English Exit Letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

English Exit Letter - Essay Example My interest in writing suddenly came back and I realized it isn’t such a laborious task at all. One only has to put his thoughts into words until these words produce sentences and sentences form paragraphs. This I can accomplish quite easily when I’m in the mood. But when I’m not, I could just stare at the emptiness of my computer screen, wishing the hyperactive cursor to do the job for me. Writer’s block, they called it. Every writer, I believe, will have to deal with it time and time again. Putting thoughts into words is a piece of cake. To keep it structured though is another story – a skill a have yet to master. Happily, this problem seems to persist only in my informal essays. Formal is much more precise, topic clearly defined, making it easier for me to discern which information needs to be included and which one should be eliminated. With informal essays, it’s as if I’m just talking to someone about something so passionately that I tend to ignore unity and coherence within my paragraphs. I was told that, when used properly, this free flowing method in writing could actually become an asset, so it isn’t such a bad thing after all. I could hardly tell if my old writing process was in fact a process. For all I know, I simply wrote. I was adamant to follow my own style, which I liked to call a process, despite being aware that it’s not always recommended. Though this may not be such a dramatic change, this course taught me the formal discipline in writing which I consider to be a significant improvement. Planning, I learned, is indeed a very crucial stage in writing in order to come up with an effective output. This enabled me to explore other genres such as informative and compare and contrast

Individual Constitution and Systems of the State Essay Example for Free

Individual Constitution and Systems of the State Essay During the time when the state’s first declared their independence from Great Britain there was an enormous demand for a balance in power. However, the establishment of such posed to be no easy task for our founding fathers. Originally the new state’s constitutions foundation was based off the thirteen colonial charters (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p56). Which was modified a short while later, as the colonies were expanded, to include the â€Å"rights of Englishmen† (Bowman Kearney 2011, p. 56). According to Bowman Kearney (2011), â€Å"All state constitutions both distribute and constrain political power among groups and regions† (p. 55). In that such provide the basic and key components for government to allow for an even distribution of power for the three branches, while offering protection for individual rights. â€Å"Constitutions represent the fundamental law of a state, superior to statutory law. Only the federal Constitution and federal statutes take priority over state constitutions† (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p. 55). Over the course of many years the state’s constitutions have been slowly amended to meet the needs of a growing governmental body. The current Texas constitution was created in 1876 and is composed of a preamble followed by 17 articles, â€Å"to include Bill of Rights, Legislative Department, Executive Department, and Judicial Department† (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). Article I of the Texas constitution is the Bill of Rights. It is in this article that individual rights are outlined for citizens in which the government cannot overlook under any given circumstance. Upon reading the Texas Constitution, the impression is given that religious freedom and for no man to be unjustly persecuted by the hand of the government pose to be the most important feature detailed in the Bill of Rights. Just like the United States Constitution there are limitations to the freedoms being granted in this portion of the Texas document (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). In replica of the United Stated Constitution, state level constitutions are sculpted after the federal government in which it delegates power throughout three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p.27). Article III of the Texas Constitution writes the legislative department; section 1 states that, â€Å"The legislative power of this State  shall be vested in a Senate and House of Representatives, which together shall be styled The Legislature of the State of Texas (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). Sections 2 through 7 details the composition of the legislative department to include the House of Representatives and the Senate and also stat es the qualifications for such positions. The Senate entails thirty-one members and is prohibited to exceed such limit. The House of Representatives is comprised â€Å"of 93 members until the first apportionment† (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013) then it may increase by ratio not to exceed 1 representative per 15,000 inhabitants. However the numbers are to never surpass 150 members. The remainder sections write the limitations of the legislature power, details processes, and conditions the expectations in regards to the conduct of each official (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). In the State of Texas, the Legislative Branch is granted the most powers in writing. One can find supporting evidence to the fact after a complete examination is done of this document. A conclusion can be drawn that as a result of all powers given, this branch is able to have a limited amount of regulation over the other two branches of government. Also, it is here that bills of law are p assed to ensure the necessary provisions stated in other articles are upheld. The power of the executive branch is amalgamated from the office of the governor (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p. 68). Historically, the executive branch held increasingly more power and stature resulting from constitutional amendments allowing for governors to be elected by popular vote. (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p. 59). Such unbalance in power eventually led to the people giving governors higher authority to veto legislative bills and granted longer terms. This trend continued through the early 1800s, 1830s and 1840s however, somewhat ended during the Jacksonian Era due to â€Å"the Jacksonian principle of popular elections to fill most government offices resulted in a fragmented state executive branch.† (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p. 59). Within the Texas Constitution the executive branch powers can be found in Article IV, â€Å"The Executive Department† (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). The Executive Department must contain â€Å"a governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of  State, comptroller of public accounts, trea surer, commissioner of the land of office and attorney general† (Ericson Wallace, 2010). Throughout the remainder of the article, elaboration of the rights and responsibilities of each member is outlined (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). The Judicial Branch power is bestowed in a supreme court, courts of appeal, district courts, and various other courts as authorized by the state’s constitution. Usually the state’s judicial branch is headed by the state Supreme Court who tries cases from courts of lower levels (Bowman Kearney, 2011, p.68). Article V from the Texas Constitution includes the powers of the Judicial Department to be vested in â€Å"one Supreme Court, in a Court of Appeals, in District Courts, in County Courts, in Commissioners Courts, in Courts of Justices of the Peace, and in such other courts and may be established by law† (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). The head of the Supreme Court is governed by a chief justice and two associate justices. With further reading, the rules and regulations for the court justices and order of operations can be found written in the sections of this article (The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research, 2013). In conclusion, many amendments have been made to reflect the needs of a growing population all through history. Conferring with Bowman Kearney (2011), â€Å"constitutional revision must be an ongoing process if the states are to cope with the changing contours of American society and stay in the vanguard of innovation and change† (p.70). In addition, meeting the need of such a vastly growing entity can be a difficult mission. Original limitations set forth by previous documents have been altered to reflect an even distribution of power and added protections for individuals. Due to the Texas constitution’s length of 63,000 plus words it is seen as one of the most verbose document of other states. According to Joe E. Ericson and Ernest Wallace, â€Å"Its wealth of detail causes it to resemble a code of laws rather than a constitution. Its many requirements and limitations on both state and local governments make it one of the most restrictive among state constitutions† (Ericson Wallace, 2010). References Bowman, A. O., Kearney, R. (2001). Sate and Local Government (8th edition). Boston, MA: Cengage Ericson, J. E., Wallace, E. (2010, June 12). Constitution of 1876. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from Handbook of Texas Online: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/mhc07 The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research. (2013). Texas Constitutions 1824-1876. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/constitutions/texas1876/a1 The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research. (2013). Texas Constitutions 1824-1876. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/constitutions/texas1876/a5 The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research. (2013). Texas Constitutions 1824-1876. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/constitutions/texas1876/a4 The University of Texas School of Law: Tarlton Law Library: Jamail Center for Legal Research. (2013). Texas Constitutions 1824-1876. Retrieved April 12, 2014, from Rare Books and Special Collections: http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/constitutions/texas1876/a3

Jarroc as a Betrayer Essay example -- Star Trek Defecting Essays Paper

Jarroc as a Betrayer Defection is a word which Americans have been taught to fear, from the days of Joseph McCarthy to Moscow on the Hudson. In our collective consciousness, we viewed defectors as both fascinating and repellent. Defectors from outside the convivial allied sphere of North America and Western Europe--persons from those Communist places, especially--served a useful purpose because of what inside knowledge they held, and at the same time frightened us because they carried the taint of the traitor, and the strange, cold foreignness of the "other side". The "other side," if not monitored closely, was coming to bomb us all, and break the world as we knew it. Defectors from the United States, on the other hand, had no redeeming qualities. They were those who had sold their own souls, traitors agreeing to spill the closely guarded secrets which would keep us safe from the Enemy to the enemies themselves! By the nature of the act, defection was inexorably intertwined with national betrayal. (I use the terms "betrayer" and "traitor" interchangeably, since they are synonymous in meaning. A traitor is one who has betrayed.) American defectors were the worst possible kinds of criminals, and worthy recipients of the death penalty. Yet then, as now and in all times, there are a myriad of contexts in which any given situation can be considered and defection, like most things, is a crime to some and an honorable act of conscience to others.Who is the ultimate judge of such actions? What determines which context the acts truly fall in? During the Cold War, when a Soviet defected, it was viewed very differently by officials in his own country than it was here. In the U.S.S.R, he... ... it for nothing," he whispers bitterly. "My home, my family....all for nothing." (12/30/89) Jarroc commits suicide rather than live with the pain of this stigma. Is Jarroc then a hero, or a defector-betrayer? He must necessarily be both. There is no sidestepping the role in which Romulan history will pigeonhole him, and no denying the reasons they have to do so. Yet among those persons in the Federation who knew his true reasons for divulging the information, he was a man of great courage. As Jarroc himself noted, '"One world's butcher is another world's hero." The same thing could also be said of the defector. Works Cited Smith, Greg. Interchange on The Defector. Interchange. 30 January 1996. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus. Houghton Mifflin, Boston: 1988.. "The Defector." Star Trek: The Next Generation. Season 3, Episode 58.

The Difference in Leadership Essay -- Papers Leading Skills Essays Pap

The Difference in Leadership Introduction ============ Leadership is an influence process. It might be thought of as the ability to motivate others into following and understanding the role they play in an organisation, as well as what the overall strategy of the business is, with the interest of achieving organisational goals. If this is done correctly then high levels of motivation, empowerment, commitment and performance should result. It is equally important for a leader to be trustworthy, Viscount Slim describes leadership as being : â€Å"The quality which makes people trust you†. It is important in every leadership role that the leader be as effective as possible in order to work those people he is responsible for to their full potential. Certainly the leadership skill will play an important part in determining the effectiveness of the leader. Good communication skills are another important quality for a leader to have. This means that it is important to be both good at effective speaking as well as listening in order to aim the behaviours and actions of individuals in the required direction. Leadership is the process by which a person exerts influence over other people and inspires, motivates, and directs their activities to help achieve group or organizational goals.[i] It has been an old and common view that leaders are born, and not made. This is known as the Qualities Approach. Those which share this view believe that some core qualities of leaders are inborn, ie intuition, will-power and intelligence. This dismisses the idea that leaders can be manufactured, and places the emphasis on the natural ch... ...ent.IE5/M8UV2CDB/266,11,Slide 11 [x] Jones, George, Hill Contemporary Management p 411. [xi] M.G.Evans, â€Å"The Effects of Supervisory Behaviour on the Path-Goal Relationship†, Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance 5 (1970): 277-98;R.J.House,†A Path-Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness,† Administrative Science Quarterly 16 (1971):321-38;J.C.Wofford and L.Z.Liska,†Path-Goal Theories of Leadership: A Meta-Analysis,† Journal of Management 19 (1993): 857-76. [xii] B.M.Bass, Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectations (New York: Free Press, 1985); Bass, Bass and Stogdill’s Handbook of Leadership; Yukl and Van Fleet, â€Å"Theory and Research on Leadership.† [xiii] A.H.Eagly,S.J.Karau, and M.G.Makhijani, â€Å"Gender and the Effectiveness of Leaders: A Meta-Analysis,† Psychological Bulletin 117 (1995):125-45.

How Does Jones Show What the Effects of What Are on the Children of Bougainville in the Novel as a Whole

How does Jones show what the effects of what are on the children of Bougainville in the novel as a whole The children of Bougainville are severely affected by the war; most of these ways are negative. There are two main different types of affection, the first is physical e. g. deaths and possessions being burnt, the next psychological e. g. all hope being destroyed and the ignorance of some of the children. The first effect is all the deaths. The Red skins prevented all the medicines getting to lots of the babies so they died of malaria. came down with malaria† â€Å"There was nothing to be done† This shows that the children are being affected by the deaths of the babies because it kills the younger children, but it also has an effect on the older children because they have to go through the trauma of seeing these babies dead and also witnessing the parents break down due to these deaths. The Redskins also traumatise these children just by arriving â€Å"we were left wi th our fear† This shows the lasting effect the Red skins have on the children.This also portrays their innocence because it shows that these things really have a damaging effect on them when it may not do on older people. This innocence is also portrayed through â€Å"conflict a few of us kids really understood† This shows that the children are getting caught up in something they are completely innocent to. This war confuses the children which also can cause the loss of lives due to the naivety.This is shown with the character of Daniel while he was told to go up into the jungle â€Å"He went without complaint, swinging his arms at his side† First this shows that he did not quite understand what was going on, that these people were bad people to deal with. The fact that he went â€Å"without complaint† indicates that for â€Å"beaten his classmates to the answer† he thought he may be getting rewarded not quite punished in the way he did. The innocen ce of the character is also shown through the fact that he was unaware. The â€Å"swinging his arms at his side† insinuates the vulnerability if Daniel.It shows that he has not been told fully about this war and his simply mind is protected from such impurities. This innocence and vulnerability which are generally normal traits for children result in him losing his life. This also leaves the other children without a friend or family member, so this war also has an indirect effect on them causing them to lose people who are close to them Daniel is a key character in reflecting this. The effects of War on children in Bougainville are catastrophic, these children are hidden from it so when they are confronted by this conflict they do not know what to do and are generally damaged from it. s

Public role in addressing inequality essays

Public role in addressing inequality essays Equality of results, access and opportunity are three kinds of equalities that has been the center of public debates. Equality is one of the central ethical, moral and political values. All women and men are not created equal, if equal means identical. One way of interpreting equality as a principle is as a consistency-requirement: no discrimination should be made between persons who are equal in all respects relevant to the decision in question, - in the thought of Aristotle. However, this principle allows for great inequalities where people are not equal in all relevant respects. So, as it said by followers of Immanuel Kant that no person should be treated as a means to satisfy the ends of some other person. I believe that those who favor equality of results have to give reasons why they favor such policies. Equality of results proves inequality of opportunity. In order for equality of opportunity to naturally manifest as equal results, we have to assume that everyone has equal capability and equal desires, but thats observably not true. In our society where there is completely equal opportunity, person will invariable get unequal results, because unequal desire on the part of the people that in that society. Well, contrariwise, there are case of discrimination in hiring and promotion. In these cases I see Affirmative Action as a tool to an end, but the end not as equal result but as equal opportunity. I do not believe and do not favor discrimination in hiring to favor white men, females or males, what I want is color and race blind hiring. A talented person is worth his or hers weight in gold and companies are so desperate for good people that they can not afford to turn away. Any company that tries to seriously discriminate in hiring will destroy itself commercially. Back in time discriminatory hiring was a major battle to be fought, but nowadays we have achieved equality of opportunities...

Tentacle - Definition of Tentacle

Tentacle - Definition of Tentacle Definition When used in a zoological context, the term tentacle refers to a slender, elongated, flexible organ that grows near the mouth of an animal. Tentacles are most common in invertebrates, although they are present in some vertebrates as well. Tentacles serve a variety of functions and can help the animal to move, feed, grasp objects, and gather sensory information. Examples of invertebrates that possess tentacles include squid, cuttlefish, bryozoa, snails, sea anemones, and jellyfish. Examples of vertebrates that posses tentacles include caecilians and star-nosed moles. Tentacles belong to a group of biological structures known as muscular hydrostats. Muscular hydrostats consist mostly of muscle tissue and lack skeletal support. The fluid in a muscular hydrostat is contained within the muscle cells, not in an internal cavity. Examples of muscular hydrostats include the foot of a snail, the body of a worm, a human tongue, an elephant trunk, and octopus arms. One important clarification should be noted about the term tentacle- although tentacles are muscular hydrostats, not all muscular hydrostats are tentacles. This means that the eight limbs of an octopus (which are muscular hydrostats) are not tentacles; they are arms. When used in a botanical context, the term tentacle refers to the sensitive hairs on the leaves of some plants, such as carnivorous plants.

Ducks Unlimited essays

Ducks Unlimited essays Ducks Unlimited, the worlds largest and most effective wetland conservation organization, has helped to conserve over ten million acres if wildlife habitat. They utilize many different methods to preserve the land such as restoring grasslands, they have replanted over 15 million hardwood seedlings in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley, where over eighty percent of the forest has been cleared for agriculture, and many other efforts have been put forth for the wetlands. Ducks Unlimited has also purchased many tracts of land and gained easement and access to countless other acres of land. One project that DU has really taken to heart is the purchase of the Goebel Ranch in South Dakota. The Goebel Ranch not too long ago was a working cattle ranch that consists of more than 8,500 acres of prairie pothole region, which has become a vital breeding territory for many species of ducks and geese. The ranch is ideally located near two other extremely large tracts of land owned by the Nature Conservancy and also the federal government, combined the land totals over 20,000 acres of prairie pothole region. This is vital purchase because much of this land is quickly being turned into fields of wheat barley and oats, which dont encourage waterfowl breeding and conservation in anyway. One interesting fact about the ranch is that the seller required that the land continue to be grazed by cattle although it is no longer a working cattle ranch. During the first year of operation they will focus on implementing the grazing systems so that they will be able to concentrate on t he waterfowl research intently after that. I learned of this project through the Ducks Unlimited website which is a very in depth and informative place. On the site, www.ducks.org, a wide variety of topics are presented and many different audiences are targeted. The DU website is targeted to inform a very wide variety of people, from the student that has no...

The End of Privacy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The End of Privacy - Research Paper Example The authorities have been involved in securing and establishing policies to minimize incremental advantages from such information. However, the ambivalence one experiences due to advance technology is quite right. Such technological tools do advent human kind, but they are also a main reason to erode personal privacy (Tavani, 162). Surveillance cameras, sensors, recording devices, monitors have the capability to store large amount of data. These day to day technological tools may seem inevitable due to the ease and security they have produced for the mankind, but they have also posed a threat towards the civil liberty and personal privacy of many. Although, violation of internet privacy is not an easy task, but hackers all around the world have obtain techniques to extract encrypted and encoded data. However, these technological shortcomings can only be resolved by the same mean (Buchanan,817). However, there are two main concerning aspects which USA government is trying to resolve t o its best. The obtainment of personal information by FBI for national security purposes and the emphasis individuals are exerting on the privacy of their information. Another security concern is possessed by the World Wide Websites through their ‘tracking cookies’, which get stored on the hard drive and extract personal information of the user (Dubrawsky, 38). ... ce, several bills have been presented before the Congress to retrieve this encrypted information for the national security means, as the security of state is integral than the privacy of few individuals. The key to decode such encrypted information is thus, a civil and humanistic right to the information possessor. Such encrypted information is mainly possessed by a firm or a contractor if he shares it with government then he violates the right of his clients, which is also a breach of law. Hence, it is an utmost priority of the law enforcement firms to responsibly obtain information, which could potentially lead to a threat and not to violate the confidentiality of an individual or organisation. Basic internet threat protection can be attained from firewall and anti- viruses. These software keep the privacy options of one’s PC high and do not let the pop-ups viruses and spywares to intrude or store information on one’s hard drive. The later changes the configuration of PC without the users consent. Therefore, it is much more detrimental than the former one (Caruso,1). Banks, Credit Card companies, Government agencies gather personal information of the client or public and store it in their database. Hence, this personal information given out to such firms can be exploited by the receiver. For instance, if an individual fills out a bank loan form he will insert all his personal information from family structure to preferences and potential worthy items (Liberti, 4057). However, this happens rarely, but information given out on World Wide Web is particularly detrimental for the donor. If such information is given out to a wrong or fraudulent source it can lead to maximum loss. It can all began from junk emails to pop up items and eventually it can lead to

Police Corruption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Police Corruption - Research Paper Example Thus, the author recommends more emphasis in fighting police corruption as a way of promoting governance and democracy. Cole, Smith and DeJong (2013) define police corruption as a form of police misconduct aimed at obtaining personal gains, including financial benefits or career advancement in exchange for selective or non-pursuance of an arrest or investigation. These could take the form of bribery and payoffs where police officers would accept money or its equivalent in exchange for some favours and demand payment from an individual in return for services respectively; shakedowns describes attempts by an officer to coerce money or its equivalent from criminals; and mooching which describes acceptance of free gifts from a person in return for favourable treatment to the gift giver (Gaines & Miller, 2013). Just as other values, attitudes and norms toward corruption, Martin (2011) argues that police corruption would be bound by context and hence would vary across cultures. For example , in the West, bribery was a major factor in hiring and posting the police in the past but has ceased to be a major concern nowadays. Survey also indicates visible and pervasive police corruption in developing countries as opposed to developed countries where it would be common among those working undercover rather than among the uniformed and visible officers (Bayley & Perito, 2011). This variation in police corruption would undoubtedly impact on the public regard for the police, particularly on perception of legitimacy. Police corruption remains widely spread throughout the world. In the US, the Knapp Commission found out that the New York Police Department, NYPD not only engaged in these corrupt dealings but had gone a notch higher to commit the crimes themselves (Gaines & Miller, 2013). In the UK, suppression of evidence and tampering of confessional evidence and perjury has been documented in the famous cases of the Guildford Four and the Birmingham Six among many other cases. Organised police corruption has also been uncovered in Victoria, Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. The holds or worsens in the rest of the world with Transparency International ranking the crime top in its corruption index among nine public services (Bayley & Perito, 2011). Effect of Police Corruption According to Bayley and Perito, police corruption has been noted to be â€Å"severely regressive,† affecting majorly the low income earners (2011, p. 2). Aid administrators, diplomats and other varied field personnel argue that police corruption leads to wastage of resources, mockery of justice, undermining security, alienating populations from their governments and slowing down economic development. Neild (2007) reveals obstacles in the fulfilment of the basic objective of the international community objective of establishing the rule of law. Incorporating corruption in the administration of law amounts to denial of equal justice. This undermines fair elections, fair trials, cultural expression, socio-economic opportunities and access to the basics of food, shelter, health and education. With the police being the primary institution for the implementation of society’s law, police corruption hinders the implementation of the rule of law. When the police resort to selling their services profitably, the rule of law gets compromised. Cole et al. (2013) cite three major effects of police corruption

The write choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The write choice - Assignment Example Amnesty International, an international human rights organisation has also argued that capital punishment is the ultimate denial of for human rights. They argue that since death penalty is the premeditated taking of a human life by a government, it is the ultimate disrespect for human life and therefore should not be allowed. Today, United States, according to Amnesty international has the fourth highest number of executions in the world and together with the first three countries (China, Iran, and Saudi Arabia) make up over 91% of total executions in the world (Gill, para 1). This has raised concerns especially seeing that USA is in the company of the most undemocratic nations in the world such as China and Iran. One of the biggest challenges in justifying death penalty as a way to bring justice to victims of murder and their family is the fact that it is possible to wrongfully convict a person. If a person in convicted of any other crime and imprisoned and later seen to be not guilty, they can always be acquitted. If on the other hand a person is executed and later new evidence shows that he was not guilty, there is no way of bringing back that person to life, which would mean that the government will have committed murder. According to Robertson (221), there is always a chance that a person can change and should therefore be given a second chance by preserving their lives. Robertson, Diane. Tears From Heaven: Voices From Hell: The Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty as Seen Through the Eyes of the Victims of Violent Crime and Death Row Inmates Throughout America. New York NY: iUniverse, 2002.

Abolition of the Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abolition of the Death Penalty - Essay Example Means of capital punishment include but not limited to; hanging, crucifixion, electrocution, stoning etc. Van Den Haag gives five reasons justifying the constitutionality of the death penalty by concluding that the constitution allows for death penalty which is not the case (van den hag 128).The constitution states that â€Å"if life was to be taken away as form of punishment, then it must be in accordance with the due process of the law†, this proposition is conditional and accords the government a choice to either abolish it or effect it in light of the due process of the law. For this reason I wish to put forth arguments that would lead to the abolition of death penalty. Dissenting Van den hag argues that the death penalty acts as deterrence for future murders. Death being the most severe form of punishment is most feared and a murder would think before carrying out his intention. Previous studies have shown that quiet a number of murders were deterred since the introductio n of death sentence. However, the death sentence takes quiet a long time before it is administered and the use of alternative equally feared forms of punishments could be used instead as a form of deterrence. Deterrence has its limitations as someone already imprisoned and sentenced for death would not be afraid to kill their inmates as well as the prison guards. Death sentence can only be effective in deterring murders if it is carried out fast enough which is usually not the case. Retributive justice comes into play when an imbalance occurs in society due to a loss of life from the hands of a criminal. That balance must be restored by taking away the murderers life. Concurring In rebuttal to deterrence, the death sentence has not been proven to deter future murders. The difference between life imprisonment and death sentence is negligible. Death sentence can have the effect of brutalizing the society, which then makes it a less effective tool for deterring murder as this increases the possibility of more murder (Anckar, 2004, 189). Most murders are committed by people in altered states of mind. It might be that a person acted in moments of immense emotional imbalance due to anger or substance abuse. Also, the person committing murder does not expect to be found out. It would be suffice to say that the death sentence cannot deter such persons or drug abusing criminals from committing murder as they are not in a position to evaluate the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty itself. The death penalty has not been proven to deter more murders than life imprisonment, as most prisoners serving life imprisonment are involved in routine works and like any other prisoner, they are unlikely to commit any crime. People’s security can be guaranteed by offering life sentence without parole without having to use the death penalty (Bae,2007, 235). Long-term imprisonment being a severe punishment can deter any rational human being from committing murd er; however this is not possible as most premeditated murders involve a criminal who is planning on not getting caught or people who murdered out of sheer emotion.. Police in states with the death penalty are not safe compared to police officers in abolitionist states. Also, prison personnel and prisoners are not safe in states with the death penalty than those without. (Wolftson, 1982, 167) In rebuttal to retribution, Sanctity of life should not be compromised to death penalty. Retribution being akin to revenge should not be exercised by a civilized society. Capital punishment has so many problems and risks associated with it and the need for vengeance should not justify its existence. Sanctioning killing for revenge motives lowers the dignity of a mature society which is

308 1st assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

308 1st assignment - Essay Example balance of payments, for the purposes of business profit, royal revenue, and economic prosperity (p.30).† It argues it achieved these ends through, tariff protection against imports; selective subsidies of production and exports; the acquisition of colonies, which provided raw materials and a workforce of settlers and native peoples at low cost, a market for the mother countrys finished goods, a monopoly of colonial trade and shipping, and a direct contribution to the power and prestige of empire; the development of naval power; and measures to minimize the cost of maintaining the domestic population, such as low agricultural prices, low wages, fisheries for cheap food, and so on. Doctrinal emphases on the utility of poverty and on the importance of gold holdings served instrumental purposes for those seeking power and profit. In considering the implications of trade in a mercantilist economic structure Thomas Mun urged industrialists in specific means of exportation. He argued that they must not only heed attention to their own needs, but develop a keen awareness of the needs of neighboring states, as this would give them a decided advantage when attempting export goods. He also urged exporters to attempt to sell their goods as cheap as possible, as this would undercut competing nations and cause the nation purchasing the goods to become further dependent on the imports; referring to this idea he wrote, â€Å"we must in this case strive to sell as cheap as possible we can, rather than to lose the utterance of such wares. For we have found of late years by good experience, that being able to sell our Cloth cheap in Turkey, we have greatly encreased the vent thereo (p.32).† He argued that exporting nations should export their goods in their own ships, as this would further increase the nationâ€℠¢s financial capital as the funds would not have to be spent on foreign vessels, likely increasing the price of the export. He believed that trade in far away nations

Abolition of the Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Abolition of the Death Penalty - Essay Example Means of capital punishment include but not limited to; hanging, crucifixion, electrocution, stoning etc. Van Den Haag gives five reasons justifying the constitutionality of the death penalty by concluding that the constitution allows for death penalty which is not the case (van den hag 128).The constitution states that â€Å"if life was to be taken away as form of punishment, then it must be in accordance with the due process of the law†, this proposition is conditional and accords the government a choice to either abolish it or effect it in light of the due process of the law. For this reason I wish to put forth arguments that would lead to the abolition of death penalty. Dissenting Van den hag argues that the death penalty acts as deterrence for future murders. Death being the most severe form of punishment is most feared and a murder would think before carrying out his intention. Previous studies have shown that quiet a number of murders were deterred since the introductio n of death sentence. However, the death sentence takes quiet a long time before it is administered and the use of alternative equally feared forms of punishments could be used instead as a form of deterrence. Deterrence has its limitations as someone already imprisoned and sentenced for death would not be afraid to kill their inmates as well as the prison guards. Death sentence can only be effective in deterring murders if it is carried out fast enough which is usually not the case. Retributive justice comes into play when an imbalance occurs in society due to a loss of life from the hands of a criminal. That balance must be restored by taking away the murderers life. Concurring In rebuttal to deterrence, the death sentence has not been proven to deter future murders. The difference between life imprisonment and death sentence is negligible. Death sentence can have the effect of brutalizing the society, which then makes it a less effective tool for deterring murder as this increases the possibility of more murder (Anckar, 2004, 189). Most murders are committed by people in altered states of mind. It might be that a person acted in moments of immense emotional imbalance due to anger or substance abuse. Also, the person committing murder does not expect to be found out. It would be suffice to say that the death sentence cannot deter such persons or drug abusing criminals from committing murder as they are not in a position to evaluate the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty itself. The death penalty has not been proven to deter more murders than life imprisonment, as most prisoners serving life imprisonment are involved in routine works and like any other prisoner, they are unlikely to commit any crime. People’s security can be guaranteed by offering life sentence without parole without having to use the death penalty (Bae,2007, 235). Long-term imprisonment being a severe punishment can deter any rational human being from committing murd er; however this is not possible as most premeditated murders involve a criminal who is planning on not getting caught or people who murdered out of sheer emotion.. Police in states with the death penalty are not safe compared to police officers in abolitionist states. Also, prison personnel and prisoners are not safe in states with the death penalty than those without. (Wolftson, 1982, 167) In rebuttal to retribution, Sanctity of life should not be compromised to death penalty. Retribution being akin to revenge should not be exercised by a civilized society. Capital punishment has so many problems and risks associated with it and the need for vengeance should not justify its existence. Sanctioning killing for revenge motives lowers the dignity of a mature society which is

Emperor Qinshihuang Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Emperor Qinshihuang - Essay Example when the country set course to become unified, by about 221 B.C., during which time he provided leadership and direction to the country. Emperor Qin Shi Huang was the First Emperor of this new and Unified China, and his reign, first as king and then as Emperor, stretched from 246 to 210 B.C. To be fair, it should be noted the Emperor is recorded to be quite a tyrannical figure in Chinese history. This was likely necessitated by the fact, however, that he had to struggle to keep the country unified during this initial stage of China being governed by an Emperor, particularly during the first part of his reign. It was a paradox of sorts, as this 35 year rule of power by the Emperor saw both great advances in cultural and intellectual pursuits, yet also resulted in great amounts of destruction throughout the land (Donn & Donn 2003). Perhaps owing to this reason, there are different schools of thought when considering the perceived greatness of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Yet, history cannot erase the fact that the first emperor of a unified China must be considered when broaching any discussion about what forms the foundation of the country that we know today. The basis for modern day China can certain be traced back way before the time of Christ, with the line of emperors that sough to advance the region into the most powerful and greatest country on earth. At the time that the Emperor came into power, China had really been ravaged by division. As such, the infrastructure of the country was in tatters, and there was little direction about how the country would experience any type of progress (Wood 2008). The people really did need a strong leader if they were going to advance as a civilization, so it was almost by necessity that Emperor Qin Shi Huang ruled with an iron fist so to speak. This dominate and charismatic leader, however, was able to accomplish a great deal during the 35 years he held onto the position of emperor. Some of the many accomplishments entailed t he numerous construction projects completed, adding greatly to the vitality of the region (Feuchtwang 2011). In addition, history shows us that China began to develop its own distinct culture and tradition during this time, as well as becoming known for its intellectual pursuits that are still marveled at today. In the end, however, there was also great destruction throughout the country as there were many who did not seek a unified China of this fashion, but the emperor was able to hang on. To understand how he did this, it would help to go back to the beginning and work our way forward. There is not tremendously reliable evidence about the birth and family lineage of Qin Shi Huang. It is widely believed that he was born as an illegitimate chid, and we are not entirely certain of his birth father of record (Wilkinson 2000). Just as today, illegitimate children in China are frowned upon a bit in the social hierarchy, so this likely contributed to some of the negative criticism aimed at the First Emperor. History today does shed a bit different of a light on the record of his birth, but the evidence is still not conclusive. The reality is, however, that we know Qin Shi Huang become unified China’s first Emperor at the early age of 13. Even though such young rulers are not unheard of in ancient civilization, this emperor actually ruled by proxy for the first 8 years, as Lu Buwei was the figure head and decision maker during that time. Buewi was the modern day equivalent of Prime Minister and, interestingly, is the person

According to the US Department of Labor Essay Example for Free

According to the US Department of Labor Essay

philisophical paper -- essays research papers

As Christians today we are faced with many ethical issues living in our society. Every time we turn on the TV to watch the news, pick up a newspaper and read the headlines, or read a magazine about world issues we can see situations happening in this world that challenge our morals and ethics. It is our duty as Christians to know what we believe and where we stand so we can back up our beliefs and try to interact with this world as morally correct as possible. There are some situations that we have no control over that appear ethically wrong to us and there is not much we can do if anything at all. At the same time there are things that we can do to try and reach people in some situations. It is our job to know the difference and stand up where we can but not force our own morals and ethical principles on everyone we come in contact with.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One issue that is very prevalent in the world today and all through out the history or the earth is the issue or war and combatancy. Now as Christians we know the bible says, â€Å"Thou shall not kill,† but is this issue really that simple? If we just took that stance and said that as Christians we shouldn’t go to war then our country and the world we live in would suffer. Let me get something straight right now before I go into this topic, I do not like war; I think it is an ugly thing, and I wish there would not be any more wars on this earth for the rest of its existence. But the fact of the matter is that there is war, there always was war and there will always be war until the second coming of Jesus Christ. War has become a way of life, it was not God’s original plan, but because of the entrance of sin into our universe, war was created. The first war we know of was a war in heaven between Satan and his angles and Jesus and His angels. Al l throughout the old testament we see the Israelites, God’s people, lead by God, going to war to obtain the land that God had promised to them. War is real and has become a necessity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Just because war is here does not mean that it is an ok thing to do. War came about as a result of sin; with the beginning of sin there was the beginning of war. War has become a necessary means to get by in a sinful world. To protect the peace and the free way of living that we enjoy here in America, sometimes, we must go to war. As members of socie... ...o many people told them when they were growing up that they shouldn’t do it. You see, it’s not so much that they like it but they were just told not to do these things, so they did them. We have to inform people and let them make their own decisions; we cannot just force our opinions on them, and that never works. This is the same for all of our views as Christians. It does not just stop with health but it extends into our entire way of life. We must live our lives as examples for all to see.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you see in all these issues we, as Christians, must take stands on what we believe is right, but we should not force our opinions and beliefs on others. This is what everything boils down to. God gave us the gift of choice, and this is something he gave everyone. As Christians we are called to try to lead people to God and his work not to force them. If they want to come to him that is a personal decision, all we can do is help them along, not push them. The best way to help someone is to show him or her by example. If we set good examples for other people in all the ways mentioned in this paper then we can begin to reach other people and help them to change.

What is This I See Before Me? :: essays research papers

What is This I See Before Me? Macbeth’s visions seem to be a manifestation of his growing guilt and insatiable ambition. He is being driven to madness by his own actions. The first time we see this phenomena is just before Macbeth goes to kill Duncan; at this time he refers to a bloody dagger that seems to be floating in the air before him. This is a prelude to all that will come. Just after he commits his first murderous sin Macbeth claims to hear voices in the chambers crying out, â€Å"sleep no more, Macbeth does murder sleep† and, â€Å"Macbeth shall sleep no more† (57). These mystic voices turn out to be quite prophetic. Again after Macbeth has ordered the murder of Banquo he sees a vision of the dead mans ghost sitting at Macbeth’s table, in fact in his very chair, a gesture that can be seen to have more that one meaning. All of these visions seem to be nothing more than fabrications of his own tortured conscience. They serve as vehicles for his uncouth desires and as reminders o f his unhappy deeds. It seems that the two people most affected by these hallucinations are Macbeth and his wife. He obviously is most directly affected but after a while it becomes clear that they are taking there toll on her as well. Three of the major visions or hallucinations in the play were the dagger, the voices, and Banquo’s ghost. â€Å"Is this a dagger I see before me the handle towards my hand? Come let me clutch thee† (51). Macbeth speaks these words as he stands waiting for the correct time to carry out his first gory deed. â€Å"Covered with blood and pointed toward the king’s chamber, the dagger represents the bloody course on which Macbeth is about to embark.† (Macbeth Study Guide) It also seems to be a catalyst for his desire to kill Duncan in order to inherit the kingship. Macbeth sees the dagger as a sign that he shall proceed with this wicked night. â€Å"Thou marshal’st me the way that I was going, and such an instrument I was to use†. (53) The primary difference between this hallucination and those that followed is that this time Macbeth knows that it isn’t real. He seems fascinated by it, but aware that it is only a â€Å"dagger of the mind, a false creation† (53). He even suggests that it is a product of a â€Å"heat-oppressed brain† (53).

Analysis of Direct Costs Essay

Introduction Developing and building a drone is one thing while developing a navigation system is completely another aspect. A drone can be considered a toy without a well-engineered design and functional navigation system. The navigation system is mainly used to give commands to the drone to undertake actions that are compatible with the development of the drone. With all the funds that are put into the development of the drones, the navigation system is developed in manner that cannot be prone to outside interference like hackers, terrorist or anyone that would take over the drones navigation system. It must contain a system that will be able to take commands from a single base irrespective of the geographical condition that the drone is in (Bhimani, Horngren, Datar, Rajan, et al, 2012). A prediction of the main cost that is associated with the VectorCal’s drone navigation system production. There are two main costs associated with the production of VectorCal’s drone navigation sy stem, they are direct labor and material costs. There are also two types of labor costs associated with the production of the navigation system, indirect and direct labor. Direct labor is labor consumed in areas that have a direct connection with the production or provision of service, and it is produced by skilled workers and business operators. An example would be workers who are in the production line of the navigation system. These employees are welders, cutters, engineers, equipment operators, technicians of equipment, mechanical, production supervisors and any employee directly related to the production of the navigation systems. Indirect labor is labor consumed in the administrative areas of business that support production and trade. Employees who are on  the administrative side of the business are what cause an expense, and this cost is indirect because they are not directly responsible for the production of the navigation systems themselves. These employee’s include engineers, assistants, secretaries, drivers, human resources, trainers, marketers and accounting, all employees indirectly related to the production and sale of the produ ct. VectorCal’s navigation systems have two types of Material costs as well, direct materials and indirect materials. Materials or supplies are the basic elements that are transformed into the finished product through the use of labor and manufacturing overhead costs in the production process. The material costs can be direct or indirect materials are those that can be identified with the production of the finished product, which can be easily seen as part of the product and represents a significant cost of the finished product. Indirect materials are parts or supplies that are involved in the production process of the article, but not classified as direct materials. A good example would be nuts and bolts used in the production process, and as such are considered an indirect materials manufacturing cost. A comparison of the direct and indirect cost that is associated with the navigation system within VectorCal and my company. The main cost within the development of a navigation sy stem for VectorCal’s or Remote Control Unlimited’s drone, will be in labor and material cost. The labor cost will mainly be used in the acquisition of highly trained and experienced programmers. The programmers will have to work in a team since the navigation system is quite a complex task and numerous ideas are required. One team of programmer can be working on the global positioning and tracking system of the drone while another team will be entitled in safeguarding the system from unauthorized access and interference. It also crucial to note that, the drone navigation system will need constant maintenance and improvement, which is a continuous labor cost. The labor cost can be predicted to vary from $12 million to $16 million only on the system development without taking into consideration the maintenance labor cost. Material cost of the drone navigation system may involve the use of highly specialized pieces of electronics and equipment. In some cases where drones are used for long distance missions, a satellite may be used. The material cost can be predicted to vary from $4 million to $7.5 million depending on the functionality of the drone. The main cost may be high but  this is mainly due to the fact that it is being developed from scratch. After the navigation system is developed, it can be used on multiple drones with the only requirement of maintenance and upgrading the system. The main cost can be considered to be a one off cost that is extremely crucial. The total main cost will range from $16 million to $23.5 million and may need further analysis of hidden costs. The direct cost is seen to be almost similar with extremely little difference in range. However the indirect costs have quite a big difference. VectorCal’s indirect cost will be quite minimal since they will adopt an already working rationale in the development of their drone navigation system. This means that they will follow an example of an already working system and thus reduce mistakes and repetitions that would cost the company quite huge sums of money. The only way to control both the cost is by emulating an already successful idea and le arning through it. This reduces mistakes and tends to guide new developments in what to do and what not to do. The result will be saving time and huge expenses (Chadwick, 2002). Compare your company with VectorCal relative to the price of acquisition, semi variable costs, and allocated direct and indirect costs of the drone navigation system. The acquisition cost of a fixed asset is the economic sacrifice to acquire the asset and make it ready to be used in an activity. It includes the purchase price and any other necessary expenses such as freight, broker fee’s, registration procedures in the case of goods whose domain must be registered like a drone or airplane. The cost of purchasing function, platform construction, assembly, testing and staff training By comparing Remote Control Unlimited and VectorCals relative price of acquisition, VectorCal price will quite high compared to Remote Control Unlimited’s price, since it is already running and has firm roots within the market. Also VectorCal has a proven credibility within the market, a thing that Remote Control Unlimited will be striving to acquire. The semi-variable costs are composed of fixed and variable costs, such as salaries are fixed costs, but overtime is considered a variable cost. Both companies direct costs are incurred when purchasing products to ensure the production of the navigation systems, but the indirect costs are those related to administrative salaries, office costs, and membership costs. Setting up a business and running it to profitability is not a simple issue, but it can be simplified with good  planning and market research. References Bhimani, A., Horngren, C., Datar, S., Rajan, M. et al. (2012) Management and Cost Accounting. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Prentice Hall, p.369 – 378. Chadwick, L. (2002) Essential Finance and Accounting for Managers. Harlow, London, New York, Massachusetts, San Francisco, Toronto, Son Mills, Sydney et.al: PearsonEducation, p.280-281 Direct Labor, Direct Materials, and Overhead, (nd). http://academic.regis.edu/dbush/Accounting/Accounting%20Help/DL%20DM%20OH/acc_dl_dm_o.htm Candace Webb, Demand Media, (nd), Labor Cost Vs. Material Cost. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/labor-cost-vs-material-cost-11368.html Definition of ‘Acquisition Cost’, (nd), http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/acquisition-cost.asp Direct vs Indirect Costs, (nd), http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/research/OSP/direct-vs-indirect-costs.cfm

Human Resource Is the Most Important Assets in an Organization Essay

Assets can be defined as â€Å"tangible and intangible resources of a firm which can be drawn upon by a the firm when required to achieve its objective(s)† (Ray and Ramakrishnan, 2006). Tangible assets include financial and physical assets such as machineries and manufacturing plants while examples of intangible assets are branding, company reputation, technological know-how and human resource (Noe et al., 2012). Human resource is the most important asset of an organisation. Using studies which showed that effective use of human resources contributed to better corporate performance and/or productivity, this essay attempts to show that this intangible asset is a key driver in the survival and competitiveness of an organisation. For organisations to be successful, they need to survive and obtain an advantage over their competitors. There are many ways to attain a competitive advantage, including patented product and process technologies, protection and regulation of domestic markets and access to financial resources (Pfeffer, 1994). However, the aforementioned contributors of success are deemed to be less relevant in today’s societies because technologies can be imitated, markets are increasingly globalised and global capital markets ever more opened for worldwide movement of financial resources (Pfeffer, 1994). Instead, in today’s organisations, it is widely accepted that employees are key strategic resources for companies because their knowledge, expertise, ideas and services drive innovations, steer product developments and build relationships with clients. This in turn increase companies performances through multiple means such as driving profits, increasing productivity and building large customer bases. For example, Sears, a multinational US company, attributed its transformational success through its believe in the 3†³Cs† of â€Å"Compelling Place to Work†, â€Å"Compelling Place to Shop† and followed by â€Å"Compelling Place to Invest† (Yeung and Berman, 1997). The senior management at Sears believed that by optimising its human resources (through shaping of employee’s attitudes, increasing motivation and skills), it will become an attractive venue for customers to shop with high level of satisfaction. Consequently, it will be a good investment option due to strong financial results (through increase in customer expenditure) and productivity (through optimisation of human resources) (Yeung and Berman, 1997). Strategically valuable resources may give companies a competitive edge. Bartlett and Ghoshal (2002) argued that there is an evolving corporate strategy from one that competes for markets and products, to one that compete for resources and competencies, to the current strategy of competing for talents and dreams. Resources are deemed to be valuable when they cannot be easily imitated, their value depreciate slowly, they cannot be easily substituted and they are relatively better than competitors with similar resources (Collis and Montgomery, 2008). While these resources may be tangible or acquired capabilities, it is the view of this author that it is people that best fit the described characteristics of valuable resources. Creativity and expertise of an employee may not be easily duplicated. It takes time to groom talents, and their experiences and competencies cannot be easily replaced. Thus, to gain a competitive edge, companies need to invest in the hearts and minds of the key success factor – human resource. Many studies have shown that effective HRM (such as investments in training and strategic HRM) had led to increase in company performances, through proxy indicators such as increased profits return, labour productivity, and service quality. In the employee-customer-profit chain model devised by senior management at Sears, they predicted that a 5 unit increase in employee attitude will drive 1.3 unit increase in customer impression that will in turn increase revenue growth by 0.5% (Rucci et al, 1998). When put into context, in 1998, a 4% rise in employee and customer satisfaction translated to an increase in more than $200 million of revenues over a 12-month period (Rucci et al, 1998). Other than the example on Sears, Choudhury (2010) showed that there is a positive relationship between investment in human capital and company performance in India’s information technology sector. Similar positive correlation can also be observed from studies analysing quality of human capital an d sales revenue per employee in Romanian software companies (Camelia, 2012) and perceived effectiveness of rewards on corporate performance in Nigerian Banks (Ojo, 2011). As an important asset of the organisation, human resources need to be managed properly. HRM encompasses a multitude of responsibilities including recruitment, training and development, benefits, health and services (Noe et al., 2012). There are many case studies that have demonstrated that a highly-skilled workforce and appropriate training of employees play a key role in increased company performances. A survey done on 62 retail stores showed that percentage of personnel trained in their designed training programme correlated with the stores’ performances (Russell et al., 1985). Another study done in 15 manufacturing sectors of seven European Union countries suggested that intermediate- and highly-skilled workers increases labour productivity, which is a proxy for companies performances (Corvers, 1997). It is envisioned that with training, employees will be equipped with job-related skill sets and competencies. A company with cutting edge technology needs employees with the know-how to operate the machineries. A retail shop may distinguishes itself from another shop that sells similar merchandise through quality services that helps build a brand name and large clientele. Employees may learn how to serve customers through training programmes. A study of 2003-2006 Training Top 100 survey report published by the Training Magazine showed that there is a positive correlation between training expenditure and operating performances (Liao et al., 2011). This supports the general perception that training is an important HRM tool for companies to survive in the increa singly competitive market. Human resource is a key contributor to the success of organisations today. Examples used in this essay reinforced the argument that human resource is likely to the most important corporate asset as it is a unique resource that drives companies performance. In order to effectively tap on this valuable resource, companies need to train employees so that their potential can be harnessed.

The True Meaning of 'Push' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The True Meaning of 'Push' - Essay Example ontext of the protagonist’s life, because it symbolically represents the fact that she has been left behind and needs to push her way forward to survive in the world. At the beginning of the story, Sapphire sets the stage by providing indications that the protagonist lags behind others. â€Å"I was left back when I was twelve because I had a baby for my fahver†¦ I had got left back in the second grade too, when I was seven, ‘cause I couldn’t read†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1). In fact, Precious is considered such a hopeless case as far as learning is concerned that the principal of the school tells her teacher to give up and stop wasting time on her. â€Å"Focus on the ones who can learn† (39). Precious herself articulates the predominant view that exists about her learning powers. â€Å"The tesses paint a picture of me wif no brain†¦ the tesses paint a picture of me an’ my muver – my whole family, we more than dumb, we invisible† (33). Because Precious has been left so far behind, it is not even worth the time or effort for anyone to help her so that she can move forward. In having to push when giving birth to her first baby, Precious is, for the first time, encouraged to be assertive and aggressive rather than passive, drawing upon her basic, primal, female energy in bringing forth life (Marvel, 1996). The title Push, therefore, represents the basic energy of the female protagonist, who at sixteen, cannot read or write, still hasn’t completed high school and is already about to give birth to her second child. Nevertheless, she does not give up or submit to despair; she is always ready to keep fighting, as reflected in her attitude: â€Å" ‘N I really do want to learn. Every day I tell myself something gonna happen, some shit like on TV. I’m gonna break through or somebody gonna break through to me – I’m gonna learn, catch up, be normal, change my seat to the front of the class† (5). When the story commences and Precious is suspended from school because she is

Bobbitt and Today's Goals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Bobbitt and Today's Goals - Essay Example Today, output maximization and cost minimization have been factored in other numerous goals to be achieved. In other words, cost and output are not the only concerns when it comes to achievement of goals. A fundamental aspect of social and economic welfare has been introduced in the contemporary times. This is due to the fact that output can be maximized and cost minimized (Flinders & Thornton, 2004) without any effect on the social and economic welfare. Therefore, social and economic welfare has become a contemporary primary goal, with cost and output concerns acting as aiding tools to the realization of the underlying goal. Educational institutions should critically position work of adults in their programs. Mirroring work of adults would critically establish a rich ground for the stakeholders involved to infer, relate information, and undertake studies across variant sources for diversified knowledge. The idea is to enhance the quality of programs and systems run by educational institutions for the benefit of all stakeholders on board. Work of adults, therefore, could be one of the core pillars of educational

Consumer decision making process on muller rice Essay

Consumer decision making process on muller rice - Essay Example The source of the competitive advantage is in the name of the company and the ability to price its products in a competitive manner. The main challenge that it faces is the increased competition from the other producers. Its opportunity is in the increased awareness in people about the food that they take. The marketing objectives of the company are to penetrate the market and attain the most market share possible. The company also aims at cementing its position in the global arena. The growth strategies that the company can use include the introduction of new products such as new flavours. The company may also expand its cream division since this will be able to utilize the excesses in the capacity (Pride and Ferrell, 2008). The understanding of the customer decision making is important for the company since this is the approach that the company will use to come up with new products. The targeting can be made in such a way that it focuses on the individual needs of the different classes of people (Pride and Ferrell,

To what extent was the final solution planned Essay

To what extent was the final solution planned - Essay Example While some people believe that this was a spontaneous decision made by Hitler, others believe that the process was systematically planned. The aim of this paper is to find out how far the Final Solution was planned. The investigation will cover what the Final Solution was, the debate of the decision, the extermination camps, and to what extent it was planned. It was right around 1942 when the plans of the Final Solution fully took hold, but over one million Jews had already been murdered. â€Å"It was only with the decision to eradicate the entire Jewish population that the extermination camps were built and industrialized mass slaughter of Jews began in earnest. This decision to systematically kill the Jews of Europe was made by the time of or at the Wannsee Conference, which took place in Berlin, in the Wannsee Villa on January 20, 1942. During the conference, there was a discussion held by a group of German Nazi officials to decide on the ‘Final Solution of the Jewish Question’† (Wikipedia 2008, p. 1). The extent to which the Final Solution was planned can be proven by documents that contain the minutes and other records of the Wannsee Conference. The Allies located these documents at the end of World War II and used them as evidence in the Nuremberg Trials. â€Å"The records and minutes of this meeting were found intact by the Allies at the end of the war and served as valuable evidence during the Nuremberg Trials. â€Å"By spring of 1942, Operation Reinhard began the systematic extermination of the Jews, although hundreds of thousands already had been killed by death squads and in mass pogroms. In Heinrich Himmlers speech at the Posen Conference of October 6, 1943, Himmler, for the first time, clearly elucidated to all assembled leaders of the Reich, in frank and brutal terms, what the "Final Solution" referred to† (Wikipedia, 2008, p. 1). The Final Solution was the Nazi’s plan to

Parental Responsiveness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Parental Responsiveness - Essay Example If any case a child gets difficulties in achieving what he or she demands, he or she cries for assistance. Therefore, it is the role of the parents or caregivers to react responsibly after a child cries and assist on what he or she wants. When children start schooling, they meet with peers. During that time, the child adapts other different behaviors. The peer pressure usually affects them more behaviors than those they acquired from their parents or caretakers. The behaviors include good and bad ones where bad ones are easier to adapt than the good ones. The bad behaviors become more challenging to the parents or caretakers while trying to control them from their children. The adolescent stage is where most of the children have a greater resistance in changing the code of behaviors (Staats, 2002). Most of the children who refuse to change their behaviors as guided by their parents or caretakers or teachers, they mess up with their lives as they become mature. At this stage, there are some who drop out from schooling and later regret in their lives. Psychoanalysis is the understanding of the psychological phenomenon and how to treat emotional disorders. Children psychoanalysis is a form of research and treatment involving the children in trying to help them in coping with the problems. The main goal psychoanalysis is to aid children together with their parents in understanding their behaviors and feelings and try to develop them back on track (Palombo et al, 2009). The therapy usually involves less play along with more talks while the children get older towards and into puberty. Parents or caretakers should assist their children mostly at the puberty stage. The method can be used in handling the situation where the mother does not understand the desires of the infant when he or she cries. In most cases a child cries when he or she becomes uncomfortable, hungry, tired, or wants to sleep. During

History of Special Education Essay Example for Free

History of Special Education Essay Special education has changed in many different ways throughout the last century. The views of they way students with differences should be taught and treated have changed as people have become more open minded. The education laws have also seen a turn about. One major area of education was in a desperate need of changed opinions and beliefs. Education for children with learning problems has emerged from no education to special funding and programs especially for those individuals with learning problems. The first phase of special education is the largest span of time. The Foundation Phase was from 1800 to  1930, children who had any sign of learning problems were labeled as dumb, retarded, and even brain injured. The reason students would have been labeled as brain injured is because of studies done on war victims and soldiers of war. Many soldiers had head injuries and the way they acted related very similarly to the way brain injured students acted. At this time period researchers and doctors located the area of the brain related to language, or the language function of the brain. The Transition Phase began in 1930 and lasted until 1960. This phase had some turning points in the way brain injured children were taught. Researchers developed instruments for assessment, analyzed specific Atwell 2 types of learning problems and also presented a plan for teaching brain injured children. At this stage the labeling of the children with learning problems was not as harsh as brain injured. The students were called children with minimal brain dysfunction. The turning phase for the education of students with learning problems was the Integration Phase, 1960 to 1980. There was a man by the name of Samuel Kirk, who came up with the name learning disabled. After this term took the place of brain injured and minimal  brain dysfunction, it seemed like there was hope for children with learning problems. Schools started establishing programs for the learning disabled. Funding was provided for teachers to be trained in learning disabilities. The most important part of the Integration Phase is the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) in 1975. This act was to ensure that all students no matter what type of problem would receive a free and appropriate public education. The last phase is the Current Phase, from 1980 to the present. One of the major aspects of this phase is inclusion. Inclusion is educating students with disabilities in regular classrooms in their neighborhood schools, with collaborative support services as needed. Another aspect of the Current Phase is when the EMA of 1975 was rewritten as IDEA in 1990. IDEA, Individuals Atwell 3 with Disabilities Education Act, made it hard to suspend or expel students with learning disabilities because of their behavior. IDEA also required that each learning disabled child have an IEP, Individualized Education Program. An IEP is a document that must include current performance of the student, the annual goals the studen  needs to achieve, special education and related services the child needs, participation, if any, with nondisabled children, modifications needed to take state tests, dates and places of when and where special services will be provided and the measuring progress of the child. Before a student can have an IEP, they first must be labeled as a student with a learning disability. There are stages to figure out whether or not a child has a learning disability. The first stage is noticing if a student is having difficulty in one or more subject areas. The next step is to evaluate the childs  suspected disability area, but before this can take place, the school must receive permission from the parents to evaluate their child. Then the eligibility is decided by a group of qualified professionals along with the parents to determine if the child has a disability defined by IDEA. If found eligible, the IEP team must meet and write an IEP for the child within 30 days of the student being identified as disabled. The IEP team meeting is held and the IEP is written. Atwell 4 Services are then provided for the student. At the end of the year, progress is measured and IEP is reviewed. After this process takes place, every three years after that, the student is reevaluated. By law certain individuals must be involved in the writing of a childs Individualized Education Program. Parents must be involved because they know their child and what their child may need. Regular education teachers, if the student will be placed in regular classrooms some time during the day, are a need on the team, because they know the general curriculum. They also have knowledge of how to handle behavior problems. The next member of an IEP team should be a special education teacher. This  person will be able to contribute their knowledge in how to modify general curriculum and testing to help the special needs child learn and show what they have learned. The special education teacher also has the responsibility to teach the student and carry out the IEP. The individuals involved in the IEP team are individuals who can interpret evaluation results, represent the school system, individuals with knowledge or special expertise about the child, representatives from transition service agencies and the student who the IEP is being written for. Atwell 5 Education has gone through many stages of the way a  child should be taught. The law has made a path for those with learning problems and now there is no stopping them. Children with learning disabilities finally have a chance to excel in school and gives them the opportunity to have a normal life. Atwell 6 Works Cited A Guide to the Individualized Education Program. U. S. Department of Education. 20 Feb. 2001. . Lerner, Janet W. Learning Disabilities: Theories, Diagnosis, andTeaching Strategies. 8th ed. Boston: Ally Bacon Publishers, 2000. Levine, Daniel U. , Allan C. Ornstein. Foundations of Education. 6th ed. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1997.

Cult Practices in Cyprus During the Late Bronze Age

Cult Practices in Cyprus During the Late Bronze Age Assess the evidence for cult practices on Cyprus during the LBA (Late Bronze Age). There is a variety of evidence for cult practices on Cyprus during the LBA although it is often difficult to interpret and scholarly opinion of the significance or meaning of any particular piece of evidence may vary widely. In absolute terms, the LBA on Cyprus approximately covers the period from 1650-1050BC, some six hundred years, and in relative terms is divided by Steel into the phases LC (Late Cypriot) I-IIIA (Tatton-Brown 1997, 91; Steel 2004, 13). The later phase down to c1050BC, traditionally termed LCIIIB, may be considered a transitional Bronze/Early Iron Age. Such a considerable amount of time offers considerable scope for change in religious thought and practice, which may be more or less visible in the archaeological record, and although some material change through time may be observable, any interpretation still poses the danger of imposing a possibly non-existent uniformity on the material. A lack of any written references such as inscriptions, dedications or other t exts to deities in LBA Cyprus further complicates matters (Tatton-Brown 1997, 62). Nevertheless, the archaeological evidence usually discussed in terms of religious or cultic beliefs and practices in LBA Cyprus seems to fall into several interlinked categories: clay figurines, architectural remains (eg of sanctuaries) and artefacts, such as statuettes, imported pottery or bucrania, found in association with those architectural remains. The identification of any particular deities has been fraught with difficulty, but several bronze statuettes, the most well-known being known as the Ingot God and the Bomford figurine, are often thought to represent Cypriot or sometimes foreign gods and to show a link between cult and metalworking. This essay shall therefore examine these in turn, focussing on LCII and LCIIIA in particular. There are various types of figurine from LBA Cyprus and as with figurines from elsewhere, their interpretation and significance is disputed. Considering the earlier stump and plank type human figures, Tatton-Brown (1997, 62) suggests that whether they were fertility charms or goddesses ‘in practical terms their function would have been the same’. It is perhaps appropriate to bear this in mind with the LBA figurines. Karageorghis (2001, 323) has noted two types of female symbolism in the religious iconography of LBA Cyprus: one type of nude female figurine holding or supporting her breasts first appears on Cyprus in the Chalcolithic and continues down to the sixth century BC (see Tatton-Brown 1997, 49, fig. 49); another type, the kourotrophos (or boy-feeder; see Tatton-Brown 1997, 62 fig. 67 for an early plank-shaped kourotrophos) appeared firstly in the LBA and was also present in the Aegean as well as Cyprus. The former are sometimes known as ‘Astarte’ type figures, after the Syrian goddess. This emphasis on female characteristics such as breasts and genitals, as well as the feeding infant or infant in arms, is certainly suggestive of an interest in fertility and the feminine aspect, often thought to be represented by a ‘Great Goddess’ of Cyprus. Although there is no textual evidence regarding female deities from LBA Cyprus, much later fourth century BC dedications at Paphos refer to ‘Wanassa’ – the ‘Lady’, which seems to be an old title known in the LBA Linear B record of mainland Greece (Tatton-Brown 1997, 63). Greeks knew this goddess as Aphrodite or the Cyprian in the eighth century BC while Cypriots knew her as the Paphian, from the religious centre at Paphos. Whatever the female figurines represent – and they may not even represent goddesses, it has nevertheless been concluded that anthropomorphic clay figurines ‘are not a typical element of LC cult equipment in LCII or LCIII’ but become popular towards the end of the LBA (Steel 2004, 205, 211). Indeed, it seems that especially at Enkomi in LCIIIB, in the Sanctuary of the Ingot God, smaller and larger figurines (wheel-made with upraised arms) became especially popular, perhaps representing worshippers and deities. The larger figurines seem to be related to Cretan examples (Karageorghis 2001, 325). Most of the 120 figurines were deliberately broken, which may be indicative of changes in cult practice at this time (Webb 1999, 107). Anthropomorphic figurines are not the only type of figurine that may be related to cult practices on LBA Cyprus. Another key type may be the bull figurine. Steel (2004, 178) suggests that ‘most LC cult sanctuaries are equipped with at least a single terracotta bull figure.’ Hadjisavvas (1989) describes the tentative identification of two sanctuaries and a household cult area at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris from LCIIC-IIIA, where in total more than ten bull figurines were found on floors (see Hadjisavvas 1989, 38 fig. 3.6). Evidence of metalworking and a miniature ox-hide ingot were also found associated. Since bull figurines tend to be found on the floors of sanctuaries rather than deposited in pits (bothroi) or wells, Webb suggests they served as cult equipment rather than offerings (Webb 1999, 219). Bucrania had appeared on clay sanctuary models from the Early Bronze Age testifying to the longstanding significance of the bull in the Cypriot mindscape (Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999, 202) and the LBA figures emphasise the continuing importance of the bull in LCIIIA cult practices, reflected in the finds of cattle bones and skulls at sites such as the Sanctuary of the Horned God at Enkomi (Steel 2004, 205). It may be significant that at several sites, including the Sanctuary of the Double Goddess at Enkomi, no bull figurines were found. The focus of communal ceremonial activity seems to have changed in LCIIA from the extramural cemeteries that seemed to dominate the ceremonial of LCI to sites specific to religious activity – sanctuaries, that now appear in the archaeological record (Steel 2004, 175). There are notable examples of specialised cult centres from LCIIA at Myrtou-Pighades, Athienou and perhaps Ayios Iakovos-Dhima and in LCIIC-IIIA at the urban centres of Kition, Enkomi and Palaepaphos (Steel 2004, 176). As seen above, the religious nature of a place may often be suggested by the finds associated with it, such as bull figurines or miniature ingots, supposing that they are a specialised assemblage distinct from domestic assemblages. Particular architectural features or installations, such as horns of consecration (a feature from the Aegean, particularly Crete), altars and a cult room, may also be used to identify LC sanctuaries. The remains of sacrifice, stores cult objects and images and specialise d prestige and religious objects, such as figurines, bucrania and imported pottery should also be indicative of a sanctuary (Knapp 1996, 75-6 cited in Steel 2004, 175). However, the identification of cult buildings is not always straightforward since as Webb (1999, 11) points out ‘there appear to be few artefacts or architectural or locational indicators exclusively diagnostic of cult activity. Virtually all object types, with the probable exception of horns of consecration, are found in domestic and funerary as well as apparently ritual contexts’ and there is a danger of circular argumentation. Bearing in mind the problems of identification, Webb (1999, 157-6; 166-88) has nevertheless suggested a number of characteristics of LC cult buildings. Such buildings are mostly rectangular and freestanding and incorporate an enclosed courtyard or temenos. They tend to be laid out on an east-west axis and often comprise two or three units of rooms – the hall, sometimes supported by rows of pillars, the cella or adyton and a vestibule. A range of internal installations may be present, including: benches, for storage and display; hearths, often with burnt animal bone suggestive of sacrifice; stone podia for food and drink offerings or the display of votives or cult equipment; stone platforms or altars with horns of consecration, as at Myrtou-Pighades; terracotta larnakes or bathtubs and pits or bothroi, for the disposal of debris from sacrifices. Also characteristic of LCII cult places are faunal remains of sheep, goat, cattle and deer, perhaps in the form of ash and burnt bone, the remains of sacrifice and feasting. The main function of cult buildings may have been to house the deity and any ritual or public assembly may have made use of the courtyard or temenos area (Webb 1999, 162). There may have been restricted access to particular areas reflecting the specialised role of religious functionaries, as in other ancient Near Eastern societies. Keswani (1993, 74) has commented that what is striking about LC religious sites is their diversity in architectural form, which might argue for the existence of independent local polities. However the relationship between religion and its expression in material terms, let alone the relationship between religion and politics, is unclear and, to use an analogy, the similarity of Gothic cathedrals or Christian churches across various countries does not reflect political unity. Furthermore, whether the modern scholar’s distinction between cult building and non-cult building reflects any particular distinction bet ween sacred and secular that may or may not have existed in LBA Cyprus is moot. Turning now to the artefacts that are often found in the sanctuaries, Steel (2004, 177) notes that in contrast to the variety in architecture, the cult equipment of LCII sanctuaries is fairly uniform. Although she comments that this may suggest ‘a certain degree of uniformity of cult practices and religious beliefs’ it should be borne in mind that material similarities and even similarities of ritual action do not necessarily betoken similarities in religious belief – the number of religions ancient and modern that utilise, for example, ritualised drinking (eg Christianity), while having very different sets of beliefs, should warn us of this. That said, the cult equipment is largely made up of ceramics that suggest certain features of cult practice. Liquid containers are common finds, especially Base Ring carinated cups which may have been used for wine consumption during feasting, for pouring libations or both (Steel 2004, 177). The pottery in these contexts is u sually fine Cypriot ware with some Mycenaean imports, mainly in the form of kraters, probably for mixing wine. Some Mycenaean rhyta, often conical vessels used for pouring libations, have been found, for example at Myrtou-Pighades and Kition (see Preziosi and Hitchcock 1999, 201 fig. 134) and a locally made imitation in ivory was found at Athienou, although they may not have been fully incorporated into Cypriot ritual (Steel 2004, 178). Other vessels such as Mycenanaean kylikes may have been used for libation ceremonies. The ceramic focus on drinking seems reminiscent of the mainland Greek LBA palace of Pylos, with its storerooms full of drinking cups. Another shared feature is the practice of using miniature votives, either ceramics or ingots, such as at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris (Hadjisavvas 1989, 38). Apart from ceramics, Steel (2004, 178) also mentions the presence of objects that may have been used in divination: incised ox-scapulae, astragalis and worked shells, and other valuabl e items such as faience, ivory, glass, alabaster, bronzes and sealstones, which may have been involved in competitive display, at least on the urban sanctuaries. Three of the most famous and enigmatic bronze finds, perhaps representing deities, are the Ingot God from Enkomi, the unprovenanced Bomford statuette and the Horned God from Enkomi, all of which would seem to belong to LCIIIA (Carless Hulin 1989; Steel 2004, 180, 205 plate 25). The Ingot God is a warrior with a horned helmet, holding a small round shield and spear. He appears to be standing on a characteristically shaped bronze ox-hide ingot. The Bomford statuette resembles an ‘Astarte’ figurine but also seems to stand upon an ingot. Many interpretations have been offered, including suggestions that the Ingot God is a Babylonian or Levantine god (Nergal) or the Greek smith-god Hephaistos; others have linked it with Syria-Palestine or the Aegean (Carless Hulin 1989, 127). The Bomford figurine, reckoned to be a local Cypriot goddess, has been assumed to be the consort of the Ingot God, since it also stands on an ingot, and thus Carless Hulin (1989, 127) has suggested that its identification must be seen in light of that figure. While these two figures have posed significant problems in interpretation and in particular origins as deduced from style have been a major concern of those examining them, they do seem to show a connection between religion and metalwork (Steel 2004, 180). This is not entirely surprising since such a link is suggested by the miniature ingots from cult areas mentioned above at Alassa-Pano Mandilaris or those from Enkomi, some with inscriptions. Further representations of ingots have been noted that seem to show them in a ritualised sense – ie being carried in a procession (unless this is mere transportation or loading), on sealstones, and in combination with human figures, trees and bucrania, the association of which would seem to indicate ritual significance (Knapp 1986, 37). Another link between religion and metalwork is shown by the physical proximity of cult and metalworking areas. This was the case at Alassa-Pano M andilaris (Hadjisavvas 1989, 41) and can be seen clearly at Kition-Kathari (see Steel 2004, 179 fig. 6.13) as well as many other sites. Hadjisavvas (1989, 41) concluded that there was a relationship between elite control (priesthood/priest-king) of craft production and trade in copper and other commodities and between cult and metalworking. As with drinking, the relationship seems reminiscent of that of Pylos as a specialised production centre with close links between production, storage and religious/political authority. The Horned God has also been classed as a warrior god (Steel 2004, 205), though it does not possess the military accoutrements (the spear and shield) of the Ingot God. The impractically horned helmet may in fact be arrogating or representing some aspect of the bull divinity in human aspect. The sanctuary of the Horned God at Enkomi in fact revealed cattle bones, skulls and possibly traces of an Aegean bull’s head rhyton that might be taken as supporting this conjecture. Although these three bronze figures are commonly referred to as gods, the problem of interpretation nonetheless remains. Do the statues represent deities and were they venerated? Are they votives or substitutes for worshippers or individuals? Perhaps they were simply items of cult equipment used in ceremonies, perhaps revealed during ceremonies of divine appearance or the enactment of myths. Their deposition seems to suggest deliberate closure ceremonies (Steel 2004, 206), suggesting that these rituals and stat uettes are tied to specific times in LBA Cyprus and presumably responded to specific social needs. Thus it is perhaps unwise to draw period wide generalisations from such evidence. Another type of evidence appearing in LCIII that should be mentioned briefly is the terracotta masks from the urban sanctuaries of Enkomi and Kition (Steel 2004, 204). These have been divided into anthropomorphic and demonic types, both of which are slightly less than adult life size. Some have traces of paint and eight of the anthropomorphic masks show a bearded male with cut-out eyes and a closed mouth. The demonic faces are deeply grooved. The masks have been interpreted as ritual objects worn during rites of passage from childhood to adulthood – the demonic masks representing the wild state of childhood and as masks used in mythological re-enactments connected to metalworking (Steel 2004, 205). This essay has attempted to outline and assess the evidence for cult practice in LBA Cyprus. Inevitably not all of the evidence has been mentioned here but it is hoped that reasonable coverage has been given to the main points. It has shown that while there is much evidence linked to cult in the LBA, such as figurines, sanctuaries and specialised artefacts, their interpretation is often problematic. Even when it is fairly certain that items may have been involved in cult in one way or another, any more specific comment is often impossible, even when deciding if a figurine represent a divinity. It has also been demonstrated that to link variety in architectural form to any interpretation of the political geography of LBA Cyprus may be problematic, since the wider relationships between material and non-material remain obscure. Furthermore, the essay examined the significance of several bronze statuettes, usually taken to be divinities, and the problems in their interpretation as well a s the novel terracotta masks that appear in LCIII. On the other hand, it has been shown that there seems to have been lively religious activity on LBA Cyprus that involved drinking and feasting using particular ceramics and in particular places, the pouring of libations and sacrifice of animals, as well as the deposition of valuable items. There seems to have been a particular reverence for bulls and their imagery as well as the female aspect represented by figurines and the Bomford statuette, as well as a significant link between metalworking and religion, as demonstrated by both the proximity of cult and metalworking areas and the presence of miniature ingots. Another important aspect of LBA Cypriot religion seems to be the willingness to incorporate features from outside Cyprus, the Cretan horns of consecration, for example, rhyta, Mycenaean cups, kraters and the like and the ability of Cypriot religion to change over time. References Carless Hulin, L. 1989. The identification of Cypriot cult figures through cross-cultural comparison: some problems. In Peltenburg, E. (ed.) 1989. Early Society in Cyprus. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp127-39. Hadjisavvas, S. 1989. A Late Cypriot Community at Alassa. In Peltenburg, E. (ed.) 1989. Early Society in Cyprus. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, pp32-42. Karageorghis, V. 2001. The Great Goddess of Cyprus Between the Aegeans and the ‘Etrocypriots’. In Laffineur, R. and Hagg, R. (eds.) 2001. POTNIA. Deities and Religion in the Aegean Bronze Age Aegaeum 22. Gà ¶teborg: Gà ¶teborg University pp323-27. Keswani, P.S. 1993. Models of Local Exchange in Late Bronze Age Cyprus. BASOR 292: 73-83. Knapp, A.B. 1986. Copper Production and Divine Protection: Archaeology, Ideology and Social Complexity on Bronze Age Cyprus. SIMA Pocketbook 42. Gà ¶teborg: Paul Astrà ¶ms Fà ¶rlag. Preziosi, D. and Hitchcock, L.A. 1999. Aegean Art and Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Steel, L. 2004. Cyprus Before History. From the Earliest Settlers to the End of the Bronze Age. London: Duckworth. Tatton-Brown, V. 1997. Ancient Cyprus. (2nd edition) London: British Museum Press. Webb, J.M. 1999. Ritual Architecture, Iconography and Practice in the Late Cypriot Bronze Age. Jonsered: Paul Astrà ¶ms Fà ¶rlag.