H.R. Giger Essay Example

H.R. Giger Paper Over half a century before the dark subculture of morbidly inclined teenagers began to flourish in America, a young boy in Switzerland named Hans Rudi Giger was building ghost rides in his cellar and drawing deformed children on calendar sheets .Before his time, this artist went against the crowd, daring to be himself and daring to be different.As an accomplished sixty one year old painter, sculptor, moviemaker, costume designer and scriptwriter Giger doesnt create art, he lives it.The always confident and eccentric Giger has been known to wear hollowed out loaves of bread on his feet calling them shoes, and once dressed up a dog as a robotic monster, but he is most notorious for his masterpiece movie successes The Alien trilogy. As a young man Giger attended a myriad of art schools ranging from interior design to drawing schools, and he even attended a military college once.He started to create tables and masks in 1964, also the year his ink drawings began to be published in underg round magazines.He was working a full-time furniture design job for designer Andreas Christen when he fell madly in love with an attractive actress named Li Tober in 1966 .In 1967 they moved into a vacant apartment next door to a condemned house, which proved to be thefirst of several condemned houses Giger would live in or near by in his lifetime.Nine years after moving in with Giger, Li shot herself in the head, leaving Giger in the clutches of despair . Throughout the sixties Giger remained very active in the art world, never taking a break.Friends helped him promote his galleries and films and he quickly became very well known and respected in the business.In 1970 Giger was inspired by hisfirst of many horror nightmares to paint a series of paintings called the wet-cell paintings.Some of his paintings in this era had the haunting illusion that they are covered

Postal Service Wants to Offer Payday Loans

Postal Service Wants to Offer Payday Loans Even though it loses massive quantities of it every year, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) wants to loan you money. Short-term â€Å"payday† loans are just one of the financial services the USPS has proposed offering though Post Offices in order to serve the scores of American â€Å"unbanked† individuals and families, while protecting them from predatory payday lenders and, of course, bettering its own dismal financial status. According to a report from the USPS’ inspector general, one in four U.S. households lives at least partially outside the financial mainstream without bank accounts or using costly services like payday lenders – and spends an average of $2,412 each year just on interest and fees for such alternative financial services. â€Å"Many of the 34 million financially underserved households - representing 68 million adults - are treading water very close to the economic edge,† wrote the inspector general. â€Å"Unexpected expenses can push them over the brink into homelessness or bankruptcy, which come with broad social and economic costs.† The inspector general estimates the USPS could bring in almost $9 billion a year by capturing just 10% of the $89 billion spent on alternative financial services in the U.S. every year. â€Å"Postal financial services may appeal to many customers who feel abandoned by major financial institutions,† states the report. â€Å"Postal organizations have an unmatched ability to reach consumers from diverse backgrounds.† As the report notes, many international postal services are already garnering significant new revenue by offering financial services. Of course, the USPS also hopes to make money by charging interest on these short-term loans, but at a far lower rate than those charged by traditional payday lenders. USPS Brand Payday Loan vs. Traditional Payday Loans The USPS inspector general suggests the Postal Service could offer short-term – payday – loans with interest rates of 28%, compared to the average interest rate of 391% charged by traditional payday lenders. For example, a person borrowing $375 from a traditional payday lender would end up having to pay back a total of about $896, including $521 in interest and fees. The same $375 borrowed from the USPS would end up costing only $423, including $48 in interest and fees. â€Å"That single loan from the Postal Service could effectively put $472 back into a consumer’s pocket, which he or she could then use on more economically productive expenses,† stated the report. â€Å"If even one-tenth of the 12 million Americans who take out a payday loan each year got this hypothetical Postal Loan instead, they could collectively save more than half a billion dollars a year in fees and interest.† In addition, says the inspector general, short-term Postal Service loans would allow the estimated 10 million unbanked U.S. households which cannot afford high-interest rate payday loans to borrow the money they need. â€Å"There is a wide range of consumers who need access to small-dollar credit, and the Postal Loan could strongly appeal to these different types of borrowers,† noted the inspector general. â€Å"For example, people whose income varies throughout the year, consumers with no other avenues to credit, families with unexpected expenses, and others.† Finally, contends the report, affordable Postal Service loans would help people break the â€Å"cycle of debt,† that forces them to borrow more money to make payments on existing loans. According to a 2104 report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, more than 80% of payday loans are either extended or followed by another loan less than two weeks later. While the â€Å"average† interest rate for traditional payday loans may be 391%, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has warned consumers of online payday lenders charging interest rates of 650% USPS Vows Not to Compete with Banks If you own a bank, don’t worry. The inspector general makes it perfectly clear that the USPS has no intention of becoming a bank or even competing with banks. Instead, says his report, in offering small short-term loans and other financial services, the Postal Service would â€Å"greatly complement† the services offered by banks. Correctly noting that banks are closing branches in inner city low-income and rural areas nationwide, the inspector general says the USPS would help banks â€Å"fill the gaps in their efforts to reach the underserved.† And remember, â€Å"The Postal Service also is among the most trusted companies in America, and trust is a critical element for implementing financial services,† he added. Also See: Postal Services Wants to Deliver Groceries

The Interrogation process, techniques and approaches Essay

The Interrogation process, techniques and approaches - Essay Example American criminal history is replete with instances when innocent people have been handed down sentences while the real culprits move scot free. Even today, it is roughly believed that there are between 65 and 300 false confessions per year in the United States. This study seeks to study the various impacts of interrogation and the procedures, which are followed in interrogation .Through the study of decided cases on the subject it is felt that existing laws need to be reviewed and revamped to provide more effective and speedier justice trials to the victims and punishment for the offenders. With the changing times it has become necessary to modernize the crime fighting mechanism in the country to eschew traditional forms and embrace modern technology including the production of complete documented electronic recordings of suspects and enforcement of a stricter code of conduct for the investigators by adopting more subtler, yet effective means of establishing truth in criminal cases. This also envisages a stricter Code of Conduct for the investigators into adopting more subtler, yet effective means of establishing truth in criminal cases based heavily upon scientific data and expert opinions, rather than browbeating suspects into confessions, whether proved true or false. This would ensure that the legal infrastructure need not have to enter into fresh controversies in imparting justice as and when it becomes imperative to do so in the carriage of justice and fair play in legal dealings. The interrogation system is important because it is an opportunity to test whether the suspects are lying or utter false statements. When such lies or false statements are made, the police are in a position to reinforce the fact that the suspects are involved in the crime and could therefore, challenged the statements delivered, or disallow the claims and alibis

Representation of Women in Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Representation of Women in Media - Essay Example This follows a keen observation of how women and men are portrayed in most movies and music videos. The part that women have been known to play in such movies often portrays them as sexual objects. There has been a widespread debate concerning the kinds of costumes that both men and women play, in most videos and erotic films, their male counterparts, who have been cited as merely taking advantage of those women, usually use them as baits for sexual activities. In most of the music videos and erotic films, women play a very passive role; their male counterparts often dictate them. Women are usually presented as weak characters and have to play their part in order to please men (Akinfeleye & Amobi 2011, p. 5-6). When people watch these movies, it has been discovered that they are largely influenced by the experiences they saw, something that has led to increased cases of sexual violence and other forms of aggression to women by male people. For this films and music videos to make sense to people who make them, women have to be dressed in a manner that is scanty and very revealing. On the other hand, the male has always been seen as being formal and well dressed, something that has raised an issue about the aspect of such passivity and submission. Most of the feminist discussions have criticized this kind of portrayal of women as a sex object rather than important and valuable members of the society just like men. Over time, the role of the mass media as a reliable and essential agent of socialization has attracted several criticisms from different segments of our contemporary society (Baran, & Davis 2012, p. 100). The images that are usually aired in mass media about music videos, erotic films and other kinds of programs have been said to change people’s perceptions about social realities, this is according to the observations from social psychologists. According to these propositions, these images are believed to play an essential role towards stimulating certain kinds of behaviors that are highly undesirable (Marnie et al. 2005, p. 67).

MySelf Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MySelf - Essay Example Possessing such positive moral values would help to mold an individual into a true human being. These values have taught me to be more responsible both in my personal and professional life and to the society at large. And it is with the help of these qualities that I hope to achieve my career goals in the near future. Right from the start of my educational journey, I have always believed that the purpose of education should not be merely attributed to gaining degrees and work; rather it should contribute to the overall development of the individual. It should enable the individual to distinguish between right and wrong and also stick to what they believe. While some of these skills and capabilities can be gained from an institution, an individual can also derive such learning and thinking experiences during his contact with his family or the outside world either in his work or other related activities. The manner in which an individual presents himself to the world with or without the qualities and attributes presented above will help to determine the true nature of his education. Both my educational and work experiences have been vital learning and enriching experiences in my life. The experience gained from the summer jobs that I undertook following completion of high school have made me become more efficient and resourceful. They have also helped me learn the importance of team work and the need to build strong interpersonal relationships with working partners both in the internal and external work environments. It is my long-cherished dream to pursue my education and excel in the chosen field. Both me and my family have faced several setbacks in life but the moral values and principles that we have believed in have us the strength and courage to face them with a positive spirit and overcome them with right reasoning and tact. Despite the various challenges that I have encountered in life, I have always been keen on having a career and

User centred design | Analysis

User centred design | Analysis Introduction Nowadays, User Centered Design has been embedded in many design works. This essay seeks to explore the nature of this approach. This essay is split in to four sections. The first section is to provide a definition for User Centered Design while the second section will explain the benefits of using this approach with examples. I will then move on to discuss the limitations of User Centered Design and a conclusion will come afterwards. What is User Centred Design? User Centred Design is an approach which aims at increasing the usability of products, and therefore making them more effective in meeting users needs. This approach requires the designer to focus on the users throughout The planning, design and development of the product. (UPA resources, no date) Norman (1999) described user centred design as Transforming difficult tasks into easy ones. It requires the designer to study the users before designing. User Centred Design approach often requires a great deal of involvement from the users during the process. Carrying out this approach often includes collecting end users opinion right before the start of the project, as well as during the design process, and designing with them. The objective of this is to allow the designers to have a good understanding of the subjects who will use the product. Therefore, good interaction between designers and users is the key under this approach. UCD is widely recognized and there is an international standard which serves as a benchmark and a guideline. International standard ISO 13047:Human-centered design process outlines the 5 stages of a typical UCD design, which are identifying need for human centered design, specifying the context of use, specifying requirements, creating design solutions and evaluating designs. (UPA Resources, no date) These steps define only general procedures but not exact methods. In fact, these standards do not outline how each phrase should be carried out. For instance, specifying the context of use can be done by surveys, observations, interview and many other methods. Advantages of User Centred Design Norman (1999) first suggested UCD is essentially a series of procedures that simplifying difficult tasks through exploiting natural properties of people and of the world, simplifying the structure of tasks, making both execution and evaluation sides of an action visible, exploiting natural constraints and designing for error. Aesthetics is not considered as a need in his original definition of UCD. Needs of end-users in study during a UCD process should not be only those associated with functions of a product, but also users unexpressed needs including, but not limited to, needs for aesthetics. Norman (2004) introduced three levels of user centered design namely Visceral design, Behavioral design and Reflective design. Visceral design is about the appearance of the product which aims at capturing peoples attention that they would never forget it or replace it with others. A design that people love it when they see it the first time is a successful visceral design. The Muji Bath Radio is essentially a radio which is designed to be used in bathrooms and it fits in with the bathroom with a playful element. This product is designed by Industrial Facility. It is fun only when it gathers with the Muji refillable shampoo bottle, they appear to be a family; the bottle itself and even the label of the shampoo are of the same size with the speaker of the radio. Using it is very straightforward, simply turning the top to adjust the volume and on or off while the AM and FM tuning section is at the bottom. The radio is sealed to ensure it is water resistant to protect the radio due to the environment that it is being used (Fig. 1-3). (Industrial Facility, 2009) Behavioral design is the functional part of a design. The product needs to be functional and easy to use. Norman suggested that even some products are complicated and users need to learn how things works but it should be learnt once only. Apple increased the usability of Mac computers by making the interface of software written for Mac OS similar. Therefore, once the basic controls are learnt, users can manage a variety of software for this system easily and quickly. Another good example would be hook-and-loop fastener which makes tying shoes easier and serves as an alternative to shoelace. It is also a design that focuses on users. Tying a shoelace is an everyday but potentially difficult task for children and infirm adults due to its inherent complexity. Hook-and-loop fasteners simplify tying shoes and provide an easy alternative to shoelaces. Many may argue that this example is not significant but as Norman (1999) suggested; this simple design caters the needs of users and solves the difficulties of a large segment of population. Reflective design is about the message the product gives to the user and the way the product represents the person who uses it. Sometimes people buy a product is not for the physical outcome but the psychological outcome. The main selling point of this type of design is not their functionality but things like prestige that owning the design brings. For instance, People drink Fair-trade coffee may not really concern about the farmers benefit in the third world. They may do so to show to others how kind and generous they are. Nowadays, many businesses have incorporated this ideology into their product range. Creating products which consumers actually need and want often feeds through to higher sales and hence higher profit. Brand image will also be benefitted. One of the key benefits of UCD approach is that it allows designers to attain some level of understanding of the users needs. According to Parsons in Blueprint November 2009 (2009, p.54), before UCD is being widely adopted, designers have to use their experience and knowledge to guess the needs of users. This in turn may create a mismatch between the product and the needs of end-users. UCD ensures efficient use of time and resources. Limitations of User Centred Design However, UCD is by no means a perfect model and may not be the ideal solution in some cases. I am going to illustrate the limitations and disadvantages of UCD in the following paragraphs. UCD is often characterized as time-consuming and costly. Many UCD designers believe that market research is generally not an appropriate way to understand the behavior of the end users. Users may not do what they told market researchers and there are often unexpressed needs such as those associated with attractiveness and aesthetics. For the sake of gaining a full and reliable understanding, UCD designers often observe their users directly such as observing how end-users actually carry out specific tasks. Observing a range of subjects can be expensive and definitely takes a great deal of time as well as effort. However, it is possible these observations are subjected to Hawthorne Effect whereby individuals change their behavior when they know they are observed. (Campbell, Maxey and Watson, 1995) These observations may not be reliable after all. Moreover, end-users may not know what they truly need. They may not know if they really need or desire the product until they actually see it. Therefore, participation of users in the earlier stages may not be too helpful. Furthermore, without the technical background as a professional designer has, what users think might work might not work in practice. Also, too much commitment to satisfy the needs of a particular targeted users group may overly complicate the design which reduces its usability by other users. Norman (2005) suggested that If a user suggestion fails to fit within this design model, it should be discarded. A balance between doing what consumers want and maintaining the usability should be achieved. UCD is an ideology, which is the manifesto of many designers. However, usage of UCD procedures does not guarantee the product is useful for the users. Although there is an international standard which outline the general structure for typical UCD projects, the methods to go about these procedures are decided by the designer. Besides, due to time and budget constraint, designer can only study the behavior of a particular sample. There is again no guarantee the sample is representative for all the targeted users since everyones needs are somewhat different. In addition, the sampling method used directly determines the reliability of these observations. Users needs are influenced by many external factors and hence needs are subject to changes. This is especially the case for visceral design and reflective design, which is subject to changes in the social culture. What is trendy at this moment may not be so in the next. Under UCD, designers spend a long time to gather input from users and encourage them to get involved in the design. By the time the product is produced, users needs may have changed and thus it no longer meets the new needs. There are many examples where products, which have not gone through UCD procedures, are highly successful. Moreover, these products require the users to adapt them, which is exactly the opposite of what UCD is about. (NORMAN, 2009) For instance, chopsticks require the users to learn and adapt them. Learning to use chopsticks can be difficult and there are a couple of new products aiming to replace chopsticks. However, they are still used by a huge segment of the population. Individuals have different preferences and needs. A product aiming to satisfy the needs of one group may in turn compromise the need of another group. Take hook and loop fasteners as an example again, they are not as flexible in the adjustment of the tightness of support as shoelace and versatile. This design is originally targeted to young children, elderly and disabled. As Norman (1999) suggested, hoop and loop fasteners are not used in sports shoes such as football shoes and boxing boots. User centered design does provide a general benchmark to judge the quality of a design upon. However, using this principal as a basis of design may not be beneficial as it limits the creativity of a designer. The following example will illustrate this. The Step is the first unique cooker which extraordinarily holds both gas and induction heat (IH) hobs and it is designed to accommodate a variety of cooking type and level. It is designed by Industrial Facility and produced by KichenAid. It owns three professional gas burners, two induction plates, cast-iron grates, cast-iron grill, solid ergonomic controls with built-in electronic ignition and with a Vitroceramic and stainless surface. The hobs are divided into two levels. The gas hob with the grill is higher and far from the front because it needs to handle heavy pans. The induction heat surface is at the front and is the same level with the worktop and able to provide an extra space for the work. (Industrial Facility, 2009)Gas is always perfect for heavy cooking whereas induction heat is normally for fine cooking and one is not happened to perfectly replace the other. From the user centered design view, in this case, consumers could enjoy cooking without sacrificing either one coo king method. From my point of view, this is neat and modern but after all it is merely a combination of two existing product. Why spend time to work on how to re-design something instead of creating a new cooking technique? You will never know if something works unless you have tried. UCD sometimes prevent designers to start from scratch. It often places too much emphasis on the point tools adapts human which limits the creativity of the designer. In fact, in many cases, needs arise only when a new product launches. For instance, before telephone and SMS messages were launched, people did not know they demanded communication in these forms. Conclusion Finally, I believe every products starting point is human centered. Every single existing product is human centered. We design because we want to improve peoples life by using our products. Every project, we work on the appearance, functionality, and narratives of the design. Although the priority may vary, we design useful products, no matter it physically does the job or psychologically does the job, it definitely have a positive outcome. A design could have been better does not mean it is not a good design. Without a doubt, listening to the end-users opinion is wise and helpful in design in many cases. However, basing our designs solely on what consumers want can be problematic. This is because users often lack the expertise. Having users involved is beneficial but they cannot replace the job of designers. (Parsons, 2009) I believe striking a balance between the two is essential. Bibliography Published Materials Journal CAMPBELL, J., MAXEY, V., WATSON, W.,1995,Hawthorne Effect: Implications for Prehospital Research Annals of Emergency Medicine, Volume 26, Issue 5, Pages 590-594 Books NORMAN, Donald. Emotional Design: Why we hate love (or hate) Everyday things, The MIT Press. 2004 NORMAN, Donald. The design of Everyday things, The MIT Press. 1999 Articles in Periodicals Parsons, Tim. User centred design, through enlightened in theory. Blueprint, November 2009, p.54. Internet Material Bath Radio, Industrial Facility. http://www.industrialfacility.co.uk/if.html, 13 Dec 09. Step, Industrial Facility. http://www.industrialfacility.co.uk/if.html, 13 Dec 09 Human centered design considered harmful, NORMAN, Donald. http://jnd.org/dn.mss/humancentered_design_considered_harmful.html, 13 Dec 09. What is UCD?, UPA Resources. http://www.upassoc.org/usability_resources/about_usability/what_is_ucd.html, 13 Dec 09. Step 90cm, Walter Dix Co. http://www.wdix.co.uk/Products/RangeCookers/KitchenAid/Hobs/Step90cm/tabid/457/Default.aspx, 13 Dec 09.

Response to The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920s

Paula Fass’s The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920's delves into the social and cultural climate of the 1920’s middle-class youth in America. Fass observes the multidimensional dynamics of the post-World War I society as citizens adjust to pertinent matters such as industrialization, prohibition and immigration. Amidst the ongoing social, political and economical issues of the early twentieth century, youth played an active role in contemporary life. Adolescents responded to issues through altering their habits, behaviors and viewpoints. Their responses became evident in the public setting and American culture evolved. The transformation of American culture was spearheaded by youth who questioned and went against cultural norms of past generations. Societal changes were visible through family, education, socialization, fashion and style and dating and sexuality. Internal changes within family units occurred during the Roaring Twenties. In contrast to Victorian family which was characterized by hierarchical structure and rigid social roles, a new idea of a compassionate family arose. Husbands and wives as well as parents and children shared more emotional relationships. Also, the family unit and social institutions were becoming increasingly separate spheres. The family remained personal, while social environments were impersonal. The notion of an affectionate family framed the emergence of demographic changes. Birth rates fell and the life expectancy rose. From 1900 to 1930, the median age of American citizens rose from 22.9 to 26.5 (58). The youth population from ages 15 to 24 years declined. Thus, there was a higher adult- to- youth ratio and more caretakers available to supervise children. As a result o... ...table. Young women had to be careful in their behavior as they did not want to be labeled as â€Å"fast† (267). It was a social norm for young men and women to participate in petting. Petting was a wide range of physical contact, varying from kissing to fondling. An investigation reported that 92% of women petted at least once in their life (266). Petting parties occurred often and women gained popularity by partaking in petting. Intercourse between married couples was tolerable partly because women felt secure in their role as a future wife. In conclusion, The Damned and the Beautiful: American Youth in the 1920's is a novel that describes several elements that were changed in the Roaring Twenties. Family, education, socialization, fashion and style and dating and sexuality were redefined. Youth challenged pervious cultural norms and impacted modern society.

Prostitution of Children and Child Prostitutes

PROSTITUTION Prostitution is defined as the act, practice or profession of offering the body for sexual relations for money. (New Webster’s Dictionary 1995:802). The Encyclopedia Americana (1997) defined prostitution as â€Å"the performance of sexual acts with another person in return for the payment of a fee. † Child prostitution is therefore, prostitution embarked upon by children who are below the age of 18 and are supposed to be catered for by their parents.It is commonly acknowledged that acts of prostitution are performed by women for men nevertheless occasions arise when the acts are done by men for men. The context of this work deals particularly with female child prostitution. UNICEF considers child prostitutes as young girls in sex trade, who are between the age bracket of 8 and 16. (Jubilee Action Report 1995). In the Nigerian milieu, prostitutes below the age of 18 are regarded as child prostitutes, since only persons above 18 years of age are statutorily r egarded as adults.Child prostitution is the â€Å"sexual exploitation of girls and teenagers† (Awake February 8, 2003:6). Available data show that approximately 1. 5million children in India, 1 million in Asia, 100,00 children in United States and 500 children in Latin America are engaged in prostitution (Healy, 1995:35). Awake (February 8,2003:2) reported,â€Å"there were about 300,000 child prostitutes on the streets, in another land where drug trafficking flourishes†. According to Jubilee Action report (1995:10), up to 1 million female children join prostitution each year around the globe.However, the clandestine nature of child prostitution makes it impossible to calculate the exact number of working prostitutes, nonetheless the International Labour Organization (ILO) analysis (1993-1994), estimates that between 0. 25% and 1. 5% of the total female population are engaged in this trade. Globally, child prostitution is illegal and it is also regarded as a barbarous c rime, yet it persists. Why? Child prostitution does not just happen. It is caused by a variety of factors some are perpetrated by the prostitutes themselves, while other factors are external to the prostitutes themselves.This is really a growing problem in developed world and developing world like Nigeria (Quintanilla, 1997:20). CAUSES OF CHILD PROSTITUTION IN Owerri Municipal Council 1. Misery and POVERTY: Poverty is the most common reason why most families sell the services of their female children to augment their income in order to buy food or clothes and other necessities of life. (Janssen, 2001:10). The case of child labour is a typical factor that exposes children to prostitution. The hired female children are sent out to hawk food items on the streets, motor parks, and mechanic garages thereby exposing them to rapes as well as sexual harassment s.Barnes H. C. (1959:95) observed that some females take to prostitution due to sheer destitution. Awake (February 8,2003:5) reporte d that some street children resort to prostitution because they see it as their only means of survival. The Awake further related an experience of a mother of 14-year-old girl who lured her daughter into this ignominious trade. The woman said about her daughter, â€Å"she was beautiful and that men would like her very much. Besides, she would earn a lot of money. † In the evenings, the woman takes her daughter to a motel where they make contacts.The mother stays nearby to receive the payments. Each night, this girl has sex with three or four men. 2. UNEMPLOYMENT: Unemployment of either the parents or the child results in unreliable source of income thereby forcing children into prostitution as an alternative means of income to support the family. Ironically, the International Labour Organization observes that a child’s ability to earn money is limited. It is estimated that the money earned by the child only contributes to approximately 10% of the family’s overal l income and therefore has minimal effect on the family’s monetary gain (Dimenstein, 1994:12).Due to high degree of unemployment, the brothels employ some female children who serve in their drinking spots to promote their business. 3. HUMANS TRAFFICKING: Human trafficking is another evil leading to child prostitution. Human trafficking which represent the world’s third largest criminal activity following only after drug and weapons trafficking is sometimes purported to send teenagers to other countries to work. These would-be workers who sometimes end up prostitutes actually â€Å"work† and repatriate money to their respective home countries (Awake, February 8, 2003: 5).Many times, hard times hit these fellows as they are deported to come and continue this profession at home. Some of the female prostitutes come home to take some younger females to their places either to help them or to make them their servants and at the long run they get converted to prostituti on, which is their boss’ profession. 4. DECEPTION ENCOURAGES PROSTITUTION: Pimps or brothel owners deceive some parents by paying them money and assuring to enlist their children in their â€Å"domestic services†, which later turns to be prostitution.These brothel owners who are termed the girl’s â€Å"owners† take control of the child’s’ activities. Moreover, these owners do everything possible to retain these girls who earn money for them to maintain their lavish lifestyle (Robinson, 2001:50) and (Dimenstein 1994:10). Apart from the pimps, other intermediaries who benefit from child prostitution do anything possible to see the act continued. Most females are led into this act of prostitution by their masters.Some of them could be anaesthetized by their masters in order to have fun with them and when eventually the woman of the house gets to know about the act she will be thrown out side to continue the act with other men including the mast er. 5. DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY ENVIRONMENT PROMOTES PROSTITUTION: Children of broken homes sleep wherever they see space to do so in the day, and go to the disco and nightclubs in the night. Ekejiuba I. K. (1996:13) discovered that ill treatment of children at home might make them to take to the street in order to find solace.Then the end result may be the hawking of their body to support themselves. 6 POOR EDUCATION: Some children cannot support themselves materially in view of low educational training they received, so they resort to prostitution as their only profession (Rodriguez- Garcia, 1999:55). Girl-child Education Initiative In Africa (January 2003:20) highlights the effect of poor education in the whole of Africa. In connection with poor education, peer pressure, bad association The causes and effects of child prostitution in Owerri Municipal Council and street ganging contribute to child prostitution.Identifiably, a girl may end up as a prostitute by her association, peer pr essure and by running with a street gang (Okebugwu, 1989:25); Adetore, (1974:60); Oti (1984:15); and Daily Times ( May 15,1999:12). 7. AIDS SCARE PROMOTES CHILD PROSTITUTION: The high incidence of sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS make customers of prostitutes to look for children who are considered to be of low risk, and most probably virgins (Robinson, 2001:13). Patrons of child prostitutes are willing to pay a great deal of money to be a girl’s first client.In the streets, brothels and drinking spots these days a lot of female children are being employed to help lure more male customers to their spots. Places like Amaram by Tetlow Road and some places in Onyeche Street in Owerri have a high number of female child prostitutes who are employed only to facilitate their business. This is because there is the fear that other older female prostitutes in the same profession could have various STDs. 8. DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION ARE PRO-CHILD PROSTITUTIONThe influence of drugs can subject a child to prostitution and to certain indignifying acts of prostitution which she may otherwise never agree to given her sound mind (Lewis 1980:70); and Udechi (1987:15). 9. REBELLION AND FEELING OF INDEPENDENCE This is another factor promoting child prostitutions. Some girls are shamelessly bold. What is more, they feel that the body is theirs thus they should decide what to do with their body. (Bennet, G and Robert, P. 1985:207). 10. PORNOGRAPHY AGGRAVATES CHILD PROSTITUTION: Pornography also puts viewers at increased risk for developing sexually deviant tendencies. Awake July 22, 2003:7). Pornography is identified as promoting â€Å"the rape myth† which is a belief that women cause and enjoy rape. Additionally, the repeated use of pornography interferes with the ability to enjoy and participate in normal marital intimacy. Dr. Victor Cline, who specializes in treating sex addiction claims that â€Å"deviant sexual acts results† when a viewer tries to ac t out the pornography-based fantasies. 11. Incestuous violation and rape in homes as a factor: Some youths were raped in their own homes, which act changed their outlook in life.Some of such ones give vent to prostitution. Two other closely related causes of prostitution are glamor associated with it and insatiable sexual urges in some females. Blag(1976:68) observed that some prostitutes take to this lifestyle because of their innate desire for glamour or that they want to maintain a standard of life, which is impossible by ordinary means of earning, a life reminiscent of Greek aether. On the other hand, Ekejiuba(1996:14) identified other females, nymphomaniacs, who engage in prostitution for the sake of â€Å"fun† or pleasure they derive from it. 2 SUDDEN EXPOSURE: Furthermore, illicit love affairs in the presence of children may subject them to early prostitution. Some parents perform extra marital affairs in the presence of their wards. This exposes the children to early sex life. The premature death of one or both of the parents has also been discovered as one of the causes of child prostitution. Because of the chasm created by such loss, a teenage girl may be fraught with the onerous task of catering for herself and other family members. More importantly, no one may exist to give stern guideline on her.One Owerri girl who returned from Kumasi Ghana claimed that her father died when she was eight years. This demise of his father left her with the responsibility of catering for her younger siblings and her mother who hails from Kumasi, Ghana. These challenges make her to dabble into prostitution. Child prostitution is not without its consequences, some of which are seemingly pardonable, whereas others are taboo at mere mention of them. High patronage of child prostitutes by wealthy men is another factor that has caused and sustained child prostitution ( Ekejiuba 1996: 13).Some teenage girls find it difficult to resist the temptation of prostitution because of huge sum of money they receive there-from. This accounts for why some IMSU, Alvan and FUTO ladies readily avail themselves for this business. Marxist oriented scholars see prostitution as an outgrowth of capitalism. Many of these see the gradual removal of subsidy from petroleum, which is the main balance of Nigerian economy as exposing many persons to difficulty and leading to sexual promiscuity.

Putting grammar in its place - Emphasis

Putting grammar in its place Putting grammar in its place For a writing-training company, we run surprisingly few grammar and punctuation courses. To be more precise, we run few courses that focus solely on grammar and punctuation even though more people come to us asking for training in just this area than in any other. And why? Are we phasing the subjects out? Do we not think them important? Has everyone, including us, given up caring? Goodness, no. The fact that our clients often dont end up taking a grammar and punctuation course is not because were keeping it all for ourselves. Rather, its that when they describe their needs in more detail, it often turns out that theyre looking for something broader than just grammar and punctuation. Grammar can be a red herring Most people have a clear idea of what punctuation is, but grammars a little tougher to define. Putting it broadly, grammar is the structure of language: things such as different word classes (verbs, nouns, adjectives, etc) and how words relate to each other or change to show different inflections (such as number, tense and case). However, thanks to the promulgation of so-called rules such as dont start a sentence with a conjunction or dont split infinitives, grammar can seem like a narrow set of procedures that you have to master in order to write well. Peevish articles that get passed around online only add to the misapprehensions (many have cited this one, to which writer and editor Stan Carey has written this comprehensive reply). Such articles tend to further muddy already murky waters by confusing personal preferences or long-standing superstitions (which are usually just extremely old personal preferences) with genuine guidance on rules that will give your writing real clarity. For example, contrast the rule about misplaced modifiers, where the writer inadvertently modifies the wrong part of the sentence, with the superstition that its wrong to put prepositions at the end of a sentence. It does make sense to avoid misplaced modifiers, such as: Showing strong growth, the chief executive presented an impressive set of results. These can bewilder your reader or undermine your writing (not to mention anger chief executives who dont care to have attention drawn to their waistlines). Ending on a preposition, however, is no barrier to clarity. When people approach us with grammar and punctuation on their minds, it may be that theyve noticed errant apostrophes in their teams work, that the writing isnt following a logical structure, or simply that theyre not getting the results they want. Improving writing skills can make a great difference, but theres more to it than blindly following prescriptive mandates. The bigger picture On her academic writing blog, Explorations of style, English language lecturer Rachael Cayley points out that fretting about grammar in isolation, as if it were some loose screw that needed tightening, misses the point and can actually be counterproductive. Improving your writing isnt just fiddling with technicalities and arcane rules, she says. It is a matter of thinking deeply about your ideas and your communicative intent. Theres plenty more to think about when it comes to good writing: planning; structuring (yes, sentences, but also your entire document); drawing the reader in and keeping them hooked; building your argument; picking the best word for the job; and always (always!) considering the needs of the reader. So were not saying grammar isnt important. Of course it is. Its just not the whole story. If you want to have a chat about where grammar fits into your companys story, or how you can get the results youre looking for, call us on +44 (0)1273 732 888. Or take a look online at the courses we offer.

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century

Apprenticeships for the 21st Century Introduction The selected reports address the need to reform the Australian Apprenticeship system to give participants the right skills that will impact the Australian labor market positively. The report of the Panel chaired by Mr. Jim McDowell titled A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st Century mentions that there is need to come up with a system that is more efficient and capable of producing a large number of highly trained, skillful and highly inspired workers (McDowell et al 2011).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other reports echo on this sentiment, for example, the report by Amy Simons titled Report savages apprenticeship system blames the current system for causing young Australians to relinquish their occupations (Simmons 2011). The reports stress the need to simplify and streamline the system to impart skills tha t are crucial to the growth of the Australian economy (Evans 2011), similar calls are made by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) (ACTU 2011). The Housing Industry of Australia (HIA) contends that plans to reform the system are welcome, but the industry must be involved in coming up with a better system that ensures apprentices get employment opportunities (HIA 2011). The final report by the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) commends the report by McDowell et al and says that it presents ‘the opportunity for real reform of the apprenticeship system after many years of tinkering’ (Ai Group 2011). Points or Arguments The reports agree on one issue: the Australian Apprenticeship system needs urgent reforms, and the recommendations by the government-appointed panel chaired by Mr. McDowell are vital towards achieving the reforms. The reports cite several weaknesses in the current program as a justification for the reforms, majorly, the low completion rates. Simm ons mentions that more than half of those enrolled in apprenticeship programs drop out of the system. This anomaly is due to the low pay rates. Senator Evans mentions that since 42 percent of those enrolling in apprenticeship programs are aged 25 and above, there is need for a new system that recognizes previous experience or skills, this will motivate more persons to enroll in the program (Evans 2011). Quoting one of the recommendations by the panel, HIA reports that reforms will address the issue of high dropout rates and the will make the system simpler. The reforms will reduce Australia’s over-reliance on imported labor and meet demands of Australian labor market (ACTU 2011). A weakness of the current system is that it contains many difficulties and inconsistencies, and hence the reforms are vital towards overcoming the obscurities (Ai Group 2011).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the Australian Apprenticeship system continuously provides skilled labor to the market, there is a need for urgent reforms that will lead to the production of a skilled and flexible labor force that has the ability to meet the challenges of the Australian economy in competing with other global economies (McDowell et al 2011). Besides, the new system will meet the changing skill requirements as well as the ambitions and anticipations of the participants. Factors that might Influence the Perspective of the various Stakeholders The assertion that the Australian Apprenticeship system requires urgent reforms is a genuine. However, to win the vote of the various stakeholders in effecting the reforms, the following points must be said of the current system: There have been high dropout rates among persons who enroll in apprenticeship program under the current system. The low completion rates are caused by low wages, a lack of motivation among the particip ants, and receiving education that is obsolete, especially with the constantly changing labor market requirements. In some jobs, an apprentice receives less that $200 a week, this discourages other individuals from taking up apprentice programs. Globalization has increased the movement of labor across the world, the situation is no different in Australia. The current system does not impart knowledge required by the economy, hence it has had to import skilled labor. If this situation persists, the more than 400,000 students enrolled in the Vocational Education and Training (VET), or nearly 4% of the workforce, may lack employment. The youth form the largest proportion of our economy, yet, this is the group that suffers most from unemployment. In the future, social ills and poverty may begin to crop into our society if the current situation is not rectified. This is a wake up call and the first step towards averting the future disaster is to reform the apprenticeship system to avail j obs. References Australian Council of Trade Unions. (2011). Apprenticeship reforms are long overdue  and must be acted on to provide a skilled labour force. Available from actu.org.au/Media/Mediareleases/Apprenticeshipreformsarelongoverdueandmustbeactedontoprovideaskilledlabourforce.aspx Australian Industry Group. (2011), Apprenticeship report an opportunity for real reform. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/features/70-education-a-training/1638-apprenticeship-report-an-opportunity-for-real-reform.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=4434ffbfd083e7deb3fe4ae3022cc686 Evans, C. (2011). Reforming the Australian Apprenticeship system. Available from deewr.gov.au/Ministers/Evans/Media/Releases/Pages/Article_110221_112019.aspx Housing Industry of Australia (2011), National Apprenticeship Reform Needs Industry  Input. Available from getbusinessadvice.com.au/the-news/1637-national-apprenticeship-reform-needs-industry-input.html?211a80a7893753f6d94e3fcaa7840466=048772114661331 d1aaa6c5f232214af McDowell, J., et al. (2011). A Shared Responsibility – Apprenticeships for the 21st  Century. Available from www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Apprenticeships for the 21st Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Simmons, A. (2011). Report savages apprenticeship system. ABC News, February 2011. Available from abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/21/3143831.htm

Grade Inflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 119

Grade Inflation - Essay Example In relation to how people learn, Uva (n.d) asserts that grade inflation contributes to an asymmetrical positioning of students in class and also in the workplaces. In essence, student placement in classrooms ought to be based on performance. If the wrong picture is painted in regard to the performance of a student, then he or she may be placed in a class handling subjects he or she is not competent in. In so doing, students are exposed to more hardships in learning and thus are more likely to receive even lower grades. Grade inflation also gives the wrong impression to employers on the competency of individuals and therefore contributing to absorption of poorly skilled individuals in the job market. One of the assumptions that trigger the caveats surrounding grade inflation is that the work of educators is to rate students in order to boost expediency for the employers during the hiring process (Kohn, 2002). Therefore, less skilled individuals are absorbed into the job market whereas the more competent group is discarded unjustly. As an example of my personal experience, my disinterest in Sciences during the later years of my high school was largely contributed by grade inflation. As a junior in high school, my science teacher used to over-rate our exams and a result, I developed an undeserved interest in sciences. Subsequently, I joined more profound science courses. The hurdles I encountered in comprehending these advanced courses relating to sciences lowered my grades significantly and hence ended up lowering my motivation and interest in learning. This shows that grade inflation can lead to unearned or unjustified placement of students in the classroom and the job market as well. Grade inflation makes it impossible

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

Religion - Essay Example This paper approves that morality is an important factor that has received a great deal of importance from scholars of Christian religion. At the same time it has also been argued that special importance on the moral issues is one the basic features of the Christian ethics and also has played remarkable role in wide acceptance of the religion across the globe. Compared to the early phase of developing Christianity as a universal religion, several changes have happened later on in the Christian outlook towards life and ethics. However, despite all such changes basic moral appeal of Christian ethics has remained unchanged. This essay makes a conclusion that compared to the early days of Christianity, interpretation and acceptance of Christian ethics did face a lot of negative influences. During the early days of establishment of the Church to the Medieval period, Christianity gradually became institutional rather than focusing on its ethical principles. Later on, the influence of Renaissance and active participation of Christian scholars like Luther and Calvin, the ethics of Christianity was restored. Till the age of Reformation to the Modern Christianity a lot of changes have been made to the ethical base of Christianity, but the core principles of ethics have remained unchanged. Consequently, following such humanitarian ethics help in spreading the scope of Christianity and its relevance in the modern social context.