Family’s Influence on a Child’s Educational Success Essay

The family is a key element in every person’s life; they have the greatest impact on a child’s socialization (Macionis 70). Socialization is a learned behavior that remains with a person his entire life. Family influences nearly every aspect of children’s life, including their education. Increasing evidence indicates that â€Å"schools are not solely responsible for promoting our young people’s academic success; rather, families must be engaged in helping youths develop the knowledge and skills they need to function in tomorrow’s workplace† (Israel 43). Therefore, the question is not whether parents influence education, but rather how and to what extent they do. A variety of explanations exist, including the size of the family, the parenting techniques, and the family’s economic status. Read more:  Factors that influence child development essay Why do some parents become involved in their children’s elementary and secondary education? Three major constructs are believed to be central to parents’ basic involvement decisions. First, a parents’ role construction defines parents’ beliefs about what they are supposed to do in their children’s education and appears to establish the basic range of activities that parents construe as important, necessary, and permissible for their own actions with and on behalf of children. Second, parents’ sense of efficacy for helping their children succeed in school focuses on the extent to which parents believe that through their involvement they can exert positive influence on their children’s educational outcomes. Third, general invitations, demands, and opportunities for involvement refer to parents’ perceptions that the child and school want them to be involved. However, even well-designed school programs inviting involvement will meet with only limited success if they do not address issues of parental role construction and parental sense of efficacy for helping children succeed in school. One theory suggests that the chief reason why a student’s family life affects his/her education is based on the size of the family. More specifically, it suggests that those coming from a family with fewer children perform better academically than those coming from a family with many children. One main reason for this is attributed to the â€Å"dilution of familial resources  available to children in large families and a concentration of such resources in small ones† (Blake 11). For example, in families with many children the parents have less time, less emotional and physical energy, less attention to give, and less ability to interact with children as individuals (Blake 11). Another reason that attention may be diluted is because of the many siblings. Often the mother is pregnant or recovering from pregnancy, which lessens her ability to care for the children. In addition, money is also often diluted. Blake says of that: This type of dilution involves not only the parents’ treatment of individual children–the ability to provide personal living space, cultural advantages such as travel, specialized instruction such as music lessons, specialized medical or dental care, as well as continuous and advanced schooling–but, as well, to provide settings the advantages of which are not divisible: living in a desirable neighborhood, or having a wide range of excellent reading material or recorded music in the house. (11) This suggests that children coming from a poor background are already at an educational disadvantage, possibly even before any formal schooling occurs. Travel enables a child to become a more cosmopolitan person and teaches children about the different cultures of the world. Music teaches dedication and helps with memorization skills. Other problems are associated with large families as well. A study by Lori Heise and Jane Roberts showed that children from large families don’t interact with others outside the family group as much as those in a smaller family, which can limit their understanding of certain social roles (Blake 11). It also places them at a disadvantage in school, where they make not have many friends or feel â€Å"left out.† This can lead to poor grades. This is so because the child may become depressed and find it hard to focus on schoolwork. Without friends to greet them, many times the child chooses not to even go to school. In addition, in families where lots of children are around, the intellectual level may be more â€Å"childlike,† so kids aren’t exposed to adult conversation,  vocabulary, and interests (Blake 11). The children spend most of their time playing with other children. In a family with one or few children, the child often has no other choice than to play with their parent/s. Similarly, the older siblings may often baby-sit or be treated as the â€Å"adult figure,† meaning that the parents are not as involved. The older children are often expected to help take care of his or her brothers or sisters. The parents are not home as often when a babysitter is available. Having a large family can also lead to financial burden and in turn a burden on the child’s academic success. It is often thought that income does not affect one’s education until college; after all, education until that point is free. Studies have shown otherwise. It was found that only-child boys were twice as likely to graduate from high school as boys from families of seven or more, and the same holds true for girls (Blake 41). Of the graduates, there is again a large gap between the two groups for college attendance (meaning that children without siblings are much more likely to attend college than those from large families). However, the distinction is not as large as in high school graduation rates. Once in college, family size has a relatively small effect on the number of years of college schooling a student receives (Blake 45). This indicates that the higher the level of schooling, the less family size is influential. Blake suggests that this is due to the many from large families who drop out of school and who are retained multiple times (Blake 45). One study shows that students coming from a small family do better on achievement test. Twenty-seven percent of boys in grades 1-5 with five siblings or more scored below average on these tests. Compare that number to the twenty percent of boys in the same grade level who were only children (Blake 262). As the number of siblings in the family increased, his or her score on the test decreased. Having many brothers and sisters could also be seen as beneficial to students, especially if a child is the youngest. Parents have often graduated twenty years prior to when their children are attending school.  Therefore, they may not remember the material in order to help their children. Older brothers and sisters, on the other hand, would be more familiar with the subjects and could tutor their siblings. Therefore, students could improve by having a large family. While this theory of family size affecting one’s education is valid and holds true in many cases, it is not solid enough to be the sole explanation. A second explanation as to why family plays such a large role in education is parenting techniques. Problems of school adjustment such as academic failure, underachievement, and disciplinary problems often arise from a combination of information-processing difficulties, attention-deficit disorders, school or performance anxiety, and low motivation. These problems in turn have been linked to specific domains of family life (e.g., family conflict, communication, and organization). (Medway and Cafferty 137) Studies have shown that many of the problems that children have in schools are associated with different parenting styles. Learning disabilities, poor task orientation, attention deficits, and low academic achievement can be caused by an unstable family life, where conflicts are handled through threats, counter-threats, and poor communication (Medway and Cafferty 138). Parents of children with disabilities are found to be more authoritarian and controlling than parents of â€Å"normal† children. Problems of underachievement in schooling can be attributed to parent-child conflicts, low levels of parental availability, and lack of openness between the parent and child. Studies have shown that students with performance anxiety, procrastination, and passive aggressive behavior in school are likely to come from over organized families, where parents are overprotective, restrictive, intrusive, controlling, and dominating (Medway and Cafferty 138). According to psychologist Glenn Israel, a more recent study produced similar results, stressing that parents should help their children with their homework, discuss important school activities with them, and hold high educational aspirations for them (48). They should also limit television  viewing, provide adult supervision when their children come home from school, and monitor homework. Doing so was proven to result in better academic performance and staying in school (Israel 48). Other causes for students to perform better in school involves the child’s social behavior, which are a reflection of the family, particularly the parents. For example, children who move frequently are generally unable to feel integrated in the community’s social structure. On the other hand, the more groups a student is involved in (scouts, religious affiliations, etc), the greater his/ her socialization skills. Better socialization skills can in turn be linked to better school performance (Israel 49). Parenting techniques contribute largely to a child’s academic performance, though this theory is probably the least credible of the three. It is obvious that a parent’s behavior affects his/her child, and their education, but the evidence was too stereotypical. It is outrageous to assume that because a child has a learning disability he/ she comes from an unstable home life. There are many other reasons that influence that, including biology and genetics. However, I strongly agree with the socialization aspects of this argument. Dr. Urie Bronfenbrenner says, â€Å"Children are most significantly influenced by their parents; therefore, if parents have few friends and are uninvolved in community activities, children are likely to be the same way† (40). Socialization definitely plays a role in academic performance, especially at the age of adolescence, when â€Å"fitting in† is so important to students (Bronfenbrenner 40). It is also obvious that parents playing a role in their child’s education is beneficial. Students need the motivation to perform well. If they don’t receive it, they will not be as successful. True as this may be, parenting technique is not the sole answer to this question of how parenting styles affect a child’s academic success. The third reason often used to explain the connection between family life and a student’s education is the economic position of the student’s family. Children often base their goals on their parents’ achievements. A study showed that while all parents would like their children to receive  high levels of education and a prestigious career, low-income parents seem to set lower standards. They are satisfied with lower levels of education and less prestigious jobs Students from lower-income families suffer other disadvantages as well. Economic hardship and stress have been known to affect the relationship between the parent and child. In addition, if the socioeconomic status of the student is low, the amount of parental support, control, and consistency is often low as well. A study by Saucier and Ambert revealed, â€Å"Adolescents from intact families have been found to be more optimistic about the future than those from homes in which there has been a separation, divorce, or parental death† (Brantlinger 154). The amount of parental involvement with education was also found to vary with income. Most students studied claim that their parents attended conferences and activities in elementary school, but there became a gap during junior high and high school. High-income students say their parents still attended, while low-income students’ parents did not. Additionally, high-income adolescents’ parents were much more likely to receive help with schoolwork, such as editing written assignments, than were low-income parents. This could be a result of the education the parents had received. After all, low-income parents had often dropped out of school prior to graduation, while high-income parents had high-levels of educational attainment (Brantlinger 156). A study by Carlos Torres and Theodore Mitchell showed that powerful more affluent parents played a significant role in maintaining a â€Å"†¦hierarchical track structure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  for their child. These parents ensured that their children did well in school. This was made achievable possibly through extra help, tutoring, and increasing the pressure placed on the child to do well (163). Family size and parenting techniques can be related to wealth differences. For example, the smaller the family, the higher the proportion of the income can be spent on the child(ren). Those with better parenting techniques also have a higher economic standing than other parents. Better parenting methods can be linked to the parents having received a higher education. In turn,  they often have more money. While it was found that family size and parenting techniques affect one’s education, it is merely because of wealth. For example, it is not the actual number of people in the family, but the amount of money the family has because of the number of members. Economics are the key factor as to why one’s family life affects one’s education, and it’s a cycle. Children often grow up to be in the same economic class as the family he came from. Therefore, if a parent didn’t attend college, the student is less likely to (Shumow 37). So why does one’s family life affect his education. The answer can be summed up in one word: money. So what can we do about this problem? How can we give economically disadvantaged children a good education? There are several options: For one state funding for poorer schools could be increased. Also, if poor communities applied for grants, they could use them to fund their schools. There are also programs out there to help poor schools. The SETA Head Start Program and the Equity in Education Project were developed for the purpose of improving the lives of low-income children by providing â€Å"quality, comprehensive, child development services that are family focused, including education, health, nutrition, and mental health† (Head Start Home Page Screen 1.) By getting communities involved and educated about programs such as these it is very possible to prevent educational disadvantages like coming from a low-income household or neighborhood. No matter how many elected school officials declare that â€Å"poverty is not an excuse† for poor school performance, the fact remains that children in poverty do not achieve well in school. In a study by Abt Associates, researchers examined the performance of children in high- and low-poverty schools. High-poverty schools were defined as those with 76% or more of the student body eligible for free or reduced-price lunches; low-poverty schools had 20% or less of the student body eligible for federally subsidized lunches. The researchers first divided the students into categories A, B, C,  or D–depending on what grade they commonly took home on their report cards. Then they looked at performance on achievement tests. Students in low-poverty schools who got A’s on their report cards scored as one would expect: 87th percentile in math, 81st in reading. Students in high-poverty schools who got A’s scored higher than their classmates who got lower grades, but they attained only the 36th percentile in reading and the 35th in math (Cirasulo 44). One can only imagine the sledgehammer that will hit these students when they have to compete with students from more affluent schools. What is so depressing about this is the fact that education is the only way to get out of poverty. Education is the only intervention that can help children from poor families escape the cycle. In addition to giving young people basic skills, education can make them aware of opportunities beyond the ghetto. The few who escape the problems of crime, drugs, prostitution, and unwed motherhood are those who have received help from committed teachers and social workers. Schools cannot create jobs or carry all the burdens of a community, but they can make a vital contribution if they are allowed to focus on their primary mission of education. Teachers do not create jobs for poor people, and they cannot erase the damage done by drugs. Granted, schools cannot take on all the burdens of the communities they serve; they should be allowed to focus on what they insist is their reason for existence — the education of children. When it comes to the educational success of a child, money should never be a factor. Unfortunately money is a factor and there is never enough to fulfill the needs of a child.

Discuss The Impacts of Taxation

When a firm faces new investment opportunities (or to keep its functioning) which have positive net present values, financing needs come along. The options range from using cash generated from operations to simply forego the projects. If the company wants to take its projects, when its cash is not enough, it can raise new funds from equity or debt. This combination of equity and debt which a company decides to use is known as its capital structure. This paper is about how a firm ought to establish its debt/equity ratio, focusing in the advantages and disadvantages of taxes’ impact on this ratio. Capital StructureWhen referring to the capital structure of a firm, it is impossible to avoid Modigliani-Miller’s (MM) influential paper â€Å"The Cost of Capital, Corporation Finance and the Theory of Investment† (1958). Later, they published several â€Å"follow-up† papers discussing these topics. MM set the foundations of the modern theory of capital structure. MM first hypothesis was that, under certain assumptions, the firm’s value is invariable despite relative changes in its capital structure, thus â€Å"a firm cannot change the total value of its outstanding securities by changing the proportions of its capital structure. † (Ross, Westerfield and Jaffe, 2001.p. 401).This is known as MM proposition I. In a general way this proposition is saying that a company cannot do something for its stockholders that they cannot do by themselves. The MM second proposition implies that the use of debt for financing increase the expected future earnings, but this increase is coupled with an increase in the risk to equity holders, thus the discount rate used to value these future earnings also increases. As Fabozzi and Patterson state â€Å"the increased expected earnings have on the value of equity is offset by the increased discount rate applied to these riskier earnings. †(2003)Mathematically the propositions can be stated: Pro position I: VU=VL where VU is the value of an unlevered firm and VL is the value of a levered firm. Proposition II: rs = r0 + B/S (r0 – rb) where rS is the cost of equity, r0 is the cost of capital for an all equity firm, rB is the cost of debt and, B / S is the debt-to-equity ratio. But these hypotheses rely on a â€Å"perfect market† assumption. When imperfections are present into a certain market this hypothesis is misleading. Changes in a firm’s capital structure could change the firm value. One of the most important market imperfections is the presence of taxes.Capital Structure and the Presence of Corporate Taxes In the previous sections is stated that the firm value is unrelated to its capital structure, i. e. it does not depend on its debt/equity ratio. But when taxes are incorporated into the analysis this affirmation is not true, â€Å"in the presence of corporate taxes, the firm’s value is positively related to its debt. † (Ross et al. 2 001. ) Thus, the use of debt has an advantage over financing with equity. The Internal Revenue Code (IRC) â€Å"allows interest paid on debt to be deducted by the paying corporation in determining its taxable income† (IRC code 1963 qt.in Fabozzi and Patterson. 2003. P. 598) This benefit is known as Interest Tax Shield, due to the fact that â€Å"interest expense shields income from taxation† (p. 602). This is TaxShield=(TaxRate)(InterestExpense) Now is necessary to value this shield and see how this changes the firm value. Taking account of the expression above it can be said that whatever the taxable income of a company is without debt, the taxable income is now less in an amount equal to the Tax Shield in the presence of debt. This idea is also based in MM ideas.In other words, the firm value is: Firm Value = Unleveraged Firm Value + Tax Shield Value Going deeply, this statement implies that all companies should choose maximum debt, something that can not be seen int o the real world. This is due to the presence of bankruptcy and other distress related costs that reduce the value of a levered firm. As a firm increases its leverage position these costs increase. There is a point when the present value of â€Å"these costs from an additional dollar of debt equals the increase in the present value of the tax shield.† (Ross et al. 2001. p. 432)This is the debt level which maximizes the firm value. Beyond this point the distress associated costs increase faster than the firm value due to additional debt. Therefore, there is a trade off between tax benefits and the financial distress costs. There is an optimal amount of debt for each firm, and this must be its debt objective level. Presence of Personal Taxes In presence of personal income taxes could decrease, or even eliminate, the advantage of corporate taxes associated with debt financing.Despite this, if the yields due to debt and stocks cause taxes at the same rate that the personal taxes, there is still an advantage coming from corporate taxes(Van Horne, 1997). Merton Miller proposed that, in presence of both, personal and corporate taxes, the decisions about capital structure of a firm were irrelevant (Miller, 1977). Despite this, personal taxes have different rates; therefore, with constant risk, individuals who are in the lower rate bracket must prefer debt and those who are at the upper part of the scale must prefer stocks.Fabozzi and Patterson summarize this point as follow: 1. If debt income (interest) and equity income (dividends and capital appreciation) are taxed at the same rate, the interest tax shield increases the value of the firm. 2. If debt income is taxed at rates higher than equity income, some of the tax advantage to debt is offset by a tax disadvantage to debt income. 3. If investors can use the tax laws effectively to reduce to zero their tax on equity income, firms will take on debt up to the point where the tax advantage to debt is just offset by the tax disadvantage to debt income.The bottom line from incorporating personal taxes is that there is a benefit from using debt. (p. 603) Small Literature Survey In this section it will be summarized some opinions and findings about capital structure decisions and taxes. Panteghini in a work about multinationals capital structure found that â€Å"optimal leverage is reached when the marginal benefit of debt financing (which is due to the deductibility of interest expenses) equates its marginal cost (which is related to the expected cost of default).A strategy used is â€Å"Income shifting† which â€Å"raises the tax benefit of debt financing, thereby stimulating debt financing, and delays default. † (2006) Verschueren research about Belgian companies strategies showed that â€Å"The hypothesis that firms for which the tax advantage of debt financing is higher have higher debt tax shielding ratios gets only meager support: more profitable firms have lower debt ta x shielding ratios. † She found â€Å"no indications that avoiding agency conflicts of any type plays a significant role in the determination of debt tax shielding. † (2002, p.22)She states that these results are quite close to international research also. Graham and Tucker found a similar result â€Å"Firms that use tax shelters use less debt on average than do non-shelter firms. † There is also a potential problem which is that â€Å"under-levered firms may have â€Å"off balance sheet† tax deductions that are not easily observable, and which are therefore often ignored in empirical analyses. † (2005 p. 1) Irina Stefanescu arrives to a comparable conclusion â€Å"There is a general consensus that significant tax incentives are associated with corporate borrowing.Nevertheless, many large and profitable companies with a low risk of financial distress have relatively low debt ratios. † (2006) Stewart Myers, explaining Miller’s paper â⠂¬Å"Debt and Taxes†, theorizes about why firms are not â€Å"awash in debt†Ã‚ · An interesting point he states is that Miller’s model â€Å"allow us to explain the dispersion of actual debt policies without having to introduce non-value-maximizing managers. In the other hand he states also that â€Å"Firms have good reasons to avoid having to finance real investment by issuing common stock or other risky securities.They do not want to run the risk of falling into the dilemma of either passing by positive NPV projects or issuing stock at a price they think is too low†. (1980) Conclusion It seems that several researches have been performed in capital structure decisions. Although not all of them arrive to the same conclusion it gives the impression that the tax shields have positive impacts on firms value; and the presence of personal taxes do not eliminate this fact.In the other hand, findings that companies have not larges amounts of debt indicates that t hey might obtain some advantages from other sources, e. g. off balance sheet benefits. After 48 years since Modigliani and Miller’s paper appeared, it can be said that â€Å"however, much remains to be done before the cost of capital can be put away on the shelf among the solved problems. † (Modigliani-Miller 1958)

Breadtalk International Marketing Plan Strategy Free Sample

Breadtalk pany Limited is a Singaporean bakery, founded in 2000. The enterprise runs a chain of 38 retail outlets through Breadtalk Pre Limited (BreadTalk Group Limited, 2014: 1-17). These stores sell snacks such as buns, pastries, cakes, and bread. Breadtalk is a focused pany; a clear mission statement guides its operations. It also enjoys services from highly trained and qualified managers and mitted stakeholders. In honor-ship of bread making activities, Breadtalk pany is on a mission to lead a new lifestyle that prises of innovative changes and creativity in differentiations (BreadTalk Group Limited, 2016; 1-13). Therefore, it aims at crafting products with vibrancy and passion. As the pany strives to gain petitive advantages to withstand market conditions, Breadtalk has set long-term goals. First, the pany is enhancing its presence across the globe, in particular on the Asian Market, premium, and target halal (rephrase). Other objectives are the realization of the present product level by 15% alongside ing back within a time span of less than a year. By the end of the next biennium, it is targeting at cultivating two green market advantages. Through its operations, BreadTalk aims to sell its products mainly, in the Asian market, premium and halal. The pany is also targeting individuals with experience food; such as customizers and food trend followers Currently, the food market has b e more petitive due to the entry of new with similar products. BreadTalk is pleted by Bengawal solo, Four leaves, Swee Heng and Baker Talent. To ove e these rival panies, it is creating a young, fashion and good image to consumers with distinct tastes. Having gained popularity over the past years, BreadTalk is spearheading by consistency provision of stylish and fresh snack culture. Apparently, this strategy is attracting more consumers. BreadTalk market segmentation prises of up-scale suburb customers. The pany is also targeting working professionals and young generations. Another targeted group is high-market-i e households. Enhancing accessibility of the market, BreadTalk is focusing on consumers who have bread as their favorite and hence, consider the importance of fresh and healthy food (Research and M 0005, 2016). Fortunately, such consumers are willing to try new products. They are also loyal to the pany and make huge purchases. Breadtalk market is segmented into the following; behavioral, demographic, psychographic, and geographical differences. Currently, the Asian market demand is based on quality and product freshness. In, response, the BreadTalk has e up with effective marketing behavioral act such as offering different cakes and bread. The quality of these products is highly supervised by the enterprise before delivery. Another marketing behavioral practice done by the pany is stimulation of customers’ senses. In so doing, all the products supplied are not only of value but also available in attractive packages. BreadTalk is expanding its franchise network rapidly. While serving the entire Asian population, the pany has forged the partnership in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Bahrain and Hong Kong. The demography is also intended to cover Sri Lanka, Qatar, Lebanon and Myanmar. In response to various locations, BreadTalk adjusts their product in line with culture. To this respect, the pany provides a mixture of Asian and Western tastes resulting in approximately 150 different products. As BreadTalk is controlling these variables to satisfy the desire of customers in various locations. It also aims at gaining more consumers hence, realizing the firm’s objectives (Peter and Donnelly, 2003). BreadTalk pany supplies outstanding products across the Asian market, making it a lifestyle brand.   Not mentioning attractive packaging, the products are of high quality. Furthermore, they are fresh. This market segmentation strategy maintains focus to abstract the entire Asian Market in its line of business. Significantly, the pany is soldiering on to strengthen its appearance across the world. This global expansion span is aimed at creating over 500 more outlets (Jitpleecheep, 2012). Also, the pany is focused on launching two new brands; The Icing Room and Bread Society.   On the same note, the organization is offering series of launch specials both on BreadTalk App and stores. Strategically, the pany is also health oriented; iPad and iPhone apps have been formed to enable go-consumers to buy coupons on-the-go. They can also redeem them in exchange for products. BreadTalk Group Limited. (2016), ‘Breadtalk Group Limited Marketline pany Profile’, pp. 1-13. BreadTalk Group Limited. (2014), ‘Breadtalk Group Limited Marketline pany Profile’, pp. 1-17. Jitpleecheep, P. (2012), ‘BreadTalk to double Thai presence’, Bangkok Post (Thailand) (16 May 2016) accessed 24 September 2016. Peter, J. P., and Donnelly, J. H. (2003). A preface to marketing management. Boston, McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Research and M 0005. (2016), ‘Global Fresh Baked Products Market 2016-2020 With Breadtalk, Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bros. Bagels, Greggs, Panera Bread & Tim Hortons Dominating - Research and Markets. Business Wire (English), December, Regional Business News. With a decade's experience in providing essay help,

History and Development of Violin Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History and Development of Violin - Term Paper Example While the violin is generally associated with European classical music, the instrument itself first emerged in the 9th century Byzantine Empire. In terms of the first written records of the instrument Persian geographer Ibn Khurradadhbih is noted as the first to write about the instrument. Khurradadhbih noted that the instrument was a bowed Byzantine lira; this geographer compared the violin to a rabab, a similar stringed instrument used by the Byzantines during this time (Sandys 2006). From these early incarnations the violin steadily gained popularity. During the 11th and 12th centuries the instrument gradually gained popularity throughout Europe and general western regions. This period also contains increased written reference to the violin. While it had not yet taken on the contemporary articulations, writers during these centuries frequently referred to the instrument as a fiddle or lira. While the violin would later become the predominant stringed instrument, its acceptance dur ing the 11th and 12th centuries was greatly aided by the spread of a variety of stringed instruments throughout Europe; for instance, rabab gained great prominence during this period of European history (Sandys 2006). Indeed, the modern incarnation of the violin would emerge from a hybridization of many of these stringed instruments. ... While the lira da braccio was originally regarded as the less aristocratic way of playing the instrument, holding the device in the hands would later become the accepted practice, ultimately giving way to the modern incarnation of the violin. The first incarnation of the modern violin emerged in 16th century Italy. The most prominent area for the violin during this period was the Brescia area, as existing documents from the late 16th century note that Brescia was home to hotbed of musical talent. Still, the word violin is recorded as early as 1540 in Italian documents (Sandys 2006). Although there are no surviving violins from this period, there do exist considerable visual depictions of the instrument from the mid-16th century Italian era. In terms of the first maker of the violin, there continues to be considerable debate on the subject. The most pervasive theory is that Andrea Amati constructed the first violin on order from the Medici family who desired the construction of an ins trument that could be used by street musicians. There are a number of prominent considerations when examining the violin’s construction and mechanics. The typical violin consists of a spruce top. This is also referred to as the soundboard. The violin is then composed with maple ribs, a back, two endblocks, a neck, a bridge, a soundpost, four strings, and then a chin rest (Stowell 1993). The violin has an hour-glass shape and is accompanied by a series of other smaller components. In these regards, the violin contains a neck with a fingerboard. The neck is the area where the musician manipulates the strings with their fingers as a means of playing different chords (Stowell 1993). The top of the violin contains what is referred to

Proposal for Market Research for the Australia University Paper

Proposal for Market for the Australia University - Research Paper Example Information regarding the positioning of THE UNIVERSITY in comparison to the other institutions can help in devising a branding to improve the rating so as to attract students from other areas apart from the traditional population group of THE UNIVERSITY. RO 2: What are the expectations of the target group from the present offerings/facilities of THE UNIVERSITY? Are there any additional facilities expected? Are other similar universities or educational institutions offering more? 4. Using the Repertory Grid on the RO 3 (ranking of THE UNIVERSITY among other universities/institutions of higher learning) will give valuable information regarding the attributes on which students rank institutions. We can have a list of elements (other universities and institutions along with THE UNIVERSITY) and the attributes like admission process, popularity of the institution among peers, history of the institution, choice of courses, size of the institution, accreditation of the institution, tie-ups of the institution with other institutions and reception of the institute’s students in the industry after graduation. This will give us an insight into the core necessities of the target group and further help in tailoring THE UNIVERSITY’s brand positioning and communication strategy towards the target group. 5. Content Analysis for RO 4 (sources of information regarding universities, educational institutions and courses of study). Universities are chosen by students depending upon the information available to them. Knowing their methods of information search and the places where they search for the information will further help in focusing our communication strategy. Based on the data collected like websites, magazines, publications, agency ratings which the target group uses to obtain information, communication can be improved to increase the reach and perception of THE UNIVERSITY.

Compensation strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Compensation strategy - Essay Example Improvements in the strategy would be suggested at the end of the paper. McDonalds, in its values, regards its employees as an important part of the system. They state that they are committed to their people and ‘provide opportunity, nurture talent, develop leaders and reward achievement’ (Mission and Values, 2013). A typical McDonald’s restaurant has 8 levels of hierarchy. These are shown in Figure 1. In each restaurant, McDonalds usually employs 60 individuals. These mainly consist of the crew members who occupy the lowest rung of the organizational hierarchy. The job of the crew members is clear cut without them having to take any decisions. They have to prepare the food the standard way, serve the customers and maintain an efficient work and service flow within the restaurant. Above the crew members are the training crew, floor managers, shift running floor managers, trainee managers and assistant mangers. Like the job of the crew members, the job of these employees is also quite standard. Each day, they have to follow the same steps without them having to take any decisions or choices in their roles. The managers are the controlling head of the restaurant. They are responsible for running the daily operations within the restaurant and have to handle and monitor the rest of the employees. These managers are responsible for sales of the restaurant and for providing training to the employees placed below them. McDonald’s in UAE, similar to McDonalds is every other country hires on the basis on equal opportunity. McDonalds has a strong commitment towards diversity and inclusion. It therefore disregards any difference of color, race, religion, age or gender when employing or paying its workers. The average salary of an employee within McDonald’s varies from region to region. In most countries, employees are paid on hourly basis. However, in UAE, hourly pay is not common and employees are paid

Comparison of the entrepreneurial journey made by Skype and Groupon Essay

Comparison of the entrepreneurial journey made by Skype and Groupon - Essay Example Microsoft Corporation most recently acquired the company in 2011. It has operated as their wholly owned subsidiary system since then. However, the licensing and operations of the software continue to be provided by Skype Technologies (Markovich and Krieger, 2010). The company is a limited liability company. Skype was originally developed to offer voice over IP services (VOIP) from the first release in 2003. This provided users a means to make calls over the internet, computer to computer or from computer to telephone at reduced call rates. The company also offers services such as calling landline/mobile phones to and from Skype by offering a Skype Number to their users. The services offered are the main source of Skype’s revenue. Groupon is a globally known e-commerce marketplace, which connects millions of their subscribers with local merchants. This is done by offering a range of business activities, travel opportunities, sales of goods and services in more than 47 countries. The company was launched in November 2008 in Chicago. By October 2010, the company had over 35 million users (registered). Andrew Mason created the original idea behind Groupon. Groupon, Inc. is the world’s largest online coupon provider currently. Both companies have received numerous takeover offers but not all have responded the same.

Civilization Collapse and Environmental History Essay

Civilization Collapse and Environmental History - Essay Example The rebels were suppressed and their leaders executed in 1788. Pierre-Etienne further elaborates that also in the 1780s, in Gansu province, there were two major revolts of the Muslim communities, sparked by adherents of a fundamentalist "new sect" who opposed the local Muslim officials appointed by the Qing. Both Muslim uprisings were suppressed after heavy fighting, as were a series of revolts by Miao tribesmen in southwest China. But the fighting was costly to the Qing, who despite their victories did not eradicate the underlying causes of religious, economic, and ethnic resentments. In 1799, as Qianlong's reign ended, rebels claiming the same White Lotus affiliation that had animated the followers' of Wang Lun were rising up all across central China and were actively fighting Qing troops in many areas of Sichuan, Hubei, Shaanxi, and Henan. Can one link these outbreaks to Specific Manchu policies that alienated the people The evidence is not clear on this, but it is certain that in the late eighteenth century many Qing government institutions began to falter: the emergency granaries were often empty, sections of the Grand Canal silted up, regular banner troops behaved with incompetence or brutality, efforts to stop ecologically dangerous land-reclamation projects were abandoned, the bureaucracy was faction-ridden, and corruption ran deep. It is also possible that Qing reluctance to create new county governments in areas of new settlement or dense population put impossible stresses on officials in the bureaucracy. Moreover, the intense pressure for jobs meant that those who had finally obtained office sought a swift return' for all their waiting and anxiety, pressing local peasants in their jurisdictions for speedy tax payments and for supplementary charges. The White Lotus insurgents of the 1790s, for instance, stated categorically that "the officials have forced the people to rebel." It is also true that in the conduct of the border campaigns, as in the suppression of local rebellions, Qing officials indulged in an unusually high level of graft. This was made possible by collusion between high figures in military and civil government, who often hid the real situation from Emperor Qianlong. And Qianlong, having allowed the secret palace memorial system of his father Yongzheng to become impersonal and routine, now had no reliable, confidential sources from which to learn of his officials' malfeasance. There is no doubt that this pattern of corruption grew worse after 1775, when a young Manchu guards officer named Heshen became entrenched as the elderly emperor's court favorite,although Heshen was not responsible for everything that was going awry. At that time Heshen was twenty-five and the emperor sixty-five, and the following year the favorite received an extraordinary series of promotions: Qian long named Heshen a deputy lieutenant general of the Manchu plain blue banner, a minister of the imperial household, vice-minister of revenue, and a grand councilor. There were no parallels in Qing history for giving so many powerful appointments to a young man, and Qianlong later piled honor on honor. Heshen was made minister of revenue (and, for a time, minister' of civil

Eyewitness the movie and the issue of identification Essay

Eyewitness the movie and the issue of identification - Essay Example Eyewitness the Movie and the Issue of Identification Introduction For many years, a debate on the issue of eyewitness identification and testimony has been raging with thin the justice system.One camp pushes the concept that that eyewitness identification is not reliable and is, in fact, detrimental to the pursuit of genuine justice. This side of the argument insists that eyewitness accounts have many times resulted into the resolution of cases based on testimonies, which could be subjective and inaccurate, instead of on the merits of physical evidences, which could be more concrete and objective. The opposing camp, on the other hand, insists that eyewitness accounts are necessary to hasten the resolution of criminal cases in court. It stresses the point that without the testimony of a person who saw the crime committed, positive identification of the suspects cannot be achieved. Even as the debate on the merits and demerits of the two sides continue though, there have been films and television shows that tackle the issue directly and indirectly. The movie Eyewitness may not have presented a courtroom drama that dealt with the pros and cons eyewitness testimony but it did present the filmmaker’s own perspective on the issue. It did so by depicting a character that wishes to present himself as a witness to a crime not because he is interested in seeing the resolution of a murder case but because of his personal objective of winning the affection of a person. Weakness of Eyewitness Testimony Eyewitness is a movie that was released in 1981. The film was directed by Peter Yates and written by Steve Tesich. It stars William Hurt as Daryll Deever, the janitor who discovered the body of a murder victim in the building he is working in. Sigourney Weaver plays the role of a zealous television reporter, Tony Sokolow, who wants to get a scoop of the murder case. Deever sees the opportunity of becoming close to Sokolow when he presented himself as someone who discov ered the body. While this may be true though, Deever goes to the extent of insinuating that he saw more than just the dead body but also the actual crime while it was committed. This leads Tony to be interested in Deever’s account, hoping to be the first to broadcast the story to the public. Tony actually is already in a relationship with someone else, Joseph played by Christopher Plummer. However, just to have a story, she manages to flirt a little with Deever. Joseph, on the other hand, is also very interested about what Deever knows which is why he is not quite concerned about the relationship between Tony and Daryll. The attempt by Deever to maintain Tony’s interest in him later turned into the source of conflict in the film. The murderers begins to consider the possibility that Daryll may have indeed witness the commission of the crime and that Tony already knows about it. For fear of being caught by the police, who are already doing investigations on the matter, they run after both Tony and Daryll with the aim of silencing them before their identities are divulged to the public. The police for their part have also begun believing that Daryll may have indeed witnessed the crime and that he could identify the perpetrators. However, the issue that is at stake here really is regarding the credibility of the eyewitness. Deever is obviously motivated by his desire to become personally close to Tony. On the other hand, Tony, who can amplify Deever’s claim because she is a journalist, is only interested in getting a scoop. The police, whose objective is to see that the crime is solved as soon as possible, also have the tendency to believe in whatever story Deever may come up with because of convenience. Here lies the central issue of eyewitness identification. Without determining the possible motivation of the witness, a case could be brought to court with suspects pointed out through the most biased and unscientific means. Through the jury system employed by the American judiciary, the honesty of the witness has a very profound impact on the

Apple Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Apple Company - Essay Example These factors generate a huge impact on the functioning of the business organisation as a whole. To this end, it must be noted that the business organisation can render effective control over the internal factors pertaining to human, technological and financial resources. On the contrary the external business factors divided along the micro and macro parts remain uncontrollable by the business. External factors like customers and suppliers along with competitors and government bodies and the different environmental events pertaining to political, economic, social, legal and technological landscape affect the organisation in a potential manner. Similarly the international and socio-demographic environment also affect the operations of the business concerns (Jain, Trehan & Trehan, 2009, p.7-14). In regards to the above discussion the essay now focuses on analysing the internal and external business environment of Apple Company. The company has gained a wide recognition in the internati onal market for producing computer and other information technology related products which focus on rendering high amount of sophistication and innovation. This fact enables the company to gain a large market share in the international arena in a much lesser time span (Lliev, Lindinger, & Poettler, 2004, p.6). Internal Environment of Apple Company The internal environment of Apple Computer Incorporation can be studied in respect to the human resource factors. Apple Computer Incorporation works on a strategic mindset while recruiting the proper quality of human resources in order to meet the organisational objectives. The company focuses on enhancing the quality of the workforce to help in enhancing the creative and innovative potential of the concern which thereby augments the productivity and organisational competence. Apple Computer Incorporation’s human resource policies thus strongly focus on gaining the right workforce which would help the company to deliver the best pos sible designs and technological innovations in the products produced. Further the company’s human resource function also renders potential importance in recruiting large amount of people to operate in creating attractive designs and contents on the web. This segment is rendered greater importance by the company for it helps the concern to reach a larger consumer base. Apple Computer Incorporation also reflects a huge potential in controlling the attrition rate of the employees in the concern. Through effective human resource policies the organisation successfully targets to retain key organisational people to help in generating large amount of productivity. The management team of Apple Computer Incorporation strategizes the formulation of organizational mission and visionary principles to help motivate the internal people in achieving stated ends. The visionary and missionary objectives should be strategically formulated by the business concern so as to develop a positive and lucrative image of the concern in the eyes of the principal stakeholders both internal and external. Human resource policies of Apple Incorporation also focus on helping the employees rise up the organisational ladder depending on their productivity and performance parameters. Thus the internal environment structure of the concern is quite amicable for the employees to develop their personal productivity. Another key feature of the human resource policies of Apple Computer Incorporation involves the outsourcing of human resource activities to key external human resource consultants. This function of outsourcing helps the business organisation to better manage the large scale of human resources

Business Ethics and Rules Essay Example for Free

Business Ethics and Rules Essay Personally, I agree that Solomons ethical fundamentals are a good moral foundation for a business. â€Å"Business ethics is the study of what constitutes right and wrong (or good and bad) human conduct in a business context. † (p25) From the lecture, we know that ethics matters because â€Å"how organizations behave have important implications for how they fulfill their social and economic roles† and â€Å"their success as well as the success of their employees, customers, etc. † Thus, running a business ethically is good for business. Applying Solomon’s three C’s of business ethics and the eight rules of thinking ethics in business make good sense. The three C’s of business ethics include compliance, contributions and consequences. The first C is â€Å"the need for compliance with the rules, including the laws of the land†¦and such general concerns as fairness. †(p36) As a saying goes, â€Å"Nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards. † Rules in business are intended to assert business structure or to control or influence the behavior of the business. Let’s take EU-Rent for example. EU-Rent is a car rental company owned by EU-Corporation. EU-Rent sets up rules about rentals, returns, servicing and customers. For example, â€Å"EU-Rent keeps records of customers, their rentals, and bad experiences. This information is used to decide whether to approve a rental. † If EU-Rent doesn’t comply with these rules, it may not organize well. The second C is â€Å"the contributions business can make to society, through the values and quality of one’s products or services†¦and usefulness of one’s activities to the surrounding community. † (p36) For instance, economists conventionally assume that organization’s primary goal is to maximize profits. Many successful organizations are gradually aware of the important relationship between profits and contributions to society. Starbucks has seen its profits rise as it has increased its investment in social issues. Those organizations who are making profits and don’t contribute to society may receive criticism from the public. As the article â€Å"The Sichuan Earthquake and the Changing Landscape of CSR in China†, which was written by Ariel McGinnis, James Pellegrin, Yin Shum, Jason Teo, and Judy Wu (University of Pennsylvania), mentioned, â€Å" In the days and weeks following the Sichuan earthquake, many multinational corporations(MNCs) pursued a global CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy in line with their international standard. While some multinationals pledged cash, many others pledged a combination of cash, equipment and services. Domestic firms, by all accounts, out-donated multinationals†¦The popular perception was that international firms relief contributions not only did not match those of local Chinese companies in terms of scale or timeliness, but also were not commensurate with their presence in the Chinese market. Chinese consumers quickly seized upon this disparity by openly attacking major MNCs, calling for a boycott of their products †¦ The Chinese public soon gave these affected MNCs the nickname of ‘international iron roosters. The term refers to a bird that never gives up a single feather, and its usage highlights the perceived stinginess of these international firms†¦Despite their additional donations,’ iron-rooster’ MNCs continued to face angry consumers throughout China, resulting in severe public backlash, including protests at several McDonalds and blo ckades at KFCs throughout Sichuan province and the rest of China. † From this example, we can see how important the contributions that organizations should make to the society are. The third C is â€Å"the consequence of business activity†¦including the reputation of one’s own company and industry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p36) Why the consequences of business activity are so important? Let’s have a look at the following example. Once, Sanlu was one of the oldest and most popular brands of infant formula in China. It went into bankruptcy after the â€Å"Sanlu milk scandal†. Based on the media, â€Å"By November 2008 China reported an estimated 300,000 victims, six infants dying from kidney stones and other kidney damage, and a further 860 babies hospitalized. Since the Sanlu Group didn’t solve the problem and recall the products in time, it leaded to a horrible incident. Doubtlessly, what did organizations do may affect their development and even the well-being of the public. Organizations should not blindly pursue for profits only but also be responsive to society. To become successful, a business needs to be driven by strong ethical va lues. If a corporation fails to adopt ethical values and cannot be responsive to society, it will fail, just like the Sanlu Group. Besides the three C’s of business ethics, Solomon also stated the eight rules of thinking ethics in business, which are also good moral foundations for a business. The eight rules include â€Å"consider other people’s well-being, including the well-being of nonparticipants; think as a member of the business community and not as an isolated individual; obey, but do not depend solely on, the law; think of yourself—and your company—as part of society; obey moral rules; think objectively; ask the question ‘What sort of person would do such a thing? and respect the customs of others, but not at the expense of your own ethics. †(p40, 41) Based on the above statements, it is obvious to see that they are mainly about the concept of three C’s. According to the text, thinking ethically means â€Å"thinking in terms of compliance with the rules, implicit as well as explicit, thinking in terms of the contributions one can make as well as oneâ€⠄¢s own possible gains, thinking in terms of avoiding harmful consequences to others as well as to oneself. (p40) In the case of â€Å"Sanlu milk scandal†, one of the main reasons behind

Checking Newton Essay Example for Free

Checking Newton Essay In this experiment I will make measurements on a two pulley system and use them to check Newtons 2nd law:The rate of momentum of a body  Is directly proportional to the external,  Resultant force acting upon it. The change in momentum takes place in the  Direction of that force. The apparatus is set up as shown in the diagram below:  The masses m1 and m2 are initially set at 400 grams each. The ruler is set vertically. I measured and recorded the distance (S). There must be the same friction at the pulleys; in order to comply with this took added 10 grams masses to m1 until the two masses jus begin to move. I recorded the extra masses m0 added, and the total mass M of m1 and m2. I then held m1 by hand, added one 10g mass, and released it. My partner at that exact moment started the stopwatch. When the m1 hit the soft material the stopwatch was stopped. I recorded the time taken in the table below and repeated this a further one more time so I could finally take an average reading. Extra mass added to m1 Time 1 s Time 2 s Mean Time Timei 1/(m Kgs-1 0. 020 3. 0 4. 18 3. 59 12. 8 50 0. 040 1. 60 2. 14 1. 87 3. 49 25 0. 060 1. 62 1. 45 1. 53 2. 34 16. 6 0. 080 1. 19 1. 30 1. 24 1. 53 12. 5 0. 100 1. 19 1. 0 1. 09 1. 18 10 On then ext page is the graph that I plotted with t on t on the y- axis against 1/(m on the x- axis. Theory: The string is assumed inextensible so then the tension is the same at all points. For the downward motion of the mass m2 I applied F=ma. M1g T = m1a 1 For the upward motion of m2 T m1g = m1a 2 Adding 1 and 2 cancels out T M2g m1g = m2a+m1a (m2 m1)g = (m2+m1) a There for a = m2-m1/m2+m1 g 3 Now s=ut + at U=0, and There for s=1/2at A=2s/ti 4 Substituting 4 in 3 for a 2s/t = (m/M g ( 2Ms= t. g. (m This can be written asti = 2Ms/g . 1/(mm, s and g are constants. So a graph of ti against 1/(m should result in a straight line through the origin.

Enhancing Democracy Through Digital Communication Systems Media Essay

Enhancing Democracy Through Digital Communication Systems Media Essay In this essay, I aim to discuss whether the digital communication systems enhance democracy by offering greater access and participation to citizens as compared to traditional media. I will address this by defining the terms digital communication systems and democracy and exploring the differences in digital communication systems and traditional media and how these differences lead to enhancement of democracy on digital communication systems. Digital communication systems also known as network communication or new media simply refers to a constant reformulation of the relations between the media forms, interconnecting interpersonal communications established between different media in a network based on the interactions between users, mass media companies and, perhaps, regulators (Cardoso, 2011: 119). The digital communication system, as the name suggests, makes use of digital technology and devices and comprises of the Internet, mobile communications, and social media and so on. As compared to traditional media, such as the newspaper, radio and television, digital media offers more opportunities of democracy as it provides greater accessibility and allows for more participation by consumers. The arrival of social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and others changed the Internet (Cardoso, 2011: 131). These social platforms have the most impact on how digital communication systems enhance democracy. ENHANCING DEMOCRACY THROUGH DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS Firstly, content flow is less controlled over the Internet as compared to traditional media. Traditional media is still largely regulated by the state and/or media owners. Depending on the country, the media institution may be governed by the state or by private media owners. The owners of the institution direct the type of news that is broadcasted. Simply put within a specific old medium, people do not have many choices (Wei and Hindman, 2011: 220) An example would be the direction taken by media in Singapore. The media organisation in Singapore, MediaCorp, is owned by the Government and therefore, media is heavily regulated and news published will either be neutral or in favour of the Government. Not just with news, the types of programmes aired by MediaCorp are more conservative and slanted towards the Government (Seow, 1998: 183 194). Only through the Web are citizens able to express their views on the Government and its policies and receive and collect more diverse opinions from fellow citizens and not just a one-sided direction by the traditional media. With digital media, content on the Internet is available to almost everyone and anyone. There are limitations and regulations on the Web when it comes to content sourcing, however, with the advancement of technology; it is easily possible to get round that limitation and regulation. (Jin, 2011: 42) According to Bonfadelli, Wei and Hindman states that in contrast to traditional mass media, the new media such as the Internet provide much more diverse content and an unprecedented level of user controllability. The content supply on the Internet is not structured by journalists and is, therefore, heterogeneous and potentially unlimited (Wei and Hindman, 2011: 220). Jin gives an example of the criminal conviction of Conrad Black. As one of the most influential controllers of the global commercial media system, the conviction of Black confirms that people should not place all their trust in the mainstream media (Jin, 2011: 43) He explains that there is a need for the audience to produce alternative information sources and platforms for expression of their opinions. Only then will society be able to expand the avenues within interactive social networking and communication (Jin, 2011: 43). All the audience needs is a click of the button on their laptops or mobile phones and news and information will be readily available for consumption. A citizen from Australia can find out about happenings in Africa and be able to obtain viewpoints from different sources, and not just the one perspective that traditional media provides, all while on-the-go or from the comfort of his house. Secondly, audience participation helps enhance democracy as it becomes more active with the development of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as well as with the growth of blogs and forums. Consumers interact on these sites and get almost instantaneous response. The popularity of these sites also gives rise to citizen journalism, whereby the consumers become the producers, putting their content whether its their view on an issue or an original work of theirs onto the Web. The intent of this citizen participation is to provide independent, reliable, accurate, widespread and appropriate information that is required to strengthen the democracy (Riaz and Pasha, 2011: 90) All these forms of audience participation give voice to the issues of the world. The digital communication systems can have political impact on a country as well. A countrys laws and policies can be shaped as the citizens use of digital communications system changes. For example, some individuals and parties have taken to the Web for their presidential elections, such as the Barrack Obamas presidential campaign. Obamas successful online strategy in 2008, with the use of social networking sites saw Obama winning the election to becoming the President of the United States. With the elections on-going in the states now, President Obama has taken to social media again Reddit in particular. This time, Mitt Romney followed suit, taking over Twitter to gain foothold. Social media makes it easier for candidates to interact with the citizens and vice versa. Global Voices Online is an example of how audience participation online encourages democracy. According to its website, Global Voice seeks to aggregate, curate and amplify the global conversation online shining light on places and people other media often ignore. We work to develop tools, institutions and relationships that will help all voices, everywhere, to be heard (Global Voice, 2011). Global Voices Online acts as a platform for free, diverse and neutral voices (Riaz and Pasha, 2011: 90) and having more voices in the public arena can add to a more lively democracy (Riaz and Pasha, 2011: 93). These multimedia platforms have enabled new ways of bearing witness through technology and the ability to create media events; raise issues of aesthetics, cognitive distance or proximity as well as our ability to empathize and relate to human suffering (Jin, 2011: 124). This differs from traditional media where feedback and a consumers voice can only be heard if the media institution decides to broadcast it. Therefore, even traditional media institutions have jumped onto the Internet and social media bandwagon, inheriting the notion that it is important to keep abreast with of whats going on in the world so as to be not caught off-guard and be able to react accordingly (Cardoso, 2011: 120) Thirdly, the intercreative possibilities of social Web practices are leading to different kinds of representations and constructions of truth (Boler, 2008: 6). Boler explains the statement using the Persian Gulf War in 1991 as an example. She explains that one could not evidence the deceptions of television news spin easily as public archives could not be made, but now, information and sometimes, videos are easily accessible off the Internet that consumers now are able to easily determine what is factual and what is not. Consumers now demand and expect the truth. With the reach and accessibility of digital communications, political, education and the other institutions are pressured into doing the right thing and media institutions are pressured to report the truth. This is because citizen journalists have wrecked the stories about political corruption, police violence and other concerning issues to local and international communities (Riaz and Pasha, 2011: 92). It has become harder for the media, Government and any other corporations to get away when injustice has been done by them. An example would be China. After the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, China experienced an unprecedented openness in its media coverage (BBC News, 2008). Citizen journalism started flourishing as the Chinese media (were) instructed not to cover this kind of story, and a member of BBC and five other journalists were detained for a short time for approaching the parents (BBC News, 2008). This kind of story referring to articles on local corruption resulting in shoddy construction (BBC News, 2008). Unless a valid explanation was provided by the Chinese Government, talk on corruption causing the death of 87,000 citizens will not disappear. The Chinese Government then went to the extreme by sentencing activists who were investigating the cause of collapsing buildings to jail. The Chinese media might have avoided reporting on corruption and the cause of collapsed buildings, but it was not possible to stop citizen journalism from spreading like wildfire. DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AGAINST DEMOCRACY The Internet could also become a double-edged sword as the freedom on the Web leads to misuse of the freedom and of the technology. As content become increasingly available to the public, piracy and copyright has become a major concern. The public now has free access to information and entertainment that previously had to be paid for. Now that its free, would the consumers want to pay for it? They do not, which is what led to the drastic increase in consumers downloading songs, videos and even e-books online through sites like LimeWire. In situations like this, the Internet does not enhance democracy but instead, undermines the value of the work by the original owner. CONCLUSION The digital communication systems have greatly impacted not just the media industry, but also on education, politics, cultural and social aspects. The consumers rely on the media to separate facts and tangible realities from assumptions and spin, to provide a reliable account of what is really going on (Hettiarachchi, 2011). Only with an unbiased and factual report will the consumers be able to form their own viewpoint. With less regulated content flow, audience participation on social media and the constant demand for truth, digital communication systems are increasingly enhancing democracy as compared to traditional media.

Cultural and Racial Inequality in Hemingways Indian Camp Essay

Cultural and Racial Inequality in Hemingway's Indian Camp Hemingway's "Indian Camp" concerns Nick Adams' journey into the unknown to ultimately experience and witness the full cycle of birth and death. Although Nick's experience is a major theme in the story, cultural inequality also is an issue that adds to the the story's narrative range. Throughout this short story, there are many examples of racial domination between Nick's family and the Indians. Dr. Adams' and Uncle George's racist behavior toward the Native Americans are based on the history of competition between Caucasians and America's indigenous peoples. "Indian Camp" begins at the shore where Nick, his father, and Uncle George are picked up by Indians in rowboats. When Nick and the men get into the rowboat, the Indians row them to the Indian Camp, with no help from the doctor or Uncle George. This evidence is the first example of cultural domination in the story. Once across the lake, Uncle George gives the Indians cigars. Uncle George's action could be a gift or a congratulatory gesture for the baby about to be b...

The Intent Behind the Enuma Elish (Creation Epic) Essay -- Enuma Elish

The Intent Behind the Enuma Elish  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The Enuma Elish, often known as The Creation Epic, is often considered the primary source of Mesopotamian cosmology. However, to view the Enuma Elish as a cosmological myth obscures the true intent of the epicà ­s author. The cosmological elements of the Enuma Elish are secondary to the authorà ­s effort to explain the supremacy of Marduk, to justify absolute oriental monarchy, and to defend Babylon as the axis mundi. The Enuma Elish was composed in Babylonin the early second millennium B.C.E. The decay of Sumerian civilization allowed the Old-Babylonian Empire to become the cultural and political center of Mesopotamia. Babylon was governed by absolute and despotic kings capable of wielding enough power to ensure the continued existence of massive building projects and large-scale irrigation. The harsh environment of Mesopotamia often necessitated the absolute rule by a king powerful enough to command the resources required to maintain civilization. The poet behind the Enuma Elish sought to justify the position and government of Ba...

Indigenous People of the Congo Essay -- Anthropology, Mbuti, Culture

The Congo is the home to a nomadic group of hunters-gatherers known as the Mbuti. The Mbuti are one of the oldest indigenous people of the Congo region of Africa. The Mbuti is an egalitarian society, and the band is their highest form of socialization. Bands are based on principles of teamwork and sharing. The bands are composed of about fifteen to sixty families. The Mbuti reside in the Ituri forest, a tropical rainforest in the northern part of the Congo River Basin. The forest is named after the Ituri River. The Mbuti have lived in the rainforest for more than six thousand years. According to Turnbull (1968), â€Å"The first recorded reference to the Mbuti dates back to a story of an expedition to the area by Egyptians around 2250 B.C. where the Mbuti were referred to as people of the trees.† The Mbuti see the forest as mother and father and themselves as its children. The Mbuti life cycle consists of birth, puberty, marriage, and death. Each transition corresponds with the defining child, youth, adult, and elderly age groups. Mbuti make three very significant transitions in life from childhood which includes birth, to youth including puberty, to adulthood containing marriage, and finally old age which eventually leads to death. The roles and duties found within each age group are important because personal identity is defined by Mbuti’s role in society. The term BaMbuti refers to all the different cultures within the Ituri forest. The forest region has rivers and lakes, and also has a high amount of rain. The dry season is short, and lasts one to two months. The country’s capital and larges... ...d propagating the Catholic faith and took Congolese to Portugal for study. The first missionary group arrived in 1491 and consisted of Franciscan and Dominican priests (Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2007) The Congo king was baptized and a large church was built at the royal capital, which was renamed San Salvador. The King’s son was concerted and sent away for training to eventually put the Catholic Church in power for many years. However, the Yaka invasion of the 16th century shook the kingdom. Toward the end of the century, traders who began buying and selling slaves drove missionaries out of the country. In the 19th century when the Belgians arrived there was not a trace left of this once influential kingdom or the two and one-half centuries of Catholic evangelism and church planting (Riddle, & McGavran, 1979).

Dharma in the 21st Century: “The Life of Tibetan Buddhist Nuns” Essay

Living in the 21st century connotes a busy and modern life, a life that is influenced by materialism, globalization and modern technology; a life with hardly any room for spirituality. This is the kind of life that is common in the Western world where everything is fast paced and humans have moved from relying on a greater being on to highly relying on gadgets everyday. We rely heavily on modern contraptions to make living easier for us – from a simple alarm clock in the bedroom to a high-powered microwave oven in the kitchen, from the multi-functional mobile phone in our pockets to our Internet-connected computers everywhere. From living based on religion, we now live based on technology. We cannot imagine life with out modern technology; we need it to cook our food, we need it to get to work, we need it to communicate; we just simply need it, or so we think? In this modern life of ours, we have become so engrossed with materialism and technology. We try to find ways to make things easier for us through technology but the more we use gadgets, the more complicated life seems, and as it gets complicated we forget about our inner being. We have forgotten what it is like to live simply and what it is like to be truly happy and be at peace without all the materialism. This is life with modernization but in places where materialism is not important and spirituality is highly upheld, all that we know and live by in the 21st century is absurdity for them. Theirs is a life of simplicity, meditation and seclusion; a life of being one with nature and their creator; a life of gaining wisdom and inner happiness. This is the life of Buddhism. Buddhism is not only a religion; it is a philosophy and a way of life (White 1). It is slowly growing in the Western world[1], where some try to look for peace in their everyday modern chaos (ibid). In the Orient, where Buddhism originated, modernization and a western way of life is slowly influencing the people due to economic reasons, such as in Thailand, but they still keep in touch with their spirituality, and monasteries where monks and nuns live still abound. In Tibet, Buddhism is their religion and politics; the Dalai Lama used to be both their religious and political leader (Simhanada Home page). With China taking over their country 50 years ago, the Tibetan government is in exile[2] and the more than 6,000 monasteries and nunneries in the Tibetan regions of U-Tsang, Dotà ¶ and Domey were damaged and destroyed by the Chinese (Office of Tibet 1). The Tibetan people and the few Tibetan monks and nuns in Tibet still seek spiritual guidance from the Dalai Lama in the North Eastern borders of India. With Tibetan monasteries built outside of Tibet after China’s invasion and with a few Tibetan monks and nuns still living in Tibet, it is of great interest how Tibetan Buddhist monastics, particularly the nuns, live like now and view the world especially with most of them in exile, with China as an economic tiger ruling over their land and with modernization happening all over the world. This paper will look into the lives of Tibetan Buddhist nuns in this present day and what has changed in their ways from the earlier times. A brief history of the Tibetan Buddhism will be given in order to understand the role of Tibetan nuns. Views on the role of women in Buddhism will be given and excerpts from the stories of different Tibetan nuns will also be shown in order to understand their belief and values system, and more importantly the condition of their life today. History of Tibetan Buddhism   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Generally, Buddhism is a love of wisdom and it has three paths: (1) to lead a moral life, (2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions and (3) to develop wisdom and understanding (White 1). It has four noble truths which are (1) suffering exists, (2) suffering arises from attachment to desires, (3) suffering ceases when attachment to desire ceases and (4) freedom from suffering is possible by practicing the eightfold path, which is to have the right view, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and contemplation (Simhanada 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Buddhism was introduced in Tibet by Buddhists in India in 173 CE and it was gradually assimilated, disseminated and integrated into the Tibetan way of life due to the efforts of the religious kings of the country (Office of Tibet 1). Tibetan Buddhism as described on the Simhanada Tibetan Buddhism page is as follows: Tibetan Buddhism makes use of a wide variety of practices, i.e., the entire scope of Buddha’s teachings from the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayan levels. Tibetan Buddhism successfully preserved the Vajrayana tradition†¦it is based most directly on the view that appearances can be used and transformed in order to recognize one’s Buddha nature and the emptiness of the mind†¦emphasis on intense Calm-abiding and Insight Mediation is stressed, along with the gradual accumulation of merit and purifying of obstacles. Extensive study of scripture, astrology, medicine, math and debate are common for Tibetan practitioners. Meditation on enlightened deities†¦is a unique feature of the Vajrayana†¦it uses the technique of having the practitioner identify themselves with an enlightened deity —in order to realize the nature of enlightenment. The religion spread because gurus from India were invited into Tibet to teach the Buddhist scriptures and translate them for the people. The religious king Tri Ralpachen introduced a decree that every monk should be supported by seven households, and thousands of temples were constructed in his time. Unfortunately, the king’s successor did not support the Buddhist teachings and monks were made to disrobe and join the army (ibid). Buddhism entered into a dark age but was revived after some time when three monks escaped the Domey region of Tibet and established monastic lineages in other parts of Tibet and eventually revived it in central Tibet (Office of Tibet 1). In Western Tibet, the most vigorous revival of Buddhism was taking place care of Lha Lama Yeshe Ãâ€". He helped spread the doctrine through translation, teaching and establishing of monasteries with the help of the great translator Rinchen Zangpo and Legpai Sherab (ibid). Lha Lhama also composed the famous Buddhist test A Lamp on the Path to Enlightenment, which set the pattern for all graded path texts found in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition (ibid). Four schools of Tibetan Buddhism[3] were also established from the practices and the Buddhist gurus. These are the Nyingma, Kagyu, Sakya, and Gelugpa. Nyingma literally means â€Å"old school† (ibid)that places a great deal of emphasis on meditation to achieve merit and wisdom; Kagyu is the Oral Lineage that is concerned with the experiential dimension of meditation where there is single-minded contemplation exercises and meditative therapy to attain psychic good health. Milarepa, an eleventh century Tibetan mystic practiced this tradition and meditated for many years in caves prior to reaching enlightenment. Sakya represents the scholarly tradition and means â€Å"gray earth† (ibid), and the Gelugpa school translates into the â€Å"virtuous school† (ibid) where scholastics are emphasize highly and monks are encouraged to achieve the Geshe degree of the Doctor of Buddhist Philosophy where a student practices lamrim or the paths[4]. Meditation is encouraged as well, like in all Buddhist practices and development of compassion is an essential part of the teachings of this school, which is also the basis of Tibetan Buddhist schools. The special features of Tibetan Buddhism are the status of the teacher or â€Å"Lama†, preoccupation with relationship between life and death, important role of rituals and initiations, rich visual symbolism, element of Bà ¶n, the earlier Tibetan faith, and mantras and meditation practice (BBC 1). Role of Women in Tibetan Buddhism There are two sectors in the Tibetan community: the lay people and the monastics (Chodron Home Page). The monastics, which are the monks or bhikshus and the nuns or bhikshunis, chose to vow to a life of simplicity, â€Å"a life directly related to the preservation and dissemination of the Dharma[5] to benefit others† (Chodron Home Page). Though women have been admitted by Buddha himself into his Order thousands of years ago due to pressure that women had become nuns in the Jaina religion (King 40), women are belittled in the orders. There are sutras or teachings that say â€Å"women could never become Buddhas† (SGI 1), and for centuries this conception has persisted. It has been commonly believed that women would have to be reborn as men to attain Buddha-hood (ibid) because there is â€Å"absolute preference for a male body†¦no Buddhist in her right mind desires a female body† (Buddhist-Christian Studies 220). The book Himalayan Hermitess: The Life of a Tibetan Buddhist Nun (Buddhist-Christian Studies 221) the author wrote about the life of Orgyan Chokyi who is a Buddhist nun that had reached high levels of understanding by the end of her life. This was not common during her time since she was living in the late 17th century to the early 18th century, and during this time women in Buddhism were really inferior to the men. The book revealed and translated manuscripts of her life, and this was really rare because manuscripts of nuns were not written by the scholars during the early times since their stories are thought to be not worth recording (Buddhist-Christian Studies 222). It is said that Orgyan Chokyi laments to be a woman and female rebirth in general, and she prays often that no being should be subject to a female rebirth (ibid). This is clearly indicative of how sexist Buddhism was then. She became a significant figure because of her life ordeals- she was born to parents who mistreated her because they wanted a son and she would often weep and one day a monk observed her and told her that if she studied the Dharma, she would soon develop great compassion. Like other nuns she was required to do manual labor in the monastery and this was the time she laments her gender. After being a novice, she received meditation instructions form the master of the monastery and a senior nun; she was made to do Tibetan oral traditions and go on pilgrimages to sacred sites of Tibetan Buddhism. Despite these, she was still made to do manual labor for more years but she was filled with joy and she wrote songs about this. Later on, she changed her attitude about female rebirth and writes that â€Å"a woman’s body is a ground for samsara† (Buddhist-Christian Studies 223). In her death, she clearly defied what was believed then: that enlightenment cannot be achieved in a female body (ibid); her meditation master told her that she did not need to do more meditations because she had â€Å"fully protected her vows and commitments† (ibid). This meant total enlightenment and she laid the path for Buddhist nuns to achieve Buddha-hood as well and to call for equality from society. Some also say that women enter the nunneries because they cannot wait for a man to wed them, they are too old to marry or they are orphans or widows (King 41). This shouldn’t be so since Buddhism calls for equality as seen in the Lotus Sutra, which is also called the teaching of non-discrimination, reveals that â€Å"there is no difference between men and women in terms of their capacity to attain Buddha-hood† (Soka Gakkai International [SGI] 1). Guru Rinpoche, who taught the dharma in Tibet, even had a principal disciple that was a woman called Lady Yeshe Tsogyal (Simhanada 1). In these early years of Buddhism, it was recorded that â€Å"women engaged in learned debates with the Buddha himself† (King 40) and that there is a recording of more than 500 verses in the Therigatha created by Buddhist nuns in the ancient Pali Canon (ibid). This shows that they are as capable as the monks. Nuns have been seen as inferior due to traditions way before Buddhism came and due to the impositions of patriarchal and sexist values in societies where Buddhism flourished (Shih 1). For a woman to become nun means liberation, however, they are bound by rules â€Å"over and above those followed by monk[6]† (King 40). These rules may have been developed at a later time to restrict women’s freedom or to simply express the existing social inferiority of women (ibid). Though she gains some freedom, a nun receives little recognition of her status from society since â€Å"rituals performed by monks are considered more efficacious and meritorious than those performed by nuns† and the donations given to monks are greater because it is considered to produce more merit for the donor than when given to a nun† (Buddhist-Christian Studies 220). Education for nuns was also quite limited because they had to do manual labor or housework to earn money for their supplies or to build their cells; thus, opportunities for them to perform their religious practices were limited (ibid). Even if the nuns have completed the required number of mantra recitations, they have to call on a monk to perform the ï ¬ re puja or burnt-book offering to perform it on their behalf (ibid). The Dalai Lama says that â€Å"all Buddhist nuns have a unique role to play in the evolution of Buddhism where the universal principle of the equality of all human beings takes precedence† (Chodron Home Page). Other Tibetan religious leaders have also stated publicly in a faith international congress that â€Å"men and women have an equal capacity for enlightenment† (Buddhist-Christian Studies 221), thus erasing the traditional beliefs that nuns are of inferior status to monks and that a woman must be reincarnated as a man to achieve enlightenment. And even if the prophecy that the Dharma will cease to exist after 500 years of admitting women into the Buddhist order, since it has already been 2,500 years (Fitz-Gerald 1), some traditionalists are still disregarding this idea because nuns are proving themselves to be more capable than what traditional norms have been dictating for years. Tibetan Buddhist Nuns Today In the recent decades, equal treatment of nuns with monks are being called for and with conferences being held yearly for Buddhists and other faiths, the pressure is great. Buddhism was not inherently sexist, but with the male domination in India where the Tibetan Buddhism came from, it just came to be because of the culture at that time (Fitz-Gerald 1). And this culture is changing in the 21st century. The Venerable Chodron (Home Page) says that in these times, Buddhist nun have three levels of ordination: sramanerika or novice, siksamana or probationary, and bhikshuni or full. The bhikshuni, for the Tibetans, means that it is already possible for them to attain the geshe or Doctorate degree, some are already taking the Vinaya class[7] which entails that the first generation of geshe-mas nuns will be produced and will earn them the degree equal to the monks (ibid). Before 1953, the highest rank that a nun could attain was even lower than the lowest rank of the monks (Shih 1). The Dalai Lama even made a statement about this topic, saying that â€Å"This is the 21st Century. Everywhere we are talking about equality†¦Basically Buddhism needs equality†¦the key thing is the restoration of the bhikshuni vow† (ibid). In this modern world, women are challenging the male-dominated social structures and â€Å"Buddhists need not only to tolerate such change, but to actively support it both within the general social structure and within Buddhism itself. Not only is change along feminist lines not incompatible with the teachings of the Buddha, it will be necessary for the continued flourishing of the Dharma† (Fitz-Gerald 1) since the number of monks is decreasing while the number of nuns is increasing (Chodron Home Page). Also though times are changing and the Buddhist nuns are gaining respect, their monastic life is more difficult now than it was before; as Shih (1) states, â€Å"Monasteries are by no means harbourages for those who seek easy lives. Therefore, there would be no reason for one to take on the challenges of such a life with much more hardship unless it were for the sake of religious pursuit.† Women no longer want to become nuns just because they are widowed, orphaned, abandoned or could not be wed, they enter for spiritual and religious purposes, thus they should gain the respect of everyone. The access women now have to education has brought them the want for enlightenment. In a research conducted by Arai (Shih 1), in the past for forty years, the average age of nuns entering in the order was 16; they were either raised in a temple or entered it because of their parents requests. Recently, however, the age of nuns entering the nunneries has risen to 43 and are single or married, and have definitely had more life experiences that those who were entering the nunneries in the 1950s (ibid). This suggests that nuns are more competent now and are making a more conscious and mature decision to commit themselves to the religion and to the life of seclusion; they are more capable of fulfilling their social roles and responsibilities (ibid).   Aside from earning equal respect and treatment with monks, nuns are facing a bigger problem which all of Tibet is experiencing, and that is the occupation of China in their land. Tsultrim Doma, a Buddhist nun in Tibet, says â€Å"The Chinese want our land, but they don’t want the Tibetan people. The women in our village were called to be sterilized, one by one. Those who refused must pay a fine. They have no money, so they have no choice† (Vincanne 77). Tibetans are experiencing a cultural and physical genocide; the Chinese are forcing Tibetan women, even nuns, to marry and Chinese nationals and bear their children. Tibetan women are forced to abort their babies just to reduce the Tibetan population (ibid). The Chinese are torturing the nuns and monks because they are the bearers of Tibetan culture, which is heavily rooted in religion; the monks and nuns are the suspects of political criminality in Lhasa (Vincanne 80). Hundreds of nunneries and monasteries have moved out of Tibet since the Chinese occupation and into the countries of India, Thailand, Nepal, Australia and others. Though Chinese are also Buddhists, they are persecuting the Tibetan Buddhists and they are faced with the challenge of renewal and reformulation (Shih 1) not only with their ways in treating the Buddhist nuns but with their survival. A Tibetan nun said that â€Å"the strength of our devotion frightens them† (Vincanne 81) since it is their devotion and religion that may liberate them. Their Buddhist belief in peace and liberation from suffering is timely with what they are experiencing, and together with their belief in karma, this enables them to endure their torments[8] and fight a rather peaceful battle for liberation than the Chinese government’s choice of using artillery and blood shed. The values of tolerance, inner transformation and enlightenment also enable the Tibetan Buddhists to be patient with what China has been doing, however, with the recent news of riots being broken out in China by the Tibetans, where monastics are accused of heading it, we do not know until when the Tibetan Buddhists- monks, nuns and lay people, can tolerate the injustices of China. Conclusion Buddhism was introduced in Tibet by the Indians in Tibetan in 123 CE and it replaced the mystic religion of Tibetans which was Bà ¶n. This mystic religion, however shaped the beliefs of the Tibetan Buddhists and made them somewhat different from other Buddhist sects. Their specific features are their distinct belief in life and death, important role of rituals and initiations, rich visual symbolism, element of Bà ¶n, the earlier Tibetan faith, and mantras and meditation practice. The Buddhist nuns have gone a long way from being admitted into the order by Buddha 2,500 years ago and only attaining a rank that is lower than that of the lowest rank for monks, to being ordained as a bhikshuni or a full nun and allowing the possibility of earning a geshe-ma or doctorate degree for them that will make them equals with monks. Though they are facing opposition from traditional lay-persons and monastics, the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist sects are on their side, calling that now is the time for equality and that Buddha-hood can be achieved by both man and woman. This is so because it was believed that women cannot achieve enlightenment, only men can achieve Buddha-hood and women must be reincarnated to do so. Some say that though Buddhism teaches equality, the patriarchal society in which Buddhism spread into has caused such inequality among men and women, thus making the lives of Buddhist nuns much harder than their monk counterparts. Women entering the nunneries today are much older than the women who were entering in the 1950s; from the average age of 16 it has risen to 43 in the past 40 and more years, showing that women have a more conscious decision to commit themselves to the Dharma and the religious life and shedding the notion that they are entering it because of lack of choice. In this time and age, were equality is being called for in all sectors of society Buddhists are being pressured and as said the Dalai Lama and other Tibetan Buddhist Leaders are supporting the Buddhist nuns. Also, another challenge is faced by the Tibetan Nuns and that is they are forced to be disrobed and be sterilized, that is marry into a Chinese national and give birth to a Chinese child. The nuns, together with the monks are the ultimate symbol of Tibetan culture since their culture is deeply rooted in religion, therefore they are the ones tortured by the Chinese government’s cleansing of Tibetan from their people. As one Tibetan nun said, the Chinese only want their land and not the people that is why they are being physically and culturally erased. Because of the Chinese occupation many nunneries in Tibet have been destroyed by the Chinese and the nunneries have moved out together with the government-in-exile of Tibet into India and other countries. Their belief in suffering, peace and karma allows them to endure the tortures they are receiving from the Chinese that are occupying their land. Tibetan nuns are not only fighting for their equality they are also the voice, together with the monks and the Dalai Lama that is calling for a peaceful fight for the liberation of their land. Works Cited BBC Religion & Ethics Web Site. 2008. BBC. 1 April 2008 . Buddhist Christian Studies Book Review. 8 October 2006. Hawaii: University of Hawaii Press. 2 April 2008 King, Ursula. â€Å"World Religions, Women and Education†. Comparative Education, Special Number (10): Sex Differences in Education. 23.10. (1987): 35-49. 31 March 2008 Tibet Website. 10 November 1997. The Government of Tibet in Exile Family of Sites. 3 April 2008 . Shi, Juo-hsueh. â€Å"Buddhist Nuns from a Modern Perspective† and Fitz-Gerald, Kerry. â€Å"Buddhism Needs Feminism.† Sakyaditha Newsletter. 3.2 (2002). 2 April 2008 . Soka Gakkai International. â€Å"Enlightenment of Women.† SGI Quarterly Magazine. (April 2000). 2 April 2008 . Simhanada Family of Sites.2006. Simhanada Buddhists. 2 April 2008 . Venerable Thubten Chodron’s Web Site. (n.d.) Ven. Thubten Chodron. 2 April 2008 from . Vincanne, Adams. â€Å"Suffering the Winds of Lhasa: Politicized Bodies, Human Rights, Cultural Difference, and Humanism in Tibet.† Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 12.1. (1998): 74-102. 31 March 2008 White, Bryan. A 5 minute Introduction to Buddhism. 1993. Buddha Dharma Education Association Network. 2 April 2008 . [1] See online articles and publications of Buddha Dharma Education Association [BDEA] for more information on Buddhism in Western countries. [2] Refer to the official webpage of the Tibetan Government in Exile: http://www.tibet.com [3] The Tibetan Buddhist Canon discusses this more extensively and can be found at the BDEA Web page, as well as in the eSSortment Web page. [4] 3 Principles of the Path is the (1) intention leave cyclic existence, (2) generate the intent to free all sentient beings and 93) correct view of emptiness (Simhanada   1) [5]Dharma refers to the Buddhist teachings or the path to truth and enlightenment. [6] A nun is subject to eight basic rules while a monk is only to follow four; when fully ordained a nun must observe 311 daily rules and the monk only 227 (King 40) [7] Vinaya class is the last class taken prior to taking the geshe exam and is required for the geshe degree. [8] Refer to Vincanne’s article of Suffering the Winds of Lhasa for detailed accounts