Unemployment Satire

Unemployment rates are skyrocketing. According to the Internet, 12% of the U. S. population is unemployed. Unemployment not only effects the lives of the unemployed, but their families and communities too. The stress of unemployment can lead to declines in individual and family well-being and could potentially effect the outcomes of their children. Widespread unemployment in neighborhoods reduces resources, which may result in inadequate and low-quality housing, and underfunded schools. The question Americans everywhere are wondering: Whose to blame for all this long term employment?The people or the government? The fault is not that of the government, it is that of the people. The blame for long term employment should fall on the shoulders of those suffering from Lazy Syndrome. However, people suffering from Lazy Syndrome cannot help their chronic laziness and unwillingness to get a job. Many are unaware they even suffer from this disease until it is too late. The major symptoms of this disease are: not wanting to leave the couch, feeling inclined to put off work, and wishing to stay home and do nothing.Because of these symptoms, acquiring a job seems like too much effort and is often put off. Many high-paying jobs will refuse to hire them if they suffer from this disease. One study shows that people suffering from Lazy Syndrome have a whopping 50% chance of being unemployed. Even if they can acquire a job, studies show that men and women with this disease earn 15-20% less than those who are not infected. Seymour Butts, a professor of justice at the University of Colorado, is starting a law firm called LazyCase to protest against lazy discrimination.The Discrimination Act of 1966 provides legal protections for gender equality, race equality, pregnant women equality, and so much more! With a short extension of this act, people suffering from chronic laziness could make a living despite their disease limitations. Mr. Butts and his extremely intelligent colleague Wee Tard have already made legal protections in counties in Alaska, Alabama, and Arkansas. One customer, Ben Dover, happily stated â€Å"Going to LazyCase was the best decision of my life.LazyCase helped me get a high paying government job where I can continue to do nothing but still get payed! †. I will now humbly propose my own thoughts on the solution to unemployment as well as the solution to the discrimination against those suffering from Lazy Syndrome. I suggest that every unemployed person gets evaluated at the local doctor’s office in order to determine whether or not they are suffering from Lazy Syndrome. If that is the case (which it most likely will be), I suggest you confide in LazyCase.For first, stopping discrimination against the lazy not only benefits the lives of those suffering from chronic laziness, but it benefits the entire system of America. LazyCase provides the most radical and effective solution to unemployment. Because a significant amount of people with the lazy disability are unemployed, if given more rights and protections for getting jobs, unemployment rates would drop 70% according to prediction expert Harry Azzol. Secondly, LazyCase would improve the lives of the unemployed.Individuals who do not face unemployment report better mental health and more life satisfaction than those who experience unemployment and are under a lot of financial stress. Therefore, the world would be filled with much happier people, making it a much better place. Thirdly, LazyCase is extremely affordable (which is necessary because the unemployed are not loaded with cash). For the all time low price of five payments of 99. 89 dollars, Seymour Butts and his employees will personally take a stand at court and get their customer the money (and job) they deserve.The question everyone is wondering: How? Well, Seymour Butts and Wee Tard have come up with an evolutionary scheme to win at court. New tactics such as being extremely beautiful or us ing large words to validate your story have produced great results. These tactics are guaranteed to work EVERY TIME, 60 percent of the time! Lastly, LazyCase would solve the problems the unemployed cause for communities. Inadequate and low-quality housing and underfunded schools would no longer be an issue because the unemployed would now have a job to finance these funds.Studies show that unemployed persons also report less neighborhood belonging than their employed counterparts, which would reduce neighborhood safety and community well-being. With the lazy being provided with jobs, they will likely be too distracted to disrupt the community. LazyCase is a nonprofit organization with the sole purpose of helping the people. None of the employees at LazyCase suffer from Lazy Syndrome so these protections aren’t benefitting the company, they are benefitting your fellow Americans. Unemployment Satire Unemployment rates are skyrocketing. According to the Internet, 12% of the U. S. population is unemployed. Unemployment not only effects the lives of the unemployed, but their families and communities too. The stress of unemployment can lead to declines in individual and family well-being and could potentially effect the outcomes of their children. Widespread unemployment in neighborhoods reduces resources, which may result in inadequate and low-quality housing, and underfunded schools. The question Americans everywhere are wondering: Whose to blame for all this long term employment?The people or the government? The fault is not that of the government, it is that of the people. The blame for long term employment should fall on the shoulders of those suffering from Lazy Syndrome. However, people suffering from Lazy Syndrome cannot help their chronic laziness and unwillingness to get a job. Many are unaware they even suffer from this disease until it is too late. The major symptoms of this disease are: not wanting to leave the couch, feeling inclined to put off work, and wishing to stay home and do nothing.Because of these symptoms, acquiring a job seems like too much effort and is often put off. Many high-paying jobs will refuse to hire them if they suffer from this disease. One study shows that people suffering from Lazy Syndrome have a whopping 50% chance of being unemployed. Even if they can acquire a job, studies show that men and women with this disease earn 15-20% less than those who are not infected. Seymour Butts, a professor of justice at the University of Colorado, is starting a law firm called LazyCase to protest against lazy discrimination.The Discrimination Act of 1966 provides legal protections for gender equality, race equality, pregnant women equality, and so much more! With a short extension of this act, people suffering from chronic laziness could make a living despite their disease limitations. Mr. Butts and his extremely intelligent colleague Wee Tard have already made legal protections in counties in Alaska, Alabama, and Arkansas. One customer, Ben Dover, happily stated â€Å"Going to LazyCase was the best decision of my life.LazyCase helped me get a high paying government job where I can continue to do nothing but still get payed! †. I will now humbly propose my own thoughts on the solution to unemployment as well as the solution to the discrimination against those suffering from Lazy Syndrome. I suggest that every unemployed person gets evaluated at the local doctor’s office in order to determine whether or not they are suffering from Lazy Syndrome. If that is the case (which it most likely will be), I suggest you confide in LazyCase.For first, stopping discrimination against the lazy not only benefits the lives of those suffering from chronic laziness, but it benefits the entire system of America. LazyCase provides the most radical and effective solution to unemployment. Because a significant amount of people with the lazy disability are unemployed, if given more rights and protections for getting jobs, unemployment rates would drop 70% according to prediction expert Harry Azzol. Secondly, LazyCase would improve the lives of the unemployed.Individuals who do not face unemployment report better mental health and more life satisfaction than those who experience unemployment and are under a lot of financial stress. Therefore, the world would be filled with much happier people, making it a much better place. Thirdly, LazyCase is extremely affordable (which is necessary because the unemployed are not loaded with cash). For the all time low price of five payments of 99. 89 dollars, Seymour Butts and his employees will personally take a stand at court and get their customer the money (and job) they deserve.The question everyone is wondering: How? Well, Seymour Butts and Wee Tard have come up with an evolutionary scheme to win at court. New tactics such as being extremely beautiful or us ing large words to validate your story have produced great results. These tactics are guaranteed to work EVERY TIME, 60 percent of the time! Lastly, LazyCase would solve the problems the unemployed cause for communities. Inadequate and low-quality housing and underfunded schools would no longer be an issue because the unemployed would now have a job to finance these funds.Studies show that unemployed persons also report less neighborhood belonging than their employed counterparts, which would reduce neighborhood safety and community well-being. With the lazy being provided with jobs, they will likely be too distracted to disrupt the community. LazyCase is a nonprofit organization with the sole purpose of helping the people. None of the employees at LazyCase suffer from Lazy Syndrome so these protections aren’t benefitting the company, they are benefitting your fellow Americans.

Abortion: Pros, Cons and Propaganda

Abortion: Pros, Cons and Propaganda Abortion is a very controversial matter in our society. In the United States it is legal to abort a baby up until the day of birth. An abortion is the ending of pregnancy before birth which results in the death of an embryo or a fetus. Many people consider abortion as cruel as murder. Although some might say abortion is justifiable, others believe that no one but God has the right to take someone’s life. However, supporters of abortion do not consider an unborn child a person who must be protected. With an issue like abortion, there is a difficulty in determining if it is right or wrong. There are many sides and arguments to this matter and the media often portrays a very negative side to the choice of abortion. The media tends to be biased and against the issue of abortion. I believe that the media is very influential on our society today. In 1973, there was a U. S Supreme Court Case known as Roe versus Wade. This case legalized abortion in The United States. They ruled that babies are not legal â€Å"persons† and from that point on, babies have had no rights or protection under The Constitution of The United States of America. By extension, a woman has a right to make decisions that involve her body and the government should not try to enforce any type of regulation on a woman’s reproductive system. The government should not impose on the wishes of what a woman wants just as the media should not impose or show bias towards the issue. The abortion issue seems to be a very clear and consistent bias. Billboards, magazine ads, and television commercials have all portrayed images of innocent babies staring, with boldfaced words around them saying things like â€Å"With your tax dollars used for abortion †¦ how many more children will be lost? Another bias ad propaganda is a cartoon image with a woman in her third trimester saying â€Å"How dare you challenge my right to kill this thing? No one can stop me from doing whatever I want with my body! † Under this illustration are the words â€Å"Liberal compassion at 36 weeks. † These uses of ad hominems are clearly showing the negative wa y people view the controversial topic of abortion. Even go as far as to â€Å"stereotype† those for abortion as â€Å"Liberalist†, showing a fallacy based on something completely irrelevant. Popular teen television programs such as MTV have shown videos featuring a rapper/singer as a spirit of what appears as a baby-to-be following a woman into an abortion clinic and begging her to let him live. There is an abundance of imagery in the video to make an abortion look as violent and terrifying as possible. So teens seeing this are definitely going to assume the worst about abortions and also think that going through with a pregnancy is the only justifiable thing to do because the video not only makes this seem completely terrifying, but also because the baby would have grown up to be something great, famous. So of course it is very hard to not think about what the child would-have-been. The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy states that there are â€Å"750,000 teen pregnancies annually. Only seven percent of abortions are because of rape, incest, and possible health concerns to the mother or baby. The other ninety-three percent of people who choose abortion do it for social, personal, and economic reasons. Pregnancy happens every day, planned or unplanned. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies make abortion a sufficient option for what is basically another way out of a less than ideal situation for some people. Although women have a hard time choosing abortion as an option for unwanted pregnancies, they have been making the choice for a long time. The MTV video ad mentioned above also depicts a situation of a man criticizing a woman about her choice until she gives in and makes the choice and chooses what he wants (abortion). This anti-abortion propaganda depicts women to be unable and incapable of following their desires because of a man’s control, belittling women. Women are hardly just people who listen to what is suggested by a man instead of going with their desires and intuitions. The woman, who would be going through the actual â€Å"labor† of continuing a pregnancy, and delivering a baby, bringing it up, parenting it well, in addition to other obligations she has to do in her daily life are all things they have to consider. This alternative should be the woman’s decision, after given thought of course. It should not be a result of the man’s decision for her. The positives that come from the option of abortion are plentiful for women seeking an alternative. Women that do not choose to have sexual encounters, but yet have it forced upon them, rape victims, have a way out of an extremely terrifying situation. Pregnant women with potentially fatal or other health concerns can consider abortion to be their â€Å"lifesaver† of sorts. If there was ever an attempt to ban abortions, the percentage of illegal and dangerous procedures of aborting a pregnancy would go up, therefore causing the cost of the procedure to increase because of accountability. A babies’ life solely depends on its’ mother and a mother needs to be healthy and capable to take on motherhood. It should ultimately be her choice. â€Å"Pro-Choice† supporters, which are supporters of abortion, see a woman's right to choose as central to all of the controversy and believe women's rights are being jeopardized when the right to an abortion is taken away. Of course the people against abortion, people that are for â€Å"Pro-Life†, feel that an unborn baby is more than just potential life: they feel that an unborn baby is meaningful human life. They side with the theory that no person should have the right to decide if another human life is allowed to live or die. Abortion is clearly immoral to them. Pro-Life propaganda refers to Planned Parenthood, a healthcare clinic that offers abortion procedures, as an â€Å"abortion mill† and a â€Å"killing chamber. † The Center for Disease Control has statistics showing approximately 1,313,000 abortions in the United States alone. Abortions can cause severe side effects. Many complications can occur and these include vomiting, infections, severe bleeding, nausea, hemorrhages, and ironically death. These are very serious risks that show the obvious distaste of this controversial issue. The banning of abortion would save the lives of thousands of unborn babies each year and would cut out the chances of women who are undergoing this risky procedure from the possibilities of such severe side effects. The media uses propaganda and other fallacies to cloud ones’ judgment(s) and make people believe things that might not necessarily be true. Propaganda makes things that seem one way look completely different or make things sound more drastic than they really are. Rhetorical appeals, slanting words and propaganda affect everyone in the world today. These logical fallacies are often times absurd. For example, a billboard shows a baby and next to it in huge bolded letters, are the words â€Å"Endangered Species. † These techniques are often drastic and dramatic, however, the majority of the time, they definitely get their point across. Whether someone thinks abortion is right or wrong, it will always be around. Legal or illegal it will continue to happen. The media will continue to downgrade abortions and the people that believe in them. It is obvious that there are few people in this world that are for this issue but it is not right to place judgement on someone ithout knowing their situation, and even then, who is anyone to judge what someone else believes is in their best interest? I would say absolutely no one has that right. While the issue of abortion is so controversial, it makes it nearly impossible to talk about and possibly see the â€Å"positives† that come from it, rather than just questioning it. People will have their opinions, primarily on the basi s of their morals or ethnically, that is how they will look at this issue. The majority will have an unwillingness to change their view(s). On the hopeful side, it is possible that because society and the media portray abortion so negatively, adoption rates will increase and fewer lives are left unharmed to the decision of abortion. Works Cited â€Å"Abortion in the United States: Statistics and Trends. † www. nrlc. org. 4 October 2010. Blackmun, Harry. â€Å"Roe. vs. Wade. † www. oyex. org. 2 October 2010. Cornswald, Alexander. â€Å"Liberal Compassion at 36 weeks. † 27 March 2009. www. cornswalled. com. 2 October 2010. â€Å"News and Politics. †www. sodahead. com. 4 October 2010. Wetcher, Beth. â€Å"Knowledge Is Empowering. † www. knowledgeisempowering. com. 1 October 2010.

Assessment of the Camel Cigarette Promotion and the Impact of Medical Doctors in Advertisements by Cigarette Companies

Assessment of the Camel Cigarette Promotion and the Impact of Medical Doctors in Advertisements by Cigarette Companies â€Å"More Doctors Smoke Camels†, But Does it Matter? An Analysis of Camel Cigarette Ads The 1940’s presented a far different version of America then we live in today, smoking was not only a widely accepted pastime, but many people didn’t even consider it a bad habit. While there were a few studies that had linked smoking to bad long-term effects they were few and far between and so, the habit was much more popular at the time. In 1946 the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company produced a pro-Camel Cigarette Ad that seemed, at first glance, to be nothing more than a typical ad but upon closer examination it became clear that the ad used elements, such as a doctor, to give consumers a subconscious sense that purchasing Camels could actually benefit them somehow – almost as if the doctor were prescribing them Camels. The ad’s aesthetics create a medium where producers have highlighted certain features of their product as â€Å"important† whilst using misleading imagery to further their agenda of selling the product. The highlight of the ad seems to be the doctor, who dominates nearly half of the advertisement; his presence creates a sense of comfort and a false allusion of benefit to purchasing Camel cigarettes. As a typical consumer would you not assume that, â€Å"if doctors think it’s ok, it’s probably ok†? The use of a doctor almost implies that, as is his job, the doctor is prescribing the Camel’s to the consumers viewing the ad. Along with the doctor the ad includes a section that describes the study conducted and it’s results. These results are simple white text on a black background, so they pop, and a pack of camel cigarettes are featured next to the textual blurb, as a means to simultaneously show the consumer what a pack of Camels looks like, and to remind the consumer they are looking at a Camel ad. Lastly, in what seems to be an effort to broaden their market, the ad includes a female who references her â€Å"T-Zone†, a makeup term that is aptly reapplied to suit the producers need to sell cigarettes, but still has ties to the doctor and how he may influence women in their purchasing of cigarettes. Overall the ad uses very basic methods to appeal to those who don’t plan on further analyzing the ad and its content. The doctor used in the Camel cigarettes ad seems to communicate a sense of comfort and lull the average consumer into a state of ease, as most people would believe that what a doctor claimed to be true was true. Visually the doctor in the ad is what one would describe as the â€Å"typical wise man†. He’s old, as notable by his old, wrinkled appearance, and his greying hair. His age would imply he’s been a doctor for a significant period of time and not a newcomer to the field, and this, would further indicate that his opinion is based on years of experience, which ads further validity to what he is saying. Comparatively, the doctor is drawn in a much more detailed manor than the other character, the woman, featured on the ad as is expected due to the fact that he is the true focal point of said ad. His wrinkles are defined and his skin has a much more natural gradient – again, adding to the overall notion that this doctor and the fact that he is an experie nced doctor, are part of marketing these cigarettes. On top of visually portraying the doctor as a wise and astute man, the text bubble that accompanies the doctor refers to doctors as, â€Å"one of the busiest men in town† and â€Å"a scientist, diplomat, and friendly sympathetic human being†, each of which carry positions of influential power towards the consumer. A scientist’s opinion might be trusted when possible effects of the cigarette are being debated, a diplomat when logistics and cigarette sales are being debated, and a sympathetic human being’s when one is simply looking for a friends advice. The ad uses the doctor as a means to create someone that the typical consumer can trust, sympathize with, and believe, in doing so they also create the ideal person or people to market their Camel cigarettes. In terms of marketing for the specific brand of cigarettes, Camels, the ad places them in a variety of eye-catching places to draw, what one would assume to be, the first glance of the consumer. One cigarette sits in the doctor’s hand, and although it isn’t marked as a Camel cigarette it is still drawn to stand off of the background. Despite the fact that the doctor is wearing a white coat, the contrast between the white cigarette and the coat is still quite high, as to further highlight the cigarette. The name â€Å"Camel† is once again mentioned in large font below the image of the doctor in the tagline, â€Å"More Doctors Smoke Camels Than Any Other Cigarette†, not only does the tagline further support the claim that doctors are being used to persuade buyers to purchase cigarettes – note the bolded â€Å"M.D.† But it also shows that the Camels, although the product being sold, are secondary to the message. After appearing several times in the text blurb at the bottom of the ad the â€Å"Camel† cigarettes again pop up in the form of an image next to the aforesaid blurb. Yet again the cigarettes – now specially marked as Camel – stand out against the white background they are set on, despite the fact that they to are white cigarettes. As a whole, the ad highlights the cigarettes, specifically camels, as something good and worthwhile that a doctor might prescribe with his thoughtful and informed opinion. In an effort to broaden their market the ad includes another â€Å"mini-ad† in the bottom right corner. The mini-ad features a woman holding a cigarette – that once again is highlighted from both her and her background – to market the cigarettes to other women. â€Å"Your T-Zone Will Tell You/T for Taste/T for Throat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is how the ad goes about expanding its influence with the T-Zone referencing a commonly used term when amongst women who frequently use makeup. However, unlike the makeup T-Zone, the ad moves the T-Zone downward to include the mouth and the throat in an effort to associate women as a whole with smoking and not correct application of makeup. Although it may seem disconnected at first, the mini-ads reinforcement of the fact that Camel’s won’t affect your throat is something a doctor would back, furthering the notion that the doctor, although not highlighted in this sector of the ad, plays an integral role in why Camelâ€⠄¢s are the best cigarettes to smoke. This Camel cigarette ad falsely uses the pedestal many place doctors and their opinions on as a means to promote their cigarettes to a larger audience. Seeing as the ad is from 1946 it’s consequences are already known to the world we live in today, we now know that smoking causes a plethora of issues in ones later life and cigarette smoking is far from a commonly accepted pastime. In terms of the this specific Camel cigarettes ad and how it may have played a role in changing society it would seem that, due to their misperception, many people were duped not only into buying cigarettes, but specially Camel cigarettes. With this notion in mind one could also adopt the idea that those who purchased the Camel’s on the â€Å"doctors orders† may have eventually developed a mistrust in doctors due to the repercussions of smoking. The RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company’s Camel cigarette ad uses doctors, their trustworthy nature, and their position of power amongst the average consumer to market their Camel cigarettes as the best on the market. The ad, produced in the 1940’s, uses the already widely recognized pastime of smoking cigarettes, and the extensively accepted notion that people trust doctors, particularly those with experience, to market and sell their cigarettes as the best on the coattails of a doctor-like prescription.

The Provisions for the Enforcement of Human Rights within the United Essay

The Provisions for the Enforcement of Human Rights within the United Nations Conventions Indicate that there are Some Rights - Essay Example 1 This approach ensures that all human beings are treated well and equally. Human rights go hand in hand with fairness and equality. They distinguish individual liberty to make a selection concerning individual life.  Human rights are also concerned with freedom and aggravation or favouritism.   The current human international law was developed after the Second World War, and that is when the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights was developed.  Several treaties have been developed, and specific human rights have emerged in the Universal Declaration. 2 During the year 1966, the International Agreement on Social, Economic, and Social Ethnic Rights, and International Agreement on Civic and Opinionated Rights was developed forming the International Bill of Human Rights. Other treaties were also developed in the universal level which included; 3 International symposiums on abolition of all types of ethnic discrimination.   Conference on the removal of discrimination of women ,  Resolution touching torment and other unkind cruel conduct,  Conference on the rights of the teenager,  Principal on the rights of disabled people, and Global Conference for the defence of all People from imposed Departure.   1 The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the United General Assembly for Human Rights 3. The structure of this declaration was developed by Cassin, and it was derived from the original draft developed by John Humphrey.   In this structure, article 1 and 2 form the foundation of this structure, and it contains the principal of dignity, equality, brotherhood and liberty of individuals 4. The important part of the constitution consists of a column illustration article 3 to 11 that advocates for individual rights, and defence from slavery. In the next column, article 12 to that illustrate rights of people in affairs of state and civic society. The following column consists of article 18 to 24 that illustrates spiritual and political f reedom such as freedom of worship. The last column, illustrate article 22-27 that displays social, cultural and economical rights. The last part of this structure summarizes all parts of the declaration.    These structure talks of peoples’ duties to the community and the ways used to implement the rights as per requirement of United Nations 5. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been adapted by United Nations and has been essential among nations. Though, the declaration has turned out to be part of habitual international laws, this law is the foundation of practice in Intercontinental court of impartiality. This declaration has also had an incredible inspiration in the charter of other countries 6. In addition to this, the declaration has acted as the foundation of two main United Nations human rights agreements.    2   Koch argues that Civil and political right consists of social satisfying elements. These elements are considered non justifiable under the co nnection on economic, cultural and social rights. This approach has been put together and described in the legal review, though, a significant explanation has not been given to justify the level at which legal factors can be attributed to social factors under the agreement of civil and political rights 7.   The two fundamental ways of operational on human rights are the reactive method and the proactive method. The reactive method looks at conflicts, and looks at how conflicts occurred. The proactive method is mainly

MARKETING ANALYSIS PROJECT Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MARKETING ANALYSIS PROJECT - Assignment Example Most assuredly, marketing mix entails a four P marketing strategy that involves price strategy, placement, product development, and promotion (Goi 2009, p. 1-4). Methodology This paper will do a market analysis of a major British Company, Costa Coffee and most specifically analyze the marketing mix that the company adopted since 2009. In doing this, I will analyze the advantages and disadvantages of implementing an integrated marketing mix as well as the challenges and opportunities that influence marketing decisions and prevent Costa Coffee from attaining a competitive advantage. Main Findings Marketing mix translates marketing planning into practice in establishing an effective marketing strategy. The managers adopt marketing mix to suit consumers’ needs and develop long-term and short-term marketing programs that will suit the company’s objectives. Indeed, marketing mix is a powerful marketing concept that enhances marketing, derives a firm’s competitive advan tage, ensures delegation of marketing responsibilities, and separates marketing from other activities in a firm (Goi 2009, p. 1-4). Moreover, marketing mix helps in trading off the benefits of one’s competitive strengths in the marketing mix against the benefits of her competitors. Notably, the marketing mix adopted by accompany depends on available resources, customer’s needs, and market forces. ... The Italian brothers Bruno and Sergio Costa founded the company in 1971 but Whitbread took it over in 1995 (Poulter 2013, p. 1). The headquarters of Costa Coffee is at Dunstable, United Kingdom. Indeed, the company has more than 1,700 stores across 28 countries in the world. Moreover, the company operates more than 1,200 outlets in UK and 2,500 Costa Express vending facilities to increase its presence in the coffee market (Costa Coffee 2013, p. 1). Costa Coffee was the second largest coffeehouse chain in the world after Starbucks but the situation changed in 2010 when Costa Coffee became the UK’s biggest coffee chain. As such, Costa Coffee is now the largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain in the UK. Additionally, the company has benefitted from a customer backlash against Starbucks to gain a customer base of more than 4 million customers a week (Bowers 2012, p. 1). Indeed, Starbucks had disputable tax affairs that emanated from paying little or no corporation tax despit e its huge sales turnover. The company also has a foundation, Costa Foundation that helps communities to grow (Costa Coffee 2013, p. 1). Most importantly is the fact that the company’s global recognition is on an increasing trend and the company is seeking to establish its presence into new markets. As such, the company’s marketing strategy is very fundamental. Ideally, the presence of few market barriers necessitates the company to use effective marketing strategies to remain visible and viable in the market. It is quite notable that marketing will entail predicting the customers’ needs and seeking to satisfy those needs with an aim of boosting sales and creating a competitive advantage. As such, Costa Coffee adopts a marketing mix that will ensure the development of products that

Answer this question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Answer this question - Assignment Example Those who earned more contributed more and hence will receive more. Those in the public sector either rely on their pensions or the 403(b) which is available for the church ministers, certain tax-exempt organizations as well as public school employees. The retirement money is provided through an insurance company, invested in mutual funds or a retirement account set up. The public employees’ retirement system is common in the state of Nebraska making it stand out from the other states such as Kansas as the retired public employees live comfortably on their retirement savings plan paid monthly (Fenge, De Menil and Pestieau 172). Americans have moved from the corporate sponsored retirement plan where the corporates were offering pensions. With the increase of people in this sector, the plan was simply too much to sustain and the employers moved towards the defined benefit (DB). The DB plan is sponsored by the employer in addition to employee contributions. The money is then pooled together with the available funding from government and other sponsors of the plan. Employees under this plan are therefore able to receive certain benefits based on their number of years in service as well as their average salary. The DB plan can also offer payment monthly for as long as the annuitants live instead of a lump-sum distribution option (Slesnick and Suttle, 115). There is also the retirement plan of defined contribution pension plan (DC) which works similarly like a regular insurance. The employer specifies the amount of money needed for the plan to be contributed on a regular basis. The money in invested and the performance of the investment over time as well as amount contributed will determine how much they will get in their retirement funds. Even though the plan provides more flexibility in payment, the investment risks are shouldered by the employee (Slesnick and Suttle,

Review on Ghost Soldiers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review on Ghost Soldiers - Essay Example Ignorance remains an integral reason as to why people remain clueless about the experiences of soldiers engaged in war (Shlachter, 2001). In addition, the traumatized soldiers’ training expects them to remain resilient and not break under pressure. As a result, many of them suffer in silence from the traumatic experiences. They avoid recounting to their family and friends about what they went through during the deployment periods (Shlachter, 2001). Therefore, Hampton Riley’ Ghost Soldiers’ provides an exhilarating tale of the lives of US soldiers engaged in a dangerous mission during World War II. This novel provides insightful information for people possessing extremely limited knowledge on the experiences faced by soldiers at war (Shlachter, 2001). The setting of Hampton‘s novel is in January 28, 1945 during the World War II. He gives a narration of the experiences of the 121 hand-picked troops chosen to form the 6th Ranger Battalion (Riley, 2002). Their mission was to slip behind enemy lines in the Philippines and try to rescue the 513 Prisoners of Wars (POWs) of British and American descent. Their captors subjected them to inhumane conditions during both the time of the Bataan death march and the three year captivity period at a camp near the city of Cabanatuan (Riley, 2002). The 6th ranger battalion thought they would be dealing with only a few dozen prison guards. However, as they continued to advance deeper behind the enemy lines, it became clear that Cabanatuan had become a significant transshipment point for the Japanese soldiers. As a result, the 6th Ranger soldiers would have to face as many as 8,000 soldiers (Hoover, 2001). Hampton gives a detailed, gruesome narration of what the soldiers had to endure in order for their mission to prove successful. In his account, he applauds the leadership tactics employed by Lt. Col Henry Mucci; leader of the 6th Ranger Battalion (Riley, 2002). Hampton intricately combines three differe nt stories meshing them into one tale. The first tale revolves around the atrocities committed by the Japanese (Riley, 2002). Hampton delves into the details of the fundamental differences in culture. He also addresses the errors in Judgment, for example, there existed an assumption that only 25,000 American and Filipino troops were available to take part in the Bataan Death March; the actual number was 100,000. Hamptons diverges from the exploits of the soldiers providing an entirely different outlook of ‘high pockets’; individuals who risk their lives to become spies for the US (Riley, 2002). Claire Phillips rises into prominence in Hampton’s accounts of these risk takers. She pretends to be of Italian descent and starts the Tubaki night club despite the fact that she is a GI’s wife. She manages to spy on the Japanese soldiers supplying the information gathered to the local guerillas (Riley, 2002). The High Pockets’ run comes to an end when the Ja panese secret police manage to capture them. The final story revolves around the 6th Rangers Battalion’s mission to rescue the POWs. Hampton provides details on the choosing of the 121 soldiers to form the Battalion. The detailed information provided in the content affirms his dedication to his work; the research done proves impeccable (Riley, 2002). Hampton provides an epic end to his book through the successful rescue of the POWs. The warm welcome of the captives in San Francisco leaves readers heart lifted after the previous heartbreaking stories narrated in the book (Riley, 2002). Ghost Soldiers; is a thrilling battle saga in which author Hampton explores the mystery of human behavioral traits when faced with extreme, stressful conditions (Shlachter, 2001). His first take was on the POWs

Quantitative Applications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

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NYSE and AMEX Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

NYSE and AMEX - Research Paper Example The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) are examples of stock markets that this paper will address. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) original name was the New York Stock & Exchange Board at its inception in 1817. The NYSE resides in New York City and stands out as the largest equities-based exchange based on market capitalization in the world and the only exchange operator in the Fortune 500. It also known as the "Big Board† and only became a public entity in 2005 on acquiring the electronic trading exchange Archipelago. However, in 2007, NYSE merged with the European exchange to establish a parent company called the NYSE Euronext, which operates the NYSE. The merger marked a great step in the global financial markets where most of the NYSE operations are now electronic. Subject, to its rich history, the NYSE attracts majority of the largest and successful companies in the world. Indeed, the NYSE even allows foreign-based corporations to list their shares on the NYSE upon satisfying the listing standards (â€Å"NYSE Euronext† 1). On the other hand, the American Stock Exchange (AMEX) also resides in New York City. Its original name was the New York Curb Exchange until it changed to AMEX in 1953. Initially, members in a mutual organization owned the AMEX. The AMEX attracts many smaller companies who cannot meet NYSE's strict listing and reporting requirements (â€Å"ADVFN† 1). As a result, the AMEX stands out as the third largest stock exchange in the U.S by trading volume where it handles approximately 10% of all American trades and comes after NYSE and NASDAQ (â€Å"ADVFN† 1). However, the NYSE Euronext acquired AMEX on October 1, 2008 and its equities changed to NYSE Amex Equities (â€Å"NYSE Euronext† 1). The National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) owns the AMEX but the NYSE Euronext operates it (â€Å"ADVFN† 1). The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) now known as the NYSE Euro next operates global financial markets and provides innovative trading technologies in the financial market. It also offers the largest futures and options trading venues in the world where it provides derivatives on commodities, FX, equities, bonds, interest rates, indices, and swaps. Specifically, the NYSE deals with U.S equities, European equities, NYSE technologies, global derivatives, exchange trade products, indices, and bonds (â€Å"NYSE Euronext† 1). Indeed, the NYSE Technologies are significant in offering high-class transaction, data, and infrastructure management services and solutions across the globe (â€Å"NYSE Euronext† 1). Notably some of the corporations that trade with the

What Is Eco-Social Market Economy Research Paper

What Is Eco-Social Market Economy - Research Paper Example Formulated as a network of individuals, organizations as well as groups, the Global Marshall Plan is aimed at achieving the eco-social market economy with a view to bringing in changes that can sustain the planet earth. This research will, therefore, provide an empirical insight into the Global Marshall Plan for the eco-social market economy.This project will attempt to provide a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the Global Marshall Plan for developing an eco-social market economy. This research study, therefore, will attempt to evaluate the ideas, debates, practical actions taken by the organizations as well as groups and individuals in achieving the desired objectives. What is also critical to understand that this research project will attempt to provide a sneak preview of how the implementation of the Global Marshall Plan can result in the creation of the eco-social market economy?This research study aims to address the following research objectives:- Whether implementation of the plan is practically possible?- What shall be strategic direction of the actions to be undertaken?- Whether there is a need for implementing new regulations to achieve the intended objectives of the Plan- Whether there must be an adaptation of a global approach to achieve the objectives?- What shall be the role of different stakeholders?The pace of economic development in the recent past, especially after World War 2 has been really quick which further allowed the organizations to exploit the resources at the speed that was really unprecedented in the human history. The increasing pace with which the forces of globalization took their place was something that has been relatively more quickly and with enormous consequences not for the economics as well as the social context of the economies but also the environment also.

A Comparison of Special Education Philosophy, Policies an Dpractice Essay Example for Free

A Comparison of Special Education Philosophy, Policies an Dpractice Essay The focus of this study is to compare the educational philosophies, policies,and practices between Malaysia and Japan, with regard to the education of children with special needs. Malaysia and Japan have some common historical experiences in that both countries were involved in the Second World War, both were colonised and given independence by Anglo-American powers. Geographically they are both in Asia. A significant difference between the two countries is the homogenous nature of Japan’s population and the pluralistic multicultural, multi lingual, multi ethnicity and religions of Malaysia. Japan is a developed and industrialised country whereas Malaysia is developing and targeting to be an industrialised one. Japan’s population of 127 million dwarfs Malaysia’s 29 million. It is needful to examine the set up of other countries, discover the root of the problems and analyse their solutions so as to better understand one’s own education system, avoid mistakes made and adopt suitable models accordingly. Hence, in this comparative study, an Asian country was chosen over an Anglo-American one, because Japan and Malaysia are both culturally group-oriented, power concentrated, inclined to be replicative and relationally holistic. As such it is probably easier to relate to contextually in matters relating to adapting globalised best practices in a culturally sensitive way. This paper seeks to look at the special educational policies and philosophies of both countries, study their practises, identify key issues and challenges faced, and to discover possibilities for mutual exchange, growth and development. There has always been a personal interest in Special education probably from parental influence and also from exposure to special people at a very young age. The increasing awareness of Special Education in Malaysia can undoubtedly be attributed to regular reporting by the media and the escalating pervasiveness of information technology available to the masses. In recent years, Special Education has given more attention to a wide range of learning difficulties, including dyslexia, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], Asperger’s syndrome and so on, with focus somewhat moving away from visual, hearing impairment and physical, mental impairments. This is probably because in most developing and developing countries, visual and hearing impairments have already well-established special educational practices. For example, Special schools where various learning aids, such as sign language, Braille and magnified letters are used to accommodate the students’ teaching and learning needs. Some countries such as Japan and the United States of America (USA), have advanced to providing not only basic education but also pioneering tertiary education for the visually and hearing impaired. Different forms of learning difficulties have emerged over the past 25 years and are probably still emerging. In the past, these special needs (learning difficulties) were all classified under mental retardation, but as discoveries continue to be made and learning difficulties are classified differently, statistics show that mental retardation worldwide has dropped considerably. As these conditions are discovered and researched, some theories about these conditions change and some evolve due to these theories being challenged or disproved and new theories being proposed. For example there is a wide range of autism, from highly-functioning to deeply autistic. Some children who were diagnosed as autistic ten years ago, are now discovered to have Asperger’s disorder. Disorders along the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continuum include autism, pervasive developmental disorder, Rett Syndrome (American Psychiatric Assocciation, 1995) and Asperger’s disorder. Since ASD exists along a spectrum, intervention especially communication intervention must be highly individualized ( Schreibman, koegel, Charlop, Egel, 1990), thus intervention-wise, a child with Asperger’s Disorder is to be regarded quite differently from an autistic child. The field of special education has seen growth that has been unprecedented and it is likely to continue with more contemporary curricula, programmes, materials and resources evolving at a rapid rate, driven by a developmental theoretical perspective. In response to the increasing number of children diagnosed with special needs and especially that of learning difficulty, it is imperative that policies, philosophies and practice of special education need to be redefined, reviewed and refined to cater for the development and nurture of these children. Common special needs include challenges with learning, communication challenges, emotional and behavioral disorders, physical disabilities, and developmental disorders. There are many famous personalities who have special needs and disabilities but have excelled in sport, fine arts, physics and in the music and movie arena. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps made history by breaking records and winning eight gold medals. He also inspired thousands by speaking candidly about having ADHD. His mother has also been very public about telling their story. Professor Stephen Hawking, a renowned Physicist, is a well-known example of a person with multiple neurone disease who has against all odds, succeeded in life. Hawking cannot walk, talk, breathe easy, swallow and has difficulty in holding up his head. He could have well been classified as mentally retarded and severely physically handicapped and discharged to a home of the Spastics, yet he defied his doctor’s prognosis of not surviving more than 21 years. Stevie Wonder was born prematurely and as a result, he was never able to see. Wonder stands out as one of the most celebrated American musicians of all time. To his credit, he has won 26 Grammys and an Academy Award. This has earned him rightful standing in the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame. Phelps was told that he could never focus on anything, Hawking, that he wasn’t an exceptional student and Wonder, that he could never make it in life. They are an inspiration to one and all, both stakeholders and non-stakeholders alike. On this note let us look at Japan. JAPAN [pic] Figure1. 1 Map of Japan For many, the word Japan conjures up mystical Samurais, beautiful, graceful and demure kimono-clad geisha girls, sashimi (Japanese raw fish), beautiful spring apple-blossoms, ancient temples, lightning–fast bullet trains, Toyotas and Hondas, even the Iron Chef competitions and the list goes on; but education is certainly not an image that fills your mind when you hear the word Japan! Japan is an island country located in the Pacific ocean. It’s an archipelago of over six thousand islands, the largest being Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku accounting for 97% of Japan’s land area. Japan is often referred to as the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ because the Japanese characters that make up Japan’s name, Nippon-koku or Nihon-koku means ‘sun origin’. Most of Japan’ s islands are mountainous and many are volcanic which is not surprising as Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and an active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08. Japan has a population of 127 million people, ranks the tenth-largest populated country in the world. Tokyo is the capital of Japan with a population of 12 million. It is the Japan’s centre for culture and education and also the nation’s economic and industrial hub. The main language spoken is Japanese and most Japanese are of the Shinto-Buddhism faith. Since 1947, Japan has maintained a unitary constitutional monarchy with an emperor and an elected Prime Minister as head of government, with an elected parliament called the Diet. It is a highly industrialized, developed country and a major world economic power. Japan has the worlds second-largest economy and the third largest in purchasing power parity. It is also the worlds fourth largest exporter and fifth largest importer. It is the only Asian country in the G8 and a current non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) security council. According to both the UN and World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, Japan has the highest life expectancy of any country in the world, and the third lowest infant mortality rate. History of Education Japan’s education maybe conveniently divided into pre-World War II(WW),post WW II, and modern Japan. On the whole, pre-WWII education was controlled centrally by the government, the education philosophy was guided by the Imperial Rescript Education (1890), Japanese values and Confucian principles were taught and stressed by society. Primary education was available to all but secondary and tertiary studies were elitist and discriminatory. This old system collapsed at the end of WWII and the United States Education Mission (1946) introduced new ideas and structures into the Japanese system such as extending free but compulsory education from six to nine years, higher education became more non-elitist, social studies was emphasized above moral studies, school boards were locally elected as opposed to being appointed under the old system, and teachers unions were formed. In 1952, Japanese sovereignty was restored and many reforms reverted back to the old system; school boards were by appointment, Japanese ideals moral studies were put back into the curricula but the 6-3-3 structure intended at democratizing education remain until today The University Control Law (1969) and other reforms emerged in the 70’s. Education in Contemporary Japan is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (known also as the Monbukagakusho or MEXT). Three tiers of administration attend to the financial and supervisory educational services; namely the national (MEXT0, Prefectural (upper tier) and municipal (lower tier). There are five levels of schooling in Japan: Preschool which is free to all but not compulsory, Primary and Lower Secondary levels which are free and compulsory, and Upper Secondary and Higher Education which are neither free nor compulsory. The Fundamental Law of Education, the School Education Law and the Social Education Law provide the philosophies, policies and practices throughout the nation. The Japanese value educational excellence at all levels and their education system is thought to be extremely prestigious. Japan is consistently ranked at the top internationally in both Maths and science by the TIMSS (Trends in Interntional Maths and Science Study). Japanese education helps build student motivation. Their philosophy emphasizes effort over ability hence in the Japanese classroom, everyone is taught the same concepts and students are engaged in higher-order thinking skills. Correct answers are withheld and students are presented with material such as puzzles and encouraged to think of as many ways as possible to solve the problem. Fast and slow learners are not separated and advanced students help the less able, cooperation, a sense of belonging and oneness are fostered. This attitude is particularly important when it comes to special children. Special Education in Japan A brief history In 1878, the first special school for children with visual and hearing impairment was established in Kyoto. The first special class for children with intellectual disabilities was set up in 1890 in Matsumoto City, in Nagano Prefecture. To date Japan has 222 and 210 years of history respectively in the area of Special education, a figure to be proud of indeed. The number of special schools and special classes for children with various kinds of disabilities increased favorably until around 1930, but thereafter the WWII devastated special education. At the end of the WWII, the external number of special schools for children with blindness and deafness was still more than 100, but most schools were burned by air raids. In the case of special classes, all were closed except one in Tokyo, at which the children were also moved to rural areas without schools, let alone special classes. Special education had to be reconstructed after the WWII based on the philosophy of democratic education, which was introduced by the educational policy the United States who was then the occupation army. In 1947 compulsory education for primary school and lower secondary schools was introduced. Special education was rapidly rebuilt beginning with visual and hearing impairments schools and classes, followed closely by schools for intellectual disability, physical and health impairment. The development of special education since the end of WWII maybe seen as (1) Development of special schools and special classes. 1947- 1979 (2) Movement of integrated education – 2000 (3) Development of special needs education. – Present day The motto of the Special Needs Education System of Japan (SNES) Where children with disabilities learn is bold and apt. Looking at Figure 1.2, it is clear that special-needs children are given due consideration at all levels from pre-school right up to upper secondary school. Figure 1. 3 show that as the degree of disability goes from mild to severe, the children are correspondingly moved from regular classes with team-teaching, achievement-based teaching ,small-group classes, Special Support Service in resource rooms, to special classes and then on to Special Needs Schools. The four categories of special needs, the blind, the deaf, the intellectually disabled, the physically disabled and the health impaired in figure 1. 4, show the ratio of children with multiple disabilities in Special Schools in elementary and lower secondary levels. Due to increasing number of students with multiple disabilities, there is a move away from of schools catering only for single disabilities for example the blind or deaf. Japan has a national curriculum standards for children with disabilities called ‘the Course of Study or Gakushyu-shido-yoryo for schools serving the blind ,the deaf, children with physical and mental disabilities and health impairments. It can be amended when necessary to tailor to specific needs for these children. Parents, school board members and or medical and social personel are consulted in order to determine which curriculum suits the child best, be it one to one teaching, small group teaching, individual teaching plans or inclusive integration onto regular classes. Even when there is profound disability, the child is eligible for education according to their needs. In some cases teachers visit homes or institutitions to provide home tutoring. In major hospitals classes are available for children necessitating hospital treatment. Only 0. 001% of children in Japan are allowed postponement or exemption from school education. Teachers in Special education are required to have a license for special education in addition to their basic teaching license. The NISE provides highly specialized training courses. Local Special Education Centers in prefectures offer programmes to upgrade or learn new skills. Case conferences and Teacher’s study-meetings are conducted at school level. The NISE conducts research such as nationwide surveys to assist in making future national policies with regard to special education. At prefecture level, research and development schools and model schools are present throughout the country. Local Special Education Centers, Colleges and Universities conduct ongoing research on teaching methods to enhance Special Support Education. As part of the 2007 reform, the SNES aims to have schools for Special Needs Education where staff are competent in knowledge and understanding on more than one disability, so that students with multiple disabilties are be accepted and integrated into each local community. By mid 2010, Japan plans to launch their first graduate school for students with visual or aural impairments at the state-run Tsukuba University of Technology, their only University for the deaf. According to the university, it will be the world’s first graduate school for visually- impaired students and the third for hearing-impaired ones, following the footsteps of such schools as Gallaudet University in the United States, Master’s degrees will be offered: Industrial technology for visually challenged students and health science courses for hearing-impaired students. Academia is possible to all, those with special needs and those without, unless there is brain injury and the cognitive abilities are damaged. As the adage goes â€Å"There is no learning disability only teacher inability†. MALAYSIA [pic] Map of peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia (Malaysian Borneo)Fig 1. 2 Malaysia, is made up of West Malaysia (peninsular Malaya) and East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak states) in nothern Bourneo. It is a land of beauty in its diversity, located in the heart of South East Asia, see figure 1. 2 which had for centuries attracted merchants and traders plying the ancient, lucrative spice and silk route between India and China. It is therefore no surprise that Chinese, Indian and Malays are the major contributors to Malaysia’s rich and vibrant cultural heritage, together with the indigenous people. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi lingual and multi-religious society, known for their warm hospitality, interesting and delicious variety of food and a delightful fusion of cultures making Malaysians attractive and unique. Bahasa Malaysia is the official language, but English is taught as a second language and many Malaysians are tri lingual: proficient in their mother tongue, in Malay and in English. Malaysia is well endowed in natural resources such as minerals,[ mainly tin and petroleum] agriculture and forestry. It is one of the world’s top exporters of natural rubber, palm oil, sawn timber, coca and pepper. Malaysia boasts of rich biodiversity and a wide habitat range, in the Gunung Mulu National Park, and in the Mount Kinabalu district of Sabah. Both have been marked as World Heritage Sites. In 2009 two interesting and historical townships, Malacca and Penang were also given World Heritage status. Today Malaysia is an independent nation state with a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Kuala Lumpur is the largest city and the capital of Malaysia. It is also the main financial and commercial centre of the country. Malaysia is recognized as an emerging industrialized country with a GDP per capita PPP ranking at 48th in the world and second in South East Asia. For the past 20 years, Malaysia has been on a fast track development drive with measurable physical and economic success. Unfortunately, services and facilities enabling tangible inclusion of People with Disabilities (PWDs) into their communities were not developed in tandem, resulting in Malaysians with Disabilities excluded from enjoying a barrier-free environment and normal enriching independent lifestyle. There is a pressing need to firstly look at the education commitments of Malaysia to the children with disabilities so that indeed the mission of the Ministry of Education ‘To develop a world-class quality education system which will realise the full potential of the individual and fulfil the aspiration of the Malaysian nation† can achieved, and to reach their objectives stated below: To produce loyal and united Malaysians. To produce happy, well mannered individuals who have faith, knowledge and vision. To prepare the nation? s human resource for its developmental needs. To provide educational opportunities for all Malaysians. HISTORY OF EDUCATION Pre WWII, secular schools were mainly an innovation of the British colonial government, and English-Language schools were considered prestigious at that time. Post WWII, education was mainly aimed to feed the needs of the colonial government though the Malay, Chinese and Indian communities fought hard for their mother tongue to be used as a medium of instruction. Post independence (1957) in accordance to the national language policy, the government began to change English-medium primary and secondary national-type schools into Malay-medium national schools. In 1970, the language change was made gradually starting from the first year in primary school, was completed by the end of 1982. Malaysia’s belief that (NEP),New Economic Policy 1960-1970, the National Development Policy,1071-1990, The first to ninth Malaysia Plan, 1991-2010, ensure adequate funds to the Education sector for the development of the nation’s human resource and capital. It is through this course of action that the Malaysian Education system succeeds in responding to the issues of access, equity, quality and effectiveness of education for all Malaysians in a 6-3-2 structure. Education in Malaysia is overseen by two government ministries: the Ministry of Education for matters up to the secondary level, and the Ministry of Higher Education for tertiary education. Each state has an Education Department to help coordinate educational matters in their respective states, although education is the responsibility of the federal government. The Education Act of 1996 is the main legislation governing education which designates six years of primary education as compulsory. Pre-school is optional and most pre-schools are for profit and privately run. Five years of secondary schooling is not compulsory. For their pre-university studies, students have an option of doing two years of Form six or the Matriculation. Free education is provided from Primary one right up to Form six. A Brief History of Special Education Jabatan Pendidikan Khas (JPK) or the Department of Special Education, from being just a unit in the Education Department was established as a Department in its own right in 1995. It plays a major role in curricula planning and implementing the quality of special education programmes in both the primary and secondary schools in Malaysia. However the programmes for the deaf have a much longer history, the first residential school for the deaf was established in 1954. Interest towards Special Education in Malaysia began in 1920s among volunteers who were involved in the opening of schools for the hearing and visual impaired. The Cabinet Committee Report that studied the Implementation of Education Policy through the Recommendatory 169 was the beginning of a clearer focus and emphasis on the development of Special Education in Malaysia. The recommendatory says that: â€Å"With the awareness that the government should be responsible towards the  education of disabled children, it should then take over all the responsibilities from the organizations handling it currently. Moreover, the involvement of volunteers in developing the education for disabled children is encouraged. † SPECIAL EDUCATION PHILOSOPHY. The MoE Philosophy for Special Education states that ‘Education is given to develop the students physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually so that students can be educated to the highest possible level to enable them to obtain employment and live independently’. Programmes are based on the following policies: †¢ Education Act 1996, Chapter 8. †¢ Education Act (Amendment) Act 2002. †¢ Education Regulations (Special Education) in 1997. †¢ Policy Committee decision, the Ministry of Education [Education Planning Committee (SRC), Meeting Management Ministry of Education, Centre for Curriculum Committee (DFA) and Department of Management Meeting Special Education]. International Declarations: †¢ United Nations World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons (1983). †¢ The Worlds Declaration on Education for All (1990). †¢ The United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (1993). †¢ The Framework for Action on Special Needs Education (Salamanca Statement) in 1994. †¢ Biwako Millennium Framework for Action Towards an Inclusive Barrier-Free and Rights-Based Society for Persons with Disabilities in Asia and the Pacific (2002). Three ministries service children with disabilities. They are, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (WFCD) and the Ministry of Education, but education for these children are only under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of WFCD. The Ministry of Education provides educational services for students with special needs who have visual and hearing impairment, learning difficulties, and those needing special remedial help. Learning disorders are categorized as follows: Downs Syndrome Mild autism Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Mild Mental Impairment and Specific learning disabilities (eg. Dyslexia). The Ministry of WFCD provides services for children with the following problems: severe physical disability moderate and severe mental retardation various other defects such as and defects that do not allow the children to learn in schools provided by the Ministry of Education. Special Education Department’s Vision and Mission JPK’s vision statement is ‘Quality Education Generates Excellence Among Students with Special Educational Needs in line with the National Education System’, with the mission to develop excellent special needs human capital based on a holistic, relevant and quality education system so that there is Optimum development the individual’s potential Ability to compete and be marketable. Moral values as a responsible citizen Smart partnerships with various parties The Special Education services provided by the Department of Education are: †¢ Special schools for pupils with visual and hearing impaired and learning (secondary). †¢ Special Education Integration Programs for students with special needs and learning disabilities, impaired hearing and sight impaired. The program is available in non-residential, normal primary and secondary schools as well as in Technical/Vocational training (secondary) schools which adopt withdrawal or semi-inclusive approach. Programmes such as the Special Education Integration Programme and the Special Rehabilitation Programmes are fully administered at state levels by the State Education Department, whereas the Integration of Special Education Programs in Technical and Vocational Education is administered by the Department of Technical Education. The Malaysian Education for All Mid-Decade Assessment Report 2000-2007 states that one of the strategies is to expand preschool places for children with special needs from 32 integration classes to 100 classrooms in order to integrate children aged 5-6 with single disability, usually the learning disabled. Expansion necessitates therefore training the necessary preschool teachers and teacher assistants and also the proviso to amend the Special Education Regulations Act 1997 to accept students with two disabilities. UNICEF, working together with the Ministry of Health’s Development Division (MHDD) devised a standardised screening tool in 2006 to improve the early detection of autism amongst toddlers so that early intervention can be instituted. Issues with Sexual and reproductive health for children with special needs are also looked into, in response and recognition of their high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation, because it directly impacts their learning and overall development. ANALYSIS Japan as a leading economic power and highly industrialised country and Malaysia as a developing and emerging industrialised one, have commonalities in that were both affected deeply by WWII, and both were dominated by a foreign power, so it is interesting to see each country recovered, rebuilt and developed post-war and how Special education has evolved since then. Looking at the philosophy with regard to Special Education mentioned earlier on, both Japan and Malaysia are very similar in that both are highly commendable, comprehensive and impressive, subscribing also to many international special-education charters such as The United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons With Disabilities (1993). |Mission and Vision of JPK Malaysia |Mission and Vision of the NISEJapan | | |The mission of our institute as the National Institute of | |JPK’s vision statement is ‘Quality Education Generates Excellence |Special Needs Education is to contribute to:Improving the | |Among Students with Special Educational Needs in line with |quality of education for children with disabilities and to | |the National Education System’, with the mission to develop excellent|make educational provision to meet individual educational | |special needs human capital based on a holistic, relevant and quality|needs. We aim to do this by working with the national and | |education system so that there is |government organizations. Our vision is | |- Optimum development the individual’s potential |Research Activities that contribute to National | |- Ability to compete and be marketable |Administrative Needs | |- Moral values as a responsible citizen |-To undertake research that contributes to the formulation | |- Smart partnerships with various parties |of National Policy for Children. | |- Providing education opportunities and facilities for students |Practical Research that contributes to Education | |with special educational needs. |- To undertake advanced and practical research that | |- Providing relevant education to every student with special |contributes to education | |educational needs. |Specialized Programs for Teacher Training | |- Providing opportunity for students with special educational needs |- Provide systematic and special training for the school | |to develop their talent and potential. |staff who plays the role of leadership in special needs | |- Providing sufficient and up-to-date teaching and learning |education from local public organization and support them. | |material. |Training Programs that Respond to New Challenges | |- Ensuring sufficient trained teachers in special education. |- To implement training program for the major issue of | | |National Policy and/or urgent issue at educational site | |- Planning and managing all primary and secondary special schools. |flexibly and promptly. | |- Planning and coordinating all special schools integration program. |Counseling and Consultation that Provide Activities that | |- Planning, coordinating and evaluating policies and regulations, to|Supports Local Public Organizations | |ensure education is well-balanced, to help, service and support |- To conduct consultation and provide the information for | |students with special educational needs and implement the special |counseling and consultation to the organizations. | |education vocational policy. |Provide Information for Special Needs Education | |- Planning curriculum, activities and special education affairs. |-To collect, analyze, arrange and make database of the | |- Providing special education planning, research and evaluation. |information on special needs education from domestic and | |- Providing training plan and staff development; and |overseas and provide comprehensive information to teaching | |- Coordinating Special Remedial Education Program. |site. | | |Cooperation and Partnership with Universities and | | |Organizations in Domestic and Overseas. | | |- to collaborate and cooperate with universities and | | |organizations locally and abroad through seminars, to | | |research, analyze and evaluate the issues, and to share our| | |practical research results in special needs education. | One difference in their philosophy is that when it comes to learning, the Japanese put value and emphasis in effort over that of natural ability, resulting in primary school students being taught in classes that have not been streamlined into good, average or poor students, whereas stream lining students according to their academic performance is practiced by Malaysia and many other countries. It follows then that, if effort is put into the education of a special-needs child, the child can reach its full potential given all the necessary support. This attitude has given Japan an advantage of having an over 200 year history in educating people with special needs, which began with addressing the visual and hearing impaired. The Japanese School Education Law places special education firmly within the framework of the total education system by emphasizing that it is not separate from ordinary education. Japanese special education now officially recognizes seven categories of disability: the blind and partially sighted, deaf and har.

Post Freudian theorists and their theories Essay Example for Free

Post Freudian theorists and their theories Essay As indicated earlier, key personality developmental theories that were developed after Freud’s psychoanalytic theory were either directly derived of it or aimed at criticizing some of its major components. a) Erik Erickson i) Stages of development Barbara (2008) and Lieberman (2007) agree that the work of Eric Erickson was a direct derivative of Freudian considerations in human development. Eric Erickson theory of psychosocial development concurred with Freudian view that life, development and challenges develop in stages. Psychosocial theory further builds the notion of the ‘ego’ which was largely brought out by Freud as external reality inculcation to one’s mind. Particularly, the stages of Erickson psychosocial development strongly cohere with Sigmund’s work. Clara et al (2008) explain that stage one of Erickson’s theory of psychosocial development is reflected through ‘trust versus mistrust’ largely because the child is entirely dependent on the caregivers. Like Freud mentioned the pleasure a child derives from oral stimulation, Erickson emphasized on the resulting intimacy as a platform in propelling the child to the next stages. Therefore, Erickson’s first stage borrows the concept of external environment in creating enough force for the next stage. In the second stage of psychosocial development, Erickson equally borrows from Freud’s ‘anal stage’ which is a critical training factor. Nelson-Jones (2005) explains that from a higher consideration, Erickson argued that learning to go to the toilet gave a strong sense of control and therefore great independence. As Freud clearly brought out the notion of the ego, Erickson’s third stage of initiative versus guilt emphasizes the assertion of power and control which plays an important role in the later stages development. Erickson indicated that many children seek to assert their superiority among others but with careful considerations of the existing repercussions (Marrie and Janneke-van, 2007). Notably, Erickson agrees with Freud that parents and caretakers must step in to facilitate the needed reassurance and therefore avoid guilt to their young ones. It is however worth noting that Erickson strongly differed with Freud on how long development persists in an individual’s life. While Freud postulated that personality development only lasted to the genital stage when an individual starts getting interested in sexual relationship with those of the opposite sex, Erickson postulated that developed progressed to the old age (Busch, 2009). However, scholars appear to be strongly divided with one group considering the latter Erickson’s work to be based on criticism of the Freud’s work and therefore its advancement (Barbara, 2008). ii) The notion of fixation One resilient notion of Freud’s work is the notion of succession between different stages. Though they do not necessary cohere on time and expected repercussions, both theorists agree that people at different stages must go through them successfully or get fixated (Hayes, 2004). Fixation as Henry (2009) point out denotes the inability to progress since latter stages are entirely dependent on the previous stages success. Erickson argued that all stages present an individual with two negating outcomes; positive and negative. For example between year five to eleven, Erickson indicated that a successful individual will become industrious while the unsuccessful ones will suffer inferiority (Laura and Pam, 2007). b) Lacanian theory In his work, largely referred to as the return of Freud, Emile Lacan’s concepts appear to be fully defined by the former (Adam, 2008). Though Lacan strongly criticized the Freud’s separation of the conscious (ego) and unconscious (id), he largely employed the same concepts in his work. Lacan argued that the conscious and unconscious considerations of the mind were not different, but operated from a highly sophisticated and complex outline compared to Freud’s consideration. Locan mirror as Brickman (2009) and Gottdiener (2008) conclusions suggest is formative and a derivative of the experience an individual gets during development. Therefore, the paradigm of the imagery to be effective during the younger years as opposed to the old age which is more subjective fits the Freudian connotation of development persisting only to the genital stage.

Procurement Strategy For Jh Private Hospital Construction Essay

Procurement Strategy For Jh Private Hospital Construction Essay In regards to this Im glad to inform you that I will be going though with report of procurement strategies. I will also analyse each strategy and show a list of advantages and disadvantages of each type with recommendations and in summary come with the most suitable method to satisfy requirements vis-ÃÆ'Â  -vis the key client requirements. I will try to make the report recommendations as clear to understand as possible and reasons for disregarding alternative methods again regarding the clients brief. Thank you very much for contacting me i currently have no issues for further clarification The traditional method has been used in the construction industry for many years. It one of the most used methods of procurement and has two main features. Firstly each stage is separate with no overlap between the design and construction phases. Secondly all of the drawings, schedules and quantities must be given by the client before contractor can start tendering process for carrying out any work (jctltd.co.uk/traditional-procurement). Pros One advantage of the traditional procurement method is that the cost of the project is usually known before the construction is started therefore reducing any finance issues. A contractual commitment on price gives the client more pieces of mind and greater security when applying for finance. Pricing is competitive for contractors. As the design is finished before the build this generally means the design is well documented and therefore has better clarity for the construction stage. Low risk in project allocation. (Procurement_SingleStageTendering_Nov08) Cons With the traditional procurement method design and construction are separate processes this means that the time on the particular project will be vastly greater than that of other jobs. Another disadvantage with using the traditional procurement method is that as the design and construction are done at separate stages which means that any issues that arise in the construction stage can be very difficult and costly to fix. If financial issues do arise the contract does have can adjust the costs. Traditional Method with Two Stage Tendering The traditional procurement method with two stage tendering, is a slightly different process to single stage tendering. A Contractor is appointed on the basis of a first stage tender which determines the level of overhead and profit for each Contractor (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). The Contractor works with the Project Team in the second stage and then develops the designs to determine costs for the work. This gets a fixed price for the designs. Pros Early appointment of the main contractor and a quicker start on site. Securing the involvement of a contractor on a competitive basis More client involvement in the appointment of subcontractors. Motivating the design and construction teams to reduce cost and increase value (all 4 above from www.building.co.uk). Cons This method requires a second stage period in which to design and tender the different work which lengthens time before construction can start on site. Increases the risks of an increase in price and a less clarification on completion date (Procuement.PDF). Design and Build The design and build process is again a very commonly used method of procurement. The Client appoints a building contractor. As with traditional methods, cost for the project is agreed and set with contracts. The Contractor is responsible for design and construction. The Contractor can be chosen through a tender process. The client can appoint a consultant to oversee the works. (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk) Pros Design and build is a much quicker process than the traditional method. Main contractor is responsible for the design and the construction of the project which means better flow between both processes. Costs are certain as with traditional which means easier gathering of funds from the bank. Almost 70% of traditional contracts end up over budget, compared to DB which is only around 25-30% over budget (wiki.answers.com) Cons Could cost more as bidders and can increase the price as they are tied into both the design and build stages. The contractor has no incentive to save money as they will always end up with a percentage. Some bidders will leave things out looking for expensive changes. Construction Management Construction Management is a fast track strategy this means a reduction in project time by overlapping the project design and construction phases. The provider will appoint a Construction Manager to manage the overall for a fee. Also the project has early involvement from the contractor. In this process the contracts for the sub-contractors are placed directly between the client and the sub-contractor. Construction management also has a high level of client involvement in both phases of work. Final costs unlike traditional and design and build are not known until after the project work has finished (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). Pros Quick method to use as design and build stages overlap Early involvement from contractor which benefits the client, getting early cost estimates (www.davislangdon.com). Design can be changed during the build process far easier than with traditional methods. Cons Final costs are unknown until work has finished. Construction manager has no direct contract with the trade contractors (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Difficult to control cost increases (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Public Private Partnerships (PPP), Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Public Private Partnerships (PPP), particularly Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) projects are were a project is designed built and paid for by a business who appoints a contractor; it is then leased back to the client usually over a 30 year period. This tendering process in this procurement route is expensive and requires negotiation rather than competitive tendering. (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk) Pros The Risks of the project lye with private sector rather than the client. Method involves specialist private sector construction knowledge (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Cons In comparison with other procurement methods it takes a lot longer for work to start on site. Loss of control in the construction trade by the public sector. Can be hard to show value for money (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Confusion over what happens at the end of the buildings lease also brings up issues. Management Contracting Management contracting is also a fast track strategy which overlaps the design and construction stages and allows the project construction to start before the design is fully completed. The Management Contractor is appointed early in the design (designguidance.skillsfundingagency.bis.gov.uk). However like PFI and PPP final costs cannot be determined until the build is finished as adaptations to the design can increase cost. Pros Management Contractor has early involvement and manages works contractors (www.worldservicesgroup.com) One management structure which means the project can run more smoothly Cons No responsibility for design and construction. Management Contractor only responsible for workmanship to the extent that works contractor is responsible /able to pay (www.worldservicesgroup.com). Decision Matrix Criteria S= Score WS= Weighted Score Weighting Traditional Method. Traditional Method With 2 Stage. Design and Build. Construction Management. PFI, PPP. Management Contracting. S WS S WS S WS S WS S WS S WS A). Early contractor input into the design process. 6 2 12 2 12 5 30 6 36 6 36 6 36 B). Early start and finish or shortest total procurement time. 5 3 15 1 5 6 30 5 25 1 5 4 20 C). The building is highly specialised and technologically advanced. 4 6 24 6 24 4 16 4 16 5 20 4 16 D). A high quality of finish is important. 3 5 15 5 15 3 9 1 3 2 6 4 12 E). Project sponsor to retain design team control. 2 4 8 4 8 6 12 5 10 4 8 3 6 F). Flexibility to make changes once the work has begun. 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 5 5 4 4 5 5 Total Weighted Score 75 65 100 95 79 95 Recommendation of the Most Suitable Client-Financed Procurement Option The recommended procurement type for the John Hopkins Private Hospital in the Northeast is design and build. This is for many reasons. Firstly on the decision matrix the order of priority which has been specified by the client, design and build arrives at the highest score of 100. Design and build also rates highly on the top 3 most important factors in the decision matrix. A key aspect in the design brief is the fact the hospital must be high spec containing high tech equipment to make the John Hopkins Private Hospital a European centre of excellence. Design and build performs well to create a high spec building as there is no incentive by the contractor to save money which may be considered a disadvantage in some cases but not in this instance. Also in the budget sense unlike construction management, PFI and management contracting, the precise costs are known from the outset of the project once the design has been finished and before the construction begins and unlike the traditional methods, the majority of design and build projects finish on budget. Another important factor specified was early input from the contractor. Design and build performs well here too, as the contractor is appointed early and also as an added bonus runs both the design and build stages of the project which means smoother running and less likelihood of mistakes in both the design and construction stages of the project. However unlike construction management, PFI and management contracting, design and build does not perform as well as it is more difficult to alter the design once construction has started, yet this is not particularly high on the agenda for the project. Finally design and build projects on whole do have an early start and finish time which is high up on the criteria. This is because as the contractor is selected early and runs both the design and construction stages the project runs smoother and therefore faster yet maintains quality.

ROGER MARIS :: essays research papers

Roger Maris Essay Roger Maris was born in Hibbing, Minnesota on September 10, 1934. His father, who worked for the Great Northern Railroad, moved the family to North Dakota in 1942where Roger grew up. The Maris brothers played sports and attended Shanley High School in Fargo, North Dakota. It was in the 10th grade when Roger met Patricia, his future wife, at a high school basketball game. Roger played baseball in the American Legion program during the summers, since the North Dakota high schools with the cold weather did not have a program. He led his American Legion team to the state championship. With his excellent speed, Roger was a standout in football as well. In one game against Devil's Lake his senior year, he scored four touchdowns on kickoff returns to set a national high school record. Roger was recruited by legendary coach Bud Wilkinson to play for the University of Oklahoma, but with a professional baseball contract looming, Roger gave up his scholarship at the University of Oklahoma to pursue a career in baseball. He signed a $15,000 contract to play for the Cleveland Indians organization. Roger spent four years in the minor leagues playing for Fargo-Moorhead, Keokuk, Tulsa, Reading, and Indianapolis before making it to the major leagues. During his first year in the major leagues, Roger hit 14 home runs and drove in 51 RBI's for the Cleveland Indians. Midway through his second year, Roger was traded to the Kansas City Athletics and finished the season with 28 home runs and 81 RBI's. Roger received attention and in his third year, was elected to the 1959 All-Star team. After the 1959 season, Roger Maris was traded to the New York Yankees. In 1960, his first season with the Yankees, Roger led the major leagues with 27 home runs and 69 RBI's by the halfway point and was again named to the All-Star team. An injury sliding into second to break up a double play caused him to miss 17 games. However, Roger still finished the season first in RBI's with 112, second in home runs with 39 (one behind Mickey Mantle who led the majors with 40), won the Gold Glove Award, and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player. He also hit 2 World Series home runs, but it would be for the following year that he would be most remembered. In 1961, Roger and teammate Mickey Mantle received national attention as they chased the single season home run record of 60 set by Babe Ruth in 1927.

Biotechnology Essay -- essays research papers

Biotechnology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over the past decade, Biotechnology has advanced much to the advantage of many people. We have learned that with certain chemicals, we are able to cut-and-paste the DNA of certain organisms, and alter them to comply to our sociable needs. But this can also affect modern medicine, political factors, economic, and societal balances in our nation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For medicine, Biotechnology has been a blessing, healing people who suffer from a sex-linked trait known as Hemophilia. Hemophilia is a condition where the person may die of blood loss when cut or wounded. This is caused by a lack of a certain chemical known as Factor 9, which allows the patient to heal from wounds. Scientists may now insert a gene into the patients own DNA causing the patient to heal skin, which has been impossible until now, with Genetic-Engineering. I doubt that there have been any real disadvantages with this technology, since it works to heal the patient, but we really can't predict what kind of medical misfits there will be in the future, using this life-saving technology to their own personal, perhaps evil, advantages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dealing with politics, Bioengineering has opened a whole new door pertaining to the military, whose use of it may create an ultimate destruction. The alterance of nature is un-natural, and creates an unbalancement in life. When we use this technology towards the wrong side, we may all be burn...

“Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave” Essay -- Literature Revi

The narrative essay of the â€Å"Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave† describes personal accounts Paul experienced as a slave. Cruel and unjust treatment done to him by his masters gave him to a strong desire to learn how to read and write in any possible way by being resourceful and be determined to learn. However, Douglas expressed â€Å"I would at times feel that learning to read had been a curse rather a blessing† and â€Å"I envied my fellow slaves for their stupidity† (4); wherein he regrets learning and he also illustrated why he considered knowledge as a curse because he learned about freedom did not benefit him at all. In my case, I can also say I regret some things I learned in the past that I know would made me happier if I did not learned them at all. At age twelve, Douglas became a slave in the household of Mr. Hugh. Mrs. Auld was very kind and considerate when Douglas met her, because it was the first time having a slave in the household. She even taught him the A B C’s but Mr. Auld forbade instructing him. However, in the later part of the story, she changes into a wicked mistress. Mr. Auld expressed â€Å"If you give a nigger an inch, he will take an ell. A nigger should know nothing but to obey his master-to do as he is told to do. Learning would spoil the best nigger in the world† (1) and this revelation was an eye opener of freedom awaits him. Mr. Auld tells his wife that if a slave was taught to read, it will cause Paul to be not satisfied and sad because he will yearn for freedom. Paul learned that learning to read is the key to his freedom. He was longing for freedom because he was treated badly. I am so impressed with the effort he put forth learning how to read and be a good writer. However, he regrets learnin... ...demonstrates that my experience did not benefit me from knowledge because I felt upset that if I have not known science, I would not doubt and my trust in God would not be at stake. Our knowledge is a key to our success and happiness in our life to give us personal satisfaction. Knowledge is power but not always. Sometimes our self-awareness and growth as an individual gives us negative thoughts that make us want to go back to undo it. Everyone wants to unlearn a part in our life that brought us pain and problems. Good or bad experiences brought by true wisdom can be used for our self-acceptance, self-fulfillment and these experiences would make us stronger as we walk to the road of our so called â€Å"life†, but Douglas’s and my experience about knowledge confirmed his belief that â€Å"Knowledge is a curse†. Both of us felt frustrated and sad from learning knowledge.