What did it mean for a man in Ancient Greece to lead a good life Essay

In Ancient Greece, leading a good life is rather more complex than it is in today’s society. It is evidenced in Plato’s four dialogs in The Trial and Death of Socrates. Through the dialogues of Socrates we can learn that in Ancient Greece education, religion, society in general, law and values played a major role on a person’s way of living a good life. In the dialogues of The Trial and Death of Socrates, society condemned those such as Socrates for changing or questioning their way of life. A person in Ancient Greece must be a pious man who conforms to the laws and values of the society. We can learn how a man should lead a good life in Ancient Greece through the dialogues of Socrates in his trial. In order for a man to lead a good life, he must have a good education. In ancient Greek society it is stated that a man shouldn’t think about having kids if he doesn’t plan on giving a good education to them (Plato 45). This signifies that education is the first thing in a man’s life that will make him a good person. In the dialogues of Crito, we can see that music and gymnastics played a major role in education because Socrates’s father trained him in those fields (Plato 51). Education also plays a major role in a man’s life because it not only helps in this life but also the after life. According to Socrates, education and nurture are the only things that you can take with you to the underworld (Plato 106). Your knowledge and education will help you in your next life not your material wealth. Asides from having a good education, a man in Ancient Greece should value and ignore certain actions. As I have stated earlier a man should value education, but asides from that he must be a pious person. We can see in the dialogues between Euthyphro and Socrates that piety should be valued a lot. In other words a man should value his religion and the gods. Both Socrates and Euthyphro come up with their meaning of piety. Being a pious person according to Socrates and Euthyphro is doing things that is dear to the gods and is agreeable to them. Also making offerings to the gods and looking after them (Plato 6-13). Another thing that a man must value is reputation.  We can see example of how Socrates maintains his reputation by refusing to flee Athens because it would tarnish his family name. In the same example Socrates shows us that Athenian Citizenship is valued a lot because he doesn’t escape prison since it would mean his family would lose their citizenship (Plato 52-54). With the events that occurred to Socrates, it shows us that one should ignore questioning or changing the law or religion. The whole reason Socrates is being put to trial because he was charged with not recognizing the gods and inventing new deities and corrupting the youth (Plato 2,5). During the time of Socrates, religion and law should be respected and followed. In Ancient Greece, men who hold a citizenship of a city-state such as Athens must conform to all their laws and religion. Religion at that time was very important and valued. If anyone tried to change it or question it would be doomed to death. This what happened to Socrates because not only did he question the God but he was also corrupting the younger generation according to the courts (Plato 2 and 4). For a man in Ancient Greece he should be a pious person. As I mention earlier one must submit to the gods and make offering to them. From Socrates’s point of view, a person should always question society. Socrates always questions people because he thin that by doing so he can make the society better. He wants to make people think critically (Plato 31). Also question society can lead to wisdom. In Socrates case, he question different authorities outside of their knowledge because they claim to know every thing and admits to not knowing everything (Plato 23). Asides from religion and society a man must conform to the laws of the city-state. The laws of Athens for example shape the life a person living in it. The laws of Athens for example gave Socrates education, citizenship and the option for him to go in exile (Plato 50-52). Socrates signifies that he accepts the laws of Athens because he defends it and ultimately stays in Athens when he had the chance for exile (Plato 51-53). Since Socrates is a well-known figure in his society we can accept that these are the norms of society. According to Socrates, a man should deal with death with ease. He views death as a gateway to join other souls. In his view, he will get to join should that died before such as Homer Ajax and gets to question them to find out who is the wisest (Plato 40). Socrates  also states that suicide is a bad action. The life and souls belongs to the Gods, by committing suicide you can’t summon yourself to the Gods (Plato 59). Socrates suggests that the soul joins the Gods after death. He believes that you can get a better understand of the worl d (Plato 69). In conclusion, for a man to lead a good life in Ancient Greece he must be pious, well educated, and follow the laws of the society. Since Socrates is viewed as a great philosopher today we can use his actions and views in the Trail and Death of Socrates as an example of how a person should lead his life in Ancient Greece. Through his understandings we learned that education plays a major part in the beginning of a mans life. And also the laws and religion must be adhered to for a man to lead a good life.

Mathematics and Linguistics Essay

How is Mathematics and Linguistics related with each other? Linguistics is the science of language. Linguists seek to understand the proper uses of natural human language. How languages are structured, how and why they vary and change, how they are acquired, and how people, in communicating use them. Mathematics on the other hand is the language of science. It is used to understand areas as diverse as the structure of DNA and the motions of planets. Mathematics abstracts the fundamental issue at the heart of an example, frequently  finding connections with other, initially contradictory problems. Language is a universal theory. Everyone uses language as a form of communication. This is the same in Mathematics. Math, like linguistics can be broken down into many different sub-categories such as geometry, trigonometry, algebra, etc. Algebra, being a great example of this because, instead of using words, it uses symbols to convey an idea. Forming sentences is like forming an equation. Once the pattern is understood, a person who speaks this type of language is able to understand. Once  one knows the pattern, it is easy to understand the overall meaning of a language without even knowing the vocabulary; therefore linguistics like mathematics is a universal concept. In my research and study of mathematics and linguistics I discovered how important and inter-related both subject areas are to each other. Mathematical linguistics is the study of statistical structure of texts and the construction of mathematical models of the phonological and grammatical structure of languages. Today, the fields of linguistics are used by computer scientists, engineers, and by  mathematicians who are interested in the nature of language processing. To summarize,math deals a lot with patterns, as does linguistics, so understanding patterns is very important. Noam Chomsky , a notable Linguist and Philosopher once stated â€Å" A linguist does not need to have deep understanding of the more complicated fields of mathematics; However a good linguist, is educated enough to see a pattern in language and from there, they are able to properly study and dissect the on going patterns and changes that occurs with languages everyday. †

Business Finance and the Capital Structure Research Paper

Business Finance and the Capital Structure - Research Paper Example The most important disadvantage of debt financing is the interest burden and the repayment of loan. If the loan and interest are not repaid on time then banks and financing institutions can seize the assets of the company. The history of bond and stock market shows that risk and returns are indispensably attached to each other. Investors cannot get higher returns if their risk portfolio is low. Lower risk will bring lower returns and in order to get higher returns investors need to take high risk. William Sharpe (1964) and John Lintner (1965) have contributed to the origin of asset pricing theory in the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). The CAPM was built on the model of choice of portfolio developed by Harry Markowitz (1959). According to the model of Markowitz, an investor opts to select a portfolio at time t-1 which would generate a stochastic return at time t. The model assumes that investors are generally risk averse, and at the time of choosing their portfolio they are concerned about only mean and variance of their return at the end of investment period. So investors prefer to choose mean & variance efficient portfolios that would either minimize variance with a certain expected return or would maximize expected return given variance. Thus, CAPM is a theory that defines the relationship between risk and the expected return of a security or a portfolio of securities. The theory is based on the assumption that the security market is generally composed of risk-averse in vestors and the type of investors who prefer and will to take more risk only when they expect to earn a higher return in commensuration with that risk. The return from an asset varies through successive periods and an asset which has a fluctuating return is considered to have greater risk. So, the tendency of investors is to diversify their investment portfolio so that they could minimize the effect of risk volatility, i.e. the unsystematic risk attached

The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci and Jacopo Tintoretto Term Paper

The Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci and Jacopo Tintoretto - Term Paper Example Focusing on the theme of the last days of Christ's life, Leonardo da Vinci makes it clear that the ideals of humanism are extremely important to him. The compositional structure of the painting created between 1495 and 1498 corresponds to the aesthetic principles of humanism. The symmetrical organization of the picture confirm this. Jesus is the central figure and six of the apostles are sitting on the left and right of him. In general, the apostles are divided into four groups of three. Behind Jesus, one can see three windows that visually enlarge the space, while there are four doors or curtains on the left and right sides of the picture. All this is consistent with the principles of humanity in relation to the organization of the space. However, the influence of humanism is not limited to these items. Its main value is observed in a special emotionality of the images. Da Vinci has made a special emphasis on the reaction of the apostles in response to Jesus' words about the fact th at one of them would betray him. The phrase â€Å"One of you will betray me† causes a different reaction from all the apostles and this reaction is expressed by a variety of their gestures and facial expressions. In other words, â€Å"together with facial attributes and expressions these gestures depict the essential character of each apostle†. â€Å"These reactions are quite specific to each apostle, expressing what Leonardo called the ‘motions of the mind'†. In spite of the expressivity of these images, the painting shows a certain order.

Ending Hunger in the Elderly Population in America Essay

Ending Hunger in the Elderly Population in America - Essay Example It is surprising to note that this problem is growing on a large scale in the United States of America that believed to be, the most powerful democracy in the world. Economists argue that this condition is specifically created by the inequity in the food distribution system of the country, and food insecurity is increasing at an exceptional rate, especially in the elder population (Nestle & Guttmacher, 1992). According to a survey conducted by Weill, (March 2008), a majority of the elderly population in the United States of America is suffering from malnutrition and food insecurity.He proposed that a solution lies in developing a better food distribution network in the United States of America which should provide food according to the needs of the individual and/or family irrespective of race, religion, or age. This solution is the most logical one based on an observation registered by (Pothukuchi & Kaufman), 1998, that points out a deficency in the food distribution system in the U nited States of America. The growing phenomenon of hunger is also causing the health standards of elders to drop significantly. The underlying fact is that the medications require healthy food intakes to maintain their effectiveness, although, elders are being provided with high quality medicines by federal agencies, but these people need healthy food. During the medical treatment, these medicines make a human body weak, for this reason, the body needs healthy and ample amount of food to survive to fight this weakness caused by medicines. But, at the same time most of the government policies to eliminate hunger are proving to be a mere lip service, many multimillion projects are not implemented to their full potential (Notz, 1971). These failed projects to eliminating hunger in elderly population is causing level of frustration in the general public of US, but the government is also facing a severe deficit in the city of New York alone, therefore, governmental financial resources ar e bearing high pressures regarding fulfilling the needs of public. Inavailability of food for elderly population is forcing them to forego at least one meal each day to fulfil their other necessities such as housing and insurance, this trend is also contributing towards making a bad condition worse in relation to the food supply for elderly population (Gomez & Ranney, 2002). Many researchers are of the view that, elders should be trained in such a way which could help therm in becoming useful members of the society, but this point of view is not a realistic one, because with the increase in age the mobility and strength of an individual is compromised rendering a person unable to work actively. Thus, it is the responsibility of federal government to work for the welfare of these people. On the other hand, international organizations, including UN, are playing a significant role in attempting to eliminate the hunger peoblem; however, their effort is less than effective, because, thes e organizations provide aid to the local government and cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a country. Due to this reason, local government utilizes these fundings in an unjust method, so these international organizations should be empowered to manage and implement these hunger elimination programs by themselves. NGOs of all kind are more than interested in their profitability, therefore human compassion is

Analysis of Marketing Mix Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis of Marketing Mix - Research Paper Example This includes increasing the number of products in the market while maintaining quality and low production costs. Product development ranges from identifying customer need to designing activities that analyze and refine new ideas. These ideas bring about new products or refine existing products. Unique, high quality and affordable products give a business an advantage over competitors (Brassington and Pettitt, 2005). Beauty for price Hairdressing has faced steep competition from similar businesses in the region. Product development requires intense marketing, especially in a competitive industry. Investing in marketing involves advertising, employing human marketers, promotions, and other activities that sell out the business. With the upcoming events, the salon needs intense marketing and reorganizing the business process. This includes buying better hairdressing equipment and employing more hairdressers. Human resource is necessary for service delivery. Events such as sports and co nferences have several participants and more workers are required to handle the large numbers effectively. Employing experts improves the quality of services offered which surpass competing businesses. Introduction of new business services such as massage, manicure, pedicure, and other related services can also increase the number of customers (Adcock, Halborg and Ross, 2001). Businesses distribute their products in different ways to provide customer convenience. Distribution methods depend on the type of business and its intended customers. Global companies have distribution centers in several regions around the globe. Products are dispatched from the distribution center nearest to the customer (Jobber, 2010). This reduces distribution cost and time required for the product to reach the customer. Retailers incorporate several distribution methods that focus on customer satisfaction at a minimum cost. Efficient and pleasurable shopping experiences that meet customer needs and market demands are required by business organizations. Most customers prefer businesses providing quality and convenient services. A salon can introduce mobile services to its customers. During major events, most participants reside in hotels and prefer room services. Starting mobile room services would serve as a boost to business activities (Jones Mothersbaugh and Beatty, 2003). E-commerce and advertising through the internet is another way of ensuring the availability of products. Customers can access the business website to learn about their services and book appointments. The distribution channel in a hairdressing business consists of wholesalers who sell and supply products to the salon. The salon then uses the products to offer services to customers. Maintaining a constant link with suppliers is necessary for constant availability of products for customer convenience. The business location also determines customer convenience. Customers prefer business locations that are easily acc essible.  Ã‚  

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars Essay

Social and Cultural Changes after the First and Second World Wars - Essay Example The political situation was polarized with Soviet Union focusing on national security and the US spreading the democracy that led to repartition of Europe (McCauley, 2008). With one form of totalitarianism defeated, with the ashes of Nazism literally scattered among the living and dead of that conflict, the tensions between East and West renewed themselves. In some respects, the Cold War was inevitable: the incompatibility between communism and capitalism, the differing opinions about the rights of man, cultural and ideological disagreements about the most profound issues including religion, personal identity, freedom of assembly, democracy -- all of these differences would (and did) come to the fore between the United States, Western Europe and the Soviet Union. And all of these differences were party the outcome of the WWI and WWII. The brutal reality of the wars contributed to the development of medical thought. A lot of soldiers were wounded and injured; their treatment became the upfront priority for the countries involved in the conflict as they have already lost a lot of men. The field of plastic surgery was rapidly developing as many men needed immediate treatment. (Hunt, 2009). Psychological damages that soldiers received also needed assistance. The work of psychologists cannot be underestimated (Merriman, 2010). All these demands forced the medical field to evolve and develop at an unprecedented speed. The field of vaccination industry was developing and was as effective as never before. Vaccine innovations were able to tackle such diseases as influenza and pneumococcal pneumonia that took millions of lives in the past. The work of doctors and scientists contributed to the mass production and usage of penicillin and developed vaccines that were able to prevent various diseases across the world (Hoyt, 2006).

Exams questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Exams questions - Essay Example This was interpreted by some commentators as the Jihadists’ way of warning Australia and deterring it in collaborating with the United States. But unfortunately, the message was ignored by the Australian government, putting its citizens at ever greater risk. Bali might not be officially Australian soil, but with the organization and skill with which the Islamic militants operate, it might not be long before Australia is made to pay for its ill advised alliance with imperialists further north (Abuza, 2003, p.170). With the apparent failure of its participation in the War of Terror campaign, the policy makers in Canberra should also remind themselves of the real causes of Bali bombings. The Establishment press, most of it owned or controlled by Rupert Murdoch and keen on promoting its own interests had presented a blanket view in its Bali reports. For example, the Australian mainstream media wants its citizens to believe that the terror attack in the Indonesian island was a sequel to the campaign of hatred against western way of life that was kick-started with September 11 attacks. But this view-point is not accurate. The South East Asia region has a large Muslim population. Indonesia is a thriving centre for Islamic scholarship and practice. But unfortunately, Australia had in the past sided with the oppressive Suharto regime (with the tacit support of the United States and Britain) and had indirectly aided injustice in the past. The Muslims in the region have every reason to feel aggrieved. What Australia needs to do is to keep its intelligence gathering efforts to a minimum and focus its energies on reaching out to its neighbours. A real change in the threat of terror will only come about when economic opportunism and imperialist ambition is replaced with humanitarian concern and noble statesmanship. It is becoming obvious that the best way forward for policy makers in Canberra is to sever

Songs and Poetry Essay Example for Free

Songs and Poetry Essay Develop a kit which contains the following : * One song ( of a duration of 3 – 5 minutes ) and one poem ; * For the song, you may either retain an established tune and create your own original lyrics or create your own tune as well as original lyrics ; * Your song and poem must meet the requirements of the syllabus and the curriculum standards of the primary ESL Classroom; * Provide a brief rationale/justification for your selection. * One lesson plan for a duration of 60 minutes for each of the selected song and poem. * Your lesson plan should include worksheets, task sheets, etc. All teaching aids are to be submitted together with the lesson plan. Your kid will be assessed on the following criteria : * Suitability of the song and poem selected in relation to the lesson planned; * Originality and creativity of teaching ideas / activities designed; * Evidence of a gradation of activities that lead to successful learning of the intended learning outcomes; * Appropriate and a variety of teaching materials. You may present your kit in the following ways : * In booklet form ; * In a ring file with clear separator; * Any other presentations which you deem to be effective and attractive. Justification / rationale for the selection of song . Song: Old Pak Karim Had A Farm ( Adapted from Old Macdonald Had A Farm ) Genre: Nursery Rhymes * Age * The song is suitable with the targeted group, year 3 KSSR because it contains a little vocabulary and the students are familiar with the words used in the song. For an example, cow, duck and pig. * Content * Teacher should choose a poem that encourage and motivates the students. So I personally belief that the song that I have chose will motivate and  engage the students in the lesson as it focuses on different types of animals and the sounds they make. * Proficiency level * The rationale of choosing this song to be taught to a Year 3 students is also because of their proficiency level. At this primary level, I feel that the students are not exposed to difficult vocabularies but to only certain comprehensible words. So, this important element fulfills the choice of my song that is ‘’Old Pak karim’’ because it contains simple words . Not only that, the rhythm and the tempo of the song is also on par with the students’ proficiency level. It does not have a fast tempo and complicated music which will bore the students. * Interest * The song that I have designed for the Year 3 KSSR students, develops motivation among the students, develop imagination among them about animal, stimulates curiosity, draw on personal experience. I belief that when a teacher proposes the students with a stimulus that the students have experienced before, it will make them to indulge in that particular lesson because it is something of their interest. Directly this song will encourage active participation among the students, and create desire to continue learning. * Culture * This song will create a phenomena to expose the students whom are from urban areas and had never seen farm animals such as cows, pigs and so on. By using this song, teacher will be able to expose the students with a farmer’s lifestyle and their culture. He/ she may explain the daily routine of a farmer or different types of animals that can be found in a farm. * Resources * This song can be easily found in the internet and teachers could simply download the song and have an interesting lesson in the classroom. Lesson plan Date | 21st March 2013| Time| 10. 00 – 11. 00 am| Class | Year 1| Number of students| 25 students | Students’ level| Mixed ability class| Theme| World of Knowledge| Topic| Animals and the sounds they make. | Focused / Main skill| Language Arts | Integrated skills| Listening, speaking and writing | Curriculum Specification| 1. 1. 3 Able to listen to, say aloud and recite rhymes or sing songs with guidance. 1. 1. 4 Able to talk about a stimulus with guidance3. 1. 1 Able to demonstrate fine motor control of hands and fingers by : ( a ) handling objects and manipulating them. 4. 1. 1 Able to enjoy nursery rhymes, jazz chants and action song through non-verbal response. 4. 1. 2 Able to recite nursery rhymes, jazz chants and sing action songs with correct pronunciation and rhythm. 4. 3. 1 Able to produce simple creative works with guidance based on : ( a ) nursery rhymes 4. 3. 2 Able to take part with guidance in a performance based on : ( a ) nursery rhymes | General objective| To expose students with different types of animals and the sounds they make. | Specific Objectives| By the end of the lesson, students should be able to : 1. Listen to the song and take part in an oral activity with 100 % accuracy. 2. Enjoy and sing the song with 100 % accurate pronunciation. 3. Follow the actions and movements. 4. Create a simple creative work, face mask according to their characters they are appointed to. | CCTS| None| Grammar| Verbs | Vocabulary| Cluck, oink, quack, woof , moo| Teaching aids| 1. Pictures of different types of animals. 2. White board 3. Song clip 4. Speakers 5. Computer 6. Manila cards 7. Marker pens 8. String | Moral values| Love the animals. Cooperation. Group work. Sharing. | Previous knowledge | Students are exposed to several types of animals and they have been taught to do animal masks. | Stage / Time| Content| Teaching Learning activities| Remarks / Rationale| Set induction( +- 5 minutes ) | Talking about oneself. | 1. Teacher gets into the class and capture the students’ attention by asking them few question about themselves. Ex : Hello students, how are you all feeling today? * Do you have any pets at your house ? * Can you name some of the farm animals that you know. 2. After having the students to respond, teacher proceed to the next stage of the lesson. | Rationale The rationale for having a two way interaction during a set induction is to ensure that the students are ready physically and mentally. Having a two way communication will give a room for the students to speak out about themselves and motivates them to learn the lesson that has been designed for them for that particular day. | Pre stage ( +- 10 minutes ) | Introduction of a character. Different animals. | 1. Teacher paste a male character on the board and introduce him briefly to the students ( Refer to appendix 1 ) 2. Next teacher pastes pictures of various animals on the board. ( Refer to appendix 2 ) 3. The teacher points out few students and get them to name the animals that has been pasted earlier. 4. Then, the teacher asks the students to make the sounds that the animals make. 5. Teacher observes the students’ participation in the classroom. | Remarks-Now let me introduce Pak Karim. He has few animals with him. | While stage ( +- 20 minutes )| Listening comprehension -Cow, Duck, Chicken, Pig, Dog. | 1. Teacher plays a song clip ( Refer to appendix 3 ) and requires the students to watch and listen to him/ her. 2. Next, teacher plays the song clip and the students will have to sing the song along with the teacher. 3. Then, the teacher plays the song again and this time with few movements and actions that is suitable with the animals. 4. Students mimic the actions and the movements done by the teacher and moves around the classroom to do the actions and movements together with the sound clip. 5. Once the song has been sung, teacher ask few WH- question to the students. Ex : what is the sound made by a dog? * What is the sound that a cow makes? * Oink, oink,oink is made by which animal? 6. Teacher calls out few students, one at a time and ask them to make sound and actions of certain animals that they have learnt earlier. 7. Energetic performance will be rewarded with claps. | Rationale -This is to ensure that the students have listen and comprehended the song well. -Claps are considered as a positive reinforcement for the students which will encourage and motivate them to stay active and participate in the lesson. | Post stage ( +- 20 Minutes )| Language arts | 1. Teacher divides the students into 5 groups and appoint them to the animal characters that is involved in the song entitled â€Å" Old Pak karim Had A Farm†. 2. Each group must have 1 beginner, 2 intermediate and 2 advanced students. 3. Teacher distributes 5 pieces of A4 sized manila cards, strings and few marker pens to each groups. 4. Once the teacher is done with the distribution, she / he will have to give a clear instruction on what has to be done by the students. 5. Teacher walk around the classroom from one group to another to monitor the group activity. 6. After 15 minutes, teacher ask the students to wear the mask that they have created and get them to make the sound of the animals by pointing to one group to another. 7. Then the teacher proceeds to the next stage of the lesson. | RemarksThe students will have to share some of the materials among the group members. This will indirectly teach them how to be tolerant and to work in a group. | Closure( +- 5 Minutes ) | Let’s sing along | 1. Teacher asks the students whether they are ready to sing a song. 2. Teacher ask the students to stand up and sing along the song with the teacher. 3. Each groups will have to make sound when their respective characters appears in the song. 4. Teacher ends the lesson by instilling moral values among the students. Ex :- You should always love the animals. * You should not torture or kill them. | RemarksThe students sing the song together with the masks that they have designed and created. | Appendix 1 Old Pak Karim Appendix 2 Pictures of different animals . Rationale / Justification for the selection of the poem. * Age * This poem is suitable with the targeted group which is Year 3 students. Not only that, I belief that this poem can be proposed to the students because the students will be able to comprehend its content. Adding to that, students of this age will enjoy this poem because its a narrative poem which tells a story on a trip to a Zoo and revolves around animals. * Content * I feel that the content of this poem will engage the students and they will enjoy it because it is a narrative poem which narrates a trip to the zoo. So, directly it will provide a room for the students to develop their imagination regarding the topic. Not only that, the author has used simple language; students will not face difficulties in understanding this poem. Adding to that, this poem contains only 6 stanzas with four lines each. So the length of the poem will not bore the students and it is evident that students will be bored and demotivated if they are given a epic or long poem in this young age. Because, at this point of age, students will be looking forward for poems which is short in length but a quality one. The content of the poem revolves around a theme in the curriculum which is world of knowledge and it is applicable to Year 3 students as it gives information and students gain new knowledge from it. * Proficiency level * This poem is suitable with the students proficiency level. They will be able to digest and understand the meaning that is conveyed in the poem by the author. Not only that, students of this age will be able to appreciate this poem and will be able to take part in the activities that is done by teacher using this poem. * Interest * Not only that, according to Hickman ( 2003 ) illustration, color, format, length and type of print can also influence children’s choice. â€Å"A trip to the zoo† could definitely influence and capture the students attention because of the illustration at the bottom of the poem. The illustrations are colourful and mind captivating. * Values * Apart from teaching the students with different animals that can be found in the zoo, teachers could instill moral values among the students through this poem. Teachers can list out and teach the students with several good values that need to be practiced by every human beings in the world such as love the animals, animals are humans best friend and so on. So using this poem teachers could mould the students into betterment. Lesson plan Date | 21st March 2013 | Time| 10. 00 – 11. 00 am| Class | Year 3| Number of students| 25 students | Students’ level| Mixed ability class| Theme| World of Knowledge| Topic| A Trip To The Zoo| Focused / Main skill| Reading | Integrated skills| Listening, speaking, writing and language arts | Curriculum Specification| 1. 1. 3 Able to listen to, say aloud and recite rhymes, tongue twisters and sing songs paying attention to pronunciation, rhythm and intonation. 1. 1. 4 Able to talk about a stimulus with guidance. 2. 2. 2 Able to read and understand phrases and sentences in linear and non – linear texts. | General objective| To expose students with different types of animals and have an interesting lesson using a poem. | Specific Objectives| By the end of the lesson, students should be able to : 1. Listen and enjoy the song and take part in an oral activity with 100 % accuracy in pronunciation. 2. Understand the poem and be able to complete a task with 100 % accuracy. | CCTS| None| Grammar| Verbs ( Trick , Waddle , Chewing , Swing )| Vocabulary| Muddy Pen, Cage, Feed, Rope. | Teaching aids| 1. Video Clips ( 1 song and 1 video clip on Madagascar ) 2. Speakers 3. Computer 4. White Board 5. A big picture of a Zoo scenario 6. Task sheet 1 | Moral values| Love the animals. | Previous knowledge | Students are exposed to different kinds of animals that can be found in the mother earth. | Stage / Time| Content| Teaching Learning activities| Remarks / Rationale| Set induction( +- 5 minutes ) | Sing A song Entitled â€Å" Going To The Zoo Tomorrow â€Å"| 1. Teacher enters the classroom and captures the students’ attention by asking them few question. Ex : How are you feeling today? * Are you ready to learn today? * Can you name some animals that you are familiar with. 2. After that, the teacher plays a video clip on â€Å" Going To The Zoo Tomorrow† ( Refer to appendix 1 ) and gets the students to sing along. 3. Once the song has been sung, the teacher asks the students whether they enjoy the song and why they enjoy the song and then proceeds to the next stage of the lesson. | Rationale The rationale for having a two way interaction during a set induction is to ensure that the students are ready physically and mentally. Having a two way communication will give a room for the students to speak out about themselves and motivates them to learn lessons that has been designed for them for that particular day. Adding to that, having a song in the set induction is a great way to ignite the interest among the students. | Pre stage ( +- 10 minutes ) | A Zoo Scenario | 1. The teacher paste a big picture of a scenario at a Zoo ( Refer to appendix 2 ) on the whiteboard. 2. Teacher will have to get the students to talk about the stimulus given. 3. Teacher should ask few questions as follows 🙠 a ) What can you see in the picture? ( b ) Name the animals in the picture. ( c ) Do you like these animals? ( d ) which animal would u like to keep as a pet ? Why? 4. Teacher observes the students’ participation in the classroom. | | While stage ( +- 20 minutes )| Reading comprehension Muddy Pen, Cage, Trick, Waddle, Chewing, Swing| 1. Teacher gets the students to settle down and distributes a reading text which is a poem entitled â€Å" A Trip To The Zoo† ( Refer to Appendix 3 ) 2. Teacher reads the poem and the students repeat after her/ him. 3. Teacher stops and explains the meanings of several difficult words which are the new grammar and vocabulary that the students might encounter in the poem. 4. Teacher ask the students to write down the meanings of the words by the side of the poem. 5. Once the poem has been read, teacher ask few WH- question to the students. ( a ) Do you understand the poem? ( b ) Who wrote this poem? ( c ) How many animals are mentioned in the poem ? ( d ) What is the meaning of waddle? ( e ) Which animal has a long neck and can reach very far ? ( f ) Which animal is so colourful and beautiful ? ( g ) what are the characteristics of these animals ? | Rationale -This is to ensure that the students have comprehend and understand the poem very well. | Post stage ( +- 20 Minutes )| Individual self assessment | 1. Teacher distributes task sheet 1 ( Refer to Appendix 4 ) to each students. 2. Once the teacher is done with the distribution, she / he will have to give a clear instruction on what has to be done by the students. 3. Teacher walk around the classroom to monitor the students and guide them if they could not accomplish the task given. 4. After 15 minutes, teacher checks the answer together with the students. 5. Teacher point out certain student to read the question and the answer. 6. Students whom manage to get all correct answers will be rewarded with handclaps. | RemarksTask sheet will be distributed together with a sheet of paper contains pictures of different animals ( Refer to appendix 5 ) | Closure( +- 5 Minutes ) | Let’s watch a cartoon | 1. Teacher asks the students whether they are ready to watch a cartoon. 2. Teacher puts up the cartoon / video clip on Madagascar. ( Refer to appendix 6 ). 3. Once the cartoon has end, teacher recalls the animals that they have learned for that day. Ex : what are the animals that you saw in the cartoon ? * Do you want to go to a Zoo and watch these animals in the future, during the holidays perhaps. 4. Teacher ends the lesson by instilling moral values among the students. Ex :- You should always show some care and love towards the animals. | Rationale The rationale of having the students to sing the song again is to end the lesson for that day in a more interesting way rather than ending the lesson with tons of homework. | Appendix 1 Video clip Title: We Are Going To The Zoo Tomorrow Appendix 2 Picture of Scenario at the Zoo Appendix 4 Paste the correct picture of animal in the space provided and write the name of the animal below the picture. 1. Huge animal in the world. It has a long trunk and it does tricks at the zoo. Which animal is this ? | | 2. Its feathers are so colorful and has a long neck. It walks slowly and beautifully. | | 3. This animal is so old and sleeps in a very muddy pen. They are so smelly. | | 4. He is the king of the jungle. He loves to eat meat. He sits on some big rocks in his cage. Who is this ? | | 5. It is the tallest animal in the world. It comes over and eats the food from our hand and has a long neck that he can reach far. | | 6. These animals waddle around in their cold spot. They are black in colour. | | 7. It do not have legs like other animals. It makes ‘’hiss’’ sound and they are poisonous. | | 8. These animal swings in a rope and it swings way over the small ponds. | | Appendix 5 Pictures of animals that need to be pasted in task sheet 1. | | | | | | | | Appendix 6 Video Clip on a cartoon â€Å"Madagascar† Appendix 3 Poem entitled â€Å" A Trip To The Zoo† A TRIP TO THE ZOO Author: Deenadevy IT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY WE WANT TO GO TO THE ZOO, PACK A PICNIC LUNCH GRAB A HAT SEE LOTS OF ANIMALS BIRDS TOO. WE WILL STOP AND VISIT THE ELEPHANT WATCH THEM DO A TRICK OR TWO, WALK PAST THE ZEBRAS. THERE STANDS FOUR SEE THE PEACOCK FEATHERS SO BLUE. THERE LIES TWO OLD HIPPOPOTAMUS SLEEPING IN A VERY MUDDY PEN, WE SEE THE LION SITTING ON SOME ROCKS IN HIS CAGE I HAVE NEVER BEEN. WE GET TO FEED THE GIRAFFE HE COMES OVER AND EATS FROM OUR HAND, WITH HIS LONG NECK HE CAN REACH VERY FAR ON HIS TONGUE MY FINGERS OFTEN LAND. WE SEE LOTS OF SNAKES, TURTLES AND SPIDERS WE VISIT THE PENGUINS IN THEIR COLD SPOT, IT IS FUN TO WATCH THEM WADDLE AROUND FLY TO THE OUTSIDE, THEY CAN NOT. WE PAST BY THE CAMELS CHEWING SOME FEED SEE MONKEYS SWINGING ON A ROPE, THEY SWING WAY OVER THE SMALL POND INTO THE WATER, THEY NEVER FALL-I HOPE.

Social responsibility Essay Example for Free

Social responsibility Essay The utilitarian view requires that the focus should be on the effects of the decision/action, such as effects in the form of benefit or costs. Aside from considering benefits and costs, this view also considers the number of people affected. In essence, a decision/action that benefits more people is generally viewed as more favorable. This view is limited because the definition of such benefit/cost can be flexible, based on the person’s perspective and the context. The moral rights rule puts emphasis on the individual rights. For example, this rule requires that the decision/action should lead to the maximum protection of these rights, as much as possible. For example, a decision/action that provides greater protection for the privacy rights of employees is considered more favorable in this model. However, note that the rights of stakeholders are to be considered, inclusive of employees and investors within the context of the organization. This rule is limited because it does not guide the decision-maker regarding which rights should be prioritized. The legal rule, on the other hand, puts focus mainly on the application of suitable conventional standards as well as laws based on the legal system. For instance, this rule indicates that the established laws should be used as basis for making the most appropriate decisions. A decision that upholds the law is considered favorable in this ethical perspective. However, it might be difficult to actually identify the most suitable rule. In the integrative social contracts rule, it is indicated that there must be proper consideration for the context, and the dependence of the appropriateness of ethical actions based on such context. Different contexts need to different ethical considerations even when facing the same or similar dilemma. This ethical view is limited because it does not properly provide a consistent basis for ethical decision-making. Personal Perspective The model that I consider as close to my ethical perspective is the utilitarian rule. I consider this perspective as easily applicable in many situations. For instance, it requires identification of the affected people/parties, as well as the identification of the benefits and costs that might occur as a result of the decisions/options at hand. I also view as a utilitarian perspective as close to my personal ethical perspective because I believe that it is important to consider all of the affected parties, and that every individual involved in the situation should come. In essence, this ethical model tries to distribute the consideration for benefits/costs to the individuals in a situation, rather than grouping them and prioritizing/evaluating them for group. In this way, there is better consideration for the weight of the number of people affected. This is in contrast to the moral rights rule, for instance, which considers groups of stakeholders and their rights within the context of the business organization. My core beliefs include that every person is significant. This means that even seemingly small individuals compared to highly powerful stakeholder groups should also matter. This is one of the reasons why I considered a utilitarian perspective as the module that is close to my personal ethical view. I also have the value of considering the diversity in the perspectives and interests of people. In this regard, in applying the utilitarian model, I usually think about what these interests and perspectives might be, so that I would be more accurate in evaluating the potential benefits/costs that might affect the people in this situation of the ethical dilemma. Thus, because I put value on diversity of interests and the significance of every individual, I believe that the utilitarian model is more acceptable and is highly aligned to my view. Ethical Dilemma Recognition and Analysis. An ethical dilemma is a situation in which the available options present significant advantages/benefits as well as disadvantages/costs. This means that it appears that none of the options actually stands out in terms of the benefits that can be achieved, because each of the options has notable costs. Thus, the ethical dilemma requires that the decision-makers should evaluate the weight and significance of the benefits and costs of these options. An ethical dilemma that I encountered in the past was with regard to the decision on which project to take for a term paper. This project was group-based. As the team leader, I needed to make the final decision on which specific topic to take. I viewed my input as the most favorable, although some of the inputs from the team members were actually also interesting. This was a dilemma because choosing my suggestion could help in maximizing the score that we could get from the project, but it could jeopardize teamwork. On the other hand, choosing to make the team members make the ultimate decision could lead to a slower process and conflicts among the team members. In terms of the utilitarian framework, the benefits would be in terms of how the ultimate decision could affect all the members. There must be consideration for the number of members affected, as well as the benefits/disadvantage. Ultimately, in using the utilitarian perspective in this ethical dilemma, I decided that it was necessary to let the group decided so that their interests could be more effectively considered. In this way, the decision actually resulted in a favorable score for the group, even though we experienced some challenges initially. The implications of this decision were that it benefited more members of the group, because they were satisfied in terms of greater involvement in the decision. It was limited because it did not properly consider the conventional rules on which topics to pursue. Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility Ethical leadership is of critical significance in any business organization. This is so because the actions of a leader can lead or mislead the entire organization. In this regard, in ensuring that the decisions and actions of the leader remain ethical all the time, the organization can expect that the activities of subordinates would also be as ethical as possible. Basically, a higher level of effectiveness in applying ethical principles in leadership should lead to a higher probability of ethical conduct among all the other members of the organization. I view corporate social responsibility as necessary and important, not just for the stakeholders, but also for the business organization. This is so because I believe that the business organization is a citizen of society. Instead of just considering it as a mechanism for generating profits, I view the business organization as part of society. The improvement in the contributions of the business organization to the development of society should lead to an improvement in society as well as the improvement in the opportunities for the business. I believe that organizations should be deeply involved in social responsibility, as much as they are resources and realistic contexts would allow. I understand that business organizations have limitations in terms of their resources. However, these business organizations should also review social responsibility as opportunities for them to improve the society in the market in general. An improvement in the market should lead to better business opportunities later on. Moreover, better contributions in the social responsibility efforts of the business organization should help in improving corporate image as well as the relationships of the organization with stakeholders, especially community members and customers, among other stakeholder groups.

Effect of Alpha-galactosidase on Digestive System

Effect of Alpha-galactosidase on Digestive System Janaaron Aquino    The Effect of the Enzyme, Alpha-galactosidase inside Beano, on the Digestive System Problem To use the alpha-galactosidase enzyme in Beano to examine the effect of the enzyme in the digestive system at different temperatures and to find the glucose concentration at those temperatures which represents the efficiency of the enzyme under the various temperatures. If different temperatures of Beano solution are tested, then the temperatures closest to human body temperature will extract more glucose than other temperatures because of the fact that the human body has adapted to operate at an optimum temperature. Background The human body has several complex systems that fulfill essential goals the human needs to survive. Each system has a different procedure for the body and works individually or with other systems to perform that action. One of the human body systems is the digestive system. There are several steps that come into play when discussing the system, but in short, the  digestive system turns the food that humans eat into energy. In the digestive system, parts and organs include salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. Digestion is the breakdown of large food particles into smaller molecules that are easy to absorb into the bloodstream (Gureco, 2015).This experiment focuses solely on the transfer of glucose from food consumed into the body. What does this food do for the human body? The path of the food being digested is as followed. When food enters the mouth saliva helps break it down. It goes down the esop hagus and enters the stomach where it is broken down further by acid in order to be able to extract nutrients from the food. It enters the small intestine where the nutrients are absorbed and goes through the large intestine where water is absorbed in order to create a stool (defecation) so that it can exit the body via the anus. Digestion occurs in which the rate and extent of sugar release from available carbohydrates, by simulating physiological processes occurring in the mouth, stomach and small intestine (Woolnough, 2010). The focal point of this experiment is to examine the glucose concentration with the help of alpha-galactosidase which all takes place in the path of digestion. To start off, the food (or food solution) used in this experiment was a solution of broken down refried beans. The enzyme Beano was used specifically for this experiment because, as the name suggests, Beano is made specifically for digestive assistance with beans. Beans have a tendency to cause stress in the human digestive system. The Beano was used with the refried beans to digest the beans easily. This allows an easy pathway for the glucose to be broken down and for the human body to absorb the glucose. According to a journal abstract written by RJ Levin, The glucose, galactose, and fructose produced are absorbed across the e nterocytes [cell of the intestine] of the upper half of the villus [increase of surface area in order to absorb more nutrients] (Levin, 1994) In more specific terms, foods are carbohydrates called oligosaccharides. In the case of this experiment, refried beans were used as the oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are groups of two to ten monosaccharides bonded together to form the carbohydrate. When entering the body, the enzyme called salivary amylase (most commonly known as human saliva) starts the chemical process of digestion of food. The enzyme breaks down the oligosaccharide carbohydrate polymers into monomers called monosaccharides. When oligosaccharides are broken down by digestion, a monomer called monosaccharides are produced. This is because multiple saccharide polymers are broken down into a simple sugar. Included in a humans digestive system are living microbes in the large intestine that carry out the process of breaking down the carbohydrates. These microbes in human in testines are necessary because the body needs to break down the food into monosaccharides to obtain the nutrients needed for processes such as cell repair, growth, and most importantly energy. The breaking down of the oligosaccharides are essential because The biological roles of oligosaccharides appear to span the spectrum from those that are trivial, to those that are crucial for the development, growth, function or survival of an organism (Varki, 1993). However, the refried beans mentioned have starch in which these microbes produce an uncomfortable and bloated feeling like the aforementioned stress that beans cause. Although the following experiment was done on a different species an abstract suggests that mammals that consume soybeans may suffer from a gastrointestinal hypersensitive reactions involving major disturbances in digestive functions (Sissons, 1982). The use of Beano in this experiment examines the effect of the alpha-galactosidase at varying temperatures as the inde pendent variable which assists the digestion of refried beans. The alpha-galactosidase is used to pinpoint the temperature in which glucose concentration is high or low as the dependent variable. Data  and  Observations      Ã‚   Figure Results  and  Discussion The graph illustrates several temperatures in which the solution of Beano and refried beans were tested. Similarities and differences can be observed across multiple of the Beano solution mixtures at the varying temperatures. Some of the lines that represent each temperature stand out more than others. It can clearly be seen that relatively high temperatures of the refried bean solution and Beano cannot extract much glucose from the solution itself. High temperatures that did not have a high glucose concentration included temperatures that ranged from 60oC to 90oC whose maximum glucose concentration did not reach over 0.50%. This outcome can also be predicted for any temperature higher than those experimented with because if 90oC did not extract any glucose, anything higher will do the same. The same outcome can be seen with the lesser temperature of 30oC, in which the concentration of glucose did not reach over 0.50% in the course of 25 minutes. Relatively high and low temperatures of refried bean and Beano solution extracted glucose at a lower rate or did not extract any glucose at all. In comparison, two temperatures of the solution stood out more than the others. The Beano solution skyrocketed at temperatures of 40oC and 50oC. It is clear that these two temperatures were different from the others. The reason behind it? Well the optimum temperature for digestion ranges from 37oC and 44oC. Relatively close to the aforementioned temperatures of the solution, is it not? This is because body temperature is approximately 37oC and this is the temperature in which the body functions best. Temperature gets too hot? Humans get a fever. Temperature gets too low? Humans start to internally develop hypothermia. Both indicate that the body is not fully functional. The temperature of 37oC is closer to 40oC than it is to 50oC. Figure 1 indicates that the Beano solution at 40oC had a higher slope which exemplifies the fact that digestion works best when near the body temperature of approximately 37oC. According to a news website, The body has sensors with memory, or its linked to the brain, and immediately it sense the food in the stomach has temperatures and pH outside the optimum range, it uses the energy and acids stored in the body to regulate the right conditions for the optimum digestion. This further exemplifies why the Beano solution of 40oC and 50oC worked best compared to the other five temperatures. The experiment proves the efficiency and effectivity of alpha-galactosidase inside Beano impacts the rate of glucose concentration of refried bean solution at varying temperatures of 30oC to 90oC. Analysis Oligosaccharides are groups of two to ten monosaccharides bonded together to form a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are found in all foods that a human consumes. They consist of the sugars, starches, and fibers found in food and are made primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. When oligosaccharides are broken down by digestion, a monomer called monosaccharides are produced. This is because multiple saccharide polymers are broken down into a simple sugar (monosaccharide). The enzyme called salivary amylase breaks down these carbohydrate polymers called oligosaccharides into monomers. Salivary amylase, which is also known as saliva, breaks down starch when chewing food. As food is consumed, saliva inside the mouth starts the process of digestion by breaking down the food as humans chew. This allows the food to be broken down for glucose extraction and also breaking down the food for the esophagus. If food were not to be chewed, it cannot enter the esophagus and if it does, it will be difficult to swallow which can lead to respiratory injuries. In the human body, intestines have microbes that fulfill certain needs for the digestive system. These microbes in human intestines are necessary because the body needs to break down the food into monosaccharides to obtain the nutrients needed for processes such as cell repair, growth, and most importantly energy. In all, digestion is essentially important because of the advantages it gives to us in the form of energy. Without the energy produced from consuming, a human body cannot be fully functional. In the experiment, the enzyme, Beano, worked most efficiently at a temperature of about  40oC. As mentioned in discussion, this is because the optimum temperature for human digestion is approximately 37oC. That temperature is linked to the brain as a the human body temperature in which the human body operates at its best. Beano working most efficiently at 40oC can be explained because that temperature is approximately body temperature. Other varying  temperatures are not quite as efficient as body temperature because the human body breaks down glucose at its best. On the contrary, Beano worked least efficiently on the refried beans at an approximate temperature of 90oC. The reason behind this is that 90oC is way too hot for digestive organs to obtain nutrients. In turn, glucose cannot be absorbed which explains why the line in Figure 1 which represents 90cC did not increase throughout the course of the entire twenty-five minutes. Alpha-galactosidase is a glycoside hydrolase enzyme that is inside Beano extract to make it work. The enzymes in Beano helps with digestion, bloating, and reducing gas by increasing the rate of digestion. In the experiment, Beano was mixed with refried beans to increase the rate of glucose extraction from the beans. Refried beans were used because the starch inside the beans is difficult to digest which causes troubles such as methane gas (farting). The Beano was used with the refried beans to digest the beans easily. Another reason why the refried beans were used is because the enzyme, Beano, was created specifically for beans as beans are foods that are typically difficult to digest. When experimenting with different independent variables, it is better to have all lines on the same graph. Why? Well the graph of Figure 1 was used to compare different glucose concentration at different temperatures. Mentioned several times before, about 40 degrees Celsius worked best because it is body temperature. In this case, the line that represented 40oC can be compared to the other varying temperatures because of the fact that all of the lines were put on the same graph. In a lab very similar to the Beano experiment, peas were used instead of refried beans. The lab had the same concept and measured glucose concentration over time. Instead of using different temperatures for each line, the peas were differentiated by 25% pea extract solution,  50% pea extract solution, and 100% pea extract solution. All three solutions were tested at a temperature of 25oC. Each line increases as opposed to the lines of Figure 1 because it does not include temperature and it is different solutions being digested over time. It can be concluded that the 100% solution was digested the best. References Varki,A. (1993). Biologicalrolesof oligosaccharides:allof thetheoriesarecorrect[Abstract]. GlycoBiology.RetrievedDecember20, 2016, from http://glycob.oxfordjournals.org/content/3/2/97.short Sissons, J. (1983). Effectsof soya-beanproductson digestiveprocesses inthegastrointestinal tractof preruminantcalves[Abstract].41(1), 53-53. RetrievedDecember20, 2016, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/div-classtitl eeffects-of-soya-bean-products-on-digestive-processes-in-the-gastrointestinal-tract-of-prerumina nt-calvesdiv/829E6E65CF3E213E31E10230E100A3C8. Levin,R.(n.d.). Digestionandabsorptionof carbohydratesfrommoleculesandmembranesto humans.[Abstract].ClinicalNutrition.RetrievedDecember20, 2016, from http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/59/3/690S.short Gureco.HumanDigestiveSystem DigestiveEnzymes andDrinkingColdWaterafterMeal. (2015, June 24). RetrievedDecember20, 2016, from http://hubpages.com/health/Human-Digestive-System-Digestive-Enzymes-and-Drinking-Cold-W ater-after-Meal Woolnough. 1.W. (2010). The Effect of a Brief Salivary a-Amylase Exposure During Chewing on Subsequent in Vitro Starch Digestion Curve Profiles. Retrieved December 21. 2016. from http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/11/8/2780/htm

Terrorism - America: Muder Unlimited :: Argumentative Persuasive Topics

America: Muder Unlimited There's been no peace in my lifetime as an American. I don't know if fear of nuclear war had any effect on the Soviet Union but it sure affected me. The background radiation of the Manhattan Project has followed me everywhere. Was I born with post-traumatic stress disorder? No, my mother said I was a happy baby. She must have done a good job distracting me. At least, I didn't notice that I was lving through an endless series of wars. But as a citizen of the United States, I've lived through one war after another. They were not all called wars. In the past twenty years the American military has been involved in Iran, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Korea, Guatemala, Egypt, Lebanon, Iraq, Panama, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Dominican Republic, Oman, Chile, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Libya, Bolivia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Somalia, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, Haiti, Croatia, Zaire, Liberia, Albania, Sudan, Macedonia, Afghanistan, Cuba, and many more. I didn't repeat any countries even though we had repeated engagements with some. I know I have left out some. In January 1961, President/General Eisenhower said, "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." We were in the Cold War more than 40 years. We have been in a war with Cuba for 39 years and counting. We have been in an ongoing war with Iraq for 10 years. Economists talk about the peacetime expansion of the U.S. economy. There hasn't been a time in my life when the U.S. was not involved in killing people in my name somewhere in the world. Yet this passes for peace. I think this is because U.S. military activity has always been global, mostly out of sight, away from home. Years ago the U.S. government was killing Buddhists in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Now it is killing Muslims in the mountains of Southwest Asia. This is what this "Judeo-Christian" country keeps doing while pledging allegiance to its flag, singing patriotic songs, and invoking its variant of God, a Supreme Being. These things go on simultaneously. The military activity is constant and continuous. That is why the military budget is so large, more than $350 billion this year.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Essay -- Papers

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, depicts a vivid reality of the hardships endured by the African American culture in the period of slavery. One of the many things shown in Frederick's narrative is how slaves, in their own personal way, resisted their masters authority. Another is how slaves were able to create their own autonomous culture within the brutal system in which they were bound. There are many examples in the narrative where Frederick tries to show the resistance of the slaves. The resistors did not go unpunished though, they were punished to the severity of death. Fredrick tells of these instances with a startling sense of casualness, which seems rather odd when comprehending the content of them. He does this though, not out of desensitization, but to show that these were very commonplace things that happened all over the South at the time. One example that Frederick mentioned in the subject of resistance of the slaves against the masters is when he was under the charge of Mr. Gore. A slave by the name of Demby was getting whipped for a mistake he made. After Demby received but a few stripes he ran and jumped into a creek to the depth of his shoulders and refused to come out. This took great bravery considering Mr. Gore had a famous reputation for being nasty to slaves. Demby was given to the count of three to get out of the creek or he was to be shot, knowing the consequences Demby still refused to get out. He was then shot in the face by Mr. Gore with a musket. Demby truly resisted his master at the greatest cost he could have paid, his life. Another example given by Frederick in his narrative of how slaves were able to ... ...laves to be drunk during this time; in fact, they often got angry if they weren't drunk. Frederick feels that the master tries to make the slaves sick of freedom during this holiday time, by showing them only the abuse of it rather than the good. There was also a mention of a couple of "classes" among the black slaves. Slaves, from the viewpoint of Frederick, I feel, had a sort of "slave-class". The richer your master was the higher class you were, the poorer your master was the lower class you were. "To be a poor man's slave was a disgrace indeed!", was what Frederick mentioned of the issue. As you can see Frederick Douglass provided many glimpses into the world of slavery in his narrative. He showed many different examples of how slaves were able to resist their masters and create their own autonomous culture within the brutal system of slavery.

Examination Day and Harrison Bergeron Essay

The short stories â€Å"Examination Day† by Henry Seslar and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† by Kurt Vonnegut, both examine the idea of a world where governments have total control over its citizens. The main characters in the stories are Dickie Jordan and Harrison Bergeron. In â€Å"Examination Day† discrimination against intelligence is portrayed through Dickie who is eliminated because his â€Å"intelligence quotient [was] above the Government regulation.† This quote depicts the governments authority in its society and how the government eradicated the people who questioned them through an intelligence exam. The irony of this examination is that success was seen as negative. Whereas, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† explores the theme of forced equality in American society in the not so distant future. Right in the introduction, the three main issues concerned throughout the story are given, † Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better lookin g than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else. All this equality was due to the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution.† Thus, absolute equality in intelligence, physical beauty, and athleticism have been ratified into law by the 211th, 212th, and 213th Amendments to the Constitution, respectively. Both stories share a conflict in regards to person versus society and both the protagonists die at the end. In â€Å"Examination Day† Dickie is on his own when it comes to the test given by the government. Before the test when Dickie asks his father what the test is for, his father tells him†the Government wants to know how smart [Dickie] is.† Later on, the story ends with an automated message from the government with the reason for his death and preferred funeral arrangements. In â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† Harrison knew better than to follow government regulations and tried to make a difference. In the end, he was killed as â€Å"Diana Moon Glampers, the Handicapper General, came into the studio with a  double-barreled gauged shotgun. She fired twice, and the Emperor and the Empress were dead before they hit the floor.† This quote shows the government’s control over what is accepted and what happens to those who exceed government regulation. Harrison wanted an end to the absolute equality so he stood up for the citizens of the country who did not realize how absurd their society was becoming; in the end, he died trying to make a difference. In â€Å"Examination Day† the setting invokes sympathetic feelings towards Dickie. Dickie , a week after his twelfth birthday, was sent from his â€Å"little apartment† to the â€Å"great pillared lobby† within the â€Å"polished† governmental building. This contrast of settings invokes sympathy for Dickie because he is limited to living in a small home while all the money is used by the government to develop large, modern government buildings. Also, Dickie is taken to a place that is foreign to him, with large intimidating architectural masses which makes him seem insignificant and isolated. The story compares the â€Å"dim† and â€Å"cold† room within the government building to the â€Å"warm†, â€Å"bright† house that Dickie lives in. The cold, clinical description of the government building is symbolic of distinction being taken away from humanity. It demonstrates the idea that Dickie is being taken from the comfort of his home and into the control of a frightening, overpowering government. Contrary to Harrison in â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† who is a fourteen year old boy that poses such a terrible threat that he has been shackled with more handicaps than anyone else. Giant earphones instead of the small ear radio his dad has. Large glasses to obscure his vision and give him headaches. So many weights that he â€Å"looked like a walking junkyard.† On top of it all, he is so handsome that they gave him a clown nose, shaved off his eyebrows, and blacked out his teeth. Also, Harrison is so frightening that he is arrested â€Å"on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.† The government’s news bulletin describes him as â€Å"a genius and an athlete, [†¦] under-handicapped, and should be regarded as extremely dangerous.† In conclusion, both â€Å"Examination Day† and â€Å"Harrison Bergeron† examine the idea of a world where the government has total control over the government and individuals living within the government.

Death and Dying in Hinduism and Buddhism

Death and Dying- Customs and Rituals Hinduism and Buddhism Religious and cultural beliefs play a significant role in the processes of death and dying. These beliefs have created rituals that provide a conceptual framework for understanding the experience of death. Cultures across the world have different, unique rituals surrounding death and dying. This can be proven by comparing Hinduism and Buddhism. Their pre-death rituals, burial rites and concepts of afterlife are very different. Hindus and Buddhists have diverse pre-death rituals. When death is imminent, Hindus are brought home to die.They are placed in either their room or the entryway of their house with their head facing east. A lamp is lit near their head, and the person is encouraged to focus on their mantra. The Hinduism religion states that a mantra is a word repeated during mediation. Family members sing hymns, pray and read scripture for the dying person. When Buddhists are dying, it is up to their family to keep them positive. Loved ones must free themselves of disturbing emotion. It is their responsibility to help the dying person accept death as a natural and inevitable part of life.Hindus rituals are scripted, religious and self-dependant while Buddhist’s rituals are low-maintenance and mostly dependant on family members. In conclusion, Hinduism and Buddhism are very different in regards to pre-death rituals. Hinduism beliefs about the afterlife vary significantly from Buddhism beliefs. Hindus believe that humans go through a never-ending cycle of birth and death. Hindus believe in karma. Karma is â€Å"action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman† (Collins English Dictionary, Web).Buddhists believe that every soul is reborn until it has been cleansed. In Buddhism, the goal is to achieve Nirvana. Nirvana is â€Å"freedom from the endless cycle of personal reinca rnations, with their consequent suffering, as a result of the extinction of individual passion, hatred, and delusion. † (Collins English Dictionary, Web). Superficially, these two rituals seem similar, but differences can be found on a deeper level. Hinduism is a never-ending cycle, while Buddhism can be escaped. The biggest difference between Hinduism and Buddhism is their burial rites. Hindu families prepare heir deceased with oil and herbs. The body is carried on a wooden frame to a publically designated cremation site where mourners chant mantras. After the body has been cremated, bits of bone and ash that remain are collected and strewn into the Holy River. Ten days after the cremation, family members offer ten pindas to the river to feed the spirit of the deceased on its travels to the next incarnation. Buddhists hold simple, solemn funerals. They believe it is unnecessary to spend a lot of money on traditional ceremonies. During the viewing, an altar is set up in front of the casket.Mourners can place offerings such as fruit, flowers and candles on the altar. Images of the Buddha and deceased person are placed in front of the altar. These religions are different because Hindus burials are elaborate and expensive, while Buddhists burials are simple, practical and inexpensive. Burial rites reveal how different Hinduism and Buddhism are. Hinduism and Buddhism have very different pre-death rituals, concepts of afterlife and burial rites. This proves that all religions have a unique set of traditions surrounding death and dying. These traditions help shape religion and create a diverse society.Bibliography Hitchcock, Susan Tyler. Geography of Religion: Where God Lives, Where Pilgrims Walk. Washington DC: National Geographic Society, 2004. Print. Berhad, Koperasi Buddhisme Malaysia. A Guide to a Proper Buddhist Funeral. Sea Park: Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc, 2000. Print. Collins English Dictionary. â€Å"Karma. † Dictionary Reference. 2009. HarperCo Publishers. March 6, 2013 < http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/karma> Collins English Dictionary. â€Å"Nirvana. † Dictionary Reference. 2009. HarperCo Publishers. March 6, 2013 < http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/nirvana>

NonProfit Management Case Study Essay

Introduction The civil society has taken a very active role in the quest for democracy that continues to spread across the continents till it reached the Middle East region only recently. This is clear given the successive revolts that have taken place in many of the Arab countries calling for real democracy. Therefore, especially in Egypt, efforts should be directed toward defending civil society organizations and activists who are being threatened by the coercive authoritarian government actions over the past decades (Naidoo, 2007). The civil society as identified by Khallaf (2010) comprises â€Å"non-governmental organizations (NGOs hereafter), community groups, professional associations, trade unions, media organizations, research institutes/ think tanks, and advocacy and human rights civil society organizations† (p. 2). However, the current paper aims at focusing mainly on the role of NGOs in strengthening democracy. This is due to the major role NGOs play in several areas in order to enhance democracy. Among these are their role in: (1) allowing a wider range of interest groups to have a ‘voice’, pluralizing institutions to act in a ‘watchdog’ role vis-a-vis the state, networking and creating alliances of civic actors to place pressure on the state, (2) working with grassroots organizations comprised of poor and marginalized groups, and (3) exerting some pressures on the state by pressing for change and developing alternative policies (Mercer, 2002). Previous Studies of civil society in Egypt, over the past twenty years, have been both superficial and confined to only limited areas, namely (issue based publications, academic publications, training materials/ manuals, directories, conference publications, empirical comparative studies, civil society organizations’ (CSOs) publications, donor guide books and publications, CSOs coalitions occasional papers, evaluation studies, and web based sources) (Khallaf, 2010). (Figure: 1). Figure : The diversity of civil society research in Egypt Therefore, more detailed studies should be directed toward deeply investigating the civil society organizations operating in Egypt. Khallaf (2010) has mentioned that more research has been directed recently to track the actual magnitude of civil society through donor efforts in Egypt. However, the literature has pointed to serious gaps in the study of NGOs in Egypt. These include; First: Updated statistical information on number of NGOs. Second: The systematic evaluation of NGOs activities. Third: periodic assessments such as the CIVICUS or Civil Society Index and the Philanthropy study. Forth: studying participatory governance and the involvement of civil society in decision making processes. Fifth: changing Laws and regulations governing NGOs in Egypt. Sixth: An impact assessment of all new NGOs working in charity or development. Seventh: an assessment of aid effectiveness to Egypt (Khallaf, 2010). Finally: a detailed diagnosis of the NGOs operating in Egypt is needed. This should focus on both internal and external analyses of the selected NGOs and provide policy recommendations for possible improvements in the sector. The current paper attempts to draw light on how the civil society operates in Egypt. A well recognized Egyptian NGO was selected in this ethnographic research. It is called the Future Protectors Association for Care and Development or â€Å"Homat Al-Mostakbal†. The reason behind selecting it is the higher credibility and the good reputation it is enjoying. This is quite well perceived by the researcher based on her personal experience with this association. The current research can add valuable insights both theoretically and practically. Theoretically, it attempts to cover few of the gaps mentioned about the civil society research in developing countries and Egypt in particular. Practically, proposed recommendations can serve as strategic agendas for improving the performance of the selected NGO in particular and the entire NGO sector in general. The current paper is organized as follows; the first section will provide detailed information about association’s background. This will be followed by the analysis section which would sum up the major facts collected about the association. The analysis is based on qualitative in-depth interviewing1 conducted with five key persons in the association including its founder. Finally, conclusions and recommendations are presented, to guide future research directions, at the conclusion part here later. Background Future protectors association for care and development (homat al mostakbal) is one of the well known non-governmental organizations in Egypt. It is located at 425 Avenue Road, Roushdy, Alexandria, Egypt. It is a group of young people who work in the field of developmental work and volunteerism in for a better future and a true renaissance to Egypt. It serves in the great Cairo area and some other governorates including; Alexandria, Dakahleya, Gharbeya, Menoufeya, and others. It was originally founded on the 2nd of Novermber, 2004 by Eng. El-Dreiny and his daughter engineer Marwa El-Dreiny. It was mainly founded seeking community development. The vision of the association is to be one of the largest civil society organizations working in the field and leading the areas of development, community care, and voluntary work in Egypt and the Arab world by year 2020. The mission of the association is the development and care of the community through several dimensions including; raising the general level of education and the development of production philosophy, increasing awareness of drug taking problems, providing health awareness, raising the cultural level of young people, and providing a variety of social services. These are to be achieved while taking into account the mastery of work and commitment to the principles of ethics and team work cooperation. The primary objectives to fulfill the pre-mentioned vision and mission include the following; Providing guidance and better utilizing the power of potential volunteers in various activities of the association and developing their skills while strengthening their moral values. Increasing the awareness of community members about the dangers of drugs and training of cadres for different age groups. In addition to providing technical support to partners and trainers in the field of awareness against the dangers of addiction and drug. Training community members by spreading the production thinking and helping youth and poor families in establishing small craft projects to supply industries with high quality products at competitive prices. Providing social services (in kind – physical – technical) and the work projects for poor families, orphans, deaf and dumb cases. Developing different segments of the society, especially children and young people both culturally and scientifically. This would entitle them to acquire new skills, open their horizons to different lives, and raise the level of education among the educated classes with aim of bringing progress and prosperity to the society in large. The major values of the association comprise the following; Intentions precede action Our basic principles are our main priority. Understanding the priorities and giving a high commitment to them. Mastering our work. Best employing our resources. Our clients are our core interest. Team work spirit. Commitment to a safe environment. The association is registered under the old NGO law. This entitles the association to be under the scrutiny and supervision of the Directorate of Social Affairs. Here is the copy of the registration certificate. Figure : Formal Registration Certificate The association tries as much to manage its institutional memory. This can be manifested in the form of reports including information about what happened in the past. Other reports are prepared for each activity and collected annually to be archived and documented for each committee. Also, there are few attempts to record religious seminars and cultural meetings either video or audio. Sometimes the association registers the campaigns to serve the new members by providing them with information about the work flavor. These tentative mechanisms are aimed at saving association heritage of knowledge and transfer it to the future generations who would complete the mission. The organization chart of the association was revised recently. There are intentions to modify it also however some limitations hinder this at the current period. The chart is decomposed into the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, the Chairmen of the various Committees – the Vice Chairmen of the various Committees -who are appointed by the administration according to experience and seniority- the executive management including Secretary, the financial management. There were areas for development and the last updated organization chart was reproduced recently in 2011. The association was built on the basis of predominantly volunteerism however; there are 17 formal employees who are getting paid monthly. There are mainly three managers; executive, financial, and legal affairs. Staff members do not perform overlapping roles, instead there is a clearly specified job description for each single role. This would allow the upper management to apply a strict accountability procedures based on assigned responsibilities. The association is able to deal smoothly with the threat of losing any/all staff member(s). Sometimes, the operations of a highly specialized department, which loses a key staff member, can be postponed until the appointment of a new person. However, in the key roles like secretarial work, work cannot be stopped and duties can be referred to any interested volunteer. The collectivity and shared team working spirit that characterize the association enable it to face sudden problems of this sort. The association is having a board of directors. It is composed of 9 members, 1/3 of them are dropped during each nomination period. The nomination is made for 6 upcoming years. It is preferred to nominate persons with strong public relations to offer some facilities and those who have the expertise and strong knowledge about association’s policies. The association is membership based. There are different types of members including volunteers, affiliated, and working member. The membership status is documented only for continuing members who are then entitled to receive a formal membership card. Members pay a symbolic annual fee of about 20 pounds which represents one of the financial resources received by the association. The following chart represents the progress that has occurred in association’s membership from 2004 to 2008. In 2010, the number of volunteers has reached 4000. Figure : The number of volunteers The following chart represents the geographic allocation of volunteers across the different governorates. Figure : The geographic allocation of volunteers The social and economic background of the members is diverse. Majority of members are classified to be from the middle to upper middle social class. They are almost well educated having a clear intent toward the importance of charity and development societal roles in their country. They have strong religious understandings which enable them to volunteer their efforts for the sake of making others happy while earning credits (thawab) and pleasing the only god (ALLAH). The association has completed a huge number of successful projects2 and some of which are seasonal. The seasonal projects include distributing El Kheir bags and Ramadan lamps. It is planning to undertake some continuous projects not to be owned by the association but by encouraging the youth to execute them and the association can be a partner by 10%. Attached here below in the appendices is a list of the projects and activities the association is involved in. The primary beneficiaries of the association are; Volunteers, university students, school children, widowed women, poor families, knowledge seekers, patients, orphans, and the elderly at large. The association is not specifying a certain population to focus on serving. Activities are therefore not based on the coverage of a particular area, but they are tailored to achieve certain goals across the various geographic segments. 3 The association has unique policy for recruiting both members and staff. For the former, recruitment is based on the real intention to perform volunteer work. For the latter, recruitment is based on the exact mission to be completed within the functional department the potential candidate will join. The association views the current recruitment policy to be an effective one. Therefore, there are no plans to change its policy during the current period. The ratio of association’s founders to its members is roughly estimated to be 10%. Taking into considerations that the number of registered volunteers is roughly 4000, only 100-200 of them are active ones. The association depends on a self financing scheme. Majority of funds come from membership fees, donations (in cash or in kind), and revenues from profit-based committees. There is one company which operates in the field of quality and 75% of its income is transferred to the association. There are some funding projects such as the share the good, CSR, and Ijada company. Only 10% of the directed donations are taken to cover a proportion of administrative expenses but the money of Zakat is kept untouched. The association collects money from Egyptians. The money comes in forms of Zakat, sadakat, and in cash or in kind donations. It utilizes no foreign funding alternatives except for the single initiative with the United Nations. This partnership agreement was made under pressures from Dubai police and entitled the association to receive a fund of $ 10. 000 in order to execute some projects. The association has neither an initial endowment nor an emergency fund. It depended mainly on donations during the initial construction phase. There is a bank account for the association where the money collected from the various sources is being deposited to or withdrew from when necessary. The association does not always profit from most of its projects because they have low profit margins. Some seasonal projects might generate profit like the partnership with Toshiba Company to distribute Ramadan lamps. Donations are considered as part of the revenues. The association uses money coming from donations, sadakat, and the yield of some revenue-based activities. The general overhead costs of the association are estimated roughly to be from 30-40% of the budget. The ways to manage costs to the least possible level include, inducing members to rationalize consumption rates, closely monitoring monthly expenses, rationalizing staff recruitment process, and covering the costs of high telephone bills, hospitality and administrative outlays through collecting in kind donations. The association does not recognize any kind of support offered by the Egyptian government. The old government has provided only some facilities to make agreements with some concerned authorities such as ministries. This was mostly perceived prior to the revolution. However, the picture of the new potential government is still vague and there is no assurance that the new government would adopt a pro-civil society philosophy or not. There are tentative expectations about possible cooperation from the ministry of environment in the future. Analysis Based on the results of the in-depth personal interviews conducted with key persons in the association two types of analysis were made. The following section starts by presenting the first type of analysis which is the SWOT. This will be followed by the PEST analysis. 1. SWOT analysis The association enjoys a number of strength points. These strengths include, but not limited to, the following; a. Strong team spirit is a huge asset, good and efficient management system, good public relations, raising the skills of volunteers through gained experience, and very good reputation perceived by partners and the community at large. b. The presence of strong networks both locally and internationally. Locally with government institutions such as the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, the Adult Education in Alexandria, the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Environment (protocol of cooperation),partnership training with the engineering industries sector TV ITV’s affiliated to the Ministry of Industry, Alexandria Biblotecha library (Department of Public Relations and Information), Morkoseya Church, the Food Bank, and the Egyptian (permanent agreement). Internationally, networks with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Organized Crime in the United Nations, the Dubai Police (working as technical/training consultants to raise awareness of the damages of drug addiction. c. Good coordination with other local and international organizations. Examples include organizing joint training programs with renaissance makers club in Kuwait, the Ministry of Awqaf in Kuwait, the American University of Kuwait, Gulf University, CID in Kuwait and the Ministry of Defense, Union of Arab Doctors (donations to Libya), the office of Dr. Muhammad Salim Al-Awa, Toshiba Arab company and Ocean Express Company and Isam Abu-setta for heavy transport, New Horizons and Xeon, Arab Academy for Science and Technology, University of Pharos, Alexandria University, Cairo University, Helwan University, Ain Shams University, Menoufiya University, Western University , Mansoura University, Assuit University. Alshanek ya Balady Association, Alexandria west investors association, and set your goal association, the future hands Hospital. In addition to cultural partnership cooperation with the Egyptian-Turkish Friendship Association. d. The presence of a strong infrastructure in the main headquarters in Alexandria. It is located in a prestigious location, well furnished, and highly accessible. However it is not a private property and thus imposes the burden of paying high monthly rent. This location is equipped by personal computers, laptops, wireless network, and they have electronic marketing forces empowered by strong specialists in the field. e. The presence of an independent financial management and independent social affairs and legal affairs units whose staff are paid. The recycling project, the specialized teams used in field case studies, the illiteracy teachers, and volunteers. f. The lack of specific religious or political directions and the presence of strong relationships with respectable figures in Alexandria. The inclusion of small associations in the many events organized by the association. Dependence on respectable personalities in providing certain services. g. Partnering with the association provides the partner several privileges and huge returns. A list of those privileges and returns to partners and individuals can be found later in the appendices. The obvious weakness points observed in this association include the following; a. Funding problems (almost self-financing by 99% from members) and the presence of many projects in second row but (senior management has recently begun to train the middle class members to complete these projects and continue the transfer of expertise to their followers). b. There are no integration links between the projects. c. Some personal conflict problems might arise sporadically among members. d. Administrative problems, and lack of strictness and formalization procedures due to a conflict between the role of leader and manager, but they overcome this problem by appointing an executive director. e. Inadequate promotion for the association in the media compared to other competitors. The reasons are mainly to reduce expenses and due to the imposed security restrictions. f. The absence of headquarters in some governorates like Dakahleya and Gharbeya which constitutes a big problem because the teams there are highly specialized and they need the proper setting to grow on it. g. The lack of specialization between the work forces in undertaking the projects. h. Some communication problems were present however, the Human Resources Director has solved them. i. Lack of volunteers and problems with their continuity/tenure. In some cases the volunteer has a desire to see the immediate result of his voluntary work which makes them less patient to continue. Most of the projects carried out by the association have longer term impacts and feasibility. j. Shortage in financial resources and operational tools. The major opportunities, brought from the external environment, facing the association for the time being include the following; a. Activating some agreements with the Union of Arab doctors, the Ministry of Environment, various associations, political awareness teams, in addition to different charitable and awareness-raising teams seeking support from the association in terms of logistics and training. b. A strong deactivated relationship with Al-Jazeera training center which is currently under study. c. The existence of many public figures, associations, and young modest advocates who have neither political nor religious direction. The association can take advantage of their cooperation efforts. d. A number of donors from America, Canada and Morocco who have appeared after the revolution as service volunteers like doctors. e. Localities and the Council of the People elections. This can be achieved by nominating independent members. Any successful nominated member can offer some facilities and services to the association. Also, this will give the chance for the association to be presented as one of the active civil society organizations participating in crafting the new constitution. f. Offering many partnerships to join the association with large well known institutions such as New Horizons, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, and other new companies through exhibitions. Their offered contributions come mainly in the form of donations. g. The existence of promising facilities to complete some strategic projects through governmental entities. h. Reducing some of the strict scrutiny procedures imposed previously by the old government and the security apparatus. i. The expansion and proliferation in the environment of charity work, the launch of various public events and the intense presence of the civil society activities. j. The potential for participation with other unknown may be small, associations to perform some other projects outside the scope of work of the association. This represents the potential for diversification and expansion of work coverage. k. People’s Openness and their new reconciliation with the community with the desire to join the civil society institutions to provide charity services. l. The presence of various finance institutions through which the association can expand its operations scale after getting approvals from concerned authorities. m. The neutrality of the association both politically and religiously is a major strength. It is manifested in attracting bodies of various ideologies either as beneficiaries or participants. These include for example, Morosely Church or El-Azhar in my life project. The major threats or challenges, brought from the external environment, facing the association include the following; a. The societal openness can produce many competitors; some of them are supported by huge funding schemes and are biased toward the fulfillment of certain political religious agendas. b. Security threats to volunteers and the possibility of exposure to risk in places where they provide services. The possibility of being abused by law breakers due to the lack of security in the Egyptian streets mainly after the recent events. c. Exploiting association’s activities for the beneficial interests of others. This is totally rejected. This might impose the threat of diluting the association’s public image. Examples include candidates’ coverage for elections or political support using association’s name and good reputation. d. The presence of some competitors with high media coverage, such as resala. e. The culture of voluntary work is still somehow tentative. The lack of awareness of others about the culture of volunteerism and societal responsibility. f. The necessity to invest in volunteers to improve their skills and derive maximum value out of their participation. g. The unstable economic situation of the Egyptian State. h. The role of the Ministry of Social Solidarity has been hindering the progress of the work of the civil society for long years ago. i. The emergence of the Muslim brotherhood and the ancestors (salaf) as major competitors. j. Lack of human rights and political awareness and the prevailing unjustified freedom leading to chaotic results. k. The culture of the conspiracy against Egypt and the presence of some many unnatural Egyptian T. V talk show moderators. l. The owners of certain rented headquarters are drug dealers. This represents a major threat calling for immediate actions in moving those headquarters. 2. The PEST analysis a. Political Factors The political environment in which the association operates appears to be unstable. This status has recently turned to be much intense following the revolution due to the emergence of new political groupings. There are some promising expectations that the new democratically elected government will set new policies that are pro the civil society. The new policies are expected to contain modified laws that regulate taxation and provide more support and facilities to NGOs’ operations. The old government economic policies seemed to be incredibly inefficient resulting into a deteriorated national economic performance. This government had also no hand on regulating the marketing ethics of operating NGOs. Its major concern was on prohibiting religiously oriented activities and banning NGOs participation in the political life. b. Economic Factors The slowdown in Egyptian national economy has impacted the role of the association. This was reflected into low interest rates on savings and high interest charges on borrowings. The inflation rate continued to grow reducing the purchasing value of the Egyptian pound. The long-term prospects for the economy Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and other economic indicators will depend on the policies and procedures adopted by the new elected government. c. Socio-cultural Factors The dominant religion in Egypt is Islam. The association is not discriminating against either religion or gender. The partnership with morkoseya church is an evidence to support this claim. The role of women continues to grow largely and rapidly in the Egyptian society. They are becoming well educated, highly paid, and having a self commitment toward volunteer work. The majority of people the association is targeting its services are illiterate. The general population lacks a solid awareness regarding green environmental issues. This is a very important role of the association in advocating for a green environment and promoting green activities. These include reducing consumption and disposal rates, saving energy, recycling disposed items†¦etc. d. Technological Factors Technological innovations make life easier for all. The association utilizes as many of the technological facilities like wireless connections, fax, and international calls to carry out daily activities. The emphasis should be directed toward strengthening association’s technological infrastructure to be able to do business through online communication channels. There are strong promises regarding what the future can bring to the civil society in general and to the association in particular. This is manifested in several key points. First: the majority of people are becoming motivated to volunteer work. Second: the increased public awareness of the importance of civic and collective actions in contrast to confining the role of the individual to achieve purely personal goals. Third: the strong promises and positive perception maintained by the majority of the poor toward the role of the civil society due to government failure to satisfy their needs. Forth: the diversity in working areas removes many of the restrictions imposed on the civilian work. Fifth: the potential for cooperation from the new elected democratic government. Sixth: the potential for receiving huge inflows of international donors’ funds. Finally, the presence of many initiatives aimed at community and society renaissance that could be built upon. Conclusion and Recommendations Based on the previous systematic analyses, the following conclusions are reached. The selected association is one of an above medium size. It has several branches covering a range of governorates in Egypt. In addition to that it has multiple international partnership agreements abroad with some countries like Kuwait and Dubai. It is innovative due to the creativity exercised by its members in proposing and launching new project initiatives given the limited financial and physical resources available to them. The diversity of its projects adds to its effectiveness by solving problems in multiple critical areas. Administratively, the association can be run more efficiently than its current status. The overhead costs can be controlled so that not to exceed 10% of the annual budget. This can be achieved through cutting back on hospitality, renting, and utilities expenses or finding a sponsor company to offer them for free. The remainder of the budget should be entirely devoted to implementing key projects and programs. Once those two objectives are met – keeping O. H costs to the minimum and maximizing the pool of resources available to projects – the association can enhance its reliability and credibility as perceived by the various stakeholder groups. It has to overcome one of its critical weaknesses which is the deficient public media coverage. Adopting innovative promotional campaigns, through media, flyers, and positive word of mouth, can bring in extra revenues, many volunteers individuals or corporations, government support, and a favorable public image. It has to integrate advanced sophisticated techniques to save institutional memory for the next generations. Applying digital archiving, video and audio recordings of important projects, seminars, and events, keeping records of association’s best practices are all effective methods to save memory beside the conventional paper-based archiving mechanism. Web presence is very critical to the association. It is not well developed because the current website is down and the main gate to potential members is through the social media like the face book. Thus, developing a full featured website can provide good communication channels for the association both locally and internationally. The association has to allow potential members to register online. The composition of the board of directors needs some adjustments. A combination of co-founders, highly prestigious figures, wealthy capitalists, experienced technocrats – given the fact that they are all politically and religiously unbiased – will allow the association to leverage each party’s privileges respectively. The reason is that co-founders are well informed about the association, its mission, vision, goals and have an intuitive inner commitment to achieve them. The highly prestigious, well known, famous, and rich members – who represent the status symbol – can bring in extra money through their special donations and strong contacts with bureaucrats. The wealthy capitalists can have a win-win situation. On the one hand, they can enjoy public credibility and commitment toward social responsibility and on the other hand they will cash in the association to derive this legitimacy. Experienced technocrats can propose better structural reforms, manage operational complexities, and implement strategies to improve performance by capitalizing on strengths and overcoming weaknesses. The association is membership-based and it serves multiple interests. It channels members’ annual fees to implement projects serving members of the poor communities. It also develops the skills and competencies of its members in return for their volunteer time, money, and efforts. The non-profit nature of the association should not hinder its attempts to implement profit-based projects. These projects are important to cover the high overhead cost, keep an emergency fund â€Å" to hedge against bad economic conditions,† invest surplus in revenue earning initiatives, finance new developmental projects, and finally keep work flow smoothly while enjoying the tax exemption privilege. Providing full fledged free support should be only restricted to severe cases. These include very poor, eldery, disable, and young sick children in highly marginalized areas. Otherwise, providing services should have something in return. For example, providing microfinance for poor families can be balanced against donating a certain percentage of periodical revenues to fund other projects. One more thing that should be emphasized specially after the revolution of January 25th is augmenting international funding options. The association has to devise an effective strategy to share a large portion of international donor money coming into Egypt to support democracy. Only with a clear schedule of valuable projects, the association can guarantee international donors’ support without facing the threat of policy conditionality i. e. , imposing a certain development agenda on fund recipient as a condition to be granted the money. This can secure association’s activities financially, allow it to cover O. H costs, implement expansion plans, and better serve society’s compelling needs. General recommendations to improve the civil society in Egypt; 1. The presence of a regulatory environment for transparency rather than for control. 2. Ensuring enough flexibility in law application and enforcement i. e. , the law versus the implementation issue. 3. Promoting an openness commitment to partnership between government and public institutions and the civil society. 4. Supporting a bottom-up approach to development from donors’ side. 5. Supporting the creation of institutions rather than only short or medium term programs to promote for sustainable development. 6. Mobilizing mechanisms to maximize the real value perceived by the beneficiaries from the donors’ dollars. Page (2011) mentioned that only 10 to 30 percent of this actual grant will go to the real beneficiaries. 7. Supporting the youth-led NGOs so that they can actually participate in leading the winds of change toward democracy in Egypt. P. S. for those interested in accessing the association for donations, or more research work, here are association’s contacts. Address