Diary extract from the poem blessing Essay Example for Free

Diary extract from the poem blessing Essay Today was the best day ever; the pipe through our village burst. I first spotted it on the way back from my two mile hike to the well, I had two buckets in my hands had spilt a little water on the way back when seeing a spurt of water coming from the pipe. I filled up the buckets and ran home, I told everyone in the village to bring buckets and cups and everything, by this time the gap had grown and there was a good amount of water coming from it. Everyone gather around bring mugs and tin cans to collect some clean water, we filled our metal bath tub with our buckets and everything we could, we have so much water now, the crops we have tried to grow have been watered and we have kept a good amount to water them more often, the drought had finally ended, there hasnt been rain in a while, but I believe that this is the work of god, hes finally come through for us, everyone had prayed and thanked him for this deed, the party still hasnt finished, I am tired, I have been dancing and singing and drumming until the sun rose again, I was the villages favourite person today because I spotted the leak that has praised us all, I wouldnt trade the feeling I had for anything in the world, people chanted my name and cheered all night long I loved it, none of the water is being wasted anything waterproof is being filled with clean healthy water, I will not have to go on my hike for water for the next few days and I will not have to be thirs ty we are going to church again tomorrow and I think that the whole village will be there just to thank him for this blessing. I cant believe how lucky we were, this is truly a miracle, the water came when we needed it the most, when everyone was finding it harder and harder to drink the dirty water, but the question is how long will this water last? How long will it take for the rich people to realise they are paying for our water? And will they stop it? I believe that these questions will be answered in time, God may have let this miracle but I dont think there is much he could do to change those idiots, they have everything, clean house, clean food and clean drinking water and we have nothing. Our homes are dirty so is our food and out drinking water they just get water whenever they want whereas we have to walk over 2 miles to get dirty water from a well. Everyone hates them if only we could swap places for a week, they would know what its like how hard it is for us just to survive, to stay alive but they have no idea I wish something could be done about this.

Physics of Cross Country Skiing :: physics sport sports ski skiing

Cross Country Skiing has existed since prehistoric times. The oldest pair of skis were found to be over 4500 years old. Skiing was used as a way to travel or hunt during the winter season. The skis were designed not so much for speed but to keep the skier on top of the snow. Traditionally, the skis were made of wood, the poles were made of bamboo with leather hand straps. The boots were also made of tough leather and were fastened to the skis with sinew made from animal hides. Skiing was believed to have originated from the Scandinavian countries and this fact is complimented by active skiing lifestyle that we see today. When a man by the name of Jackrabbit Johansson came to North America in 1900, he introduced skiing to locals. Skiing has evolved into a sport that has been proven to be one of the most physically demanding compared to any other sport. In Scandinavia, it is a way for families to connect with each other on the weekends, and to give the children some way to spend their endless energy during the week. Coming from Canada, I noticed that the American school system incorporates sports such as cross country skiing into the curricular activities. This is a good way to give students the option to explore their physical capabilities which may lead them to an active lifestyle or may even lead them to Olympic success. Just being outside brings about a positive mood, especially if you are out with your friends andjust having a good time.Cross Country Skiing is a lifelong sport that anyone can enjoy because the excitement can bring you up to levels you never thought possible. Wax is used in Cross Country Skiing to reduce the amount of contact between the skis and snow, or to produce the proper friction to help the skier propel him-/herself forward. Glide wax is applied to the base of the skis (but not in the 'kick-wax zone') which is in the most contact with the snow. This enables the skier to travel at faster speeds. This part of the ski is always in contact with the snow.Most glide-waxes contain a substance called paraffin which is insoluble with water (meaning that the was will remain on the skis the entire duration of your excursion!) There are two types of glide wax: hard and soft wax The hard wax is generally used in colder temperatures because it provides a good resistance to the firm cold ice crystals.

School Finance Paper

Connie Findley University of Phoenix June 14, 2010 School Finance Issue Paper There is a popular myth that government sponsored public education is cost free to students, families and teachers (Darden, 2007). The economic crisis has resulted in a wave of reduced funding sources for school districts around the country. As state and city budgets have been slashed, the consequences for districts are dire (Trainor, 2010). Debates about how to improve public education in America often focus on whether government should spend more on education.Federal and state policy makers proposing new education programs often base their arguments on the need to provide more resources to improve opportunities for students (Lips at el. , 2008). The increasing number of budget cuts have left teachers, administrators, families footing the bill for classroom materials. The challenge has become to provide essential school supplies and classroom materials despite millions in budget cuts. Many districts has ra ised dozen of school fees for various students activities and added many items to school supply lists every year (Dyrli, 2008).In recent years there has been a great interest in the effect of school resources on academic achievement ( Froese, 1997). Answering whether spending more on public education improves academic achievement begins with establishing how much the United States spends on education. In 2007, the federal government spent $71. 7 billion on elementary and secondary education programs. These funds were spent by 13 federal departments ad multiple agencies. The Department of Education spent $39. 2 billion on K-12 education.The largest programs in the Department of Educations budget were education for the disadvantaged and special education (Lips at el. , 2008). The monies dedicated to states from the federal government is earmarked for certain programs. Allotted monies for school resources do not always equate to materials for classroom instruction. Many people believe that lack of funding is a problem in public education, but historical trends show that American spending on public education is at an all-time high (Lips at el. , 2008). Acknowledging that education excellence cost money, the vast majority of school districts have a tough time keeping pace.Schools are tempting to use several solutions to combat the budget crisis. Schools are collecting fees from parents, they can pretend not to notice as teachers quietly bear the expenses as an act of caring, or solicit or accept dollars that come from third-party sources (Darden, 2007). Academic researchers have sought to answer the question of whether education expenditures are correlated with student performance. However, there is a lack of consistent evidence on whether education expenditures are related to academic achievement.Despite the lack of consistent finding, leading researchers in the area acknowledge that any effect of per-pupil expenditures on academic outcomes depends on how money is spent, not how much money is spent (Lips at. el. , 2008). Existing evidence indicates that the typical school system today do not use resources well at least if promoting students achievement is the purpose. The high and increasing percentage of funding is allocated to non-classroom expenditures is evidence of the need to improve resource allocation in the nation’s public schools.According to the National Center for Public Education Statistics, only fifty two percent of public education expenditures are spent on instruction. This percentage has slowly been decreasing over recent decades (Lips at. el. , 2008). One problem school districts are facing is shrinking enrollment. These school districts are left with vacant buildings and hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in desk, chairs, office supplies and equipment, computers and textbooks that may eventually find their way to the dump.At the same time, districts in growing communities struggle to accommodate an enrollment expansion with limited funding, facilities and equipment. Administrators may be forced to purchase and temporary classrooms (Trainor, 2010). One of the major areas that school administrators are focusing on is technology in the classroom. While many teachers are bearing the cost of glue, paper, pencils and other classroom materials essential for achievement, school officials are providing funding for instructional computer programs to help increase reading and math achievement.While purchasing new computers is not always an option many school districts are finding ways to provide computers without overspending. In an effort to reduce cost, some school technology leaders have formed groups to negotiate pricing with firms selling refurbished computers. Because every computer in a school setting does not need the most sophisticated capabilities, refurbished models provide access as well as word processing and other basic programs at an affordable price (Trainor, 2010). Providing update d and current textbooks is another recurring cost that school systems face.There is a large used textbook market which has existed for decades. Districts around the country regularly sell retired textbooks. Sometimes school systems replace relatively new textbooks because of a change in curriculum requirements (Trainor, 2010). School systems are wasting money of textbooks each year due to purchasing books that are already retired or by purchasing an older edition of a textbook. Teachers are using creative ways to supplement curriculums and information not found in textbooks but are required by the state to teach.School districts need a willingness to explore the possibilities of learning about the other three Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle (Trainor, 2010). When budgets are tight, district administrators must sometimes choose between supplies and other needs. To help bridge the gap, many teachers are buying more material than ever for their classrooms. The most recent study by the Nat ional School Supply and Equipment Association found that in the 2005-2006 school year, teachers spent and average of $552 on school supplies and instructional material (Dyrli, 2008).Some school systems have found themselves in court over the idea of providing a free education while asking parents to pay for school activities. In April 2006, the Indiana Supreme Court struck down Evansville-Vanderburgh School Districts $20 school activity fee, saying it was the equivalent of tuition charge and therefore violated the state constitution. The money was used to pay for music, drama, nurses, school counselors, alternative education and other needs. This fee was an attempt by this school system to balance the budget (Darden, 2010).One of the perks that teachers could look forward to during tax season is the tax credit offered to teachers. California Public School teachers in 2004 found out right before school started that they would no longer be able to deduct the cost of school supplies fr om their taxes. California cancelled its Teachers Retention Tax Credit, hoping to save about $400 million over two years (Vail, 2004). Nationally, teachers have similar, though much lower tax program for supplies. Most school districts have classroom budgets for such expenses, but teachers frequently dip into their own pockets to supplement the budget.The general public does not understand how much teachers spend out of their own pockets just to be able to do their jobs, but they do it because it’s the best for the students and they want the students to learn, achieve and be successful (Vail, 2004). Tax payers have invested considerable resources in the nation’s public schools. However, increasing funding if education has not led to similarly improved student performance (Lips at. e. , 2008). School systems across the country are now looking for ways to supplement their restricted and strained budgets.Many are looking at purchasing refurbished computers, recycled class room materials, charging fees to parents and adding more supplies to back-to-school list. While these efforts are not in vain they are only a starting point. School district are going to have to solicit funding from private corporations, form partnerships with business in community and find raise to help supplement declining funds. What does this mean for students and teachers? Teachers continue to purchase classroom materials essential to help students master core goals.Students are having to adjust to larger classrooms, sharing materials and equipment while goals and standards continue to rise. Teachers will have to bear the burden to meet federal mandates while working with less than adequate supplies. These barriers will force teacher and parents to provide creative alternatives for learning and building stronger relationships with each other in order to provide students with more learning opportunities.Reference Darden, E. (May, 2007). School law show me the money. American Sch ool Board Journal, 44-45. Dyrli, K. (2008). School supplies on a budget. World Wide Web. htp://www. DistrictAdministraton. com. Froese, V. (1997). The relationship of school materials and resources to reading literacy: An international perspective. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. Lips, D. , Watkins, S. , and Fleming, J. (2008). Does spending more on education improve academic achievement? Backgrounder: The Heritage Foundation of America, 2179. Trainor, C. (2010). The other three rs. American School Board Journal, 50-51. Vail, K. (2004). Tax credit for school supplies? Maybe not. American School Board Journal, 8.

Death Penalty Persuasive Essay Essay

The death penalty is an issue that has the United States quite divided. While there are many supporters of it, there is also a large amount of opposition. There are five different forms of execution in the United States: hanging, electrocution, lethal injection, lethal gas, and firing squad. All of these should be illegal. Capital punishment is defined as killing of someone for a crime. But also, murder is defined as killing one human being by another. Both are acts of violence. There is nothing more inhumane than tolerating the killing of another human being. According to the Abolitionists, capital punishment is nothing but an act of violence. There are 32 states with the death penalty, and they must change. These states need to abolish it on the grounds that it carries a dangerous risk of punishing the innocent, is cruel, and for religious reasons. The United States needs to abolish capital punishment in the states that allow it. To fully understand why they should abolish the death penalty, I will first analyze the reasons why they should. First reason the death penalty should be abolished is because the risk of punishing somebody innocent. â€Å"We’re only  ­human, we all make mistakes,† is a commonly used phrase, but it is tried and true. Humans, as a species, are famous for their mistakes. However, in the case of the death penalty, error becomes too dangerous a risk. The innocent lives that have been taken with the approval of our own government should be enough to abolish capital punishment. The wrongful execution of an innocent person is an injustice that can never be rectified. There’s always the chance of the innocent being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A handful of evidence from a strong lawyer could sentence someone to life in prison, and even the death penalty. One could be spending and ending his life in captivity for simply walking down the wrong street on the wrong day. That person does not deserve to serve the time that’s not rightfully his. It’s a small fault in the justice system that is not easy to overcome. In the case of the death penalty, error becomes too dangerous to risk. The innocent lives that have been taken with the approval of our own government  should be enough to abolish capital punishment. Another reason to abolish the death penalty is because it is cruel. Many people favor the death penalty because it helps families get over the wrong done to the family; however, in most cases, closure is not the result. Losing a loved one, no matter how that person is lost, is unbearable. Pain like this is shocking and the victim’s family holds onto the hope that the execution of the murderer will bring relief and closure. Nevertheless, when execution day arrives, the pain is not eased. No relief can be gained, for their pain is an unavoidable, natural process of life. They believe that they are different from those who have taken their loved ones and they demonstrate their  ­difference by refusing to sink to a murderer’s level. According to Edna Weaver, whose daughter was murdered in New Jersey, expressed relief that the defendant was spared the death penalty. She said that she did not want William Severs Jr. executed for killing Tina Lambriola in 2002 because she wanted to spare his mother the pain of losing a child. â€Å"I’m so thankful it came out the way it did. . . . I wouldn’t want another mother to feel like I do — it’s a feeling I could never put into words. . . . At least his mother will be able to write to him, she will be able to send things to him,† Weaver stated. Finally, the last reason they should abolish capital punishment is because religious reasons. Many religions, such Catholicism, follow the rules that God sent to use through the Ten Commandments. One of the most important of those ten states, â€Å"Thou shall not kill.† If you are executing an individual, that clearly violates this commandment. Murdering any person, no matter what the individual has been convicted of, is a mortal sin. In the Old Testament; the Lord said that it is okay to give a man Capital punishment if he has committed serious crime. Then in the New Testament he said we should not take the life of another man but if that man disobeys the laws of his country then he shall be punished equally according to what he had done. With the many advances that society has made, executing people for crimes the person may have or may not have committed is still practiced. It violates so many religious beliefs. It is a cruel and unusual practice that must be done away with. Society must advance and eliminate the death penalty. We need to understand that the best way to prevent any possible  murders in the future is not let the killer walk free. Nothing good comes of hate, and nothing good can ever come from capital punishment. It cannot continue to be accepted by a nation that claims to have liberty and justice for all. The death penalty is murder on the sly and it’s dead wrong.

buy custom Masculine Heroes essay

buy custom Masculine Heroes essay Masculine heroes are credited in various American literatures as heroes who were brave and spoke their minds out freely without fear or conservation for the plight of the less fortunate and the oppressed in the society for instance in the poem song of myself by Walt Whitman I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard here the hero speaks against every injustice both moral and illegal without fear of the resulting consequences. The concept of frontiers and masculinity are linked on several occasions throughout American literature. Leaves of grass first published in 1855 is the recorded work of Walt Whitman (1819-1892) an American poet, who is widely regarded as a significant and influential American iconoclast in the 1980s. His single book; Leaves of grass is a collection of several poems; Song of Myself, When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd inclusive. The book is highly notable because of its constant praise of the natural and physical world and the role play of individual human beings in the world. It was controversial at its time because it recorded literature o praises and glory of senses such as homosexuality, which was considered an immoral and illegal act at the time. Whitman personalizes himself in almost all his entire poems; in his poem song of myself he takes the role play of a frontier to speak against injustice. Being masculine; a male he says he can speak against all evil without fear or bias I too am not a bit tamed, I too am untranslatable, I harbor for good or bad, I permit to speak at every hazard the author uses I to refers not only to him but the masculine fraternity, the author considers being masculine as an empowering aspect of speaking against injustice consequently being a masculine hero. James Fenimore Cooper, a prolific and inspirational American novelist, popularly known for his masterpiece romantic literature The Last of the Mohicans through his writings he aids in bringing the concept of frontiers and masculinity in American literature. In his 2nd publication the Pioneer which features frontiersmen such as Natty Bumppo; a leather-stocking in his mid-age, amongst others. The concept of masculine heroism is brought forward byy the fact that Natty Bumppo is a male activist who speaks against harsh treatment and killing of pigeons and the destruction of nature, in the literature. Nutty Bumppo only considers killing for a reason and with purpose None pretended to collect the game, which lay scattered over the fields in such profusion as to cover the very ground with the fluttering victims." (Cooper 339). Cooper sees no sense in killing without a purpose. He argues that the harsh treatment of Native Americans the pigeons by the white man is unjust and wrong. (Cooper 342) Nutty is a hero in the context as he speaks against injustice of the oppressed. In the Norton Anthology of American literature the book start off with the history of the first settlers in the America land and the beginning of the civil war, it includes the journals of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine. All of which are male counterparts, the literature links masculine heroism and frontiers as it quotes the noble American heroes. The text also features the Declaration of independence quoting only the male counterpart that played role in the drafting of the independence treaty. Buy custom Masculine Heroes essay

Business Process Management

Week eight article tends to present the business modeling aspects in a more realistic approach, where there is a complete assertion that a business process modeling is the representative means for business activities, information flow and decision logics in business. Hence, it is asserted that the power of visualization as pertained to the diagrams provided is sufficient as it tends to act as a communication channel for the process and interactions included in between the organization (Harmon, 2014). Therefore, the overall aim of the article is to effectively outline the notion and consent that suits a business process. To effectively discuss this article tends provide process scope diagrams that define the relationship between process and the external surroundings, there is also the process flow diagrams that describe the internal relations. To provide evidence consider the case of the As-is, Could be and To-be process diagrams. The frameworks of these diagrams are built to indicate the weakness or improve consistency in an organization. Therefore, the diagrams tend to present multiple granularity levels that tend to range from the simple depictions of workflow to the simulation and execution of the set process. As a result, it tends to achieve a common understanding regarding business knowledge. Hence, the overall aim of the article is to it drive the designs and implementation of the systems through modeling in business process.   The arguments developed by the article are essential as it defines and shows the benefits the business modeling process has in an organization. Since a business process is the collection of activities ranging from order, review, manufacturing and deliver process as pertained in the article. All this designs play the role of modeling so that there can be production of a certain output for a particular aim. The process modeling process as indicated by the article defines the inputs and outputs for a certain action, thus it implies strong emphasis on how work should be done in any organization. The article has a positive impact as it objectively satisfies our lesson on business process modeling. This tends to be visible based on the diagrams created in article that effectively analyze the business process modeling concerning the many aspects of management that tend to provide a detailed technical nature and process that tends to closely emphasis on the links between quality management and analytical approaches. Hence, it is relevant to state that the frameworks developed on the basis of the diagram satisfy the business process modeling outline, and gives us adequate knowledge of the process. Harmon, P 2014, Business process change: a business process management guide for managers and process professionals, 3rd edn, Morgan Kaufmann-Elsevier, Waltham, MA. Week six journal outlines that setting up business process management as it ensures low cost and maintains high levels of revenue. Therefore, the article is analyzed such that it outlines the process approach to management, identify the key reasons to process standardization, describe the maturity frameworks and model, and identification of the BPM process and identify approach to improve process performance. The article outlines that through conceptualizing of organization system inputs are taken and generate values that is product or services to customers. Hence, for conceptualization there is the need of having a management system whose purpose is to organize and support the effectiveness of the business process. Management occurs in two different instances depending on the role one has in an organization; that is operational and project management (Harmon, 2014). The article also provides us with several management frameworks ranging from PMI, SEI, SCC and ITGI. If we could look at one scenario that is PMI as outlined by the article it tends to distinguish operation management and project management in an organization. In general the article provides a framework that signifies that management should be organized for the purpose of effective business process. Critics from the journal are effective in the sense that the author outlines that business process management as a discipline that combines knowledge pertained to information technology and knowledge from management science and applies the two in the operational business process. Therefore, it creates value for an enterprise by growth, better productivity, staff effectiveness, improved performance and better service delivery. It could also make a business agile in different manners such as streaming of supply operation to reach the global market, accelerating innovation and assistance in the increase of productivity. Therefore, on the basis of the journals discussion business processes tend to be pervasive. As a result, we understand that such processes act as a representation of activities that organizations undertake. Since processes act of different levels of scales, they require certain margins of tailoring. Therefore, we attain the knowledge that when trying to improve the activities one goes and seeks leverage from the advanced methodologies and technologies pertained from this journal for the purpose of consistency and efficiency. Therefore, through BPM it becomes easy to define and manage your business process so as to attain your goals. Harmon, P 2014, Business process change: a business process management guide for managers and process professionals, 3rd edn, Morgan Kaufmann-Elsevier, Waltham, MA. (Chapter   6 and 7)   Week four journal presents the architectural business process as an organizational process containing and the relationships among them. Hence, the problem of interest being perceived is that of understanding how to design structures, were a particular approach in mind can start on the basis of general normative structure that gives a pattern which derives a design (Harmon, 2014). Further argument on value chain shows that it is a process that organizations use for the generation of product or services to a certain group of customers. Hence, each step of chain add is essential for the final value of the product or services. There is also framework development of framed on several proposals that enterprises must use in guiding their architectural designs; such as the Zachman framework. For instance, the Zachman framework tends to be a vital analytical tool which helps one in thinking about the analysis of the enterprise or portion thereof (Harmon, 2014). Relating this to most architect ural process we tend to depart from such architectural designs with the intent of making use of our specific business knowledge which gives us the chance of proposing a precise and detailed pattern for the purpose of support design. On the basis of the journal, we could criticize that the methodology presented here is sufficient as it provides adequate knowledge on how we can integrate designs from architecture to business logic. Hence, it offers diverse requirements and knowledge that is detailed in process models to where application support is explicit, and the mapping requirements of models for business. But, in accordance to the argument of the article ultimate integration has adequate detailed design models that try to avoid instances where limitations may arise. In regards to this article, it has been of benefit as it complements the objectives of the lesson learnt in regards to this topic. For instance, through the use of the same type of models at different abstraction levels in the representation of business architecture, one thing that becomes certain is that the process has offered us component processes that tend to show us how to design details appear in a more fashioned way, and also avoiding of complex representations. Once, we follow the procedures and framework developed by the article it becomes easy to assert that we will have a formalized that there is a logic in our business designs. Harmon, P 2014, Business process change: a business process management guide for managers and process professionals, 3rd edn, Morgan Kaufmann-Elsevier, Waltham, MA. (Chapter   4) Barros,O 2007 "Business processes architecture and design" BPTrends, https://www.bptrends.com/publicationfiles/05-07-ART Business%20Processes%20and%20Design-Barros.pdf  

Assigment 4 - Questions Contemporary World Assignment

Assigment 4 - Questions Contemporary World - Assignment Example Basically, the administration was focused on stockpiling enough nuclear weapons and arsenal to prevent the country in case of an attack from the Soviet Union. The resulting outcome would be so immense that the enemy would be assured of â€Å"total destruction†. This led to the establishment of the philosophy of nuclear deterrence (Brown, 31). The concept of MAD was not only put into practice by the US/USSR but also the Cuban. The concept almost came into practice eight months after McNamara’s speech by the Cuban Missile Crisis. However, the conflict was solved amicably without military intervention. The Korean and Vietnam’s proxy wars played vital roles in the duration of the Cold war. The Vietnam War was major accredited to the latter stages of the development and the start of the cold war. On the other hand, the Korean War mainly contributed to the causes and development of the Cold War. These two wars exhibit some similarities and some contrasts mainly in the causes and development. These include; The Korean war was fought in the early 1950’s. It was characterized by heightened tension that resulted to communist threat to Asian borders. Coincidentally, Korean war coincided with China’s involvement in Cold War. Importantly, the war leads to massive increase in Cold war tensions hence the concept of McCarthyism. The war brought China in the limelight following the decision by US to cross Chinese borders. The stalemate that existed between the two countries signified change in leadership for USSR, hence reduced tension between the countries. The ideas of Glasnost and Gorbachev played a vital role in shaping the current status of Europe. The ideas of Glasnost and Gorbachev were characterized by openness and played a major role in political and economic restructuring of Europe (Gibbs, 17). It is worth noting that these ideologies deviated from the old centralized control and communists that had dominated major parts of