The Alternative Learning System - 1623 Words

THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM Overview: Historical Context of ALS As always, it is best to trace the source of an educational system such as the ALS to the basic and fundamental law of the land. The Philippine Constitution provides for free and compulsory elementary education and free secondary education through the Department of Education (DepEd). This means that all Filipinos have a constitutional right to basic education, and the DepEd is mandated to provide this service to all Filipinos. In the 80’s, the global community launched a campaign called Education for All (EFA) that aimed to eradicate illiteracy and promote functional literacy for all people of the world. Our nation was a signatory to this and as such, committed to†¦show more content†¦It shows two (2) roads both leading towards the attainment of basic education. One road is marked â€Å"formal education† and it makes use of schools. The other road is marked â€Å"ALS† and it makes use of community learning centers for out-of-s chool youth and adults and these centers may be a barangay hall, a church, a factory, etc. Notice, too, the travelers in the â€Å"formal education† road and those in the â€Å"ALS† road. In the former, they are young; in the latter, they are both young and old. This illustration suggests that the Filipino can choose to take any of the two (2) roads to acquire basic education. Further, it suggests that the â€Å"ALS† road is open to anyone regardless of age. What is important too is that one may attain basic education even without entering the school system. Because this is a very simple illustration, it does not explain the other important features of ALS. Consequently, a conceptual framework on the relationship between formal education and the ALS is hereby presented. The discussion that follows Figure 2 also explains those theoretical aspects that Figure 1 cannot provide. MAJOR ASPECTS OF COMPARISON Learning Program It shows the learning programs of formal education and those of the ALS. Specifically, formal basic education consists of elementary education which covers Grades 1 to 6 and secondary education which covers 4 year levels. This ALS program onShow MoreRelatedAlternative Learning System3522 Words   |  15 Pagesassumptions about the process of learning. In essence,  three basic assumptions  are held to be true.[original research?]  First, learning is manifested by a change in behavior. Second, the environment shapes behavior. And third, the principles of contiguity (how close in time two events must be for a bond to be formed) and reinforcement (any means of increasing the likelihood that an event will be repeated) are central to explaining the learning process. For behaviorism, learning is the acquisition of newRead MoreAlternative Learning Systems9735 Words   |  39 Pagespedagogy, emotions and learning UNDERSTANDING THE SOCIOLOGY OF PRISON EDUCATION We use the sociology of the college classroom (SoCC) framework (Atkinson, Buck, and Hunt 2009) to discuss our experiences as feminists teaching sociology courses in the ‘‘unconventional setting’’ of prison (Thomas 1983) or in a ‘‘total institution’’ (Davidson 1995; Goffman 1961). SoCC intersects with the sociology of education, higher education, and with the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) but moves the literatureRead MoreAlternative Learning System in the Philippines1642 Words   |  7 PagesPHILIPPINE Alternative Learning System (ALS) AE Sunday, June 13, 2010 The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is a free education program implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) under the Bureau of Alternative Learning System which benefits those who cannot afford formal schooling and follows whatever is their available schedule. The program provides a viable alternative to the existing formal education instruction, encompassing both the non-formal and informal sources of knowledge andRead MoreAlternative Learning System Accreditation Equivalency902 Words   |  4 PagesALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM ACCREDITATION EQUIVALENCY (ALS AE) SYSTEM What are the legal bases of the Alternative Learning System? Constitution of the Philippines 1987, Art. XIV, Sec. 15 Executive Order No. 117 Sec. 115 DepEd Order No. 32, 1972 Proclamation No. 480 DECS Memo No. 204, 2. 1998 DECS Order Nos. 22 and 28, s. 1999 What is the ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Test? The ALS AE Test formerly the Nonformal Education AE Test is one of the four components of the ALS AE (then NFERead MoreAlternative Learning System Performance of Learners2261 Words   |  10 PagesTo be accomplished by CLC To be submitted to the DISTRICT OFFICE All information is required. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUREAU OF ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM MIS-001-PROFILE OF HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS Accomplished by | Lorna O. Mahinay | Position | Mobile Teacher | Date Accomplished | 04-18-2011 | Date Submitted | | Received by | | Position | | Year : 2011_____________________ Geographic ID : Division : Northen Samar__________________Read MoreFactors Affecting the Learners’ Achievement in the Alternative Learning System (Als) Programs15448 Words   |  62 PagesAFFECTING THE LEARNERS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) PROGRAMS A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School St. Peter’s College Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Education Major in Educational Management by AVEMAR TODIO GONZAGA March 2010 APPROVAL SHEET This thesis entitled â€Å"FACTORS AFFECTING THE LEARNERS’ ACHIEVEMENT IN THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM (ALS) PROGRAMS† prepared and submitted byRead MoreEducation Is The Root And Foundation Of A Person s Growth Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pagescomprehension are being supplied. In spite of their ethnic root, monetary status, and religious convictions, all Filipinos have the right to access education (Castro, 2014). Unfortunately, not all are receiving the adequate and stable way of having a smooth learning because of the lack of school, teachers, money, limited resources, and even because of militarization around the world.One of them are the Indigenous People of Mindanao in the Philippines called the Lumad. According to DepEd (n.d), 48% of the populationRead MoreThe Clay Learning System-Maniken in My Anatomy and Phisiology Class971 Words   |  4 Pagesactivities. I could also use the Clay Learning System/Maniken in my AP Biology course when it comes to the Animal System Unit. Additionally, I have a large number of students each year who plans to pursue careers in the medical field after high school. And, I believe these resources will afford them a tremendous opportunity in preparing of those goals. Clay modeling is an appropriate alternative to animal dissection for my students as it employs cooperative learning opportunities and a kinesthetic approachRead MoreBullying And Aggression At Schools1552 Words   |  7 Pagesstudents can find the help that they need to reduce their feelings that they may have against another student. If students attend these programs that are set up specifically for them, then there could be a huge improvement in reducing bullying in school systems today. For this solution to work, different people need to be involved with this such as the principal, the parents of that child, and the teacher that that child had. This problem will be easier to manage if the child that is being bullied, providedRead MoreSleep Apnea And Its Effect On Life Expectancy1726 Words   |  7 Pagesprovides general explanations on the various processes the body cycles through while individuals are sleeping. The article outlines process such as the body’s tendency to lower in temperature, toxin cleanses, paralysis, neural cell repair, and immune system activation which occur during sleep (Peikoff, 2015). It goes on to outline many statistics concerning sleep apnea and its effect on life expectancy in females (Peikoff, 2015). Moreover, many of the claims the article makes, as outlined above, have

Work attitude in Vietnam Free Essays

Work attitudes have become the most critical point for managers In the context that there Is a shift from a planned to market economy In developing countries. This raised a question for managers about whether or not this change may affect employee attitudes about work, commitment to a company, satisfaction and willingness to work hard. In a research conducted in Vietnam, three researchers, namely, El NCO Hung, Stephen Apollo and Earn Eagleburger explored and clarified the issues of organizational commitment, Job satisfaction and reasons affecting work attitudes in Vietnam. We will write a custom essay sample on Work attitude in Vietnam or any similar topic only for you Order Now To begin with, the critical reason for this survey conducted in Vietnam was that Vietnam was one of the most suitable countries for this research where employees have traditionally worked for state-owned enterprises (Goes) but now are starting to work In economic market. Moreover, Vietnam had a potential labor workforce and nearly 80 million people were born after 1975. Thus, If the government can utilize this advantage by effective Investment or attracting foreign Investors, It will be a considerable competitive force. Otherwise, It might trigger to various social problems. As the research revealed, generally speaking, Vietnamese employees expressed positive work value. In specific, older employees were more committed to their organizations and more satisfied with their jobs, while employees with more education had lower commitment and Job satisfaction. They also reported more committed when they held a Job that was complicated, required more teamwork or they considered their Job as a central life interest. Employees who sought more independent or high income were less satisfied with their Jobs. However, there are some distinctions in attitude of employees between working in Goes and private companies as well as in regions. There was a trend that employees working In private firms were more satisfied and committed than their counterparts In Goes. Relating to regional differences, the attitudes of older workers In the south of Vietnam were more positive than the north and SEE employees In the north had such more negative attitudes than their counterparts in the south. The main purpose of this research was better understand employees as well as find the best way to treat them in order to enhance their organizational commitment and job satisfaction. This research also indicated economic restructuring was the core leading to negative attitudes in the north because nearly all of their Job were in Goes. With the change in this structure, a great deal of downsizing and Job changing may be more extensive in the north, triggering to uncertainty in their minds. How to cite Work attitude in Vietnam, Papers

Comparision of the lamb to the slaughter and the speckled band Essay Example For Students

Comparision of the lamb to the slaughter and the speckled band Essay Ronald Dahl wrote Lamb To the Slaughter. Arthur Conan Doyle wrote the Speckled Band. Both stories are both murders, but differ in many ways. The author Ronald Dahl is more associated with children stories such as James and the Giant Peach being one of many. Arthur C Doyle is well known because he is the author of the famous Sherlock Holmes, murder, and mystery novels. The Speckled Band is a Sherlock Holmes plot. You know from the beginning it is a murder mystery. With a plot, weapon and victims. It is very descriptive, as it describes the rooms in detail so it can be visualised, as though you are actually seeing it. Sherlock Holmes is known for catching his man. The suspense in these novels is trying to work out who has committed the crime. It is written in the 19th century, and it is using grammar that is concurrent with that era. Lamb to the Slaughter gives the suggestion of murder through the title of the novel. It is a suspense novel, as in you cant guess what will happen next or whether the murder will be caught. It also has a sense of humour wove into it. This novel is set in the modern 20th century and can be seen by the grammar used and also the fact that cars are used in the narrative writing. The Speckled Band is a pre-conceived murder plot in that it is pre-planned, well thought through. Lamb to the Slaughter wasnt pre-planned it happens because of a domestic argument, but the events after the murder are calculated and well planned in a rather sick way. The murders in the novels are very difficult. In Lamb to the Slaughter Mrs Maloney is portrayed as a diligent housewife. She is happy and contented with domestic life; she is also pregnant. She is quiet and peaceful, happy to cook, clean and sew. She was happy to look after the house and her husband. An example of this is Darling, shall I get your slippers? When he tells her he wants to leave her, her personality changes, like when you switch a light switch off. She uses the leg of lamb that she has just taken from the freezer for dinner as the murder weapon. She uses all her force and smashes it down on the back of her husband head. She has killed her husband in a fit of rage. But she shows no remorse or regret. She proves she has conceived a plan now as she goes to the grocers shop. This gives her an alibi on her return she phones the police. She in the meantime reapplies makeup and practises her smile and behaviour with the aid of a mirror. She is calculating and cold in her manners. She then proceeds to cook the leg of lamb and whilst the police are there, she offers them dinner. She wasnt really a suspect and the murder weapon is eaten. Her cold personality is shown at the end when the policemen are eating their meal discussing that the evidence could be under their noses and she laughs. In the Speckled Band, it is more typical as in the murderer fits the part. The author describes the killer as A large face, seared with thousands wrinkles, burned yellow by the sun and marked with every evil passion, was turned from one too the other of us, while his deep set, bile shot eyes and the high thin fleshiness nose, gave him somewhat the resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey. He is portrayed as an unhinged man as in he is unbalanced in his mind, big and strong, violent and moody yet he is also very clever. His murders are pre-conceived and well thought through. .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .postImageUrl , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:hover , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:visited , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:active { border:0!important; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:active , .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447 .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubbe44d51bdd34a46f835babce390d447:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The main character of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn undergoes a total moral transformation EssayThis is shown in the way he killed his stepdaughters so he wouldnt have to pay a dowry on there marriage. The murder weapon in this novel was an exotic snake. In Lamb to the Slaughter the victim is a policeman. Hes portrayed as being molly-coddled, his wife being more like a mother than a wife. As in shes at his beck and call. He feels suffocated by her affections and care. His conversation when he returns from work indicates that he has something that he wants to tell her that is important. He is off-hand with her telling her he doesnt want dinner and to sit down. It never stated why he wants to leave it is left up to the readers own conclusions. The author shows now the husband is stressed by his short sentences and the wording he uses, his description of a little muscle moving near the corner of his left eye and also but there neednt really be any fuss. I hope not anyway. It wouldnt be good for my job. In Speckled Band the victim is quite stereotypical of a victim in that they are weak, defenceless, scared and distraught, her face all drawn and grey, with restless eyes, like those of a frightened animal. There is also a second victim not a lot is wrote regarding her apart from the fact that she is Helen Stoners sister and they way in which she dies which is repeated through out the novel. In both novels they are police, again they portrayed in different ways. In Lamb to the Slaughter there are numerous policeman, they are depicted as slightly stupid, as they fail to question the wife thoroughly or look for the weapon, they even have an empathy with her. They do check out her alibi and when it is proved true she is dismissed. They show their stupidity by way that at the table as they are eating they say that the weapon has to be under there noses, which of course it is. In Speckled Band it is Sherlock Holmes and Watson who are the police. Sherlock Holmes is renown for having good problem solving techniques, an insight into the criminal mind. He has solved numerous murders from using these techniques. He also has a knowledge of how the victims travelled which is shown when he states You had a good drive in a dog-cart he shows now he know this information by going on to say There is no mystery my dear Madam. The left arm of your jacket is splattered with mud. There is no vehicle save a dogcart, which throws mud in that way. In the Lamb to the Slaughter Mary gets away with the murder. She gives the impression of putting on a brave face on the situation, making the best of it. Her breaking point to commit the murder of her husband was the fact he wanted to leave her. In Speckled Band Dr Roylott kills his stepdaughters for money. His wife dies and leaves him with an inheritance and two stepdaughters. He plots to murder them so he wont have to pay a dowry when they get married. So he keeps the wealth himself. What he doesnt expect is the murder weapon that he used to actually kill him. This is what I would class a just desserts. I enjoyed Lamb to the Slaughter the best as it is set in modern times and quite funny. The grammar was easier to read and understand and you also had an empathy with the two main characters. The Speckled Band had good description but wasnt as easy to read as the grammar used was significant of the 19th century when it was written.

The Portuguese Social Security System

Introduction Just like any other part of the world, Portugal has a well-established social security system, which many of her people depend on for their welfare. Like in the US, social security system in Portugal covers a wide range of programs. Some of these programs include retirement pension scheme that covers employees from both public and private sectors, social assistance program that includes benefits for the unemployed and their dependencies among other programs.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The social security system in Portugal experiences problems such as non-contributory coverage, dealing with many survivors and disability beneficiaries (Barrows 25). Generally, the system experiences a problem of dealing with large number of people requiring assistance – an unrelenting problem that see ms to affect many of the social security systems across the world. Large proportion of inflow comes from PAYE funds, as it is the case of the United States. Taxes from the payroll can be termed as the backbone of the Portuguese social security system; however, there is a problem based on ‘baby boomers’ experience. After Second World War, populations across Europe blossomed and such large populations joined the social security systems, which also thrived. However, as the ‘baby boomers’ generation approaches retirement, the current working population is smaller and cannot sustain the current social security system, firmly established by the ‘baby boomers.’ Moreover, many contributors do not see any positive relationship between what they contribute and what they get at the end of the day. Indeed, according to many employees, the taxes reduce their private savings and disposable income and hence the capital formation. This paper will analyze finan cial sustainability of the Portuguese social security system mainly by comparing the revenue contributed and the cost required to maintain it. The research will use secondary data to analyze the trend of income and expenditures of the system for a period of fifty years from 1999 and 2050. Background Literature Social security system in Portugal comprises of three components; family allowances benefit systems and social welfare allowances for citizens. The allowance component compensates citizens when their earnings decline due to the following reasons; unemployment, sickness, disability, death, old age, and work accidents just to mention a few. Employees, both self-employed and the employed, benefit from this system. Non-working and unemployed individuals however, have the right to subscribe if they so wish. For one to enjoy the benefits of social security system, he/she must meet two conditions. First, one must register and secondly, the individual must meet his/her monthly contrib utions just like the employed.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though the Portuguese social security system has improved over the years, it continues to face many problems. Financial instability is the major problem. Those people who contribute each month to the social security system suspect misappropriation of these funds; hence, they do not get the expected benefits from this scheme. Many employees would therefore prefer some structural reforms in the system for it to meet their needs effectively. Portugal needs to change her current scheme of ‘pay as go used go’ and adopt a capitalization system. In this type of system, every employee has his or her own account where all the contributions made goes into this personal account. When the employee attains the age of retirement, then he or she can withdraw all the money deposited in the personal account. This will help to address dissatisfaction by many employees who question the efficiency of the current system. As Barrow claims, capitalization regime will ensure direct relationship between the benefits and contribution. This will eliminate the perception that the contribution to the social security system is just as tax deducted on the labor income (26). Capitalization regime will ensure that there is no sharing of the social security system’s funds from one single pool. Every employee will sustain his or her pool and in case of anything, he/she will withdraw the money from the personal account. Failure to do that will perpetuate the worsening the financial position of the system as more and more beneficiaries depend on insufficient funds contributed by just a small proportion of the population now and in future. As Pereira da Silva, Calado, and Maria put it, there is a looming financial problem facing the social security system in Portugal; the government needs to address it urgently before it gets out of hand (418). There is a large gap between the benefits and the declining rate of contribution and subscriptions. The active population does not benefit from their huge contributions to the social security system. The founders of the Social security trust fund in 1995 aimed to reinforce the social security system, but this has not solved the problem of financial instability. The government also introduced partial capitalization program in 1989 in which it invested the contributed funds in the different ways such as in financial markets. This also aimed to stabilize the financial status of this system. The returns from these investments would cater for future raise in costs. According to Pereira da Silva, Calado and Maria these stabilization funds created by the government are not in a position to counter the financial challenges facing the system and therefore it ought not to be the focus of the stakeholders (418). As mentioned earlier in the researc h, it is not Portugal alone whose social security systems are facing challenges. Yasar argues that social security systems in US also face the same challenges. Economists attribute the US challenges to the increased number of baby boomers attaining the age of retirement (843).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Currently the debate is going on in US among the reformers and other groups over the appropriate reforms in the social security system to meet the raising demand of beneficiaries. Reformists are advocating for the change of the system and adoption of a fully funded retirement plan with clear definitions. Other groups are arguing that demographic problems, which justify the privatization of the system, are wrong. Irrespective of which group is right, the fact remains that there is a challenge in the soc ial security system in US which may even become worse in the future as more and more people attain the age of retirement. Puckett argues that managing social security system is a challenge not only for today but also for yesterday and tomorrow (25).Thus even as we analyze the case of the Portuguese social security system it is important that we have it in mind that these systems are facing challenges in all the parts of the world. Data To analyze the financial sustainability of the social security system in Portugal, this study will use secondary sources of data mainly from the international association for the study of insurance economics 2004 among other sources. This study chose these sources of the data for various reasons, which include; first, the sources are reliable and thus provide reliable data for valid conclusion. Secondly, this data is very relevant to the topic of the study since it provide all the required information about the Portuguese social security system. Data about the contributions and distribution of benefits in this social security system is very relevant to this study, which these sources adequately provide. This data will make it easy to analyze financial sustainability of the Portuguese social security system by comparing the rate of growth of revenue collected from the citizens and growth rate of the fund’s beneficiaries. The data clearly portrays the gap between the rate of fund’s growth and cost rate for easier comparisons. The data also compare the difference between synthetic cost and income rate, which helps to predict the future of this social security system. The data also helps to show the projected accumulated funds as well as the growth trend for the next forty or so years. This will help to show or measure whether this system will become more sustainable or less sustainable in future. In addition, this data will help to show the account of the social security benefits to the current and future’s GDP of Portugal. All this will assist in coming up with a valid conclusion in this research. Research analysis From the various tables given in this research, it is possible to observe the trend of social security system in Portugal. To start with, Table 1 shows the comparison of rate of revenue and rate of cost from 1999 to 2050. From this table, we can observe the following; accumulated asset funds will attain their maximum level by 2012 where the rate of revenue growth will be approximately 0.285 per cent.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The rate of revenue has been growing consistently from 1999 though by a small margin until 2012 when it reaches the maximum point. Thereafter the growth rate of revenue starts to decline from maximum level attained in 2012 to about 0.26 percent by the year 2020. This trend remains constant for the next 30 years; table predicts the same rate of revenue growth by 2050. Contrary to growth rate of revenue, the cost rate grows steadily throughout the research period and there is no record of decline in growth. The growth in cost rate in 1999 is 0.24 per cent and continues to grow consistently year after another until it reaches a maximum level of 0.36 percent by 2050. The current growth rate of revenue is 0.34 percent, which is a large increase from 0.24 percent in 1999. This rate does not fluctuate much in the next forty years since the projected growth in the rate of cost by 2050 is 0.36 per cent. Again, this table notes the trend in differences of cost and revenue. From 1999 to 2005, the rate of growth in revenue exceeds the rate of growth in cost. This means that during this period, the rate of growth of contributions collected in the system was less that the number of beneficiaries. However, from 2008 onward, the rate of growth of cost is more than the rate of growth of revenue. This means that the rate of growth of beneficiaries of the social security funds is exceeding the rate of contribution. This may lead to financial problems in the system. Results explanation The data portrayed in this table shows a move from equilibrium to disequilibrium since 2008. There is acute imbalance between the growth rate of contributions and beneficiaries of the social security funds. The data shows that before 2008, the system was sustainable and it could support all the beneficiaries since there was more revenue than cost. When the beneficiaries started to exceed the contributors in 2008, the financial however instability started. Though the country never experienced popula tion boom like other countries, which had participated in the Second World War, the number of children born after the war were many. This generation started attaining the age of retirement in 2010. Predictions show that this trend is likely to remain for the next ten years. This has already started exerting pressure to the social security system funds since the amount going out is more than the amount coming in. The subscriptions and contributions have already started to decline as more and more members continue to retire. By 2025, economists expect that the benefits of the funds will not be enough to cover all the benefits, management and the administration costs. Further projections show that by 2050 this deficit may reach to about 38.5 per cent. This will be equivalent to about 2.25 percent of the country’s total GDP. This means that to minimize this deficit, there is need for some action to close the gap between the rate of revenue and costs. Two options are possible, eit her to increase the rate of contributions or decrease the rate of expenditures. The government may reduce the rate of expenditure by 0.7 percent or increase contribution rate by 10 per cent in order to attain equilibrium by 2050. These two options are possible but not easy especially on the side of the government. For instance, to increase the rate of contribution, government will need to improve its efficiency in recruiting and collecting more contributions from the citizens or coming up with a legal provision that will raise the amount contributed by each member. The latter will have an opportunity cost to the economy in terms of savings and investments. The government may also consider implementing the two methods simultaneously to increase the amount of contribution to the social security system. The second option of reducing the expenditure by 0.7 percent will also be costly to the government and the citizens. Lowering the benefits may result into suffering of some people. Memb ers of the social security schemes may not get the expected amount after retirement even after dedicating themselves to contribute during their working days due to shortage of the funds. The system may not be able to finance fully some cases such as accident, sickness, and maternity of the active contributors due to this policy. This option will also have some consequences, which may be too costly to the members and the government. Further analysis Table 2 compares the rate of fund’s growth with the ratio of the fund. The rate of fund’s growth reaches the maximum point in 2005 and starts to decline consistently until it reaches the lowest point in 2020 where it shows a negative growth. From there the growth rate remains constant at 0 percent showing no growth in the next thirty years up to 2050. The ratio of the fund grows consistently until it reaches a maximum in 2011. It then starts to decline until it reaches 0 percent in 2035. The high rate of unemployment is the attribute to the decline of the growth rate of fund. Increased number of employees who are retiring can also lead to low contribution rate. At the beginning, the fund ratio is high since the number of people remitting their contribution is increasing but later the trend decrease as more people reach their age of retirement. Table 3 compares the rate of growth of synthetic effective income and synthetic effective cost. Synthetic effective income increases steadily until it reaches a point where it starts to decline. It manifests the highest rate in 2040 and thereafter it starts to decline. The rate of synthetic effective cost increases steadily and reaches the maximum (30 percent) by 2050. The difference between the two rates decrease from positive side and then start to increase steadily on the negative side. Effective income rate shows â€Å"taxable payroll to the income ratio and it will increase so long as the income of the employee is increasing† (Puckett 76). As a result , the rate increases despite the cost increase. The effective rate of cost shows the ratio of taxable payroll to expenditure and continues to increase steadily so long as the expenditures are increasing. The differences between the two rates change due to fluctuating income and expenditure for the entire research period. Summary and conclusion From this study, it is evident that the current social security system in Portugal is not sustainable. The analysis of the data shows that by 2050, the deficit in the system will have risen to 38.5 percent, a significant proportion of the total GDP of Portugal. The gap between the growth rate of revenue contributed and the cost demanded from the funds has continued to increase over the years and projections show its increase in future. This condition may be attributed to high rate of retirement as large proportion of the population, which was born after Second World War, currently attain the age of retirement. Other factors such as high rate o f unemployment have contributed to this problem; there are few people joining the system to increase the revenue collection. The government has come up with various programs to address the problem; however, the outcome is of little significance. Initiatives such as investing the contributed funds in various ways have not helped much in addressing the problem. To address the problem, the government may either look for ways to increase the contributions such as recruiting more members and increasing the rate of contribution per member or coming up with ways to reduce the expenditure of the social security system. The two options are not easy for the government given that they have their opportunity costs in terms of saving and investment. However, an urgent action is necessary to prevent the situation from deteriorating in future; actually if unchecked, the situation will degenerate into a crisis and the retiring will go home uncompensated as the system crumbles under the weight unsus tainable demands due to poor policymaking. Nevertheless, a swift well-planned and executed strategy will ensure that the social security system in Portugal is sustainable for now and in future. Works Cited Barrows, Jen. â€Å"Portugal’s Social Security System: The Efficacy of Reforms.† Yale Economic Review 6.1 (2010): 25-27. Print. Pereira da Silva, Carlos, Calado, Joao, and Maria, Teresa.â€Å"The Financial Sustainability of the Portuguese Social Security System.† Geneva Papers on Risk Insurance – Issues Practice 29.3 (2004): 417-439. Print. Puckett, Carolyn. â€Å"Administering social security: challenges yesterday and today.† Social Security Bulletin, 70.3 (2010): 27-78. Print. Yasar, Yavuz. â€Å"It’s the Prices, Stupid: The Underlying Problems of the U.S. Social Security System.† Journal of Economic Issues (M.E. Sharpe Inc.) 43.4 (2009): 843-865. Print. This research paper on The Portuguese Financial Sustainability of Social Security System was written and submitted by user Heaven H. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Controlled by computers essays

Controlled by computers essays Computers seem to control our lives. It is hard to live without a computer, and no matter how hard you try to remove yourself from computers, they always affect your life. Many people think it is good that computers make things simple. "The Jetsons" was a cartoon where computers controlled the world; their maid was a robot while a computer guided the family to do simple tasks, such as showering and styling hair. It seems that the Jetsons world would be an ideal world to live in, so looking at where computers are headed today the future seems bright. Computers make it so that you can control your heat, air conditioning, pay bills, receive bills, buy groceries, listen to music and watch movies, all without leaving the comfort of your desk. But how would one get the money for this? Computers, once an expensive item, now can be attained by anyone. There are places offering free computers, computers on monthly payment plans and very cheap computers. Once you have one of these com puters, you can then get a job where you work from your computer. After working your Internet job, you can deposit your paychecks directly into an Internet banking account. If you manage to save enough money, you can buy that car you have always wanted, but why buy the car if you never have to drive it? Some people drive places to meet people, but now it is so that you can meet someone online. To most people that conjures a picture of typing messages to someone and never meeting them face to face. Now there are camcorders you can attach to your computer and microphones so you can talk to the person in real time and see them face to face, or screen to screen. In the year 1999, the country went into a frenzy because of computers. Bomb shelters were being built in backyards. People were stocking up on non-perishables for several years; generators increased in sales and TV talk shows featured people who bought a ton of toilet paper. This was n...

Assignment #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

#2 - Assignment Example Zoe was born out of an affair between Judge Payton- who owned large plantation in Louisiana, and his black slave. Zoe found herself in a society that was not tolerant towards blacks. She appreciated the fact that she was not purely a white. In fact, there are cases where she referred to herself as unholy because she had traces of a black person, especially in her eyes. When she met George and he confessed his love for her, she pointed out to the fact that the law did not allow for the marriage between the blacks and the whites. She considered herself more of a black than a white, though the father was a white. However, in the last scene of this play, Zoe did not die as many people had predicted when she said that she would commit suicide. However, she was happily united with George. By changing this scene, the author would have succeeded in demonstrating the negative effect of the racial segregation that riddled the American society. However, the author would have lost the opportunity to point out at the fact that it is possible to overcome racial segregations as is witnessed at the end of the story. The play, Shenandoah, is very interesting. According to Delmore (37), this play became very popular when it was published. It was a success for many people found relevance in the book. It was not only popular during this time because of its richness in emotion and humor, but also for the content. The play depicts the enmity that existed between North Americans and the Southerners. These two regions have been considered as brothers and had treated each other as such. However, this was not the case at this point. This volatility could even be witnessed in families. The fact that this play presents a different angle to life made it very popular. Charlie Anderson, who was widowed, would not let his son fight amongst themselves. He tries to ensure that his sons would be at peace with one another. This made the society have hopes that peace could prevail

BDX Organizational Information Technology Summary Research Paper

BDX Organizational Information Technology Summary - Research Paper Example In addition to the small group, there is a larger group of contract personnel and consultants, who do not use the company’s network. The following are the names of the key personnel in BDX: The title of the IT department is Computer Lab, and the number of staff in this department is three. Each staff is allocated various responsibilities, which range from software installation to information technology systems maintenance. The IT department is allocated 30 percent of the total budget. The budget includes employee’s remunerations, purchase, and development of relevant information technology systems. The budget also includes maintenance fees for the various information technology systems in the company. There are users project leaders at the organization. These project leaders are concerned with research and development activities of the organization. They have the responsibility of ensuring that the organization is up-to-date with technology and making use of technology to enhance functions of the organizations. A web team exists which is led by Toni McEntire. Toni is the Network Administrator and he creates and maintains the BDX webpage. Two other employees assist Toni and they ensure that all technology-related items run smoothly; they include web updating and maintenance. The web team name is Fast Technology Innovators and it reports directly to the Network Administrator. The name is based on the mean age of the web team and the present situation in the technological world. The company has outsourced most of the functions such as help desk, stationaries, office equipment, and infrastructure materials. The move is to ensure that the company is not overwhelmed by the many functions. This also ensures that everyone in the company runs smoothly and as expected. There were no new hires last year and this is because of the fact that the company is still in its early development

Academic Remediation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Academic Remediation - Essay Example One Act that addresses the problem of academic remedial is the College and Career Readiness Act that was passed in 2007 by the state of Illinois. This Act purports that the academic remediation problem can be significantly serious because of its impact on financial aid and time taken to complete a degree. High school curriculum is not highly aligned to college education. This misalignment creates problems for students who want to use academic remediation as an entry into college course work. Academic remediation is also not particularly well designed in a way that bridges the informational gap between high school and college. This poorly designed learning interface makes the students pursuing it to feel lost in seeking information. Academic remediation mainly aims at addressing the academic needs of students struggling with one or more educational areas. This, therefore, requires individualized teaching and the establishment of a good and adequate communication between the student an d their instructor and even among students. However, a significant number of students enrolled for academic remediation experience isolation caused by lack of adequate interaction, good relationship and interpersonal communication between or among students and the instructor. This situation is more prominent when it comes to online academic remediation. ... This poorly designed learning interface makes the students pursuing it to feel lost in seeking information. Academic remediation mainly aims at addressing the academic needs of students struggling with one or more educational areas. This, therefore, requires individualized teaching and the establishment of a good and adequate communication between the student and their instructor and even among students. However, a significant number of students enrolled for academic remediation experience isolation caused by lack of adequate interaction, good relationship and interpersonal communication between or among students and the instructor. This situation is more prominent when it comes to online academic remediation. Results from courses taken under academic remediation are not delivered to the students as promptly compared to regular learning programs. At times, there is delayed feedback from the instructor. This situation mainly applies to students undertaking academic remediation online. This makes the learning phase loose meaning of attaining for and informing the students about their academic improvement. Timely delivery of such results is important for applying courses. Unlike in the regular educational programs, students who are remotely participate in academic remediation are more likely to suffer from inadequate educational support from their teachers. Because of this, a significant number of students enrolled for online academic remediation fail to attain their desired educational skill level (Brants and Struyven, 2009). Some of the students who enroll for academic remediation already consider themselves as academic failures and, therefore, they

Religion and Filipino Mothers Essay Example for Free

Religion and Filipino Mothers Essay Rizal’s Reminders on Equality, Self – Respect and True Spirit of Religion 1. The tyranny of some is possible only through cowardice and negligence on the part of others. 2. What makes one contemptible is lack of dignity and abject fear of one who holds one in contempt. 3. Ignorance is servitude, because as a man thinks, so he is; a man who does not think for himself and allows himself to be guided by the thought of another is like a beast led by a halter, 4. He who loves his independence must first aid his fellowman, because he who refuses protection to others will find himself without it. 5. If the Filipina will not change her mode of being, let her rear no more children, let her merely give birth to them. She must cease to be the mistress of the home, otherwise she will unconsciously betray husband, child, native, land and all. 6. All men are born equal, naked, without bonds. God did not create man to be a slave; nor did he endow him with intelligence to have him hoodwinked or adorn him with reason to have deceived by others. 7. Consider well what kind of religion they are teaching you. See whether it is the will of God or according to the teachings of Christ that the poor be succored and those who suffer alleviated. In summary, Rizal ‘s Letter To the Young Women of Malolos focused on five major points (Zaide Zaide, 1999) 1. Filipino mothers should teach their children love of God, country and fellowman. 2. Filipino mothers should be glad and honored, like Spartan mothers to offer their sons in defense of their country. 3. Filipino women should know how to protect their dignity and honor. 4. Filipino women should educate themselves aside from retaining their good radical values. 5. Faith is not merely reciting prayers and wearing religious pictures. It is living the real Christian way with good morals and manners.

cinco de mayo :: essays research papers

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico. So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862. The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas. Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War. The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did. Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish. General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes. When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away.

Death Penalty Essay

The death penalty is the most inhuman and crucial punishment. Even though it is not applied in every state, the death penalty is a very strong debate and argument within our own government. There are people who support it and those who are against it. The death penalty is a punishment to those who due to their actions and circumstances commit crimes. All people are all equal under the eyes of the law and those people in the end are still humans no matter the crimes they have committed. The death penalty is looked as a violation to the eighth amendment. It is an invalid form of punishment. The risks of inaccurate judgment can change the live of a human within just a few seconds. Taking away another person’s life for committing a crime is like taken an easy way out. The U.S. government should stop using immediately death penalty as a way of punishment because it is unfair, unethical and crucial. Our founding fathers wanted a government that would show the tyrants or absolute monarchs of Europe that it was possible to coexist and live free within fair justice. Even though they excluded any religion to be part of the government regulations, they used Christianity to influence them and built a strong foundation for the new type of government. In a webpage of the history of death penalty they stated that they used the bible and popular teachings to create basic laws and form basic human rights that many religions would forbid death penalty such as; Catholics, Presbyterians, Quakers, Amish’s, and Mennonites. One can easily find a statement teaching that one should not kill, which was used to make a law against murder. No matter what circumstance killing is wrong. So, why are we killing criminals? Aren’t we basically acting against the laws within our own constitution? We are not only killing, but also the government contradicts itself because people have rights in which they are protected. The lives of every individual living on American land should be safe, and if something were to happen to one of us, the government would act with all its power to find justice. But a person’s right to this is denied when they are put to be executed. No one should have the right to determine when a person’s last day in this world should be. Only god can decide when that time should be. But, that does not mean a criminal should not be punished for their action of crimes. By using the death penalty against an individual we are basically using an easy way out to the problem; an escape. If an individual is found guilty then they should do time for their action of crime, but they do not have to relay it on punishing them by killing them. They should be punished by sentencing them to a whole life time of prison. In prison they are guaranteed of no future crimes and at the same time they are being punished for a life time. In an article in antideathpenaly.com they stated that executions cost more than life in prison. It costs $2 million per person. In an article by Dudley Sharp, a death penalty resource director discusses the costs of death penalty and the cost of life without parole. Performing eye for eye; simply get to even in a better or more efficient way is never the solution. Criminals should be isolated from society, making them work and pay for what they did. What is unfair regarding the death penalty is how there can be many innocent people declared as guilty. In situations like these, innocent people should be giving time to prove their innocence instead of preventing them from being killed due to a mistake. Sentencing a criminal to prison for a life time gives time for further investigation to prove a person’s innocence which was researched and said in an article of death penalty in deathpenalty.procon.org. Putting a person to death penalty the government could be killing someone innocent and only because they believe that person is guilty. The law states that every individual is incconent until proven guilty. However, the court does not always follow this law. In some cases people are not given time to prove his/her innocence. Many countries have abolished the death penalty and since the United States has a strong stand for fairness in criminal justice we should join those nations. In our home state, Virginia, it is one of the many states that still believe that killing is the best solution when it comes to solving these kinds of problems. Virginia has executed a total of 94 people since 1976. The most common methods used to perform justice are using gas chambers, lethal injection, and electric chairs. This is how they find their way of solution to get a person’s life over with. In 2000 Earl Washington was on death row in Virginia and was innocent but was not released after serving 16 years of prison. Death penalty is one form of punishment that can never be reversed which makes this unjust. Even though we like to believe that racism does not exist, it still does. History records seem to show that usually African Americans and other minority groups have higher rates when it comes to sentenced people. Death sentencing is not given in a fair manner. It is a very crucial system used against thousands of people. Homicide is illegal; however, what is it when it is performed by the government? If punishing a murder by murdering him/her; are we going to be punished as well? The U.S. government seems to have few flaws; flaws that can be easily fixed. But what happens when it is too late? Innocent until proven guilty is a common thing within our laws and regulations. Death penalty has claimed the lives of many innocent fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, and so on. Many people in situations like these have been sentenced to death because everything seemed would accuse them. In an article by Adam Bedau, the author states that technology and science proofed usage of people’s innocence. In most cases, people are not giving time to prove their innocence. When a person is killed there is no way back. When you realize the mistake, it is too and nothing can be done to reverse it. Therefore, people should realize that dealing with a human’s life; something so precious and valuable, no technology or currency can replace it or manipulate. When violence is committed the judge has the order to either punish a person with a lifetime of prison or sentence them to death penalty. Homicide is a power that no one should have on their hands. If someone acts against another person, there should be another way of solution discarding the act of death penalty. The death penalty is a huge argument in which many people will always have different opinions towards it. People should realize and acknowledge the fact that we are are equal under the eyes of the law and mistakes are always done. The unfairness, cruelty, and unethical behaviors of the death penalty should be taken under major consideration.

Flower Festival in Vietnam

Da L? t Flower Festival Da Lat Flower Festival is a famous annual event not only in Vietnam but also in Asian region. It is frequently held in the spring to celebrate the charming nature beauty of the city. Every year, a large number of tourists, especially nature lovers, are fascinated by contemplating works of arts made of flowers. On the occasion of this festival, there is a compelling chain of events that you can not take your eyes off.In preparation for the festival, the local people have to complete a lot of things. The first fundamental step is to set up essential infrastructure systems, such as lighting, sound equipment and background iron frames. These tools are used to help artists decorate and honor the beauty of thousands of flower species. Next, many craftsmen put floral decoration into right orders, according to the planned picture. Therefore, along the city, tourists can easily remark a consistently meaningful message.Throughout the festival, we can see many special ac tivities taken place on this event. All of activities are organized in six days on the theme of flowers. Initially, there is an International Gallery and Exhibition of Flower and Ornaments performed at Da Lat garden. After that, along Xuan Huong Lakeshore, everyone can enjoy flower exhibition and lively street parade. Finally, the Ceremony of DaLat Flower Festival is officially held at DaLat square.Although almost celebrating activities take place before the official ceremony, people look forward to this important event which gives splendid performances. Besides, everyone participating in this event has the opportunity to watch and take part in various categories of extra activities, such as Festival for Street Dances, Wine Festival, Street Festival â€Å"Flower and Light†, Flower Market†¦ These activities are held in order to serve Da Lat people in particular as well as tourists in general.Especially, people will have a chance to enjoy the fabulous fireworks displayed o n Xuan Huong Lake. It would be an unforgetable experience that you should try. During the festival, tourists seems to be lost in an exciting world of colour and fragrance because flowers are everywhere. Therefore, this is a good potential chance for developing tourism, advertising image of the country that brings a lot of benefits to not only local people but also the Vietnamese. It would be wise for our government to make more investment in such an event. Y? n Hoa

The Founding of Rome essays

The Founding of Rome essays Greek and Roman myths were generally based on historical events and were told to explain why something occurred, to teach a moral lesson, or to simply be entertaining. The events were not recorded immediately and the stories about the past changed with time. When myths were formally written down, the writers were essentially writing down history known to them through generations of oral tradition. Over time, the stories evolved to be more interesting or appropriate for the time. Different versions of the stories could have come out as a result. Nonetheless, we can still find historical information in the stories and can learn about the people and events of the past. From what we know, we conclude that the historical background on the founding of Rome adheres to the story of Aeneas and the story of Romulus and Remus. We learn about all the ancestors of Romulus through the story of Aeneas. After the Trojan War, Aeneas went down to Hades with the Sibyl of Cumae. He sought his father, Anchises, for advice on how to start a great city. Anchises showed Aeneas his descendants. According to Edith Hamilton, One by one Anchises pointed them out, and told of the deeds they would do which men would never through all time forget, (Mythology, page 240). These men would become the great leaders of Rome. When Aeneas arrived on the west coast of Italy, he fought in a series of terrible battles to win the hand of Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus. With the help of the Etruscan people, Aeneas defeated the leader of the Rutulians, Turnus. His travels were finally over and he married a Latin princess called Lavinia, (Oxford Latin Course: Part 1, page 78). The Trojans took the name of those they conquered, the Latins, and settled along the Mediterranean Sea. The newly established Lavinium was named after its queen, Lavinia. Through Aeneass marriage, he became the originator of a line of kings and a dir ...

Recruitment of Staff at the Bibliographic Section of the Library Assignment - 1

Recruitment of Staff at the Bibliographic Section of the Library - Assignment Example For instance, I need to consult with the head cataloguer and the head of the acquisition section for purposes of knowing the various needs of their departments. This will help in developing a plan that will consider their needs, and therefore meeting its objectives. Another issue in consideration while coming up with a plan is the objectives of the bibliographic section of the library (Library Management, 2008). Â  For instance, the bibliographic section of the library aims at serving students by providing up to date reading materials. To achieve this, I need to develop a plan that will motivate my staff into working towards this objective (Bryson, 2011). Finally, I need to consider the budget of the department, and the time period in which this plan will cover. This is to make it realistic and implementable. It is important to plan for the development of staff in relation to recruitment, training, orientation, continuing professional development because it will increase the efficiency in which the organization meets its objective, and will reduce the operational costs of the organization through proper budgeting. The department needs more staff in special collections, cataloguing, and acquisitions. On this note, the department prepares for recruitment in order to fill the vacancies in consideration. The existing staffs do not have current knowledge of library management, and they all need re-training. This will ensure they are efficient in their duties. Some of my staff, especially the clerks, are not motivated enough to seek for further knowledge, for purposes of improving their positions within the department. They are also not innovative, and this is not good for the department. On this note, there is a need for a plan for continuous professional development. Â  

Effect of Psychosocial Data on Health Research Paper

Effect of Psychosocial Data on Health - Research Paper Example This essay explores the key aspect in the determination of health as the socioeconomic status of the community. When the majority of the population, 126,011, is employed, they are able to afford good healthcare, which translates to better health. Furthermore, the number of people living below the poverty line also determines the health of the community. In the Jersey case, few people, 15.5%, live below the poverty line implying better health. The types of jobs that people do also determine their health. Some jobs involve more wear and tear as compared to others. This implies that the health of non-manual workers is better as compared to that of the manual workers. The manual industries include the less populated jobs in Jersey City; therefore, the health of the population is good. Education is also a key determinant of health and bearing in mind that majority of the people, 84.8%, have high school education and above, the health of the community is good since these people know how to lead healthy lifestyles. A good social support means that the community has better health care services. Therefore, the social support at Jersey City contributes to good health.

Ethics in Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Ethics in Criminal Justice - Essay Example icer should then try to reason with the individuals before pulling the trigger and should not just assume the worst and commit an extreme act of killing a person. This is an approach where the concept of relativity in ethics needs to be considered. Given the current situation, speed traps may be used to garner revenue but everything needs to be done in a limited manner. The police officer in charge should try to find an alternate option to raise funds. Until such a situation is resolved, speed traps may be used to collect revenue but the same must be restricted to at most one or two per day. This is because it is ethically not permissible to set up speed traps just for raising funds. According to the utilitarianism approach to ethics this is a totally wrong strategy. Hence, a middle path needs to be determined. The character of a protector of ethics to drive and encourage ethical behavior is virtue ethics. On the other hand, utilitarianism focuses on driving the right behaviors. In fact utilitarianism is interested in the outcomes of the actions and does not care about the intentions which motivate these outcomes. On the other hand, formal ethics is concerned with moral judgments. In this incident, the character should have taken a relative path to ethics as taking the path of virtue ethics has deemed him to be an arch enemy of the police force of an entire nation. To a certain extent, one must abide by the cultures and norms which are prevalent in a certain culture or society. The reasoning behind the statement is in line with the proponents of virtue ethics. This is again a scenario of ethical dilemma. The case details the amount of violations committed by the FBI. This is an abuse of power and hence according to ethics is not permissible. Utilitarianism is concerned with the final results and not with the intentions to commit the act. Hence this concept of ethics will support the approach of not eliminating such powers. However the relativity theory of ethics

Farm Financial Standards Council Case Study Essay

Farm Financial Standards Council Case Study - Essay Example Activity based costing on the basis of identified and mutually agreed activities and grouped under Production Cost Centers, Support Cost Centers and Profit Centers is definitely a more logical and inclusive approach as it traces the flow of all agricultural inputs and outputs. It is similar to process costing methods used in the manufacturing industries where the cost of every subsequent department is added to the previous ones and after elimination of waste products, we are left with the final cost of the finished products as they emerge from the last department into the finished goods inventory. For a farm the finished product would be the different crops produced. Although the first solution is more amenable to the situation at John and Mary’s Farm, the second is proposed as a better starting point for any type of agricultural enterprise. The benefits of the first solution are that it uses well regarded units such as acres for corn crop and bushels for soybean marketing whi ch are logical and make very good sense (Case Study, pp 6-7). The reports generated in the first solution are also quite detailed and show quarter-wise production costs and expenses for each crop planted and reaped. There are also reports of inventories of different crops produced and sold, which includes cost per bushel or acre as well as in dollar terms. Such type of management reporting and control is a farmer’s dream. He is able to know the costs and expenses on all that he has grown so that he can price it better in the marketplace. Of course the second solution just proposes an alternative and more logical starting point for all types of agricultural enterprises, and would be an invaluable guide to using the ABC method for newly established farming organizations. It is definitely more detailed and logical. ABC information can even be used to reengineer processes and make other improvements to quality while still cutting costs (www.prosci.com/abc1.htm). 2. If the Farm Co uncil Case did not use Activity Based Costing, identify several dysfunctional decisions that could be made using traditional cost allocation. Which solution do you prefer, the initial or alternative solution proposed in the case? Explain the difference between the suggested solution and alternative solution. As we already know, activity based costing and volume based costing are the two alternative methods in use today, in many enterprises across the world. The drawbacks of the traditional or volume based costing methods are well known. It seeks to allocate indirect costs or overheads on arbitrary bases like machine hours used or labor hours consumed that are not truly representative of costs incurred on various activities or products produced (Roztocki, 1998). ABC method on the other hand focuses on indirect costs or overheads, tracing each expense to a particular cost object. It makes indirect expenses more directly attributable to products and activities. ABC is particularly pref erred when overheads are high and products are diverse. The basic premise of ABC is that cost object consume activities and activities consume resources. Resource consumption drives costs, and understanding the relationship between resource consumption and activities is critical to managing overhead. If the farm chose to use traditional costing methods instead of activity

Abacus, Amadeus And OPERA Reservation Systems

Abacus, Amadeus And OPERA Reservation Systems Abacus, Amadeus, and OPERA Reservation Systems (ORS) are the three IT systems that will be discuss in this report. Abacus is the Asia Pacifics largest Global Distribution System (GDS) and Computerized Reservations System (CRS) that provides airline reservations, pricing and ticketing, hotel and car bookings, travel insurance and other travel information. One of the travel agency which is using Abacus is Eurotours Travel Pte Ltd in Singapore. Amadeus is a Central Reservations System (CRS) which created by Air France, Iberia Airlines, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) in 1987. AirAsia is one of the airline partner which is using Amadeus as their IT system. The OPERA Reservation System (ORS) is the industrys first truly integrated, single image enterprise inventory system. ORS is owned by MICROS Systems, Inc. Loews Hotels has chosen ORS to be their IT systems in all their hotels. These three different IT systems have its different advantages and disadvantages. Last but not least, IT systems are very important in tourism and hospitality industry. They play a lot of roles in industry in order to provide more convenience for the companies as well as the customers. 2. Introduction Information Technology (IT) systems play an important role in tourism and hospitality industry. There are many IT systems appear in the market now for hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and airlines. Some of the IT systems are Abacus, Amadeus, Gabriel, Fidelio, OPERA Reservation System, Sabre, Worldspan, and many others. These IT systems are created to make reservations, check seat availabilities, food and beverage transactions and controls in hotels, restaurants, airlines, as well as travel agencies around the world. Abacus, Amadeus, and OPERA Reservation Systems are the three IT systems that will be discuss in this report. Abacus is the Asia Pacifics largest Global Distribution System (GDS) used in travel agencies. Amadeus is a Central Reservations System (CRS) which majority used in airlines while the OPERA Reservation System used in most hotels in the world. This report is written and compound to evaluate and analyze how Abacus, Amadeus, and OPERA Reservation System are implemented in three different companies. 3. Abacus logo_Abacus-red_large.gif Abacus International is the Asia Pacifics largest Global Distribution System (GDS) and Computerized Reservations System (CRS) that provides airline reservations, pricing and ticketing, hotel and car bookings, travel insurance and other travel information since 1988. The headquarter of Abacus International is located in Singapore. Abacus International is 65 percent owned by Abacus International Holdings and 35 percent owned by U.S. Based GDS, Sabre Holdings. Sabre is the global leader in the electronic distribution of travel and travel related services. Abacus International Holdings is jointly owned by several Asias leading airlines including All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Indonesia, EVA Airways, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Hong Kong Dragon Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, Philippine Airlines, SilkAir and Singapore Airlines. Abacus is typically used in travel agencies and one of the travel agency which uses Abacus as their reservation system is: Eurotours Travel Pte Ltd Eurotours Travel Pte Ltd was established by Ms. Hedy Mok in 1974. Eurotours Travel is located at 190 Clemenceau Avenue #05-4/7, Singapore Shopping Centre, Singapore 239924. Eurotours Travel provides inbound and outbound travel management services. Currently, Corporate Travel bookings comprise 80 percent of Eurotours business volume and the remaining 20 percent is from Leisure Travel services. Every system must have the strengths and the weaknesses in different area. The strengths of Abacus are Abacus has direct link for travel agencies who want to apply Australia visa for their customers. It is more convenience for the travel agencies who use Abacus so they do not to go to Australia embassy to queue for applying visa for their customers who wish to travel to Australia. Abacus also provides a lot of information about all requirements that travel agencies need to know for their customers who want to travel to certain country. Some weaknesses of Abacus are the operation of Abacus and the update information in Abacus. The operation of Abacus is not user friendly. For travel agencies who operate Abacus system, they need to give advance training to their employees because Abacus uses a lot of codes in their system. The employees need to learn and memorize hundreds of code in order to make a reservation or check the room availability in a hotel. Abacus also a bit slow in update their new data or information so travel agencies always need to check their new information. logo_Abacus-red_large.gif 4. Amadeus Your Technology Partner 1009amadeuslogo.jpg Amadeus is a Central Reservations System (CRS) which created by Air France, Iberia Airlines, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS) in 1987. Amadeus is owned by Amadeus IT Group. The central headquarters of Amadeus are located in Madrid, Spain for its corporate headquarters and marketing, Nice for the development and Erding for the operation. Amadeus is also a member of International Air Transport Association (IATA), OpenTravel Alliance (OTA), and SITA, and its IATA designator code is 1A. One of the airline which applies Amadeus as their IT system is: Air Asia According to Press Release from Amadeus North America, Inc. (2010) stated: Madrid, Spain, September 10, 2009: Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry today, announced that it hasformed a groundbreaking partnership with AirAsia, the Worlds Best Low Cost Airline, which for the first time will enable Amadeus-subscribing travel agencies worldwide to book AirAsia flights in the same way they would for a full-service carrier. AirAsia is a Malaysian low-cost airline. AirAsia was established in 1993 and commenced operations on 18 November 1996. AirAsia have five subsidiaries which are Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, VietJet AirAsia, AirAsia RedTix, and Khmer AirAsia (2012). AirAsia Group operates over 400 flights daily, both domestic and international routes, from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, South Korea, Laos, Philippines, and United Kingdom. Currently, AirAsia has total 96 fleets including Thai AirAsia, Indonesia AirAsia, and AirAsia X. Amadeus provides Customer Service Management (CMS) for airlines, sales, reservations, and e-ticketing systems, and corporate self-booking tools for major world leading airlines and travel suppliers. Amadeus also offers services for trains, cars, cruises, and hotel reservations. There are many benefits for the airlines which using Amadeus. The system of Amadeus is quite fast and efficient. Amadeus also allows the airlines to change their existing bookings or request new time limits. Lastly, Amadeus also will send automatic recognition or acknowledgement to their partner airlines once all the updates are finished. 1009amadeuslogo.jpg 5. OPERA Reservation System (ORS) opera.jpg The OPERA Reservation System (ORS) is the industrys first truly integrated, single image enterprise inventory system. OPERA Reservation System is owned by MICROS Systems, Inc. The headquarter of MICROS Systems, Inc. is located in Columbia, Maryland. The ORS hotel reservation system is designed with the entire OPERA product family: OPERA Customer Information System (OCIS), OPERA Property Management System, OPERA Sales and Catering, and OPERA Sales Force Automation. ORS can be configured to suit any size hotel or Central Reservation Office (CRO) environment. ORS handles all types of reservations started from individual, group and party, company, travel agent, multi-legged, multi-rate, as well as waitlisted. ORS is typically used in the hotels especially front office and one of the hotel which uses ORS as their IT system is: Loews Hotels Loews Hotels headquartered in New York City, offer a comfortable, vibrant, and unique local experience for their guests. Loews Hotels is a wholly owned by Loews Corporation. Loews Hotels operates 19 distinctive luxury hotels and resorts across US and Canada started from: Annapolis, Los Angeles, Lake Las Vegas, Montreal, Quebec City, Miami Beach, Nashville, New York, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Diego, Tucson, Washington DC, St. Pete Beach, Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, and Royal Pacific Resort. The ORS availability display will help the front office officer to check the room rates, types of room, and packages that hotel offer to their guests. ORS also helps hotels to do the complex operations such as frequent flyer and loyalty program memberships, split charges, and rate discounts. ORS also handles group and block reservations in hotel easier than other systems, for example: room blocking, room sharing, rooming lists, tour series, and deposits. Last but not least, hotels and chains can also use the ORS to review their business volume and performance by either open or close channel. Open or close channel can be based on property rate or the room type. 6. Conclusion Nowadays, hotels, airlines, restaurants, and travel agencies use Information Technology (IT) systems in their companies to facilitate the companies as well as their customers in terms of making reservations, checking the seat availabilities, purchasing airline tickets, and many others. Abacus, Amadeus, and OPERA Reservation System (ORS) is the three IT systems which have discussed in this report. Abacus is the IT systems which used in majority travel agencies, while Amadeus and ORS used in majority airlines and hotels. These three different IT systems have its different advantages and disadvantages. Last but not least, IT systems are very important in tourism and hospitality industry. They play a lot of roles in industry in order to provide more convenience for the companies and their customers.

Sex Education in Schools Essay -- Teaching Education

Sex Education in Schools Sex education in schools now seems to be more and more of a controversial issue. People are arguing over what the curriculum should be in sex education, if it should be taught in schools or at home by parents and the main point of this paper if sex education is actually doing what it was set out to do. The idea behind this paper is to determine if sex education in schools really does keep down the amount of teens with STD’s or who become pregnant. The definition of sex education according to SIECUS (2002) â€Å"Sexuality education is a lifelong process of acquiring information and forming attitudes, beliefs, and values. It encompasses sexual development, reproductive health, interpersonal relationships, affection, intimacy, body image, and gender roles.† Sex education discusses important aspects of reproduction, sexuality, and just growing up in general in a physical and emotional sense. One would have to wonder though; does sex education actually serve its purpose? Does it enlighten teens enough about sex and the consequences, to the point where you can actually tell the difference between those who are sexually educated and those who are not? According to a study done bye Coyle (1999) sex education no matter where, at home or in school, and no matter the program does indeed help decrease the amount of teens having unsafe sex. Based on information from that same study about 3 million teenagers a year get an STD, and roughly 10% of adolescent females ages 15-19 get pregnant every year unintentionally. In an article from The Alan Guttmacher Institute (1999) there has been a 20% drop in female p regnancies between n 1990 and 1997 and the drop has continued, they have stated that the reason for this i... ...ow that sex education does indeed decrease the amount of teens who become pregnant and contract STD’s. There are a lot of people who choose to ignore statistics which state that they themselves and their children are at risk of getting a disease which would change their lives forever, or ignore the idea that their child could be having sex, and young teens who don’t believe they can get pregnant the first time having sex. Sex education informs and is an important part of a curriculum, just as much as Math and English, because an education is harder to get if you have a baby or if you spend a lot of time in the doctor’s office. Life is by no means over if a disease is contracted or if a baby is born, but it is defiantly life altering and it is by far better to know and be able to protect yourself than it is to be sheltered from what a few people could find profane.

Caribbean Music Essay

What is meant by Caribbean music in a new mode? What emphasis, in this chapter, seems to justify a departure from traditional presentations of music and culture of the Caribbean? Caribbean music in a new mode it’s meant that it probes the African antecedents retained in the region’s religious rituals. The chapter further contends that in the African-derived context, no distinction is made between sacred and secular, and that popular festivals like carnival, rara, junkannu, or gumbay are rooted in an Afro-religious mode. In this respect, one finds commonality of themes, the major ones being: cultural affirmation; aspirations to freedom; and resistance to oppression as expressed in rituals such as Vodou, Santeria, Candomble, Kumina, or Shango; popular dance-hall styles like â€Å"rasin† in Haiti, reggae in Jamaica, samba-reggae in Brazil; and carnival musics like calypso and soca in Trinidad & Tobago. The mix of culture seems to justify a departure from traditional presentation of music and culture of the Caribbean. Caribbean music was influenced by the triple cultural: Amerindian, African and European. Caribbean music styles can be classified into folk, classical, or commercial popular categories.Caribbean Music contain the traditional music and the features of other countries and area. It creates its own unique style. Caribbean Music absorbed African music Percussion Music. The Caribbean can make good use of drums and other strong beat instruments. Samba,Rumba, Merengue, Reggae,Calypso, and Soca are also relate to the African dancing. Therefore, vigorous music is one of important Caribbean Music Characteristics. Because of the the effect on the west side, Caribbean Music always has a strong Latin style, which makes Caribbean Music more charming. In the past, the Carnival was resisted by the upper class. However, it becomes the world biggest showcase for all over the world. Nowadays, Caribbean music combine some international elements and keep their music original style which leads Caribbean music and its dancing to become more famous and popular. The music of the Caribbean illustrates the soundscape of Africa and Europe, and this may be observed in the rhythms of Candomble, Santerà ­a, Vodou, Kumina, and Shango, as well as the popular dance-hall styles of rumba, samba, merengue, reggae, calypso and soca.

How did Bobbie Ann Mason`s upbringing in the rural south influence her writing of Shiloh Essay

Bobbie Ann Mason is considered as one of the great American writers from the South. Her personal background as a Southerner influenced and set a backdrop for most of her fiction stories. From a small country girl who used to read Bobbsey Twins and the Nancy Drew mysteries, Bobbie Ann Mason has become one of the America’s leading fiction writers. In 1980 The New Yorker published her first story. â€Å"It took me a long time to discover my material,† she says. â€Å"It wasn’t a matter of developing writing skills; it was a matter of knowing how to see things. And it took me a very long time to grow up. I’d been writing for a long time, but was never able to see what there was to write about. I always aspired to things away from home, so it took me a long time to look back at home and realize that that’s where the center of my thought was† (Bobbie Ann Mason’s Homepage). This discourse will try to map out the journey that Bobbie Ann Mason has taken from being just a country girl to being one of America’s leading fiction writers as well as how her upbringing has been manifested in her writings, especially â€Å"Shiloh†. Bobbie Ann Mason was born in 1940 in a small town in Mayfield, Kentucky. Growing up in her parents’ dairy farm, she spent most of her childhood days in the typical rural Southern setting and experiencing the Southern way of upbringing. (â€Å"Bobbie Ann Mason,† Wikipedia) The first nine (9) years of her educational life were spent in a rural school. Shortly thereafter Bobbie Ann Mason attended a â€Å"city† school where she stayed until her graduation. It was here where she first experienced living in the city and experiencing the hustle and bustle that was absent from the rural setting that she was accustomed to in Kentucky (Webber). It was her love for literature that prompted her to pursue a degree in journalism from the University of Kentucky and eventually attain a Ph. D. in English from the University of Connecticut. (â€Å"Bobbie Ann Mason,† Wikipedia) This seeming â€Å"duality† of her background, growing up in the Southern Setting and highly educated in a metropolitan setting, is reflected within most of her written works (Hunt). Rothstein describes Mason’s style as a combination of her â€Å"intellectual sophistication† (after all, she had a doctorate degree) and â€Å"the sense of isolated, yearning existence of her rural characters [is] one she has never quite shed herself. † The influence of growing up in the South is clearly shown in most of her characters in her stories yet the theme and feel of the story reveals her intellect and cosmopolitan views as well. A perfect example of how Mason reveals this â€Å"duality† is in Shiloh. In Shiloh, Mason shows this through the challenges that the characters undergo; some of these changes that the characters in experience deal with the nature of human life, the changes brought on by death, the issues on disease and aging; but these changes are not so common, nor as troublesome, in Mason’s stories as the changes brought on by a changing society. These changes, as Edwin T. Arnold correctly observes, are brought about by the fact that the present â€Å"has effectively displaced, transformed, and cheapened the traditional,† and Mason’s characters are depicted as they lose their strengths and beliefs and find nothing substantial to replace them (136) Bobbie Ann Mason’s writings are mostly set in the South. Her version is more realistic and not romanticized; unlike the works of Faulkner or O’Connor (Hunt), she depicts small-town rural Southern living, using dialogue and settings characteristic of the South (Hunt). However, â€Å"southern history and all it represents seems irrelevant to her characters’ lives† (Fine 87). Bobbie Ann Mason occasionally reveals her talent and wit by being able to focus more on her characters and their sense of isolation and their want for something more from their lives and draw the reader towards the characters and make them empathize with the characters. These characters are not simply depicted as typical Southerners, but rather as people â€Å"who are trying desperately to get into the society rather than out of it† (Reed 60). Mason shows the Southern Influence by creating believable characters that are caught in the transition between the old, pastoral, rural world of farms and close-knit communities and the modern, anonymous, suburban world of shopping malls and fast-food restaurants (Shiloh: Themes). In â€Å"Shiloh,† for example, Leroy did not notice the change in his hometown while he was on the road as a trucker. However, now that Leroy has come home to stay, â€Å"he notices how much the town has changed. Subdivisions are spreading across western Kentucky like an oil slick. † Change, a theme often used by Mason in her works, shows just how much Mason is influenced by her upbringing and also reveals how she laments over how people are slow to realize the changes in southern society. In this story, it takes a traumatic event of some kind to make the characters see that the land has changed or that they no longer know who they are. In Leroy’s case, it is his accident and injury in his rig that make him see that the land has changed, that Norma Jean has changed, and that â€Å"in all the years he was on the road he never took time to examine anything. He was always flying past scenery† (2). Several of Mason’s characters react to the changes in their lives by trying, at least momentarily, to go back. Leroy thinks that he can hold onto his wife if he can go back to a simpler time. He decides to accomplish this by building her a log cabin for which he goes so far as to order the blueprints and to build a miniature out of Lincoln Logs. Mabel, Leroy’s mother-in-law, is convinced that if Leroy and Norma Jean will go to Shiloh where she and her husband went on their honeymoon, they can somehow begin their fifteen-year-old marriage anew. So does Leroy. He says to Norma, â€Å"You and me could start all over again. Right back at the beginning† (15). It is ironic, fitting, and symbolic that it is at Shiloh that Norma tells him she wants to leave him. By story’s end, Leroy knows that he cannot go back as â€Å"it occurs to him that building a house of logs is . . . empty — too simple. . . . Now he sees that building a log house is the dumbest idea he could have had. . . . It was a crazy idea† (16). He realizes that â€Å"the real inner workings of a marriage, like most of history, have escaped him† (16). The female characters that Mason brings to life are what set her stories apart from the usual literature which depicts Southern women; their dreams, goals, and their want for progress significantly differs from those of the traditional Southern belle characters such as Scarlett O’Hara and Adie (Hunt). The female characters of Mason embrace change and are not afraid of it (Kincaid 582). This seemingly feminist theme reflects the change in social relationships between men and women; how evolving and rapidly shifting gender roles affect the lives of simple people. Mason also shows how some of her women try to forge new identities in the wake of shifting gender roles and how their efforts often include a blatant shrinking of traditionally feminine behaviors or characteristics; sometimes they seem almost completely to be trading roles with the men in their lives. And since change often causes uncertainty and instability, another aspect is the way these women find some solid ground through connections with other women (Bucher). â€Å"Shiloh† is a story that â€Å"symbolizes the modern woman striving to find her identity† (Cooke 196). In this short story, Bobbie Ann Mason masterfully portrays the lead female character, Norma Jean, as one such woman; strong, determined and confused in a search for her identity. Mason is able to show this to the reader through the acts of Norma Jean as she tries to improve her physical appearance by â€Å"working on her pectorals† (Mason 271), enrolls in a â€Å"variety of classes, from weightlifting to cooking exotic foods to English composition in an attempt to become a new woman† (Thompson 3). These actions of Norma Jean actions reveal more of a strong desire for inner personal transformation, much more than anything else. However, Mason also recognizes that abrupt change in one’s personality has its own dangers (Hunt), as illustrated by Norma Jean and Leroy’s relationship. Norma Jean and Leroy’s relationship is a perfect example of the dangers of an abrupt change as it shows a marriage with serious problem and the effect that change has on it. Leroy and Norma Jean Moffitt, are working-class people living in the modern South, and thus they bring into their marriage all sorts of unspoken expectations of who they should be, which often contrast violently with who they are – even more so with who they are becoming (Bucher). When in a twist of fate, Leroy loses the use of his leg, Norma Jean suddenly assumes the role of being the man in the family and this leads to problems. It is this sort of change that is not only abrupt but also drastic which Mason shows in Shiloh that reveals her Southern influence. She emphasizes the changing role of women in society by using the Southern setting as a backdrop. Mason is a lover of rock and roll music. This passion and preference for rock music and pop culture are frequently reflected throughout her stories as well (Webber). â€Å"Writing is my version of rock-and-roll,† Rothstein quotes her (Webber). This is aptly shown in â€Å"Shiloh,† where the main characters themselves are named after Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe, popular icons of the rock and roll scene and pop culture in the early 1950s. All in all, it can be said that Bobbie Ann Mason’s personal background shows a very consistent influence in the fiction stories that she writes and provides a deeper and different perspective about living in a Southern setting and rural life in general. â€Å"In the country in Kentucky, people are just amazed that anybody in New York wants to read about their lives† (Rothstein). With fiction stories of Bobbie Ann Mason, however, it is not surprising that people will want to read more about Kentucky or the Southern locales of the United States, for that matter, for her stories speak of the universal human experiences that transcend physical and cultural boundaries which people can identify with. WORKS CITED: Arnold, Edwin J. â€Å"Falling Apart and Staying Together. † Appalachian Journal (1985): 135-141Aycock-Simpson, Judy. Bobbie Ann Mason’s Portrayal of Modern Western Kentucky Border States: Journal of the Kentucky-Tennessee American Studies Association, No. 7 (1989) â€Å"Bobbie Ann Mason. † Wikipedia: Free Encyclopedia. August 30, 2006. November 11, 2006 â€Å"Bobbie Ann Mason. † Bobbie Ann Mason’s Homepage. September 17, 2005. November 24, 2006 â€Å"Shiloh: Themes. † Short Stories for Students. Ed. Marie Rose Napierkowski. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 1998. eNotes. com. January 2006. 24 November 2006. Bucher, Tina. â€Å"Changing Roles and Finding Stability: Women in Bobbie Ann Mason’s Shiloh and Other Stories† Border States: Journal of the Kentucky-Tennessee American Studies Association, No. 8 (1991) Cooke, Stewart J. â€Å"Mason’s ‘Shiloh. ‘† The Explicator 51 (1993): 196-197. Fine, Laura. â€Å"Going Nowhere Slow: The Post-South World of Bobbie Ann Mason. † The Southern Literary Journal 32 (1999). Hunt, Kristina. â€Å"Mason’s Transformation of the South. † October 27, 2000. November 11, 2006.