Career Interest Profiler and Competencies Results

Moore The following paper will discuss the ways in which understanding my competencies will help me to improve my group communication skills. I will discuss how knowing these competencies help me become a better communicator in groups while helping me determine sources of conflict in group communication. I will review with you the result of my Career Interest Profiler. By understanding my competencies I am better able to determine where my strengths and weaknesses lye.The results of my competencies show that my strengths are researching, taking initiative, innovating, adapting to change, coping with pressure, and applying expertise. I believe that the assessment was accurate. Knowing where my strengths are will help me become a better communicator by giving me the confidence that a person receives from knowing one's self. One of my strengths is being able to cope with pressure and being a people person I could use this to help defuse a situation by asking questions o help clarify a p ossible misunderstanding or suggest addition ideas that may be more acceptable to the group as a whole.By using my strengths to move communication along in a positive and productive manner can help avoid possible conflict. My Career Interest Profiler results states that I am conventional, enterprising, and social. It points out that some of the fields of study I could possibly excel in are freight forwarding, Associates/BBS in Criminal Justice, Master's and Doctorate in Business, and BBS/Psychology. I am currently enrolled in Bachelor of Science in Accounting which was not listed in any of the recommended career hoicks for me.I find it interesting that accounting did not fall as one of my choices since I have been in the field for over a decade. In conclusion, this paper discussed the ways in which understanding my competencies will help me to improve my group communication skills, how knowing these competencies help me become a better communicator in groups while helping me determi ne sources of conflict in group communication. While I may not have agreed with the Career Builder Profiler I felt that they were able to inform me of other career options if I so choose to follow its advice.

Hume natural and artificial virtues Essay

In this essay I will discuss the differences between Hume’s ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ virtues. I will first give Hume’s explanation of why there is a need for a distinction or classification of virtues, and the basis on which he makes the distinction, before describing the two categories and their criteria. I will look at the problems with Hume’s account of the distinction, particularly justice. Finally I will describe how the various problems cast doubt on Hume’s distinction. Hume’s Virtues and the need to distinguish In discussing the principles from which we determine moral good or evil, virtue or vice, Hume argues that because the number of situations we may encounter is ‘infinite’ it would be absurd to imagine an ‘original instinct’ or individual principle for each possibility. (T3. 1. 2. 6)1 Instead he suggests that, following the usual maxim of nature producing diversity from limited principles, we should look for more general principles. Hume suggests looking for those general principles in nature but cautions on the ambiguous and various senses of the word ‘natural’. (T 3. 1. 2. 7) He says later that ‘the word natural†¦ is of so loose a signification, that it seems vain to dispute, whether justice be natural or not’ (EPM Appx. 3. 9. ) It is important that he clears this up early, the categorisation of several virtues, notably ‘justice’, depends critically on a clear definition. Leaving ‘natural’ open to interpretation would also raise difficulties in placing many of the 70 or more ‘virtues he names. If the virtues could category hop it might cause problems for the idea of having a distinction at all. Having raised this issue he resolves it by describing various senses or contexts in which ‘natural’ could be commonly understood: 1. Nature can be understood as counter to, or ‘oppose’d to’, miracles and if understood in that context then everything, except miracles themselves but including virtue and vice, would be considered natural. (T3. 1. 2. 7) 1All quotes from David Hume are from An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals. ed. Beauchamp T. L. 1st ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998 hereafter abbreviated EPM; A Treatise of Human Nature. ed. Norton, M. and Norton, D. 1st ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2011, hereafter abbreviated T 1 2. Nature may also be understood in opposition to ‘rare and unusual’. Hume notes that ‘rare and unusual’ is imprecise and variable, dependent on observation. Despite this vagueness Hume declares that if anything at all could be called natural in this context it would be the ‘sentiments of morality’ and supports this with the observation that no nation or individual ever showed ‘approbation or dislike of manners’. This ‘moral sense’ is so fundamental that only disease or madness could remove it. (T3. 1. 2. 8) Within this explanation Hume points out that it is ‘unphilosophical’ to conflate, as he suggests some systems do, virtue with natural and vice with unnatural. 3. The third natural context that Hume discusses is in opposition to ‘artifice’. In this context Hume says it is not altogether clear whether virtue is natural or artificial, this can only be discovered on closer inspection of particular vices or virtues. He raises two further distinctions, civil and moral, (T3. 1. 2. fn 70) which will be raised in the course of his argument, but rather than closely define them suggests that ‘the opposition will always discover the sense’, which I take to mean that the correct interpretation of context will give you the type of natural under discussion. Hume concludes then that virtues are divided for the purposes of his argument into two distinct categories; natural and artificial. Natural virtues Natural virtues are those which, according to Hume, occur naturally in man, natural dispositions or instincts which could occur in pre-societal humans, in small family groups with no organised government; self love, benevolence, charity, and many more, including some not usually mentioned; wit, good manners, and dialog. These natural traits could be classified as those needed to cooperate within small, personal groups and which are necessarily good and agreeable. They are essential, a part of ‘human nature’. Artificial virtues 2. Artificial virtues are constructed by humans, they deal with extra familial, impersonal situations, those where natural virtues might be compromised by bonds of family or friendship. These virtues include justice (the main focus of Hume’s discussions of artificial virtues), fidelity, honesty and chastity. They are social conventions that don’t necessarily result in good in each individual act and in fact may result in pain on an individual basis. Problems with artificial virtues There seem to be some problems with artificial virtues. The idea that justice is artificial as argued by Hume in EPM 3. 1. 2, seems flawed. Here he describes a world of abundance, where there is enough of everything, where it is warm enough not to require clothes, where every individual is fully provided for. In this ‘happy state’, claims Hume, ‘every other social virtue would increase tenfold; but the †¦ virtue of justice would never have been dreamed of’ (EPM 3. 1. 3). I am not convinced by this argument, it shows only that justice may be unnecessary in the idyllic circumstances described, not that it would not or could not arise. It is not artificial simply because it is not present in a particular situation. Hume appears to weaken his own argument later in EPM and even questions his own previous claims. In the footnote (EPM Appx 3. 9 fn 64) Hume’s language is not forceful or decisive, ‘In the two former senses (unusual and miraculous), justice and property are undoubtedly natural. But as they suppose reason†¦ confederacy among men, perhaps that epithet cannot strictly, in the last sense (i. e. artificial) be applied to them. ‘ In EPM Appx 3. 9 Hume poses the question that if self love, benevolence, reason and forethought are natural then cannot the same be said of justice, order, fidelity, property, and society, virtues he has previously listed as artificial. ‘Men’s inclinations,’, says Hume, ‘their necessities lead them to combine’. Even if we accept that in the ‘happy state’ these ‘necessities’ are minimal Hume still seems to be suggesting that men are inclined toward society and all that entails. He goes on to say ‘in so sagacious an animal, what necessarily arises from the exertions of his intellectual faculties, may justly be esteemed natural’. If that is the case then I see no reason why justice or society are special cases, and no reason why they would be judged differently to benevolence or self 3 love. They unquestioningly arise from our intellectual faculties and arguably arise necessarily, on Hume’s account they must surely be natural. A natural virtue must, according to Hume, occur naturally in man, be a natural ‘disposition’, and result in good. Given that man is inclined to combine, and that suppressing inclinations will result in pain (ECHU 8. 1. 23) and conversely enabling that inclination will result in pleasure, and further that in a ‘happy state’ justice is not impossible, only unnecessary, then it could be argued that justice is in fact a natural virtue. Even in the ‘happy state’ it is not difficult to imagine a situation where two people may wish for the same thing, a particular unique view or time spent with a particular person. Walking to your favourite view to find it occupied a person may well decide, as the other person was there first, that the just thing to do would be to leave them to it. Justice, and other artificial virtues, has a further problem. Hume claims that the the virtue of an action depends on the motive, rather than the action itself. Whether an action is judged virtuous is dependent on motive and that motive cannot be the virtue of the act itself. Being kind because it is virtuous to be kind is not virtuous. According to Hume, if I ‘restore a great fortune’ to a miser or the seditious bigot then society suffers. When I repay the miser I am acting out of duty or obligation, I do what I do, not through a virtuous motive but because it is the ‘right’ thing to do. If that is the case then it seems that justice may not be a virtue at all. Conclusion In describing the differences between natural and artificial virtues it becomes apparent that the distinction is not always clear. I have described how Hume explains the need to distinguish types of virtue and the criteria he uses. I have looked at the problems with Hume’s account in relation to the artificial virtues and established that, at least in the case of justice, they do not sit comfortably in a category separate from the natural virtues. The problem of the circularity may not only cause a problem with the distinction but may even suggest that justice is not a virtue at all. While this does not conclusively establish that the distinction does not stand it does show that it is not as firmly founded as Hume might claim.

How to manage your time Essay

Carl Sandberg said â€Å"time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.† Therefore, how to control your use of time? First and foremost, look cautious at your priorities and Identify your goals . According to Oxford Brookes University (2012), you have to identify what is important to you and to be realistic and definite about them. People in all walks of life will have different thoughts, each of them will have their own priorities, identify what you need. For instance, friends, family, getting a good degree, or your health. The great way to determine is by giving a rank to them in order from 1-10 that could help you to prioritise the time you give to the things that beneficial to you and things which will help you to achieve your goals. Then you can allocate a realistic amount of time to each. Being more realistic enables you to build in time to relax and can work more effectively. Furthermore, make a timetable, plan for your future. This is the most common way, yet is the most useful way. According to NUS (n.d.), if you have come to university from high school, it can be a shock to find that you are responsible for organising your study time by your own to complete all the assignments given by the lecturers. Making a timetable helps you to identify periods of potential study time. Ensure that this time is quality time where you can really concentrate, away from all the disturbances. According to TimeMan.com (2013), make a daily To-Do List can be make everyday. At the end of each day, you can organize and schedule your next day. In addition, follow your plan. According to TimeMan.com (2013), do not let peer pressure or the quest for short-term gratification dictate what you consider important. You just have to focus on the goals you have set for yourself and follow up on your true top priorities. Align your priorities with your long-term values and goals. Moreover, overcome procrastination. According to TimeMan.com (2013), without a deadline, you will surely procrastinate. For instance, whenever you get an assignment, set a time to start it off to avoid doing last minute works. Once you are given a due date on an assignment, count backwards from the due date to build up a start date. Take into consideration that you will be spending on other items like social events, sports and so on. Bear in mind that every tasks given is always better to start early to avoid from a panic finish. Last but not least, according to NUS (n.d.), take breaks to  relax. No matter how much you have to do, studying continuously without a break will not help you in the long run. You will simply lose your concentration and remember less. Sometimes, you just have to take a break, really chill out and have a deep breath, this will help you feel better. Remember not to stress up yourself !

Problems in teaching history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Problems in teaching history - Essay Example Consequently, the subject appears to be, not surprisingly, unloved by pupils. The given paper will discuss what is wrong with American history and why it appears to be false and really boring for students. Young people, who enter higher level institutions and start learning history there, usually become surprised, because many historical facts they were taught in school appear to be different. However, many people do not enter such establishments and many of those who do choose not to learn history. They do not want to continue learning it, because schools do not usually accept discussions and debates. Thus, the discipline is turned into gathering of logically disconnected uninteresting facts, while a lot of remarkable ones are missed because they are unlikable. In order not to explain to students the facts, which are not very pleasant for American citizens, instructors prefer to exclude them. Therefore, pupils do not know about real events and, as they usually omit negative ones, they call there past â€Å"good old days†. This automatically generates an opinion that America always acted properly, without any mistakes. Young people think that the United States is the best country in the world and other countries just envy and try to imitate its behavior. Believing that other countries are admiring the United States, young people become shocked, when something like the events of 9/11 happen. Suddenly, they got to know that many nations hate Americans, but can’t understand why, because did not learn real historical facts. The history is false and that is why it is uninteresting. James Loewen explains: The same things that make history false are what makes it boring. Many high school history teachers are teaching out of field. That is, they don’t have a degree in history or a related discipline. And they usually aren’t even interested in history. So they

Immigration In The USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Immigration In The USA - Essay Example Another important factor is education. Favorable educational opportunities entice youngsters as well as parents to migrate for a brighter outlook in their child’s life. The quality of education can drastically affect a child's life in terms of lifestyle, personality, and future. Western universities encourage active learning and provide an auspicious campus life to enjoy as well. Political reasons play a major role in migration. Some people migrate to earn a new identity, to get better rights or just a better living environment. People also immigrate to maintain a global presence in other countries. Moreover, some might not feel secure in their own homeland due to political instability and therefore wish to fortify a protected ambiance for themselves. Man is a rational being and this faculty of rationality forces them to make certain decisions in life. As everyone is unique, they have different preferences. Extroverts and work oriented personalities are most likely to migrate alone for their futures and self-actualization whereas family oriented people may migrate for an accumulated benefit for their families. Individuals might also be attracted to the idea of finding their soul mate in a different country. Sociologists say that this series of events begins with word of mouth and others get attracted to attain a certain lifestyle. Having all the causes together, the consequences can be easily depicted. Overpopulation is said to be the major consequence of immigration.... Political reasons play a major role in migration. Some people migrate to earn a new identity, to get better rights or just a better living environment. People also immigrate to maintain a global presence in other countries. Moreover, some might not feel secure in their own homeland due to political instability and therefore wish to fortify a protected ambiance for themselves. Man is a rational being and this faculty of rationality forces them to make certain decisions in life. As everyone is unique, they have different preferences. Extroverts and work oriented personalities are most likely to migrate alone for their futures and self actualization whereas family oriented people may migrate for an accumulated benefit for their families. Individuals might also be attracted to the idea of finding their soul mate in a different country. Sociologists say that this series of events begin with word of mouth and others get attracted to attain a certain lifestyle. Having all the causes togethe r, the consequences can be easily depicted. Over population is said to be the major consequence of immigration. However, USA is blessed with land and therefore its favorable conditions haven’t created such an issue. Though some cities are densely populated and various ethnicities are found in different states. The wide mix of cultures has given the opportunity for people to mingle amongst each other. The factor of exploration and tolerance can also be inculcated as a result of such social mingling. However, issues do prevail. Minorities such as the black are mostly looked down upon and Asians (Pakistanis/Indians) are not given preference (at times) in work places whilst local natives secure better positions irrespective of the competency faculty. The host country such as the United

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - Research Paper Example The trans-Atlantic slave trade has normally been considered only regarding the adults. However, now children’s experiences are also being counted. According to an estimate, children made up one-quarter of the African slaves made to migrate to America. In spite of this big number there is indeed a lack of sources and apparently, no importance is given to what the children experienced, leaving their voices unheard. Enslavement Children were very unwilling to participate in the slave trade and in spite of their age they saw themselves captured and in imprisonment after the war. The women, children and the older people became particularly vulnerable after their men were killed during the war; the ones who were spared death were then ransomed or even sold as slaves. After military expeditions, there were commercial caravans that actually brought textiles and imported goods and traded the slaves with those. Another way of acquiring slaves, particularly children, was through kidnappi ng and this method was more common in certain regions in West Africa. The kidnapping was done when the kids were away from their parents or guardians, maybe simply playing outside, working in fields or taking a calm walk. This was not the only way, however, and the traders even bought children from their families who were more than willing to â€Å"sell† them for money since they were desperate for money and food. Still, others were pawned or bargained for by their parents or used to repay debts or given to be acquitted of any crime they or their family members might have committed. Weak children were also sometimes sold and so were the ones whom their parents thought brought them ill luck. The upcoming events after the capture were a nightmare for the slaves. The traders sold off some children to be sent for the coast while others were sold many times. Several of these kids remained within Africa only and became slaves to whoever bought them. Many others could not survive th e sea route. The ones who were able to reach the coast alive were taken to a factory or post where merchants bought them and kept them inside prisons with the other slaves. These children were then completely stripped and their bodies were rubbed with palm oil. Many times their heads were also shaven. After the merchants had bought their slaves they â€Å"branded† them in order to make sure that their â€Å"property† does not get mixed up with someone else’s and they are able to distinctly make out which their cargo is. The brand was normally a symbol on their chest or back. The Middle Passage According to the slave traders the individuals less than 4’4’’ in height were considered to be children and these children were permitted to stay on the deck with the women. These deck people were, on rare occasions, given certain favors such as giving them old clothes, teaching them how to play certain games or even how to sail. Some children, however , did not play or eat while others preferred to stay with the women and cry all night. If a child was taller than the specified height he was automatically kept with the adults and there they were treated like an adult too. The conditions there were worse and there was no concept of hygiene. If they cried or did not eat or sleep they were punished harshly.  

The Flood Myth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Flood Myth - Essay Example Comparative approaches to mythology had great popularity among the 18th-19th century scholars. Majority of the scholars believed that all myths showed signs of having originated from a single mythical theme. Noah’s ark is the vessel in Genesis (chapter 6-9) of the Bible where God saves Noah and his family plus a remnant of all animals in the world from the flood. Noah is given great instructions on how to build an ark by God. He is told to use gopher wood smeared inside and outside with pitch, with 3(three) decks and internal compartments: 300 cubits long, 50 wide and 30 high. The roof will have a ‘finished to a cubit upward’ and the entrance on the side. The myth describes that the ark is afloat throughout the flood before it comes to rest on Mount Ararat. The tale is repeated with variations in the Quran with the ark appearing as Safina Nuh. The Genesis flood myth is similar to many other flood myths from a variety of other different cultures. Noah and the biblical flood story originates from the Mesopotamian version of Epic of Gilgamesh because the Biblical mythology that’s currently found in Christianity, Islam, Mandeanism and Judaism shares overlapping co nsistency with by far older written stories from Mesopotamia of the great flood. Also, the early Hebrew people were known to have lived in the land of Mesopotamia, particularly at the time of the Babylonian captivity. The narrative from Hebrew differs from the Babylonian story in that the floods come as God’s judgment on wicked humans rather than as a result of the caprice of the gods. In the Gilgamesh epic, Utnapishtim tells Gilgamesh a secret tale/story that begins in the old city of Shuruppak on the banks of river Euphrates. The great gods (Anu, Ninurta, Ennugi, Ea and Enil) were sworn to secrecy about a plan to cause a flood. However, god Ea (Enki the Sumerian god) repeats the plan to

Week 4-Happiness Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Week 4-Happiness - Assignment Example At first, I believed on this. However, I came to realize that affluence does not necessarily give someone happiness and being poor also does not automatically make one unhappy (DuBrin, 2011). I am now against my previous notion of judging some careers as substandard and insignificant. Apparently, I fall into adventure category. During life audaciousness made me acquire some values that up-to-date are precious to me. I learnt values like respect and honesty through adventure where I was much curious to understand how members of an organization interrelate harmoniously without the two values. Respect is an important value that leads to the realization of honest in any organization (DuBrin, 2011). Corporations value personnel who uphold honesty and respect, for they comprehend that a good relationship builds trust among employees. Finally, the adventurous spirit enabled me to grow the value of courtesy where I was curious why people could give their seat to pregnant woman or old people and other do not and I come to realize some children will not practice this because they contemplate that they will not receive appreciation. Therefore, my quest prepared me to learn this and endorse that some values we possess are driven by adventures. It is important to know your values for it gives one a tremendous clarity and focus in life. The values that I treasure in my life are; honesty, respect, politeness, happiness, success, peace, fun, security, transparency and adventure (Steve, 2013). Steve has underlined imperative values that are proficient in guiding our compartments at work or in any other areas of our life. Values enable us to act according to our conviction. The value that I desire most is happiness; this is because happiness significantly helps me in attaining life satisfaction (DuBrin, 2011). It assists me overcome stress both at workplace. Happiness also offers me an

An evaluation of contemporary leadership and governance challenges Research Paper - 1

An evaluation of contemporary leadership and governance challenges among universities in Africa - Research Paper Example By identifying and evaluating the major challenges that face leaders in African universities, it is possible to provide research based solutions to these problems, which in turn will enhance effective leadership strategies as the path for development in these countries. Objectives of the study Main Objectives To evaluate the challenges that are facing the leaders in African Universities in their administrative role. To investigate poor leadership qualities within the administrative bodies of the university. Specific Objectives To identify, through data collection, the major challenges that leaders in African Universities have to confront in their day to day duties. To identify weaknesses that exist within the university leadership and governance that has contributed to the problem of poor leadership. To analyse the results of the survey in to establish the common leadership problems among the African universities. To recommend possible solutions to the problems that are threatening l eadership and governance in African Universities. ... world countries and the path to rise to international heights has become rough, making these countries remain stagnated in terms of growth and development. This has generated a lot of attention among many researchers to investigate the barriers that have kept the pace of growth in these countries slow and unyielding (Task Force on Higher Education and Society, 2000). A research by Petlane (2009) indicated that one of the major challenges in these countries is the poor leadership and governance in this country that has failed to drive the country to economic success. The findings of this research have triggered significant research to investigate the challenges that University leaders have faced in implementing development goals in the country. A recent research conducted by Kuada (2010) was meant to investigate on the knowledge gaps that exist within African leaders that have undermined the development of third world countries. The findings of this research indicate that the weakness of African leaders emanates from the shortage of development skills and knowledge that exist within them. Other researchers have identified the need shortage of technological knowledge among the leaders which is a necessity in a technologically growing environment. Previous research by Hall and Symes (2005) provided that the only way to enhance development in African countries is by maintaining effective leadership in tertiary institutions and impacting leadership mentorship in upcoming professionals. Although researchers have reached a concession that the reason why African countries have failed to shine in the global scope is because of the many challenges that confront leaders in these countries, researchers have failed to identify the specific challenges that face leaders especially

Bilingual Education Essay Example for Free

Bilingual Education Essay Bilingual Education isn’t an issue that’s been short lived. The programs have existed as far back as the late eighteenth century; Immigrant students were then instructed in their first language. Ohio became the first state to adopt an actual bilingual education state legislation in 1839. Other states soon followed, although the variation in language was somewhat broader (Lipka n.p). Controversy has been constant over what methods are actually effective, and what methods need to be retired. Since we are a nation that doesn’t have a national language and requires every child to obtain an education, the responsibility to provide one, becomes ours. With more and more immigrants coming from Mexico, the need for a successful bilingual education method is exploding. Educating any student in a language foreign to their own seems ridiculously absurd. One that doesn’t understand the language well can’t obtain anything taught in the foreign language. Although many approaches of bilingual education are used throughout the United States, they all vary in theory and in teaching style. The students have to be thoroughly taught English before joining an English speaking classroom making Immersion the most successful method. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960’s, bilingual education became an issue, making legislation necessary to help resolve the problem that had been affecting students and families so harshly (Lipka n.p). â€Å"In January 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Bilingual Education Act, which incorporated native-language instruction into the curriculum (Lipka).† Although the Bilingual Education Act was signed, the discrimination didn’t stop. A few years it was found in the court case Lau vs. San Francisco School District that the Bilingual Education Act wasn’t being carried out in their school. The law suit represented 1,800 other students; eight-year-old Kenny Lau sued the San Francisco School District over English-only instruction in a school where most students spoke only Chinese. These students couldn’t learn in the English, because none of the students understood English. â€Å"The Supreme Court ruled that schools without special provisions to education language-minority students are not providing equal education and violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Federal government publishes new materials in nearly seventy languages and allocates sixty-eight million dollars for bilingual education† (PBS n.p). After the Supreme Court hearing things still weren’t better for minority speaking students. Help was needed then, and remains the same today. There are many different methods that educators choose to use in their classrooms, although some are controversial. â€Å"The bilingual programs of today are mostly a product of the Bilingual Education Act (Title VII) passed in 1968† (ECS n.p). Some states have mandated laws that enforce a strict bilingual program that is taught in all public schools in their state, while others aren’t as strict. Some states need the programs more than others. According to ProEnglish, â€Å"15 states account for 94% of students who speak languages other than English in their home.† Therefore, we know that in these fifteen states we must teach English efficiently. These students all speak a native language in their homes, so on the contrary to some beliefs, these students are not easily going to pick up on a native language. Today we know more about educating students of a minority language then we did in the past, but we are still struggling with it today. Some people even believe we should completely throw bilingual education out. If that happens, there wouldn’t be opportunity for those native speaking students. We would have much larger number of non-English speaking Americans, and a lot more citizens that couldn’t find jobs. Lastly, it would be breaking the Civil Rights Laws. There are countless misconceptions about bilingual education. Some even believe that it’s simply a lost cause, but statistics show other wise. â€Å"In 1990, only three percent of U.S. residents reported speaking English less than well or very well. Only eight-tenths of one percent spoke no English at all (Crawford n.p)†. There are many effective methods to teaching these students. Some argue that if taught the native language, it can’t be transferred to the one learned, while this may be difficult for some, it is possible (Crawford n.p). Students would have an easier time transferring their knowledge from their native language opposed to being taught in a language that isn’t understandable at all. Critics complain about the tax dollars we spend to teach these non-English speaking students, but they also complain about all the minorities that have to live on welfare. Maybe if they were better educated it wouldn’t be quite the case. Critics also believe that bilingual education programs aren’t promoting English, but merely teaching students only in their native language. Most every program in the United States promotes the teaching of English in one form or another. Although, they are not trying to remove ones culture and linguistic heritages, they are just preparing them for success in the public school systems and in the English speaking nation we live in. â€Å"According to one study, school districts reported that 28% of limited English proficiency (LEP) elementary school students receive no native-language instruction. Among those who do, about a third receive more than 75% of their instruction in English; a third receive from 40 to 75% in English; and one third of these receive less than 40% in English (Crawford n.p). Hispanic dropouts continue to remain high. There is multiple factors associated with these statistics, such as; family poverty, English proficiency, some simply never even enrolls in school (NCES n.p). â€Å"In 2005, more than one-fifth (22.4 percent) of Hispanics 16 through 24 years of age were dropouts, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES n.p)†. The Hispanic dropout rate can be lowered with good bilingual education plans for teaching those who can’t speak English. The rate is especially high in Mexican immigrants. â€Å"In fact, the status dropout rate of 44.2 percent for Hispanic 16- through 24-year-olds born outside the 50 states and/or the District of Columbia was more than double the rate of 16.1 percent for Hispanic youths born in the United States (NCES n.p)†. These individuals don’t have the education that is necessary to succeed in the United States, which is not fair according to Civil Rights laws. There are multiple causes for the high dropout rate, but their understanding of the language is a leading cause. So, to be equal to all students, we must provide the same opportunity to native-speaking students. Methods are plentiful to educating students whom don’t speak the dominant language, but most generally only a few methods are currently used in public schools in the United States. First, the submersion method, in a submersion program the native speaking student is placed in the classroom right along with the English speaking students (Queen n.p). Students are expected to learn what the other students are being taught even though they may not fully understand the language. You could basically consider this method a â€Å"sink or swim† type of education. It sounds absurd for one to expect another to learn something in a language they cannot even decipher. This method may not be considered Bilingual Education to some because only one language is being used. Even if this is the case, students are still being educated in a language unfamiliar to them. Students cannot understand something they aren’t familiar with. If they seem they are picking up on the language conversationally, they still may not register thoughts in English to actually learn material that is being taught in the classrooms. This method will not work for most students; native speaking students will continue to fall behind. Eventually students won’t be able to catch up with other students their age. Submersion is therefore, no one way for a student to learn anything. Students that fall behind could potentially add to the high statistics in the high dropout rates. Many schools today have English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, such as the Scott County School district uses today. This is when a non-English speaking student is placed in English speaking classrooms for part of their classes, while for others they go to an ESL classroom. When in the ESL classroom they concentrate on learning English to succeed in their English speaking classes. This method can be very effective if the student’s participate, but if they fall behind there is going to be many hardships catching up. Some students will never catch up to their age group in school and won’t finish their education (Queen n.p). Students in ESL programs aren’t given enough time to learn the language well enough to succeed; therefore the time they spend in English speaking classrooms could be considered useless to some. If they’re not understanding of the language, this seems like a waste of the student’s time. It can also be an imposition to the English speaking students in the classroom. Special time and attention would have to be given to these native-speaking students. That time would then take away from the English-speaking student’s education. Students aren’t actually taking in anything they’re learning, other than picking up on a few English words, then this is a waste of time to not only the teachers that aren’t qualified to teach them, but to the English speaking students in the classroom as well. Minority students must receive intensive instruction, since the drop out rate of non-English speaking students in the public system is so high, measures must be drastic. â€Å"The General Accounting Office reported in February 2001 that out of 70 studies reviewed; only three focused specifically on how long it took students to attain English proficiency. General estimates ranged from four to eight years (ECS n.p).† Therefore we know that learning a foreign language enough to learn isn’t easily done and it isn’t necessarily a speedy process. We have to give intensive instruction, and we must not give up on these students. This method isn’t effective enough though, it takes years to learn English in ESL programs as researchers have found. Being as this method takes so long, there is not time for students to keep up with their classes. Many students will not succeed, and will never accomplish what is required to graduate high school. One of the biggest controversies schools and state legislators are facing is the argument with immersion versus Bilingual Education. The ESL method is used a frequently in the U.S, but many ESL supporters are starting to follow the new immersion trend, because it doesn’t take students as much time to learn English. Immersion method of teaching students are intensively taught English for a period of time, for example one school year. After they have learned English well enough to understand, and to actually have the chance to learn English. They are placed back again in English speaking classes and that’s where they will continue their education. Immersion can stop students from dropping-out and falling behind. Critics argue this is just a loss of time, but with ESL they are in the long run loosing even more time. â€Å"At a leadership meeting a participant decided to speak up, she was an ESL teacher. She said, Research shows that it takes five to seven years for a student to master English well enough to succeed in a mainstream classroom, she said, adding that this finding was only for children who were already proficient in their first language. For kids without good language skills of any kind, it takes 10 years, said the teacher† (Triangle Business Journal N.P). Students that don’t speak well enough English get thrown into English speaking classrooms that they are not ready to be. Upon this happening students continue to fall behind and could be accounted for such high dropout rates in native speaking students, especially in the Hispanic students. Native-speaking students will have a hard time understanding material in English when you present it before they truly understand enough but, if you make sure they understand the English first, teaching them in English is going to be much more effective and that should be a given. Bilingual Education will be effective in different ways for all different students. Any language students learn differently, some like more visual aide, while others like lots of verbal explanation. That being said, there is no difference in teaching students of another language. Every student has similar basic needs, therefore there should be a basic method used everywhere. We can’t expect these students to sink or swim; a good method must be used. Since most of these students don’t have any sort of an English background at home, then educators can’t expect them to receive any help from the home. So, all the English has to come from the school. Since every student is going to learn at their own pace, we must teach them extensively, without doing so understanding English will not come quick enough. Teaching them English isn’t taking them away from any of their native culture; it’s preparing them for success in the United States. Preparing students for success in English educators will be abiding the civil rights law, and offering each student the same education. If parents don’t want their child speaking two languages or learning English, they should take their child to a private school that will only teach their child in their native language. Although, most native-speaking parents want their children to be fluent in English as well as the language they speak at home. There are also so many advantages to being bilingual today. When traveling foreign countries one could commute with others. It also leads to exposure to both cultures, and one will become more culturally diverse. If one wanted to move to another for another country for any different reason they would have an easier time adjusting. The United States today there are many different language being spoke all over, all the time. Employers look for multi-lingual speaking employees so that they can meet everyone’s needs. Places such as the hospital, multi-language speaking employees are essential, because not only do English speaking patients come in, as well a lot of other native-speaking patients. Scott City and surrounding areas there are a lot of Spanish speaking people, whom need the same things English speaking people do. Therefore, offering one who is bilingual on the job is going to help tremendously. Since the United States has no official language, I suppose we can’t expect everyone to speak English. According to ProEnglish, over 30 states have adopted English as their official language. Some federal legislation implicitly standardizes English (Wikipedia n.p). Knowing English could almost be considered essential to survive and succeed in this English speaking country. â€Å"According to the 2000 census, the United states has 215 million that are speaking English. While only 28 million speak Spanish, and next a Chinese language who has about two million speaking in the United States (Wikipedia n.p). This should be enough proof to any educator or legislator that knowing English is essential. If one is bilingual in English and Spanish, then even better. English is most essential to be successful in the United States. There are endless reasons that knowing English in the United States that would be essential to anyone. The United States is the â€Å"land of the free†, so there is not law stating one must speak the most commonly spoken language: English. To be exact about ninety-six percent of Americans speak English (Wikipedia n.p). To be successful, one will want to understand the language. Most colleges in the United States are all taught in English, although you could go to a school speaking your language, the majority will be teaching in English. Students that want to succeed and go to state colleges they’re going to need to understand English. The opportunity is available for all students, but some might have it harder with the different method that’s used in schools across the United States. All methods can work in teaching students; some are just more successful than others. We must educate these native-speaking students so that they have the equal opportunity that English-speaking students do. The need for bilingual education is astronomical; it’s simply what’s right. Students need to learn English to have the same opportunity for success as others. Some might even have more opportunity once they are fluent in more than one language. The point is we need a good program that works efficiently to educate every native-speaking student in the United States. All the methods have their perks, but we need the most effective and efficient program to teach these minority students. The submersion method doesn’t help any student that is struggling with English, they simply sink or swim. The method might be cheaper, but it will not help any student with the need for Bilingual Education. The only advantage some consider is budgeting. The English as a Second Language program defiantly is a step-up from the Submersion program, but it shows many weaknesses as well. The program wastes time with students in English-speaking classrooms, that don’t even understand the language. Although they are being taught English, and have an instructor also teaching in their native language, the teaching of English, simply isn’t intense enough. That’s why Immersion is the best way to educate these minority students that cannot speak English, although they may loose a year of education, they are not going to fall behind anymore than that. When they finish the program, they will be able to understand and speak English. When they are put into English-speaking classrooms they will understand everything being taught. This is what we need for these native students to keep up with the English speaking students. This will minimize minorities’ falling behind; dropout rates, and maximizes English understanding. Immersion is the best way to teach these students, and will in turn help these students succeed to fullest of their potential. Immersion makes Bilingual Education is faster and more successful. When structured English immersion plans were used in California, â€Å"after two years of instruction, students made significant gains in reading and writing in English as well as math, relative to students’ nationwide taking the Stanford 9, most of whom are native English speakers (NCPA n.p)†. This seems proof enough, that immersion is the way to teach our minority students English successfully. Citations: 1. National Center for Educational Statistics. Student Effort and Educational Process.n.d. 2006. 10 April 2009 . 2. Education Commision of the States. n.d. 11 April 2009 . 3. Queen, Robin. Bilingual Education. 2005. 12 April 2009 . 4. Jones, Madison and Renee Bou-Waked. School Choice and Hispanic Dropouts. 12 November 2007. 8 April 2009 . 5. Crawford, James. Ten Common Fallacies about Bilingual Education. November 1998. 7 April 2009 . 6. Hood, John. Immersion vs. bilingual education.†Triangle Business Journal (1997): n.p. 7. Lipka, Sara. The Battle Over Bilingual Education. The Atlantic Online (2002): n.p. 8. PBS. Master Time Line. n.d. 10 April 2009 . 9. ProEnglish. The status of bilingual education in America. n.d. 8 April 2009 . 10. Wikipedia. Languages of the United States. n.d. 9 April 2009. .

Conceptual Framework in Accounting Board

Conceptual Framework in Accounting Board Introduction A conceptual framework has its basis in a set of concepts. These concepts are linked to a system of methods, behaviors, functions, relationships and objects. The conceptual framework for financial reporting â€Å"†¦..seeks to identify the nature, subject, purpose and broad content of general-purpose financial reporting and the qualitative characteristics that financial information should possess†. (Deegan, 2005, p.1184). It is of fundamental importance to the future development of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Conceptual framework of an Accounting Board: Defines the objective of financial statements Identifies the qualitative characteristics that make information in financial statements useful Defines the basic elements of financial statements Specify how the elements are recognised and measured in financial statements. The focus of this essay is on conceptual frameworks propounded by Accounting Standards Board (ASB), the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and also the improvements proposed in the IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper. ASB is a subsidiary company of the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) responsible for formulating Financial Reporting Standards. FASB is an Accounting Board that establishes rules governing accounting practices throughout the US. The mission of the FASB is to establish and improve standards of financial accounting and reporting for the guidance and education of the public, including issuers, auditors, and users of financial information. IASB is the youngest Accounting Board of the three. It was founded on April 1, 2001 as the successor of International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) based in London, UK. IASB is responsible for setting International Accounting Standards. IASB has adopted many of the regulations of its predecessor. It uses IASCs 1989 ‘Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements’. Thus, IASB’s conceptual framework of accounting standards are outdated as the accounting standards prescribed by IASB reflect the accounting thought in1989. In contrast, ASB pronouncements are more contemporary. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper In October 2004, US FASB and the IASB accepted that their existing frameworks move in different directions and were not complete and up to date. They decided to develop a single common conceptual framework that converges and improves the existing individual conceptual frameworks of the boards. They published a consultative document in 2006 setting out their preliminary views on an enhanced conceptual framework. Differences between Conceptual Frameworks The conceptual frameworks put forward by the three Boards can be compared on the basis of: Purpose of the framework Objectives of financial statements Qualitative characteristics Elements of financial statements Recognition and measurement criteria These are examined in detail below: Purpose of the Framework The three conceptual frameworks have similar purpose. The purpose of each framework is described below: ASB: The framework seeks to describe the fundamental approach propounded by ASB to strengthen the financial statements of profit-oriented entities. It provides a reference point to help ASB in developing new accounting standards and reviewing existing ones. IASB: Like ASB, IASB’s framework also serves as a guide to the Board in developing accounting standards. It also acts as a guide to resolving accounting issues that are not addressed directly in an IAS or IFRS or Interpretation. With a revision to IAS 8 in 2003, the importance of conceptual framework has increased further. The IASB framework applies to all business entities both in the private or public sector. FASB: The purpose of the FASB framework is also to assist standard setters in developing and revising accounting standards. The framework does not override accounting standards, and therefore in this respect it has a lower status than specific accounting standards. The FASB framework applies to both business and not-for-profit entities in the private sector. Despite the similar purpose of all frameworks, the emphasis of the framework differs from board to board. For instance, the IASB framework has a broader purpose than the FASB framework. The IASB framework not only assists IASB in developing or revising accounting standards but also assists preparers, auditors, and users of financial statements. There is also a difference in the status of the frameworks. For instance, the IASB framework is considered at a higher level in its GAAP hierarchy than the FASB framework in the U.S. GAAP hierarchy. The management of entities preparing financial statements under IFRS is expressly required to follow the IASB framework. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper: The Discussion Paper states the purpose of conceptual framework to establish a common framework of the concepts that underlie financial reporting. The common framework is expected to suit the requirements of both FASB and IASB. However, this may lead to a problem. If the arguments contained in the discussion paper are adopted as the common framework, this will distance preparers and auditors as the framework will become theoretical and long and act only as a reference manual for standard setters. Objectives of Financial Statements Conceptual frameworks put forward by Accounting Boards put forward similar objectives of financial statement. ASB: According to ASB â€Å"†¦the objective of financial statements is to provide information about the financial position, performance and the financial adaptability of an enterprise that is useful to a wide range of users† (1999:1) FASB: The FASB framework specify objectives for business entities and non-business entities. According to FASB in SFAC 1 â€Å"†¦financial reporting is not an end in itself but is intended to provide information that is useful in making business and economic decisions†. (1978:9) IASB: According to the IASB’s Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements â€Å"†¦the objective of financial statements is to provide information about the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise that is useful to a wide range of users in making economic decisions.† (2001:12)Unlike FASB framework, the IASB framework has a more limited scope. It discusses objectives in the context of business entities only. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper: The discussion paper states that the objectives of financial reporting are to provide information: Useful to present and potential investors and creditors and others in making investment, credit, and similar resource allocation decisions. Useful in assessing cash flow prospects About an entity’s resources, claims to those resources, and changes in resources and claims Despite the similarity of objectives propounded by the various frameworks, the differences may arise due to the focus on users. The focus depends on the body producing the statements and establishing parameters. Qualitative characteristics The conceptual frameworks identify primarily four principal qualitative characteristics in common: Understandability Relevance, Reliability and Comparability. However there are differences in terms of what constitute ‘relevant’ and ‘reliable’ information and which characteristic is more important than others. ASB: The ASB narrow down the scope of their conceptual framework by establishing parameters which clearly defines the inclusions and exclusions. It defines the qualitative characteristics of the information which merits inclusion, for example, relevance, reliability, and comparability. UK ASB treats information to be reliable if it is free from material errors. Though freedom from material error is included as a sub-quality of reliability, the framework excludes verifiability as an essential element for reliability of information. The conceptual framework of ASB favours relevance over reliability if there is a conflict between relevance and reliability concept. IASB: According to IASB, information is relevant when it influences the economic decisions of users and is reliable if it is free from material error and bias and can be depended upon by users to represent events and transactions faithfully. IASB framework treats all four qualitative characteristics as primary qualitative characteristics. It treats materiality of information and its timeliness as a component of relevance. IASB does not give importance to one characteristic over the other. There is sometimes a tradeoff between relevance and reliability and judgement is required to provide the appropriate balance. IASB expects management to exercise prudence or conservatism to provide this balance. FASB: Unlike IASB, FASB framework set out the qualitative characteristics in a hierarchy, treating understandability as a user-specific quality separate from the others, relevance and reliability as the primary qualities, and comparability as a secondary quality. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper: The discussion paper proposes replacing the qualitative characteristic of ‘reliability’ in the current frameworks with ‘faithful representation’. The paper also highlights areas where the qualitative characteristics of both IASB and FASB conceptual framework can be improved. For example, both frameworks emphasise neutrality, prudence or conservatism and expect that the exercise of prudence or conservatism does not allow the deliberate understatement of net assets and profits. However, the hard fact is that a concept of prudence or conservatism is inconsistent with the concept of neutrality. Elements of Financial Statements There are differences, though not major, between frameworks in relation to elements of financial statements ASB: ASB classifies transactions and other events into 5 elements: assets, liabilities, ownership interests, gains and losses. Assets, liabilities and ownership interest are included in the Balance Sheet and gains and losses in the Profit Loss Account. IASB: Like ASB, IASB framework also has 5 elements of financial statements: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Liabilities, Income and Expenses. The first three elements form a part of the Balance Sheet and the last two a part of the Income Statement or Profit Loss Account. The assets, defined as a resource controlled by the enterprise as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the enterprise, has a central role. All other element definitions are based on the definition of assets. FASB: FASB framework has seven elements in all. Elements, such as assets, liabilities, and equity are for describing the financial position. Unlike two elements for IASB, the FASB framework includes five elements relating to financial performance: revenue, gains, expenses, losses, and comprehensive income. Though assets definition is still primary, there are differences in terms of how assets are defined by IASB and FASB. The FASB framework includes â€Å"probable† as part of the definition of assets and liabilities, whereas the IASB framework includes the term in its recognition criteria, and the meaning of the word is not the same. In addition to this, as per IASB, the asset is the resource from which future economic benefits are expected to flow, whereas as per FASB, the asset is the future economic benefits themselves. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper: The discussion paper finds gaps in the existing frameworks in respect of the following aspects of elements of financial statements and requires the converged conceptual framework to focus on these: The distinction between liabilities and equity Definition of a liability The effect of conditions, contingencies, or uncertainties Accounting for contractual rights and obligations Recognition criteria for financial reporting The objective of financial statements is achieved by depicting in the primary financial statements the effects that transactions and other events have on the elements. This process is known as recognition. Frameworks differ with regard to recognition of effects of transactions. ASB: According to ASB framework, if a transaction leads to creation of a new asset or liability or to adds to an existing asset or liability, the effect will be recognised in the balance sheet. This recognition will happen only if there is sufficient evidence that the asset or liability exists and can be measured reliably enough in monetary terms. Except when there has been no change in the total net assets or the whole of the change is the result of capital contributions or distributions, a gain or loss will be recognised at the same time. ASB does not take into account probable effects. IASB: Unlike ASB, IASB framework includes ‘probable’ test for recognizing effects of transactions. For example, the IASB framework requires that an asset is recognised in the balance sheet when it is probable that the future economic benefits will flow to the enterprise and the asset has a cost or value that can be measured reliably. Similarly, a liability is recognised in the balance sheet when it is probable that an outflow of resources embodying economic benefits will result from the settlement of a present obligation and the amount at which the settlement will take place can be measured reliably. FASB: FASB framework also specifies a criteria to be satisfied before items are recognized in the financial statements. The framework also requires that only items that are relevant should be recognised. Like ASB, FASB framework also does not include probability as a recognition criterion. Measurement of the Elements of Financial Statements Measurement of elements of financial statements means assigning a monetary value to it. Frameworks differ on this account. ASB: ASB uses ‘value to the business’ (VTB), or ‘deprival value’ of the asset for measurement of asset. Similarly, liabilities are measured on the basis of the ‘relief value’. Moreover, ASB adopts mixed measurement system as against outdated frameworks that adopt a single consistent system. Mixed measurement system is flexible and allows the historical cost and current value to be changed as accounting thought develops and markets evolve. This implies that the use of current value will become more prevalent as markets develop and evolve. This approach is used by the majority of large UK listed companies and involves measuring some balance sheet categories at historical cost and some at current value. IASB: The IASB Framework acknowledges different measurement bases including: historical cost, current cost, net realisable value, present value. However, it does not recommend a preferred technique for measurement of assets and liabilities. The most common basis of measurement adopted by the framework is historical cost. Thus, there is no formal recognition of a ‘mixed measurement’ system in the framework. This is its biggest drawback and makes it an outdated framework as it belongs to a different period. This approach was abandoned by the ASB in favour of a ‘mixed measurement’ system. Even though many existing IFRSs are based on the concept of ‘fair value’, it is not referred to in the Framework. Again, such an omission suggests that the international framework measurement provisions are limited and out-of-date. FASB: Like IASB, measurement is one of the most underdeveloped areas of FASB framework. FASB frameworks also provides a list of measurement attributes similar to ones prescribed by IASB that are used in practice. However, like IASB, FASB framework does not recommend measurement criteria for any element. In other words, it too lacks fully developed measurement concepts. IASB and FASB Joint Discussion Paper: The discussion paper clearly highlights a need to consider whether the conceptual framework should include not just measurement concepts, but also guidance on the techniques of measurement. Conclusion The conceptual framework(s) contained in the ASB, the FASB, and the IASB have formed the basis of accounting standards for some time. The current IASB and FASB frameworks are increasingly out-of-date, as they ignore many of the developments that have been undertaken by national standards. There are certain limitations that need to addressed in a way that issues that cross-cut across standards are taken care of. For instance, a new framework is required which is not based on a single value-based model but a ‘mixed measurement system’. References Accounting Standards Board. (1999), An Introduction to the Statement of Principles for Financial Reporting, ASB Publications, London. Financial Accounting Standards Board, (2001- 2004) ‘Business Combinations: Purchase Method Procedures and (including Combinations between Mutual Enterprises) Certain Issues Related to the Accounting for and Reporting of Noncontrolling (Minority) Interests Solomons, D. (1988), Guidelines for financial reporting London, UK: ICAEW. Hines, R. (1991). The FASBs conceptual framework, financial accounting and the maintenance of the social world. Accounting, Organisations and Society, 16, 313-331. Research Memorandum (April 2004), Standard-setting and the myth of neutrality : Boundaries, discourse and the exercise of power, accessed from http://www.hull.ac.uk/hubs/05/research/memoranda/Memorandum%2047.pdf, accessed on 18 January 2007.

Living the Aboriginal Way Essay -- indigenous, culture, education, crim

The Aboriginal people are one of few indigenous people left in our world. The Aboriginals live in Australia and have, as many indigenous people/groups, been treated badly for years. However they are being treated better now than before, but as an old group with old traditions it is hard to live in the same world as people who do not live by their culture. First in this article Aboriginal history will be compared to present time, succeeded by/before a description of two issues the indigenous people of Australia has to deal with in present time, and lastly there will be a conclusion. The Aboriginal people arrived to Australia from Asia around 50,000 years ago, however they migrated from Africa to Asia around 70,000 years ago. The Aborigines are the indigenous people of Australia. They were the only people living on the continent until the colonization in 1788 by the UK. The biggest consequence for this colonization is that the British brought with them diseases such as measles, tuberculosis and smallpox. In the 19th century, smallpox was the biggest cause of Aboriginal deaths. Aboriginal people speak mostly English, but they do have a variety of their own language that they speak in phrases and words to create an Aboriginal English language. Before the English settled in Australia, the Aborigines had over 250 languages, as opposed to now when they have around 15 that they speak. They traditionally believed in animist spiritual frameworks, compared to present time where only 1% still believe in animist and 73% believe in Christianity. The animist spiritual framewo rk includes belief in animals, Mother Nature and they have a deep love for nature. However we now see that the Australian indigenous culture has changed. Aboriginal cult... ...f domestic violence and community disturbance. The Indigenous people of Australia have sadly had a lot to deal with since the first European settlement in 1788, such as diseases, colonization and being removed from their families. The Aboriginal are not allowed to live as they did before, as new laws have been created for the people. The Aboriginal is forced to live as any other Australian in Australia, even though they are sometimes treated differently. Some people believe that these people have been treated badly through the years, and many agree with that. The Aboriginal was basically treated as animals for a long time. It was their country, but they were still treated, as they were the bad people. The Aboriginals now have a lot to deal with such as education and crimes, but the Australian people try their best to help these people out of all the difficulties.

Ministers Black Veil Essays: Father Hooper :: Ministers Black Veil Essays

Father Hooper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Ministers Black Veil   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Father Hooper wears a black veil over his eyes and nose, never revealing the reason of the veil to a soul. At times the sexton would insinuate a reason behind the veil but never revealing the answer to the mystery. Father Hooper is a very imaginative and creative individual to innovate the idea of wearing a black veil to express an idea. He is angry towards the response of the veil to his parishioners, since they treated him differently with the veil compared to without it. Most of the parishioners are clueless to why he wears it and some try to imagine why he would ever want to wear it, but there are only ideas and arguments to why a minister would wear it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One of the reasons behind the veil might be secret sin. Father Hooper might have committed a very bad sin, which he does not want to unveil to anyone. Instead of not telling anyone the sin he shows it clearly on his face with the aid of a black veil. This black veil might relieve tension in his body that has accumulated due to his sin. In the story, Father Hooper says that everyone wears a black veil, meaning that everyone commits secret sins without revealing them to anyone. If you do not express your secret sin you would be keeping stress and tension locked up inside you, but if you express it, the stress and tension will be relieved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another reason behind the veil might be sorrow. Deep, dark sorrow for someone or yourself might be expressed and shown with the help of a black veil. By wearing the black veil for eternity, you are exhibiting great love and sorrow for someone or yourself. If the black veil was removed, the sorrow and love would be dead. This might be how Reverend Hooper expresses the veil.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Father Hooper might have also used the veil as a friend and a device to test Elizabeth’s love for him. The black veil might have given Mr. Hooper friendship if he was lonely and without a mate. He could test Elizabeth to see if an object would come between them and their love. The Reverend told her if she was his, the black veil would then be removed.

Free College Essays - The Forest as a Symbol of Freedom in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: free essay writer

The Scarlet Letter - The Forest as a Symbol of Freedom   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Wilt thou let me be at peace, if I once tell thee?† asked Hester. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a stiff Puritan society in which one can not indulge in their deepest thoughts. Puritan society does not let human beings show how they really feel. Therefore Hester had to seek refuge to explore her inner thoughts, such as the forest. In the forest Hester brings out many hidden emotions, Hester shows her love for Dimmsdale, and the forest is a place where the both of them may have an open conversation without the constraints of Puritan society. The forest is a symbol of freedom. Nobody ever watched over the forest as a place of misbehavior, that is why people went there to do what they wanted. â€Å"Throw off the shackles of law and religion. What good have they done you anyway? Look at you, a young and vibrant women, grown old before your time. And no wonder, hemmed in, as you are, on every side of prohibitions. Why, you can hardly walk without tripping over the commandment or another. Come to me, and be masterless.† Of coarse Hester takes advantage of this when she meets with Dimmsdale in the forest. She talks to him about things they could never imagine to discuss in any other place except the forest. â€Å"What we did had a concecration of its own, we felt it so, we said to eachother.† Dimmsdale is shocked and tries to hush Hester but realizes he is in the safety of the forest and no one else may hear them. Just the thought of Hester speaking to Dimmsdale in their society is un mentionable. Yet in the fore st they may feel free to do as they wish and not have to worry about any one else knowing. In Puritan society every one is assumed to be selfrelient. The puritans believe that you should have yourself to depend on emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Therefore Hester could never show her true emotions to Dimmsdale or for them to comfort each other. In the forest all of these cares are thrown away. â€Å"Be though strong for me, advise me what to do.† This is Dimmsdale’s cry for help to Hester, which they could never discuss in their Puritan village. When he asks her for help he shows that he thinks of Hester as an equal and he is not above her in any way. Free College Essays - The Forest as a Symbol of Freedom in Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter :: free essay writer The Scarlet Letter - The Forest as a Symbol of Freedom   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Wilt thou let me be at peace, if I once tell thee?† asked Hester. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, life is centered around a stiff Puritan society in which one can not indulge in their deepest thoughts. Puritan society does not let human beings show how they really feel. Therefore Hester had to seek refuge to explore her inner thoughts, such as the forest. In the forest Hester brings out many hidden emotions, Hester shows her love for Dimmsdale, and the forest is a place where the both of them may have an open conversation without the constraints of Puritan society. The forest is a symbol of freedom. Nobody ever watched over the forest as a place of misbehavior, that is why people went there to do what they wanted. â€Å"Throw off the shackles of law and religion. What good have they done you anyway? Look at you, a young and vibrant women, grown old before your time. And no wonder, hemmed in, as you are, on every side of prohibitions. Why, you can hardly walk without tripping over the commandment or another. Come to me, and be masterless.† Of coarse Hester takes advantage of this when she meets with Dimmsdale in the forest. She talks to him about things they could never imagine to discuss in any other place except the forest. â€Å"What we did had a concecration of its own, we felt it so, we said to eachother.† Dimmsdale is shocked and tries to hush Hester but realizes he is in the safety of the forest and no one else may hear them. Just the thought of Hester speaking to Dimmsdale in their society is un mentionable. Yet in the fore st they may feel free to do as they wish and not have to worry about any one else knowing. In Puritan society every one is assumed to be selfrelient. The puritans believe that you should have yourself to depend on emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Therefore Hester could never show her true emotions to Dimmsdale or for them to comfort each other. In the forest all of these cares are thrown away. â€Å"Be though strong for me, advise me what to do.† This is Dimmsdale’s cry for help to Hester, which they could never discuss in their Puritan village. When he asks her for help he shows that he thinks of Hester as an equal and he is not above her in any way.

Doubt in To The Lighthouse: Virginia Woolf’s Use of Symbolism and Tone

Virginia Woolf’s use of several literary devices, most especially tone and symbolism, can be seen in To The Lighthouse by dissecting important passages and analyzing how certain phrases connect with the work as a whole by enhancing the overall theme. The passage that Woolf best utilizes to convey both symbolism and tone can be found in her second chapter of the final section. Here she says, â€Å"He must have had his doubts about that table, she supposed; whether the table was a real table; whether it was worth the time he gave to it; whether he was able after all to find it. He had had doubt, she felt, or he would have asked less of people† (155). It is interesting to note that the theme of doubt and the subjectivity of feelings as they relate to material and nonmaterial objects continues throughout the text and the previous passage highlights this along with Woolf’s literary techniques by using the table as a symbol and the tone of introspection and guessing. This work is especially important and significant as a work of literature due to these important aspects used throughout. The previous passage should be understood in context with the events and the characters that are involved. Mr. Ramsey is a central figure of the piece, who serves as the host along with his wife of many guests to their summer house. His troubled marriage and his own doubts about his perception of how his life really is in contrast to how others may see it. His appraisal of the table, therefore, confuses one of his guests, Lily who is an aspiring artist or more specifically a painter. It is her voice in the passage that conveys the tone of the novel and that is one of subjectivity and the illusion that one person can understand another. Mr. Ramsey, on the other hand, helps to support the symbolism in this passage by simply using the table as a type of symbol to what constitutes what is important or beautiful in life as compared to what may be seen by others as unimportant or plain. The fact that the table is a solid object is also interesting in that this implies that even solid objects can be viewed differently by different people and it is not only relationships and all in life that is not static that is subject to deep thought and contemplation. While Lily contemplates that Mr. Ramsey has doubts about the reality of the table and believes that his doubts give way to his continual demands from others, it may be quite the opposite. Mr. Ramsey as the head of the household and the central figure and host of many dinner parties may see the table as the place where he is most comfortable and in charge of others, rather than in doubt of himself. Since the reader is only getting the point of view from Lily, Mr. Ramsey’s appraisal of the importance of or even the reality of the table is myopic. This ties in with the theme of doubt and the subjectivity of constructed reality that changes from individual to individual that permeates the passage, the chapter, and the novel as a whole. Lily, herself as an artist, presents her views from the eyes of an aesthetic and she has been influenced by this time by the late Mrs. Ramsey. But the philosophical ponderings of Mr. Ramsey among other events have given her doubts as to her ability to create anything of real meaning in her art and in her life. The final section of the work is the most sentimental and philosophical. By the time this passage has been uttered many deaths have occurred and the bridges that separate the remaining Ramseys and Lily are becoming more pronounced. The tone that Wolff uses has, to this point, been filled with confusion and foreshadowing and there is reason to believe that consonance might be found with the family when the remaining members, Mr. Ramsey and his son and daughter, finally do set out to see the lighthouse. There is some hope that with all the confusion and altered realities of the main characters at the close of the novel, that maybe all of them will see this lighthouse in the same way. For the entirety of the text, Woolf presents her characters as only guessing about the feelings and thoughts of others by how they view static objects, like the table in the passage. In the beginning of the book, the subject of the table comes up in terms of philosophy when Lily asks to have explained Mr. Ramsey’s thoughts on philosophy by his son Andrew. ‘Subject and object are the nature of reality’, Andrew had said. And when she said Heavens, she had no notion what that meant. ‘Think of a kitchen table then’, he told her, ‘when you’re not there’† (23). The fact that there are many missing people from the table towards the piece’s ending is what fashions the interactions between the characters to make meaning of their existence and to w eave all of this together with the subjective realities that each character has toward both the living and the deceased. This illustrates Woolf’s theme and her intentions for her audience to understand how the table is tied into the philosophy of Mr. Ramsey, who has become worn and saddened over the years, just as the table has been worn by time. As well, this illustrates Woolf’s use of the character Lily as a person, who is able to create objects that are new and subject to a redeeming action if her art is viewed by others to be important. As well, even if her art cannot save or redeem others in the end, she can by her own subjective reality, redeem herself in a deep and lasting fashion by discarding her doubts about herself. Certainly, Mr. Ramsey, Andrew and Cam all have doubts about the strength of their relationship and the value that is placed on visiting the lighthouse. What comes to be on this trip is not a singularity of vision between the Ramseys and Lily, but instead warmer feelings toward one another and the final realization that the only thing that can be shared is solitude. That dream of sharing, completing, of finding in solitude on the beach an answer, was then but a reflection in a mirror, and the mirror itself was but the surface glassiness which forms in quiescence when the nobler powers sleep beneath† (134). To be truly noble then, Wolff suggests that this singular vision without doubt or regret that each man or woman has is not something that can be shared, but instead it is to know that every one is alone is their vision for perfection within themselves and others. Everything else is subject to change or even the static objects like the table can be viewed differently, only we can know what we want and how casting off doubts imposed by others is what can essentially set us free. Woolf effectively utilizes the table as a symbol for the static in the world that can be seen as beautiful or ugly just as she uses objects like the mirror as a metaphor for solitude. The lighthouse, as well, is a beacon of light in the darkness, a darkness that is felt in loneliness. However, it is discovered by Lily that loneliness is noble when accepting it and discarding doubts about what is underneath the subjective surface of all things. Woolf’s introspective tone, used especially by Lily and the overall them of doubt and confusion in a world filled with change, both in the passing of time and even in the moments shared with others that may have different views illustrate how not even time changes the nature of the soul of men or women.

Discuss the Importance of Dreams in Of Mice and Men Essay

The book ‘Of Mice and Men’ was published in September, 1937 and was set in the depression of the 1930s in California at the location of Soledad. Steinbeck uses ‘Soledad’ because it translates as loneliness which arises the point that the time in which this book was set was a time of loneliness where it was very unusual to have a companion or family with you which led to the existence of dreams; to look forward to more pleasant and happier times. At this time: 1930s America, most Americans had the so-called American Dream. This was to own their own piece of land as well as being the boss of it. This was the common dream amongst ranch workers to have something to live for and aid them with their loneliness. The dream came into existence in the 1800s when land was more readily available. By the 1930s, when this novella was set, it was almost impossible to make their dreams a reality due to the 1929 Wall Street stock market collapse which had resulted in prices increasing drastically, and more importantly; there was a desperate act of poverty making people sell what they had and live on the streets. This is what led to the rugged individualism of each person. As well as this, it was made even more difficult as most land had been bought beforehand. It is due to the Wall Street Crash that many went to California for work. President Roosevelt at that time had the job of directing workers such as George and Lennie to ranches or farms where there was work. Steinbeck uses Lennie and George to personify the dream of the migrant worker; own their own land along with giving the opportunity to settle in the ‘promised land (California)’. Migrant workers are labourers who work on ranches as harvesters involving lifting heavy materials; hard work for little wages. They have no family or friends as they continuously travel to different ranches in California in order to keep work. This is how workers had to get jobs and was the way of life for migrant workers. In relation to this, work card were important as it gave them a work permit which ranch owners required when recruiting. In comparison to modern day working conditions, workers such as George and Lennie would not receive holidays, sickness payments or old age pensions from their ranch. Therefore, futures for most men looked bleak. Without dreams, no-one would have reason to keep going. An example of this is Lennie wanting his own animals in the future to ‘pet.’ There is symbolism within the book that refers to the Garden of Eden. He sets the scene of this by using description such as â€Å"Willows fresh and green with every spring† which could be interpreted as referring to the Garden of Eden. I believe Steinbeck is trying to put across the imperfectness of humans along with temptation and results of doing a â€Å"bad thing† (said by Lennie). Lennie shows that temptation causes him to lose his way and represents the imperfection of humans. His desire to pet soft objects without foreseeing the consequences puts him on a collision course with others. Also, the girl in Weed and Curley’s wife are both temptations that made his curiosity grow and he could not resist. Curley’s wife could be seen as the serpent in the garden; a liar, a temptation, a manipulator of men to get her way. Like Eve, she is curious, in this case about Lennie. Her actions are innocent but the outcomes are bad, (telling Lennie to touch her soft hair in the barn which leads to her death) just as Eve’s actions caused them and human beings to be sent of the ‘perfect place.’ Curley’s wife’s actions tempt Lennie whose actions cause him along with the others to lose their dream of a little farm. Lastly, Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden for going against God; therefore mankind is in loneliness and wandering. Steinbeck shows this when George asks who used to live on his bunk with Candy replying that he had just left: â€Å"gimme my time one might like any guy would.† After this, George then brings Lennie along which creates suspicion because two men didn’t travel together; â€Å"Hardly none of the guys ever travel together.† There was a big contrast in the timeless rural vision of America and what was to all but end this: the 1930s Depression. The vision was that workers will move up the ranks of working to eventually own their individual land; however this would never be when the 1930s Depression occurred. There was a big drop in every economic growth along with very high unemployment. It also resulted in countries leaving the gold standard in order to recover. These reasons helped the American Dream to not be a successful one for so many. Steinbeck is effective and does well to imply that there is another world other then the perfect one that was envisaged by everyone by saying: â€Å"beaten hard by the boys coming down from the ranches† and â€Å"beaten hard by tramps who come wearily down from the highway.† Words such as â€Å"beaten hard† and â€Å"tramps† suggest this other world and show the stark contrast between dreams and reality. The main characters include George, who is a small, quick man with well-defined features. He is a migrant ranch worker who dreams of one day saving enough money to buy his own place and being his own boss, many men in the Depression dreamed of this. His only set back is his mentally handicapped friend Lennie whom he travels with and has been since he promised Lennie’s Aunt Clara he would look after him after she died. Looking after Lennie stops George from working towards his dream and even prevent him from having a normal life of a rancher, because of this, George and Lennie regularly fight. George yearns for companionship as can be told by the metaphor of him playing solitaire. The tension of having to look after Lennie and himself shows in George and he shows a wide variety of emotions during the novella, from anger to patience to sadness. Lennie is mentally slow, he’s enormous. He is George’s companion and he is the source of the all the novel’s conflict. He is George’s opposite both mentally and physically. Lennie’s innocence and helplessness, his childish actions, such is his desire to pet soft things makes him likeable to the readers of the novella. George and Lennie’s dream is more materialistic than to just own land and be their own boss, as they envision a place where â€Å"nobody gona get hurt nor steal from them.† The friendship between the two is firmly rooted in their dream. Candy and Crooks along with others are also caught up in the dream. Curly’s wife also had a dream which was to become a movie star. But in one way or another, all the dreams of these workers are smashed.

Analysis of Roderick Usher’s character in the story The Fall of the house of Usher Essay

Question: Roderick Usher is a complicated character who seems to be both physically and mentally unstable; on top of that he is also terrified. What is he so afraid of that causes him to act this way towards Madeline and the others? It is because he had committed incest, hence a sense of guilt for his actions? Or is it because he is the last in line of the usher family? Use Freudian psychoanalysis to examine the character of Roderick Usher. To study an individual character by Freud’s psychoanalytical method one must first look into how a mind is divided. According to Freud psychoanalysis there are 3 layers in one’s mind: innermost layer ID (our subconscious state of mind), then super ego (dealing with human conscience of right and wrong) and outermost layer of the human ego (our conscious self). Freud states that an individual can only control two-third of their mind that is the remaining one-third – the ID cannot be controlled nor can one be even aware of its state. ID, which is our ‘actual self’, the honest complicated inner-being which decides our actions, even the ones we are incapable of explaining is something beyond one’s reach. One does not have any idea of what is going on that part of their mind; all the repressed feelings are also stored in this section. Freud also mentioned that these repressed feelings or actions always emerge in the most ‘violent’ possible and unexpected ways and that explains Roderick’s actions throughout the story. These repressed feelings can sometimes disguise in the form of something noble or kind. This outburst is termed as Freudian slip: unintended actions or reactions due to repressed feelings. Usher being the last male clan of his family invites his friend the narrator to the Usher house. This story leaves us with many questions beginning with no complete explanation of the narrator’s motives for arriving at the house of Usher or the other way around, why did Usher invite his friend? A few possible reasons could be that Roderick knew he would not survive so he wanted someone to witness the last moments or actions that would take place or just be with him, or maybe he wanted someone to justify the sexual tension between him and his sister Madeline. And if a sexual tension did exist between the twins then his sense of guilt and fear can also be justified. Roderick and Madeline were like two halves of the same circle, and therefore maybe the presence of an incestual relationship would make a little sense. In the contemporary period intermarriages was a popular practice among the upper class royal families and since their family has no enduring branches, all offsprings were probably reproduced incestuously within the perimeter of the house. However, another reason why Roderick could have invited the narrator could be because he may have been homosexual and maybe felt something towards his childhood friend. It is strange why Roderick specifically chooses the narrator and no one else, like the other parts of the story, this part is equally mysterious. Madeline is a ghostly figure in the story, more like she’s in the background, we only hear of Roderick and the narrator spending time together. And hence, the sexual orientation could be a possible explanation. Roderick seemed to be suffering from hyperesthesia – excessive physical sensitivity, especially of the skin (Oxford Dictionary). At the same time Madeline was cataleptic – a medical condition characterized by a trance or seizure with a loss of sensation and consciousness accompanied by rigidity of the body (Oxford Dictionary). Therefore she never lived in the real world, she was unaware of the circumstances, and absolutely lived in her own world. They were both mentally unstable, the twins. Roderick and Madeline both looked pale; it’s as if one was ill because the other was. Now this also brings about questions in our minds about the mental condition of their previous generations. In most cases people inherit such disorders. So if we consider the mental disorder to be genetic, the Freudian slip adds to it and makes it worse, and definitely makes a person totally unstable mentally. The narrator’s description give us an idea of how healthy Roderick used to be once and how his health from what the narrator sees after he goes to the Usher house has gone worse. To sum up Roderick’s character analysis, it can be said, that his disorder is somewhat genetic which is multiplied because of his repressed emotions. What probably made him so scared was people finding out about his past or incestual desires if there were any. And that is why maybe he buried his sister alive, he thought burying the sister would be burying the truth. His sister was the only kin for years alone with him, and since they were halves of the same circle, therefore the incestual relationship does make a little sense. The Freudian slip may have evoked some unusual actions towards his sister resulting into incest.

Jack the Ripper’s identity Essay

INTRODUCTION In August 1888 a killer who became known as Jack the Ripper committed the first of a series of murders. To this day the identity of the killer remains a mystery. Five women were brutally killed in the East End of London, by a maniac who appeared to kill without warning and with no remorse. Why was the â€Å"Ripper† able to get away with his murders? Why were the police powerless to stop him? These are some of the questions that still puzzle Ripperologists who search for Jack the Ripper’s identity till this day, looking in old archives and books. ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES Research and gain knowledge on: – > The development of the police forces in Britain in the nineteenth century. > Law and order in London in the late nineteenth century. > Whitechapel in the nineteenth century. With this knowledge you should be able to answer the following questions: – 1. Describe law and order in London in the late nineteenth century. (15 Marks) 2. Why did the Whitechapel murders attract so much attention in 1888 (15 Marks) 3. Why were police unable to catch Jack the Ripper? (20 Marks) QUESTIONS QUESTION 1 DESCRIBE LAW AND ORDER IN LONDON IN THE NINETEENTH CENTRY. (15 Marks) Law and order in London in the late nineteenth century was at a developing level, with new acts introduced this century, the way law and order was dealt with changed as the century was coming to an end. During the early and mid nineteenth century, watchmen patrolled the streets of London and special constables- this was ineffective as the number of civilians living in London outnumbered those watchmen and constables to a great level. However, the introduction of the new Metropolitan Police Force in 1829 was set up to change the situation. The new police force put in place by Robert Peel, was first constructed of 3200 men, 17 divisions, 4 inspectors and 144 constables. As with any major introduction of something, there were many early problems for the police force. However, as the years past on, the Metropolitan Police force gained more experience, and was able to deal more effectively with defections of law and order. To gain the peoples popularity, the Police Force carefully chose the uniform for its constables. The force was given a blue uniform, with a tailcoat and a helmet, which replaced the tall hat in 1870. The ‘blue’ colour of the uniform was chosen because Londoners disliked seeing the ‘redcoats’ of the army, as this was associated with violence. Blue was the colour of the navy, which was given ‘hero status’ because of their contribution to the British war effort. This, I believe was a good first step for the Met as it made the people appreciate and favour them. During the 1880’s, the training of new police officers was unsatisfactory, much of the training was on the job and constables could often start their duty the following day. Ill training meant some police officers were inexperienced and couldn’t deal efficiently with crime. This led to many incidents as the police disobeyed instructions. Ill policing also led to the serious incident named ‘Bloody Sunday’ on the 13th November 1887. Above all, towards the end of the century, the police were seen as discriminating against Londoners of the lower classes and favouring people in the middle and upper class- this damaged their reputation. Detective work was also improved as the nineteenth century progressed. At first, there were only two inspectors and six sergeants. It was feared that detectives would sympathize and become too lenient with criminals and as a result of this- become corrupt. The late nineteenth century bought radical changes to detective work. In 1869, the National Criminal Record was set up and dealt with infamous criminals, thereby reducing the number of crimes. The Detective Department in London was revised in the late nineteenth century- this led to the creation of a Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in 1877. In a space of 5 years, the number of detectives increased by 78, as did the number of arrests made. Increasing the number of detectives alone was not enough, as this didn’t increase the efficiency of their work. The detectives had to change the methods which they used in the early and mid nineteenth century in dealing with disreputable crimes. The detective methods did however change in 1879 in dealing with murder cases. Now, the body of a victim was not removed from its murder site, or anything else to do with it. These changes in the detective department showed that law and order was being enforced more efficiently and more criminals were being put to justice than before. Another aspect that increased the competence of detective work in the late nineteenth century was the introduction of forensics, finger printing and the ‘Alphonse Bertillon method of identification. With these methods, detectives were able to examine primary or secondary sources got to with a murderer or victim in order to gather up evidence and find out who the murderer is. This was an important change because murderers could be identified not only by an obvious clue lying in the murder site- this consequently meant that murderers became more intimidated and frightened to carry out a killing. Overall, the development of the police force in London in the late nineteenth century can be described as improving but unsatisfactory. I believe that the improvements made to restore law and order was still insufficient. With the population of London at that time being 5,255,069- I think having only 1383 police officers on duty was ineffective. Regular patrols could not stop a determined criminal. The police force would need to increase its size by many times so as to provide resistance and intimidate criminals. Being in its infant years, I think only time will solve this matter; because as time passes, there will be improvements in technology, the police will gain more experience and improve their methods of dealing with crime. With the Jack the Ripper murders round the corner, a crime like this will be enough to show the police force what they are lacking, how they are lacking and what things need to be taken into consideration. QUESTION 2 WHY DID THE WHITECHAPEL MURDERS ATTRACT SO MUCH ATTENTION IN 1888? (15 Marks) In the space of two months or so, the residents of Whitechapel were horrified at the five murders that occurred in their area by a somewhat unremorseful sexual serial murderer that was unknown and could not be found. The mysterious murderer, who came to name himself ‘Jack the Ripper’ became the focus of the press and media in late 1888, and attracted so much attention as he committed his rather graphic killings to prostitutes who lived on a day-to-day basis. In each of the five murders that the Ripper carried out; he brutally mutilated the prostitutes, taking out what ever organs out of their bodies using his debatable anatomical skill. In my opinion, I believe the Ripper did possess anatomical/surgical skill, as he was able to take out certain organs like the kidneys out of his victim’s bodies without causing meaningless cuts. He also used a long bladed knife similar to those used by surgeons while carrying out amputations. The Ripper used this skill while mutilating the bodies of Annie Chapman who had her small intestines withdrawn of her abdomen. Mary Kelly also had her internal organs removed because the Ripper had a lot of time to commit the mutilations as he was alone in a room and could have his privacy; away from public sight. I believe it was because of this reason- the ghastly mutilations on the prostitutes- that attracted the most attention to the people and police force as it showed what a determined murderer was capable of doing. Another aspect of the Jack the Ripper case that attracted so much attention in 1888 was Jack the Ripper himself. People were eager to know who the Ripper was, his identity, his background, and simply; why he targeted prostitutes and slashed, sliced and severed them the way he did. The letters that he sent to the police caused people and the police themselves to grow even more suspicious about the Ripper. For example, the ‘Dear Boss’ letter made people think that he was American. He portrayed himself as a psychopath through this letter; informing the police of what he will do in the future, ‘I shant quit ripping them till I do get buckled.’ All these queries were supposed to be answered by the Metropolitan Police Force; however, they weren’t able to catch the Ripper. This is the reason why the world press degraded them. British newspaper business were eager to sell more and more newspapers these days as the Education Act 1870 made it compulsory for everyone to attend school, meaning that now most of the British population was literate. The Fleet Street newspapers competed by writing articles, that more likely were incorrect and unreliable. However, the only thing that mattered to the newspapers at the time was selling, and as the British population was enthusiastic about the murders carried out by Jack the Ripper, they published incorrect material. This shows how much attention Jack the Ripper attracted, as to keep him in the minds of the British population, the very source that everyone depended on telling the truth, told a lie! The world press also played a big role in attracting attention to the murders. They deeply investigated the murders and at times produced false information and rumours that made the populace even more fearful and intimidated to stroll through the alleys of Whitechapel at night. Offering rewards was a tactic that the police used later on, which it previously thought was insufficient to collect evidence about Jack the Ripper and his whereabouts. By this, many people were attracted to the case and produced false evidence solely to get a reward in the end. This afterwards proved to be totally unsatisfactory as the police found the investigation harder as many people brought forward different and inconclusive information with regard to the identity of the Ripper. The double murders that took place in the night of the 30th of September 1888 also caused people to grow fearful and attentive in the East End of London. The first victim of the double murders was Elizabeth Stride who was found to have several cuts in the neck and windpipe. It was supposed that the horse and cart of Louis Diemschutz who worked near to the scene of the murder disturbed the Ripper. Because of this, the Ripper went and murdered a fourth prostitute named Catherine Eddowes less than half a mile away. What was peculiar about the Eddowes murder was not only that she had her intestines, left kidney and womb removed; but that written in chalk above the dead woman’s apron were the words: ‘The Juwes are The men That Will not be Blamed For nothing’. This could have been a genuine clue for the MPF as to who the Ripper was; as they could have seen whether the handwriting of this matched the handwriting of the letters he sent to the police. But before they could do so, Sir Charles Warren, Commissioner of the MPF ordered the writing to be removed immediately to prevent any anti-Semitic tension. Another reason why Jack the Ripper attracted so much attention, was because of the tension between political parties. A serial killer was out in the streets of London, killing innocent women, and sitting in Parliament were politicians who looked to be doing nothing about this. As a result of the Jack the Ripper murders, the poverty stricken area of Whitechapel was well known, and so was the poverty that the residents suffered. Opposition parties in the Government saw this as an opportunity, to attack the Government, in saying that the poverty that they (the government) had not solved was to blame for these murders. If there were no poverty in Whitechapel, then single women would not have had to result to prostitution, and Jack the Ripper would have had no prostitutes to murder. Jack the Ripper attracted so much attention, that even the politicians in Parliament were talking about his actions. In conclusion, I think that it was the way in which the prostitutes were brutally butchered, and the perplexity that the Metropolitan Police Force faced with dealing with the murders; are what engrossed so much attention in 1888. In particular, I think the murder of Mary Kelly- the last of the Ripper murders- is what attracted the majority of attention in the Ripper case as the victim was viciously mutilated. There were cuts all over her body and most internal organs had been removed. The breasts were also cut off as well as her uterus. The heart was removed and could not be located. Because of this, I think it was this murder that made people most fearful and kept the dark alleys of Whitechapel deserted at night as the people living their knew that a determined murderer could well be at their doorsteps next. QUESTION 3 WHY WERE THE POLICE UNABLE TO CATCH JACK THE RIPPER? (20 Marks) The police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper for several major reasons. It was mainly that the police did not know who or what they were dealing with. This was due to the fact that Jack the Ripper was the first serial killer to be reported on at such a scale. The police were unaware of the fact that they were dealing with a serial killer, and more importantly did not know what a serial killer was. Jack the Ripper was the first serial killer who had been focused on at such a scale by the newspapers or the media. This was mainly due to the fact that most of the adult population of the time were now able to read and write due to the Education Act 1870. This encouraged the newspapers to write more about the â€Å"Ripper†, sometimes quoting unreliable sources – which were also used by the police, leading them to false leads. As more and more of the public were getting interested in the â€Å"Ripper† murders, newspapers felt that they had to publish something on the â€Å"Ripper† murders otherwise the public would loose interest and the newspaper company loose money. Hence the newspapers were forced into writing false/incorrect information in their articles. As the methods of investigation used by the police were still developing, and forensic science just starting, the Metropolitan police were unsure about how to conduct their investigation. As a result they resulted to any means possible and even took the ‘false’ words of the newspapers as being true. Despite the fact that forensics experts of the time had visited the crime scenes and had drawn certain conclusions, the Metropolitan police still followed the false information published in the newspapers, despite the fact that it contradicted the conclusions drawn by the forensics experts. This shows how undeveloped the methods of investigation of the police was at the time as police were following information given by drunken lunatics who were giving witness accounts only to earn a little easy money, and based their witness accounts on the stereotypical image of the â€Å"Ripper† at the time to try and catch one of the most cunning and clever serial killers of all ti me. Another major factor why the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper was that their nature of investigation was too narrow and that they should have widened their scope. At first the Metropolitan police believed that Jack the Ripper was someone local, from the evidence shown from his knowledge of the layout of all the alleyways and roads of Whitechapel. This enabled him to move very quickly and freely around the Whitechapel area without the police being able to catch him. This was very important because by the time the body of Jack the Ripper’s next victim was discovered he would have been long gone. A rumour had been spread about a man known as ‘Leather Apron’ as being the serial killer, Jack the Ripper. The police were intrigued by this information and were quick to respond. They arrested a man called John Pizer, a butcher from the Whitechapel area. He was foreign as many of the witness accounts suggested, and wore a leather apron, giving him the name â€Å"Leather Apron†. However he had an alibi, which cleared him of all charges. Again the police had followed false leads and had wasted more time. This then lead the police to believe that the murder was someone who was not from the Whitechapel area but could have had a job or another sort of connection within the area, because of his knowledge of the layout of Whitechapel. The police used many techniques to try and catch Jack the Ripper, however none of them succeeded. Firstly, the Metropolitan police increased the number of police officers and constables ‘on the beat’ (on duty), each being placed within five minutes of walking distance of each other. However this did not work as the â€Å"Ripper† was still too quick for the Metropolitan police. Another method used by the police was to try and go undercover to catch Jack the Ripper. Some officers dressed up as prostitutes to try and lure Jack the Ripper into spending some time with them. However this did not work as there were no female officers at the time, and the men who dressed up still wore their typical police boots which were still recognisable despite the heavily polluted smog that filled the air, blowing their disguise. Again the police had wasted more time, as their method of investigation was still unreasonable. These thoughtless actions were not kept quiet. Jack the Ripper news attracted worldwide attention. These actions were even commented on in the New York Times, â€Å"the London Police must be the stupidest police force in the World†. This did not give a good impression of the Metropolitan police force. On conclusion the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper because of their lack of knowledge of serial killers and the undeveloped methods of investigation they used. When Jack the Ripper first started his ‘campaign of murder’, the police were unaware that they were dealing with a serial killer and more importantly did not know what a serial killer was. This was to the disadvantage to the police, as they did not know how to catch Jack the Ripper. Another factor why the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper was the little knowledge of forensic science that they had at the time. The police were uneducated in forensic science, and in many occasions altered the scene of the crime. Lastly, the police were unable to catch Jack the Ripper because of the methods that they used. The police at the time were uneducated in ‘undercover’ work as well. They did not know how to disguise themselves into the normal population to trap Jack the Ripper.