An Evolution Definition of Darwinism

An Evolution Definition of Darwinism Charles Darwin is known as the Father of Evolution for being the first person to publish his theory not only describing that evolution was a change in species over time but also put together a mechanism for how it works (called natural selection). There is arguably no other evolutionary scholar as well known and revered as Darwin. In fact, the term Darwinism has come to be synonymous with the Theory of Evolution, but what really is meant when people say the word Darwinism? And more importantly, what does Darwinism NOT mean? The Coining of the Term Darwinism, when it was first put into the lexicon by Thomas Huxley in 1860, was only meant to describe the belief that species change over time. In the most basic of terms, Darwinism became synonymous with Charles Darwins explanation of evolution and, to an extent, his description of natural selection. These ideas, first published in his arguably most famous book On the Origin of Species, were direct and have stood the test of time. So, originally, Darwinism only included the fact that species change over time due to nature selecting the most favorable adaptations within the population. These individuals with the better adaptations lived long enough to reproduce and pass those traits down to the next generation, ensuring the species survival. The Evolution of Darwinism While many scholars insist this should be the extent of information that the word Darwinism should encompass, it has somewhat evolved itself over time as the Theory of Evolution itself also changed when more data and information became readily available. For instance, Darwin did not know anything about Genetics as it wasnt until after his death that Gregor Mendel did his work with his pea plants and published the data. Many other scientists proposed alternative mechanisms for evolution during a time which became known as neo-Darwinism. However, none of these mechanisms held up over time and Charles Darwins original assertions were restored as the correct and leading Theory of Evolution. Now, the Modern Synthesis of the Evolutionary Theory is sometimes described using the term Darwinism, but this is somewhat misleading since it includes not only Genetics but also other topics not explored by Darwin like microevolution via DNA mutations and other molecular biological tenets. What Darwinism Is NOT In the United States, Darwinism has taken on a different meaning to the general public. In fact, opponents to the Theory of Evolution have taken the term Darwinism and created a false definition of the word that brings up a negative connotation for many who hear it. The strict Creationists have taken the word hostage and created a new meaning which is often perpetuated by those in the media and others who do not truly understand the real meaning of the word. These anti-evolutionists have taken the word Darwinism to not only mean a change in species over time but have lumped in the origin of life along with it. Darwin did not assert any sort of hypothesis on how life on Earth began in any of this writings and only could describe what he had studied and had evidence to back up. Creationists and other anti-evolutionary parties either misunderstood the term Darwinism or purposefully hijacked it to make it more negative. The term has even been used to describe the origin of the universe b y some extremists, which is way beyond the realm of anything Darwin would have made a conjecture on at any time in his life. In other countries around the world, however, this false definition is not present. In fact, in the United Kingdom where Darwin did most of his work, it is a celebrated and understood term that is commonly used instead of the Theory of Evolution through Natural Selection. There is no ambiguity of the term there and it is used correctly by scientists, the media, and the general public every day.

Snowball essays

Snowball essays The Painting Snowball by John Falter is a mysterious Painting that makes you wonder about what the man is out to accomplish. Is he trying to sell something? Is he out to cause trouble? Or is something going to happen to the man? The dreary atmosphere makes you sense something is going to happen. It is an extremely suspenseful painting because the man is the focal point of the painting and you want to find out what the man is setting out to do. The man, who is the focal point of the painting is wearing a brown overcoat, and glasses that make him look shady. The red briefcase he is holding on to tightly with his left hand suggests that something of great importance is in it. The man looks suspicious and out of place in the painting. He is standing on the sidewalk with snow piled up to his knees on both sides when he is about to take his first steps on his journey down the neighborhood Its a simple town, with tall brown trees that are covered with snow. These trees line the left side of the sidewalk. All the trees seam to be the same size and shape. At the beginning of the row there is a yellow sign facing the dirty road. Its a quite little town with little activity other then the brown car coming down the street in the distance. It seam that the only time people come out of there houses is to shovel the sidewalks. The houses in the painting are all similar. The houses, which line the right side of the painting, are all yellow with the exception of the first house that has a brown first floor. All of the houses have a empty porch that are surrounded by bushes that hide the bottom of the porch. The roofs of the houses are covered with snow in some spots. The second house in the row has a bright red chimney that separates it from all of the other houses. In the driveway of the first house there are two red dots and a blue dot. It looks likes the tops of kids hats waiting to attack...

Describe and evaluate the main macroeconomic policies used by the Essay - 4

Describe and evaluate the main macroeconomic policies used by the Government and Central Bank of China over the last two years - Essay Example Monetary policy involves regulating the money supply and interest rates by a central bank with the aim of controlling and stabilising the currency (He and Chen, 2014). Over the last two years, china’s macroeconomic policies aim at containing inflation to 4% eventually, to contain real estate by bringing prices of houses down, to maintain a decent growth rate of about 8 to 9% and to preserve the value of China’s foreign assets (He and Chen, 2014). This essay discusses the monetary and fiscal policy as used by the government and Central Bank of China. China has used a proactive fiscal policy over the last two years. A proactive fiscal policy is a moderately expansionary policy, which creates demand and triggers economic growth by growing domestic demand (Zhang, Fan and Haan, 2010). The policy has over the period aimed at ensuring the steady growth of China’s economy, making proper adjustments to its economic structure, promoting reforms and benefiting its people. That said, the policy continues to try to maintain balance between enhancing economic growth, keeping prices stable and protection against financial risks. Unfortunately, China’s economy risks being stalled. This was seen in 2014 where the annual GDP growth hit a low of 7.4% (see figure 1), the lowest rate since 1990 (Wei, 2015). However, as many economic policy enthusiasts believe, continued use of moderately expansionary policy will generate positive results on China’s economic growth in the midst of slow export growth. The expansionary policy is aimed at spending to generate income. Build-up of development and infrastructure needs and vast fiscal resources have made China channel immense spending into the economy. China has in recent years has relied on its large population to provide the required demand for their products to generate the required income. Government expenditure has, however, been seen to mainly lie in the areas of education, healthcare and other social expenditures (Jia,

REPORT (E MARKETING) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

REPORT (E MARKETING) - Essay Example SMART has a very good reputation in the market for the latest cutting edge technology, human expertise and professional service that includes before and after service. Australia is one of the digitally well connected countries in the world with a very high digital media usage (Internet Marketing; Chaffey et al) Weaknesses: In the past ten years competition has grown tremendously. This is mostly because of low barriers of entry, and the advance and availability of technology. Opportunities: Despite being highly competitive, the web conferencing industry in Australia is still growing. The current heavy users are large multinationals, followed by SMEs The growth in large multinationals have been stagnant. The growth potential in SMEs is still very good as only an estimated 60% of SMEs are heavy users. However, competition is at heaviest in SMEs. The company is based in Sydney, with remote offices in Melbourne and Perth. Australia has a stable government and an advanced legal system. Mos tly unaffected by the Global Financial Crisis, the current economic situation is stable, with a good future.

International Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

International Banking - Essay Example Studying the prospects and challenges for Islamic banking could reveal useful lessons for a reorientation of Western conventional banking. A key feature of the conventional banking system as practiced today is that it is based on interest. This is an amount of money that is paid on deposits at banks and levied on the loans they provide. This system is designed to benefit money lenders whereas borrowers are made to bear the risks entirely. Consequently, this system facilitates exploitation and many borrowers become burdened by rising values of their debts. Occasionally the problems become so extensive that financial crises occur. The Islamic financial system is characterized by the strict prohibition of riba, which is the charging, paying and receiving of interest on money loaned. The Quranic injunction is in chapter 2, verse 275, which states, â€Å"Allah has allowed the sale and has prohibited interest†. The prohibition extends to both the lending and taking of money involving interest or partaking in any other way in an interest based transaction. The justification is that the charging of interest results in an imbalance and it therefore promotes exploitation whereas the Islamic system is designed to ensure balance, fairness and justice (‘adl) in all financial dealings. Actually, Islamic finance is not unique in its prohibition of interest but it has perhaps developed the most sophisticated system to help implement interest-free banking. As Lewis (2007) noted, usury was prohibited in all the major religions but people then made it acceptable. For example, it is also prohibited in Exodus (22:2 5). In addition, the shariah (Islamic law) advises to avoid gharar (uncertainty), qimar (speculation) and greed. In short, shariah compliant financial products and services do not involve any interest and speculation and uncertainty is minimised as far as possible. Instead, the Islamic system of finance is based on the principle of shirakah, which

Level Of Immigration In London Sociology Essay

Level Of Immigration In London Sociology Essay Immigration is a topic that not every individual would like to discuss, but its an issue that we hear and see every day. There is a high increase in immigrants entering the United Kingdom from European Union countries. Immigration is a subject thats difficult to collect detailed data from as there is a lack of official statistics or evidence. As already mentioned, there are many immigrants from European countries but there are also immigrants entering London from many other countries (non-european). This depends on various reasons, as some may enter a specific country in order to escape from danger in their existing place or to claim asylum. So how do we know if immigration good or bad for the UK? I have conducted an ananymous interview and will use it to critically reflect on the journal article Immigration and Social Cohesion in the UK. The article mainly focuses on the negative aspects of migration in regards of population dimension. In this essay I will mention a few benefits tha t have been brought into London through immigration. I will make arguments in regards of economical and social benefits to the area. Ill be arguing against the journal article and will announce positive aspects and my own view of migration. I will use the answers given by my interviewee and also use some external secondary data. What is immigration? People who move from one nation to the other without being citizens to that specific national state are called immigrants. This is the movement of immigration (ImmigrationAssist, Undated). Immigration is an arguable topic in London as there are both, positive and negative aspects to it. I think that there are more positive aspects to immigration in London rather than negative aspects. London has become a popular place of immigration. People started migrating to London after the second world war (Migration Information, 2009). Immigrants are viewed as people who take over on jobs and houses and leave nothing for the existing citizens (Interview, Line). Criticisms of immigration to consider is that social solidarity gets weaker and secondly that immigrants do not adopt the culture and values shared in Britain, but rather express their own values within London. Immigration is viewed as a cultural eraser. Moreover the UK has a policy framework which prevents racial di scrimination and therefore allows minorities to be visible within the country. Immigration levels have been constant from 1990 onwards (The Guardian, 2001). However, today London is receiving an unimaginable rate of immigrants. Recently, there have been great arguments if there should be a limit introduced to immigration in London. Before attempting to give your own opinion it is important to consider both; negative and positive aspects of the topic. To announce it more accurately I think that it is difficult to maintain both sides at an equal level or to make a fixed statement for or against the matter. We, as the public have opinions about the limitation on immigration so do politicians. Let us consider some if these views. One of the main view is that the country is getting over populated. One of those over populated places in Britain is London. At present times there is a population number of 65 million people within London, however predicitions claim that within 70 years the population number will rise up to 108 million people (BBC, 2011). This means that immigrants will need houses to live in. The government is therefore building as many houses as possible. This means that the government is spending a lot of money on resources. Well end up having less countrysides but a higher level of pollution as houses increase. If there was a limit set to immigration, the government wouldnt need to spend money on building houses (Policy Network, 2013). Not everyone has the same view about immigration, every individual has a different thought about it. Some of us certainly believe that it is better if we closed our borders in order to decrease the level of immigration (Gov.uk, 2013). But what do we gain from limiting the number of immigrants entering the country? The common perspective of immigration is that immigrants enter the country in order to obtain social benefits, which my interviewee also thought of (Interview, Line). However, immigrants do not possess the knowledge of the native language that is being used in the country, as they come from a different culture with different religions and different languages. These differences can lead to serious problems, such as violence. Dishonest immigrants enter the country in order to sell drugs or to carry out illegal activities. This is not a subject to be concerned about in London as much as it is in the United States. On the other side, people view immigration as something positive, as I do. Immigration allows the society to be more diverse in terms of culture and religion. It is important to know the differences between various cultures, as it builds knowledge and may erase the issue of racism. Some believe that jobs are the countrys private property, whereas others claim that immigration is a key to spread a better economy to less developed countries. Immigration can therefore be announced as a tool that helps to overcome world property. Immigrants are known to be the most hard working and intelligent workers within the country. Its an advantage to them as immigration allows to express talents and skills to another country (Independent, 2009). Previous census results show that London has completely changed. The results clearly show that the number of immigrants entering Britain has gone up by 3 million. However, politicians claimed that this was not an issue to worry about. Moreover the 2011 census shows that London is now a place of multiculturalism; which means that the amount white population has decreased to a very low level (ons.gov.uk, interactive, 2011). This has also been mentioned in the dailymail, It is believed to be the first time that British whites have become a minority in any region of the UK (Dailymail, 2012). This certainly means that the country has a very low percentage of white population, however the population size seems to increase as the years go by. This is an outcome due to immigration. However, it is important to take into account that immigrantion is a not a bad thing itself. Immigration introduces many advantages to London, which can be gathered from the talents and ideas that have been brough t into the country through immigration. It was stated that English is a language that was made up of many foreign languages in Britain decades ago. Through immigration we see an increase in population and culture which has a positive impact on the society. Economically, the increase in population expresses the filled job positions within London, which allows an increase in tax input and therefore benefits institutions such as schools. However, a House of Lords report stated that immigration does not benefit London at all; Minister Liam Byrne says migration has added ÂÂ £6bn to the economy (BBC article, 2008). It does lead to a greater economy which is shared with a greater society which leaves us with nothing. My interviewee, stated that it is not fair on the existing population, as they work very hard to achieve. I certainly go against her saying as people dont move out of one country to another just for the fun of it but for various reasons. The reasons could be the desire for a better living, such as good education al and job opportunities. Its not easy to adopt a new athmosphere, and to seperate from family members and friends. Just like any other place, London expresses that it contains racism to some extent. Even though we think that legal immigrants are treated fairly, there are still people who discriminate others as they possess different values and norms. The BBC news magazine announces, for the most part legal immigrants are treated fairly but there are still racists out there, just cause someone is speaking a different language they start discriminating them (BBC Does Britains sense of fair play attract immigrants?, 2010). Illegal immigrants, however are treated not as fair as legal immigrants. Yet they are illegal residents, but they are here for certain reasons, such as the ideology of having a better life. This shows that London is a place of opportunity and freedom (BBC Does Britains sense of fair play attract immigrants?, 2010). The article also mentions that when people see someone from a different ethnic group, they tend to assume that they are illegal immigrants, when in reality they could b e legal UK citizens. The view is that London has economically benefited from immigration as the new workers (immigrants) agree to take over on low paid jobs, which the existing population may not desire to opt for. Another reason is that the new workers allow the defeat in skill shortages within London. A recent home office research (Glover et al, 2001) states that there has been very little attention in force towards migration within the United Kingdom, Immigration has been a market driven response to supply and demand, rather than policy-driven. Theres no solid solution for the increase of immigration in London, but there are some ways that could be used in order to reduce the amount of immigration. We already have security barriers at all British borders, although they are not strong enough. As I have already mentioned a method is to make those barriers stronger to prevent the high income of immigrants, this means that borders should be checked more frequently and strictly. There are actions taken at the border crossing, The final set of recent immigration policy changes are designed to reinforce security at the border (Focus Migration, undated). The British police should be more aware of illegal entrance into the United Kingdom, and should therefore check immigrants if they have the correct documents to enter the country. The police should also be able to arrest those who enable immigrants to cross countries illegally. My interviewee stated that the government should take some action to decrease the amount of immigration, by providing a lower amount of benefits. To conclude, it seems satisfactory to state that there are social and economic benefits and disadvantages to the UK through immigration, as migrant workers who recently entered London have brought such changes. The pressure on public services has been held responsible on immigration, moreover it is the government that was unable to set additional income into such services while obtaining the advantages of economic growth and greater tax profits. It is very difficult to follow an open-door policy (the scheme of allowing equal business opportunities to all countries) without supplying any help to the community to deal with a greater population level. Immigration can be beneficial if the rate of immigration is maintained to a certain level and if the government fulfills the needs of the population. UK Borders should only be opened up to those who are hard working and who are in real danger. It is for certain that the immigrant population within London will change our lives by creating m ore diverse alterations to the country. Word Count: 1,854 Interview transcription: Carried out on 12th April 2013 Q: Hi, how are you? 1. Alicia: Hiiii (big smile on face), not too bad actually, its just the weather thats irritating. Q: Let me just quickly explain what this is about, I will interview you and see what your opinion about immigration is. Im doing this for an academic purpose and will use this interview for a critical reflection on an artical. I will not collect any personal details from you, as this interview remains anonymous. Is that okai with you? 2. Alicia: Yep, deffoo. Q: Do you mind if I take a maximum of 15 minutes of your life? 3. Alicia: Haha, thats not a problem. I dont mind helping people you know. Q: Whats your favourite town within London? 4. Alicia: Wembley. Q: If you were to come from Wembley today, why would you get here, all the way from Wembley to Stratford? 5. Alicia: I like shopping, and Westfields is wow, it has a variety of shops. I dont mind travelling, 6. its way better than sitting at home, hehe. Q: How would you get here? 7. Alicia: I took the train. I drive but dont own a car yet. Im still looking for a part time job, coz I 8. dont want my parents to get me a car. If its something for me then it should be from my 9. own money. Q: Okai thats a sweet idea. Would you be able to list any difference between Wembley and Stratford? 10. Alicia: Erm, no. Q: Why not? 11. Alicia: Both places are pretty much multicultural. Erm, you can see people from everywhere, 12. erm you know like, ehhm, you see asians, whites and blacks, sorry Im not trying to be racist 13. here, just answering the question. Q: Interesting, do you prefer this country to remain multicultural? 14. Alicia: Yehh, curse I do. Its cool how we connect with people from different backgrounds. 15. Not only Wembley and Stratford but all over London. I would say that London has people 16. from all over the world. Q: What do you think, could be the reason for multiculturalism in London? 17. Alicia: Im actually not sure you know. Erm (pause), Im really not sure, maybe coz there are 18. better welfare services here..I think. Q: Would you say that immigration has an impact on multiculturalism? 19. Alicia: Oh yh, actually thats something to think about. Personally, Im from Germany. I was 20. born there and spent 13years there. Originally Im of a Pakistani background. I think there is 21. something about the government that makes immigration easier, coz in Germany you rarely 22. meet any people from different places. Immigration must be the reason, there must be 23. many people like me who migrated from other places to the UK. Q: What do you think about immigration? 23. Alicia: Erm, it actually doesnt matter of where youre from, but its good to do it legally 24. rather than illegallyhehe (quiet laughter). Q: Why do you say that? 25. Alicia: Well, illegal residents will of course call their children or relatives over and will opt for 26. benefits and free food and all that. Its so not fair on us, coz we might end up being in a 27. position of hardship.(Quite tensed, forehead creased) Q: What do you mean by hardship, do you mind expanding? 28. Alicia: Its just you know, there is always a time where we might end up not getting 29. jobs..erm, basically well be jobless. We grow up in this country, and do everything legally, 30. and you know work hard to get into a decent job. That cant be taken away from us by illegal 31. immigrants. Its seriously not fair on the ones who work their bottoms off. (Smile faded, head still creasedpretty much into the questionnaire) Q: But dont you think that people may settle here due to their personal reasons? 32. Alicia: Well yeah, erm I know some people who came over coz they have some war or some 33. sort of problem going on in their place. Q: Dont you think that they work really hard too, to remain in a safe place? 34. Alicia: Hmm (seems tensed) Q: Do you think that immigration and population growth go together? 35. Alicia: I think so, the more migrates we have the higher the population will be. Q: Is that something bad or good? 36. Alicia: Id say bad, coz well run out of houses to live in haha, Im kidding, but as I said well 37. experience hardship. Q: So dont you think that there are any good aspects to immigration? 38. Alicia: There are, as I said we connect to people who are of a different background. I would 39. say(little pause), say that immigration makes us learn different cultures. Erm, its kinda like 40. getting to know different values and life styles, were basically learningerm increasing our 41. knowledge. There could also be an opportunity to learn different languages. Q: So youre saying it allows cultural exchange? 42. Alicia: Er yeah, hehe. Q: Is that the only positive aspect or do you have more to add? 43. Alicia: I would say that London is more welcoming than Germany. Erm immigration shows that the country is treating people fairly, whatever their background. (Big smile) Q: Thats a really nice thought.

Fort Henry And Donelson :: essays research papers

Fort Donelson, Tennessee, guarding the Cumberland River, became the site of the first major Confederate defeat in the Civil War. Victory at Donelson started Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant on his road to Appomattox and the White House. His cool judgment under pressure saved the day after the Confederates threatened to break his troop lines, yet errors by his opponents handed him a victory that he did not fully earn on his own. Possession of the better part of two states vital to the South depended on the outcome of the battle at Fort Donelson. When war began in April 1861, Kentucky declared its neutrality, in response to deep conflicts of opinion among its citizens. Considering neutrality impossible to maintain, North and South maneuvered for position once Kentucky was opened to military operations. The Confederates constructed fortifications on both the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers just south of the Kentucky line. They built Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, on ground susceptible to flooding, but chose higher ground for Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. Both sides wanted Kentucky but recognized that the first to cross its borders risked losing popular support. Confederate Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow rashly seized Columbus, Kentucky, on the Mississippi River bluffs, a move that appalled President Jefferson Davis, who first ordered Pillow to withdraw, then allowed him to stay when he realized that the deed could not be reversed. Grant, commanding at Cairo, Illinois, then occupied Paducah at the mouth of the Tennessee and Smithland at the mouth of the Cumberland, strategic points neglected by General Gideon Pillow. In November Grant tested Confederate strength at Columbus by landing troops across the Mississippi River at Belmont, Missouri. The drawn battle that followed sent him back to Cairo still eager to advance, but not necessarily along the Mississippi River. Knowing of the poor location of Fort Henry, he wanted to use Union gunboats to advantage, and foresaw that the fall of Fort Henry would open the Tennessee River as far north as Alabama. Winning reluctant permission from his superior, Major General Henry W. Halleck, Grant moved south in early February. The flooded Fort Henry fell to the gunboats on February 6, 1862 and most of the garrison fled to Fort Donelson, which was eleven miles away. Grant then followed, after sending the gunboats back down the Tennessee and over to the Cumberland. In St. Louis, Halleck, a "military bureaucrat par excellence", took no official insight of Grant’s plans. Fort Henry And Donelson :: essays research papers Fort Donelson, Tennessee, guarding the Cumberland River, became the site of the first major Confederate defeat in the Civil War. Victory at Donelson started Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant on his road to Appomattox and the White House. His cool judgment under pressure saved the day after the Confederates threatened to break his troop lines, yet errors by his opponents handed him a victory that he did not fully earn on his own. Possession of the better part of two states vital to the South depended on the outcome of the battle at Fort Donelson. When war began in April 1861, Kentucky declared its neutrality, in response to deep conflicts of opinion among its citizens. Considering neutrality impossible to maintain, North and South maneuvered for position once Kentucky was opened to military operations. The Confederates constructed fortifications on both the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers just south of the Kentucky line. They built Fort Henry on the Tennessee River, on ground susceptible to flooding, but chose higher ground for Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River. Both sides wanted Kentucky but recognized that the first to cross its borders risked losing popular support. Confederate Brigadier General Gideon J. Pillow rashly seized Columbus, Kentucky, on the Mississippi River bluffs, a move that appalled President Jefferson Davis, who first ordered Pillow to withdraw, then allowed him to stay when he realized that the deed could not be reversed. Grant, commanding at Cairo, Illinois, then occupied Paducah at the mouth of the Tennessee and Smithland at the mouth of the Cumberland, strategic points neglected by General Gideon Pillow. In November Grant tested Confederate strength at Columbus by landing troops across the Mississippi River at Belmont, Missouri. The drawn battle that followed sent him back to Cairo still eager to advance, but not necessarily along the Mississippi River. Knowing of the poor location of Fort Henry, he wanted to use Union gunboats to advantage, and foresaw that the fall of Fort Henry would open the Tennessee River as far north as Alabama. Winning reluctant permission from his superior, Major General Henry W. Halleck, Grant moved south in early February. The flooded Fort Henry fell to the gunboats on February 6, 1862 and most of the garrison fled to Fort Donelson, which was eleven miles away. Grant then followed, after sending the gunboats back down the Tennessee and over to the Cumberland. In St. Louis, Halleck, a "military bureaucrat par excellence", took no official insight of Grant’s plans.

Australian development in accordance to Indigenous Rights Essay

In most practical ways, Australia is an egalitarian society. This does not mean that everyone is the same or that everybody has equal wealth or property, just that we accept all. As a country, Australia aims for the equality of all citizens; Indigenous, European and other, however these were not always the intentions of White Settlement, on the land we call home. European settlement had a severe and devastating impact on Indigenous people. Indigenous people called Australia home many hundreds of thousands of years before White Settlement came. Sadly, including the fact that the Europeans were intruding and taking over land that was not their own, the Indigenous Australians still fell victims of the invasion and sadly became slaves on their own soil. Not only did the European Australian’s discriminate against the Indigenous Australians; they murdered them too. In the 1800’s two years after the British flag was raised in Van Dieman’s Land, settlers were authorised to shoot Indigenous Australians. The displacement of Aboriginal peoples from their land resulted in a drastic decline in their population. While many Aboriginal people were killed in violent clashes over the rights to settle on the land, a vast number also died from malnourishment. But the European settlers did not stop there. From about 1910 until at least 1970, the intention of governments and Aboriginal welfare officials was to assimilate them into white society and, by controlling who they associated with and married, to eventually ‘breed out the colour’ and thus rid Australia of its Indigenous people. One of the ways they tried to achieve this was through The Stolen Generation. Children were removed to separate them permanently from the rest of their race and around 100,00 children were taken from their families. Ronald Wilson and Mick Dodson, the commission’s chairman and social justice commissioner, declared: â€Å"Nationally we can conclude with confidence that between one in three and one in ten Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities in the period from approximately 1910 until 1970. † Up until a certain point in history, Australians didn’t even believe that the Stolen Generation occurred and continued to ignore the rights of Indigenous Australians. However, Australia has in fact realized that these events against the Indigenous people of our land were wrong, and should never be repeated, and since then action has taken place. In 1997, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission made the most notorious accusation ever directed by a government body against Australia. It accused this country of committing genocide against the Aborigines by stealing their children. Australia has tried to make progress since acknowledging these wrongs. The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 entitled all Indigenous Australians to enrol and vote in Commonwealth elections. The 1967 Referendum allowed the Aboriginals to become part of the Commonwealth and removed part of the Parliament statement that discriminated against the Indigenous, allowing them to not make ‘special rules’. As a result the Indigenous Australians now have more equality in terms of the laws within Australia and the Constitution. The Redfern Address in December 1992 by Prime Minister Paul Keating was another step forward for Australia and Indigenous Rights. Keating truly connected with Indigenous Australians, making a speech to the Indigenous community of Redfern, NSW, openly and boldly admitting that Australia was to blame for the suffering of Indigenous Australians. He acknowledged on behalf of the country, the responsibility for the injustices done to Australia’s indigenous peoples. Additionally, February the 14th 2008 saw an incredible event in history for the development of Australia as a country, in accordance to Aboriginal rights, as well as being a huge importance to the Indigenous people. In Parliament, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd officially offered a broad apology to all Aborigines and the Stolen Generations for their â€Å"profound grief, suffering and loss†. He said there came a time in history when people had to reconcile the past with their future, and that as a country â€Å"we apologize. † Since recognizing the wrongs of our country, Australia has developed in accordance to Indigenous Rights. Indigenous Australians hold the status of original peoples of this land. By the Australian Government, laws now state that Indigenous Australians have the rights to: – A distinct status and culture, which helps maintain and strengthen the identity and spiritual and cultural practices of Indigenous communities, – The right to self-determination, which is a process where Indigenous communities take control of their future and decide how they will address the issues facing them, and – The right to land, which provides the spiritual and cultural basis of Indigenous communities. Although it is evident that Australia has moved forward as a country in terms of accepting and recognizing the rights of Indigenous Australians, we do have room to move even more forward. Australia still has room for improvement and further development- we are not fully satisfied and have not yet fully achieved development when it comes to Indigenous Australians. From the time they first arrived in Australia, the white settlers had attempted to ‘civilise’ the Aboriginal people. The impact of the white settlers changed their lives, and the lives of future generations, forever. The drastic effects we had on Indigenous Australians are still there. And even though Australia now accepts Indigenous people as equal citizens, they still appear to be underdeveloped. The intervention was wrong in the first place, because there was no negotiation and understanding towards the Indigenous culture. However it is too late now to walk away, attempting to create peace when harm has been done. Australia should assist in areas of Indigenous welfare, education and health, and should also continue educate white Australians to maintain a deep respect towards the Aboriginal culture, the original owners of our land.

Performance Based Pay for Teachers

Performance Based Pay for Teachers Performance-based pay for teachers, or merit pay, is a trending educational topic. Teachers pay, in general, is often highly debated. Performance-based pay ties teaching components such as standardized test scores and teacher evaluations to a salary schedule. Performance-based pay originated from a corporate model that bases a teachers salary on job performance. Higher performing teachers receive more compensation, while lower performing teachers receive less. The Denver, Colorado school district may have the most successful performance-based pay program in the nation. The program, called ProComp, is seen as a national model for performance-based pay. ProComp was designed to impact critical issues such as student achievement, teacher retention, and teacher recruitment positively. The program has been credited with boosting those areas, but it does have its critics. Performance-based pay will likely continue to increase in popularity over the next decade. Like any educational reform issue, there are two sides to the argument. Here, we examine the pros and cons of performance-based pay for teachers. Pros Motivates Teachers to Make Improvements in the Classroom Performance-based pay systems offer teachers a reward based on meeting set performance measures typically tied to student performance. These measures are based on educational research and are a set of best practices intended to boost overall student outcomes. Many of the best teachers are already doing a lot of these things in their classrooms. With performance-based pay, they may be asked to take it a little above what they normally do, or it may motivate low performing teachers to get their acts together to receive their bonus. Provides Teachers With the Opportunity to Receive a Higher Salary People typically do not become teachers because of the salary. But, it doesnt mean that they do not want or need more money. Sadly, a relatively large number of teachers across the country are picking up a second job to keep their family afloat financially. Performance-based pay not only provides teachers with an option to make more money but also motivates them to meet targeted objectives while doing so. It is a win, win situation both for the teacher and their students. The teacher makes more money, and in turn, their students get a better education. Invites Competition Thus Raising Student Performance Performance-based pay creates competition among teachers. The better their students perform, the more money theyll receive. Higher outcomes translate to higher pay. Teachers are often competitive by nature. They want their fellow teachers to be successful. But, they also want to be more successful then them. Healthy competition pushes teachers to become better, which in turn boost student learning. Everyone wins when the best teachers work hard to stay at the top, and mediocre teachers work hard to improve enough to be considered one the best. Allows Bad Teachers to Be Removed Easier Many performance-based pay systems include components which enable principals to terminate teachers who continuously fail to meet goals and objectives. Most teacher unions adamantly opposed performance-based pay because of this element. Standard teacher contracts make it difficult to terminate employment, but a performance-based pay contract makes it easier to remove a bad teacher. Teachers who are unable to get the job done are replaced by another teacher who may be able to get things on track. Aids in Teacher Recruitment and Retention Performance-based pay can be an attractive incentive especially for young teachers who have a lot to offer. The opportunity for higher pay is often too compelling to pass up. To passionate teachers, the extra work is worth the higher salary. Also, schools offering performance-based compensation typically have no problems attracting top teaching talent. The pool is usually bottomless, so they can get quality teachers from the beginning. They also keep their good teachers. The best teachers are easy to retain because they are well respected and likely will not receive a higher salary elsewhere. Cons Encourages Teachers to Teach to Standardized Tests A large part of the performance-based pay objectives rests in standardized test scores. Teachers across the nation are already feeling the pressure to abandon creativity and originality and instead to teach to the tests. Attaching an increase in pay only amplifies that situation. Standardized testing is all the rage in public education, and performance-based pay just adds fuel to the fire. Teachers skip once celebrated teachable moments. They neglect valuable life lessons and have essentially become robots all in the name of passing a single test on a single day during the school year. Can Potentially Be Costly to the District School districts across the United States are already strapped for cash. Teachers on a performance-based contract receive a base salary. They receive a â€Å"bonus† for meeting specific objectives and goals. This â€Å"bonus† money can add up quickly. The Denver Public School District in Colorado was able to start ProComp thanks to voters who approved a tax increase that allowed them to fund the incentive program. It would have been impossible to fund the program without the revenue generated from the tax increase. School districts would find it exceedingly difficult to maintain the funds necessary to run a performance-based pay program without additional funding. Dilutes a Teacher’s Overall Value Most teachers offer much more than just the ability to meet learning objectives or goals. Teaching should be about more than just a test score. Ideally, teachers should be rewarded for the size of the impact they make and for making a difference in the lives of their students. Sometimes those qualities go unrecognized and unrewarded. Teachers have a powerful influence on their students, yet theyre relegated to ensuring that their students are going to pass a test. It skews the real value of a teacher when you only base the job they are doing on meeting student performance objectives.   Fails to Consider Factors Beyond a Teacher’s Control There are many factors beyond a teacher’s control that influence student performance just as much or more than any teacher will. Factors such as lack of parental involvement, poverty, and learning disabilities offer real hindrances to learning. They are nearly impossible to overcome. The reality is that teachers who sacrifice to pour into the lives of these students are often seen as bad teachers because their students do not meet the level of proficiency that their peers do. The truth is that many of these teachers are doing a far superior job than their peers who teach at an affluent school. Sometimes they fail to receive the same rewards for their hard work. Can Potentially Harm High-Risk Areas Every school is not the same. Every student is not the same. Why would a teacher want to teach in a school surrounded by poverty and have the cards stacked against them, when they can teach in an affluent school and have immediate success? A performance-based pay system would keep many of the best teachers from pursuing jobs in those high-risk areas because of nearly impossible odds to meet the performance measures needed to make it worth the while.

Biography of Queen Alexandra

Biography of Queen Alexandra Queen Alexandra (December 1, 1844 – November 20, 1925) was the longest-serving Princess of Wales in British history. She was the wife of King Edward VII, the successor to Queen Victoria. Although her public duties were limited, Alexandra became a style icon and did significant charity work in her lifetime. Fast Facts: Queen Alexandra Full Name:  Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise JuliaOccupation: Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of IndiaBorn: December 1, 1844 in Copenhagen, DenmarkDied: November 20, 1925 in Norfolk, EnglandKnown For: Born a princess of Denmark; married Queen Victorias son and heir; as queen, held little political power but was influential in fashion and charity workSpouse: King Edward VII (m. 1863-1910)Children: Prince Albert Victor; Prince George (later King George V); Louise, Princess Royal; Princess Victoria, Princess Maud (later Queen Maud of Norway); Prince Alexander John Princess of Denmark Born Princess Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia of Denmark, Alexandra was known to her family as â€Å"Alix.† She was born at the Yellow Palace in Copenhagen on December 1, 1844. Her parents were minor royalty: Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glà ¼cksburg and Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Although they were members of the Danish royal family, Alexandras family lived a comparatively low-key life. Her father Christian’s income came only from his army commission. Alexandra had several siblings, but was closest to her sister Dagmar (who would later become Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia). Their family was close with Hans Christian Andersen, who occasionally visited to tell the children stories. The Danish royal family became more complicated in 1848, when King Christian VIII died and his son, Frederick, became king. Frederick was childless, and because he ruled both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein, which had differing succession laws, a crisis arose. The ultimate outcome was that Alexandra’s father became the heir to Frederick in both regions. This change elevated Alexandra’s status, as she became the daughter of a future king. However, the family remained outside of court life, partially due to their disapproval of Frederick. Princess of Wales Alexandra was not Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s first choice to marry their son, Prince Albert Edward. Nevertheless, Alexandra was introduced to the Prince of Wales by his sister, Princess Victoria, in 1861. After a courtship, Edward proposed in September of 1862, and the couple were married on March 10, 1863 at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The wedding was a less festive occasion than many had hoped for, since the court was still in mourning for Prince Albert, who had died in December 1861. Alexandra gave birth to their first child, Prince Albert Victor, in 1864. The couple would go on to have a total of six children (including one who died at birth). Alexandra preferred to be a hands-on mother, but she also continued to enjoy her social life, carrying on hobbies such as hunting and ice skating. The couple were the center of society, bringing a youthful fun to a court long-dominated by a strict (and now mourning) queen. Even after rheumatic fever left her with a permanent limp, Alexandra was noted for being a charming and cheerful woman. Although most accounts seem to show that Edward and Alexandra had a fairly happy marriage, Edwards affection for his wife did not stop the prince from continuing his infamous playboy ways. He carried on several affairs throughout their marriage, both flings and long-term extramarital relationships, while Alexandra remained faithful. She became increasingly isolated, due to a hereditary condition that caused her to slowly lose hearing. Edward ran in scandalous circles and was very nearly implicated in at least one divorce hearing. As Princess of Wales, Alexandra performed many public duties, taking on the burden of some of her mother-in-law Victoria’s public appearances such as opening ceremonies, attending concerts, visiting hospitals, and otherwise conducting charity works. She was a popular young addition to the monarchy and was almost universally liked by the British public. In the early 1890s, Alexandra and her family suffered multiple losses that would also change the course of two monarchies. Prince Albert Victor, her eldest son, died in 1892 at the age of 28 after falling ill during a flu pandemic. His death devastated Alexandra. Albert Victors younger brother, George, became the heir and even married Albert Victor’s former fiancà ©e, Mary of Teck; it is from this line that the current British monarchy descends. Alexandra’s sister Dagmar also suffered a major loss in 1894: her husband, the Russian Tsar Alexander III, died. Dagmars son took the throne as Nicholas II. He would be the last tsar of Russia. Queen At Last Edward was the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history during his lifetime. (He was surpassed by his descendant Prince Charles in 2017.) However, he finally ascended to the throne upon Queen Victoria’s death in 1901. By this time, Edward’s taste for excess was catching up to him and his health, so Alexandra had to appear in his place for a few events. This was the only time that Alexandra was permitted to be involved in matters of importance. She held political opinions (for example, she was wary of German expansion from the beginning) but was ignored when she expressed them in both public and private. Ironically, her distrust proved prescient: she urged against the British and Germans â€Å"swapping† dominion over a pair of islands, which the Germans ended up using as a fortified stronghold during the world wars. Edward and his ministers went so far as to exclude her from trips abroad and forbid her to read briefing papers so that she would not try to exert any influence. Instead, she poured her efforts into charity work. On one occasion, however, Alexandra broke protocol and appeared publicly in a political context. In 1910, she became the first queen consort to visit the House of Commons and watch a debate. She would not be queen consort for long, though. Only a few months later, she was on a trip to Greece, visiting her brother, King George I, when she received word that Edward was seriously ill. Alexandra made it back in time to say goodbye to Edward, who died on May 6, 1910 after a bout of bronchitis and a series of heart attacks. Their son became King George V. Later Years and Legacy As the queen mother, Alexandra mostly continued her duties as she had as queen consort, focusing her efforts on charity work with a side of anti-German cajoling. Her generosity was renowned, as she willingly sent money to anyone who wrote to her asking for help. She lived to see her fears about the Germans realized with the outbreak of World War I, and rejoiced when her son changed the royal family’s name to Windsor to avoid German associations. Alexandra suffered another personal loss when her nephew, Nicholas II, was overthrown during the Russian Revolution. Her sister Dagmar was rescued and came to stay with Alexandra, but her son George V refused to offer asylum to Nicholas and his immediate family; they were murdered in 1917 by the Bolshevik revolutionaries. In the last years of her life, Alexandra’s health declined, and she died from a heart attack on November 20, 1925. She was buried at Windsor Castle next to Edward. A popular royal in life and death, Alexandra was mourned deeply by the British public, and she became the namesake for everything from palaces to ships to streets. Although she was not permitted any political influence, she was a style icon for the women of her time and defined an entire era of fashion. Her legacy was not one of politics, but of personal popularity and boundless generosity. Sources Battiscombe, Georgina. Queen Alexandra. Constable, 1969.Duff, David. Alexandra: Princess and Queen. Wm Collins Sons Co, 1980.â€Å"Edward VII.† BBC, bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_vii_king.shtml.

Delinquency,Peer Pressure,and Substance Abuse Essay

Delinquency,Peer Pressure,and Substance Abuse - Essay Example All participants will be required to report on the extent of their own substance abuse, and peers will report on the quality of the relationship between the target participant and themselves. This will provide a greater insight into how the participants view themselves. The hypothesis is that delinquency and adolescent substance abuse is strongly correlated, one to the other, in the developmental stage, therefore, one causes the other to happen. Furthermore, another hypothesis is that delinquency will be positively correlated and influenced by the delinquency and substance abuses of peers. If the results are as predicted, researchers can then determine which variable has the most influence when it comes to the substance abuse of adolescents.Introduction According to King et al. (2004), delinquent behaviors, such as violence and vandalism, are strong positive predictors of substance abuse among teens (King, Iacono, and McGue, 2004). Delinquency often precedes the onset of substance ab use (Kandel and Davies, 1992) and evidence suggests that the casual direction of influence flows primarily from delinquency to substance abuse (Mason & Windle, 2002). These findings are all consistent with Erikson’s developmental theory, which claims that delinquency and antisocial behavior provides an important pathway leading to the development of substance abuse and dependence during the developmental stage of adolescent, identity versus identity confusion. Criminal behavior and low grade point averages have also been associated with adolescent substance abuse. Although much research has been conducted regarding the relationship of substance abuse to adolescent delinquency, there is still no definitive answer or study that has pinpointed the true cause. Without this, there can be no absolute solution to the problem; therefore, the study I am proposing will investigate the simultaneous relationship between the development of adolescent substance use, delinquency, and peer p ressure, in the hope that I will be able to create a valid theory with a solid answer to the problem along with recommendations for prevention. Identity Confusion and Adolescence According to Erikson, adolescence is the age during which people must set up an identity to escape identity diffusion and confusion. This theory details the changes that an individual goes through during the stage of adolescents. This is the time when teenagers question who they are, which can lead them to begin depending on their peers for insight, and, in turn, can lead to delinquency. Adolescents struggle to attain a sense of identity and to find an answer to the question "who am

Hotel service operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Hotel service operation management - Essay Example SWOT analysis of the Web based training and development in this hotel helps us to carve a niche in the market. The marketing plan based on the hotel has to be designed and implemented to achieve the goals of business. It also provides knowledge regarding the strengths and the weaknesses of the business. By recognizing and analyzing the marketing strategic plan, the hotel can overcome its difficulties smoothly. The management and operation team of the Hotel solved the problem of worker turnover by increasing the expense of training and salary. For future strategic action plan, report recommended that room for conferences must be constructed at first rather than in the last year. The financial analysis of the Seaside Hotel includes the Total hotel revenue and total hotel net income, Rooms department revenue and rooms net income, Food & beverage department’s revenue and food & beverage net income, Occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), and REVPAR, Refurbishment spending and extra f acilities built analysis, Short term and long term stability ratios, Staff turnover and EMS spend and activities. This plan could attract more businessmen and raise hotel competitiveness. The report also provides information regarding the effectiveness of Web based training and development method in the Hotel business. Appendixes of the report include Current Balance Sheet, Statement of Income for 3 years and Monthly indicator report for the three years. Report also includes aims, objectives, strategy, and formulation of program feedback and control of the study. Report shows the proper implementation of promotional mix could raise the market share and develop business growth in the face of strong competition. HOTS report also shows client satisfaction and loyalty through employee training and development program, by way of increasing profitability and development of the hotel, which was formed by satisfied, faithful, and productive workers. Finally the report shows that the proper