Literacy Plan Essay

As I am starting to learn the basics of how to become an effective teacher, I am learning what type of teacher I am and what type of teacher I want to be. Growing up, aspiring to be a teacher, I never thought teachers had to learn how to do some methods I have seen. For example, teachers always knew how to capture the students’ attention again after the children would get off task. I thought this skill came naturally to teachers and I would obtain it with time. On my adventure of this learning process of becoming a teacher, I have learned this skill is something you learn how to do and there are many other skills to learn along the way. These skills and methods come from multiple studies and research done by theorists over the decades. Learning all these theories at first was overwhelming, but over time I got a grasp on the basics of just a few theorists and their theories. There are so many researchers that have put their opinions out in the open for teachers to take into account and work from. There is Vygotsky, Cambourne, Holdaway, Piaget, Skinner, and Dewey just to name a few! After acquiring this basic knowledge of some theories, I have come to realize that there is one theorist’s methods I agree with the most when it comes to teaching literacy. This theorist is Brian Cambourne. Cambourne is an educational anthropologist from Australia who has emphasized his research in literacy learning. He has come up with many conditions pertaining to literacy learning. His theory compliments my beliefs the best, compared to the other theories I have learned about. I believe in having students experience different types of literature. This process allows students to become familiar with different ways of writing, and how to say things in many different ways. This also gives them a chance to figure out what style of language they like best and grasp an idea of what type of literacy come easiest to them. When students understand more types of literacy, it vastly opens up their range of vocabulary that can only benefit them in the future. This condition of students exploring all types of literacy is what Cambourne calls immersion and I find it to be a step that does not seem to be obvious to children. I feel students do not know when they are looking at different types of literacy. I believe in making an effort in explaining what type of material the students are reading from, rather than just handing them something and telling them to read it. This is the reason why I believe demonstration is the next big important process. Demonstration is a very important step in my eyes for literacy learning. Demonstration is modeling literate behaviors, formally and informally (Cambourne). I personally am a visual learner and prefer to have the teacher model what I am going to do before I have to employ it on my own. When a model was not available to me, I would become stressed and overwhelmed with this feeling of not knowing what I am doing. I do not want my students to become frustrated when they are reading and writing; I want them to enjoy it and be excited about it. Therefore, when I become a teacher, I especially want to practice Cambourne’s condition of demonstration by having a whole group lesson in order to formally demonstrate for my students. This can be done while the students are at their desks, but I believe having this process done in a carpet area reminds students that what I, the teacher, am about to say is important to hear. Also, I believe in the saying, â€Å"monkey see, monkey do. † Therefore, I believe a teacher should always speak proper grammar, self-correct, and demonstrate reading strategies at all times in front of the children because they are going to mimic what they hear and see the most by the adults in their lives. After a demonstration is complete, I believe an expectation of what the students should know is built. Cambourne believes this condition of expectation is that the students â€Å"get the message†. I believe that if a teacher’s demonstration was done correctly, the students will know that information and the teacher can expect them to know it. Not only does expectation build, but I believe the responsibility the student has for knowing what him/herself can accomplish grows. This process of being responsible for their own learning, I believe, does not come naturally. I think the teacher must allow these students to take on these responsibilities themselves. For example, if a teacher never lets a student choose their own book, that student will never gain the responsibility of knowing what books are right for him or her or learn how to pick the right kind of book for him or her. Learners will choose what they will explore intellectually as they go through literate behaviors (Cambourne). Once students have become aware of the skills that are being demonstrated to them, I believe the next important step is allowing students time to practice what they have learned. Cambourne calls this condition employment. I am a strong believer in â€Å"practice makes perfect†. I understand that nothing is perfect and there is always room for improvement. So maybe â€Å"practice provides improvement† is a better quote to go by. A learner will never become better at what they are learning if it is not practiced. With students practicing what they have learned, mistakes happen. This condition is what Cambourne calls approximation. I believe it is a good thing to let the learners make mistakes as they are exploring literacy because they will only learn from it! I know that when I become a teacher, I want to stress that making mistakes is okay and will benefit anyone because they will only learn from it. I could even purposely make mistakes in order to model self-correction as well. But learners will only understand their mistake when feedback is given in a timely fashion. Coming to Alverno, I have probably received the most feedback I ever have here compared to the rest of my educational career. I have come to firmly believe that feedback provides new knowledge for learners because it brings another perspective into their personal work. My feelings about feedback correspond with Cambourne’s condition called response. He believes this feedback should come from someone with more knowledge, such as a teacher. I want to make sure I conference with each of my students, individually, in order to look over what they have been working with and provide timely, appropriate feedback. I feel these conferences build a student’s confidence by being told what they are doing well, and they get to understand what kind of mistakes they are making in order to fix them and grow. After reading over Cambourne’s theory, there was nothing I could not agree with. I remember while I was reading it, all I could say was, â€Å"yes, yes, and yes! † I do have to say developing my philosophy about literacy learning was a challenge. I feel like I am still developing my philosophy, but I have a grasp on my basic beliefs for my future teaching career. I know what kind of teacher I would like to be and when reading Cambourne’s theory I could picture myself doing each condition and feeling proud by teaching literacy in such a way.

Psch3

Kendall Fretwell Assignment 3 1. | Changes in sexual maturity which occur during puberty are referred to as  Ã‚  Secondary  Ã‚  sex characteristics. | 2. | The first ejaculation in boys is called  Ã‚  Spermarche. | 3. | Girls who are sexually active are also more likely to have experienced early  Ã‚  Menstruation . | 4. | Approximately  Ã‚  one third  Ã‚  of teen pregnancies in the U. S. end in abortion. | 5. | Many researchers feel that recognition of one's feelings of same-sex attraction begin as early as  Ã‚  self recognition . | 6. | Mary is a biological female who identifies psychologically and emotionally as male. Mary is  Ã‚  Transgender. | 7. The incidence of illicit drug use among teens was  Ã‚  higher  Ã‚  in the 1990s than in the 1970s. | 8. | Sylvia, although extremely thin, looks in the mirror and sees excessive body fat. She exercises obsessively and eats very little. Sylvia might be diagnosed as having  Ã‚  Anorexia nervosa. | 9. | Piaget's concep t of  Ã‚  Self-Expression enables teens to understand metaphors and symbols. | 10. | Goals which are based on a desire for self-improvement are referred to as  Ã‚  mastery  Ã‚  goals. | 11. | Jason works out regularly at the gym. He is one of the best players on his soccer team. Jason's goal to be the best on his team is an example of a n)  Ã‚  Task/ego involvement goal. | 12. | The last of Freud's stages of psychosexual development is the  Ã‚  Genital stage. | 13. | Erikson used the term  Ã‚  gender-role identity to refer to the period when an adolescent is troubled by a lack of identity. | 14. | An individual whose gender-role identity is  Ã‚  androgynous would perceive herself or himself as having both feminine and masculine traits. | 15. | Sometimes Kohlberg's stage of social system and conscience is known as the  Ã‚  Law and Order stage. | 16. |   Antisocial Behavior is defined as antisocial behavior which includes law-breaking. 17. | A combination of cliques forms a  Ã‚  tribe . | 18. | Homosexual teens become aware of their same-sex attractions at about the age of  Ã‚  9 . Heterosexual teens become aware of their opposite-sex attractions at about the age of  Ã‚  11 . | 19. | Response inhibition depends on the ability of the  Ã‚  limbic system  Ã‚  of the brain to regulate the limbic system. | 20. | Changes in the heart and lungs that take place in young adulthood are likely not to be noticeable except during. | 21. | Regarding immune function: immature T cells are made in the  Ã‚  bone marrow  Ã‚  and they mature in the  Ã‚  thymus . 22. | In the Alameda study on health and aging, only  Ã‚  marital status and monthly personal income  were found to be unrelated to mortality. | 23. | HIV stands for  Ã‚  Human Immunodeficiency Virus. | 24. | In order to be diagnosed with a personality disorder, a young adult has to have been exhibiting the behavior since  Ã‚  development . | 25. | Lorie is in her late twenties. She has been unable to hold a job for more than 3 months at a time and she quickly gets bored with her relationships. Her mood tends to be unstable and she is short tempered. Lorie may suffer from  Ã‚  Cyclothymia. | 26.   Post-operational Development thought is associated with a fifth stage of cognitive development. | 27. | The most common modification in academic settings for students with disabilities is  Ã‚  extra  Ã‚  time for taking tests. | 28. | College women in the U. S. and Europe use a  Ã‚  60%   Ã‚  number of study skills than men. | 29. | African American students who attend historically Black institutions show more gains in both  Ã‚  education  Ã‚  and  Ã‚  skills  Ã‚  competence than those who attend predominantly White colleges. | 30. |   intimacy versus isolation argued that the central crisis of early adulthood dealt with issues of isolation and intimacy? | 31. Jack has settled into his new life as a retiree. He has friends and activities and fee ls a happy sense of stability in his new life. Jack is in Levinson's  Ã‚  Culmination phase. | 32. | One factor that correlates with marital success is each partner's attachment to his or her  Ã‚  personality. | 33. | Close friendships rely on mutual  Ã‚  trust  Ã‚  and personal  Ã‚  friendship . | 34. | Work-family conflict more strongly influences  Ã‚  career decisions. | 35. | One strategy for coping with conflicts between work and family life is to redefine family  Ã‚  time . | 36. | Young drivers exhibit  Ã‚  more  Ã‚  lapses in attention and driving errors than middle-aged drivers. 37. | Fifty-year-old Mr. Evans has started experienced difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection. These changes might indicate that Mr. Jones is experiencing  Ã‚  Erectile dysfunction. | 38. | The last phase of menopause is called the  Ã‚  Postmenopausal phase. | 39. | Bernice is 45. At least once a week, she wakes up in the middle of the night wringing wet with sweat. S he is having  Ã‚  hot flashes , a form of  Ã‚  early menepause . | 40. | The loss of bone mass is called  Ã‚  osteoporosis and begins at around age  Ã‚  30 . | 41. | Paul's family is getting tired of having to repeat everything they say to him because he has difficulty hearing.He goes to an audiologist and finds that he has  Ã‚  hearing loss , so the audiologist recommends a hearing aid. | 42. |   heart  Ã‚  disease is the most common cause of death for adults in the U. S. | 43. | The personality characteristic which seems to be the biggest contributor to cardiovascular disease is  Ã‚  stress . | 44. | High  Ã‚  cholesterol  Ã‚  diets seem to increase the risk of some forms of cancer while high  Ã‚  vegetable  Ã‚  diets seem to decrease the risk of other forms of cancer. | 45. | Among women, death from  Ã‚  breast cancer  Ã‚  is considerably more likely than death from heart disease. | 46. Overall physical health and cognitive performance in middle adulth ood are most closely linked to  Ã‚  Physical and Cognitive Development. | 47. |   Episodic memory is recollection of specific events;  Ã‚  Semantic memory is the recollection of general knowledge and facts. | 48. |   List the three phases of menopause in order. Identify what happens to hormone levels in each phase. | Perimenopause-It is the result of changing levels of ovarian hormones in your body. Estrogen levels decline, but they do so unevenly. Sometimes they can even be higher than when you were younger Natural Menopause Postmenopause Postmenopause- small amount of estrogen

Application of Leiningers theory to the Muslim Client

Application of Leiningers theory to the Muslim Client According to Madeleine Leininger, care is the essence and the central, unifying, and dominant domain to characterize nursing (Leininger, 1984). To Leininger, â€Å"care and culture were inextricably linked together and could not be separated in nursing care actions and decisions† (Leininger, 1988, p. 153). Her theory of cultural care diversity and universality proves particularly useful in giving care in multicultural societies such as Canada where clients from non Anglo-Saxon origins have different interpretations of care and whose strict cultural beliefs, religion makes it impossible for minimal or no acculturation of nursing care of the dominant culture. The conservative Muslim client is unique in the sense that no matter where he or she comes from, Islam dictates how the client is supposed to live their life. Embedded in Islam is what care means. Nevertheless, it is important for nurses to be cognizant of the fact that Muslims have different origins and thus different cul tures. This paper explores what some of these care practices are in Islam and how Leininger’s modes of nursing care can be used in providing culturally congruent care. Leininger conceptualizes that there are two kinds of care that exist in every culture and are important to nursing care. These are generic and professional care. Generic care is the naturalistic local, folk and familiar home care practices whereas professional care in contrast is cognitively learned, practiced and transmitted knowledge learned through formal and informal professional nursing schools (Leininger, 1991). For a nurse to provide culturally competent care the two types of care have to be in unison. In which case, the ultimate goal is to link and synthesize generic and professional care to benefit the client. Leininger developed the sunrise model to help nurses visualize components of the theory influencing human care. The model conceptually depicts the worldview, cultural and social structure dimensi ons which influence generic and professional care which in turn influences nursing care actions and decisions. The nursing care actions and decisions include cultural preservation, accommodation and repatterning. Wehbe-Alamah, Lawrence, Rozmus and Luna all agree that a nurse’s knowledge of the basic tenets of Islam is important in providing culturally congruent care to the client. They also caution that since Muslim’s originate from different places and thus different cultural backgrounds it is imperative that Muslim’s are not treated as a homogenous group. It becomes important that in addition to knowing the tenets of Islam, the nurse inquires about the folk practices of the patient. Also all articles point to Leininger’s nursing modes of repatterning, accommodation and preservation as effective methods in achieving culturally congruent care. Wehbe-Alamah relies on the research of others as well as descriptive sources in providing what care means in Isla m while Lawrence and Rozmus rely on the Koran, the Hadith and modern interpretations of those writings as their source. Luna on the other hand conducts a study in which she analyzes the meanings and experiences of care of immigrant Lebanese Muslims living in a large Midwest urban community in the US. She explores the meaning of care in the clinic, community and clinic context. Narayanasamy’s study on how nurses respond to cultural needs also cautions that nurses must be careful in stereotyping people of the same religion since their cultural needs might be different.

Human Activity and Its Ecological impact Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Human Activity and Its Ecological impact - Essay Example The increase in human activity in mountainous regions has contributed to the rise in global warming, primarily owing to the adverse environmental impacts caused by the development and construction of ski resorts (Todd and Williams, 1996). The constant rush of tourists, and the overuse of natural resources at popular ski resorts take a toll on the surrounding environment, disturbing the natural habitat in the process (Waldron and Williams, 2002; Wilde 1998). Furthermore, the increasing popularity of ski resorts attracts tourists in hordes, thus leading to an increased pressure on the natural resources by way of increased demand and consumption of water, energy, and other natural resources, thus further raising deep concerns regarding its sustainability in the long run. Ski resorts, rely heavily on energy to lift and pump water to high altitudes, provide drinking water, operate heavy machinery, and fuel vehicles used for transportation. Furthermore, there are concerns regarding soil degradation caused by construction and constant human activities in ski resorts (Ries, 1996); leading to loss of vegetation, soil erosion and may lead to increased chances of floods. Flora and fauna are deeply affected due to activities such as the construction of ski slopes. The surrounding environment and the natural habitat of fauna is disturbed due to increased sound levels and noise pollution caused by tourists (Mountain Wilderness, 2007).

CHAPTER 17 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CHAPTER 17 - Essay Example This is because individuals posts what is on their minds. These posts are open to be seen by all friends. The information posted, might paint either a negative or positive picture in the minds of the viewer. Some may like it or not. In most occasions, the post tells us a lot about an individual. We look for jobs day in and out, and some of us have jobs. When we are using these sites, we have to be conscious of what we post. This is because we do not know about the reaction of the employers towards the posts (Papacharissi 10). We should be more focused in using these sites and have a positive mind because it might be a way of advertising yourself positively, and through that someone can be able to get a job. In contrary to getting a job, the site can be a stepping stone to your downfall. A person can lose a job through the posts if they give a negative impression towards your job, your fellow employees or to your employer. Many of us use these sites differently. It will be good if we know that we have information that might cause different reaction among the viewers. If we make them public to everyone the way we do, that is where we find ourselves in trouble. No one ever will like to employ a person that has constantly been posting pictures, either of him drunk or drunk with friends. It will be wise not to have your boss as friends or consider having different accounts. This helps one to manage different accounts. An individual can have one account as a ‘respect oriented site’ and the other one for personal interests. This will help keep personal dignity (Papacharissi 18). With every new encounter with someone, individuals get to be evaluated. This helps one to form a personal impression about the other. Someone will be able to analyze a person through body language, dressing, mannerism and your demeanor. It is by this first impression that we set both tone and the reception to be given to us by an individual. When

SCM Software selection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

SCM Software selection - Essay Example Build to order supply chain with zero inventory involves production of products on demand. Starbucks application involves the implementation cost that involves training the managers and operators of the supply chain to ensure that they are able to determine the demand to ensure that they are satisfied by the available supply. The integration in the continuous replenishment involves linking the manufacturing company with the suppliers to ensure there are adequate materials to meet the production needs. Build to order system with zero inventory involves cost that are incurred in training the system operators to enable them to determine the present demands in order to direct what needs to be produced. However, the most appropriate SCM software package for Bravo Company is the Starbucks system. This is because the application will enable the company to determine the appropriate delivery dates for its customers, solve the inventory problems by determining the right inventory levels for hard drives. It will also ensure that through synchronization and communication, the problem of trucks unavailability is solved, and that the procedures for customs clearance are made easier to ensure easily supply of

Markting plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Markting plan - Assignment Example The plan will examine the external environment in which the organization is operating. After analyzing the environmental issues, internal strengths and external opportunities of the organization will be indentified depending on which the organization will be able to overcome its intrinsic weaknesses and underlying environmental threats. Marketing objectives will be formulated for the newly established business and accordingly marketing strategies will be selected so that the strategies can drive the organization towards achieving the pre-determined objectives. Once the strategies are formulated aligning with the organizational objectives, close supervision and monitoring should be exercised in order to ensure successful execution of the strategies incorporated. In this process, time to time review of the implementation process should also be done for assessing to what extend the policies are supporting the organization to meet its fundamental business objectives. Such evaluation will help the retailer to control those factors that are suspected to be reason behind the retail business to deviate from its elementary business goals. A comprehensive marketing plan is important in any industry before commencement of a new business or expanding in the existing industry segment or business line. Understanding the enormous growth potential in the retail industry, a small retailer is planning for business expansion in this industry segment (Blackwell 275). The retailer, though small in size at present, is expecting to establish a high end superstore with minimum human interaction, supported by superior technologies such as interactive interface, automatic locating of products, self-serve scanning and automatic checkout. Therefore, he is aware of the importance of preparing business plan well in advance. The paper will outline a blueprint of marketing plan for the retail superstore taking into account each

How drug use in the 60's and 70's affected society - then and now Research Paper

How drug use in the 60's and 70's affected society - then and now - Research Paper Example Alcohol has been abused since the 60’s and has left a number of family devastated, as the families’ sole bread winners abuse the drug which may eventually lead to their deaths or insanity (Teff. 1975). The economy was affected as abled body people who could improve the economy became victims of drug abuse. Today, alcohol is also being abused and has devastating effects on the society ranging from road accidents as a result of heavy drinking to murder and suicidal cases in families (Abraham. 1988). Alcohol is not the only drug that has been abused; we have many cases of bhang and nicotine illegal drug use. In fact in the 60’s, cocaine was highly abused as there was no proper way to curb its use (Avraham. 1988). In the 60’s illegal drug abuse was on its optimum among sports men and sports women, as well as musicians and top celebrities; here athletes and musicians used to take performance enhancing drugs so as to boost their performance and confidence respectively. Drug use among adolescents was and is still a nightmare in our societies for a number of reasons. Adolescents today, who are basically involved in illicit drug use, are simply separating themselves from the normality of society as a way of ‘liberation (Teff. 1975). This has tremendous effects on America societies, as these kids end up joining gangs, partaking in crimes and terrorizing American societies. This was also the case in the 60’s where adolescents who engaged in drugs were a complete nightmare to societies as they were the pillar of almost all crimes. Many dropped out of school leaving their parents devastated. Drug misuse also affected both societies by introducing and expanding prostitution. Many of those practicing prostitution in today societies are basically youths who run away from home as a result of drug abuse. This is a disgrace to society and a country as a whole as it lacks morality. In the 60’s prostitution too

The Finite Element Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Finite Element - Research Paper Example One of the main challenges in solving partial differential equations is to use equations which are approximate but numerically stable so that error accumulation does not cause the solution to be meaningless. The finite element method is an excellent technique for solving partial differential equations over complex domains. Application of the finite element method in structural mechanics is based on an energy principle, such as the virtual work principle, which provides a general, intuitive and physical basis. The finite element method originated as a technique used to solve stress analysis problems, but today it can be applied to a multitude of disciplines ranging from fluid mechanics, to heat transfer to electromagnetism. The buckle of a standard lap belt used in passenger aircrafts has been designed and is ready to undergo testing. In order to be released into the market, the strap system must be able to withstand a 450 kg tensile load. It is assumed that the weakest point of the design is the flat plate of the buckle. Thus, prior to engaging in a costly test scenario, a simple finite element analysis of the buckle is to be made to insure soundness of design, i.e. the material does not exceed its yield strength and no significant distortion occurs. Preparing the problem for analysis first requires definition of assumptions. Figure 1 is a schematic drawing of the buckle to be analy... thickness of the part (which is assumed to be constant) is believed to be small enough compared to the width of the part such that shell elements can be used. Displacements are expected to be relatively small such that a linear approximation will be valid. Figure 1 2.2 Material Properties The part is manufactured from 2.5 mm stainless steel plate with a Young's modulus of elasticity of 206 GN/m2, Poison's ratio of 0.3, and a yield strength of 580 MN/m2. Homogeneous and isotropic material was assumed with no discontinuities or residual stresses present as a result of manufacturing processes such as forging, rolling and welding. The material is assumed to have linear elastic properties. 2.3 Mesh A mesh that provides a good representation of the model is critical for an accurate solution; the elements must be well-shaped and close fit. For this analysis, the element type chosen was PLANE82, which is a 2D structural solid element. The element has 8 nodes, which increases calculation time over its 4-node counterpart but also increase accuracy of solution. Eight-noded elements are also known to be more accurate for modelling curved boundaries, which is where the areas of maximum stress were expected in the buckle. The PLANE 82 element type also offered the benefit of accounting for a thickness value in its input properties. Since maximum stress values were expected in the curved sections of the part, two meshing values were utilised, thus providing a denser mesh in critical areas. In the curved areas, a value of 0.25 was used, while 0.51 was used in the rest of the model. 2.4 Boundary Conditions Determination and application of boundary conditions is critical to the analysis. For this model, it was assumed that displacements would be small enough so as to not

Internet Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Internet Research - Essay Example It is even easier and more economical to a certain extent to surf the internet than to go to a public library to search for books. The internet allows you to search and use information at the safety and comfort of your own home or office. The internet also offers a wide array of means to search for data. There are a variety of search engines available for use to cater to whatever your need is. For the purpose of determining if internet research is really very helpful and sufficient in acquiring data for a specific study or topic, I have employed internet research as the primary and the only data gathering methodology for answering the question: Is the population of the UK healthier than it was 5 or 10 years ago. The initial part of my research plan is to come up with topics or questions related to the health of the UK population. These topics would help me find answers to the main question. I then chose three search engines: www.Google.com for the web-crawler type, www.Dogpile.com for the meta-search type and www.UKwizz.com for the one category based type. I had a difficulty with the one category based search engine because I was not able to immediately figure out the better choice between a health specific search engine and a country or geography specific search engine. ... I know that the search results are heavily dependent on the search topics or criteria. The way in which the subject is entered in the search box has a lot of weight because the search engines are also greatly dependent on key words in order to search for accurate matches. I had scrapped topics like the increase or decrease of insurance health claims in the UK, and the increase or decrease of pharmaceutical medicine sales in the UK. The insurance health claims subject returned useless sites where most of the sites involved insurance companies and their policies. On the other hand, the medicine sales search subject resulted to consumer sites offering medicines and websites of pharmaceutical companies. I came up with four reasonable topics which I used to search for information I needed to check whether the UK population now is healthier than five or ten years before. The topics were: UK Population Health Trends, UK Health Campaigns, UK Mortality rate and New Human Diseases in UK. I initially planned on using questions as search subjects but decided not to after a certain number of tries. I discovered that the more words you include in the statement you put in the search box, the less accurate the results generated are. This is because the engine looks at every word in the statement entered and generates hits involving the most number of words, which it saw in the statement. These words may not be in order. It is the most number of word combinations that the engine looks for. Since the words are not in order, then the essence or meaning of the statement relating to the generated result is oftentimes not related to the topic being searched for. I chose Google as my web crawler search engine mainly

Elizabeth Costello in J.M Coetzees in relation to the theme of Kafkas works Essay Example for Free

Elizabeth Costello in J.M Coetzees in relation to the theme of Kafkas works Essay Elizabeth Costello is a humane, ethical and uncompromising creation of Coetzee. In Coetzee’s book The Lives of Animals, Costello is used to describe her dislike and rejection of the rationality of the criteria justifying the unequal treatment of animals. Costello claims that the purpose of the book is to clarify that to differentiate beings with regard of their species is a form of discrimination, indefensible and immoral. Costello also maintains that she had chosen the path not because she was not aware of the crucial kind of thoughts and sentiments of respect regarding other creatures, but because the reason was more universal and compelling to appeal. Costello maintains though she admired those who eliminated speciesism form their lives due to their compassionate regard for other creatures she did not believe a pressure to empathy and good-heartedness only would prove to majority of the people into the wrongness of speciesism. Nevertheless, the messages Costello portrays are not from the invisible world although from the invisible of this world most cases the voiceless like animals that she can access by imagination. She is not worried with other earthly, disembodied voices, although this-worldly, embodied and embedded voices, dead or alive perpetrators fictional or historical. The human critics such as Costello are opposed to the authority of the world of other world as he is to the powers of this world. Costello proclaims that there is not any salvation to be brought into being in an afterlife in immortality. Costello is midwife not to immortal Forms, although a mortal voices and to being of the voices. The power of imagination stays not only in its potential to stir up and listen to other voices and to enter into speaking for other including for the voiceless but also use narrative to depiction literature in the particular work of narrative that rationally is divine spark that raises mankind above the rest of nature therefore in showing our continuity with animal-kind which allows us to regain our death, our humanity and imperfectness. The similarities between Costello and Socrates are outstanding, and are more striking than their differences. Similar to Socrates, Costello attempts to prompt persons to realize their humanity, to open their hearts, to the anguish of animals. Costello just like Socrates is faced by unfairness, which in her case is the discrimination of specialism, which she attempts to dispel with counter-illusions. â€Å"What does one choose the side of justice when it is not in one’s material interest to? The magistrates give the rather Platonic answer: because we are born with the idea of justice. † (Paola, et al. , 95). In The Lives of Animals the disregarded has come to take account of non-human animals. Costello is convinced that there is a crime regarding animals as stupid that is perpetrated towards animals. Costello challenge is to attempt to extend justice to animals especially to those that resemble humans. In Socrates, Plato’s mouthpiece in the Republic, spends the whole discussion arguing for justice suggesting that it is better to live rightly and show to be unjust than being unjust with all material rewards that come by and yet show to be just, Costello ends her speech by saying that proof points in the opposite direction and that individuals can do anything and get away with it that there is no reprimand. In The Poets and the Animals Costello disapproves the ecological approach to animals suggested by Plato since Plato’s perception implies that only human beings can understand the position of living things in the entire picture of natural world and as a result solely have the right to manage animal populations not including human population. Therefore (Paola, et al. , 102), might have valid point which is that a person should not enforce principled vegetarianism on a society but its misdirected as a disapproval of the position of Costello since she had gone to the great lengths to disapprove reason as decisive criterion of moral worth and as an only means to live an ethical life. Costello maintains that it is not right to construe the animal rights movement like imposing vegetarianism upon free citizens. Instead it appears as protecting the interests and the rights of nonhuman animals, guarding animals form exploitation, though this might as well lead to outlawing the eating of meat. Nevertheless, is clear that just as Coetzee distrusts commitment to moral principles he is suspicious of certain notions of justice. Coetzee and Costello’s aim is to alter the heart of individuals through feeling, friction and compassionate imagination instead of enforcing a large-scale utopian changing of society as purportedly stated by reason. Costello is perceived as arrogantly superior and as heralding a foreign set of values that of fighting for animal rights in opposition to blindly anthropocentric culture, and both individuals made numerous enemies by courageously inquiring the prejudices of the people around them. The arrogance of Costello can be demonstrated by certain members his audience anger having their discrimination and lack of knowledge exposed. In addition, Costello seems to be earnestly attempting to break through the shadows of ignorance and prejudice with the light of her imaginative sympathy and is ready to admit that she dose not understand that she could be correct â€Å"Am I fantasizing it all? I must be mad! † (Derek, 69). Costello might be ironically aware that some of her images might be imaginative for example when she gives anthropomorphic feelings to ape, Sultan: â€Å"In his deepest being Sultan is not interested in the banana problem. Only the experimenter’s single-minded regimentation compels him on it. The question that truly occupies him, as it occupies a rat and the cat and other animal trapped in hell f the laboratory or the zoo, is: where is home, and how do I get there? † (Stephen, 69). Costello was attempting to get her audience to think, feel and imagine that in new ways about something persons do not care to regard at all, specifically their use and abuse of animals: certainly she desires people to imagine how it would experience in the place of an exploited animal a state of powerlessness. Costello believes the mission will awaken individuals form their assertive sleep. Costello does not attempt to reject the reason for the infallibility and its assertion to make a distinction between animals and human beings and therefore doe not give good reason for the exploitation of animals. In The Lives of Animals, Coetzee portrays Costello as a Socrates figure. The analysis starts with â€Å"What is Realism? † since it was first in 1997, prior to its publishing in Elizabeth Costello in 2003. The Socratic and Platonic ideologies are clearly evident in this story strengthens the contention that Costello plays a role as Socratic figure in The Lives of Animals. Certainly, Coetzee refers to this story in his fist foot note of The Lives of Animals therefore further sustaining this perspective. In â€Å"What is Realism? † Platonic ideas are crucial to the story. Even though Coetzee keeps interrupting his realist mode and drawing attention to the fact that it is an undertaking therefore suggesting that realism and certainly all fiction deals with imaginations and there are times the power of fiction to attain immortality is asserted though always ironical. The depiction to the monkeys echoes Costello’s discussion of Kafka’s ape, suggesting that artistic creation is what differentiates humans from other animals. The story of Socrates might also illuminate other features of Elizabeth Costello, as described in The Lives of Animals, namely her reference to her embodiedness and her mortality. A similar relationship takes place between Costello and Coetzee, and in spite of his undeniable intellectual contributions as a public thinker, Coetzee remains retiring and an imaginary figure. On the other hand Costello is depicted as heavily embodied throughout Elizabeth Costello and The Lives of Animals. Behind every dialogue of Plato Socrates emerges and there is a consciousness of the fact that Socrates will be executed by the Athenian democracy for impiety and corruption of the youth. The same feeling of Costello’s mortality, together with a declining sense of desire, accompanies all Coetzee’s works in which he is featured. Therefore when Costello cannot be regarded as a martyr for her beliefs as did the Socrates there is nevertheless a feeing in which she is dying for her beliefs. Costello’s own mortality and feeling of her mortality heightens her compassion for animals that are being bred in numerous numbers and when still healthy and young are being exploited for experimentation, hunting testing and slaughter. â€Å"After a long flight, Costello is looking at her age. She has never taken care of her appearance; she used to be able to get away with it; now it shows. Old and tired. † (Stephen, 3). These illustrations continue in the beginning of the first paragraph of The Lives of Animals: He is waiting at the gate when her flight comes in. Two years have passed since he last saw his mother; despite himself, he is shocked at how she has aged. Her hair, which had had sneaks of gray in it, now was entirely white; her shoulders stoop; her flesh has grown flabby. In Costello’s speeches death is recurrent topic, in a sense The Lives of Animals reads like a memento mori for Coetzee himself. John (Costello’s son) guesses that his mother was about to talk about death. John dose not enjoy Costello talking about death and in addition her audience who majority consists of young people do not want any talks regarding death. Costello goes ahead in comparing the mass killing of animals in abattoirs to the mass killings of Jews in Nazi death camps. All through her speech, Costello talk about and describes the Nazi death camps and she returns to discuss death while talking about Nagel’s bat-being. â€Å"What I know is what a corpse does not know: that it is extinct, that it knows nothing and will never know anything more. For an instant, before my whole structure of knowledge collapses in panic, I am alive inside that contradiction, dead and alive at the same time. † (Derek, 32). Costello’s talk about lives of animals can be more or less lessened to her own solitude, seclusion and awareness of her own human mortality and all that she required was compassionate interaction with other human beings. In Slow man Costello is illustrated as returning rejuvenated. In The Lives of Animals, when Costello starts her conversation, she returns to her use of Kafka earlier in another speech, â€Å"What is Realism? † in which she identifies with Kafka’s ape, Red Peter. In both cases Costello points her similarity with Red Peter in that they are both salaried entertainers performing before a literate audience. Afterwards in her speech, Costello returns again to Kafka, and uses the terminologyâ€Å" amanuensis† two times with reference to the association between Kafka and his imaginative creation, the ape Red Peter (Franz, 35). The meaning of â€Å"amanuensis† is a person employed to take dictation or to copy manuscripts. The use of the phrase is not usual since it implies that Kafka the author took dictation from Red Peters in his imaginative creation. The same case applies in the relation between the writer Coetzee and Costello his imaginative creation. In the two cases, the normal causal association between the author and the character, creature and creator is interchanged. Costello and Red Peters are used by the authors as creatures that have an artistic reliability, a life of their own, which the authors have represented faithfully. The authors have respected the individual beings and voices of these creations. The two creations are required to come across as living animals and not just the ideal of animals. In â€Å"What is Realism? † Costello disputes that the greatness of Kafka is that Kafka stays awake during the gaps when people are sleeping. † WORKS CITED Derek, Attridge, J. M. Coetzee and the Ethics of Reading: Literature in the Event. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2004. Stephen, Mulhall, The Wounded Animal: J. M. Coetzee the Difficulty of Reality in Literature and Philosophy. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2008. Paola, et al. , The Death of the Animal: A Dialogue, New York: Columbia University Press: 2009. Franz, Kafka, The Diaries of Franz Kafka 1910–23 . London: Vintage, 1999.

Business Across Borders Essay Example for Free

Business Across Borders Essay In the business world today, borders are blending and multi-national mergers are causing many company nationalities to become indistinct. As the globalization of markets rapidly increases, many companies are finding international expansion a necessity of competition. North America is greatly affected by this movement towards a global market, and many companies are finding it extremely important to adapt to other cultures. Favorable trade agreements and explosive growth of the middle class in countries once considered underdeveloped have both been important factors in the rush towards globalization. However, the most important factor in increased globalization has been technological advancements, including new transportation and information technologies. Presentation of information is more frequently processed by members of a virtual team a work group not necessarily in the same geographical location. With the proliferation of e-mail, videoconferencing, fax machine, and the telephone, virtual teaming is becoming increasingly efficient. The most considerable obstructions to successful international marketing involve misinterpretations and contrary views resulting from cultural differences. Being both aware of some of these issues and prepared to make the necessary accommodations can save companies time, effort, and a considerable amount of money. Exploring Context Context is described as the most important dimension of culture and yet is the most difficult to define. Context refers to the stimuli, environment, or ambiance surrounding an event. Communication styles and business practices as a whole are often identified with the context of a country. North American, Scandinavian, and German communicators are generally considered to be low-context cultures. They expect a high level of detail in their visua,l verbal and written communication. Low-context cultures tend to  be analytical, logical and find words and contracts very important. Individualism, freedom and personal achievement are highly valued by these cultures. High-context cultures, such as Japan, China, Arabia, tend to assume the receiver does not need much background. Information and words are not as important as what is surrounding the situation. They are more aware of a communicators status, interpersonal relationships, the setting, and ambiance when conducting business relations. In general, tradition and social customs are more important in high-context cultures. These cultures emphasize membership in organizations and groups. Because they avoid confrontation, they frown upon individual decision making and prefer consensus. Relationships In many countries personal relationships are the key to success. It is important to not expect to get down to business right away, but rather get to know a person first. In Mexico, for example, business deals are only made with friends, so one must develop a friendship with any business partner. It is considered polite to ask personal questions about family, and also to answer any questions about your family. Discussions are warm and friendly. In Japan it is unlikely to get very far without connections. Carefully chosen intermediaries are a necessity. Not only will the Japanese feel obliged to be loyal to them, but rank of ones associates will determine their status as well. A Japanese businessman will always consult within his group before making a decision. Because of their intense loyalty, ones identity is subsumed into the group. It is important to never single out a Japanese counterpart, even for praise or encouragement. Contrarily, the Spaniards have a hierarchy style of management and it is best to deal with el jefe or el pardon-the one who will be making the decision. Spaniards also will expect whomever they are dealing with to have decisions-making authority. Saving Face When dealing with Spain or most Asian cultures, it is also critical to understand the concept of saving face. Any loss of control of emotions or embarrassment is considered disastrous in business negotiations in these cultures. Honor and personal pride mean everything and they must not be insulted. Because of this attitude it is very important to carefully prepare presentations so that they are easy for the audience to understand. Paying close attention to determine if anything is misunderstood during the presentation is also a must. Because of this concept of saving face the presenter will not know if they are having difficulties. Close attention must be paid to conversations in order to discern the sincerity of what is being said. In Japan, a deal is never refused directly, and any dealings with Japanese business culture should remain indirect. Business Cards In nearly all countries, it is important that business cards be printed one side in English, and the other in their language. When presenting the card, it should be presented with their language facing the recipient. In Japan, the exchange of business cards is not to be taken lightly. When you receive the card of a Japanese businessman, be sure to make a show of examining it carefully and then making a remark about the card. Ask any questions about anything on the card which is difficult to pronounce or understand. The card should then be placed in a case or on a near by table. A card shouldnt be shoved into a pocket or be written on. Concepts of Time Time orientation is an important cultural difference that Americans must pay close attention to. In America, time is viewed as a precious commodity. Time is related with productivity, efficiency, and money. Many other countries have a much more relaxed perception of time. They take their time, and enjoy it. In Mexico you can ask if a scheduled appointment is en punto (the precise time), or mas o menos. Mas o menos appointments are often scheduled a half an hour to an hour before the actual time. With both  Mexican and Japanese cultures it is also important not to expect instant results. Plenty of time should be allowed for contemplation and decision making. In Mexico it is important to adjust any expectations regarding deadlines and efficiency. Conclusion Doing business over borders and through time zones has become commonplace in the twenty-first century. Technological advancements in communication and travel make it possible to do business across the globe almost instantaneously. Doing business with multiple cultures can be a challenging venture. International communication skills of an organization can determine success or failure. In order to interact with different cultures, it is necessary to understand the basic characteristics of the culture. This type of understanding helps to make adjustments and accommodations. We must rid our minds of pre-conceived notions, stereotypes, and prejudices. It is imperative that one be knowledgeable about such topics as: context, traditions, social rules, etc. It is equally important to possess competent listening skills and to be aware of ones own nonverbal messages. The ability to adapt to an intercultural perspective is probably one of the most crucial aspects of doing business in todays global village. Bibliography Sellin, Robert H. J and Elaine Winters. Cultural Issues in Business Communication. Berkeley: Program Facilitating and Consulting, 2000. Guffey, Mary Ellen. Business Communication: Process and Product, 4th ed. Mason, Ohio: South-Western, 2003 Etiquette and Local Customs. The Travelers Yellow Pages Online. http://www.infoservices.com/stpete/342.htm. InfoServices International, Inc., 2002 What to Know Before Negotiting Execitive Planet.com. http://www.executiveplanet.com/business-culture.html.

Sustainable Development And Its Definitions

Sustainable Development And Its Definitions Sustainable development was defined by (Brundtland, 1987) as a development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own need. Economists generally accepted and supported Brundtland definition of sustainable development. Pearce barbier (blueprint for Sustainable Economy, 2000) also defines sustainable development as development that last. They also said that future generations should be entitled to at least the same level of economic well-being as is currently available to the present generation. It can also be defined as meeting human fundamental needs while preserving the life-support systems of the planet Earth. This is a scientific perspective on the sustainable development relation between nature and society. The main pillars of sustainable development are: Economic development Social development and Environmental development The United Nations 2005 World Summit Outcome Document refers the above pillars as the interdependent and mutually reinforcing pillars of sustainable development. There has been an indigenous controversy over the main pillars of sustainable development through various International Forums such as United Nation Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Conversion of Biological Diversity that there are four pillars of sustainable development which they called the fourth one , Cultural development. Also, The Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (UNESCO, 2001) further detailed the concept by saying that the cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. This basically becomes one of the roots of development understood not simply in terms of economic growth, but also as a means to achieve a more satisfactory intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual existence. The universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity stated that Cultural diversity is the fourth policy area of sustainable development. This image represents the schemes of sustainable development. Source (Wikipedia encyclopedia on Sustainable Development). Barriers to achieving sustainable development in developing countries. Sustainable development has been widely promoted as a holisticconcept which aims or targets to integrate social, economicand cultural policies to ensure high-quality growth. However, there are barriers combating the implementation of sustainable development in developing countries. These barriers are: Economic / financial barriers Social barriers Political barriers HIV and Injecting Drug use Poor monitoring and evaluation system Institutional barriers Cultural barriers Trade barriers Poverty and disease Climate change Economic and financial barriers: Economists observed that the dominating development model tends to focus on economic growth as precedence rather than peoples rights or welfare, and environmental processes and limits. Various contributors supported economic growth coming first in developing countries, especially least-developed countries (LDCs), and concluded that investment in environmental protection should be left to a later stage of development, essentially accepting environmental degradation to meet immediate needs. In other words, there was a controversy by other researchers saying that the future generations ability to enjoy an acceptable standard of living would be on shambles if due attention were not immediately paid to social and environmental aspects as well as economic. This they said requires shift in the worldview from treating the environment as part of the economy to treating the economy as part of the environment; strategically this means the economy should be adapted to ensure environmental services are maintained. Some contributors recommended developed capitalist societies to act quickly to become more sustainable. Other researchers underscored the imperative for developing countries not to follow the western models of unsustainable development. Three basic constraints to financing sustainable development (SD) are: Competing priorities for limited resources, particularly in LDCs Undelivered pledges made at the international conferences to finance SD. Externalities, such as increased oil prices, conflict, and natural disasters that alter the development priorities of many countries. Initiatives to overcome economic and financial barriers In other to achieve economic growth without threatening social development and environmental resources, new and different vehicles for growth must be oriented to different country situations. Governments should be responsible for market-led problems with incentive for the private sector to become problem-solvers, and not polluters. There is need to shift the incentive and motivating structure for farmers around the world. Policies makers should promote agricultural production that is based on significantly higher labor inputs per area and significantly more diverse production streams. There is need to reform the calculation of economic growth and removal of weapons-related cost from GDP would provide a strong indication of relative spending toward sustainable development to politicians. Justifying the need to abandon linear system of industrial production based on total exploitation of natural resources, over production, and waste generation in favor of a circular system of production using clean technologies and the elimination of waste resources. Social barriers Population growth, paired with unsustainable consumption and production patterns among the wealthy, are the biggest social challenges to achieving sustainable development in the world and developing countries. Absent of a significant change in human behavior, sustainability will not be potential. There are other social barriers which are: The marginalization of the poor and entrenched inequities Limited awareness about sustainable development Environmental issues among both politicians and the wider public fragmented civil society Inadequate interaction between civil society and government Insufficient incentives to for the private sector to pursue sustainable development Initiatives to overcome the social barriers. Need for stronger policies to address income disparity and population growth. The introduction of programmes to create awareness and build capacity in the field of sustainable development among the general public can assist to the change in behavior and lifestyle that is needed to achieve sustainability. Efforts to increase scientific capacity will take place within a context of different funding patterns (which involves philanthropic foundations, business, and governmental and intergovernmental bodies), environmental concerns, and research orientations. Governments must foster their relationships with NGOs and other civil society organizations. Also , civil society must take on a great role in policy making and implementation. Participation of civil society in social programmes and related decision making process would ensure accountability; this will help in creating condition for receiving financial aid or UN assistance. Concrete partnership among national and local governments, the grassroots, private sector, civil society and development actors should be developed. Political barriers: Inadequate economic, social and environmental methods for policies, plans and projects are the major barrier combating the implementation of sustainable development in developing world. Researchers believed that governments are stuck in the old development paradigm ,emphasizing economic growth and believing that industrial countries have made no significant effort to change their patterns in production and consumption, thereby threatening global resources. To meet sustainable development objectives requires genuine political and institutional will at all levels of government in all countries, developed and developing. Nevertheless, Corruption, ineffective government and weak inactive law enforcement are hindrances to achieving genuine sustainability. Moreover, lack of information and relevant data availability, limited capacity of policy and decision-makers were identified as reasons for the limited cooperation of governments. The outcome of the discussion by the World Summit on Sustainable Development that was held in South Africa in 2002 was that sustainable development has not been able to evolve out of its environmental roots and that greater focus on climate change may be pulling the issue towards a purer environmental direction rather than integrating sustainable development perspective. They also warned that SD is being replaced by climate change on the political agenda, leaving the rest of the sustainable development agenda forgotten. Lack of coordination to integrate the three pillars of sustainable development has been a major challenge at all levels. At the global level, the United Nations failed to join together its efforts to promote a genuinely sustainable development. Campaigns for integrating many factors are themselves not harmonized, but try to meet different purposes at different times. It was noted that the sectionalized approach to the MDGs has dissolved the broader context of development, and MDG 7 on sustainable development has been largely neglected in favor of other goals rather than being a basis for achieving the rest of the MDGs. More consistent policies to support SD are needed at the international level, including within the United Nations system. At the regional level, regional agreements on SD and mechanisms for their implementation are not stable. There was an agreement that, at national level, a multi-disciplinary approach to governance is needed rather than the persisting tendency for different line ministries, departments and agencies to act without a clear framework for coordination across sectors. Sectorial systems of governance create and perpetuate silo thinking and behavior. It was observed that there is basically no effective national forum for strategic planning on pro-poor economic growth, social development, environment and climate change for developing countries. For instance, inCentral Asia, it was noted that few countries have policies linking environment, poverty, trade and social development, that few environmental policies target equity or poverty issues, and health policies are still mainly formulated in isolation without blending to related sectors. Also at the institutional level, responsibility for the implementation of sustainable development is generally assigned to the Ministry of Environment, Environmental Protection Agency or the tantamount, which traditionally receive little attention and a insufficient budget. Environmental agency would find it difficult to take a balanced approach to economic growth, social development and environmental protection. Poor community involvement was noted as a final major political barrier to achieving sustainable development goals. A top-down approach by centralized authorities often imposes projects and programmes on local governments. Moreover, policy making and implementation does not take into consideration the grassroots need or involve the lower levels of government. Initiatives to overcome political barrier In combating political barrier, sustainable development strategies must be streamlined, but also applied with more severity. The need for environmental institutions to blend and work with other (non-environmental) institutions. Also all ministries must cooperate and work together to achieve an integrated sustainable development for their countries. Stringent efforts should be directed to encroach structural problems that deform both developmental and environmental prospects by focusing on key injustices, notably in trade, environment and climate change. There should be an analytical work on advanced financing for SD. Poverty and environment linkages must be undertaken to further incorporate economic, social and environmental factors. Basic components like sensitization of political leaders, private sector involvement, and participation of local communities need to be concrete in developmental approach. Capacity-building is also necessary across the board. Progress in sustainable developmental goals involves strong, innovation-driven science and technology policies. HIV and Injecting Drug Use Poverty and disease in relation to HIV and Drug Use frustrates the implementation of sustainable development in many developing countries. In many developing countries, HIV epidemics between injecting drug users (IDUs) are preceding larger epidemics in the broader population. Notwithstanding recent expansion of responses, within individual countries, these tend to be several years behind the pace and scale of the actual epidemic. These are factors closely linked to development. The current policy environment makes it difficult for community-based programmes to prevent HIV between injecting drug users. Deficiency in policy dialogue between sectors of government responsibility for reactions to HIV and drug use There is an economic, social and political breakdown which leads to increase in drug injecting, needle sharing and, consequently HIV. Inadequate community capacity, in terms of skills, resources and experience to respond to HIV among IDUs. Injecting drug users, especially women, being demonized for their drug use, rather than supported, placing them at particular risk of both human rights abuses and HIV infection Donor agencies and countries alike failing to recognize the long-term threat to development posed by HIV and injecting drug use. Initiatives to overcome HIV and Injecting Drug Use UNDP and partner agencies, especially UNAIDS and UNDCP, are in a unique and appropriate position to take the lead in the planning and implementation of responses in the following areas: Policy dialogue and reform Programme development and monitoring Creating awareness and understanding of the development implications of HIV and IDU Powering community capacity to respond Addressing gender considerations Responding to legal , ethical and human right issues Also there is need to implement the MDGs in all developing countries especially on reducing poverty and ensuring good health. Poor monitoring and evaluation systems A basic problem is lack of specific targets (globally, nationally and at local level), measurement and data to track progress, resulting in a lack of information available to decision-makers. It is suggested for strengthening monitoring and evaluation of sustainable development strategies in order to establish a dynamic improvement process, with an objective of increasing their effectiveness. It is recommended that governments should turn up deeper and assess the socio-economicimpacts of developmental projects, rather thanthe outcomealone. Initiatives to overcome poor monitoring and evaluation systems Co-ordination of data within which the vast amount of data can be easily accessed. Countries specific knowledge bases are needed to guide decision making. This is a comprehensive mechanism for monitoring the outcomes of interventions that feeds into subsequent planning processes. National research and development systems need to be strengthened, as well as south-south and south-north knowledge sharing and management. Institutional barriers Institutional barriers as a result of lack of institutional experience to operate all the mechanism of democratic system has been combating and frustrating sustainable development in many developing countries. Since the end of the civil war, developing countries have made a striking movement towards democratic capitalism as the operative model of governance. Moreover in making that transition, many countries discovered that they lack institutional experience to operate all the mechanism of democratic system. They discovered that they have never witness free and fair elections with a full ballot of candidates from multiple parties. In other hand, they were not prepared to run a parliament, also not prepared to have journalists and broadcasters looking at the problems of government in a very public way. Initiatives to overcome institutional barrier Generating enough scientific capacity and institutional support in developing countries is particularly urgent as they are most vulnerable to the multiple stresses arising from rapid, simultaneous changes in social and environmental system. USAID and other governmental donors have facilitated institutional building to help these countries to help these countries fix all the mechanism operating in an open democratic society. Sponsoring democratic programs, introducing new approaches to crisis management and conflicts analysis to assist opposing parties in resolving their peacefully and within the framework that a democratic system provides. Trade barriers Basically developing countries find the EUs strict food safety requirements disruptive to trade. In addition to sanitary standards, new technical product specifications and industrial norms might obstruct the exports of developing countries .The EU introduced a series of directives varying from technical specifications for cars, weighing machines and toys, to the compulsory labeling of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), eggs and voluntary eco-labels. In addition to Community standards, there are regulations at the member-state level. However the level to which this continual flow of new standards helps to restrict imports from developing countries is not properly known. It is clear, however, that WTO notification leads to protests by developing countries .Some of the developing countries expressed their concern, regarding new EU directives on discarded electronic apparatuses proposed by the Commission in 2000 Initiatives to overcome trade barriers Trade liberalization including the removal of existing distortion in international trade must be pursued to support sustainable development policies in developing countries. Sustainable development requires a dynamic international economy and an open, equitable, secure, non-discriminatory and predictable multilateral trading system to support sound domestic economic and environmental policies in both developed and developing countries. Trade and environment should be reciprocally supportive in the pursuit of sustainable development. Conclusion In achieving sustainable development, the 3pillars of SD should be integrated. Progress in sustainability will require fostering problem -driven , interdisciplinary research; building capacity for research; creating coherent system of research planning , operational monitoring , assessment , and application; and providing reliable long term financial support. The need to generate adequate scientific capacity and institutional support in developing countries is particularly urgent as they are most vulnerable to multiple stresses that arise from rapid, simultaneous changes in social and environmental systems. REFERENCES Achieving Sustainable Development, an e-journal of the U.S Department of State.April 2002, volume 1, Num 1. Barbier, E.,1987.The Concept of Sustainable Economic Development.Environmental Conservation, 14(2):101-110 Promoting trade for sustainable development by UNCTAD Secretariat (www.unctad.org/en/docs/tdxibp10_en.pdf) Pearce, D., A. Markandya and E. Barbier,1989.Blueprint for a green economy,Earthscan, London, Great Britain UNDP, 2006. Making Progress on environmental sustainability. Lessons and recommendations from a review of over 150 MDG country experiences (www.undp.org/fssd/report) Summary of e -discussion on achieving sustainable development, April 2008. (http://www.undg.org/docs/8885/eDiscussion-on-Achieving-Sustainable-Development.htm) Sustainability science , science 292.5517 (April 27 ,2001):p 641. Working together towards SD (http://www.oecdwash.org/DATA/DOCS/working_together.pdf) World Summit Outcome Document 2005,World Health Organization, 15 September 2005

A Valuable Treasure We Can Use Every Day Essay -- Literary Analysis

Acceptance is one of the most basic yet elusive human rights. Surfacing as a recurring theme in many forms of media, from movies to literature, there is an echoing outcry of the desire to attain this fundamental need. Carefully constructed into a beautiful literary quilt, Alice Walker's, "Everyday Use" is an excellent example of the search for acceptance. Walker uses a definitive tone, deeply focused first-person point of view, and powerful imagery, to stitch together this family-heirloom-quality short story, highlighting the incomparable need for acceptance within the family circle and by extension, from the world as a whole. As the story unfolds, the narrating mother is challenged to disdainfully tolerate her daughter Dee, who rebelliously renames herself Wangero. This is a daunting task because of Dee’s seemingly unreasonable and elitist attitude. Her other daughter, Maggie has endured surviving a heinous childhood experience, and yet still manages to exude a practical, loving selflessness, that at times causes her to acquiesce to her sibling’s will and wishes. With the mother’s reactions to the girls’ conflicting personalities, Walker makes the clear-cut tone easy to distinguish throughout the account. Though she wishes things were different between Dee and herself, illustrated by her daydreams of having a happy reconciliation with her daughter in a â€Å"This Is Your Life† style reunion in which â€Å"Dee embrac[es] [her] with tears in her eyes†, and pins a beautiful orchid to her mother's dress; the eye-opening, true nature of their relationship quickly becomes exposed. The reader is rudely awakened by the fact that, despite her mother's apparent fondness for orchids, in real life, Dee is sure to let her mother know that â€Å"she th... ...s for whom we are in the best way they know how; or perhaps to see how badly they may need our acceptance. Finally, we must allow Walker’s sense-awakening imagery to bring to life all the instances we are exposed to that may require the giving or needing of acceptance. As we choose to look beneath the surface of this short, simple tale, we will inevitably find the well-hidden treasures of a definitive tone, the strategic use of first-person point of view and rich imagery; keys which can open up to us the author’s bounty of knowledge, experience and wisdom. These precious gems can accompany and enrich us on our quest to find, give, and receive true acceptance. Works Cited Walker, Alice. "Everyday Use." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Writing. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Ed. Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 455-461. Print.

Programming Languages Essay -- essays research papers

Programming Languages A programming language is a set of English-like instructions that includes a set of rules for putting the instructions together to create commands. A translator changes the English-like commands into numeric code that the computer can understand. The most common type of translator is a compiler. The compiler is program that reads English-like commands in a file and than creates another file containing computer readable numeric code or commands. I will be talking about some of the major functions and uses six high-level programming languages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Java was developed by Sun MicroSystems and released in 1995. Java is based on C and C++ and incorporates many features object-oriented languages. It is a compiled language, but it’s code output is interpreted. This makes Java ideal for cross-development. The downside to its interpreted code is speed. Java’s object-oriented is fundamental, and all code and data in a Java program exist within the object-oriented class. Java’s exception handiling with try, catch, and throw statements provide the solution for writing reliable code that responds to all possible error conditions. Another advantage of Java is a String class that does away with null-terminated, length byte and other types of strings. It is also multithreaded which a class can easily provide code that runs concurrently with other programing. Another advantage is the lack of a pointer-type data and memory management which tends to be a very bug-prone area. Memory is organized by Javaâ⠂¬â„¢s virtual machine garbage collector. Java provides a rich class library in beavery bug-prone area. Memory is organized by Java’s virtual machine garbage collector. Java provides a rich class library in the forms of packages imported into modules. Since Java is interpreted locally on the user’s system, a security manager can completely control disk access, window creation, and memory management. C was developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labortories in 1972. C was originally designed as symbolic code that formalized programming prasctices used at the time. In 1978 C blossomed into what was to become the most popular programming language ever. C offers programmers three advantages: The first is general pourpose programming which allows you to write games, business software, utilities, mathematical models, wordprocessors, spredsheets,... ...equence. Cobol has a certain minimum amount of code that is required for all programs, this is usually called a shell program. Delphi is a Rapid Application progarm which now progrrammers can use tools which are more intuitive and visual. Delphi uses Object Pascal as its foundation language, which has been one of the fastest compilers in the business. Also object-based extensions has been added to the language to support good programming practices and efficent code. Delphi is capeble of using OCX controls, which is a 32-bit OLE-based custom control. Delphi also allows you to create OLE automation servers and clients. These automation objects give you the flexibility of creating programs that perform tasks in the backround and put the results back to your application. Anoter advantage for Delphi is the ability to write multi-threaaded applications. In a multi-tasking enviorment thi is important, as your applications become more comple, it is necessary to execute your applications in seprate pieces, which are called threads. In conclusion, the following was an overview of six high level languages. Many are similar, but there are very distinct features and advantages to each language

Thank You for Smoking Essay -- Peter Brimelow Tobacco Health Essays

Thank You for Smoking â€Å"Take another drag. That’s good for you.† One might not hear that everyday, but Peter Brimelow’s â€Å"Thank You for Smoking†¦?† is a very well written deductive argument that may have you believing that statement by the time you’re done reading his article. Brimelow’s argument is clearly inductive because he presents his samples right away which lead to generalizations that are drawn from those examples (McFadden). Brimelow comes right out early in the argument and informs the reader smoking can be beneficial to one’s health (141). Brimelow makes it clearly evident throughout the article that smoking is good for one’s health which is his major claim. The major claim is also known as a thesis (McFadden). Because most Americans have heard repetitively from the time they were little that smoking is bad for your health, Brimelow needs to provide valuable information to sway his audience. In this argument, he does a really good job of doing just that. Brimelow uses grounds, which are evidence and facts that support the major claim, to back up his argument (McFadden 2003) Parkinson’s disease among smokers appears to be half the rate of non-smokers. Alzheimer’s disease has been found to be as much as 50% less among smokers than non-smokers. Smoking may be responsible for what appears to be a 50% lower rate of prostate cancer among smokers` (142). These were a few of the statistics Brimelow provided to show how smoking may help prevent certain diseases. He didn’t stop there. On page 141 Brimelow documented the outcome of studies performed by D.M. Warburton that showed cigarettes to stimulate alertness, dexterity, and cognitive capacity. These grounds presented by Brimelow attract the audience... ...ke away from the power of Brimelow’s argument. Overall, Brimelow has a strong argument going here. He clearly has stated his claim and has strengthened it with powerful grounds, warrants, and backing. He exhibited skill in providing qualifiers and bringing up rebuttals and counter-claims. Brimelow falls short in a few areas of the argument. By using some fallacies and hasty generalizations Brimelow takes away from his strong argument. With some modifications in a few areas Brimelow would have a very good argument. Works Cited Brimelow, Peter, â€Å"Thank You for Smoking...?† The Genre of Argument Ed. Irene L. Clark Boston: Thomson/Heinle, 1998. 141-143 Clark, Irene L. The Genre of an Argument. Boston: Thomson/Heinle, 1998. McFadden, James. The Toulmin Method: From Classical Logic to Modern Argumentation. 2003. Buena Vista University. Storm Lake, IA

A Comprehensive Time-Series Analysis Essay

The report is mainly focused on the structural time series model as it is applied as a means of portraying the structural behavior of life insurance demand. The study is focused on the impact of selected variables including the price level, revenue, interest rate, seemingly perpetual joblessness and population on life insurance demand. Problem The importance of life insurance companies has increased significantly over the past several years. However, despite this remarkable rise, there is little that is known about the structural behavior of the demand for the products and services offered by life insurance companies, and what external factors drive this demand. The problem of this study aims to tackle is the behavior of life insurance demand within a period of deregulation and reform that is existing within the industry, also exploring the relationship between demand and a specified set of explanatory variables over this time. Feasibility This project has the prospect of being highly feasible. Although there is very little research with regards to life insurance there are extant research conducted pertaining to life insurance and other kinds of insurance in other regions of the world (e. g. Southeast Asia) that is similar in several aspects to our study. Aside from this, the proponents of this research are leaders in the field of life insurance and as such their study is heavily grounded on years of experience and knowledge in the field. This shows the feasibility of such an endeavor. Audience The primary audience for this market study may be useful in assisting life insurance companies in the various facets that comprise their current corporate strategy for Life insurance. One of the cases that this paper can be applied is for the case of seasonal issues. Secondly, this research and similar research in this area can be of interest to other institutions that are similarly involved in life insurance. For example, it might be useful to generalize the results of the comparison of forecasting models to other categories of financial intermediaries such as banks and monetary agencies providing aid in life insurance issues. Topics to investigate This report intends to examine clearly the following areas pertinent to Life Insurance: †¢ Provide a very innovative perspective to the study of life insurance demand. †¢ Determine the relationship between the cyclical and trend components of demand and the specified set of economic variables affecting life insurance. Determine whether insurance demand is stochastic using an singular variation model o Determine if life insurance demand has a deterministic seasonal component attached to it existing within the first quarter of each year of the sample period and a relative fall during the fourth quarter of the year. †¢ Utilize a seemingly unrelated time series model in order to test for the presence of common factors. †¢ Investigate the forecasting power of the singular variation model when it is opposed to the multivariate model that includes explanatory variables Methods/Procedure In an effort to provide an original perspective towards the study of life insurance demand and overcome inadequacies in previous research, this study employs the structural time series model. As opposed to traditional methods, this methodology is based on representing explicitly the components of a series. While these components cannot be observed directly their usefulness can be found in an economic point of view. This paper is based on a sample of quarterly, seasonally unadjusted insurance data covering the period between the second quarter of 1980 and the fourth quarter of 2003 that results in 90 total observations. The main advantage of using quarterly data, as opposed to annual data, is that it allows us to address possible seasonal fluctuations appropriately. Qualifications/Facilities/Resources The researchers of this study are esteemed experts in the field. Part of the group hails from a college institution under the Department of Economics and Finance. The rest are expert leaders in the field of life insurance and are employed in multinational commercial insurance companies. The group is knowledgeable in the statistical method to be used and have been involved both directly and indirectly in the creation of research pertinent to Life insurance.

A study of islamic and hindu belief about life after death Essay

The concept of life after death can be traced back to prehistoric periods. Man has always believed there is something beyond death and in our modern scientific world there is no exception. My aim is to explore the concept of life after death in two of the biggest world spread religions today. I will be exploring Islam and Hinduism, two religions with very different concepts on the theory of life after death, but one thing in conman, the soul. Both religions have a common belief in the soul and my investigation will be strongly focusing on this along with the to the representation of the heaven and hell in each religion, including it postive and negative points. I also want to explore the concept of the soul within different sects such as Sunnis and shiahs in Islam and Saivism,Vaishnavism ,Shaktismin in Hinduism. Islam is a religion with more than 1,400 million believers. It is dominant in East- and north africa, middle eastCentral Asia and in Indonesia. Islam is divided into many sects but the two main sects are sunnis which are the majority of muslims today and shiahs. This religion is based upon the holy quran, and the examples of conduct from the messenger Muhammad’s(pbuh) life, the Sunna, or hadà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½th. According to Islam, the religion is dated back to Adam, the first man created. Ibrahim (pbuh)(also known in Judaism and Christianity as Abraham) has a central place in the history of Islam, and is the founder and builder of the Ka’ba in Mecca, which is by Islam defined as the centre of the world.. Western scientists and many Muslims, too, have a different point of view, and consider Islam as historically beginning with the first revelations to Muhammad in 610 in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). This After Life is called the Real and the True Life accourding to islam. The Quran explicitly refers to the After Life as the True Life while the life in this world is a superficial one. â€Å"What is the life of this world but amusement and play? But verily the Home of the Hereafter – that is Life indeed, if they but knew.†(29:64) In islam, one of the most major beliefs is that we live on this earth as part of a test . a test which will determine wiether we will enter heaven or hell after our deaths. Death is inevitable. It is the one thing that we can be certain about in life. It is the islamic notion that we are born to die. Every soul shall have a taste of death no matter who they are. This is something which is confirmed many times in the holy Quran: â€Å"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense.† (Quran 3:185)In Islam man cannot feel sure that he or she will enter Paradise, unless he or she lives as a Muslim. Islam has a Day of Judgement, This day will be the day when all souls are reawakened to be judged. They will either be condemned to hell or let into Paradise The concept of the soul in islam is that it has three stages of physical development , dust or clay, embryo and birth. There are also three stages of spiritual development, Death,the Grave and Resurrection, all indicated in the holy Quran. The journey of the soul begins in our mother’s wombs. Forty days after conception the soul is blown into the fetus. The next part of the souls journey begins after we are born. This is the life of this world, in which we now reside and are familiar with. Here we grow up and acquire the means to happiness or misery. We are given the ability to make choices after the age of puberty and we will later be punished or rewarded based upon them. In this life, the soul and the body are together except during sleep when the soul may leave the body and come back in the morning or Allah may take the soul at that time. (can insert quote from quran here) The next stage for the soul is when it body begins to die. Acourding to islamic belief the Angel of Death or Izraeel is said to come to take the soul out of the body and put it in a place called the Barzakh. For those who led a life of evil, the removal of the soul is tough and difficult. Sometimes, more than one angel has to work together to beat the face and back of the deceased. But for those who lived a good life, the soul yearns to meet its Lord and leaves the body with ease. After the soul is taken, if it is a pure soul and has relatives in the Next World who are people of the Garden, they come to meet the soul with great joy. The angels then take the soul from one heaven to the next(acourding to islam there are 7 levels of heaven) until it comes into the presence of Allah. Then the angels bring the soul back to see washing of the body, its shrouding, and the funeral procession. The soul stays floating above the body and when the corpse is placed in the grave, the soul inserts itself between the body and the shroud so that the questioning can take place. This life in the grave or barzack is the next part of the souls journey. this interspace separates two things: heaven and earth and this world and the Next World or the period between death and resurrection. The bliss or punishment of the Interpsace is not the same as what is follow, but rather something that happens between the two worlds. In death, the body remains in the ground while the soul is in the Barzakh between the two worlds. However, the two are still connected and so the bliss or punishment happens to both of them. During this life in the grave the souls are divided into two groups: one group is punished and the other group is in bliss. As various hadiths narrate, if the soul was a believing one, the soul is shown it’s place in the Fire(hell) had they disobeyed god. Then they are shown the Garden(heaven) and their place there. The soul will be shown this untill the Day of Rising. Some of the sweetness and fragrance of the Garden reaches them and the grave is said to be made spacious. The believer sleeps in peace just as if they were in one of the meadows of the Garden. Their narrow grave expands and stretches for the soul as far as the eye can see. If however the soul was a disbelieving one, the Garden is opened for the unbeliever and they are told to look at what their place would have been in the Garden had they obeyed Allah. Then it they are told to look at heir place in the fire. It stays open and the blast of hot air from it continues to reach them until the Day of Rising. It is said that the earth presses in on them and they are crushed to the point that their ribs split apart. This part of the souls journey in the graves is still mostly unknown territory. Outwardly the grave is stillness and quiet while inwardly it contains secrets and terrors which an ordinary person cannot percieve. The next part of the souls journey is the resurection. Acording to islamic belief, Allah will instruct the Angel Israfeel to blow the horn twice. The souls will come back from the barzakh to group on the mountain of arfat Judgement Day will be the souls next stop. This is the day when Allah personally will judge everyone directly . Each person will then receive a book that contains each and everything they have done from the time of birth till death. This book includes activites, appearance and intention. This is where the journey for the souls will near its end near the end. The soul will enter an everlasting life, which will either be spent in heaven or hell. The concept of hell in islam is one which is extreamly horrific,terrifying and graphic in comparison to hell of other world religions – The prophet (saw) said: â€Å"The mildest punishment to be inflicted upon a person in Hell is that he will be made to wear a pair of sandals made of fire which will be so hot that they will make his brain boil like things boil on a stove. He will imagine that no one is undergoing a punishment more severe although his punishment, in reality, will be the mildest in Hell.† [Bukhari, Muslim]. The belief about hell is that every individual will pass over Hellfire, some will remain there while others continue on. Every persons Hell will take its shape according to his evil deeds ensuing from atheistic belief or polytheism, hypocrisy, base passion and evil practices, oppression of the innocent, sensuality and iniquity or vicious activities. The islamic concept of heaven is on the opposite spectrum of hell, it is described as something incomprehendable to the human mind. It is the last destination and hope of every muslim to arrive there. Paradise is said to have all the beauties of life to enjoy without ever being tired. It is a life of excitement, peace and happiness. The prophet (saw) said: â€Å"Allah, the Almighty, says, ‘I have prepared for My righteous servants that which no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard and no heart has ever conceieved.'† [Bukhari, Muslim] The concepts and ideals of hinduism in comparison to islam are very different. There is however one coman denomenator, which is the soul. Although the theoryies surounding the soul in each religion are very, there is a general belief in It. The origins of Hinduism can be traced to the Indus Valley civilization sometime between 4000 and 2500 BCE. Though believed by many to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything. This totality is called Brahman. The purpose of life is to realize that the soul (or atman) is part of God and by doing so it can leave this plane of existance and rejoin with him. This enlightenment can only be achieved by going through cycles of birth, life and death known as samsara. One’s progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma. This is the accumulation of all one’s good and bad deeds and this determines the person’s next reincarnation. Selfless acts and thoughts as well as devotion to God help one to be reborn at a higher level. Bad acts and thoughts will cause one to be born at a lower level, as a person or even an animal. Hindus follow a strict caste system which determines the standing of each person. The caste one is born into is the result of the karma from their previous life. Only members of the highest caste, the Brahmins, may perform the Hindu religious rituals and hold positions of authority within the temples. According to Hinduism a soul reincarnates again and again on earth till it becomes perfect and reunites with it Source. During this process the soul enters into many bodies, assumes many forms and passes through many births and deaths. This concept is summarily described in the following verse of the Bhagavad gita(the holy scriptures for followers of hinduism): â€Å"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and wears new ones.† (2.22) According to Hinduism a being has to live many lives and under go many experiences before it attains perfection and becomes one with the Divine. The Hindu theory of creation suggests that creation begins when the individual souls becomes separated from the undifferentiated One. the individual soul hides behind the false personality called jiva (Every being with Atman (a soul) is known as a Jiva,) The body and outer personality or the ego. The jiva is made up of the subtle body, the subtle mind and a little bit of discretionary intelligence called buddhi. The ego is made up of the gross physical body, the surface consciousness consisting of innumerable desires and impulses. Since the Jiva and the ego have no idea of Truth or reality, they suffers from ignorance and illusion. They succumbs to illusion and suffer from the delusion of the outer mind. They behave selfishly as if they are different from the rest of creation and end up with suffering, indulging in acts of self perpetuation. At the end of each life, the physical body and the gross mind return to the elements of the earth. But the Jiva and the soul survive death. Depending upon the nature of their past deeds and number of bodies it has passed on to, the Jiva either ascends to the heaven or descends into the hell. The Jiva stays in these worlds till it exhausts the fruits of its good or bad actions. Having learned some new lessons, it then returns to the earth again to take another birth. Thus the Jiva undergoes innumerable births and deaths.. Hinduism does speak of the existence of heavens above and hells below. The concept of heaven that it is sun filled and inhabited by gods and innumerable divine souls. The latter are dark worlds (asurya lokas) and populated by all the dark and demonic forces. The individual souls go into these worlds according to their deeds. But they do not stay there permanently till the end of destruction. They go there basically as a consequence of their actions, either to enjoy or to suffer. In either case they learn the lesson and come back to earth to start a new earthly life all over again. according to Hinduism, life in heaven may be longer, but still it is a mortal life only. There, a Jiva may enjoy extreme pleasures, but it would not last for ever. Once its karma is exhausted, the Jiva is thrown back from the heights of heavenly glory into the turmoil of unstable earthly life . Hinduism does not accept that under normal circumstances an individual soul can free itself completely from the entanglement with Samsara and unite with its Creator in just one life time. The Jiva has to progressively evolve through the cycle of innumerable births and deaths before the soul can liberate itself. Freedom from the process of samsara can only come once a person realises they are actualydivine and belong to god. And this can take hundred of years to achieve. Overall when looking at these two relgions view on the soul it is important to look at the differnts sect belief in the soul. in islam , the two major sects are sunis and shiah and these two sects seperated at back at the time of the prophets mohammed(pbuh) death. Though these two sect have many beliefs and practices which are are very different from one another, the actual belief in the soul and the concepts of barahkz ,ressurection,judgement,heaven and hell are in fact very simlar. There are not many differences. In hinduism however, there are four main sects Shaivism,Vaishnavism ,Shaktismin and smarta/liberal hinduism which I have just discussed. All these sect have a belief that the human soul is imortal and passes from body to body untill they can reunite with god. The difference in each sect is that are each represented by a different god who they hope to become one with. Smarta hinduism which I have discused believe that they are all apart of the one god known as brahmin. in Shaivism, these followers bielieve it is the god known as shiva who is one god they hope to reunite with. In Vaishnavism it’s the god Vishnu, and in Shaktism it is the god Shakti. These are the major differences between the sects, the ideals and concepts of hinduism such as karma, reincartion, the soul, heaven are the same.