Catholic Theology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Catholic Theology - Essay Example It will be demonstrated how Jesus fits into each definition. Jesus is considered a man of the Word. He had a more direct connection to the Word, as he is alluded to in the scriptures as being God, but in human flesh. Jesus was often quoted within the bible saying, "I myself, say unto you". This would lead us to believe that he spoke under his own authority, and on the authority of the Father. Jesus can be thought of as a messenger. In the Old Testament, prophets told the future and truths about God. In viewing a prophet as a messenger of the future, Jesus imparted the news of the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20 - 22). Not only could he be considered as a messenger, but he was able to "read events and see them in God's way" (Hayes, 99). This would make him a visionary. Jesus was a man of the present. Through use of his vision, he could be called a social prophet. He challenged the patriarchal, purity, and dominion system that were in place during his time. He violated the purity system by healing those that were no longer recognized or considered unclean. He spoke with women, and considered them part of his group. Jesus utilized an open table fellowship in a time when eating was a political act, and it mattered with who you ate. It could be said that he was advocating for a different social outlook by challenging the current system (Howard). It is upheld that God was present in his divine yet human form as Jesus Christ to discuss with clarity his revelations for a new creation of mankind during his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1 - 2). It is believed by Christians that this served as a commentary for the Ten Commandments.The spirit was at work in Jesus. In saying "I myself, say unto you", brings up the issue of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Trinity is belief in God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. The argument is that God can be spoken of as one person or spoken of as three. Trinity means "three in oneness". So, in speaking of Jesus, you are speaking of not one but three people. It can be said that the spirit was at work in him. Through miracles that he performed, i.e. bringing the dead back to life, (Luke 7:13 - 16), he can be considered as much more than a simple prophet.Jesus performed actions that shook, aroused, intrigued, and caused people to change (Hayes, 100). His actions in the temple were anti-purity acts, which upset the people there to buy and sell to the elite (Mark 11:15 - 19). He aroused the masses through speaking the Word of God to one and all, but in doing so aroused the suspicion and anger among the Pharisees. He inspired vision (Mark 1:14 - 18), enabled others to act (Mark 3:13 - 15), and modeled the way (John 8:3 - 11).In most references within the Bible, Jesus has not spok en anything of prophesy but is being named thus. Jesus was chiefly talked about as if he was a pebble in the pond, and because of his birth, the ripples or effects of what came afterward led to the fulfillment of prophesies from the Old Testament. Jesus and his existence must be looked at from the angle as to how he fulfilled prophecy, if He is to be seen as a prophet in all aspects.In the Old Testament, numerous references to the coming of the Messiah sparked what is called Messianic Prophesy, which lists

Organizational behavior Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Organizational behavior - Assignment Example Positive organizational culture helps to improve the relationship between the organization and the regulatory authorities. Organizations with a positive corporate culture are guaranteed of success in the long-run. This is because customers gain a lot of interest in the products of a company whose organizational culture is strong (Bratton et al 10). It is also necessary for organizations to have a positive culture since it creates a favorable work environment. As a result, the employees feel motivated to work and give their best while performing the assigned tasks. Organizations whose cultures are positive can have the tasks performed effectively and with a lot of efficiency. Moreover, organizational culture helps organizations to adapt to change with a lot of ease. Compared to organizations whose corporate culture is weak, firms with a positive culture can adapt to changes in technology, as well as advancements in the way business is conducted. Organizations with a strong culture have the ability to create unique brands and at the same time perform well financially (Schein

Role of the Media in American Politics Essay Example for Free

Role of the Media in American Politics Essay A free and open media is essential to a functioning democracy. Its role in politics is to â€Å"encourage democratization, strengthen the rule of law and promote institution building† (UN News Center). In order for a democracy to work properly, citizens need to be informed on the issues at hand, in a fair and unbiased manner, so they can make sound decisions as to which candidates to vote for. The role of the media in democracy has been realized since the institute’s earliest inception. In 1791 the 1st Amendment was made to the Bill of Rights, and it stated that â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances† (PBS). If free press becomes compromised, such as being taken over and run by biased private corporations, then a country’s democracy is at risk, and it can lead to the country becoming a fascist state. In America, the media plays a decisive role in politics and in determining which agendas are successful and which are not and whether or not it has been compromised by private interest continues to be debated. Bias in the Media Whether or not any press can be truly free remains a subject of much debate. Media outlets, just like any other enterprise, rely on a steady flow of funds in order to operate. Thus, they rely on sponsors either through the sales of advertisements or through government funding. Media outlets also much appeal to the demands and tastes of the audience. Various media outlets must compete amongst each other for viewers, so catering to the tastes of that audience becomes a science. â€Å"Restricted by the limited tastes of the audience and reliant upon political elites for most information, journalists participate in an interdependent news system, not a free market of ideas† (Entman 3). Since the media depends on private funds and large numbers of viewers, it is possible that its agenda becomes compromised, from giving a fair and unbiased news report to one that caters towards the tastes of viewers and investors. While media outlets do have the opportunity to be biased, depending on their audience and funding, there are still a wide range of mass media outlets for viewers to choose from. Viewers have a choice as to where to get their news from. If one station seems biased towards one viewpoint, the channel can quickly be changed. Over the decades, technology has increased the ways in which a viewer can get their news. In the 1970’s, television was the main outlet for mass media. There were just seven channels available to the average household, and these captured 80% of all viewing. However, technology has changed this dramatically. In 2005, 85% of households had access to satellite or cable TV and had on average a hundred channels to choose from. Today, viewers can also choose to get their news not just from TV but also from the Internet and smart phones (Muntz 224). With the wide range of choices as to where to get the news, it would not be presumptuous to expect a wider range of political viewpoints to be expressed from various media outlets. However, this does not appear to be the case. Journalists themselves are also inherently biased. While the goal of journalism is to give a fair and unbiased representation of the story being covered, a reporter’s personal views, preferences, and identifications with an issue or politician will undoubtedly come into play. As well, journalists themselves are seeking a successful career in media. In order to be successful, and stand out, they must cover stories that â€Å"make it onto the front page or get lots of airtime on the evening news† (Zaller 21-22). Those stories that get on the front page are those that appeal to the public. Thus, those journalists are mare most adept at appealing to the interests of the public are those that are the most successful (Zaller 22). Thus, the audience may often times end up receiving information that is more sensational than it is unbiased and informational. Despite the wide range of choices as to where to get their news, it has been observed that the public’s viewpoints, as well as those of media outlets, have become increasingly polarized over the years (Muntz 224). It has been proposed selectivity is to blame, that is, peoples inherent nature to select those outlets which best represent their own ideals. â€Å"Selectivity can take place at several junctures with respect to mass media, including exposure to a particular source of political news, attention to what the source says, and biased interpretation when processing the content of political news† (Muntz 225). It is human nature to want to avoid that information which conflicts with their preexisting ideas and beliefs. Thus, while media outlets may offer viewers information, the audience is not necessarily going to listen to the information in a fair and unbiased manner. Thus, bias in the media is a two-way street between media outlets and the viewer’s themselv es. The Media and Political Campaign Coverage The media and politics come most closely into play during presidential elections. Every four years, politicians battle it out to see who will win the most favor from the American people to become the next president. It is the job of the media outlets to inform the public about the various political candidates. During elections, the candidates can get quite negative on each other. The media, as it should, covers the stories behind negative campaign advertisements, political speeches and debates. Politicians who run the most negative campaigns, thus, can end up getting the most media coverage. This can lead towards voter bias on both sides. For example, during the 2012 campaign, the republican candidates received a great deal of media coverage. The candidates – Mitt Romney, Newt Gringrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum – were competing for republican nomination. The democratic nominate was assured, as it was the incumbent Barack Obama. So, there was far less media scrutiny on Barack Obama and his issues, such as the success of his healthcare act or his wishy-washy stance on Super PAC’s (Mark). Voters were more informed on the issues, and negative campaigning, of the republican candidates. Politicians rely on media politics to both win elections and to mobilize public support for causes and the implementation of projects while they are in office (Zaller 1-2). Thus, they rely on journalists and reporters to get their story out to audiences. However, the story that journalists choose to get out may not be the one the candidate wishes. This happens when the press uncovers a skeleton in the closet of a politician, or when a candidate suddenly changes their position on an issue and the media exposes them as wishy-washy (Zaller 13). Depending on the candidate, the media can be either a boon or a bust to their political career. Citizens also rely on media coverage in order to know who to vote for. The public wants to know what kind of morals and ethics a politician has and what their stance is on issues that are important to them. Individuals all have different issues they want to see addressed during a presidential campaign, ranging from taxes to abortion. Mass media outlets will poll their audiences, and study their demographics, in order to know which types of stories their audience will be most likely to identify with and those are the stories that will be covered in the news. Media and Government Exposure The media also plays a strong role in keeping the government honest by exposing scandal and controversy. In the early 1900’s, during what is known as the Progressive Era, a new style of investigative journalism was born. Dubbed by Theodore Roosevelt as â€Å"muckrakers†, these journalists â€Å"revealed illegal and unsavory practices of capital, labor, and state and local government† (PBS). Fast forward to the 1970’s, and it was the same type of muckrakers who exposed the Watergate scandal. However, while democracy relies on the ability of investigative journalism to expose scandals, this type of investigative reporting can also lead to sensationalism and stories that are overly sordid. While the media can over sensationalize certain stories, it can also under expose them as well. An example would be the Iran-contra scandal. Before its exposure in late 1986, the Reagan administration has denied that Oliver North had supported the Nicaraguan contra rebels during the congressional ban on its aid. Most members of the media, as well members of congress, simply accepted the denials and failed to investigate the story (Entman 6). Another example is the way in which the media exposed the Watergate scandal. When the crimes actually occurred, in 1972, Nixon was running for re-election. During this time, the media only presented sporadic reports to the public, leaving them ill-informed about the issue. Had the public been more aware of the scandal and its implications, they may have decided not to re-elect Mr. Nixon. Instead, he was re-elected and later impeached, which was an embarrassing scandal for America. Public Misinformation and Media Responsibility The public accepts for fact that what they are told by the media. They trust the media to give them the whole story and for that story to be truthful, correct and unbiased. However, despite this, viewers of mass media have been found to still be poorly informed. For example: â€Å"Six months into the Iraq war, a study by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that FOX News viewers were more likely than consumers of any other major media outlet source to have mistaken beliefs about Iraq. Including the belief that U.S. led forces had already found weapons of mass destruction there. This belief was held by one out of every three FOX viewers at the time, compared to only one out of ten respondents who cited PBS or NPR as their main source of news (Boehlert et al).† Media Matters, an online news source, has exposed media sources, like FOX, That systematically misinform the public (Boehlert et al). Individuals who are loyal to a specific media outlet trust them to give them the true facts, however, this trust may not be warranted. Viewers must also be held responsible for doing their own research in order to fully understand an issue. Citizens depend on media to be the watchdogs of government, but who then is watching the media? Organizations like Media Matters seek to expose bias in media. Getting this message out to the public has become easier with advances in technology and the emergence of social media. New Media A new type of media has begun to emerge as a result of the rise of social media and the Internet. Many people get their news today not from a TV or print newspaper but from internet sites, blogs, and social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. â€Å"The World Wide Web and the accompanying explosion in â€Å"new media† have forced an upheaval in U.S. politics in at least four areas, creating 1) innovative ways to reach voters; 2) a radically changed news system; 3) an unprecedented flood of small donors; and 4) newly empowered interest groups on the left and right† (Edsall). The internet is an inexpensive way for politicians to gain maximum exposure. Even candidates with smaller campaign funds can reach a large audience if they are savvy to the ways of social media and blogging. Since their overhead is lower, small internet based media outlets do not have to rely on advertisers to keep their ventures afloat. Thus, their coverage does not need to bend to the whim of corporate sponsors. In turn, the Internet also allows for constituents to feel more connected to politicians. They can follow their personal Twitter and Facebook pages, which may or, more likely, may not be updated by the actual politician themselves, but more likely a paid staff member. However, the level of intimacy between the candidate and the public is heightened, and this may gain them more favor and, in the end, more votes. The internet has given a voice and the power to change to even the most marginal players. For example, during the 2008 presidential election, an aide to Senator Barack Obama made a pseudo campaign ad depicting Hilary Clinton as an all-powerful dictator. The ad was played on YouTube and received over 1 million hits. While the ad itself may not have changed the course of the election, it did show just how powerful the Internet can be in coloring public opinion (Edsall). Conclusion If it is true that democracy depends on the existence of a free and unbiased media, then it may be argued that the United States if far from a true democracy. Bias is inherent in media: in the media outlets themselves, in the various members of government and politics, in the journalists who report the news and in the way in which viewers and audiences interact with media. However, the ideal that democracy depends on a truly free and unbiased media may be an unrealistic expectation because, in fact, the media will always be biased because that is just part of its nature. We do not live in an ideal world, and ideals quickly fade in the face of everyday reality. Media must change along with its changing society and political environment. In this way, it does represent the ideals and values of the day. Today, we are witness to a time of great change in terms of technology and the way in which information is disseminated. Just as quickly as the political environment is changing so is the media that covers it. New technology is giving rise to the exposure of political corruption and government incompetence. It is giving a voice to the under paid and underrepresented voices of the public. So in fact, it appears that the media is still doing its job. However, it is still up to the individual to remain informed on the issues at hand and to remain a loyal and informed citizen by scrutinizing the media just as they scrutinize the government.

The Mailbox And Postal System Information Technology Essay

The Mailbox And Postal System Information Technology Essay The hardware and software benefited in this project are the physical mailbox itself, a microcontroller, infrared sensors, and MySQL database management system. This chapter will give brief introduction of the mailbox and postal system, fundamental of microcontroller and sensor, and database management system (DBMS). 2.2 Mailbox and Postal System 2.2.1 Introduction of Mailbox Mailboxes are tools for sending letters (Postbox Solutions, 2007). They are very common in human communities. It provides people with one of the most practical way of communicating with other people around the world. There are so many varieties of mailbox regardless of shapes, colours, fonts, logo and etc. However, no matter how different or how strange the mailbox may look like, it still does its job with no compromises. 2.2.2 Relationship of Mailbox and Postal System in History Research by Cornerstone (2010) said that mailboxes is started to be used in the late 1700s in Paris, France. As time passed by, it became popular in the Europe in middle-late 1800s after the British Post Office asked people to install mailboxes at their offices and residents and decided to begin mail delivery. Previously, people have to pick their mails at the local post office by themselves and there were no postmen during that time. The story is different in the U.S in 1863 when the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) began the Free City Delivery. People in the U.S at that time had no mailboxes installed at their houses. Postmen delivered mail to each houses door by door waiting  for a patron  to answer the knock. This method of mail delivery took extra time and patrons were not always home or able to answer the door.  Patrons began to install mail slots and mailboxes at their doors. According to Cornerstone (2010), the U.S. Postal Service in 1896 introduced Rural Free Delivery (RFD). The USPS researched ways to save time and solve the problem with mail-carriers delivering mail to the scattered rural patrons.  They proposed that mailboxes for people lives in the area to be placed at curb sides and roadways. Later in 1923, USPS mandated that every household to have a  proper mailbox to receive mails. In 1915, Roy J. Joroleman, an employee of the post office invented the curved, tunnel-shaped mailbox.   The shaped was designed to prevent water and snow from collecting in the mailbox.  Soon after, the Postmaster General released the design for manufacture and production and this design has been the top-selling type of mailbox (Cornerstone, 2010). Figure 2.1 : A curved, tunnel-shaped mailbox 2.2.3 Centralize Mailbox System The development of the country has seen that there are so many tall, multiple-storey building been built all over the country. Single type mailbox that can always be spotted at each household and offices during the early days is no more practical for residential apartments and office complexes. In order to overcome this problem, centralize mailbox system was introduced. Centralized mailbox system often found at the ground floor of each tall building where every owner of each residential apartment or office will have one for his or her unit. central mailbox.PNG Figure 2.2 : Centralize mailbox system. 2.3 Microcontroller 2.3.1 Introduction to Microcontroller In simple words, a microcontroller is a computer (Brain, 2000). The terms computer can be wide in definition. It can be a desktop personal computer, a laptop computer, a handheld-sized smartphones or the microcontrollers themselves. A microcontroller can be interpreted as a computer due to the reason that it has several similarities as compared to a computer. Generally, the basic architecture of a microcontroller involves four main parts; central processing unit (CPU), random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and input output ports (I/O ports). In the case of computers, all computers have a CPU that executes programmes such as a web browser or a word processor. The computer has some RAM installed where the CPU can store variables while doing its work. It also has I/O ports that connect many types of input and output devices, for example the keyboard the input device, and the monitor the output device. inside a microcontroller.PNG Figure 2.3 : The architecture of a microcontroller (Engineers Garage). However, with certain comparison in terms of features, microcontrollers and computers can be differentiated. The desktop computer which often can be found at offices and homes is a general purpose computer, while a microcontroller is a special purpose computer (Brain, 2000). Due to its relatively small size, microcontrollers are embedded inside some other devices and work as the controller of the features of the product. Microcontrollers are also dedicated to run one specific programme only; the programmed that is loaded into the ROM. Finally, often in most of the cases, a microcontroller is small and low in cost, hence good for mass production of products that utilize microcontrollers. 2.4 Sensor 2.4.1 Introduction to Sensor A sensor is a device that measures the physical quantity and converts it into a signal which can be read by an observer or an instrument. Ideal sensors are designed to be linear. The output signal of such a sensor is linearly proportional to the value of the measured property. The sensitivity is then defined as the ratio between output signal and measured property. A good sensor obeys the following rules: Is sensitive to the measured property. Is insensitive to any other property. Does not influence the measured property. 2.4.2 Applications of Sensor Sensors are widely used in our daily life nowadays. There are many types of sensors today. These sensors can be categorized into specific types. Lists of sensors use nowadays are as below: Acoustic sensor such as Geophone, Microphone and Seismometer. Electric current sensor such as Ammeter, Voltmeter and Multimeter. Environment and weather sensor such as Gas detector and Rain sensor. Optical, light and imaging sensor such as flame detector, Infra-red sensor and Photodiode. Pressure sensor such as Barometer, Hydrometer and Pressure sensor. Temperature sensor such as Thermometer. 2.5 Database 2.5.1 Introduction to Database The database is one of the technology terms that most people have become accustomed to hearing either at work or while surfing the internet. The database term used to be an extremely technical term. However, database has become a household term with the rise of computer systems and information technology throughout the culture. Selena (1998) has highlighted the definition of database as a computerized way of keeping collection of records or data. The true usefulness of database is seen especially if the data stored in the database in big volumes because the stored data is easily accessible. Moreover, adding new information and updating any changes should also be considerably painless. Besides that, on-demand record searching in the future will be piece of cake. Another advantage of a database is it can be shared all over the network where the computer that holds the database is connected. At this point, the presence of a Database Management System (DBMS) is very important in order to have a highly systematic database system. DBMS is a program that handles the queries and data stored inside the database. 2.5.2 Types of Databases There are four types of databases that are commonly used where each type of database represents its own data model. Data model means how the data inside the database is structured. The four types are; Flat Model, Hierarchical Model, Relational Model, and Network Model. 2.5.2.1 The Flat Model Database As written by Smith (2010), a flat database is a database that utilizes only one table for the fields of records. For example, a spreadsheet is used to store all the data and records. The information is separated into columns of its category, and each line represents one record. This type of database might be sufficient for small database, but a spreadsheet will seem to be not practical, notably for ones with large amount of records. 2.5.2.2 The Hierarchical Model Database As its name hints, the hierarchical model database resembles a hierarchically-arranged data (Selena, Introduction to Databases for the Web: Pt. 1, 1998). It links records together in a structure like a tree, or like an organizational chart. In this model, each data will be categorized and stored as a sub-data of its category. Every data must fall into only one category. Hierarchical structure database were widely implemented during the early time of database management systems. However, this model of database became irrelevant for some certain data types. For example, in a college environment, the administration might stored student information and sorts them according to their courses. Database operation will be smooth if every student is enrolled in one course only. But, problem will arise whenever a student enrolled in more than one course. Hierarchical database is unable to put a record into two categories, or otherwise, it will be considered as duplications. Figure 2.4 shows an example of the structure of hierarchical database. hierarcy engineering.png Figure 2.4 : The tree structure of hierarchical database model. 2.5.2.3 The Relational Model Database The relational model is the most popular type of database the most database system in use today. As appointed by K. Powell (2010), the relational database concept was derived from the principal of relational algebra, which was realized by Dr. E. F. Codd in his paper, A Relational Model of Data for Large Shared Data Banks. This database model is a very powerful tool, not only to store records, but to access it as well. All the data were stored in tables. Each table contains of rows and columns. A single record will be recorded in one row, and the details of the data are separated in columns, in the table. Every column has a unique name and the content within the column must be of the same type. A table is able to hold many records, and sometimes tables are referred as relation. A database may have more than one table. Each of the tables can be linked or related to each other by referring to the primary key. A primary key is a unique name that every record must have that acts as its identifier. 2.5.2.4 The Network Model Database A network database model is not far different from the hierarchical model. The difference between network and hierarchical model is, in network model, a record may fall into more than one category. Figure 2.5 shows the structure of network database model which is a bit different from relational database models. hierarcy engineering2.png Figure 2.5 : The structure of network database model. 2.6 MySQL 2.6.1 Introduction to MySQL MySQL is a probably the most popular database management system. Referring to the MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual (2010), to perform an operation onto a database such as adding, accessing, and processing data stored in a computer database, ones will need a database management system such as MySQL. A DBMS plays a central role in computers at handling large amounts of data. 200px-MySQL.svg.png Figure 2.6 : The MySQL logo. MySQL is a relational database management system or so called as RDBMS. For the sake of speed and flexibility, a relational database stores data in separate tables compared to flat file database that puts all the data in one big file. The SQL abbreviation in MySQL word stands for Structured Query Language (MySQL 5.0 Reference Manual, 2010). Badurina (2010) stated that MySQL is open source and it falls under GNU Not Unix (GNU) General Public License (GPL). Open source means that anyone is possible to use and modify the software.

nuclear war? :: essays research papers

A Nuclear Solution? During the nuclear age, some nations have attempted to reduce the number of their nuclear weapons as much as some nations have tried to obtain the weapons. Numerous programs have been started to decrease the number of nuclear missiles. The problem with those plans is â€Å"decrease† and not disarm. Many countries don’t want to give up their biggest weapon and who could blame them. Some countries need that weapon as a way of defense against an aggressive nation. Since the only true solution to nuclear weapons will not realistically happen in today’s world, I think that we should attempt to make the best of the situation and if we are going to use them we should use them fairly. Therefore, I offer a counter solution. Instead of ridding ourselves of nuclear weapons we should use them to our advantage. We must realize that nuclear weapons, whether we like it or not, have become an integral part of our world environment. Nuclear weapons are a part of our global security setting. Knowledge will continue to exist; it cannot be disinvested. Nuclear weapons can be used as a deterrent to war. Nuclear devices have come a long way since the first two were dropped on Japan by the United States during the Second World War. Today’s nuclear weapons are respected as more than simple weapons and the mere mention of them demands attention. Therefore, countries around the world have found that nuclear weapons are more useful as a political deterrent to deter common war and non-nuclear or non-biological warfare. Professor Richard Haas furthers my point by stating, â€Å"Nuclear weapons have made a major contribution to world peace. The Cold War only remained cold because both the United States and the Soviet Union understood that any direct confrontation between them would likely escalate i nto a nuclear holocaust. The American nuclear arsenal aids deterrence in hot spots like the Korean Peninsula, where there has been no real war for forty decades. Indeed fear of American nuclear retaliation deterred Sadaam Hussein from using biological agents against allied forces during the Gulf War.† Nuclear weapons steer people away from the usage of these terrible forms of war, which saves the lives of innocents. Many leading nations use the threat of nuclear weapons for deterrence and they use them with in the bounds of treaties and rules set up by the United Nations.

Comparing Social Expectations in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club and Huckleberry Finn :: comparison compare contrast essays

Social Expectations in Joy Luck Club and Huckleberry Finn       Of the many novels written in recent history, perhaps two of the most of these society expectant novels are Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club, and Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn. These books present the views of society very well, yet at the same time, differentiating very much from each other.    In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, a boy takes an incredible voyage down the river, representing life's journey. This voyage takes Huck Finn through many places, and demands him to make good moral decisions along the way, regardless of what society thinks. In the process of the story, Huck Finn learns that although society is usually correct in his eyes, he must learn to make decisions that he knows deviate from the values of society, yet he also learns that his decisions are morally correct.    In a different perspective, The Joy Luck Club sheds an different light on societies expectations, partly because of the different ethnicities involved in these two stories. The societal demands on the characters in the Joy Luck Club are very different from the ones expressed in Twain's novel. While the characters in The Joy Luck Club are Chinese immigrants, the characters involved in Twain's novel are White Americans, with the exception of Jim, the Black slave Huck learns to befriend. In critiquing these two novels, one notices that these two novels are in fact very different from each other, especially so in the aspects of societal expectations.      In The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn, the main conflict that comes up is that of the issue of slavery. The society in this novel does not even consider slavery to be wrong, while Huck Finn continues to shun slavery more and more, as the book unfolds. This very belief Huck Finn beholds is evident, with his ever growing friendship with Jim, a slave in the novel. While society sees Jim as property, Huck can discriminate, and sees past the societal ploy for ethical mistreat on another human being, more specifically on an entire race. In this same novel, other societal expectation are present, and noticeable. This is evident through Huck's education. Society expects him to be educated, while Huck resents this all the while (Twain 20,21). In this expectation of Huck by society, there can be found no wrong.

Disability and Child

CYP3. 7 Understand how to support positive outcomes for children and young people. 1. 1 Social factors †¢ Lack of social/friendship networks. Children need friendships to develop their interaction, emotional understanding, empathy and social skills. Children who lack these networks tend to feel isolated and therefore isolate themselves more. They may suffer insecurities about themselves and be withdrawn and shy. They may struggle to communicate, share and understand the needs and feelings of others. As they grow older the insecurities may lead to self-hatred and self-harm.They will lack people to confide in or go to for advice. They may find themselves drawn into ‘the wrong crowd’ because they seem welcoming, and as a result find themselves manipulated. †¢ Poor parental supervision/neglect. Without guidance children do not learn the correct ways to behave. This will cause them to come into conflict at school because they do not know or understand acceptable bou ndaries. They may be unaware of the dangers they can face in life. They may have a distorted view of their own abilities and may believe that they are allowed to do what they want because they are never prevented.They may believe they are unloved, unimportant and unvalued and as they grow older this could lead to depression and self-harm. The lack of boundaries could result in them becoming involved in crime and anti-social behaviour. Neglect could lead to health problems through malnutrition. They may struggle to form social relationships because of their lack of personal hygiene. Poor clothing could lead to bullying and teasing, causing them to withdraw and become isolated. †¢ Illness/disabilityIf the child suffers from illness or disability they may find they frequently miss school, they may then miss large chunks of their education and struggle to achieve. It may cause them to miss out on activities such as sports, which could leave them feeling isolated. These feelings cou ld develop into anger or resentment and may cause them to have behavioural problems. They may be misjudged as lacking intelligence and therefore not given challenges, leading to boredom and perceived disruptive behaviour. If the child is the carer of a parent suffering illness or disability this can lead to emotional difficulties.The child may struggle to understand the role reversal they are experiencing, viewing themselves as being on a par with adults and more mature than their peers, resulting in them struggling to form friendships. They may become resentful at missing out on their childhood and present challenging behaviour. They may suffer anxiety whilst away from home and worry about their parent, resulting in a failure to engage in their education. They may not fulfil their potential in life as much of it will be dedicated to being a carer. Having a parent with a long term illness or disability could also lead to financial hardship due to lack of employment. Criminal or anti –social behaviour Whether it is behaviour presented by the child, a sibling or parent it could result in the child being taken into care. A parent could be absent for a length of time, if imprisoned, causing emotional stress. The child may perceive the behaviour as normal or acceptable, especially if it is being carried out by the parents and copy it. It may result in a transient lifestyle, as they could be re-housed as a result of anti-social behaviour. This would result in the child suffering a disrupted education and struggling to form long term stable friendships. †¢ AddictionsThe impact of addictions on children can be various. They can suffer health problems, if their mother had a drug or alcohol problem during pregnancy. They may suffer poverty due to lack of employment, or if the addiction is gambling. They may suffer from neglect, abuse or/and violence. If they have younger siblings they may find themselves responsible for their care and therefore may suffer st ress and feel isolated. They may feel scared and find it difficult to speak to people for fear of getting in trouble or going into care. They may ultimately find themselves in care if the addictions result in their parents being unable to care for them.They may become involved in crime to support their family. At school they may be disruptive or withdrawn, have mood swings and outbursts of violence. †¢ Parental separation This can leave a child feeling very insecure and frightened. They may become quiet and withdrawn. They may become very emotional, clingy and tearful or become violent and abusive. They may feel angry, let down and abandoned. Their work and concentration at school may suffer as a result of any stress and worry they may be feeling. They may suffer poverty as a result of a fall in the household income.They may suffer a dramatic change in lifestyle that leaves them confused. Economic and Environmental factors †¢ Poverty This can result from low income, unempl oyment, parental separation, illness or disability, addictions, or criminal activities. Children may suffer malnutrition or a poor diet as a result of their parents being unable to afford quality food. This could result in lack of concentration or poor performance at school. They could also suffer other health related issues. They may be the subject of bullying as a result of their clothing or because they do not have the latest ‘must have’ accessories.They will probably miss out on further education due to the costs involved, or as a result of the need to find employment to help support the family. †¢ Poor housing One of the side effects of poverty is poor housing. People on low income are often dependent on local authority housing. This may result in overcrowding, for example being housed in a bedsit or home with insufficient bedrooms. This means the child has no privacy, or personal space. They may struggle with homework and course work because of the lack of a quiet space in which to complete it.The housing provided may be of a poor quality – suffering damp or be in disrepair. This could have a detrimental effect on the child’s health – causing asthma or frequent colds and coughs. It will probably be in a less desirable area or could be in an area with social disorder problems. This may result in the children becoming isolated, as their parents may be fearful of letting them out to play or they may themselves become involved in anti-social behaviour and criminal activities. †¢ Lack of academic achievement Children whose parents have had a poor education or lack numeracy and literacy skills can struggle at school.Their parents may show little or no interest in their education and as a result they may also lose interest. The parents may not attend school progress meetings so they will have little understanding of their child’s achievements and therefore the child will not receive praise and encouragement to continue. The parents will struggle to support the child in homework and coursework and the child will therefore struggle. This may cause them to get in trouble as a result of uncompleted assignments. They might ‘fail’ in their education, as a result, and struggle to get employment as an adult.Cultural factors †¢ Religious beliefs and customs Children may have to attend a school associated with their religion, and may therefore receive a less balanced education. They may struggle to understand other people’s religion or lifestyle choices, if it goes against what they are taught. This may leave them confused or feeling isolated and struggling to interact with the wider community. They may also experience or witness abuse on the grounds of their religious beliefs and customs, leaving them not only confused and isolated but fearful. †¢ Ethnic and cultural customsChildren may have different forms of attire, causing them to be teased or bullied. Their cultur e may view interaction between men and women in a different way and the children will struggle to recognise what is acceptable at school as it differs to home. This could cause them to come into conflict with school rules or to be perceived as a trouble maker. †¢ Transient lifestyle The child and their family could move around frequently; for example they may come from Gypsy Roma Traveller community. This means their education will be inconsistent and interrupted.They will be unable to form close friendships and lack a support network outside their close family and community. Although dealt with separately, many of these factors are interconnected; unemployment or low income can lead to poor housing. Poor housing can lead to health problems, which can lead to frequent school absences. They will not only affect the child’s present lifestyle and health, but also their future, right through to adulthood. This pattern could then continue into the lives of their children. Wit hout support and intervention, they and their families could find themselves trapped in a cycle of disadvantage. . 2 Poverty is on the agenda of the Every Child Matters framework, with one of the outcomes stating that every child should achieve wealth and economic well-being. This means it is important to ensure that children experiencing poverty have the same opportunities as their peers. Impact of poverty can be: Low income: This can mean that children may not have the same advantages of there more wealthier peers. Poor housing: This could lead to ill health due to unacceptable standards within the home. Ill Health: Not having access to the correct food and warm clothing could affect health.Low academic achievement: This could come due to there not being such an emphasis on the importance to learn or support brackets within the home. Low Self-esteem: Children could have a low self-esteem due to the above factors. 1. 3 In accordance with Article 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child, the outcomes of the Governments Every Child Matters framework and the Early Years Foundation Stage, children should be provisioned for by ensuring that children are involved and engaged with, allowing them to be heard, to make decisions, contribute their experiences and be supported and safeguarded throughout their development.Even from an early age, children’s choices, even simple ones, can have an impact on their life chances and outcomes such as choosing which toys to play with at pre-school or which friends to play with, a child may develop a friendship with another child who is perhaps a bit louder and boisterous and may display unwanted behaviour, this choice of friend may have a negative impact on the child's behaviour at home or in other settings they move onto.Whilst the child has the right to choose their friends, it is our responsibility to involve the child in setting expectations of their behaviour and help them to make a positive contri bution, which is one of the outcomes of the ECM framework. Children and young people throughout their lives will make choices such as whether to eat healthily or unhealthily or start smoking or drinking, as any early years setting we ensure that we offer healthy snacks and meals, we involve the children in activities and discussions about the importance of healthy living but there will come a point where they can choose for themselves.If a child/young person chooses to eat unhealthily this will have a negative impact on their wellbeing, they could become overweight, develop diabetes and it could exclude them from taking part in activities, this could continue and have a negative knock on effect throughout their lives perhaps causing them to suffer low self-esteem and become withdrawn from social situations. A child may be raised in an environment where they are allowed to play violent computer games or have families who are in trouble with the police.These experiences could have a n egative impact on the way the child/young person develops and integrates into society, they may choose to act the same way and get in trouble or they may not like what they have experienced and choose not to. 2. 1 All practitioners should be striving to achieve the 5 outcomes of the Every Child Matters framework: †¢ Be Healthy †¢ Stay Safe †¢ Enjoy and Achieve †¢ Make a Positive Contribution †¢ Achieve Economic Wellbeing By following the 4 EYFS themes we can see how they link into the ECM Framework.EYFS Theme Supporting Principles Every Child Matters Unique Child 1. 1 Child Development Make a positive contribution 1. 2 Inclusive Practice Make a positive contribution 1. 3 Keeping Safe Stay Safe 1. 4 Health and Well-being Be Healthy Positive Relationships 2. 1 Respecting Each Other Make a positive contribution 2. 2 Parents as Partners Make a positive contribution 2. 3 Supporting Learning Make a positive contribution 2. 4 Key Person Stay Safe Enabling Environme nts 3. 1 Observation, Assessment and Planning Enjoy and Achieve 3. 2 Supporting Every Child Enjoy and Achieve . 3 The Learning Environment Enjoy and Achieve 3. 4 The Wider Context Make a positive contribution Learning and Development 4. 1 Play and Exploration Enjoy and Achieve 4. 2 Active Learning Enjoy and Achieve 4. 3 Creativity and Critical Thinking Enjoy and Achieve 4. 4 Areas of Learning and Development Enjoy and Achieve Be Healthy – this also includes how our health is affected by our social, mental, emotional and physical well-being. The Government has a focus on healthy living for children. At my setting we provide healthy snacks for the children.We also promote healthy choices, talk about healthy hearts and activities that teach them an active lifestyle. Stay Safe – we ensure children in our care are safeguarded. We have a robust safeguarding policy. Children know they can talk to any member of staff if they do not feel safe and they know they will be listened to. Enjoy and Achieve – we observe children so we understand their needs and can then plan more accurately for individual children. Make a Positive Contribution – we are continually assessing and developing our policies to ensure we are always making positive contributions to children’s development.Achieve Economic Well-being – by ensuring we follow all the EYFS and Every Child Matters we are ensuring all children have the best start in life and can go on into adulthood and achieve economic well-being. 2. 2 Recognising that everyone is unique is a first step for seeing the importance. Each child and young person will have a differing set of needs, requirements and barriers that can prevent them accessing ways of achieving success. It is also important to design services around needs because it makes best use of the money available, it targets the services properly, so doesn't waste time or resources.Putting the child at the centre means, rather than it b eing about adults and what they want, it is actually about what the child NEEDS. Key issues when designing services to meet children and young people’s needs are: Careful preparation Collaboration of different services Ensuring an up-to-date directory of services available Collaboration between services, children, young adults and parents Integrating information from different services Flexibility in working together Managing change effectively Communication and consultationOutreach – enabling access by visiting rural communities and making home visits Understanding the importance of networking between services. 2. 3 When it comes to children's participation it is rare to see involvement of children below the age of 8 years. Yet, very young children have the same rights to participation as any other children and they should be equally involved in matters that affect them. Even a two year old child can be meaningfully involved in decision making. Take the example of a p arent who prepares the clothes for her son to wear that day.It may well be that the boy says, ‘I don't like this, I want to wear that! ‘ The mother could then look at what the boy would like to wear and decide whether the clothes will suit the weather conditions. When they do, she could say, ‘okay, fine, you can wear those clothes instead. ‘ When the weather does not permit to wear the clothes the boy has identified, the mother should explain to her son that the clothes are either too hot/or too thin to wear given the circumstances. She can explain what the implications will be when he would wear the clothes he wants – catching a cold for example.This is a clear and simple example of children's involvement in decision making – in this case with a very young child. It typically happens within the family environment, it is not ‘a big thing' but it may well be important for the child's development. The boy has been given an opportunity to be involved in a decision that affects him, he has been given choices, he has received information that will help him understand the implications of his choice. It also shows how the best interest of the child may play a role in such decisions – i. e. he mother's concern about her son's health in his choice of clothes to wear. 2. 4 To support children/young people to make personal choices and experiences according to age, needs and abilities we as providers must allow them to express their own thoughts, views and opinions and most importantly listen to them. We must also offer constructive and fair advice appropriate to the age and stage of the child i. e. when a child reaches adolescent you would then think about some form of sex education where as you wouldn’t need to do this with children in the early years.To make advice fair you also need to put your own opinions and experiences to side and concentrate on delivering the facts in a positive way so that the child can t hen make positive decisions to do with the matter in hand. We can also aid them in completing activities that will allow them to make decisions and make choices and be there to support throughout process of decisions making and when things may go wrong. Also by providing the right environment we are enabling children to make choices that have a positive impact on their future lives. To provide the right environment we provide: ExplorationExperimentation Problem solving Take risks safely Variety of activities Accessible resources Resources to meet individual interest and needs Language an interaction Welcome to families of all cultures and religions Places to rest and eat An outdoor learning environment that is challenging ad promotes learning. 3. 1 The potential impact of disability on outcomes and life chances of children and young people are that it can affect the person’s ability to perform normal day-to-day activities, but each child I affected differently by their impair ment or condition.If a physical disability it may compromise the child’s healthy development and disrupt their educational experiences and if adults focus on what is ‘wrong’ with a child or young person and what they can’t do, rather than on what they can do and are already achieving, and their potential to develop, learn and progress, then the child’s emotional well-being may be affected by poor self-esteem. Children with learning difficulties or disabilities with emotional or social development may affect children’s all round progress.Families with a disabled child or young person often experience financial difficulties which may restrict children’s opportunities in life – not only that of the disabled child but of their siblings as well. This may result in relationships within families may be destabilised by the stresses of caring for a disabled child. 3. 2 It is important to have positive attitudes towards disability and spe cific requirements as it is possible to avoid or reduce the impact of their impairment so that the person can have opportunities to make choices, develop to their potential, become independent and play a full part in society.Also, if practitioners have positive attitudes about their capacity to provide for disabled children’s requirements, and are ready to learn new skills such as sign language or using the Makaton system (which we use already), then the children have greater opportunities for making developmental progress. 3. 3 Social model of disability – recognises that discrimination against disabled people is created by society, not by disabled people’s impairment’s. It looks at ways to address issues to enable people to achieve their potential, by looking at ways to adapt the environment so the child can feel included this is very important.The social model has been constructed by disabled people and by listening to what disabled people want and to remove any barriers, which may be in their way. By removing barriers and adapting the environment you are allowing children and young people chances to achieve and learn which promotes confidence and self-esteem. Medical model of disability – this treats the person as a sick patient and tends to focus on ‘How can we make this person more normal? By labelling a child because of their disability can prevent us from seeing the child as a whole person like their gender, culture and social background the medical models is a traditional view of disability and that through medical intervention the person can be cured where in fact in most cases there is no cure. They expect disabled people to change to fit into society. By adjusting our environment to suit the needs of the child and appropriate resources and facilities are provided it allows the child to be confident also we focus on what the child can do and not on what they can’t do (social).We don’t think of c hildren, as special needs we think of them as children with specific or additional needs. In my setting we aim to give all children the same opportunities and children are not singled out because they have different needs for example all though some children require 1:1 support we don’t remove them from their peers the child will still work in his or her group but they will get extra support. Low expectations about the potential of a disabled child or being over protective can limit what they achieve.It’s important that we have positive attitudes about what requirements we provide so children can have opportunities for making developmental progress (social). We have one child at our setting that suffers from multiple impairment’s. The child is registered blind but can see vaguely so we do have to make sure that walkways are clear and as she is of adolescent age we have had to purchase foldable tables for her height, for her to eat off (social). I don’t th ink that the medical model of disability impacts on our practice a great deal but I know the child does have medical care for her disability that will never be fully cured (medical). . 4 Different types of support available are * Speech and language therapy- they will usually work in partnership with parents, teachers and support staff and anyone else who has regular contact with the child and provide training and coaching sessions and provide them with ideas and strategies to put into place to help promote the child’s speech. I myself have sat in on a session with a child in our setting when the speech therapist came to have a meeting with a child and she gave us advice sheets on how best to help the child with his speech including picture cards with words on. Support from health professionals’ additional learning support- a child who has a disability like Down syndrome may need extra support in a setting to help them learn. A child with epilepsy is likely to require regular monitoring from health professionals and medication, which needs to be adjusted appropriately. * Assistive technology- these would be anything which will help someone for example wheelchairs, hearing aids, walking frames and for a child who is blind you could use software which reads text from a screen. There are many different aids available for children and adults to help them with everyday tasks. Specialised services – There are many specialized services i. e. special educational needs coordinator, physio therapist, speech therapists, school nurse, social services. These services are available in order to provide the right care for the child. 4. 1 Equality – each individual in society experiences opportunities to achieve and flourish which are as good as the opportunities experienced by other people. Diversity – the differences between individuals and groups in society arising from gender, ethnic origins, social, cultural or religious background, fami ly structure, disabilities, sexuality and appearance.Inclusion – a process of identifying, understanding and breaking down barriers to participation and belonging. The meaning of these in the context of the positive outcomes for children and young people: Being healthy – Equality – each child should have the same opportunity to lead a healthy lifestyle. Diversity – individuals in the society may have different methods of being healthy, i. e. exercise regimes, and dietary requirements. Inclusion – accepting the child’s and families view on how they stay healthy and helping any child to maintain a healthy lifestyle.Stay safe – Equality – each child should feel safe in their surroundings. Diversity – people may of different views on the level of safety. Inclusion – understanding what makes the child feel safe and maintaining that feeling for the child. Enjoying and achieving – Equality – each child shou ld have the same opportunities to enjoy and achieve as others. Diversity – parents or carers may have different views on what they want their children to achieve and/or what they should be enjoying, i. e. stereotyping –boys do boys things and girls do girls things.Inclusion – each child should have the opportunity to enjoy and achieve no matter their stage of development, making sure children who need more guidance and support get it. Make a positive contribution – Equality – every child should have the opportunity to make a positive contribution no matter what type of contribution and how big or small. Diversity – every child’s input will be different. Inclusion – children’s input, no matter how varied should be acknowledged. Achieve economic well-being –Equality – treating each child equal no matter what economic status they come from. Diversity – each child lives a different life, whether it be ec onomic status, health and disabilities, family background, religion etc. Inclusion – no matter what diverse factors affect the child’s life each child should have the opportunity to achieve economic well-being in their own life. 4. 2 Social services – social workers that work with children aim to support children in need of protection as a result of any form of abuse or neglect.Also for children who need additional services in order to reach a reasonable standard of health and development (for example children with disabilities) and for children who need to be provided with care because they cannot live with their own parents. Speech therapists – Speech and Language Therapists ( SLT) work with parents/carers and others to assess if a child has speech and/or language difficulties, communication or eating and drinking difficulties. The therapist will consider the difficulties the child has and the impact these will have on his/her life.If appropriate the th erapist will decide how the child can be helped to reach their full communication potential. OFSTED – Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. They report directly to Parliament and are independent and impartial. OFTSED inspect and regulate services which care for children and young people, and those providing education and skills for learners of all ages. OFSTED ensure that we as providers follow the EYFS AND ECM to ensure that children are provided for and are able to develop at a healthy rate.Respite Care – Respite care is the provision of short-term, temporary relief to those who are caring for family members who might otherwise require permanent placement in a facility outside the home. Respite programs provide planned short-term and time-limited breaks for families and other unpaid care givers of children with a developmental delay and adults with an intellectual disability in order to support and maintain the primar y care giving relationship. Respite also provides a positive experience for the person receiving care.