Why Abortion is Wrong Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Why Abortion is Wrong - Assignment Example As the paper outlines, abortion is justified on the basis of the opinion that a fetus is not a human being. There is no point thinking that a baby that is in the developing stage of becoming a complete human being is not a human. An embryo is just as human as its parents are. Won’t a proponent of abortion call a baby tomato a tomato because it is not full in size? He/she certainly will call that a tomato. It is nature’s decision that it has caused certain species to develop inside their mothers’ wombs e.g. animals and has allowed other species to develop on their own e.g. fruits and birds. A baby is not a baby only as long as the sperm has not mated with the ovum. It can be so said because individual sperms or eggs cannot develop on their own or multiply in the number of cells and grow unless the two fuse together and the commencement of the development process happens. The embryo should be considered a human because it has its own DNA right from the conception. It does not require any interference or help in order to grow into a human. It lives along with the mother. The mother does not have to exert at all in order to make the embryo grow into a human. Proponents of abortion claim that it is right to kill a fetus because it is not a human. Let’s assume for a moment that the fetus is not a human being only because it is not that developed.  According to such an inconsiderate and disrespectful definition of humanity, a boy with a crouch limping across the road is not a human being. Nothing can be a bigger blow to the sanctity of humanity than a belief in such a definition of humanity! Let’s look at the matter from the perspective of the well acknowledged and widely accepted theory of consequentialism. Consequentialism is a term used for all moral theories that judge the appropriateness of a decision from its consequences. According to the theory of consequentialism, if the consequences of a decision are good, the decision is right and vice versa. An act that is morally good will necessarily produce a favorable outcome. To abort a child gives pain to the fetus because a fetus has intelligence and it is alive. It can feel pain. Abortion gives pain to the fetus, which is the first bad outcome of the decision of abortion. Abortion may endanger the life of mother along with the child. Even if the mother’s life is not at stake, there are cases in which a woman loses her ability to bear children in the future after an abortion, which is the second bad outcome. Let’s suppose the child had to be aborted because if it was allowed to survive, it would have been a cause of embarrassment not only for the mother but for the whole family because the people would have come to know of the sinful act of the mother who had performed fornication outside marriage or before marriage. There is no reason to justify abortion in this case either because there are millions of married couples who could not have chil dren and would love to adopt. If an unwanted child gets adopted by voluntary parents, this consequence would be far better than the child getting aborted.

International and Comparative Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

International and Comparative Human Resource Management Essay Globalization of business activities has over the recent past happened at rising rates. With the rapid growth of technology, coupled with constant innovations, several corporate organizations have targeted to operate in global scale. With the advent of multinational corporations, the landscape of human resource has undergone a lot of transformations that have given it a new definition. It is important to note that the definition of human resource management has not remained the same given the international dimension added to it (Edwards Rees 2006; Brewster Harris 1999). The degree to which a corporation or company can be considered to be multinational is normally determined by looking at and assessing human resource management policies it has put into place and implementation of the same; these policies are considered alongside other facets of organizational structures and functions. In ethnocentric corporations, human resource policies are formulated at the head quarters, home countries, and then supplied worldwide to other subsidiary corporations. It has been argued that this is not an appropriate strategic policy formulation for a multinational corporate organization with international human resources (Briscoe Schuler 2004). International human Resource Management is concerned more with global management of human capital of a given multinational corporation. The main aim of IHRM is to empower a multinational corporation to achieve success in its global operations; this means the corporation being competitive world all over, being efficient in its international operations, adapting to the global business environment and adapting to the same within the shortest time possible, being locally responsible (in every geographical region of its operations) and being able to transmit learning to all its globally dispersed subsidiaries. The main themes of this paper are about institutional factors that can potentially Influence IHRM practices and policies in developing countries. It also examines the implications of International Human Resource Manager. There are many actors that really influence the process of International Human Resource Management. However, for the purposes of this paper, the main focus will be on three institutional factors. Institutional factors that can Influence IHRM practices and policies in developing countries Institutional strategies and policies Different multinational corporations have different human resource management approaches. Several studies have found out that there is substantial national variance in terms of human resource management (Cooke 2002). This has mostly been witnessed where the parent country’s strategies seem to dominate how a multinational corporation manages its human capital. This is referred to as ethnocentric or forward diffusion strategies (Keeley 2001). This ethnocentric approach has been a big hindrance to the diffusion of parent practices into other subsidiaries. More research studies that have been done have also drawn focus to the influence which the parent country has on how strategic decisions regarding human resource management is done by a company in the host country. Most developing countries pursue different trade policies and strategies; they are these strategies and policies that inform how the multinational corporations operate and interact with other corporations from other developing and developed nations as explained by Kidd et al (2001, pp. 154-163). The fact is that these developing nations have different cultures from the host nations. Due to these differences, it has become an uphill task to transfer human resources management strategies amongst the developing nations. Moreover, different nations come up with changing legislations regarding labor management. These legislations are on policies that may concern minimum wages payable to an employee, the number of expatriates allowed in a foreign owned corporation and also the work status of such expatriates. Developing economies have different economic systems governed by different economic policies and strategies (World Book Encyclopedia 1994). Some economies are centralized while others are liberalized. In the centralized economies, it becomes a bit more difficult for foreign-owned corporations to get foreign expatriates and according to Dutkiewicz and Espino (1997, p. 22), a corporation may be forced to hire purely locally; the issue here is that centralized economies are under direct governments’ control. With respect to this, different governments come up with certain restriction or legislations that may be different from the home country of a parent corporation. Different countries also have varied legislations regarding human capital and multinational corporations are expected to comply with the legislations of the host countries. One area in which legislations differ is in terms of income. Income taxes may vary and have different ranges. This is always likely to have negative impact on the attitude of employees who are transported or exported to countries where income taxes are high. Besides, due to currency fluctuation in the global financial market, managing the salaries for the expatriates becomes a big challenge to International Human Resource Management process. Political factors Politics is one of the major factors that directly impact on IHRM. The political activities in the developing economies have significant influences in the IHRM. Elaboration of this point is evidenced by the fact that different developing nations have varied political environments. The political environments of developing nations are more dynamic in comparison to the political environment of Western developed and other developed nations. Due to this, International Human Resource Management process faces more challenges in the developing economies than developed countries. The causes of these challenges emanate from the fact that the political landscape is characterized by varied opinions by different rival politicians giving promises to the people during electioneering periods; this has made the political environment of the nations to be unstable and hence unpredictable in terms of efficient and effective IHRM policies implementation (Sparrow 2009). Political factors are intertwined with economic factors; this is in the sense politics determines economic activities in the countries. The role of politics in this sense is strong in the developing countries where poverty indices are still low. Political instability and or elements of social conflicts may scare away foreign direct investments; and most importantly, foreign workers may fear working in such economies. The effect of this scenario is ineffective transfer of human capital to certain regions. However, political stability and relative peace in these economies are likely to benefit multinational corporations as far as IHRM is concerned (Sparrow 2009). Within the political environment, there are several pressure groups and institutions that represent different interests of particular individuals. Labour unions are some of the mostly prominent pressure groups shaping the political landscapes. The availability and the latent influence exacted by the labour unions are some of the dominant factors considered when multinational corporations are deciding on countries to expand their operations to. The multinational corporations consider critically the potential cost and other limiting factors associated with the influence of labour unions. The structures of labour unions, their priorities and legislations and practices vary greatly amongst the developing nations. Some of the unions are organized based on the basis of shared industries while others are organized according to occupation of the members. There are nations where labor unions play a major role in labor relations and, low, are allowed to have representations in the boards of multinational corporations. Otherwise, there are also developing nations where independent labour unions are suppressed. Moreover, in some countries labour unions are only mainly concerned with safeguarding personal interests of workers; such interests are commensurate wages and better working conditions. In other nations, labour unions are actively involved in political process and activism. The presence of labour unions may be both beneficial and disadvantageous to multinational corporations. However, it is the prerogative of individual Multinational Corporation to decide whether it is to venture and carry out its expanded operations in a country of choice. However, it is important to mention that there are varied implications of the dynamic labor unions to the International Human Resource Management, especially in developing nations where labour unions are fully involved in mainstream politics and activism. These unions are not just a collection of workers, but also of individuals with political motivation. The consequence of this is that political issues may get into the core business of a multinational corporation thereby jeopardizing its business objectives. Therefore, International Human Resource Managers have to deal with more diversified labour issues than the national human resource managers. Organizational culture Organizational culture is one of the institutional factors that affect the IHRM. An organization’s culture is a popular concept in the theory of organizational management. It is used to refer to the underlying fundamental assumptions, shared norms and values that determines and informs the behavior of individuals attached to the organization; it serves as a behavioral control and provides a framework within which employees are to carry out organizational duties. Research has shown that there is evidence of potential ability of organizational culture in informing the values of the employees (Perkins 2000). Nonetheless, further studies have shown that an organizational culture may instill values and norms that are not consistent with those of national culture to its employees. Consequently, the both national and organizational cultures are likely to conflict at international level. Focusing on organizational culture, it is crucial to note that when a corporation goes multinational, it is likely to face challenges in situations it establishes subsidiaries in countries where its culture is potentially in conflict with the national culture of the host country. It therefore implies that an internationalizing corporation requires carrying out of thorough audit of the new regions of operations and reforming its organizational culture to conform to the national culture of the host state. This may include changing its human resource policies and harmonizing them with those of the host state (Perkins 2000). Every organization has its own culture, which it uses to remain distinct within the global sphere (Joynt Warner 1996). However, this may not stand due to varied national cultural practices of different nations. As has been discussed earlier, the organization will be forced to adapt to cultural practices of the host countries; this may mean employees working in each subsidiary have differing norms and values. This situation is extensively discussed and explained by Heath (2005, p. 233). The organizations may find it appropriate to adapt to the cultures in the host countries. The implication of this is that the organization is most likely to lose its organizational cultural identity; but still the organization has to operate as a unit on the world business platform. Taking for instance, operating in a purely Muslim country will need restructuring how human capital is managed in the organization. The relationship between men and women in Muslim countries are not as liberal as other non-Muslim nations. Therefore, the organization is faced with lots of cultural dilemmas in terms of IHRM. Joint ventures and acquisitions are some of the ways through which multinational corporations expand their operations. Given the varied organizational cultures of the developing countries, integrating human capital to work as a unit is likely to be faced with some challenges on the basis of cultural conflict. This situation may be more evident where two multinational corporations come together just to form a joint venture. However, the organizational culture of the acquiring corporation may dominate the whole negotiation. But it is also important to note that, with this respect, organizational culture may not be a problem where a multinational corporation expands its operations to regions where its culture is identical or closely related to the host’s national culture and organization (Perkins 2000). Due to different and varied national and organizational cultures, a multinational corporation may consider localizing recruitment of its human capital. The advantage of this is that there is no need to grapple with cultural issues since human resources are tapped locally; the employees are already familiar with their own national culture and are able to form a uniform organizational culture (this is where the organization has decided it will allow its organizational culture to vary regionally or geographically). This is exemplified where multinational corporations expand within the developing Muslim states. Adoption of new technology and effecting new changes form an important part of an organizational culture. Employees and other stakeholders have different opinions regarding new changes; due to this, it is important that they are well prepared for such changes. Otherwise, any form of change may not get their support, especially when change involves the corporate organization going global with its business operations. An organization may be forced to ensure that its potential expatriates are well informed on the imminent changes and how they are likely to be affected.

Developing Energy Efficient Building Design

Developing Energy Efficient Building Design Introduction Aims and Objectives The following five points are the key aims and objectives of the proposed building design: To provide the client with an energy efficient building design. To utilise renewable energy systems to reduce the buildings carbon footprint. To use materials in the construction of the building fabric that minimise heat losses/gains so as to reduce the loads on the services systems, and therefore the energy consumption. To provide a flexible, let able HVAC system solution for the landlord/tenant. To provide a design solution in accordance with current Building Regulations. Building summary Heron Tower is an office block located in Central London near to Liverpool Street train station. The site is situated on a traffic island bordered by Camomile Street, Outwich Street and Bishopsgate. The building has a footprint of approximately 1610m2. Site Location Heron Tower is a lightweight steel frame construction, with a concrete structural slab. The external faà §ade of the building is predominantly glazed. The building consists of a basement level, Ground Floor and 2 Floors above ground. The basement will predominantly be used for plant and storage. The ground floor comprises an entrance lobby / reception area, retail area and a loading bay. Each of the floors above ground will be broken down into two distinct areas, the office area and the core area. The building has a flat roof that is available for use for plant and equipment. The office area is to be let to tenants and will be open plan, with a floor area of approximately 1270m2. The core area will be under the control of the building landlord and will house the lifts, stairs, toilets, service risers and will have an allowance for space for tenants plant. The core area has a floor area of approximately 340m2. The total floor area is therefore approximately 6440m2, of which 3900m2 is designated landlords space (i.e. plant, storage, services, retail etc.), and 2540m2 to be let. Occupancy Design Criteria Alert the reading where youre getting the information to design each room of the building, what standards you are trying to meet / exceed. From experience, this is best presented as a cut down of an Excel in the appendix in the form of a table. This sheet should have criteria for every room. Cut it down to every type of room, so it fits on one page, usually rotated, tricky. Environmental data from CIBSE Guide A  [2]   Lighting data from CIBSE LG7 -Lighting for Offices  [3]   Ventilation Cooling Heating Domestic Cold Water The domestic cold water service will be provided via a cold water booster set, taking water from a mains fed storage tank. This service will provide water for drinking, toilets, cleaning, mechanical pressurisation units, and will also feed the domestic hot water system via an unvented storage calorifier. The cold water service will be sized as follows: Occupancy: Cold water demand: Hot water demand: Domestic Hot Water The domestic hot water service will be provided via a two-pipe system fed from a central unvented storage calorifier, with a system pump to circulate the water to maintain the temperature. It is proposed that the primary method of heating the water is produced using an indirect solar hot water heating system. The system will comprise a solar array on the roof of the building that will heat the domestic hot water via a coil in the storage calorifier. The system water will be circulated through the solar panels and coil using a pump. The calorifier provided will have dual coils to allow the solar heating system to be supplemented by the main building heating system. This secondary coil will be used to heat the water if the solar system fails to meet hot water demand. Both coils will be controlled using automatic 3-port control valves For more detailed information about the solar hot water heating system see section 6.1. Acoustics Lighting Electrical Services Supplemented by wind turbines on roof Distribution of Services Landlord Areas Mechanical Electrical Tenants / Public Areas Mechanical LTHW and CHW pipework to air conditioning units will be housed in the ceiling void. Electrical Distribution of small power to the office area will be via floor boxes fed from a raised floor. Power for air conditioning units and lighting will be distributed via the ceiling void. Energy Metering Metering will be provided on both incoming service mains to the site and on sub-circuits within the building for monitoring by the building energy manager. Metering provisions will enable the energy manager to attribute at least 90% of the energy usage to specific systems, e.g. lighting, heating etc. in accordance with The Building Regulations Part L2A  [4]  . The meters provided shall be BMS compatible to allow for automatic data collection. The metering strategy for the building is as follows: Mains Metering Electricity Electricity will be metered on the incoming mains to monitor the buildings overall electrical energy usage and for billing purposes (in accordance with ) Water Water will be metered on the incoming mains to monitor the overall water usage and for billing purposes (in accordance with water bylaws). Gas Gas will be metered on the incoming mains to monitor the overall gas usage and for billing purposes (in accordance with ) Sub-Metering Sub-metering will be provided to monitor energy usage on sub-systems so that the overall energy usage of the building can be broken down into the various systems and analysed by the building energy manager. Sub-metering will also be used to differentiate between energy usage by the landlord and tenants for billing purposes. The sub-metering strategy has been devised in accordance with CIBSE TM39  [5]  . The sub-metering strategy for the building is as follows: Electricity The landlords and tenants supplies will be fed from separate distribution boards to allow differentiation between energy usages. The feeds to these distribution boards will be metered at the L.V switchgear. Metering will also be provided at the local distribution boards to monitor energy usage across the main categories of electricity usage. The categories that will be monitored are: Lighting Office small power (including computer equipment etc.) Ventilation plant Heating plant Cooling plant Air conditioning units Heating/Air Conditioning Heating and air conditioning in the landlord and tenant areas will be fed by separate sub-circuits. The energy used by each of these circuits will be monitored by using in line pipe heat meters located in the service risers. Water Domestic hot and cold water usage at the toilets on levels 1 2, and in the staff areas in the basement will be monitored using water meters located in the service risers. Gas Gas is only used for the gas fired boiler plant. As the gas is metered at the incoming main no sub-metering is required. Solar Domestic Hot Water System The output of the solar hot water generation system will be measured by installing a heat meter inline to the feed from the solar array to the storage calorifier. This heat meter will measure the flow rate of the water as well as its temperature in order to gauge system output. A meter will also be installed in the sub-circuit feed from the LTHW system to ascertain how much LTHW has to be used when the solar hot water generation system fails to satisfy demand. Wind Power System Energy produced by the wind turbines located on the roof of the building will be metered to provide the building energy manager with data on the actual output of the wind turbines. This will be metered on the common feed from the turbines to the storage battery. The consultation on changes to the technical  guidance for Part L issued in June 2009 proposes: The output of any renewable energy system  provided as part of the works must be  separately monitored. Safety Benchmarking This section is to give the reader an idea of the minimum standard to be achieved by your proposed design. Usually BSRIA Rule of Thumb gives you a starting point in W/m2. There is usually guidance in the form of Best Practice for a particular type of building: school, hospital, office, leisure centre etc. CIBSE guide A Table 6.2 Benchmark allowances for internal heat gains in typical buildings BSRIA Rules of thumb 4th ed Heat Calculations You will need to calculate the current baseline design using typical construction materials. This could be done using Hevacomp  [6]  , IES  [7]  or Excel. Then you could consider orientation, shading and construction materials to recalculate heat loss /gains. Typically, improved U values for windows are considered, but then you must justify the decision based on costs / environmental pollution etc. Could include the unoptimised design, if the building is a refurbishment. You should include any restrictions, listed building, planning constraints etc. Heat losses You should make the calculations, say in Hevacomp, but only include a summary in the text. This includes the U values for the building elements: wall, floor, roof, door, windows, these could be calculated from scratch, taken from the CIBSE guide, Hevacomp database or manufacturers data. Literature Review (In-depth investigation) The literature review should consider one or two particular areas. You should use a selection matrix to highlight two or three potential solutions depending on your criteria (your client usually wants the cheapest construction- low capital cost) usually you want either low C02, low energy bills, low maintenance, highest safety etc. You must be able to defend your selection. Now investigate the options based on the selection matrix, you dont need to supply manufacture information, but you may need to hassle manufacturers for cost information, or size information (e.g bore hole depths for ground source heat pumps, GSHP) Heating supply for example You could select gas or electric or CHP or GSHP or ASHP or oil, liquefied gas etc. Select two or three and investigate options in-depth Heating systems You could decide between radiators, under-floor heating, electric storage heaters etc. Ventilation Requirements Ventilation is a means of changing the air within a space in order to: Provide fresh air for respiration Preserve oxygen levels in the air in enclosed spaces Control carbon dioxide Control moisture/humidity Remove heat from processes carried out within a space Remove atmospheric contaminants such as odours, smoke and dust Maintain comfort conditions Provide oxygen for combustion Types of Ventilation Ventilation may take many forms and the method of ventilating buildings will vary from project to project. Whatever the specific design for ventilating a building may be, it can always be divided into three categories- natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation and air conditioning. Designers may decide to focus the design of the buildings ventilation system solely on one of these three methods, or to use a combination of the three. Natural Ventilation Natural ventilation is the most economic method of ventilating a building as it uses components of the buildings structure, such as windows, louvres, trickle vents and air bricks to provide the buildings ventilation, therefore requiring little or no energy to operate (although it can contribute to the buildings energy losses). When deciding to use natural ventilation in a building design the following factors should be taken into consideration: Location: is the building situated in an area where having windows open for the purpose of ventilation is going to allow high noise levels or smells into the building? Size: how big is the building? If the building is large are there internal rooms that are not close to external walls/windows and could therefore be insufficiently ventilated naturally? Temperature maintenance: what measures will be used to maintain a comfortable internal temperature if the external temperatures are fluctuating? Energy consumption: although utilising natural ventilation will reduce energy consumption by not requiring any mechanical plant to operate, constantly having windows open will lead to larger heat losses than would be expected from an identical sealed building. This will increase the energy use of any heating systems in place. Seasonal weather: will natural ventilation provide enough cooling on hot summers days to maintain comfortable conditions? Will it still be practical to have windows open on particularly cold days? If natural ventilation is used as a buildings sole means of ventilation then it can be very difficult to maintain comfortable conditions all year round, as you are depending on an unknown and uncontrollable factor i.e. the weather. The only control that is really available is to open or close windows or other building components. Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation systems are installed where natural ventilation is impractical or there is a necessity to achieve a specific number of air changes per hour in order to comply with legislation and regulations. Mechanical ventilation systems can take three forms: Mechanical intake with natural extract Mechanical extract with natural intake Mechanical intake and extract Whilst both the capital and running costs of a mechanical system are higher than that of a natural system, mechanical systems will provide a reliable and controllable air change rate that is required in some circumstances, and is simply not achievable via natural ventilation. When deciding to use mechanical ventilation in a building design the following factors should be taken into consideration: Size: is the building big enough to warrant the installation of a mechanical ventilation system? Location/use of rooms: does the building have internal rooms that have no other means of smell/heat extraction such as toilets or kitchens, therefore requiring a mechanical ventilation system? Cost: does the buildings need for ventilation warrant the cost of installing, running and maintaining a mechanical ventilation system? Maintenance: is maintenance of the system going to be easy and affordable? Space: is there going to be enough space in the building for the plant/distribution systems required for a mechanical ventilation system? A mechanical ventilation system provides the occupants of the building with a higher level of control over comfort conditions than would be provided when relying solely on natural ventilation. It would not however provide the level of controllability that can be achieved by an air conditioning system. Air Conditioning Air conditioning is the process of controlling condition of the air supplied to a space by subjecting the air to a number of processes including heating, cooling, humidification and dehumidification. Air conditioning is used where close control of comfort conditions is required, or where acceptable internal conditions cannot be achieved using either natural or mechanical ventilation. When deciding to use an air conditioning system in a building design the following factors should be taken into consideration: Size: is the building big enough to warrant the installation of an air conditioning system? Location/use of rooms: does the building have internal rooms that have no other means of smell/heat extraction such as toilets or kitchens, therefore requiring the installation of a mechanical ventilation system as well as the air conditioning system? Cost: is the need to maintain comfort conditions and temperatures great enough to warrant the cost of installing, running and maintaining an air-conditioning system? Maintenance: is maintenance of the system going to be easy and affordable? Space: is there going to be enough space in the building for the plant/distribution systems required for an air conditioning system? Efficiency: is the plant that is going to be installed going to be energy efficient? An air conditioning system gives by far the greatest level of control over comfort conditions. Temperatures can be controlled locally and accurately, meaning that people in different areas of the building can decide on the conditions that they feel most comfortable. The installation of an air conditioning system can also remove the requirement for a separate heating system, if a multi-functional fan coil unit system, or equivalent, were to be installed, therefore allowing conditions to be maintained comfortably all year round. Renewables Now the Mayor of London has put his backing into renewables, it must be included as a potential measure. Typically students investigate hydrogen, solar heated water, PV, tidal, wind or biomass. You need to decide which one is appropriate then make some calculations. Please learn to use equation editor (its under Insert -> Object). Unfortunately, its not installed by default by Word, but you can add it in by a add/remove option in Office Setup. From your decisions you should be able to calculate the CO2 and energy savings, based this upon a standard condensing boiler and the current price of gas and electricity. Include grants / tax breaks into the calculation. Finally, financials including simple pay back period should be included, but you should rerun the calculation based on future energy prices as well.

Courage in To Kill A Mockingbird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays

Courage ?Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen? Courage is the thing which can be found in a child to an old man. It needs a lot of courage to take out courage from the heart. It is like a brain. It depends on the person, how and when he uses it. This tiny word has the power to convey the whole gesture of a person. According to Harper Lee?s genius ?To Kill a Mockingbird?, Courage is when you know you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through it through no matter what. This novel tends us to picture Atticus as a very courageous man. His definition for this term doesn?t mean bravery or a man with a gun in his hand. He defines courage as ?When you know you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what?. Atticus?s courage is represented very significantly and differently in this book. He undertook the case of a Negro who was wrongly accused of raping a white girl. He went against the whole racist community of the town. The opposition of the racist people failed to make him step back from the case. He just fought the case courageously. But the white jury couldn?t possibly be expected to take a black person?s work against the whites. Similarly, a great example of courage is displayed within the life of Mrs. Dubose. She was a sick old woman, waiting for death. However, she had one more goal to achieve before her life come to an end. She wished to free herself of a morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose displayed courage in a situation where most people would surrender to the drug. She did not fear for death. Moreover, she challenged death through her perseverance to leave this world free of addiction. People around her came to know of her courage after she passed away. Similarly, the largest example of courage is found in younger characters like Scout and Jem. Courage in To Kill A Mockingbird :: To Kill a Mockingbird Essays Courage ?Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak, Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen? Courage is the thing which can be found in a child to an old man. It needs a lot of courage to take out courage from the heart. It is like a brain. It depends on the person, how and when he uses it. This tiny word has the power to convey the whole gesture of a person. According to Harper Lee?s genius ?To Kill a Mockingbird?, Courage is when you know you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through it through no matter what. This novel tends us to picture Atticus as a very courageous man. His definition for this term doesn?t mean bravery or a man with a gun in his hand. He defines courage as ?When you know you are licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what?. Atticus?s courage is represented very significantly and differently in this book. He undertook the case of a Negro who was wrongly accused of raping a white girl. He went against the whole racist community of the town. The opposition of the racist people failed to make him step back from the case. He just fought the case courageously. But the white jury couldn?t possibly be expected to take a black person?s work against the whites. Similarly, a great example of courage is displayed within the life of Mrs. Dubose. She was a sick old woman, waiting for death. However, she had one more goal to achieve before her life come to an end. She wished to free herself of a morphine addiction. Mrs. Dubose displayed courage in a situation where most people would surrender to the drug. She did not fear for death. Moreover, she challenged death through her perseverance to leave this world free of addiction. People around her came to know of her courage after she passed away. Similarly, the largest example of courage is found in younger characters like Scout and Jem.

Conflict in the Niger Delta Essay

The conflict happening in the Niger Delta stated in 1990. The tensions involve foreign oil corporation and members of some Niger Delta’s minority ethnic groups, particularly the Ogoni and the Ijaw. The instability continued from the 1990s until recently even though there are major changes in the government structure. The area surrounding the Delta is now heavily militarized by the Nigerian army and police forces, and numerous armed groups belonging to the ethnic groups (Barrett). According to the Center for International Development and Conflict Management (â€Å"Minorities at Risk. A Country Case Study†) violence and high crime rate is a common scenario in the Delta because of the stiff contest for oil. Government atrocities with civilian as victims are also recorded in the area. One of the most conflicted areas in the Delta is Oganiland. Located in the southeast of the Niger Delta, Oganiland is a region comprising 404-squale-mile of the area. Shell and Chevron set up their exploration and drilling facilities in the area upon the discovery of oil deposits in 1957. The rich oil deposit in Oganiland is considered as Nigeria’s first petroleum deposit for commercial purposes. During the exploration of the two largest foreign oil companies, government authorities and agents forced residents of the area to leave. This government-initiated forced evacuation on the area affected almost half a million ethnic minorities belonging to the group Ogonis and other ethnic groups (Agbu). They also attest that the government and the foreign oil companies did not conduct any consultation with them and offer any damages. Despite the strong opposition from the affected minorities, the federal government supported the atrocities by amending the Constitution that the government has the full ownership on all lands within Nigeria and compensation will be based on the crops and products located in the land during the taking and not the actual value of the land. These further allow the taking of foreign oil corporations on almost all of the lands in Oganiland with the help of the government (â€Å"Minorities at Risk. A Country Case Study. †). In the 1980s, the situation of Oganiland and the Oganis deteriorated economically, socially, politically and environmentally. Dissatisfaction and discontent among the people in Oganiland steadily mounts that in 1992 they formed the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). It became the main organization campaigning for various issues of the Oganis, primarily ethnic and environmental rights. MOSOP became the main opposition of the Nigerian government and foreign oil companies in Oganiland (Agbu). The conflict between MOSOP and oil companies escalated that it resulted to violence disrupting some of the oil companies’ major activities in the area. MOSOP required $10 billion as royalties since the companies started and for the degradation of the environment in Oganiland (Olusakin). However, according to Agbu (2004) the oil companies, Shell, Chevron and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, with the help of government authorities answered the MOSOP’s demand through violence also. Mass actions and protests started to occur in a daily basis in Oganiland that resulted the banning of public assembly by the government. It also pronounced as acts of treason any disturbances of oil production and related activities in the area. Militarization and repression rose in 1994 where in four village chiefs were murdered. The head of MOSOP, Ken Saro-Wira was detained because of the killings. Hundreds were also arbitrarily arrested and detained because of the killings. By June of the same year, there were almost 30 villages totally ruined, almost 2,000 deaths and leaving nearly 100,000 Oganis as internal refugees (Human Rights Watch). In 1994 Saro-Wira with other eight Ogani activist were arrested and sentenced to death. They are executed though hanging by the Nigerian government. The deaths of Saro-Wira and his companions enraged the people of Oganiland that resulted to more disruptive and violent actions against the oil companies. The militancy of the Oganis inspired other ethic groups to start their own struggle against the government and the foreign oil companies (Olusakin). The Ijaws organized the Ijaw National Congress and Ijaw youth organized the Ijaw Youth Congress. These two groups raise the political consciousness and militancy of the Ijaw people. They started to lay down their demands against the irresponsive central Nigerian government and to the foreign oil companies. They are asserting that these companies should have direct and concrete plans to uplift the lives of the people in the Niger Delta (Obi). Recently, armed and more militant groups like Niger Delta Peoples Vanguard (NDPV), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF) and the Nigerian Delta Vigilante (NDV) were organized. Although these groups were formed because of the continuous environmental degradation, government neglect and social and political unrest in the area, they are now in conflict on varying ideologies and forms of actions (Obi). Most of them aim to gain control of the area’s rich oil resources. NDPVF and NDV are in conflict with each other. Violence between the groups rose resulting to disruptive activities in Port Harcourt, the Delta’s oil capital. Supporters of NDPVF transferred to NDV escalating more the conflict between the two groups (Agbu). After the local and national elections of 2003, NDPVF announced their all-out war against the government (Olusakin). However, MEND is closely affiliated with NDV. They reached their international reputation when they hijacked oil tankers crossing through the country and nearby countries. They arbitrarily detained workers in the tankers for months and demanding for ransom for their release. Last year, they attacked various oil installations and facilities of oil company Shell that resulted to oil price increase. They also attacked a facility of Chevron, forcing the company to halt operations in the region for that year (Obi). In 2005, the central government called the National Political reform Conference. Representatives of the Niger Delta raised various concerns on the development of the region. Numerous non-government and human rights organization have also called the attention of the central government to introduce reform in the region. There are proposals to divide the region into two, Eastern Niger Delta and Western Niger Delta, to make developmental projects easier to implement (Taylor). The ventral government should also convert new states in the region with at least one city in every state. Taylor (2007) said that federal offices and ministries should also set-up their branches in the region to make government services more accessible to ethnic minorities in the region. The government is also urged to enact legislations compelling oil companies to implement developmental projects in their host communities and strictly follow environmental laws. International civil society groups have also suggested that the central government implement policies to have more transparency in the revenues and fiscal matters on the oil industries. The Washington-based Human Rights Watch (2002) also strongly recommends that state security forces should be investigated and persecuted on their abuses on the civilians in the region (p. 5). The conflict in the region is already decade-old and seems will never end. The Nigerian government should seriously implement reforms and developmental projects in the region to alleviate poverty among its people. The more delay on these developments needed, the more people will be agitated to join the armed resistance fueled by inequality among the oil company and the ethnic minorities of the Niger Delta. Works Cited: Agbu, Osita. (2004). Ethnic Militias and the Threat to Democracy in Post-Transition Nigeria. Uppsala: Nordic African Institue. Barrett, Ejiroghene. â€Å"Why the Troubles in the Niger Delta. † New African 456 (2006): 40-45 â€Å"Minorities at Risk. A Country Case Study. † 2 April 2009. Center fro International Development and Conflict Management. . Olusakin, Ayoka Mopelala. â€Å"Peace in the Niger Delta: Economic Development and the Politics of Dependence on Oil. † International Journal on World Peace 23 (2006): 3 Obi, Cyril (1997). Globalization and Local Resistance: The Case of the Ogoni versus Shell. Ibadan: University of Ibadan. Obi, Cyril (2001). The Changing Forms of Identity Politics in Nigeria under Economic Adjustment: The Case of the Oil Minorities Movement of the Niger Delta. Uppsala: Nordic African Institute. Taylor, Darren. â€Å"Niger Delta and Lack of Infrastructure: Major Issues in Nigeria Elections. † Voice of America. 22 March 2007. 2 April 2009 â€Å"The Niger Delta: No Democratic Dividend. † October 2002. Human Rights Watch. 2 April 2009. < http://www. hrw. org/legacy/reports/2002/nigeria3/nigerdelta. pdf>

Sample Appeal Letter for College Dismissal for Alcohol

Sample Appeal Letter for College Dismissal for Alcohol Alcohol and drugs play a significant role in many college dismissals. Students who spend much of the week impaired arent going to do well in college, and the consequences can be the end of their college careers. Not surprisingly, however, students are extremely reluctant to admit that alcohol or drug abuse was the cause of their academic failures. While students are quick to identify family problems, mental health issues, roommate situations, relationship problems, assaults, concussions, and other factors as the reasons for poor academic performance, almost never does a student admit that excessive college drinking  was the issue. The reasons for this denial are many. Students may fear that admitting to the use of illegal drugs will hurt, not help, their appeals. The same can be said for under-age drinking. Also, many people with alcohol and drug problems deny the problem to themselves as well as others. Honesty Is Best For an Alcohol-Related Academic Dismissal If youve been dismissed from college for poor academic performance that is the result of alcohol or drug abuse, your appeal is a time to take a careful look in the mirror and be honest. The best appeals are always honest, no matter how embarrassing the circumstances. For one, the appeals committee knows when students are withholding information or being misleading in their appeals. The committee will have lots of information from your professors, administrators, and student affairs personnel. All those missed Monday classes are a pretty clear sign of hangovers. If youve been coming to class stoned, dont assume your professors dont notice. If youre always at the center of the college party scene, your RAs and RDs know this. Will being honest about your substance abuse result in a successful appeal? Not always, but youre more likely to succeed than if you try to hide the problem. The college may still decide that you need time off to mature and address your problems. However, if you are honest in your appeal, acknowledge your mistakes, and show that you are taking steps to change your behavior, your college may give you a second chance. Sample Appeal Letter for Alcohol-Related Academic Dismissal The sample appeal letter below is from Jason who was dismissed after a terrible semester in which he passed just one of his four classes and earned a .25 GPA. After reading Jasons letter, be sure to read the discussion of the letter so that you understand what Jason does well in his appeal and what could use a little more work. Also be sure check out these 6 tips for appealing an academic dismissal and tips for an in-person appeal. Heres Jasons letter: Dear Members of the Scholastic Standards Committee:Thank you for taking the time to consider this appeal.My grades at Ivy College have never been great, but as you know, this past semester they were horrible. When I received news that I was dismissed from Ivy, I cant say that I was surprised. My failing grades are an accurate reflection of my effort this past semester. And I wish I had a good excuse for my failure, but I dont.From my very first semester at Ivy College, Ive had a great time. Ive made lots of friends, and Ive never turned down an opportunity to party. In my first two semesters of college, I rationalized my C grades as the result of the greater demands of college compared to high school. After this semester of failing grades, however, Ive been forced to recognize that my behavior and irresponsibility are the issues, not the academic demands of college.I was an A student in high school because I am capable of good work when I set my priorities correctly. Unfortunately, I have not handled the freedom of college well. In college, especially this past semester, I let my social life spin out of control, and I lost sight of why I am in college. I slept through a lot of classes because I was up until daybreak partying with friends, and I missed other classes because I was in bed with a hangover. When given the choice between going to a party or studying for an exam, I chose the party. I even missed quizzes and exams this semester because I didnt make it to class. I am obviously not proud of this behavior, nor is it easy for me to admit, but I realize I cant hide from reality.Ive had many difficult conversations with my parents about the reasons for my failing semester, and I am grateful that they have pressured me into seeking help so that I can succeed in the future. In truth, I dont think Id be owning up to my behavior now if my parents hadnt forced me to be honest with them (lying has never worked with them). With their encouragement, I have had two m eetings with a behavioral therapist here in my hometown. We have begun discussing the reasons why I drink and how my behavior has changed between high school and college. My therapist is helping me identify ways to change my behavior so that I dont depend on alcohol to enjoy college.  Attached to this letter, you will find a letter from my therapist outlining our plans for the coming semester should I be readmitted. We also had a conference call with John at the counseling center at Ivy College, and if I am readmitted, I will be meeting with him regularly during the semester. I have given John permission to confirm these plans with the members of the committee. My dismissal has been a big wake-up call for me, and I am very aware that if my behavior doesnt change, I dont deserve to attend Ivy. My dream has always been to study business at Ivy, and I am disappointed in myself for letting my behavior get in the way of that dream. I am confident, however, that with the support and awa reness that I now have, I can be successful at Ivy if given a second chance. I hope you will give me the opportunity to prove to you that I am capable of being a strong student.Thank you again for taking the time to consider my appeal. Please dont hesitate to contact me if any members of the committee have questions that I havent answered in my letter.Sincerely,Jason Analysis and Critique of the Appeal Letter First of all, a written appeal is fine, but  in-person is better. Some colleges will require a letter along with an in-person appeal, but Jason should definitely strengthen his letter with an in-person appeal if given the opportunity. If he does appeal in person, he should follow  these guidelines. Like  Emma  (whose poor performance was due to a family illness), Jason has an uphill battle to fight to get readmitted to his college. In fact, Jasons case is probably more difficult than Emmas because his circumstances are less sympathetic. Jasons failure is the result of his own behavior and decisions more than any forces that were outside of his control. His letter needs to prove to the appeals committee that he has owned up to his problematic behavior and has taken steps to address the issues that led to his failing grades. As with any appeal, Jasons letter must accomplish several things: Show that he understands what went wrongShow that he has taken responsibility for the academic failuresShow that he has a plan for future academic successShow that he is being honest with himself and the appeals committee Jason could have tried to blame others for his problems. He could have made up an illness or blamed an out-of-control roommate. To his credit, he does not do this. From the beginning of his letter, Jason owns up to his bad decisions and acknowledges that his academic failure is a problem that he created himself. This is a wise approach. College is a time of new freedoms, and it is a time to experiment and make mistakes. The members of the appeals committee understand this, and they will be pleased to see that Jason acknowledges that he didnt handle the freedom of college well. This honesty shows far more maturity and self-awareness than an appeal that tries to deflect responsibility onto someone else. In the four points above, Jasons appeal does a pretty good job. He clearly understands why he failed his classes, he has owned up to his mistakes, and his appeal certainly seems, to be honest. A student who confesses to missing exams because of excessive drinking is not someone who is trying to lie to the committee. Plans for Future Academic Success Jason could do a bit more with #3, his plans for future academic success. Meeting with the behavioral therapist and school counselor are certainly important pieces to Jasons future success, but they are not a complete map to success. Jason could strengthen his letter with a bit more detail on this front. How will he involve his academic advisor in his efforts to turn around his grades? How does he plan to make up the failed classes? What class schedule is he planning for the upcoming semester? How will he navigate the social scene that he has been immersed in over the past three semesters?   Jasons problems are ones that the appeals committee will have seen before, but most students are not so honest in their failures. The honesty will certainly work in Jasons favor. That said, different schools have different policies when it comes to underage drinking, and it is always possible that his appeal will not be granted because of an inflexible college policy. At the same time, it is also possible that Jasons punishment will be lessened. For example, instead of dismissal, he may be suspended for a semester or two. On the whole, Jason comes across as an honest student who has potential but made some all-too-common college mistakes. He has taken meaningful steps to address his failures. His letter is clear and respectful. Also, because this is Jasons first time that he has found himself in academic trouble, he will be a more sympathetic case than a repeat offender. His readmission is certainly not a given, but I do think the appeals committee will be impressed by his letter and give his readmission serious consideration. A Final ​Note Students who find themselves in academic trouble because of alcohol or drug abuse should consult with professionals for guidance and support.