Responses To Post Of Students Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Responses To Post Of Students - Essay Example Even if the questions are well formulated, where D&I fails in an organization, the people who should provide the most relevant information, those minority members most affected by discrimination, would not be expected to candidly divulge their true sentiments or reactions in the survey or interview. There is a compulsion to outwardly conform to the majority expectation in order to keep one's job, although what they feel and think is contrary to what they express. Only when D&I is effective and the underrepresented can feel free to express their honest opinions can such a survey be considered reliable. The situation, therefore, yields a reverse outcome that follows a convoluted logic – that is, where the results show negative comments on D&I effectiveness can it be said that D&I has actually been effective.The post does not say, however, what these baseline measures pertain to – whether it refers to increase in job satisfaction, added productivity, reduced operating cost , and so forth. The selection of appropriate measurements becomes more challenging when one considers that most of these attributes are normally and more significantly influenced by factors other than diversity and inclusion. For instance, increased manpower cost is typically related to rising salaries and wages. Much of the elements in diversity and inclusion efforts defy quantification, because of the difficulty of isolating the impact of specific measures, and the complete absence of a measurable component.

Binge Drinking Among College Students and Consequences Essay Example for Free

Binge Drinking Among College Students and Consequences Essay Binge drinking is a problem that has continued to have a toll on the lives of college students despite efforts by the government and school administrators to curb the trend. Many studies have been conducted to reveal the facts behind binge drinking in colleges and campuses. It is clear that for the problem of binge drinking in colleges to be resolved, it must all start by understanding the factors that influence college students to engage in this behaviour and the impacts that binge drinking have had on the lives of college students. This is because students who do engage in binge drinking have their reasons to justify their behaviour but often have failed to recognize the magnitude of risks that they are exposed to by binge drinking. Among the government initiatives to reduce this problem has been to increase the national drinking age though this has not had much impact on the level of binge drinking among college students according to several studies. It is worth noting that many students have been indulging in binge drinking with the excuse that it is normal as per the culture in their colleges. There are other factors that influence college students to binge drink including environmental, social, developmental, and cognitive factors. Though most students who binge drink defend their behaviour by citing the positive side of binge drinking such as curbing stress and elevating self-confidence, the consequences are often costly and regrettable. This essay provides an argument on the factors that influence college students to indulge in binge drinking, including the various false beliefs about alcohol consumption. In addition, the essay will shed light on the consequences of binge drinking and show that contrary to the tendency of college students to glamorize binge drinking, it is a risky and costly endeavour. Binge drinking has been defined as heavy episodic alcohol consumption in which men end up taking five or more drinks in a si tting while women take four or more drinks in a sitting (Nelson and Wechsler 287). The prevalence of binge drinking on college campuses has remained high, posing serious health, academic, social, and legal implications. In order to understand binge drinking, it is worth mentioning that drinking is measured in terms of frequency or quantity. While quantity refers to how much, frequency is concerned with measuring how often consumption takes place. A drinking behaviour qualifies as binge drinking if large quantities of alcohol are consumed within a short time frame (Binge Drinking). By looking at the history and prevalence of binge drinking among college students, it leaves no doubt that changing drinking age over time has had little impact on the prevalence of drinking on college campuses. Beer drinking among college students is not a new phenomenon as tales dating back to 19th century are told of college students engaging in drinking. A survey conducted by Yale University researchers in 1949 gave an idea of the prevalence of drinking on college campuses. The survey found that 6% of women and 17% of men engaged in drinking more than once per week. In the 1960s and 70s the minimum drinking age in many states was set at 18 to agree with the requirement that those joining the military ought to be old enough to drink (Dietz 88). However, this action only paved way for increased drinking on college campuses given that now drinking was legal. The government had to act swiftly to arrest this trend and in 1984, the minimum drinking age was set at 21. Even then, the level of drinking remained almost the same as most college students had attained this age and thus regarded themselves as being entitled to drink (Krock). Drinking rates over the past 20 years have remained relatively at the same level and now it is estimated that 80-90% of college students are into drinking. Heavy drinkers constitute 15-25% of college students and 44% of college students report frequent or occasional binge drinking (Dietz 88). These statistics are indicative of the fact that binge drinking is a problem that is deep rooted in other factors such as the kind of cultures in colleges, environmental, cognitive, and developmental factors. Therefore, altering the national drinking age while it has shown positive impacts in the general population in terms of decreasing the prevalence of binge drinking, cannot offer a comprehensive solution to the same problem in colleges (Krock). The culture of drinking on campus has contributed a great deal to the high prevalence of binge drinking. While acknowledging the fact that unique cultures exist among individual colleges, these individual cultures harbour certain sub-cultures that encourage excessive consumption of alcohol. Within these sub-cultures, a common message is perpetuated that drinking is a normal and essential component of social interaction. Therefore, many college students conduct themselves in a manner that agrees with what the prevailing culture dictates (Ho pe and Ham 727). The culture of drinking on college campuses is composed of a number of elements. The first element is drinking events which encourage students to indulge in drinking to mark certain events (Dietz 89). In the same way that universities and colleges have a strong sense of tradition, the drinking culture has deep roots in most colleges. Therefore, many students engage in binge drinking in the process of honouring certain events that to them require people to drink in order for the commemoration to have real meaning (Dietz 89). In as much as the culture of drinking in many colleges and universities is difficult to do away with, it has only served to make students make the wrong decision of involving themselves in heavy episodic drinking characteristic of binge drinking. The bottom line is that in the disguise of marking particular events, many college students involve themselves in binge drinking thus exposing themselves to detrimental consequences. Drinking games is an element of drinking culture in colleges that have contributed to the high prevalence of binge drinking. In some colleges, students have tended to glamorize the aspect of drinking alcohol to the extent that drinking gam es are held in which students compete in drinking alcohol. Some drinking games are highly competitive while others just dictate rules regarding how much participants are expected to drink (Dietz 89). Nevertheless, the fact is that whether a drinking is highly competitive or not, by the virtue of portraying drinking as totally harmless, such games have encouraged binge drinking to the detriment of many students. It is true to say that in order to create opportunities for excessive drinking, students in many colleges have perpetuated drinking games entrenched in the culture of drinking. A good example of a drinking game in colleges is Beer Pong in which 6-16 cups partially filled with alcohol are taken by each team. The person playing the game is expected to throw a ping-pong ball aiming at the opponent’s cup across the table. If the ball lands into the partially filled cup, the opponent has to drink the content. The team that runs out of cups first is considered the loser (Dietz 89). By considering the nature of such a game, it is prudent to note that its objective is to encourage excessive drinking judging by the number of cups involved. Therefore, students who get involved in such games more often than not end up binge drinking in the name of having fun but in reality exposes themselves to negative consequences. Another important factor which makes college students to indulge in binge drinking is the kind of choices they make in terms of the groups they want to identify themselves with given that college students are eager to have a sense of belonging. One study targeting to investigate how college students seek to have a sense of belonging revealed that those students who joined Greek organizations drank consistently and more heavily than those who did not join Greek societies (Hensley). Greek societies are known to be prevalent in colleges and often entice students to join them in order to gain a sense of brotherhood or sisterhood. However, many students who agree to join these organizations are exposed to a life of excessive drinking in the disguise of obeying induction rituals. Eventually, the life of excessive drinking becomes part and parcel of these students (Dietz 90). While it is understandable that many students joining college are eager to identify themselves with particular groups or organizations, it is expected of them to make prudent decisions which would not compromise their studies and their lives in college. Unfortunately, many students have ended up in binge drinking through making inappropriate decisions only to realize when things go terribly wrong. Athletics is also another element of college culture whereby, students take the moment as an excuse for drinking but then end up binge drinking. When students drink excessively during sporting events, they often cause incidences and fall in trouble with authorities. Drunken fans are known for causing chaos during and after games irrespective of the game outcome. Consequently, property may be damaged and both bystanders and the rioters suffer serious injuries (Dietz 91). For students who binge drink because of sporting events, it is just a flimsy excuse and the consequences are often regrett able. Therefore, drinking games, sporting events, traditional drinking events, and Greek organizations are the elements of the culture of drinking on college campuses which make many students involve themselves in binge drinking. Unfortunately, the notion that alcohol is essential for complete social life on campus is a misconception whose consequences are harmful. Apart from the culture of drinking, college students are influenced into binge drinking by environmental, developmental, and cognitive factors. Regarding the environment, logic dictates that the way someone behaves is more often than not influenced by what is going on in the surrounding. Therefore, when students drink in environments where people have carried alcohol to drink, drinking games are being played, hard alcohol is available in plenty, and the people around are intoxicated; binge drinking can always be predicted. On the other hand a drinking environment where drinking is taking place in a family setting, in the context of dating or where food is available, studies have shown that in such environments, binge drinking is very unlikely (Dietz 92). Though this suggestion carries weight, it is paramount to reckon that studies that have been done on such environmental implications on the likelihood of binge drinking have been largely correlational. What this means is that though the first kind of environment may contribute to the occurrence of binge drinking, it is also a possibility that those students who indulge in binge drinking are already present in such an environment. Therefore, it would be difficult to determine for instance whether playing of drinking games in such an environment resulted from the presence of binge drinkers or whether students ended up binge drinking because of being in an environment where people played drinking games (Dietz 92). Nevertheless, it leaves no doubt that depending on the kind of environment that students expose themselves to, the likelihood of binge drinking either increases or decreases. Cognitive factors constitute another influential force which has led many college students to develop binge drinking behaviour. The cognitive influences are deeply rooted in misleading beliefs about alcohol, the notion that binge drinking is something that is acceptable, and misinformation about the effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Regarding the false beliefs or myths that some college students confidently hold on to, there are those who believe that everybody is engaging in binge drinking and thus experiences similar negative consequences (Binge Drinking). This is a misguided thought because a significant percentage of college students do not engage in binge drinking. At the same time, the negative consequences experienced by those who indulge in binge drinking vary and cannot be the same. For instance, according to the direct effects model, binge drinking consequences are determined by both the drinking beliefs and the binge drinking tendencies. Going by this model, students who hold more risky myths such as â€Å"everybody is doing it† is more likely to experience harsher consequences. This is because; such students are often lured into thinking that binge drinking cannot make them suffer physical harm. Consequently, they are more likely to involve themselves in highly risky behaviours after binge drinking and hence experience more severe consequences compared to those who do not hold such a myth (Turrisi, Wiersma and Hughes 343). Another myth among binge drinkers is that binge drinking enhances sexual performance and sex appeal. The fact is that binge drinking predisposes students to risky sexual behavior in which some students may engage in unprotected sex which can lead to the contraction of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (DeSimone 2). In fact binge drinking causes disorientation and those who engage in it are incapacitated from making rational decisions when they are drunk. The belief that their sex appeal is enhanced is misguided. There is also the belief among those who attempt to justify binge drinking that binge drinking is a remedy for stress and that it can enhance social interaction. On the contrary, binge drinking has been associated with hangovers and even suicidal thoughts. Binge drinking does not enhance social interactions but instead it triggers quarrels, arguments, fights, and incidences of blacking out and vomiting (Wechsler). Others believe that alcohol is not harmful to the body. Again, such a belief is the total opposite of the fact since alcohol consumption has been associated with serious health consequences including alcohol poisoning. The other aspect of cognitive influences is that some students will engage in binge drinking because they perceive the behavior as acceptable in the eyes of their parents and friends. In other words, they find consolation in the idea that binge drink is not bad after all since their parents and friends do not show any disapproval of the behavior (Dietz 94). Developmental factors also help to explain why college students engage in binge drinking. It is worth noting that once students reach this level of maturity, they naturally develop the desire to be regarded as mature adults who can make independent decisions and be responsible for the consequences of their actions. Therefore, binge drinking behaviour among many college students emanate from this desire to assert their adulthood. Moreover, college students are usually at their prime physically and thus they feel much confident in terms of being able to withstand the impacts of drinking alcohol which may also lead them into drinking excessively (Dietz 91). Though regarded as normal development, the fact that college students are likely to regard as adult hypocrisy anti-drinking messages from people, only puts them at more a vulnerable position. It is also noteworthy that college students are at a stage of critical social and emotional development. For instance, this is a time that they experience a higher level of autonomy since their parents are not around to monitor them. This increased freedom makes many students to make autonomous decisions and often experiment with behaviours that their parents had forbidden them. Moreover, many college students are still continuing with the process of devel oping their identity and in the process, often indulge in behaviours such as binge drinking in search of more sensational experiences (Hope and Ham 727). Peer influence is usually at the centre of identity development as students try to fit in new environments with a sense of belonging. Therefore, given that in many colleges students are confronted with a drinking culture, it is not a wonder that some result to binge drinking. However, many students fail to realize that with more freedom comes the need to be more responsible. This is because too much freedom without a sense of self-control or restraint is harmful. In this regard, in as much as certain developmental factors are normal, it cannot be justified as the excuse for engaging in heavy drinking. Binge drinking has a wide range of negative consequences which many college students fail to foresee before plunging themselves into the risky behaviour of binge drinking. Some students do not think that binge drinking can lead to any immediate negative consequence while others lean on the belief that alcohol does not pose harm to the body at all. Such notions are null and void given th at bingers are often caught in a wide range of crises such as engaging in unplanned or unprotected sex and getting into trouble with the authorities. In addition, bingers are more likely to engage in dangerous acts such as driving while drunk than nonbinging drinkers. Drunk driving is a major cause of car accidents and many young people have lost their lives because of it (Nelson and Wechsler 290). Some of the beliefs about the benefits of binge drinking among college students include the idea that by binge drinking, one can get more sexual opportunities. On the contrary, binge drinking only serves to make bingers behave irresponsibly and engage in risky sexual behaviours such as unplanned or unprotected sex. Consequently, some may contract STIs and HIV/AIDS which is a very high price to pay for being irresponsible. Unwanted pregnancy is another possible outcome of binge drinking which adds to the social burden and compromises the studies of the affected student. Contrary to the notion that binge drinking helps to relieve stress, one of its notable consequences has been the increased risk of committing suicide among college studen ts. Given that 67% of suicide incidences in colleges result from alcohol abuse, the idea that binge drinking causes relaxation is a nonstarter (Wechsler). The health consequences associated with binge drinking are severe. For instance, liver cancer is a fatal illness which can lead to death if not treated early. Another terrible consequence of binge drinking is alcohol poisoning which is a health condition that is not reversible once it occurs. This is a fact which is contrary to what people believe that alcohol poisoning can be reversed by drinking black coffee, walking, sleeping, or taking a cold bath. Time is the only factor that can determine whether the condition will get better or worse. However, due to the high level of alcohol in the blood, there may be no time for the alcohol level to decrease. Instead, the increase in blood alcohol level may continue even after quitting drinking. Consequently, death can result from interruption of breathing functions or the patient may choke on his/her vomit while unconscious (Do You Understand Binge Drinking?). Binge drinking causes students to be left behind in school work and academic performance of binge drinkers is rendered poor. For instance, due to hangovers and disorientation that comes with excessive drinking, students often fail to complete their assignments or to attend lectures. Consequently, their grades continue to deteriorate and their academic life may become a nightmare (Hensley). Such outcomes are contrary to the notion among young binge drinkers that they have the ability to control the effects of excessive drinking. The fact is that the consequences of binge drinking are stronger than one may try to imagine and many students only regret later when it is too late. The second hand effects of binge drinking are also real and come in the form of insults, sleepless nights, unwanted sex advance, arguments, and a ssaults (Wechsler). From this discussion, it leaves no doubt that binge drinking is highly prevalent on college campuses, something that has been contributed by different factors. This is supported by the evidence of many studies showing that despite the national drinking age being increased to 21, binge drinking especially among female students has increased. The consequences of binge drinking are detrimental. This has been witnessed in the form of the escalating cases of road accidents which has cost many lives of college students. Despite the belief among many college students that alcohol consumption enhances social interaction and sex appeal, binge drinking results in quarrels, arguments, and risky sexual behavior. In addition, students who binge drink have often found themselves in trouble with authorities. Poor academic performance due to inability to focus is a big problem among binge drinkers. Contrary to the belief that alcohol releases stress, statistics have proved otherwise. In fact, incidences of suicide have been on the rise among binge drinkers. The notion among binge drinkers that they are able to control the impacts of alcohol is a nonstarter given the high incidences of rape, assault, and vandalism among college students who binge drink. Regarding the culture of drinking in most colleges, this is something that bingers lean on as an excuse for their behavior. Issues of autonomy and the urge to identify with particular groups though real only imply that individual students must make prudent choices amidst the pressure. It all has to start by correcting the misconceptions and wrong attitudes among college students. Nevertheless, binge drinking remains a nagging issue whose consequences are a threat to many generations. Annotated Bibliography 1. Binge Drinking. n.d. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This article presents an argument regarding the way binge drinking has been defined by researchers and helps the reader to understand the controversy surrounding what actually amounts to binge drinking. It acknowledges that binge drinking is characterized by repeated intoxication with alcohol which makes a person become careless and abandon his/her responsibilities. In this case, it is useful in this research paper in terms of shedding light on what amounts to binge drinking and the possible consequences. It also alludes to the fact that binge drinking is still prevalent on college campuses. However, it points out that most of the research results about binge drinking on colleges have not reflected the real picture of the situation. 2. DeSimone, Jeff. Binge Drinking and Risky Sex among College Students. 2010. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This article is useful in this research to the extent of addressing one of the main consequences of binge drinking; risky sexual behaviour. The information in the article is presented in form of a report based on research aimed at finding out the relationship between binge drinking and risky sexual behaviour among college students aged between 18 and 24 years. Its findings that binge drinking increases promiscuity and inability to opt for safer sex such as condom use help to build on the paper’s argument. However, it fails to recognize other numerous negative consequences of binge drinking besides risky sexual behaviour. 3. Dietz, Christine M. Development of Binge Drinking Behavior in College Students: A Developmental Analysis. Graduate Journal of Counseling Psychology (2008): 1(1), pp. 86-96. The journal presents valuable information on the factors that influence college students to engage in binge drinking. It extensively addresses the culture of drinking in most colleges which many students lean on as an excuse for intoxicating themselves with alcohol. In addition, the journal discusses the developmental, cognitive, and environmental factors that play a big influential role in binge drinking. The information in the journal is quite useful in this research paper as it presents a broad picture of what has led to the high prevalence of binge drinking on college campuses. However, it falls short of addressing the details of the consequences of binge drinking. 4. Do You Understand Binge Drinking? 2011. Web 25 Nov 2011 . This is an article that explores in a brief but precise manner, what binge drinking is, the myth surrounding binge drinking, and the main health consequences of binge drinking. It helps to build the argument that contrary to what many college students perceive as being invincible to harm, binge drinking is a monster that induces slow death regardless of age. 5. Hensley, Laura G. College Student Binge Drinking: Implications for a Constructivist Approach to College Counseling. Journal of College Counseling (2001): Vol 4. T he journal covers the most fundamental elements presented in this research paper in the form of an argument. It begins by explaining the prevalence of binge drinking and the factors causing this trend such as students joining Greek societies and succumbing to peer pressure. It then highlights the behavioural, health, and academic negative consequences that result from binge drinking. Though the information is useful in building an argument, the journal presents it in form of a report or literature review. 6. Hope, Debra A and Lindsay S Ham. College students and problematic drinking: A review of the literature. Clinical Psychology Review (2003): Vol 23, pp. 719-759. This journal review explores the problem of excessive drinking among college students by citing the findings of a number of studies that have been conducted in the past. It acknowledges the importance of considering frequency and quantity when defining binge drinking. Besides highlighting the consequences of binge drinking, it also explores other aspects such as gender difference in the likelihood of excessive drinking. Nevertheless, it contributes to the research paper since it also addresses factors such as sensation seeking, personality and environmental factors, and cognitive processes as influencing college students to engage in binge drinking. 7. Krock, Becca. Higher drinking age lowers binge drinking for all except college students. 2009. Web 25 Nov 2011 . The article presents important findings from a recent study which revealed that though the national drinking age was set at 21 and has remained so since 1984, the effects on the level of binge drinking among college students have not been significant. However, the article points out that a major decline in the prevalence of binge drinking among teenagers has been noted. The article is relevant to the research paper since it helps the reader to see that altering the drinking age is not enough to curb the issue at hand. The main idea in the article is that since most college students are already 21 years and above, it’s legal for them to drink and the situation is exacerbated by other factors. 8. Nelson, Toben F and Henry Wechsler. Binge Drinking and the American College Student: Whats Five Drink? Psychology of Addictive Behaviours (2001): 15(4), pp. 287-291. The journal article discusses the importance of the clinical five/four measure of binge drinking in evaluating its various consequences. By citing findings about the consequences of binge drinking among college students, the article helps to build the argument presented in this paper. The article notes that there is a huge difference in the severity of binge-drinking consequences between bingers and non-bingers. However, the article does not address the fundamental factors that influence students to engage in binge drinking. 9. Turrisi, Rob, Kimberly A Wiersma and Kelli K Hughes. Binge-Drinking-Related Consequences in College Students: Role of Drinking Beliefs and Mother-Teen Communications. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors (2000): 14(4), 342-355. The information presented in this journal article is highly relevant to the argument since it not only focuses on the false beliefs about alcohol among college students but also the relationship between these beliefs and the consequences. For instance, the article asserts the findings that a direct relationship exists between drinking beliefs and binge-drinking consequences. However, there is no direct relationship between drinking beliefs and consequences when it comes to health matters and physical risk. Overall, the article helps the reader to understand the phenomenon of binge drinking in terms of why students engage in it and the difference in the nature of consequences expected by bingers and the actual consequences. 10. Wechsler, Henry. Binge Drinking on Americas College Campuses. 2009. Web 25 Nov 2011 . In this article, the question of binge drinking is discussed in light of its prevalence which according to the article has remained relatively steady. At the same time, the article notes that more dangerous forms of binge drinking have been on the rise. The far-reaching consequences of binge drinking including alcohol poisoning, poor academic performance, vandalism of property, and physical harm have been highlighted. It helps to underscore the fact that by believing that they are able to control the effects of alcohol, many college students have only predisposed themselves to harm.

Against Standardized Testing Essay -- Standardized Testing Essays

There seems to be a dilemma in the educational system. In order to receive funding, a school system has to test its students annually. These tests are supposed to measure the progress of the students and the school system. But what is really measured with these scores? What do they really mean? Should children be tested as frequently as they are? And most importantly, should the ability to pass on to another grade or to graduate from high school be based on only one test? With so many questions arising from these tests, the answer is to take a stand against them. Perhaps a brief history will provide a better understanding of the standardized testing system. In the 1980’s, the National Governors Association pushed for states to have performance-based accountability of their school systems. Basically, states would grant schools more flexibility in what and how they chose to teach in return for more accountability for academicbased performance. In 1994, Title I, â€Å"the largest federally funded education program† (http://www.doe.mass.edu), actually required that all states create performance-based accountability systems for schools (Elmore 2). Now, with the introduction of the Bush administration’s No Children Left Behind, all states are required to annually test their students in order to receive federal grants (Romano 1). In Bush’s attempt to make sure that our schools are held to a high standard, he is threatening their funding based on their students’ performance. Not only are students’ grade advancements and sometimes graduations dependent upon these tests, but so is the funding for their schools as well. Teachers can be dismissed or schools shut down based on test performance. No pressure there, kids. W... ...ardized tests. Utah’s officials were willing to lose $76 million dollars in funding by deciding not to follow federal testing standards (Quindlen 2). If we take a stand, is your state ready to be next? Works Cited Elmore, Richard F. â€Å"Testing Trap.† Harvard Magazine. 11 November 2005. http://www. harvardmagazine.com/print/090240html. Massachusetts Department of Education. Massachusetts Government. 11 November 2005. http://www.doe.mass.edu/ Quindlen, Anna. â€Å"Testing: One, Two, Three.† Newsweek. 19 June 2005. 4 November 2005. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8099819/site/newsweek/page/2/print/1/ displaymode/1098. Romano, Lois. â€Å"Test Scores Move Little in Math, Reading. Improvement Appears Slight Since No Child Left Behind.† 20 Oct. 2005. Washington Post. 1 November 2005. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/19/ AR2005101900708.

Use of the Nation of Islam in Down at the Cross Essay -- James Baldwin

The Use of the Nation of Islam in â€Å"Down at the Cross† Like his essay â€Å"Notes of a Native Son,† James Baldwin’s â€Å"Down at the Cross† offers a three-part essay involving Baldwin’s personal adolescent experience, a specific event in Baldwin’s life, and a final analysis concluding with a warning to the readers. Baldwin describes a general experience throughout his life, and his sense of the public’s overall experience, to discuss the progression of America throughout history; the progression of America is the advancement of the American Negro according to Baldwin: â€Å"[The American Negro] is the key figure in his country, and the American future is precisely as bright or as dark as his† (Baldwin 340). The Nation of Islam and its leader, Elijah Muhammad, play an important role in Baldwin’s analysis. Baldwin’s early religious involvement prepare him for his experience at Muhammad’s residence, and his combined experiences instigate reflections upon the progress of black and white America since the emancipation of blacks during the Civil War. Baldwin begins his essay with a recount of his childhood, growing up black in a nation which considered itself white. Baldwin explains the uphill battle fought by every American Negro, how many â€Å"were clearly headed for the Avenue† (Baldwin 296) of whores, pimps, and racketeers. Baldwin argues that the American Negro was doomed to remain in the same state in which he or she was brought into the world, just as â€Å"girls were destined to gain as much weight as their mothers, the boys †¦ would rise no higher than their fathers† (Baldwin 298). Even an education would not rescue one from â€Å"the man’s† oppression. The man, of course, is the white man who â€Å"would never, by the operation of any generous human feel... ...ns of the consequences if America fails the journey: â€Å"God gave Noah the rainbow sign, No more water, the fire next time!† (Baldwin 347). Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Down at the Cross.† 1963. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84. â€Å"Cultist is Slain Battling Police.† New York Times 29 Apr. 1962, sec. 1: 72. Dodoo, Jan. Nation of Islam. 29 May 2001. U of Virginia. 17 Mar. 2004 Kihss, Peter. â€Å"In Return for Years of Slavery, Four or Five States.† New York Times 23 Apr. 1961, sec. 7: 406. Quarles, Benjamin. â€Å"Lincoln’s The Black Muslims in America.† Rev. of The Black Muslims in America, by C. Eric Lincoln. Journal of Negro History. Vol. XLVI, No. 3 (1961): 198-199. White, Jack E. â€Å"An Unlikely Prophet.† Time 13 Dec. 1999: 103+

Piece inspired by ‘Of Mice and Men’ Essay

The sun was blazing down on the yard outside the barn. The group of men were playing a horse shoe tournament. Lennie was still sitting down on a barrel, watching the other guys play. In the distance he saw a man walking towards them with a trail of dust bellowing from his feet. It was Curly. Everyone went silent as he swaggered up to Slim. â€Å"Av, you seen my wife! † â€Å"No, she’s probably bunking up with the Nigger! † muttered Carlson. Everyone began to chuckle, Lennie didn’t hear what Carlson had said but he started to laugh so he wouldn’t stand out. He laughed so loud that in the end he did stand out. Curly stormed over to him, he had a menacing look on his face. Lennie stopped laughing immediately and began to hide his face. â€Å"What the hell you laughing at? † Curly asks as he looks down on Lennie. â€Å"Nu.. Nu.. Nothing† Stuttered Lennie. Everyone fell silent as Curly started to crack his knuckles in a fighting fashion. â€Å"Come on, you big bastard. Get up on your feet. No big son-of-a-bitch is gonna laugh at me. I’ll show you who’s yellow. † Curly yanks Lennie up on his feet and starts pummelling into his stomach and face. As Lennie is taking this beating he looks up and looks into Georges eyes. Everything starts slowing down in Lennie’s brain and all he can hear is George’s voice repeating â€Å"Get him Lennie. Don’t let him do it! † Slim rushes to George and says† The dirty little rat. I’ll get him myself. † â€Å"Wait a minute. Get him Lennie! † George shouts. Then the tables turn. Lennie grabs Curly by the shirt and lifts him high above the ground. Lennie is a blur and begins to bear hug Curly. Curly is totally refrained from doing anything to Lennie. Then all the men hear groaning noises coming from Curly. A loud yell cry comes from the mouth of Curly as the men hear his back breaking. Each spinal column crunching into each other. Everyone realises that it’s time to get Lennie off of Curly before he kills him. â€Å"Let go of him Lennie. Let go! † George screams as he jumps onto Lennie’s arms. â€Å"Let go of him Lennie. Let go. Slim, come and help me while the guy got no back left. As the men prize Lennie ofF he is still in a blur, he suddenly just drops Curly and runs onto a haystack crying†. You told me to George! † â€Å"I know I did Lennie, I know I did†,George whispers to Lennie as he sits and comforts him. Slim walks over to Curly who was lying on the floor having lots of short spasms in his back. â€Å"Looks like every bone in his back is bust† Slim says as he analysed Curly’s injury.

Analysis of A Poison Tree by William Blake

Analysis of A Poison Tree by William Blake A Poison Tree is a famous poem from Romantic Era English poet William Blake. It was published in 1794 in his collection Songs of Experience. In general, it is about repressed anger that can lead to violence. It also points to the state of humankind in the Romantic Era. The particulars of the poem will be discussed in detail in the following paragraphs. Here is the poem for reference: A Poison Tree I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe: I told it not, my wrath did grow. And I waterd it in fears, Night morning with my tears: And I sunned it with smiles, And with soft deceitful wiles. And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright. And my foe beheld it shine, And he knew that it was mine. And into my garden stole, When the night had veild the pole; In the morning glad I see; My foe outstretched beneath the tree. The technicalities The poem has a trochaic beat (three feet for each line; a succession of a stressed syllable followed by an unstressed syllable). In total, it consists of four stanzas. Each couplet rhymes with each other. The narration of the poem is expressed in the first person. In addition, the original draft of the poem had a line drawn beneath the first stanza, which might mean that Blake wanted the poem to end there (Stauffer, Andrew). In fact, multiple revisions were made before it was published. Themes to look for First off, let us look at the biblical connection the poem has. Blake was commonly deliberate in his usage of symbols. According to Owlcation.com, â€Å"The wrath of the speaker becomes a metaphorical tree bearing a poison apple. This allusion to the book of Genesis, chapter 3, is a clear one. The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is the poems tree. The Serpent is the speaker, both tempting and deceitful. And Adam and Eve are the foe, both guilty of disobedience† (Spacey, Andrew). However, the link between the Bible and the poem is more nuanced than direct. Another take on the poem is that it is about the anger in British society with the start of the French Revolution. In addition, Blake, like Coleridge, believed in expressing malice in healthy ways. Blake was not a person who adhered to vengeance, but by letting go of one’s anger through safe action (Stauffer, Andrew). An interesting aspect to note in the poem is the term â€Å"poison.† The act of poisoning is brought up in many poems of Blake. In most of Blake’s works, it is seen as a sign of corrupted identity or individualism (Peterfreund, Stuart). The poem could also be a moral lesson: take responsibility for your anger, or the people you hate will get hurt and might even die. According to Owlcation.com, â€Å"With repeated emphasis on the self seventeen times I, my, mine the speaker courageously suggests that responsibility for managing anger is personal. If it is left to fester and not dealt with then the consequences could be dire† (Spacey, Andrew). In its simple, nursery-rhyme language and rhythm, A Poison Tree makes for a powerful and serious message. Poetic devices to notice Antithesis: This is shown in the first stanza with the first two lines contrasting or juxtaposing the last two lines of the stanza. Alliteration: Strings of the same consonant can be found throughout A Poison Tree, such as â€Å"And I sunned it with smiles.† Allusion: As mentioned before, the poem alludes to the Garden of Eden. Metaphor: The apple is the manifestation of the anger of the narrator. Symbolism: The tree is symbolic of the wrath’s growth, while â€Å"garden† may be a symbol for the heart where the hatred has developed. Imagery: Mostly, the poem concentrates on delivering imagery about the tree, apple, and garden, with one very interesting phrase: â€Å"And I waterd it in fears.† A Poison Tree is a poem that seems to flow naturally with its rhythm, but its overall tone is serious. It portrays what happens to us if we hold in anger towards someone for a long time. We hurt not only ourselves, but also those we despise. Perhaps this poem is saying that vengeance is the ugliest of things, and that it can even happen indirectly. â€Å"A Poison Tree Analysis Literary Devices and Poetic Devices.† Literary Devices, 7 Mar. 2019, literarydevices.net/a-poison-tree/. Peterfreund, Stuart. William Blake in a Newtonian World. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998. Spacey, Andrew. â€Å"Analysis of Poem ‘A Poison Tree’ by William Blake.† Owlcation, Owlcation, 25 Jan. 2019, owlcation.com/humanities/Analysis-of-Poem-A-Poison-Tree-by-William-Blake. Stauffer, Andrew. Anger, Revolution, and Romanticism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.

Comparative Education Training Module

Comparative Education Training Module Comparative Education and Training ModuleIn order to carry out this module the Cert Ed course visited the Czech Republic, a fascinating country, small by our standards with a population of approximately 10 million people. What became apparent from the outset was the proud nature of the citizens and the obvious national fervour, which is normally lacking in Britain. During the visit we were given a varied exposure to the Czech educational system, from primary schooling through to adult education, this included both university and college vocational training.During this assignment I will give a brief overview of the recent history of the Czech Republic and hopefully link this to the changes to the educational system. I will then endeavour to compare their educational system, paying particular attention to the vocational training side, with our recent developments within the military's educational system, which of course is rooted in vocational training.American Education is in the Dump sterA brief history:Czechoslovakia came into existence as an independent republic in 1918 after the break up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of the First World War. Besides the Czech and Slovak peoples the country included substantial numbers of Germans. Despite welding together of such a mixed bag of people, Czechoslovakia made considerable political and economic progress until the troubled 1930s. It was the only East European State to retain a parliamentary democracy throughout the interwar period.With the rise to power of the Nazis leader Hitler in Germany brought a revival of opposition among the German speaking populace. This in turn led to the Munich Agreement and the Sudetenland firstly be given to Germany and then six-month later the occupation of the whole of Czechoslovakia. After the war election were held with the Left gaining a slight majority until the Communists seized power in 1948 and...

Cue vs. Queue

Cue vs. Queue Cue vs. Queue Cue vs. Queue By Maeve Maddox The first time I read the following passage, I thought the use of the word queue must be arcane computer science jargon, but when I read it a second time, I realized the spelling queue in this context was just a mistake: This happens to be one of our common gripes: that once the battery is end-of-life, we are pretty much forced to get a replacement unit since the battery takes a  queue  from Apple and is sealed inside the casing. The passage is from a product review. The writer is criticizing the fact that the consumer cannot replace the tool’s battery because, like the batteries in some Apple devices, it’s sealed. The tool’s manufacturers have â€Å"taken their cue† from Apple. Take one’s cue: use someone else’s behavior as a model for one’s own. The mistaken use of queue for cue was a new one for me, so I did a web search to see if this reviewer had company. He has plenty of company. And don’t pounce on the Americans; the misuse is global. I found examples on sites in the U.K., Australia, and Jamaica, as well as in the U.S. and in at least one printed book. Deron is on half speed one game, full speed another game. Everyone else takes their queue from that. Telstra are dead in the water. Hopefully the .au government takes their queue and busts it in half. The populace takes their queue from people of influence who are either silent on the matter†¦[or] are outrightly vocalising their contempt†¦ If the bride and groom are uptight and nervous the whole wedding takes their queue from them.   Cue and queue are both pronounced like the name of the letter Q. Queue, a French borrowing with the literal meaning of â€Å"tail,† is sometimes spelled cue in the context of hair: cue/queue: A long roll or plait of hair worn hanging down behind like a tail, from the head or from a wig; a pigtail. The expression â€Å"to take one’s cue† is from the figurative use of a theatrical term: cue: The concluding word or words of a speech in a play, serving as a signal or direction to another actor to enter, or begin his speech. The OED lists several historical spellings of cue in the sense of an actor’s signal, but the list does not include the spelling queue: kew, ku, quew, q, quue, que, Q, qu, kue. The word is spelled cue in A Midsummer’s Dream (1600); Bottom the Weaver is bossing his fellow actors: Curst be thy stones, for thus deceiuing mee. [deceiving me]. Deceiuing mee is Thisbyes cue: she is to enter now, and I am to spy Her through the wall. In British usage, a queue is a line of people or vehicles waiting to proceed or be served. In computer use, a queue is a list of data items or commands that are attended to in a certain order, such as a queue of documents waiting to be printed. Next time you have occasion to write the expression â€Å"take one’s cue,† take your cue from this article and remember to spell it cue. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcIs There a Reason â€Å"the Reason Why† Is Considered Wrong?1,462 Basic Plot Types

Business Success Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Success - Assignment Example In order to satisfy customers, products should be competitively priced and should have the desired quality. This is the only was a firm can build up long term relationships with the customers. The goal of conducting the internal analysis is to find the answer to the question that why the economic performance of some companies are better than the others in the competition. Internal analysis of a particular firm analyzes and lists out the relative weaknesses and strengths of a company as compared to its competitors. By conducting Internal Analysis, the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the firm can be analysed. This helps to compare the strengths and weaknesses with that of other firms, too. Internal analysis also helps determine the resources along with the capabilities required that may help sustain the company in the competitive market. According to Porter's Internal Value Chain, the primary activities required for the internal analysis are production, inbound logistics, sales and marketing, warehousing and distribution along with the dealer support and customer service. The support activities required are infrastructure, procurement, human resource management and r esearch and development technology. (Barney and Hesterly, n.d., A) Human resource is one of the key factors that influence a firm's success in the competitive market. ... If a particular firm has rare and valuable resources that are difficult to be replicated by competitors, then the firm is at an inherent advantageous position. However, the firm should strategies in place to leverage these strengths to generate competitive advantages. A business organization also needs to pay due attention to the intangible assets along with the tangible ones like brand equity, Intellectual Property and the knowledgebase residing within the employees of the company. This is highly beneficial while implementing and conceiving the strategies. If a company's co-operative relationships are better, then quite naturally that firm is at an advantageous position. (Barney and Hesterly, n.d., A) However to maintain a smooth and uninterrupted supply of human resource, companies need to make sure that the employees in general are happy and the labourers in particular. It is seen from the past records that industries were there is a high tendency of labourers forming unions; the net profitability is comparatively much less, as in steel, airlines and automobiles. Companies irrespective of their size and domain of operation should strive to keep the tendency of forming labour unions at the lowest best to yield maximum profit. Fig. 1 shows how the percentage of profitability decreases with an increase in the percentage of employees unionized. Fig. 1: The Impact of Unionisation on Profitability (Source: Robert M. Grant, 1998) Another important factor responsible for a company's success is the marketing skill. It might happen that the products offered by a firm are of superior quality and is also offered at competitive prices, but the customers might be unaware of the particular product. So, it is very much necessary to know the art of

Financial accounting Master Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Financial accounting Master - Research Paper Example Also, assume that the only thing that the Dow Jones sold was one piece of printing equipment for $190,000 in cash. a) How much did the Dow Jones originally pay for the piece of equipment that was sold COMPUTATION: Balance (at start) = 1,181,171 Add: Purchase during the year = 155,000 Less: Balance (at end) = (1,177,300) Cost of Equipment = 158,871 JOURNAL ENTRIES Debit Credit Cash 190,000 Allowance for depreciation 122,000 Equipment 158,871 Gain on Sale 153,129 So the payment is made $ 190,000. b At the time of sale, what was the accumulated depreciation on the piece of equipment that was sold COMPUTATION: Cost of Equipment = 158,871 Less: Depreciation = (122,000) Book Value = 36,871 Less: Sale proceeds = (190,000) Gain on Sale = 153,129 Therefore, the depreciation on the sale of equipment amounted $122,000. c Did Dow Jones record a gain or a loss on the sale of the printing equipment As per calculation in the part (b) it is clear fact that Dow Jones recorded a gain of $153,129 on the sale of equipment. PART III: Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts Inc. - Bonds 1. Were the "Trump AC Funding 11% First Mortgage notes, due 2006" issued at par, at a premium or at a discount Justify your answer. After reviewing the long term debt section, according to my assessment "Trump AC Funding 11% First Mortgage notes, due 2006" it was clearly indicated that the management of the company funds the mortgage at par and the management of the company issues mortgage notes at par on the secondary market. 2. Record the entry made at the original... Although, their is no clear indication about the face value but I assume that the face value of the mortgage is $100.And the "Trump AC Funding II 11 % First Mortgage notes" bonds are issued on discount. Bond prices are fluctuated when the company opt the aggressive or conservative accounting policies. The adaptation of those accounting practices enforces management to issue the bond at discount or at face value. Macro factors like fiscal policy, interest rate fluctuations, recession in the economy and difference of timing in the issuance of bond makes a significant impression on the overall valuation of the company. 5. Record the entry that was made for the "Trump AC Funding II 11 % First Mortgage notes" when these notes were issued on January 1, 1997 (Hint: These notes were issued at 95.70% of their face value). 8 Assume that on December 31st, 2001, Trump re-purchased all of the outstanding Castle PIK Notes for $119,500,000. What would the gain or loss be on the repurchase of bonds (net of tax rate of 40%) 10 Assume that on January 1st, 2001, the market rate of interest was 12% on bonds of similar risk to these Castle PIK Notes.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Essay

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - Essay Example The main composition of the NACCP is basically made up of African Americans membership from different parts of the United States numbering over 300,000 (Jonas 107). The NAACP has been instrumental in assisting African Americans achieve their freedom through offering various activities for free. During the early agitation for equal rights for blacks, the NAACP was in the fore front of fighting for recognition of equal right for colored people through the courts. The organization offered free legal aids to fight for the freedom of colored people as well as offer pro-bono legal aid to jailed civil rights leaders. The groups gained prominence in the 1950 and 1960’s by winning several legal battles in the pursuit of equal rights for colored people in the United States. One of the philanthropic ways in which they participated in the fight for African American rights was through establishment of a defense fund. This fund was used in fighting court battles for the emancipation of the rights of black people. ... This board is today comprised of 64 members who ran the organization with a president who is the head of the organization. Several black leaders and civil rights crusaders have worked with NAACP in fighting for equal rights of colored people in America. Politicians such as Rev. Jesse Jackson and Kweisi Mfume are known to have worked with NAACP. NAACP has been instrumental in the US elections in the past and it cannot be ruled that a lot of politicians have used the organization to harbor political ambitions. The NAACP is today very instrumental in several societal issues in the USA and in some cases it has been instrumental in aiding black get prominent roles in the society (Skocpol 93). The organization has been active from the late 1990’s till today were its voice reflects a lot on the feeling and thoughts of colored people in the society. NAACP and Civil Society The NAACP is an organization that has been on the forefront of fighting for the rights of black people. Therefore , it is noteworthy to say that NAACP has helped in the momentum and push for civil society recognition in America. For instance, their legal battle to remove segregation of colored people in the education system and in many spheres in the society has brought great equal freedom in the United States. Its fight has seen the great acceptance of colored people in the United States and colored people have risen to greater heights in the US like President Obama. Large organizations such as the NAACP today have the voice to propel the fight for freedom of greater democratic space for its members (Skocpol 87). For instance, Skocpol in her book argues that organizations like AARP or AFL-CIO have centralized and organized offices to actively fight for rights of their members. She

The Sale of Goods Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Sale of Goods Act - Essay Example The other important element in such sales is reliance. The buyer must have relied on the description of the goods. In the absence of reliance on the description, the latter does not constitute an important term of the contract (Magrath, 1989). As such, there should be a reasonable understanding among the parties that the buyer will rely on the description of the goods. In Harlingdon & Leinster Enter. Ltd. v. Christopher Hull Fine Art Ltd the court held that the description of the goods constitutes an essential feature of the goods sold. Quality and suitability of the goods sold are implied terms in the contract of sale by description or sample. Implied terms render the seller of the goods liable if these goods do not conform to their description. If the contract does not incorporate a term of description, then the buyer has to establish that he had relied on the fraudulent inducement of the seller. The Court of Appeal dismissed the claim of the buyer against the seller for damages (Harlingdon and Leinster Enterprises Ltd v Christopher Hull Fine Art Ltd, 1990). Furthermore, in Birch v Paramount Estates, the defendants provided some information regarding the quality of the house. The buyer relied on this statement, and the court held that this statement was a term of the contract (Birch v Paramount Estates, 1956). In the Dick Bentley case, it was held by the Court of Appeal that mileage was a term of the contract. Moreover, a car dealer was in a better position than the customer in assessing the mileage shown by the odometer; hence, the car dealer was held liable. In our problem, even though Dusko had inspected the kitten, he had to rely on the description made by the seller. Since the kitten was not in conformity with its description, the seller is liable under the provisions of section 13(1).

Experimenter Effects Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Experimenter Effects - Research Paper Example To improve experimenter effects for this article implies the reduction of the experimenter’s personal traits, behaviour, and expectancies in the ability of using Magnet Hospital program in reducing RN shortages. To prove that this program can effectively reduce nursing shortage, the experiment would employ the use of double-blind research. In this research, several hospitals are chosen with an acute care and step-down units. Some of the RNs in the acute care or the step-down units under the supervision of the advanced practice nurse. In My opinion, this approach would reduce experimenter effects, since error is reduce from the selection of a number of hospitals. Secondly, the experiment is carried out on either the acute care or step-down unit nurses in any of the hospitals. Thirdly, the margin of biasness, assumptions, perceptions and beliefs in conclusions, would b reduced by having a number of the RN nurses under the advanced practice nurse, who may or may not have a major leadership role in decision making, policy making, or design development. This method would work since the experimenter is not aware of the subjects under the experiment, due to the variance in

The Sale of Goods Act Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Sale of Goods Act - Essay Example The other important element in such sales is reliance. The buyer must have relied on the description of the goods. In the absence of reliance on the description, the latter does not constitute an important term of the contract (Magrath, 1989). As such, there should be a reasonable understanding among the parties that the buyer will rely on the description of the goods. In Harlingdon & Leinster Enter. Ltd. v. Christopher Hull Fine Art Ltd the court held that the description of the goods constitutes an essential feature of the goods sold. Quality and suitability of the goods sold are implied terms in the contract of sale by description or sample. Implied terms render the seller of the goods liable if these goods do not conform to their description. If the contract does not incorporate a term of description, then the buyer has to establish that he had relied on the fraudulent inducement of the seller. The Court of Appeal dismissed the claim of the buyer against the seller for damages (Harlingdon and Leinster Enterprises Ltd v Christopher Hull Fine Art Ltd, 1990). Furthermore, in Birch v Paramount Estates, the defendants provided some information regarding the quality of the house. The buyer relied on this statement, and the court held that this statement was a term of the contract (Birch v Paramount Estates, 1956). In the Dick Bentley case, it was held by the Court of Appeal that mileage was a term of the contract. Moreover, a car dealer was in a better position than the customer in assessing the mileage shown by the odometer; hence, the car dealer was held liable. In our problem, even though Dusko had inspected the kitten, he had to rely on the description made by the seller. Since the kitten was not in conformity with its description, the seller is liable under the provisions of section 13(1).

Managing people at work Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing people at work - Research Paper Example Further, this move was based on the fact that teachers and principals are the people who interact directly with the students, and they are far much aware of the decisions that can work best for the students. This was supposed to add value to the quality of education that students received, without any restrains from the availability of resources. Notably, the federation was for the improved decision making that was school based as long as the approach did not jeopardize excellence and equity of schools, the curriculum that is statewide and staffing and resources guarantees. Further, the approach should not tamper with the entitlements and rights of teachers’ employment, as well as the primacy of the role of the principal who is the leader of education in schools (Mulheron 2012, p.3). This approach was to emphasize the primacy and significance of consultation, which should be genuine at all levels without a single compromise. Consultation approach received a warm welcome from t he NSW, and it had been incorporated in their recent education training programs. This approach had grand ambitions of eliminating the impositions of political agendas in schools; agendas that were predetermined by the politicians and policy makers. Apparently, it is essential that people should support the implementation of the NSW ideas to ensure that all children receive equal opportunities in schools, as well as receive high quality training. It imperative to note that, rejecting such a brilliant idea would send the society back to the dark days where some schools were residualized, and parents took their children when they were out of choices (NSW Teachers Federation 2011, p. 3). The core objective of this approach is to eliminate and avoid the emergence of a society that depends on wealth, parental influence and power to determine the opportunities of children, in schools and other education institutions. Rather, the approach compels the government to guarantee that all childr en receive equal chances and opportunities to receive the best quality education. Further, the NSW reform that was developed alongside the approach had crucial roles in the whole process, which included rebuilding and restoring the education system of the public to its original reputation. The ongoing debate found momentum when the minister for education conducted a process of consultation to devolve the making of decisions that affect schools to school communities, principals and teachers (Argyrous 2010, p. 39). These standards were supposed to apply in the process of provision of education services to students of the public schools in NSW. The federation of NSW teachers supports the implementation of policies that improve the principal’s capacity to deliver high quality of education to students (Chapman 1990, p. 48). However, this policy would remain viable as long as it did not diminish or undermine the excellence and equity for all schools and students. Further, the appro ach was supposed to guarantee staffing, resources and statewide curriculum to all schools and individuals (Smyth 1993, p. 53). Other considerations included the entitlements of teachers’ for employment and the educational leadership of the principal. On the contrary, those who oppose to the approach claim that increased autonomy of schools and the authority of principal will accentuate the disparity between schools, as well as have all the commonalities disregarded. Apparently, the supporters of this

John the Baptist Rewrite Essay Example for Free

John the Baptist Rewrite Essay Abstract John the Baptist practiced preaching and baptizing Jews in the river Jordan. He was the one who recognized Jesus as the messiah and baptized him. This baptism was the beginning of Jesus’ life as a teacher. But it is his death that is almost always how John the Baptist is remembered and studied. His teaching is the basis of Baptist today. His life is told in only the Gospels and not much is really known about the man who came before Jesus to preach the word of God and of Jesus’ coming. INTRODUCTION: John the Baptist practiced preaching and baptizing Jews in the river Jordan. He was the one who recognized Jesus as the messiah and baptized him. This baptism was the beginning of Jesus’ life as a teacher. But it is his death that is almost always how John the Baptist is remembered and studied. His teaching is the basis of Baptist today. The New Testament does not supply precise information about the dates of John’s or Jesus’ birth. Usually John the Baptist is associated with the Advent season. His Birth is celebrated on June 24th. In the third or fourth century the birthday of Jesus was assigned to Dec. 25th, around the time of the winter solstice, after what we call the shortest day of the year, when the time of daylight begins to increase. In John’s Gospel there is a saying from John the Baptist, referring to Jesus, that â€Å"he must increase; I must decrease† (3:30). And so the birth of John was assigned to June 24th, after the summer solstice, when the daylight begins to decrease, following the longest day of the year. The Scripture readings for the nativity of St. John the Baptist reflect the dynamics of Decrease and increase between John and Jesus. Today’s Old Testament reading is one of the servant songs from Second Isaiah. It was chosen for its reference to the servant having been named from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:60). But the passage also expresses important aspects of John’s career as a prophet to God’s people and a light to the nations. At the same time his status as servant makes him subordinate to Jesus. The selection from Paul’s speech in Acts 13 reminds us that John played a pivotal role in Salvation history and so won a place in the early Christian proclamation. Importance is given to John’s own recognition of his subordinate status with respect to Jesus, â€Å"I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet†. HIS HISTORY: John the Baptist was described as a man that walked among the Jews in animal’s hair that was not covered by his own skin and he was a savage. He came with a message that â€Å"God hath sent me to show you the way of the law, by which ye shall be freed from many tyrants. And no mortal shall rule over you, but only the highest who hath sent me. † He dipped them into the stream of the Jordan and let them go warning them that they should renounce evil deeds (Harrington, 2005, p. 25). In Luke’s early narrative there are many parallels and comparisons between John and Jesus, both in the announcements of their births and in the accounts of them. While John is great, Jesus is greater is the message given. The idea is not to critic John but rather to highlight Jesus’ greatness. The birth of John is presented by Luke as the fulfillment of God’s promises not only to his elderly parents but also to God’s people as a whole, Elizabeth and Zechariah, John’s parents, insists that the child be named John , a name whose Hebrew form, Yohana, celebrates God’s mercy and favor to his people . If there is any connections between Jesus ant the Dead Sea Scrolls, it is through John, who was â€Å"in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel† The child John grew up to become a herald of God’s coming kingdom, the messiah and the mentor of Jesus. The Gospel of Luke provides some of the chronological history of John the Baptist. According to Luke, John began to preach his baptism of repentance in the fifteenth year of Tiberius. Jesus was born sometime before the death of Herod the Great. This puts him at about thirty when he began to preach and died during the reign of Pontius Pilate, whose term was terminated shortly before the death of Tiberius in 37 c. e. Since in all three gospels Jesus’ ministry appears to last no more than about a year, the gospel of Luke places the death of Jesus between 25 C. E. and 29 C. E. with the latter being a range that would fit with Luke’s claim that John began preaching around 28 C. E. (Kraemer, 2006, p. 334). There is a period of John the Baptist life that is blank and because the gospels are the only mentioning of the man, speculation has given a possibility of where he was. They believed that John the Baptist was a recluse who spent a great amount of time with a group of people named the Essenes. These people lived in the desert awaiting the imminent arrival of the Messiah (Miller Scelfo, 2007). The Essenes had turned its back on the Herodian temples and its worship to withdrawal to the Judean desert. Their communities were created using monastic style communities, but also to instill a religious life for families. These religious instructions included a literary center and used exclusive rituals such as baptism and prayer. This is probably where the basis of John’s beliefs was founded. In an article in Newsweek it discusses how close John the Baptist, Jesus and possibly his family were to the Essenes community. The actual ritual of Baptism, that was the Essenes belief, symbolizes â€Å"the leaving behind the sinful life one has led until now and to start out on the path to a new, changed life (Ratzinger, 2007). A Professor of religious studies wrote a book in 20006 that gave a little different look at the historical life of John the Baptist. According to this author, James Tolson, Jesus with his cousin John were in partnership and saw themselves as the founders not of a new religion but of a worldly royal dynasty that would be fulfilling ancient prophecies. The dynasty had come down from King David and was to restore Israel and guide it through an apocalyptic upheaval that was growing in the Kingdom of God on Earth. All of this was supposed to happen not in the distant or metaphoric future but then and now. True their message was one of a peaceful change, but Jesus knew he had aroused suspensions of Herodian rulers of Palestine as well as the Romans. So, according to Tolson, Jesus had to establish a provisional government with 12 tribal officials and named his brother James, not Paul as his successor. Later James became the leader of the early Christian movement (Tolson, 2006). HIS DEATH: History remembers Archelaus’s brother, Herod Antipas, because of his interactions with the prophet John the Baptist. John would loudly condemn Antipas immoral behavior of having stolen his brother’s wife, who was also his niece. Antipas arrested and kept John in chains, unable to kill him yet unable to put him out of his mind. According to the Book of Mark, â€Å"When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him† (Mark 6:20). Through a trick thought up by his wife and her daughter Salome, Antipas ended up executing John. Reports then filtered in of another prophet, and Antipas, perhaps plagued by remorse tried to see Jesus who avoided him, because of what he had done to his cousin. In both Mark and Mathew, the death of John the Baptizer is told in flashbacks. Jesus’ activities have attracted attention, and there have been speculation as to his identity, with some proposing that Jesus could be John the Baptist. Ross S. Kraemer of Brown University wrote an essay dealing with this subject. He also wrote that, â€Å"Herod Antipas too having heard the word of the prophet after John’s beheading, believes that Jesus is indeed John. Herodias, Herod’s wife, was the one who resents John and wishes to kill him but she was still prevented by Antipa’s fear of John’s righteousness and holiness. In Mark’s account at Antipas’s birthday meal was when an opportunity presented itself to Herodias. Antipas became entranced by his wife’s daughter dancing and offered this daughter anything she wished, even half of his kingdom. The daughter then goes and asks her mother what to request and her mother replies that she wants her to ask for the head of John the Baptizer on a platter. Antipas complies only in order to keep his oath and preserve his honor before his guests. In Matthew’s account there are some differences but still significant differences. Both agree that it is Antipas who orders John’s execution, but in Mark it is only because of Herodias that he does so, because Antipas has no desire to kill John. In Matthew Antipas himself desires to be rid of John, but has reservations because he fears the people who see John as a prophet. In Matthew’s account Antipas thought well of John and found his speeches pleasing. In Matthew, Herodias does not appear as a player until the end where like in Mark; Herodias capitalizes on Antipas’s offer. In Mark, Antipas has been totally manipulated by Herodias and her daughter, but in Matthew, he has merely been enabled to do what he had wished all along but was too weak to do. One more account from the book of Josephus tells that Herodias and her daughter played no role whatsoever. Josephus and Matthew actually concur in seeing Herod as always desiring John’s death, but with different motivations being that John was critical of Herodias for the way of flouting Jewish tradition by marrying Antipas and this was the motive for Herods ordering the beheading. But Josephus does cite that Antipa’s was fearful of John’s popularity and that could have started and uprising. HIS PROPHECIES: John the Baptizer was a prophet that preached with not so much words but with life. The words of the prophet ring true only because they carry with them the sweat, tears and blood of the prophet. According to Abraham Joshua Heschel, prophets are preachers whose lives are under siege, â€Å"The prophet is a man who feels fiercely. God has thrust a burden upon his soul and he is bowed and stunned at man’s fierce greed. Frightful is the agony of man; no human voice can convey its full terror. Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the prophet’s words†. (Dube, 2002, p. 42). The ministry of John the Baptizer was to challenge, provoke and call towards holiness. Because prophets are on the cutting edge of the call for repentance, their call is to shatter the comfort zones of sin and complacency. The conditions that call fourth prophets are conditions of idolatry, moral decadence and weak spirituality. This is why strict conditions are set up for any prophet who prophesies peace. The message of the prophet is one that calls for repentance, one that threatens us with its incarnated holiness, rages at us with God’s words as with John the Baptizers words of, â€Å"Repent, God’s rule is around the corner! † John’s whole life was directed towards one goal, one direction, to give witness to the transcendent reality of God, which now made near, our eyes can see it and our hands can handle it. In John’s own words, â€Å"I did not know Him, but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water† (Dube, 2002, p.43). What this means is that, ultimately, every prophet has to let go. John the Baptizer has to let that which he has given witness to take its own shape and form. Letting go seems easy, a holy thing to do, but in its aftermath it is a very hazardous moment for the prophet. What is hazardous for the prophet is thinking about what has really taken place. The result is that this final movement of the prophetic life is bound by some kind of crisis such as doubt or a trouble in the mind. The prophet discovers that he or she is not the sound from the trumpet but just a reed. This realization requires a re-centering. In John’s case, the crisis is his doubts about the Messiah. But after John sends two of his disciples to ask Jesus a question if he was the one or whether they should look for another his fears were relinquished (Yancey, 2007, p. 72). In Christian faith they believe that John the Baptist was ordained by God to preach and reveal the Messiah, they believe this to be Jesus. Prophecies that were foretold by John are in Luke 1:17, â€Å"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. † and also Luke 1:75. In the Book of Malachi John the Baptist is referred to as a prophet who is to prepare the way of the Lord, â€Å"Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me, and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, behold, he shall come, saith the Lord. † (3:1). PROOF OF EXISTENCE: In recent times a cave was discovered not far from the traditional birthplace of John the Baptist, Ein Kerem, just west of Jerusalem on a Kibbutz. Where John the Baptist was born and also where churches and monasteries are built to commemorate his birth. The cave is of considerable size with genuinely puzzling feature such as a large amount of broken patter, some dating to the period when John was active, a pool used perhaps for ritual immersion, a stone with the imprint of a foot, apparently used for foot-anointing and pictures on the walls that could relate to John the Baptist that depicts an upraised arm with three crosses. But much speculation as to whether this is a representation of John or not is still up in the air (Scham, 2004). Caves have long been associated with John. In the bible, his mother, Elizabeth, flees with him to a cave to escape Herod’s massacre of male infants, and as an adult he frequently lives in caves, giving some weight to the cave findings mentioned earlier. After John’s beheadings cults formed around his memory and often held religious rituals in caves. The site was excavated by Shimon Gibson an Israeli archaeologist in 1999 and 2000. Around the perimeter he discovered the remains of walls with large dress stones which usually is a sign of an important place in the Near East. Although Gibson isn’t clear on their age, he still uses this to uphold his find. Another artifact is a unique water channeling system suggesting the presence of a reservoir from its earliest occupation, probably between 800 and 500 B. C. This, Gibson proposes, was used for baptism rituals. Along with these relics are thousands of pieces of pottery, dating from Hellenistic times. CONCLUSION: John the Baptist was a prophet of the coming of Jesus and as elusive in history as was Jesus. Not much information can be obtained about much of his life except for what is mentioned in the Gospel. The finding of the cave and if it is indeed where John the Baptist did work his miracles would be the first evidence to his existence. In all the information I found most focused on his death and the meaning of his sermons towards the end of his life. If the evidence at the excavations do prove to the existence of John than evidence on Jesus’ life will follow. I was most interested in the essay by Ross S. Kraemer that mentioned a possibility that John and Jesus could be the same. Whatever is true, it is easy to say that John the Baptist was a man that through his sermons changed the world and created a faith. Bibliography Bugge, J. (2006, April). Virginity and prophecy in the old English Daniel. English Studies. 87(2), 127-147. Dube, C. (2002). From ecstasy to ecstasies: A reflection on prophetic and Pentecostal ecstasy in the light of John the Baptizer. Journal of Pentecostal Theology, 11. 1 41-52 Gibson, S. (2004). The cave of john the Baptist. New York: Doubleday Harrington, D. (2007, June 18). Decrease and increase. America, 196(21), 38-39. Kraemer, R. S. (2006). Implicating herodias and her daughter in the death of john the Baptizer: A christian theological strategy? Journal of Biblical Literature, 125(2), 321-349. Miller, L. Scelfo, J. (2007, May 21). A portrait of faith. Newsweek, 14(21), n. p. Ratzinger, J. (2007, May 21). The meaning of baptism. Newsweek, 149(21), n. p. Scham, S. (2004, November). St. john’s cave. Archaeology, 57(6), 52. Tolson, J. (2006, March 17). The kingdom of Christ. News World Report, 140(14), n. p. Warrington, K. (2006, April). Acts and the healing narratives: Why? Journal of Pentecostal Theology. 14(2), 189-217. Yancey, P. (2007, January). A tale of five herods. Christianity Today, 72.

Development Of Strategic Project Management Management Essay

Development Of Strategic Project Management Management Essay In the past project management was considered tactical to facilitate the running of individual projects such as constration of new plant, installation of new software/hardware but it did not enavble organizations to grow over time by achieving strategic objectives such as entering into new markete, new product increasing markete/shareholder share etc. Grundy and Brown mention that it is reasonable for the organizations to combine project management and strategic management into a process that they call strategic project management. Link from strategy to project management -it is a process influence by internal external change -orginasation vision give rise ideas of strategic breatkthroughs -this lead to the establishment of strategic progrrame , then strategic projects. the Standish Groups Research Report, Resolution of Projects, 20 May 2005, www.standishgroup.com/sample_research/PDFpages/q3-spotlight.pd ACCORDING to the report Roughly 70% of projects were failed 40% end users complained problems 50% projects were rolled back and discontinued 40% projects were reworked as a result wastage of financial resources The rout cause of the failure of these projects was 1-business requirement was not understand properly in strategic point of view 2-There was no connection between strategy and projects. Organizations must -Explain where they want to be [future] -identify problems and define which project/program requires to correct them such as cost reduction, staff reduction, getting to market faster. -Identify its internal/externial resources both human and financial -Manage change management initiative effectively by motivating employess to move into goal congrance along with organisation -Perform project portfolio management in order to identify which project will add value in strategy -Monitoring and managing investments in projects in terms of strategy, ROI,and NPV Project Portfolio Management (PPM) According to Callahan Brooks (2004) PPM is the use of the appropriate management knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to maximize the alignment of the companys project portfolio Principles of PPM So PPM is a technique for selecting those projects that are well align and contribute to strategy Select those projects that support business strategy Optimize projects and resources to make sure maximum return to company -use accouting tecquotes in order to quantify benefits such as ROI, NPV Perform risk management Portfolio managers must monitor planned and actual performance in terms of time, budged/scope and quality and then report to portfolio management. in order to align with strategy portfoloio management keep itself inform/update of any strategic change and those components which no longer support of company strategy might be discontinued. Today PPM is becoming popular in modern business and the markete for project portfolio management software is growing fastally and offering these tools =Support whole project life cycle Resourceallocation,wbs,charts Detail project planning Gartner research The main reason of success is that portfolio managers combine strategy and it,s project rather than traditional tactically focused projects. Environmental change forces and strategic project 1-PESTEL 2-PORTER 5 FORCES Business environments usually change and organizations adopt the change into their strategies and this new development constitutes a project. Strategic planning: some strategis are developed in incremental way and project management is way of making ad hoc strategy more deliberate and as a result better considered. Strategic implementation: pm play important role in this stage of strategy so it must be able to handle complex, ambiguous and political issues and ensure it support overall strategy A wider strategic awareness is necessary in all members of pm[ manager] as what organization actually needs. Excellency in Project Management [ core competence ] (PMMM) Kerzner suggests that where PM is core competence, a continous improvement approach should be taken to developing and consolidating the methodology. Organizations has always been seeking ways to achieve excellency in PM and continusally adopted different methologies and supportive culture. Kerzner describes a five level project management maturity model (PMMM) of continuous organizational improvement which provide guidance to the organizations in order to achieve excellency in PM methology. Level 1 Common Knowledge The importance of PM to the organization is understood and basic training and technique is provided Level 2 Common Processes Successfully implemented process are standardized and PM principles are recognosed and can be used for future projects and support other methodology such as TQM Level 3 Singular Methodology Organization combine all coporate methologies into a singular metholodgy and recognize synergic effect and PM is placed at the centre of single corporate methology. Level 4 Benchmarking In order to achieve competitive advantage based on process improvement organizations continually undertake benchmarking Level 5 Continuous Improvement Information achieved through benchmarking can be use to make improvement of the singular methodology This model is particularly used in corporate training and career development routes for project managers Effect of Human Resource Management on Strategic Project Management HRM are strategic asset and core competence of the organizations The efficient HRM management of and integration with organisational goal is crucial for strategic success, as, for example, noted Gary Hamel , managing the various technologies and knowledge and learning became the foundation the core competence and competitive advantage of company for producing products or services. The objective of resource management to ensure the right people and the skills necessary to implement certain projects. Besides using different operating personnel requirements of the functional department of company, every organization also use its functional HR force for selected for projects as well .. Due to the increasing costs of human resources in todays economy, it is expected that this trend as multitasking will continue. According to the observation of Turner and Muller (2005) impact of HRM such as competency of project manager and leadership style was ignored in the past have direct impact on organizational capability to implement its strategy. SPM recognizes the leadership and management skills are rare, with an emphasis on business, and very valuable. Therefore, it is their expertise which leads to tacit knowledge which is the important factors for sustainable competitive advantage. PROJECT MANAGER It is likely that project manager will be appointed by and be responsible to a higher level of management who manage project. Skill required by PM -knowledge of company strategy -leadership and teambuilding -organisational ability -communication skills -technical knoledge of project -inter personnel skills Leadership style There is no single best leadership style due to different personality style of managers. However leadership style adopted will affect the way decisions relating to the project are made. Although an autocrative [ more consultative style ]may prove successful in some situations because members of project feel more a part of the project. Efficient skills of Project Leaders Long experience in managing projects and dealing with the problems it faces, allowing them to see through complexity and get to the heart of the matter. . A desire to get things done, to accomplish something and make a contribution. vi. Have Excellent political and diplomatic skills iii. The ability to see through the eyes of others and empathize with others, and that the contribution tolerate underperformance or bad team ix. Win loyalty of others, charisma courage, and empathy with people please . Gap Analysis Gap analysis is widely used in business strategy to target the gap between the expected future strategic performance and likely future performance. It may be in a similar way in project selection and definition as a way to create what both projects should be found out and what their scope should be. Research philosophy and approach the researcher focuses on gradually finding out his research conclusion by applying critical interpretations methods. The literature describes two different approaches that can be applied in this thesis deductive and inductive. A deductive approach to research is believed to scientific research, the researcher developed a hypothesis tested and examined to determine a suitable theory. the researcher will gradually formulate the theory [ strategic project management ] by applying Exploratory Research and critical evaluation of research variables and followed inductive research approach , which offer more flexibility and opportunity for the researchers to research topics Research Strategy Researcher adopted appropriate research strategy such as inductive and distcriptive research and used secondary research methods.The researcher used up-to-date historical research approach and get evidence through case study evidence and electronically research report of companies relate to Software and Construction /Engeerning industry for example Standish Groups Third Quarter Research Report 2005 states Roughly 70% of projects were failed and the rout cause of the failure of these projects was There was no connection between strategy and projects. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY This section is divided into five categories ,which explain the research process of each category in detail. Research methods This research sought data collection using the multi-method, or combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Basically, the quantitative approach is used facts and continues where researchers wish to acquire the statistical truth. Information about the Topic/industry is gathered mainly by secondary sources and script analysis. Secondary sources which I used include Text books, websites [ such as Gartner research Standish Groups ], analysie the work done by some researchers on Institute of Project Management in Dublin [importance of HRM in SPM ] . online surveys, newspapers, journals/articles ,research reports , media and personal experiences. I did not use primary source because my chosen topic [ SPM] cover the many huge compines who operate in different sectors so this was difficult to get primary information of eatch company. Ethics will be taken in to consideration while gathering information and if any issues arise, they would be disclosed and resolved. Research out come In general, following findings have been obtained from research report. Some individual projects are considered tactical but organisational project management [ manage projects in alignment with strategic objectives ] are strategic advantage for the company. SPM and PPM provide great advantage to the organisation which help to identify those projects which add value. There are great advantages for an organization to review its PM function and upgrade and operate into SPM practices involved in the selection of projects. The concept of Organizational Project Management based on the sense that a relationship exists between the organizational skills in project management, program management and portfolio management and efficiency in implementing the strategy. Importance of the human factor in SPM as they help to achieve common strategic goal of organization such as project completion on time, within cost and to the quality laid down in the initial specification Industory backround I have chosen software and construction/engeerning industries for undertaking my research report such as gartner research and Standish Groups Research Report. According to these reports there shoud be a link between PM, PPM and Strategy for overall success. I analysed the wordk done by some researchers on Institute of Project Management in Dublin who found , how organisations transfers their project management capabilities into a strategic asset? LIMITATIONS Research shows there are many Organizations that ignored the important fact or alignment projects with corporate strategy. Primary source was ignored so not all research report is reliable Due to short time period I couldnt prepare a perfect research report at high quality I didnt choose one specific industry and my research methods also limited to some companies. Conclusion In fact, senior leadership management should participate in defining the selection and prioritization of projects and all projects should have measurable targets development of guidelines for organizations to ensure alignment with the strategic vision of the organization. REFEREBCES Callahan Brooks (2004) Standard for Portfolio Management

College Fraternities and Sororities - The High Cost of Social Acceptanc

College Fraternities and Sororities - The High Cost of Social Acceptance College students who choose to join fraternities or sororities do so because of their need for social acceptance. I am personally against fraternities and sororities. I feel that it is money spent for the purpose of â€Å"buying† friends. There are many ways to meet interesting people other than devoting all of your time and money to a club in order to do so. Perhaps the people who join these groups have low self-esteem, social anxiety, or feel that the best way to make friends in college is to pay for them. I find this issue to be interesting because there are many Greek organizations on campus that are constantly advertising and promoting themselves. Non-members have a tendency to either be annoyed or amused with this behavior. To support my thesis I have conducted surveys, interviews and experiments. Because Greek clubs are all over campus, I knew that my surveys and interviews would receive honest responses as to why people join or don’t join. I asked more in depth questions, such as the person’s opinion about the issue. I was pleased with my responses. I conducted an experiment in my apartment as the third step in my research. I threw a party and passed out Mardi Gras beads to most of the people who attended. I was not partial to any gender. Both men and women received beads. My plan was to observe how much social acceptance affects the way people interact with one another. If my hypothesis were correct, people who did not wear beads would either feel left out and group together, or attempt to mingle with the bead wearers and get rejected. But first, the surveys I conducted were regarding why men and women in coll... ...t your community through fund-raisers all sound like good reasons to join. But buying your way into a club is not going to teach you important skills that you will need to know after schooling. Your â€Å"brothers† or â€Å"sisters† are not going to be with you after graduation, so again you will need to start over in making new friends. And after college there is a very limited amount of organizations where this â€Å"brotherhood† or â€Å"sisterhood† can be found. Social acceptance is wanted everywhere. No one wants to be left empty-handed and unwanted. Although people go about getting this acceptance in different ways, people who choose to join a fraternity or sorority are lacking something in their life, whether it is self-esteem or genuine friendships. They have a need to be a part of a group, even if they may need to change their ways and conform to the organizations demands.