Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Argument - Essay Example The article focuses on discrimination. The article offers examples of how one race or community imposes harsh treatments on other communities or races. The article claims that one group of individuals wreak havoc on their conceived freaks of society. The freaks include the dwarfs. Another group of freaks are the Jews. A third group of freaks are the people of African ethnicity. Strengths There are strengths in the article’s discussion. First, the article offers stories to prove the freak theory is correct (Rottenberg & Winchell 719). Some babies are killed prior to their being form in order to prevent hardships. For example, deformed babies may suffer the lifelong effects of their deformities. Consequently, killing the babies at such a very young age will stop the child’s lifelong suffering. Likewise, the article states that killing the deformed babies will remove the parents’ difficulties. The parents will have to pay for the education, medical, food, and other needs of the deformed babies throughout the parents’ lives. Killing the deformed children will remove the parents’ hardships. Weaknesses On the other hand, there are weaknesses in the article’s discussion. The article espouses implementation of the discrimination acts. Discrimination violates the constitution and the people’s right to live equality beneficial lives. The article espouses that the White race actively discriminated against the African Americans. In addition, the article discusses how Germany’s leader, Adolf Hitler, orchestrated the mass genocide of Jews. The statement brings out horrible pictures of old Jews, pregnant mothers, toddlers, and physically incapacitated Jews murdered because of only one fault. The Hitler army faulted the Jews because they were born and espoused Jewish faith (Rottenberg & Winchell 721). A: First Supporting Claim The article espoused that some humans are discriminatory in nature. Grounds The article shows th at some sectors of society treat people who not born as normal human beings are inhumanely treated as freaks. Consequently, the same sectors hinder the people with disabilities’ equal life and opportunities. The Whites treat the individuals of African heritage as lesser human beings. For example, the German Army murdered the Jews (Rottenberg & Winchell 721). The claims of the article are based on sufficient grounds. The articles bring out actual facts. The readers will readily accept the supporting claim that the supporting claim the Germans murdered the Jews because they are treated as of a lesser unworthy race. Several movies and books have shown footages and other proofs that the Germans murdered thousands of Jews in the concentration camps. As proof, Germany’s Adolf Hitler committed suicide. Adolf Hitler committed suicide to avoid being captured and punished by the approaching combined army. The army was composed of the United States, United Kingdom and other count ries’ armies (Rottenberg & Winchell 721). Warrant Treating people as freaks is a form of discrimination. Freaks include the Elephant man. The killing of the Jew is discrimination. The treating of people of African heritage as lesser value human beings is discrimination (720). B: Second Supporting Claim The article proposes that other humans punish those who discriminate. Grounds Laws were imposed to

The stranger commentary Essay Example for Free

The stranger commentary Essay To get to the visiting room I went down a long corridor, then down some stairs and, finally, another corridor. I walked into a very large room brightened by a huge bay window. The room was divided into three sections by two large grates that ran the length of the room. Between the two grates was a space of eight to ten meters, which separated the visitors from the prisoners. I spotted Marie standing at the opposite end of the room with her striped dress and her sun-tanned face. On my side of the room there were about ten prisoners, most of then Arabs. Marie was surrounded by Moorish women and found herself between two visitors: a little, thin-lipped old woman dressed in black and a fat, bare headed woman who was talking at the top of her voice and making lots of gestures. Because of the distance between the grates, the visitors and the prisoners were forced to speak very loud. When I walked in, the sound of the voices echoing off the rooms high, bare walls and the harsh light pouring out of the sky onto the windows and spilling into the room brought on a kind of dizziness. My cell was quieter and darker. It took me a few seconds to adjust. But eventually I could see each face clearly, distinctly in the bright light. I noticed there was a guard sitting at the far end of the passage between the two grates. The lines 73-74 of the book The Stranger written by Albert Camus, it talks about Merusault indifference and his perception towards life. Through the successful use of syntax, imagery and tone, Albert Camus created an atmosphere of indifference while putting the reader in the protagonists shoes. Syntax is a key literary device used throughout the book, especially in lines 73-74. All Merusault narration varies in a way that reflects his attitudes toward the world around him. When describing his social or emotional situations, his sentences are short, precise, and offer minimal detail. For example Most of the Arab prisoners and their families had squatted down facing each other. They werent shouting. In this scene, Marie visits Merusault in the jail and relatives or friends visit other jail mates. Merusault tells only the essentials of what he sees and rarely uses any literary devices. His focus of attention is not on Marie but rather on the environment and surroundings. These meager descriptions display Merusault indifference to society and to the people around him. Like the vigil that he attended earlier in the story, he doesnt feel happy or sad when a person close to him passes away or visits during a time of dismay- hes indifferent. Another example is A little, thin-lipped old woman dressed in black and a fat, bareheaded woman who was talking at the top of her voice and making lots of gestures. This is viewed from a different perspective where his longer descriptive sentences are about others rather than himself. Although he saw Marie, he described the commotion around him and even what the people were wearing rather than detailing commenting about the beauty of Marie or even the way she dressed. This further shows that Merusault attitude towards the world is by far stronger than his attitude towards the people close to him. Imagery is perhaps the second key literary devices used in lines 73-74. By having Merusault narrate the story, it allows the reader to see and feel the way he feels. Furthermore, by describing what he sees enhances our understanding about his character and how he perceives things. For example To get to the visiting room I went down a long corridor, then down some stairs and, finally, another corridor. I walked into a very large room brightened by a huge bay window. In this excerpt, Merusault was told that Marie was there to visit him. On his way down to the visitors room, we can see that he was busy observing the objects around him rather than reminiscing about his past with Marie. This reveals another aspect about his character; he accepts the world as it is because he knows that nothing is dynamic enough to change the world. Seeing Marie would not revert his to-be-execution or world it get him out of jail. Although we may see this a negative aspect of Merusault, it does in a way benefit him. He has proven that he doesnt live a life of illusions but rather a life that is true to him. Another literary device that is powerfully used in this passage is tone. Tone is used in this passage For example My cell was quieter and darker. It took me a few seconds to adjust. But eventually I could see each face clearly, distinctly in the bright light. I noticed there was a guard sitting at the far end of the passage between the two grates. The tone of Merusault in this excerpt is mellow, calm and relaxed. This is rather ironic because someone who has been spending much time with him was there to visit and yet his tone wasnt joyful or anything. He should be exuberant that shes here to visit him but his tone shows otherwise. This reveals more about his character and how hes more or less emotionless. In conclusion, through the use of syntax, imagery and tone, Albert Camus has successfully described the protagonists indifference towards the people and the world.

Johns Battle with the Sea :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was a cold, dark morning on the northwestern coast of the United States. A family was curiously standing on the beach, cold and wet from their ordeal at sea the day before. They slowly began to review what had happened that night. Soon, they would make their way to a nearby town for shelter, so that their story might be known to all who traversed the town near the coast.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story of the family started when they had rented a small ship to sail for the evening. The father, John, had known how to sail since he was a boy, and he continued sailing on a small ship of his own until he married Rebecca, his current wife. The weather forecast for the evening was overcast, with no storms expected. They left the dock promptly at six o’clock, and sailed west for an evening on the sea west of San Francisco. What is known about the Pacific Ocean is a case in itself; the Pacific is totally unpredictable. John, however, considering himself seasoned from a childhood of sailing with his father, thought that he knew the ocean like the back of his hand. He did, however, commit a sin of the sea; he thought that he knew what the ocean was going to do. As for the Pacific’s unpredictability, a hidden pocket of cooler air had risen from the South Pole and had struck a warm front, causing very heavy rains in this region of the Pacific that be gan to move south.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John sighed to himself as he thought of the beauty of the night and how the sky was barely overcast. Even if it rained a little, he thought, there was a rain cover that came with the ship so they could be dry. He was disappointed when he looked at the sky to the south, and realized that he might have to use it. It might be an inconvenience, he reflected, although they could still eat the dinner they had packed and stay inside of the ship.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now it is known that there are treacherous reefs and sandbars off of the coast of northern California, and this night was no different. As the storm came from the south, and swirled towards the east, the ship was drifting east at an alarming rate, unnoticed by John or any of the family. At 8 o’clock, after the family had finished eating their dinner, the family was sitting in the ship talking about what they had been doing recently and discussing the possibility of another sailing outing such as this one.

Administrative Aspect of Special Education Essay

Introduction The Law provides for a free appropriate public education (FAPE) of exceptional children by assuring the financial support of teachers of special education and the administration of the program. The administration of special education at the macro level is assumed by the government and is usually carried out as one of the functions of the Department of Education (or a similar body). In the Philippines, the Department of Education (DepEd) is the principal government agency responsible for education and manpower development. The Department is primarily in charge of the formulation, planning, implementation and coordination of the policies, standards, regulations, plans, programs and projects in areas of formal and non-formal education. It provides for the establishment and maintenance of a complete, adequate and integrated system of education relevant to the goals of national development through the public school system; and it also supervises all basic education institutions run by the private sector. The current Department structure consists of the Central Office and the field offices which consist of the regional and sub-regional levels. There are field offices in sixteen regions, each headed by a Regional Director; 157 provincial and city schools divisions, each headed by a School Division Superintendent; and 2,227 school districts headed by a District Supervisor. See more:  Perseverance essay The Special Education Division is lodged at the Bureau of Elementary and performs the following functions: formulates policies, plans and programs for the preparation of instructional materials; evaluation of programs in special education; conducts studies and develops standards of programs and services for special learners; plans for prototype in-service education programs to upgrade the competencies of administrators, supervisors, coordinators, teachers as well as the non-teaching special education personnel; and establishes/strengthens linkages with agencies concerned with the education and welfare of children with special needs. The Regional Director has the overall responsibility for the administration and supervision of special education at the regional level. The School Superintendent has the over-all responsibility for the administration and supervision of special education at the Division level and is assisted by the Division Supervisor. The District Supervisor supervises the school principals and other school administrators at the district level. The administrator of special education is appointed based on qualification standards set by the Department and provided with appropriations from the national funds. The Department also sets up a minimum standard for the qualification of teachers, and establishes the criteria for the selection of pupils for special education. In other countries like the US, education is primarily a State and local responsibility. The U. S. Department of Education is the agency of the federal government that establishes policy for, administers and coordinates most federal assistance to education. The Federal States and communities are responsible for establishing public and private schools and colleges; developing curricula; setting requirements for enrollment and graduation; determining state education standards; and developing and implementing testing measures to verify if schools are meeting their education standards. The structure of education finance in America reflects this predominant State and local role. Of an estimated $1. 1 trillion being spent nationwide on education at all levels for school year 2009-2010, a substantial majority will come from State, local, and private sources. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) is lodged at the U. S. Department of Education and is responsible for monitoring state and local compliance to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by providing leadership and financial support for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 years old. The law (IDEA) aims to ensure that all children receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and special services to assist in meeting their educational needs. IDEA authorizes formula grants to states, and discretionary grants to institutions of higher education and other nonprofit organizations to support research, demonstrations, technical assistance and dissemination, technology and personnel development and parent-training and information centers. These programs are intended to ensure that the rights of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with  disabilities and their parents are protected. Particularly, the OSEP conducts verification visits to states to review their systems for general supervision, data collection, and state-wide assessment. During these visits, OSEP staff work with state staff to ensure compliance and help improve the performance of federal programs. In addition, each state submits an annual performance report that reflects the state’s actual accomplishments compared to its established objectives. As part of its monitoring, OSEP uses performance data such as graduation and dropout rates to identify low performing states. OSEP staff and OSEP-funded technical assistance centers work in partnership with states to put in place strategies to improve results for children with disabilities. At the micro level, the administration of special education is with the school principal. A recent policy thrust of the DepEd in the Philippines is the empowerment of the public school principals where the latter is able to assume more administrative authority and accountability for improving teaching competencies and pupils’ achievement. This policy gives principals the administrative authority to: manage the school’s funds for maintenance and other operating expenses; raise additional funds for the school through Parent-Teachers and Community Associations; design and develop his/her own school improvement program in collaboration with parents and community leaders; participate in the selection, recruitment and promotion of teachers; plan and develop an innovative curriculum, using the national curriculum as a framework. For the private sector, the school owner together with a Board of Trustees acts as the school administration and defines the direction of the special education program; while it is assumed that they follow the guidelines set by the Department of Education to be duly recognized and credited as a teaching institution. But much of the responsibility for the success of an educational program rests in the administration. There may be proven needs, accepted philosophy, qualified personnel, and available facilities and resources; but without adequate administration, the entire organization may be one of confusion and misdirection. Programs of special education succeed in direct proportion to the efficiency of the administration. More often, when special education is introduced into a school system, the administrative plan usually does not install major changes in the existing organization. The responsibility for the program is often given to an Assistant Principal, a Director of Instruction, or some other administrator who already has many duties. Consequently, the administration of special education program becomes a major problem in the education of exceptional children. The Special Education Administrator The term â€Å"administrator of special education for exceptional children† is used to designate the school official directly in charge of the special education program. Regardless of the title, the job entails organizing the special education program, equipping the structures with adequate classrooms, employing specially trained classroom teachers, ensuring the proper placement of pupils who are not able to attend regular classes because of various handicaps, ensuring that a special academic instruction based on individual differences such as speech correction and any prescribed therapy (speech, hearing, occupational, and physical therapist, etc.). Most of the studies gathered determine who administers the special education programs (both in the public and private sector), what their functions are in regard to both administration and special education teachers, how much time they devote to the program, and whether they are administrators or supervisors. Rigsbee (2008) did a research on what makes a good school-based administrator and interviewed teachers, support staff, parents, and students from a number of school communities in North Carolina. The results of the study indicate that there are characteristics common across school levels and community demographics such are: the principal should be accessible and build â€Å"a community of caring† where students feel at home, there is an air of connectedness, sense of teamwork, a family atmosphere, and frequent celebrations so work becomes fun for everyone. Rigsbee (2008) further  explained that the administrator must treat the teachers, cafeteria staffs, custodians, and office staff as professionals; give the staff a â€Å"big picture† understanding of the students’ needs and let them know that they are valued for the work they are doing for the children. Lastly, Rigsbee (2008) adds that they develop leaders and do not micro-manage; they work diligently to ensure that their teachers are equipped to be leaders in the classroom; and they â€Å"distribute† leadership as they serve as important mentors to assistant administrators and teacher leaders to achieve the vision of the school. Special education administrators play an important role in the education of disabled students. They are responsible for overseeing programs and services for students with learning, physical, behavioral or linguistic disorders. Additional job duties in the field range from ensuring adherence to federal, state and local special education regulations to helping teachers provide the unique services special education students need. Knowledge and Compliance to the Laws on Special Education. In a study by Saravanabhavan and Pressley (2008) on â€Å"Preparing Leadership in Special Education†, they assessed the school principals in Florida and noted that school principals must have a thorough knowledge of special education practices to ensure that students receive adequate services, and teachers receive pertinent guidance and support for their students to become high academic achievers. Saravanabhavan and Pressley (2008) proposed the need for school and district administrators to be educated not only in the foundations of special education, but also in the legal aspects related to compliance and enforcement of special education services, as well as instructional methodologies, and student placement, in order to enhance their efficacy in servicing their students. In another study, McMullen (2001) investigated the knowledge of Mississippi’s high school principals regarding the IDEA Amendments of 1997 in regard to four aspects: (a) disciplining students with disabilities, (b) involving parents and students in decision making, (c) adhering to procedural safeguards and placing students in the least restrictive environment, and (d) impacting administrative practice. The study (McMullen, 2001) concluded  that although the principals demonstrated some knowledge of the law, they did not appear to have sufficient knowledge to fully implement the Act, thus, proposed for a comprehensive training that will enforce a paradigm shift from the old Public Law 94-142 to the newly reauthorized law for a more positive attitude toward the provision of services to children with disabilities. It is worth noting the need for administrators of special education program to be aware of their legal obligations to students with disabilities in after-school athletics and extracurricular activities. Fetter, et. al. (2008) cited that administrators in public schools are undoubtedly familiar with their duties under federal law to serve students with disabilities in the educational program. But only a few know whether students with disabilities are entitled to participate in athletics and other after-school activities, and if so, are not aware of what types of services and accommodations school officials and coaches should provide (Fetter, et. al. , 2008). The authors (Fetter, et.al. , 2008) said that the failure to sufficiently work through these issues leaves school districts vulnerable to costly litigation; and in addition to juggling the complicated legal issues related to serving students with disabilities who participate in athletics and extracurricular programs, many administrators are taking aggressive steps to promote healthy school communities by implementing body mass index (BMI) surveillance and screening measurement programs. The study concluded that while these programs offer an innovative approach to encouraging good health, they raise additional issues for busy administrators; it is therefore imperative that administrators should be aware of the common traps, and practical ways to comply with the law (Fetter, et. al. , 2008). The US law, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), stipulates that educational leaders must ensure that special and general educators use scientifically based instructional methodologies like applied behavioral programming, task analysis, direct instruction, and cognitive-behavior modifications in order to address the cognitive needs of the students. The proper implementation of the IDEA or any law for that matter is enforced by leaders who have thorough knowledge of the law and are able to use these to  enhance the performance and welfare of their constituents. The IDEA was revised in an effort to clarify the discipline mandates because it needed to be more consistent in the practices when disciplining students with special needs. However, Principals continue to misinterpret the law or avoid it altogether. As indicated in the studies below, it is apparent that knowledge of the disability laws and how it is put into practice are depended upon each other. In a study to determine the relationship between Georgia elementary school principals’ knowledge of disability laws and the practices used for disciplining students with special needs as mandated in the IDEA, Claxton (2002) used the Individualized Educational Programs (IEP), Behavioral Management Plans (BMP) or Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP), and Functional Behavioral Assessments (FBA) in the research. The Principals were given the opportunity to provide comments about discipline and the procedures they used for students with special needs. The study also examined various demographics including age, gender, original college degree, administrative degree level reached, and years of experience in administration in relationship to the knowledge held of disability laws and the practices used by Georgia elementary school principals for disciplining students with special needs; ANOVA was used to examine each demographic variable (Claxton, 2002). The results showed that the Georgia elementary school principals used discipline practices in line with the parts of IDEA 1997 with which they were most familiar but it did not indicate any significant difference in the principals’ knowledge and practice (Claxton, 2002). Because principals or their assistants are responsible for enforcing discipline and are on the front line in terms of student safety, they are often conflicted about how to proceed when a student with a disability needs to be disciplined. Moreover, many principals need to be reminded that they are not the sole arbiter of discipline decisions for students with disabilities. The administrator should make an effort to include families by offering various opportunities for parents, advisory councils, and a multidisciplinary team to take part in varying venues (open house nights, question-and-answer sessions, and frequent communication via phone messages, emails, and publications). In another study conducted by Stephens and Joseph (2001) in the School Study Council of Ohio (SSCO) using an informal phone survey to assess the knowledge of randomly selected Central Ohio principals, special education administrators, and teachers; they were asked to rate their assessment of what level of knowledge principals needed in order to do their jobs effectively. A three-level scale was used: (1) no knowledge required; (2) a basic, working knowledge required; and (3) intimate knowledge required in four basic categories: Instruction and Programming, Placement Procedures, Federal and State Laws and Regulations, and Procedural Safeguards (Stephens and Joseph, 2001). The results showed that the perceived roles of principals differed when viewed by district level special education personnel and practitioners and these views where all in contrast to the self assessment of the principals (Stephens and Joseph, 2001). The findings elaborated the problems of principals regarding lack of knowledge includes the following: the education of the handicapped; managing the diversity of students with disabilities; mainstreaming and inclusion strategies; large-scale assessment and accountability (Stephens and Joseph, 2001). Administrative Competency and Leadership. Lowe & Brigham (2000) stated that numerous special education authorities have cited the importance of the principal’s ability to be the school’s instructional leader. In special education, the principal’s role as the instructional leader will often determine the efficacy and the quality of special education services. But research and authoritative opinion generally reveal that principals are not sufficiently knowledgeable about important aspects of the education of students with disabilities. A major explanation as to why they are typically uninformed about special education is that their professional preparation may be inadequate. According to Lowe & Brigham (2000), most school administrators do not receive sufficient training to supervise the instructional practices used by special educators. In an effort to both validate and consolidate previous work in the area of critical skills for principals in relationship to special education, Stevenson-Jacob, et. al. (2006) asked elementary and middle school principals what they considered to be critical competencies. Information was gathered on the principals’ background, training, assignments, and specific practices related to administering special education at the building level; and it was found that elementary and middle school principals agreed on eight critical competencies that principals need: (1) managing the education of students in the less restrictive environment (LRE); (2) collaborative teaching strategies; (3) the case study approach; (4) general/special education procedures; (5) parent rights; (6) state/federal requirements; (7) state/federal statues: and (8) recruitment, selection, orientation, and supervision of staff (Stevenson-Jacob, et. al. , 2006). To help administrators increase their awareness and sensitivity with issues that affect their interaction in the school, Hoy & Miskel (2001) conducted a survey with students with special needs, their teachers, and their parents in the school district. The study concluded that administrators who would like to become more competent with curriculum delivery issues must participate fully in the planning processes of the IEP and IFSP because by engaging in this process it signals its importance and administrators gain a more complete understanding of the curricular issues that face parents such as: tasks that are too difficult for the child; homework assignments that are too long and that require prerequisite skills; implementation strategies that work and should be continued; teachers who are either unwilling or unable to make accommodations for students with special needs (Hoy & Miskel, 2001). The major barrier seems to be lack of systematic and sustained programs for professional development in special education tailored to the needs of the special education administrator or principal. Therefore, educational leaders must be knowledgeable of the special education placement continuum to ensure that students receive instruction in the environment that will maximize their academic and social skills. In order to eliminate increasing challenges and to maximize quality of services provided to children with disabilities, it is vital to prepare school leaders and administrators with sound knowledge based in special education. Course work in the foundations of special education and legal aspects of special education along with advocacy for children with special needs ought to become a core area in school leadership preparation. The administrator preparation programs should place more emphasis and time on core special education competencies for principals who can effectively lead special education programs in schools. School principals must have the opportunity and the incentive to participate in sustained and systematic special education programs. Attitude toward SPED Programs and Practices. Goddard & Goddard (2000) cited the highly important roles that administrators play in the education and lives of children with disabilities as they evaluated how the administrators are impacting on the progress of the students with special needs. The result of their study emphasized that administrators can create a climate that supports all students with the awareness of key concepts in special education and important curriculum and environmental considerations that will enhance instruction (Goddard & Goddard, 2000). They (Goddard & Goddard, 2000) further explained that issues pertinent to the population of special needs students demand the focused time of concerned and knowledgeable administrators, and as such, will encourage the development of programs that will increase accessibility like: flexible course schedules, stipends or scholarships to cover costs of tuition, materials, child care, transportation, distance learning and video-conferencing technologies. Another area of special education that principals need to know and understand is the concept of â€Å"inclusion† and what an inclusive philosophy should reflect. The principal is the educational leader of the school, and as such, his or her attitude and philosophy regarding students with special needs sets the tone and is critical for determining how students with disabilities access the general education curriculum. Inclusion has been introduced way back in the 90’s and the law has been explicit about the regulations in terms of a continuum of services; however, many inexperienced principals still have difficulty interpreting what this means. Salisbury and McGregor’s study (2002) of five elementary schools engaged in inclusive practices showed personal attributes similar to those found in the transformational leaders. The transformational leader, according to Salisbury and McGregor (2002) had â€Å"a greater impact on teacher motivation to perform beyond expectations†; and the behaviors associated are charisma, inspiration, and consideration of individual teacher needs while they strive to develop shared values and beliefs, meanings, and commitment to common goals. The study further showed that principals â€Å"tended to be leaders who shared decision-making power with their staff, extended the core values of inclusiveness and quality to initiatives throughout the school, and actively promoted learning communities and change through collaborative, intentional, and supportive practices† (Salisbury and McGregor, 2002). In another study done by Kuaun (2002), which attempted to describe the profile of the school administrators (age, gender, civil status, educational attainment and length of service) and verified any significant difference on the perception of school administrators from regular schools with SPED classes and from SPED schools regarding the inclusion of children with special needs. The researcher employed the descriptive method utilizing a questionnaire which consisted of two parts: personal information from 66 respondents and 48 close-ended type of questions about inclusion; and administered them to sixty-six (66) school administrators (36 from regular schools with SPED classes and 30 from SPED schools) from twenty-two (22) schools in Metro Manila (Kuaun, 2002). The findings indicated that majority of the school administrators are female, married, aged 51 to 60, with an educational attainment of Master’s degree (from the regular schools with SPED classes) and Masteral units (from special education schools); and that majority from the regular schools with SPED classes have served longer as school administrators than the respondents of special education schools (Kuaun, 2002). Finally, the study concluded that both groups appeared to have a positive perception on inclusion of children with special needs as indicated by a no significant difference on the means scores in their inclusion perceptions (Kuaun, 2002),. This positive outlook towards inclusion was manifested in the study of Causton-Theoharis and Theoharis (2008); they cited that inclusion and the sense of belonging are seen as essential conditions for educating each child. The commitment of the principal under study implemented an inclusive philosophy which meant no self-contained special education classrooms, no resource room pullout programs, no kids sent to other schools (Causton-Theoharis and Theoharis, 2008). All the kids (kids with significant disabilities, kids with autism, kids with serious behavior issues, kids with learning disabilities, kids in wheelchairs, kids who were high flyers, kids who were learning English) needed to be an essential member of the classroom and school community; thus, the general education teachers and specialists (special education, English as a second language, reading, etc. ) had to co-plan and co-teach (Causton-Theoharis and Theoharis, 2008). The same staff was used but arranged differently in all aspects of the school which included: the after-school programs, reading interventions, the physical arrangement of classrooms and dramatic changes on the playground (Causton-Theoharis and Theoharis, 2008). Because of the special education administrator’s commitment to educate all their students together, the school under study realized the substantial achievement gained by bringing students with disabilities in the center of the discussion about school reform and in the center of the general education classroom. In another research, the findings of McClean (2007) revealed that many administrators are willing to accept having inclusive schools; and most believed that schools are generally ill- equipped to run inclusive programs. Based on the study McClean (2007) conducted in Barbados, about (20%) twenty percent of the administrators surveyed believed that students with disabilities should be educated in special schools or classrooms only because they shared in the opinion that the inclusion of students with disabilities would retard the progress of students in the general education classroom. While majority of administrators, (80%) eighty percent, wanted to have inclusive programs in their schools but were uncertain how to implement and manage these programs without the appropriate mechanisms for success (McClean, 2007). The study further discussed that the success of inclusion is determined by the principals and the teachers (whether special or regular education) who are committed to providing the necessary support; are giving the vital input to make the inclusive process their own; and are not threatened or disadvantaged by the implementation and management of any inclusive programs at their respective schools (McClean 2007). The study concluded that the success of inclusion will ensue by winning the hearts and minds of all stakeholders which include the principals, teachers, parents and students, officials of the Ministry of Education and the wider communities. Abell’s study (2006) examined the attitudes and factors valued by Kentucky directors of special education (DOSE) who are currently implementing the universal design for learning (UDL) principles within their school districts to further enhance the inclusion of student with special needs. The purpose of the study was to provide new information to DOSEs by researching leadership issues and aspects involving district level UDL implementation. Department level professional development and technology implementation issues were also explored. The survey was sent to the 176 respondents and the result found no significant differences in DOSE’S gender, education level, or years of administrative experience in relation to the DOSES own level of educational innovation (Abell, 2006). The study showed that the UDL implementation was found to be significant with regards to district acquisition of curriculum in digital formats and the technology infrastructure to run it but it was not a significant predictor, likewise, there was no significant relationship between DOSEs knowledge of UDL in relation to the size of their district special education population (Abell, 2006). The Universal Design for Learning principles call for curriculum flexibility in relation to content presentation, student expression, and student engagement. UDL is a new approach for teaching, learning, and assessment, that draws on brain research and new media technologies to respond to individual learner differences (Center for Applied Special Technology, 2008). It is important to the field of special education that administrators are open and flexible to various strategies to find the best possible intervention for students with exceptional needs in an inclusive setting. The studies raised important points, because administrators play a pivotal role in setting the climate in schools. School administrators who believed in integration created program options for its promotion; while those opposed to it have even sabotaged any efforts. A supportive school climate can also be enhanced when administrators set the occasion for teachers to have mastery experiences with the curriculum and with students’ progress in the curriculum. Administrators who are knowledgeable about the curricular needs of students with disabilities and how special education and general education curricula intersect will be better prepared to face the challenges of educating all students successfully. There are hosts of ways that administrators can become familiar with current and emerging issues in special education. This was validated by Bakken, et. al (2006) in their study â€Å"Changing Roles of Special Education Administrators: Impact on Multicultural Learners. † Bakken, et. al (2006) mentioned that special education administrators must take active part in the education of their students and they suggested the need to develop and practice highly effective communication skills because they believe that effective partnerships are built on communication. Other important considerations include an awareness of best practices in special education, effective instructional presentation strategies, curricular adaptations that support individual student progress and a variety of evaluation methods. By being student-centered; students know when they’re cared about and know when an administrator makes a difference in a school and in their lives. It is evident that supporting students with special learning needs is more successful when the principal’s attitude is positive and sympathetic. At the same time it must be recognized that a great deal of effort and time go into building a successful service delivery of special education programs. It takes a strong instructional leader to ensure that all children are able to succeed and achieve in class. It takes a strong instructional leader to ensure that all children and their teachers receive the supports and services they need to learn and develop. It also takes a strong instructional leader to create a positive learning climate that embodies a unifying philosophy of respect for all children and stakeholders in the total school community. Problems encountered. Tate (2009) conducted a survey of 108 special education administrators in North Carolina in order to identify their characteristics (which included licensure, teaching experience, LEA information, and personal demographics) and factors that contribute to their staying or leaving the field using two open-ended questions that addressed the least and most satisfying.

Madame Butterfly

Ali Appelbaum WGST 199-01 Professor Uman March 16, 2008 Society puts a strong focus on individuals who experience the act of cross-dressing to create an identity for themselves. The act of cross-dressing helps a person to feel comfortable with themselves because they are able to gain a sense of independence, confidence, and individuality. In the play M. Butterfly, by David Henry Hwang, constructing an identity is made through the character Song. By looking at Song’s appearance in M. Butterfly, we can see that clothing and disguise constructs an identity. The play, M. Butterfly uses the character Song to show the audience how cross-dressing is common, and can make one’s personality. Song cross-dresses from an Asian male, to an Asian female. Throughout the play Song plays the role of a female but expresses herself in a more confident, and independent way as an Asian female. This is because Song has had a gender cross to a women, she is able to demonstrate these qualities in her new identity she has formed. M. Butterfly is about a French diplomat, Gallimard and his love attraction for Song. Gallimard feels as though he’s never been in love, and has a hard time relating to women, until Song comes along. Song, playing the romantic role of Gallimard’s lover takes charge without Gallimard realizing a male was really wooing him the whole time. Song possesses traits of a female, which gives her confidence to pursue her relationship with Gallimard until he’s fallen in love. In the end, Song reveals herself for the man she is, but continues to act with more confidence and independence as a woman than as a man. In the play, you can see that disguise constructs an identity through the character Song. During a scene, Gallimard comments on Song’s feminine appearance and the other women he see’s in China. Song responds to Gallimard, â€Å"Please. Hard as I try to be modern, to speak like a man, to hold a Western woman’s strong face up to my own†¦ in the end, I fail. A small, frightened heart beats too quickly and gives me away. Monsieur Gallimard, I’m a Chinese girl. I’ve never†¦ never invited a man up to my flat before. The forwardness of my actions makes my skin burn† (1. 11 Hwang). This quotes shows that Song posses traits as a female and is proud. Although Song is a male, he has built himself a female identity from disguise. Confidence is expressed in Song’s remarks by telling in conversation how she believes she is more knowledgeable than Gallimard. Song also makes sure notice is taken of her delicate and pretty appearance. Song remarks back to Gallimard, â€Å"Your history serves you poorly, Monsieur Gallimard. True, there were signs reading â€Å"No dogs and Chinamen. But a woman, especially a delicate Oriental woman—we always go where we please. Could you imagine it otherwise? Clubs in China filled with pasty, big-thighed white women, while thousands of slender lotus blossoms wait just outside the door? The clubs would be empty. We have always held a certain fascination for you Caucasian men, have we not? (2. 4 Hwang). Song has shown to her audience that she has a strong confidence about the female body and face. She explains to Gallimard that her new identity, a delicate Oriental woman, is always welcomed in society. Song also feels a sense of power because although she is a man working for the Chinese government, she feels comfortable in her feminine identity. A conversation between Song and her advisor Comrade Chin demonstrates how Song has created has created an identity for herself in disguise. When Song is in quarters where she can act like man, she still acts in a feminine order, rather than a masculine tone. Chin asks Song, â€Å"†¦Is that home come you dress like that? † (2. 4 Hwang). Song responds by saying, â€Å"Like what, Miss Chin? † (2. Hwang). Chin remarks with what he believes is reality by saying, â€Å"Like that dress! You’re wearing a dress. And every time I come here, you’re wearing a dress. Is that because you’re an actor? Or what? † (2. 4 Hwang). Song reveals her identity by saying, â€Å"It’s a†¦ disguise, Miss Chin† (2. 4 Hwang). This conversation between Comrade Chin and Song shows the audience that Song is aware of the fact that she is a male, but possesses more of an interest in the feminine personality and ways of life because she is more confident.

Emperor Constantine essays

Emperor Constantine essays Constantine was born at Naissus in the province of Moesia Superior on February 27, 272 or 273. Constantius, Constantines father, was a military officer. Constantines mothers name was Helena and was known to be a humble person. Throughout his life, Constantine proved himself to the Roman people. On March 1st of 293, he exceeded the rank of Caesar. Shortly after, he married Theodora, the daughter of Maximian. When Diocletian retired on May 1st of 305, Constantine made the rank of Augustus. In 306, when Constantines father Constantius Chlorus died, Constantine was announced Augustus by his troops at York. Galerius (Constantines opponent) refused to accept Constantine. This didnt last long. In 308, Constantine was required to give up his title and return to the rank of Caesar. He refused, and to prove himself, he went campaigning against the Germans. He marched his German armies into Gaul, and forced Maximian to flee to Massilia. Maximian was Faustas father, which was Constantines wife. Maximian either committed suicide of was executed in 310. The persecution of Christians was had already begun (started in 303). Constantine supported the Christians. He put an end to the persecution of Christians by the Edict of Mulan in 313. One night when Constantine and his army were on a march toward Rome, it has been said that Christ appeared to Constantine and told him to place the heavenly sign on the battle standards of his army. He then told his men to place a cross on their shield for battle. He later learned the cross was the symbol of the Christian Faith. From that day forward, Constantine was committed to the Christian Faith. Just before the tenth anniversary of his approval from the Senate as Emperor, the Arch of Constantine was finished. There were many celebrations. All sacrifices to the pagan gods were not allowed. Constantine defeated Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge in 312. The op...

Julia Alvarez, Famous Poet and Novelist Essay Example

Julia Alvarez, Famous Poet and Novelist Essay Example Julia Alvarez, Famous Poet and Novelist Paper Julia Alvarez, Famous Poet and Novelist Paper Julia Alvarez is a famous world-wide poet and novelist. She was raised in the Dominican Republic, which is why most of her poems and novels are written in Spanish. One of her most famous novels is called In the time of the Butterflies, which is based on her flee to the United States, from the underground, where the three Mirabel sisters were murdered. The hardships of coming into the country, and without knowing the language is what is said to be the main reason of why she began to start writing. Julia Alvarez is more of a famous author than a poet. Therefore, she doesn’t have very many poetry books, or poems put on the internet. I did find five poems that stuck out to me more than her other ones, though. The first poem is called â€Å"Household Riddle†. I despise poetry, but this poem actually got my attention as I was reading it, unlike many other poems. I think this poem is funny because it is mostly talking about the riddle, â€Å"Which came first, the chicken or the egg? † which is a funny little riddle that everyone knows. The second poem that I found is called â€Å"Hairwashing†. This poem is about how her mother used to wash her hair when ever she misbehaved, to rinse out all of the bad. I picked to do this poem because I could really picture this happening, and it reminded me of how some mothers would wash their kids’ mouths out with soap. Another poem that I’ve chosen, which is my personal favorite, is called â€Å"Against Cinderella†. This poem kind of analyzes the story of Cinderella, and it asks questions that it knows we’ve all been thinking all of these years. One line in the poem says, â€Å"I can’t believe only one woman in that town had that size foot, could fit into that shoe. † We all know we’ve wondered this too, but we just always went along with it. I like this poem; it’s cute and funny, and in a way sarcastic. The last two poems I chose are called â€Å"Dusting† and â€Å"Storm Windows†. The main reason I chose to do these poems is because they were short, and they were one of the very few poems I could find written by Julia Alvarez. I do kind of like the poem â€Å"Dusting† because the main character says she likes to write her name on the dusty cabinet every morning, and I remember I used to like to write my name in the dust when I was little, too. On the other hand, I have no idea what the poem â€Å"Storm Windows† is about. The only reason I chose it was because it was short. Overall, I regret picking Julia Alvarez as my poet. I, personally, don’t really like her poetry, and she must have not even have written that many poems because I can barely find anything on her. Also, I don’t understand why a lot of her poems are about housekeeping and chores. But, since I have to make the best out of this, I chose five poems that I thought were the best. I like to read something that will grab my interest, keep my attention, and maybe make me think a little bit, and I believe that the five poems that I have chosen do so. Alvarez, Julia.. â€Å"Dusting. † Homecoming: new and collected poems. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. , 1996. Alvarez, Julia.. â€Å"Dusting. † Homecoming: new and collected poems. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. , 1996. Alvarez, Julia.. â€Å"Dusting. † Homecoming: new and collected poems. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. , 1996. Alvarez, Julia.. â€Å"Dusting. † Homecoming: new and collected poems. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. , 1996. Alvarez, Julia.. â€Å"Dusting. † Homecoming: new and collected poems. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. , 1996.

Animal Farm Quotes Explained

Animal Farm Quotes Explained The following Animal Farm quotes are some of the most recognizable examples of political satire in English literature. The novel, which tells the story of farm animals who organize a revolution, is an allegory for the Russian Revolution and the regime of Joseph Stalin. Discover how Orwell creates this political allegory and conveys themes of corruption, totalitarianism, and propaganda with the following analysis of key quotes. Four legs good, two legs bad. (Chapter 3) After Snowball establishes the Seven Commandments of Animalism, he composes this statement (Four legs good, two legs bad) in order to simplify Animalisms concepts for the other animals. Simple, xenophobic statements such as this one are a trademark of dictators and fascist regimes throughout history. Initially, the expression gives the animals a common enemy and inspires unity among them. Over the course of the novel, the slogan is distorted and reinterpreted to suit the needs of the powerful leaders. Four legs good, two legs bad is general enough that Napoleon and the other pigs can apply it to any individual or situation. Eventually, the expression is changed to four legs good, two legs better, demonstrating that the farm animals revolution has led to the same oppressive social system they initially sought to overthrow. I will work harder! (Chapter 3) This statement- Boxer the workhorse’s personal mantra- demonstrates the sublimation of the self under the concept of the greater good. Boxer’s existence becomes wrapped up in his efforts to support the Farm. Any setback or failure is blamed on his own personal lack of effort. This quotation demonstrates how concept of communal effort, upon which Animalism was founded, gets perverted into a self-destructive commitment to endless toil. Under Napoleons totalitarian reign, failure has nothing to do with the leadership; instead, its always blamed on the common working animal’s lack of faith or energy. â€Å"At this there was a terrible baying sound outside, and nine enormous dogs wearing brass-studded collars came bounding into the barn. They dashed straight for Snowball, who only sprang from his place just in time to escape their snapping jaws.† (Chapter 5) Napoleon enforces his rule through propaganda, misinformation, and a cult of personality, but he initially seizes power through violence, as depicted in this quotation. This scene takes place just as Snowballs eloquent, passionate ideas are winning the debate over the Windmill. In order to wrest power away from Snowball, Napoleon unleashes his specially-trained dogs to drive Snowball away from the Farm. This violent episode mirrors the way power was seized from Leon Trotsky by Joseph Stalin. Trotsky was an effective speaker, and Stalin drove him into exile and relentlessly attempted to assassinate him decades before finally succeeding in 1940. In addition, Napoleons dogs demonstrate the way violence can be used as a means of oppression. Whereas Snowball works hard to educate the animals and improve the Farm, Napoleon trains his dogs in secret and then uses them to keep the animals in line. He focuses not on developing an informed and empowered populace, but rather on using violence to enforce his will. No animal shall drink alcohol to excess. (Chapter 8) After Napoleon drinks whiskey for the first time, he suffers a hangover so terrible that he believes he is dying. As a result, he forbids the animals from drinking any alcohol at all, because he believed it to be poison. Later, he recovers and learns how to enjoy alcohol without making himself sick. The rule is quietly changed to this statement (No animal shall drink alcohol to excess), but the fact that the alteration has ever happened is denied. The transformation of this rule demonstrates how language is used to manipulate and control the animals according to even the most trivial whims of the leader, Napoleon.ï » ¿ In the Soviet Union, Stalin’s style of dictatorship was notable for the extreme cult of personality he created, linking himself personally to the success and health of the nation. With this quotation, Orwell shows how such an extreme cult of personality is developed. Napoleon takes credit for every good event that takes place on the Farm, and he makes loyalty to himself personally equivalent to support of the Farm. He encourages the animals to compete to be the most loyal, the most dedicated, and the most supportive of the Farm and Animalism- and, thus, of Napoleon. â€Å"Do you not understand what that means? They are taking Boxer to the knacker’s!† (Chapter 9) When Boxer becomes too sick to work, he is unceremoniously sold to a knacker to be killed and processed into glue and other materials. In return for Boxers life, Napoleon gets a few barrels of whiskey. The brutal and unceremonious treatment loyal, hard-working Boxer shocks the other animals, even coming close to spurring rebellion. This quotation, spoken by Benjamin the donkey, reflects the horror that the animals feel upon learning of Boxers fate. It also clearly demonstrates the ruthlessness and violence at the heart of Napoleons totalitarian regime, as well as the efforts made by the regime to keep that violence secret. All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. (Chapter 10) This quotation, which is seen painted on the side of the barn, represents the ultimate betrayal of the animals by their leaders. At the start of the animals revolution, the seventh commandment of Animalism was, All animals are equal. Indeed, equality and unity among animals was the revolutions core principle. However, as Napoleon consolidates power, his regime become increasingly corrupt. He and his fellow pig leaders seek to separate themselves out from the other animals. They walk on their hind legs, live in the farm house, and even negotiate with humans (once common enemy of Animalism) for personal gain. These behaviors directly oppose the principles of the original revolutionary movement. When this statement, which itself directly opposes Animalism, appears on the barn, the animals are told they are wrong to remember it any other way- reinforcing Napoleons willingness to brazenly alter historical record in order to manipulate and control the animals.

Ismg Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Ismg - Essay Example These are the responsive solution providers and new capability enablers. At Alcan, the rapid changes that are commonly recorded can be associated or linked to the fact that customers are always making different choices on the kind of mineral and metal products they want to own on buy. Competitors in the industry are also change oriented thereby undertaking rapid changes that calls for the need for Alcan to also change its style of operation to meet the competition presented by competitors. Finally, government has a lot of say in determining the prices and profit margin of the company. For this reason, the company continues to be a rapid or fast rate of change organization. Among the two models given by the Accenture IT governance model that fits Alcan, new capability enabler is deemed the very best for the company because of the fact that Alcan is a manufacturer rather than a service provider. Alcan is said to be product oriented because it produces metal and mineral products. Meanwh ile, responsive solution providers IT governance model are highly concerned and linked to companies that work on operational efficiency. There are three major IT governance styles or systems from which Alcan may be classified. These are decentralized, centralized or hybrid. Hybrid is a combination of centralized and decentralized IT governance styles. Meanwhile at Alcan, there is only one IT governance style and that is the decentralization IT governance style. Alcan is a company made up of several departments across several countries in different parts of the world. In a typical decentralized IT governance style, the various departments and agencies of the company are absolutely independent on their IT system decisions and operations. This is clearly seen in the case of Alcan as departments are free to make decisions on their own with the making of strategic plans to lead the departments in delivery of its IT needs. The various departments are also free to

Personal Legend Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Legend - Essay Example Discovering and realizing one’s purpose in life and hence his or her legend results in the development of enthusiasm to achieve it (Coelho 8). Following your dreams brings happiness. Nevertheless, although the path is defined, it is loaded with trails that offer teachings and give important life lessons. As such, one requires a lot of courage, self determination and discipline. I would like to give an illustration of my personal legend whilst I explain the interferences to my path and how I dealt with them. Ever since I was little, I have always been fascinated by the FBI. This made me develop a legend of wanting to become a Special Agent with the bureau. As a child playing cops and robbers, I always wanted to be a cop and always protested when other kids wanted me to play the robber. To me the game meant more than just that. I felt I was really an agent of the law making arrests. I believe there is no better way of being a good citizen of this great country than being the one who enforces the constitution. This, coupled with the inspiration that was my grandfather, who was a federal agent at the time meant it did not take long for me realize my life’s purpose. In the first grade when we were asked what we wanted to do when we grew up, some of my classmates said teachers, doctors, engineers and other professions. The teacher was surprised when I drew a picture of me holding a gun arresting a criminal with the caption, â€Å"when I grow up I want to join the FBI.† Having a legend does not mean that one will automatically attain his or her goals as we have to lead lives through space and not inside it meaning we have to move (Ingold 148). Ever since I realized my legend, I have endeavored to better myself to become an agent in the bureau. Before I reached my teens, I used to think that all I had to do to become an agent is to arrest â€Å"bad guys† and carry a gun. My knowledge of the profession was based on the television series. However, my

Reflection 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection 8 - Essay Example Land conservation efforts and environmental conservation efforts aimed at leading the world towards an environment where each person plays a responsible role in leading to protection of the environment. The writer advocates people to look at eating as agricultural act rather than an agricultural product that many people consider it as. (Berry, p.65) Specialization in production is an aspect that is considered to lead to specialization in consumption through which some species can survive the wrath of man and hence sustenance. The dependent nature of the populations on the consumption of agricultural products has an effect on the environmental activities that take place in the world. Most of the consumption is on products essential to man and hence the difficulty in protecting the species and ensuring that environmental efforts in conservation prove successful. The consumption levels differ and the efforts to introduce genetically modified foods indicate the desperate measures of the human population in dealing with the environmental effects and in trying to prepare for a total food lack. These indicate the pleasure of eating that people are working hard to protect and hence leaving the world at risk of more environmental

St. Augustine and Telemachus in Homers Odyssey Essay

St. Augustine and Telemachus in Homers Odyssey - Essay Example Unlike Monica to the young Augustine, Penelope did not share any knowledge or wisdom to Telemachus. Instead, there were even times that it was Telemachus that rebukes her. In Book 1 of the Odyssey, Telemachus rebukes Penelope for her bereavement which was caused by a song. In Book 23, he rebukes her for not welcoming Odysseus properly. In my observation, Telemachus' respect for Penelope rose from the fact that she was his mother but not because she was wise and Telemachus looked up to her. With respect to their father's Telemachus was closer to his father than the young Augustine was. Although Odysseus was away the whole time Telemachus was growing up, it was actually his absence that caused Telemachus to step up, take responsibility and be a man. And the little time that they spent shortly after Odysseus returned to Ithaca and during their battle against Penelope's suitors was enough to greatly influence Telemachus' maturity. On the other hand, Patrick has less influence on Augustine. He did make young Augustines' study in Carthage possible. And as a pagan, he did provide Augustine alternative principles to Catholic faith. Though I believe that this was a great reason why Augustine was so open-minded, I think it was his mother's faith and wisdom that ultimately influence Augustine's view. Augustine believed in only one God who plays passive role in people's lives. That God creates people in goodness but lets them live their own lives as they will. He even believed that God is not a separate being and it is actually within him, within everything. On the other hand, there were many Greek gods in Telemachus' life. Contrary to what Augustine believed, Greek gods are separate beings. They have names, personalities and even relationships. And they also play a very active role in people's lives. They talk to them either thru dreams or by disguising as humans. They even help them out in battles. Their Search for Knowledge All his life, he sought for knowledge. He went out to study at Carthage, Rome and Milan. He devoted his entire existence seeking for the truth in faith, sciences and philosophy. And he even had to deal with inner conflict in the process. Telemachus went on a journey as well. But unlike Augustine's quest for knowledge on greater things such as life itself, Telemachus' quest was limited only to seek for knowledge on his father's whereabouts. And despite such journey, his acquisition of any information was greatly because of the gods. Athena fed him information either by disguising as Odysseus friend or sending messages in his dreams. Conclusion In my opinion, Telemachus and Augustine's process of coming of age was very different. They differ as to how they regard their parents and who ultimately influenced their persons. For Telemachus, it was his father that greatly influenced his being. On the other hand, for Augustine, it was his mother that influenced his ideals and principles. They also differ on how the gods affects their living. For Telemachus, the gods actively participated in his activities. But for Augustine, God served only as a guiding force. However, for me, the most important difference in their maturity is this. For Telemachus, it is my opinion that maturity was imposed on him. If his father was not absent, there would not be any annoying suitors courting his mother. There would not be a need for him to take responsibility and

BP In The World Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

BP In The World Market - Essay Example Understanding all the relative dynamics enables one to make informed decisions regarding the amount of finances to invest, at what time to make the investment and at what time to pull out of the company. Timely decisions in this regard would go a long way in ensuring the safety and security of the respective investment. Most importantly, informed decisions in this regard would enable the investor to attain the primary goal of profiting from the respective business. It is against this background that this paper provides a share portfolio review. The company of choice pertains to the BP gas and oil company that has been stable in the financial share market over time. To enhance a coherent consideration, it begins by justifying the choice of the company. It then proceeds to an analysis of the performance of the invested shares and provides an informed judgment as to whether the performance was good. Finally, it presents the reasons that informed the investor with respect to keeping the shares in the company. The company has a broad consumer base comprising of various clients drawn from diverse economic backgrounds. These customers are scattered across the globe in 90 different countries. Its business segments include production, exploration, marketing and refining (BP, 2011). Through the respective segments, it has succeeded in providing fuel as well as fuel products employed for transportation, providing energy, heating and lighting. The relative retail brands have equally been important as a part of the company’s diversification plan.

St. Augustine and Telemachus in Homers Odyssey Essay

St. Augustine and Telemachus in Homers Odyssey - Essay Example Unlike Monica to the young Augustine, Penelope did not share any knowledge or wisdom to Telemachus. Instead, there were even times that it was Telemachus that rebukes her. In Book 1 of the Odyssey, Telemachus rebukes Penelope for her bereavement which was caused by a song. In Book 23, he rebukes her for not welcoming Odysseus properly. In my observation, Telemachus' respect for Penelope rose from the fact that she was his mother but not because she was wise and Telemachus looked up to her. With respect to their father's Telemachus was closer to his father than the young Augustine was. Although Odysseus was away the whole time Telemachus was growing up, it was actually his absence that caused Telemachus to step up, take responsibility and be a man. And the little time that they spent shortly after Odysseus returned to Ithaca and during their battle against Penelope's suitors was enough to greatly influence Telemachus' maturity. On the other hand, Patrick has less influence on Augustine. He did make young Augustines' study in Carthage possible. And as a pagan, he did provide Augustine alternative principles to Catholic faith. Though I believe that this was a great reason why Augustine was so open-minded, I think it was his mother's faith and wisdom that ultimately influence Augustine's view. Augustine believed in only one God who plays passive role in people's lives. That God creates people in goodness but lets them live their own lives as they will. He even believed that God is not a separate being and it is actually within him, within everything. On the other hand, there were many Greek gods in Telemachus' life. Contrary to what Augustine believed, Greek gods are separate beings. They have names, personalities and even relationships. And they also play a very active role in people's lives. They talk to them either thru dreams or by disguising as humans. They even help them out in battles. Their Search for Knowledge All his life, he sought for knowledge. He went out to study at Carthage, Rome and Milan. He devoted his entire existence seeking for the truth in faith, sciences and philosophy. And he even had to deal with inner conflict in the process. Telemachus went on a journey as well. But unlike Augustine's quest for knowledge on greater things such as life itself, Telemachus' quest was limited only to seek for knowledge on his father's whereabouts. And despite such journey, his acquisition of any information was greatly because of the gods. Athena fed him information either by disguising as Odysseus friend or sending messages in his dreams. Conclusion In my opinion, Telemachus and Augustine's process of coming of age was very different. They differ as to how they regard their parents and who ultimately influenced their persons. For Telemachus, it was his father that greatly influenced his being. On the other hand, for Augustine, it was his mother that influenced his ideals and principles. They also differ on how the gods affects their living. For Telemachus, the gods actively participated in his activities. But for Augustine, God served only as a guiding force. However, for me, the most important difference in their maturity is this. For Telemachus, it is my opinion that maturity was imposed on him. If his father was not absent, there would not be any annoying suitors courting his mother. There would not be a need for him to take responsibility and

Art of Negotiation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art of Negotiation - Research Paper Example Matt, in order to develop his business in Australia, needs to avail quality supply of fabrics from Red Star Holding in China. The negotiation between the two is essential from the perspective of Matt, as the delay in the deal could cause bankruptcy. It is important to note that the fabrics used for the purpose of making shirts also cause rashers to the users. In this regard, there is a need for effective negotiation between the two parties. The effective negotiation would only occur if there is a collaborative approach between the two and hence, seeking for a win-win scenario for both.The theory of Integrative Based Bargaining can be applied in the negotiation process between the two parties. By taking into concern this theory, Matt should focus on the goals of each party and hence, consider the negotiation. Matt should negotiate with Red Star Holding by ensuring that the latter promises to deliver fabrics, which do not cause rashes to the users. This negotiation should be as such th at it creates a win-win situation for both the parties. In this regard, Matt should promote the flow of information between the two parties and hence, understands the need of other parties. This would lead towards emphasizing the attainment of common objectives and the minimisation of any sort of difference prevailing between them. In the course of considering the international context of engaging with business partners from China, it can be affirmed that it is essential to consider certain important factors before the negotiation round.

The volume of oxygen gas produced in a certain time Essay Example for Free

The volume of oxygen gas produced in a certain time Essay I will also being doing 3 repeats of each reaction in order to get a set of more reliable and accurate results because they results will vary. The reactions will be as follows: 1) 5 cm3 of H2O2 and 5 cm3 of yeast (100% of yeast) 2) 5 cm3 of H2O2, 4 cm3 of yeast and 1 cm3 of water (80% of yeast) 3) 5 cm3 of H2O2, 3 cm3 of yeast and 2 cm3 of water (60% of yeast) 4) 5 cm3 of H2O2, 2 cm3 of yeast and 3 cm3 of water (40% of yeast) 5) 5 cm3 of H2O2, 1 cm3 of yeast and 4 cm3 of water (20% of yeast) 6) 5 cm3 of H2O2 and 5 cm3 of water (0% of yeast) (Control of experiment). This is how the experiment will be carried out after setting up the apparatus: 1) Use syringe to add y cm3 of yeast into the conical flask. 2) Use a second syringe to add the x cm3 of water depending on how much yeast is going to be used. (Look at the list above) Make sure volume of gas in syringe is still 0 cm3. 3) Use a third syringe to put 5 cm3 of H2O2 into the conical flask and use the other hand to start the timer on the stop watch at the same time as the H2O2 is added. (Leave syringe in the tube so it stays air tight). 4) Note the volume of gas given off in cm3 when the timer reaches 15 seconds. 5) Rinse conical flask and then repeat with 80%, 60%, 40%, 20%, 0% of yeast (use the list of reactions above for volumes) 6) Repeat each reaction 3 times Safety Always wear lab coats, glasses and gloves because H2O2 is a substance that very corrosive and can cause lots of damage to the skin and it can also blind if there is contact with the eyes. If there are any spillages onto the skin or it seems you have a burning sensation on your skin, rinse immediately and inform teacher. If there is any contact between eyes and H2O2 inform the teacher quickly and rinse until the teacher attends to you. Variables and Fair Test In this experiment I will have to keep certain variable the same in order to get accurate and reliable results. In total there are 7 variables in this experiment and they are the following:   pH   Temperature   Enzymes Concentration   Substrate Concentration Total volume   Time   Oxygen produced Out of all of these variables there is one Dependent Variable, this is oxygen produced variable because this is what I am measuring by altering one of the other variables. Apart from the dependent variable all of the rest are independent variables and so therefore any one of these could alter the dependent variable giving me unreliable results. Therefore I will now explain what these variables can do and what to do with them in order to keep them constant. The variable pH is important because if the pH of the solution in which the enzyme is present is too low or too high the enzyme will not function properly because the pH will damage the shape of the enzyme and the shape of the active site making it so that the substrate molecule will not be able to fit into the active site, thus not allowing the enzyme to break it down. This will mean that the rate of oxygen produced will slow down. In my experiment I will keep the pH about 7 because this is Catalases optimum pH and this maintaining of pH is not difficult because all the substance that I am going to use will be neutral pH. This damaging of the enzyme is called Denaturing and is permanent.. Enzymes as I said earlier were proteins and this is why they can be denatured very easily. Temperature is important because it is able to increase the rate of oxygen produced and also decrease the rate of oxygen produced. I know it can increase the reaction rate because if there is a higher temperature the particles would have more kinetic energy and therefore there would be a faster rate of collisions and a higher % of successful collisions because since the particles would have more energy it would be easier to reach the activation energy and so more reactions (this would be the opposite if it was a lower temperature). The rate of oxygen produced could be decreased by the fact that proteins can easily be damaged by heat so if there is a high temperature the enzyme can be denatured and if there is a low temperature they can become inactive. My experiment will be done at room temperature. Enzyme concentration is not a problem because this is the variable which I am changing to find out the effects it has on the dependent variable. Substrate concentration can alter my results in two ways. One is that it will make my results quicker than they should be, if I put a higher volume in some and lower in others because from Collision Theory I have learnt that if there is a higher concentration of a substance in a solution it will have more collision which means more reactions and therefore this will make my results quicker than if I used a lower concentration of it. I can solve this problem by using the same volume of H2O2 in all my reactions. The second way that substrate concentration can affect my results is that it can level off the rate of oxygen made, if all the substrate is catalysed within my time range. I can solve this problem by simply using excess substrate but at the same time I will still have to keep the volume the same because of the problem I discussed earlier. Total volume must also be kept the same because otherwise the experiment would be unfair due to collision theory. This is because if the numbers of particles are changed, the number of collisions would be changed and therefore this means the number of reactions would change leading to a different amount of gas produced in my experiment. I can solve this by adding water when I use a smaller amount of enzyme. Time is another one of the variable that must be kept the same because if not the reaction would have more or less time to react and so producing different volumes of gas. I can solve this by always letting the reaction go on for the same amount of time; this will be 15 seconds in my experiments.

Ilisu Dam Project Development

Ilisu Dam Project Development The proposed Ilisu Dam is a single project under the umbrella of the massive Southeastern Anatolian Project (Guneydogu Anadolu Proje) or GAP. The GAP was a major development endeavour for Turkey and aimed to develop projects using the power of the two largest rivers in Asia, the Tigris and Euphrates, that run begin in Turkey and run through to the Arabic Gulf. GAP was conceived to meet Turkey’s rising energy needs by the construction of 22 irrigation dams and 19 hydroelectric plants, harnessing the hydroelectric potential energy contained in these two massive rivers (Stern, 2004). The GAP attracted international attention due to its focus on the human effects of the project and attention to sustainability. International credit agencies from the Canada, USA Japan, UK and other European governments along with the World Bank stepped forward to fund the project which they see as one being integral to the socio-economic development of Turkey which is an important US partner and is aspiring to join the EU. Certain aspects of the GAP, specifically the Ilisu Dam, have come under attack from citizens groups concerned about the social and political ramifications of the dam and the project is currently on hold after major sponsors pulled out and completion date has been pushed from early 2000 to 2010. This paper will examine the proposed dam and the issues that surround it. Turkey was once part of the Ottoman Empire emerged from the demise of that empire and was inaugurated as a nation in 1923 under Mustafa Kemal who was later honoured as the â€Å"Father of the Turks†. Under his authoritarian leadership the Anatolians of the region saw improvements in social and economic status. The nation enjoyed a peaceful transfer to democracy in the 1950s though has since seen several military coups but always with a peaceful transfer back to democracy (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation borders the Black and Mediterranean Seas and its neighbours include Bulgaria, Greece to the West and Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria to the East. The country is a member of the UN and NATO since the 1950s and is seen as a leading nation in the Asia region. There have been recent conflicts with separatist Kurds in the South Eastern portion of the nation. The Kurdish separatist movement is known as Congress of Kurdistan (KGK) or the communist PKK and have links with Kurds in bordering Iraq and Syria (CIA World Factbook. 2005). The nation has been adopting major environmental and social reform in hopes of being admitted to the rapidly expanding EU. The GAP is aimed at developing the south eastern 8 Anatolian provinces which are home to the majority of the Kurdish population of the nation. The project is the largest ever development project Turkey has ever undertaken and seeks to improve the lives of nearly 10% of the Turkish population (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001; Stern, 2004). The south eastern part of Turkey is a poverty stricken area plagued by low income, violent instability and inequality (Morvaridi, 2002). The area’s faming consists of low-mechanization with few cash crops and the region suffers from aridity despite the presence of major rivers like the Tigris and Euphrates. The region also suffers from the Kurdish separatist movement which has attracted the attention of the Turkish and this has been compounded by the militants fleeing Iraq due to the recent US and UK invasion. The focus of the GAP is to develop the energy potential of the region while providing irrigation for crop growing to the region. Historically most of the development in Turkey was concentrated on the North and Western regions of the nation, leaving the South and East to languish in obscurity. This lack of investment in the region could be a driving reason behind the Kurdish separatist movement. It is Turkey’s national interest to tap the resources of this region and hopefully quell the separatist movement by funnelling development funds into the area to improve the lives of its inhabitants. The GAP has already begun to pay off as other projects other than the Ilisu Dam have already been completed. GAP related dams already account for more than 15% of Turkey’s energy needs and has potential to reach 22% (Kaygusuz, K, 1999). The final goal for land irrigation is 20% of Turkey’s total irrigable land which is nearly 1.7 million hectares of land United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service, 2005). In the region of Sanliurfa – Harran, agricultural benefits are being seen with huge increases in cash crop production (mainly cotton), the establishment of new industries such as beef along with development of textile industry which is raising the standard of living in the region (Northwest Texas International Trade Center, 2004). Energy production is the other prong of the pitchfork of progress that is GAP. In 2002 Turkey’s energy consumption peaked at 126.9 billion KWh. Due to industrialization, development and population growth this figure is projected to rise to 265 billion KWh by 2010 and to 528 billion KWh by 2020 (Stern, 2004). Turkey has scarce fossil fuels so a major source of energy for the nation is hydroelectricity which accounts for 40% of Turkey’s energy needs (Stern, 2004). GAP was conceived to help meet these rapidly increasing energy demands and if GAP does not relieve some of the energy strain put on the nation then other sources of energy must be found. The politics of the GAP are tricky as other nations lie down stream of Turkey on the Tigris and Euphrates. Iraq and Syria are dependent on the flows from the two rivers and by Turkey assuming control of these cross-border water resources tension has been created due to rights to access of the water. Turkey has to be sure to manage the water resources of these rivers in such a way as to not disadvantage the residents of these nations lest they risk war. The GAP falls into the realm of sustainable development as it aims to use a renewable energy source for a long term benefit to the people of the region. The standard definition for sustainable development was generated by a report produced by a United Nations commission in 1987 entitled Our Common Future which is better known as the Brundtland Report after the head of the commission. The definition of the phrase sustainable development is wide ranging and open to subjective interpretation but Our Common Future (1987) defined it as: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. From Our Common Future (Bruntland, 1987) This report generated much response as world leaders began to respond to the issues tackled in the report. The environmental movement began in earnest with the 1960s with the publication of Rachel Carson’s landmark book Silent Spring. (Carson, 1962). The emergence of a demand of environmental responsibility from global citizens was often at odds with economic development planning and a compromise was necessary. Development in 3rd world nations was unchecked and often at the expense of environmental resources. Companies, unable to dispose of environmentally hazardous waste in 1st world nations, looked to pawn it off on 3rd world nations. Economic development was at the forefront of 3rd world nation’s development policies as deforestation, overfishing, herbicide and pesticide application raged rampant with little thought paid to environmental ramifications. An example of this was the 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment which was held in Stockholm, Sweden. At this conference the goal was to tackle the problem of acid rain problems of northern Europe. The nations pushing for a solution that addressed the industrial development roots of the problem were strongly opposed by the Soviet-led Block of 77 which accused the nations of pushing an eco-agenda and refused to cooperate (WSSD, 2000). However a positive outcome from this conference was birth of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Through the 1970s and 1980s the UN began to fund more initiatives focused on conservation and human environment issues (IISD, 2002). Public initiatives began to spawn environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs) such as the Environmental Defence Fund in 1967, International Institute for Environment and Development in 1971 and the Worldwatch Institute in 1984. These major environmental policy groups are still active and important today. Major environmental disasters such as Bhopal, India and Africa’s starvation in the 1980s brought further attention to human and environmental development (IISD, 2002). In 1992 the World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in Rio, Brazil. This marked a major effort by the world’s nations to tackle human development in the context of environmental issues and try to develop a model of development that was sustainable. Sustainability can only come about without the degradation of natural capital that provides the necessary requirements for human life. It has been determined that a healthy population is dependent on a healthy environment. Links are often drawn between human health and environmental health outside the realm of needs production as poisons in the environment negatively affect human health as evidenced by historical use of pesticides and their effects. Further conferences on sustainable development in 1997 (Rio+5) and most recently Rio +10 in Johannesburg 2002 has further developed the notion of sustainable development. Due to public pressure corporate social responsibility has become a focus for corporations based in the developed world and this is further evidenced by the emergence of ethical investment funds which critically screen the companies they invest in. Dam construction was a popular activity in the first half of the 20th century and experienced a peak in building activity in the 1970s (WCD, 2000). It is not that the usefulness of the dam in providing energy, irrigation and flood control has passed; it is that there are fewer rivers that are left to be damned and social and environmental awareness of issues surrounding dam construction has increased. However dam construction continues as it is an important source of energy and nations are forced to meet the energy requirements of their citizens. More than 20% of the world’s energy supply comes from dams and more than 60 countries depend on hydroelectricity for greater than 50% of their total energy needs (WCD, 2000). The World Bank still funds dam construction but less than in the past with 1.3% of the bank’s funds going toward dam-related projects and 0.9% being spent on the construction of new dams (The World Bank, 2000). In 2000 the World Commission on Dams (WCD), a United Nations research body, released a landmark report entitled Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. This research was undertaken in response to the new realizations on the effects of dams and the role they could play in sustainable development. The report noted that nearly 1/5th of the world’s energy was generated through hydroelectricity and that 1/6th of the global agriculture was dependent on irrigation from dammed rivers. It has been estimated that global levels of hydroelectric generation, which is largely carbon-neutral, precludes the need of an extra 4.4 million barrels of oil a day (WCD, 2000). If all dams were decommissioned and destroyed the damage to humankind would have enormous and alternatives would have to quickly be found to provide the benefits that we glean from dams. There are several high profile dams being constructed globally today. The larger projects like the Three Gorges Dam project in China and the Narmada Dam project in India. These dams are large and multi-purpose aiming to help these nations meet development needs of energy and irrigation. Though dams have been integral to social and economic development there are costs as well. Large dam projects typically involve the displacement of people living near the river upstream of the dam. The WCD (2000) estimated that between 40 and 80 million people have been displaced by dam building often with little or no compensation. Water and Conflict Fresh water is a requirement for life as we know it. Humans are made up of more than 70% water and can live only days without a source of drinkable water. Clean water is needed for drinking as well as for farming, industry, sanitation and household uses. Unfortunately fresh water is scarce on Earth and its distribution uneven. With the majority of fresh water resources concentrated in a few nations the need for shared management of water resources is obvious. Turkey is a water poor nation as are its neighbours Syria and Iraq (WCD, 2000; Stern, 2004). The Tigris and Euphrates are two of the main sources of water for these two nations and they have their sources in Turkey. In a river system such as this the actions of the users upstream have an impact on those downstream. Since rivers do not follow nationally contrived boundaries this can cause conflicts between nation-states as one nation, acting within its own borders, can have significant impact on other nations. It was just this sort of trans-boundary environmental issues that incensed the UN to act and create bodies to help manage and resolve such issues. Acid rain, smog, ozone and pollution are all similar in that though no national borders are trespassed, damage it still felt by other nations. New solutions and methods are needed, and are being develo ped by ENGOS, industry and government, to tackle problems such as these The Ilisu dam project was approved in 1982 and because of the date of approval the project is not automatically subject to the Regulation on Environmental Impact Assessment which is current Turkish environmental policy (Ilisu Engineering Group, 2001). However due to the scope of the project and the international attention it attracted an Environmental Impact Assessment Report produced by a consortium of international experts under the moniker of the Ilisu Engineering Group was commissioned by the Turkish authorities and firms involved in construction of the dam. The Ilisu Dam will consist of a reservoir with a surface area of 313 km and a volume of 10.4 billion cubic meters. The power station will have a capacity of 1,200 MW and is expected to be capable of producing 3,800 GWh of power per year (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001; Stern, 2004). The dam will transform the local environment, inundating land that is typically arid, causing a shift in the ecology of the area. Resettlement of the Kurdish people in the Anatolian regions is the main source of resistance to the construction of the dam. It was determined that approximately 183 settlements will be affected, 82 would be inundated entirely and 101 would be affected by flooding (Stern, 2004; Morvaridi, 2002). Exact numbers of people are unavailable because conflicts in the region have driven people out of their villages and have encumbered census takers from obtaining accurate estimates of population. The estimates range from 30,000 to 70,000 people, mostly Kurds, losing homes or land or both. Under Turkish law these people would be allotted cash compensation or an offer of resettlement under Turkish law (Morvaridi, 2002). This compensation plan becomes much more complicated when it is realized that many of the people living in the region do not hold deeds to their land and many have expanded their land without government planning permission (Morvaridi, 2002). Determining who would be eligible for compensation would be a long and painful bureaucratic process that would undoubtedly leave many people unsatisfied. Some have claimed that this project is part of a Turkish plot to expatriate the Kurdish people from their native lands. Human rights NGOs mobilized on behalf of these groups and were able to influence the international financiers into relenting on their backing. However the dam’s constructors and the Turkish government point to the social and economic benefits to the people of Turkey and the direct benefits to the people of the Anatolian provinces. The construction of the dam will bring jobs, training and an influx of money to a previously impoverished region. The availability of ample fresh water for irrigation, possibility of a fishery and tourism opportunities also bear consideration. The possibility exists for real economic and social benefit to the region if the project is handled properly with attention paid to women’s rights and economic opportunities, education and investment in long term planning (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Cultural Issues A second major objection to the dam is archaeological potential of the area. The proposed site has seen much history pass through the area. Mesopotamia was centered here, the Romans conquered the area and the Silk Road wove through what is now South Eastern Turkey. Access to the area was previously restricted due violent conflicts between the Turks and the Kurds but in the lull archaeologists have began excavating the area. One site in particular is Hasankeyf which has visible archaeological evidence dating to 2000 years ago and the ruins may evidence a settlement dating back to 7th century B.C.E (Young, 2000). The excavation of Hasankeyf began in 1986, was stopped in 1991 due to civil strife, and excavation resumed only recently with a laughable grant from the Turkish government of  £15,000 from the Ministry of Culture. The government is spending only  £76,000 in exploring the area agriculturally before the dam is built, a meagre effort at best. Even the Ilisu Engineering Group revealed that some of the worst damage of the dam would be in the loss of untold archaeological treasures (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Political Issues The construction of the Ilisu dam would require the water flow to be suppressed in the construction of the dam. Even the slowing of the flow of the river has consequences for the downstream inhabitants in Syria and Iraq. The people of these countries rely on the river for sanitation, industry and personal use and as the rivers are already over taxed any further reduction will surely have negative consequences on the people of these regions. With the construction of the Ilisu dam reservoir there is the potential that Turkey can fully cut Iraq and Syria off from the flows of these vital rivers. In the coming years when the crisis over water deepens this could be an ill-advised political tactic for Turkey to dominate these nations. Due to the volatile nature of the region it is hoped that it does not come to this. However in 1997 the UN approved the Convention on the Non-Navigational Uses of Transboundary Waterways with a vote of 103: 3. The convention was aimed at preventing damage to international waterways with emphasis on peaceful resolution and prior notification between nations. China, Burundi and Turkey all rejected the treaty (Bosshard, 1998). Dam Alternatives The main focus of the dam is to meet Turkey’s energy needs. In the way of natural energy resources Turkey is scarce. To match the 1,200 MW output of the dam numerous coal, lignite or oil plants would need to be constructed which will have a negative impact on the environment of the region and the globe. In the Ilisu Engineering Group’s 2001 Environmental Impact Assessment the group concluded that it would be necessary to import and consume over 2,500 tons of oil per day, releasing 3 million tons of CO2 per year. A coal plant would do much the same. Photovoltaic technology is not advanced or cost-effective enough to possibly take the place of such a large MW project with the costs being three times per kilowatt what hydroelectricity would cost (Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001). Wind projects are under consideration in Turkey but it will take the construction of wind farms as well as the GAP to meet Turkey’s energy needs in the coming decade. The major avenue for reducing the need to build the dam is in increasing energy efficiency. The Ilisu Engineering Group’s report pointed to this avenue as a necessary one for exploration as Turkey’s energy needs continue to grow. Current Status and Future The Ilisu dam’s future is uncertain as major international funding fell apart over concerns of the dam’s social and ecological impact. In November 2001 the British construction firm Balfour Beatty backed out of the deal as the UK export credit agency pulled its support due to public pressure. Another construction company, Impregilo of Italy, also pulled shortly afterwards and the Swiss bank UBS did the same less than 6 months later (BBC, 2002) Through Turkish government still plans on carrying on the project the lack of financial backing makes it impossible to go forward. For the time being the project is on hold. Recommendations A baseline study of wildlife and ecology with the intention of creating reserves nearby for displaced species. Adequate funding and time for proper exploration of Hasankeyf and investigation of other potential sites. Negotiation with Syria and Iraq on the use of the river. Finding a solution that benefits these nations is vital to the dam’s construction. A plan for compensation of people displaced by the dam. Compensation will need to be based on more than proof of land ownership and a census of the area will be necessary to determine the scope of the compensation plan. Negotiation with the Kurdish people of the region, guaranteeing them a greater say in the compensation funds from the dam and in the monetary benefits to be gained from its construction. Moves to further improve the existing energy infrastructure to ensure maximum benefits are garnered from the dam. Development of industry and agriculture in the area to aid in the development of the region. The Ilisu dam is a highly controversial project is a necessary part of Turkish development, providing energy for tens of thousands of people. Dams, though notorious for displacement of people and conversion of landscapes, are a multi-purpose high energy yielding alternative to fossil or nuclear power generation. In terms of sustainable development they are a much better option than fossil fuel and provide the best energy option until wind and photovoltaic energy technology improves. The dam is controversial and for good reason. The Turkish government must take into account the many parties that will be affected by the dam and work to mitigate their concerns. However without this dam Turkey will be hard pressed to meet energy needs and be able to develop for the social and economic benefits of their people. The Ilisu dam may not be an ideal solution to Turkey’s energy needs but it seems to be the best currently available. Bibliography BBC. 2002. Swiss bank quits Turkish dam project. Available from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1844465.stm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Bosshard, P. 1998. Ilisu a Test Case of International Policy Coherence. Berne Declaration, November 1998. Available from http://www.rivernet.org/turquie/ilisu.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005.  © Copyright of European Rivers Network Bruntland, G. (ed.), 1987. Our common future: The World Commission on Environment and Development, Oxford, Oxford University Press. Carson, R. 1962. Silent Spring. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Ilisu Engineering Group. 2001. Ilisu Dam and HEPP Environmental Impact Assessment Report. IISD. 2002. Sustainable Development Timeline. Available from http://www.iisd.org/rio+5/timeline/sdtimeline.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. Kaygusuz, K. 1999. Energy and water potential of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP). Energy Sources ; Vol. 21 ; Iss: 10 ; PBD: Dec 1999. Morvaridi, B. 2002. Social Review of the Ilisu Dam Resettlement Action Plan. UK Export Credit Guarantee Department. Northwest Texas International Trade Center. 2004. Gap Irrigation Project In Turkey.  © Northwest Texas International Trade Center 2000-2004. Available from http://www.nwtitc.org/gapturkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. Last Updated 02/06/2004. Stern, S. 2004. International Project Finance: The Ilisu Dam Project in 2004 and the Development of Common Guidelines and Standards for Export Credit Agencies. Journal of Structured and Project Finance. New York: Spring 2004.Vol. 10, Iss. 1; p. 46. The World Bank. 2000. Statistics on the World Banks Dam Portfolio. Available from http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/pb/dams/factsheet.htm>. Last accessed April 25th, 2005. United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service. 2005. Southeast Anatolia Project (GAP). Available from http://www.fas.usda.gov/remote/mideast_pecad/turkey/turkey.htm>. Last accessed April 24th, 2005. WSSD. 2000. Towards Sustainable Development: A Guide To The Process Towards The U.N. World Summit For Sustainable Development. Johannesburg, 2002 WCD. 2000. Dams and Development – A New Framework for Decision-Making. Young, P. 2000. Hasankeyf: A city in Peril. History Today; Nov 2000; Vol. 50 Iss 1. pg. 3.