as possible. There was higher prevelance of obesity among children and adolescents from age 2 to 19 (16.9%) than there was in infant and toddlers (birth to 2 years). In terms of sex however, there was no differences in the prevalence rate. This study is therefore essential in providing researchers with the demographic areas where they need to pay particular attention to when dealing with obesity. The results showed that the viewing of television as a sedentary activity did not in its self act as a risk factor in beginning obese. The risk however was associated with the advertisements that