Imagery Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God Essay

Sinners in the hands of an angry God† as a constant threat to all human beings When our view turns to North America in the first half of the 18th century, the brightest phenomenon is the â€Å"Calvinistic Great Awakening,† which began with the sermon of Theodor Frelinghuysen in the Dutch Reformed communities of New Jersey in 1726. One of the greatest representatives of that time was Jonathan Edwards.   Due to Jonathan Edwards’ sermon â€Å"Sinners in the hands of angry God†Ã‚   he can truly be called as â€Å"one of the greatest theologians and pastors of America, who stood at the origins of the Great Awakening.† Jonathan Edwards’ sermon â€Å"Sinners in the hands of an angry God† is the most famous sermon in the history of America. The sermon was read in Enfield, Connecticut, July 8, 1741, at the peak of the First Great Awakening. This is a typical Puritan â€Å"awakening sermon,† which warns of a court that hangs over unbelieving people. It also tells about the mercy of God, who keeps his enemies from instantly overthrowing Hell. One of the most important moments for Edwards was that every person should feel his sermon, that’s why he carefully selected the words to make his listeners take the topic exactly as reality. To achieve this goal, he used bright images in his explanations together with the biblical teaching. As a result of this sermon, the listeners experienced a dramatic revival. There are many meaningful quotations from the sermon, but we want to concentrate your attention on the one, that is being discussed enough.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   † Their foot will slip in their time†¦ when their foot is shaken† (Deuteronomy 32:35). In this verse there is a threat to God of the wicked, unbelieving Israelites who were the chosen people of God and lived under His mercy; but who, despite His tremendous work on them, resembled stiff, reckless people (Deut. 32:28). After all that was done for them, they brought a bitter and poisonous fruit, as you see in 32 and 33 verses of the same chapter. The citation â€Å"their foot will slip in their time† seems to imply something very close to the punishment and death of sinful Israelites, who were left by God to their fate. Another truth that is laid down in this verse says that they are in danger of falling, as well as those who stand or walk on the ice. They do not need any interference; their weight will knock them down. The reason why they haven’t fallen yet is only one – the time appointed by God has not come. Therefore, it is said that when it comes – â€Å"their foot will slip.† God will no longer support them in a slippery place; He will leave them alone. And then they will instantly perish, because they are similar to people on the edge of a slippery sloping plane, which, as soon as they are released, will fall and break. Image of hell in the sermon. Jonathan Edwards was a consistent opponent of Arminianism and perceived freedom of the action from the position of compatibilism. He first gave the clearest definition of â€Å"free will,† that human freedom is not an opportunity to do what a person decides to do, but rather what he wants. He also pays a lot of attention to the explanation and meaning of hell. God keeps all unconverted in His hands over the hellish abyss. Everyone by nature deserves this hell; God is angry with sinners, and unless they believe in Christ, they can’t feel secure. They have nothing to grasp. Edwards’ vivid descriptions of hell and eternal torment are examples of the emotional appeal pathos. For example, Edwards’ states, â€Å"The devil is waiting for them; hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . In this example the audience can imagine the horrors of hell, which encourages them to look to God for salvation, thus also making use of logos as the audience rationalizes and considers the situation. God has enough strength to drop sinners into hell at any moment. When He rebels, people become helpless; and even the strongest of them can’t resist Him, and no one can deliver them from His hand. For Him there is no difficulty in instantly plunging corrupt people into hell, He can do this very, very easily. Sovereignty of God, original sin, and salvation in the sermon. Jonathan Edwards describes hell to make the sinners aware of what is waiting for them in the nearest future. Also, he is disturbed by the next questions: The sovereignty of God. The doctrine of God’s dominion permeates the preaching, writings and the entire theological system of Edward. God predestines and fully controls all things, and He can never be disappointed in His will. The world exists in complete and absolute dependence on God, and God’s sovereign purpose extends to all His actions in creation, providence, and By the historic Reformed tradition, Edwards examines the truths about God’s sovereignty and human responsibility as a paradox that is humanly incomprehensible, but not contradictory. Original sin. Edwards believes that the whole human race sinned through the fall of Adam. All mankind inherited sinfulness, guilt and moral corruption because of their relationship to Adam. Falling from the original righteousness caused alienation of humanity from the rest of creation and distorted the image of God in people. Edwards emphasizes that the heart of a sinner has hardened, and his violation of the law enslaves him. Therefore, he manifests an open opposition to God and disrespect for Him. This sober and pessimistic view of human nature contrasted sharply with the optimism that arose in the colonies before the Revolution and continues to this day. Salvation is only in grace. The view of Edwards on the absolute necessity of God’s grace for salvation follows from his understanding of the sinful and spoiled state of man. In his â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,† he argues that human is not an independent ability. Rather, it reacts to its nature, its predominant motives or traits, which, since the fall, are marred by sin for all people. Thus, Edwards concludes that man is helpless to save himself or even cooperate in this process. He is convinced that a sinner by nature never chooses God unless God interferes with His special, effective and irresistible grace. That theme can be important to everyone. Edwards tries to convey that in the souls of sinners reign the infernal principles which, without God’s limitations, could have already inflamed in them, flaring up with infernal fire. Edwards’ sermon and especially his later writings reflect this diagnosis of the fallen human condition. In the â€Å"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,† Edwards tries to show all the horror of the lives of sinners after death. He explains that the only one salvation is a faith in God. It’s never too late to change; God will always listen to you.

The Dumingag Experience

THE DUMINGAG EXPERIENCE: A REFLECTION By Alfonso A. Tan I never had much information about organic agriculture and the principles behind it, until in October 2012 when I joined the conduct of ARC Level of Development Assessment (ALDA) in Dumingag town in Zamboanga del Sur. As a member of the regional monitoring team who is conducting ALDA, I came across two Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARB) organizations that discuss authoritatively about organic farming like it is the palm of their hands.The two organizations — the Dumingag Organic Farmers Association (DOFA) and the Dumingag Organic Farmers Credit and Savings Cooperative (DOFCSC) – turned out to be just two of the several farmer organizations in Dumingag who are organic farming practitioners. And the technology has been gaining ground since this particular local government innovation was introduced by the municipal mayor more than five years ago. My layman’s understanding of organic farming then, was simply fa rming without the use of pesticides, herbicides or any artificial fertilizers.I know it has good health benefits for our body because the farm produce are all-natural. It is environment-friendly too. Later on, I learned that there are also so-called â€Å"organic animals† or those that are not kept in cages and not fed with commercial available feeds, which are generally by-products of other animals. The internet offers several helpful definitions of Organic Agriculture. The Bureau of Plant Industry in Australia defines organic farming as â€Å"the production of food and fibre without the use of synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides or genetically modified organisms (GMOs).The Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia says, organic farming promotes the sustainable health and productivity of the ecosystem – soil, plants, animals and people. Organic foods are farmed in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible way, focusing on soi l regeneration, water conservation and animal welfare. As far as local government innovations are concerned, I believe the organic farming technology as revolutionalized in the town of Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur is one for the books.Last year, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) awarded Dumingag as one of the five recipients of the â€Å"One World Award† for its organic farming program. IFOAM is a leading world coalition on sustainable agriculture mainly composed of civil society organizations and social movements Dumingag town is its only local government member. Started in 2008, the IFOAM award runs every two years to recognize organic farming initiatives that have made a difference in the area of sustainable development.Dumingag is a second class municipality in the eastern part of the province of Zamboanga del Sur. It is composed of forty four –11 lowland and 33 upland– barangays, with a total land area of 618. 50 square ki lometers and a population of 46,039 per 2007 census. Situated in the heartland of the Zamboanga peninsula and on the northwest portion of the fertile Salug Valley, Dumingag is bounded on the North by the municipality of Sergio Omena, Sr. ; on the East by the municipality of Mahayag; on the South by the municipalities of Sominot and Midsalip; and on the West by the municipality of Siayan, Zambonga del Norte.Dumingag was part of the municipality of Molave when it was created into a barrio in 1950. Dumingag was once a vast expanse of jungle and marshland, the favorite habitat of wildlife. Its first inhabitants were the Subanens who came from coastal areas of Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur. The success of Dumingag started with the revolutionary idea of Mayor Nacianceno M. Pacalioga Jr. , a former Maoist rebel in the 1980’s who almost singlehandedly transform Dumingag town into what it is now.After returning to the folds of law, Jun Pacalioga went tilling their family-ow ned upland farm in 1995. His former comrades introduced him to organic farming, but at first, he was not persuaded. In the year 2000, a seminar on sustainable agriculture had somehow convinced him the beauty of organic farming. Pacalioga’s visit to his former comrades’ farms in Davao City has particularly impressed upon him the natural fertility of the soil that organic farming brings. Minus inorganic inputs, the farms produce crops free from pass-on toxicity.The positive result from his own practice drove Pacalioga to advocate organic agriculture to other farmers, finding kindred spirits among local leaders of the Catholic Church. According to Mayor Pacalioga, bringing back the natural fertility of the farms and putting premium on maintaining soil health are central goals of Dumingag’s organic agriculture program. Long years of agrichemical use had tied farm productivity to the application of costly fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides that, in turn, killed e arthworms and degraded soil fertility.Likewise, the high cost of farming and declining farm production resulted in poor income for tillers. â€Å"People could barely meet basic necessities, such as food, clothing and shelter and hardly pay for basic social services, such as education and health,† Mayor Nacianceno Pacalioga said. After he was elected mayor in 2007, Pacalioga aggressively promoted organic farming. He also caused the passage of a local measure encouraging and endorsing the widespread adoption of the technology. The policy was not an easy-sell. Even some municipal officials did not buy the program at once.It took them several months to be convinced of the merits of organic farming. Soon, Dumingag leaders were up against the national policy design that promoted instead the use of chemical fertilizers and the cultivation of genetically modified crops. To illustrate his point, Pacalioga turned down P2 million worth of chemical fertilizers offered by the Department o f Agriculture (DA) for distribution to the farmers. At one time, he also rejected a grant of genetically modified rice seeds for dispersal in his municipality.As one of his first priorities, Mayor Jun organized the Organic Farming (OF) team which is tasked to lead in the implementation of the organic farming program, especially education and advocacy. Likewise, he introduced community immersion wherein local officials, community leaders and different stakeholders went to the 44 barangays to campaign for the economic program on Sustainable Organic farming. Initially, those who shifted to organic farming grappled with a steep reduction in yield, although this was cushioned by the radical decrease in cost.Several croppings later, as natural soil fertility improved, output went up. For rice, yield per hectare was at par with farms still applying agrichemicals at 95 65-kilo bags during the dry season, and 70 to 80 bags during the wet season. But net earnings are higher with organic farmi ng because cost has been reduced by at least a third. From only 20 organic farmers in 2007, the number of organic agriculture practitioners in the municipality rose to about 500 by 2011, increasing by tenfold the size of farmlands cultivated along sustainable agriculture methods—from close to hundred hectares before to some 1,000 hectares.In upland villages, organic farming is gaining adherents among vegetable cultivators and livestock raisers. Today, rice farmers have produced 55 local organic varieties that ensure a stable seed bank. The Dumingag Organic Farming System Practitioners Association (DOFSPA) composed of active organic farming practitioners was also organized. They also formed a credit cooperative that could help better in raising capital for farming or in sharing the cost of farming failures due to calamities.Their cooperative initially started in providing production loan to the organic farming practitioners and helps in accessing good market. The mayor’ s brainchild, the so-called Genuine People’s Agenda (GPA) was also institutionalized. Mayor Jun described the GPA as a product of collective discussion and leadership; a comprehensive program of government; a solution to the challenges; and it assures the better future of the people. In September 2010, the local government established the Dumingag Institute of Sustainable Organic Agriculture (DISOA), a school that trains farmers on organic farming principles and technology.Though DISOA started with modular courses as a vocational school, it aims to become a regular college later offering special and ladderized courses on organic agriculture. Moreover, all public and private school teachers in all levels in the municipality were educated on Sustainable Organic Agriculture and Climate Change. The never say die attitude of a veteran cadre like Mayor Pacalioga is the major attribute to the success of his local innovations. He displayed strong political will despite the initial lu kewarm response of the people.The municipality’s aggressive push for organic farming was the bedrock of a bigger program to bring socioeconomic uplift to the residents. The story of Mayor Pacalioga and the municipality of Dumingag is no different from the Curitiba experience with Mayor Jamie Lerner. It only goes to say that local innovations and governance works in any environment, people and culture. Mayor Lerner, a city planner has transformed Curitiba into a healthy and liveable city through modernizing transport system, environment-friendly parks and systematic garbage disposal.Conversely, Mayor Pacalioga, a former rebel leader has reinvented Dumingag into a sustainable rural community by introducing not only organic agriculture, but also optimize agricultural land use by having it planted with high value trees and crops; and empowered the women to venture into livelihood programs. Dumingag or Curitiba; Philippines or Brazil, the concept towards sustainable development th rough local governance innovations are the same. Alternatively, local civil society also plays an important role in the transparent and participative process that the local government is introducing.The efforts of the local government, be it in Brazil or Philippines would not have taken off had the people’s organizations, non-government organizations and the civil society did not cooperate. The success behind the local innovations and programs in any community, for that matter was a classic example of local convergence at work. Dumingag achievements were not limited to agricultural statistics. Politically, the municipality also managed to improve in terms of increase in local taxes and business. Based on the LGU data, the municipal income increased tremendously at an average of P3M per annum, swelling from P4. 5M in 2007 to P13. M in 2010. Likewise, business establishments rose from 180 in 2007 to 324 in 2010. The estimated Average Money Circulation in the market vicinity als o climbed from P100,000 in 2007 to P2. 5 Million in 2010. These achievements are phenomenal for a second class town like Dumingag which 84% of its people are considered poor according to NSCB standards. Now, the municipality of Dumingag is implementing its master plan on organic agriculture. It is a specific blueprint of the town’s courses of action and scientific approach towards sustainable development. The Dumingag LGU has also established partnerships with Assisi Development Foundation, Inc. ADFI), for partnership in Sustainable Agriculture, Water System, and Lumad Education; Xavier University- Sustainable Agriculture Center for education and advocacy for Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change; Philippine Agrarian Reform Fund (PARFUND) for Rice-Duck Farming and Technology; Department of Agriculture, for various programs and projects for livelihood and support infra services; and the JH Cerilles State College, for research and documentation wherein the LGU has entered into a MOA to transform 100% the 43 hectares rice fields owned by the school into organic farming model in support of the organic agriculture drive of the municipality. In 2010, as recognition of its innovative practices on sustainable organic agriculture, the Dumingag LGU, through Mayor Jun Pacalioga was conferred with the prestigious Galing Pook Award as one of the Ten Outstanding Local Governance Programs in the Philippines. This was personally conferred to the proud mayor by His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III.The Galing Pook award is a national search of local governance programs, evaluated through a multilevel screening process based on positive results and impact; promotion of people participation and empowerment; transferability and sustainability; and efficiency of program service delivery. Beyond the awards, winning programs become models of good governance promoted for adoption in other communities. They provide useful insights and strategies to find innovative so lutions to common problems. More importantly, they affirm the community and the local government’s commitment to good governance. The efforts of the visionary mayor really paid off.It is evident that Mayor Pacalioga made use of his skills in community organizing, together with his strong personality in pursuing his reform programs for the poor. Dumingag is now generating and storing its own seed varieties of rice so that they will not be at the mercy of big agrichemical firms in the future. The campaign of Mayor Jun also resulted in the increase of farming and planting activities in the municipality, all of these are geared towards sustainable livelihood and economic development. These developments are apparent in the extent of plantation areas compared to 2007 data. For example, Cassava areas increased from 350 to 2000 hectares; Abaca fields rose from 5 to 500 hectares; rubber areas goes up from 10 hectares to 1,100; and Falcata plantation climbed from 5 hectares to 200 hect ares.It is remarkable to note that the local government innovation that started in the simple town has now gone international. Recently, through the facilitation of SAC-Xavier University, the Dumingag LGU was able to send three delegates to South Korea for three-month training on Natural Farming Systems. The recipients were the Municipal Agriculture Officer, a municipal agricultural technician and a Sangguniang Bayan member. Sources: Organic farming  takes root in Zamboanga del Sur Retrieved from: http://www. newsinfo. inquirer. net Sustainable  Organic Agriculture. pdf Retrieved from http://www. bswm. da. gov. ph Dumingag, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines Retrieved from: http://www. ugnayan. com/ph/ZamboangadelSur/Dumingag

Business Accounting and Ethical Standards

A) The duty of the auditor arises from the ASA 315 which in conjunction with ASA 570 on Going Concern wherein he has to see if there is an environment which leads to misstatement of records. He should accordingly recalibrate his assessment. With the new evidence, he should check if there exists a material uncertainty and therefore conjectures to the ability of the pany to continue as a Going Concern. With the new evidence, the auditor will see the following that there is an immense doubt on the fact whether the pany can continue as a Going Concern and therefore adequate disclosures are made pointing to such events which creates such conjectures on the pany to continue as a Going Concern. Here, King & Queen (K & Q) auditor are auditors of Impulse since 2005. They should be aware that there are liquidity problems in the pany. Hence applying ASA 570 and dictated by their duty in Sec 295 (4) of the Corporations Act, K & Q auditor should have done additional audit procedures to check the viability of the Going Concern assumption. These could include points like valuation of inventory,   receivable realisations. This will stamp the fact that if there is a risk of Going concern and whether such facts will be disclosed. Hence they have not done their duty as per audit standards and mon law. As a result, there is a transgression of proper professional skill and standards In a case of Esanda Finance Corp Ltd vs. Peat Marwick Hungerford’s[1], there is a landmark High Court ruling. This has thrown light and made it clear about their view on earlier judgements and revised their mistakes in the past judgements. They have now eliminated the liability of the auditor in a third party liability. In that they have tested the bined facts of Proximity, Reliance and Causation. The case is similar to this case study where Esanda had an economic deprivation when they sanctioned the loan to the pany on the back of the auditor’s report analysis. It satisfied itself whether auditor to be held liable. The courts concluded that there was a mere reporting to the shareholders and not to the financiers. They did not have any clairvoyance that lenders would act based on this report. This is in spite of the fact that they were aware that report did not indicate a true and fair view of financial statements. Since they did not anticipate that the financier will b e using the report, K & Q auditor should have made it clear that the report would be analysed and used verbatim by the lenders and hence a probability of loss could be there; It is stated that Esanda unreasonably depended on the audit report and did not perform diligence themselves to convince of the finances of the borrower The Court held that auditor has not breached duty of care and used the test of Proximity & Causation in their conclusion. Depending on this case, K & Q auditor were not aware that the report would have been used by EFL Finance for lending. The finance pany lent to Impulse by relying on the report and did not conduct an independent diligence. Depending on the case of Proximity, Reliance and Causation, K & Q auditor remained within their limits of duty of care and hence are not liable to EFL Finance b) If Esanda had ab initio mentioned to K & Q auditor that they will use the report for deciding on lending to Impulse, it can be concluded that the test of Proximity and Reliance are maintained. Hence K & Q auditor may exercise reasonable care keeping in mind that one of the intended audiences is EFL Finance who will rely on the audit procedures of K & Q auditor. Hence they need to collect audit evidence and reach a conclusion in their audit report keeping in mind the reader. Even after such mention, if the procedures on inventory and debtors are not done by K & Q auditor, then they have transgressed the precincts of care and their pliance with Proximity, Reliance has failed. As a result, the Causation factor or cause of economic loss has been triggered and accordingly K & Q auditor will be liable to EFL Finance in this scenario 2A) This is defined by APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, Independence prises of: Independence of Mind (Actual Independence) – This expects a mental state which ensures that the auditor acts as an objective and independent person. His opinion will therefore be free from any vested interests and influences. Independence in Appearance (Perceived independence) – Auditor to maintain his image and standard such that any third party will not raise any doubt on his independence and credentials to form an opinion. Independence of the mind or actual independence involves objectivity of the mental condition and mental state and his objectivity to react to specific situations. An auditor who is truly independent has the ability to make non vested decisions in spite of the prejudices. However, since the state of mind where he is perceived to have colluded with the pany and promised his principles is highly volatile, it cannot be objectively benchmarked with respect to time and environment. Therefore, the test of Independence in Appearance or â€Å"Perceived Independence† needs to e upheld wherein he shows the same consistency in behaviour to a knowledgeable person and his client equally. Perceived independence can be measured based on how close the audit member is to the client and he gets any pecuniary benefits for the same. This could also include a dependency test on his economic drive with one client measured to his total revenue. Perceived independence accentuates the credibility of th e report and opinion expressed by the auditor and therefore his opinion is worth the salt. (i) Bob – Principle of Confidentiality is a key point of APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants wherein information extracted in a professional engagement is not to be disclosed to any third party without specific authority nor use it for personal benefits provided there is no legal and official reason to reveal. In the instant situation, Bob copied confidential information which was used for his personal benefit of finishing his university assignments though it did not contain the Club Casino name. Even if you remove the name of the client in the assignment, it does not remove the fact that confidentiality was predominantly breached. This being used for vested interest and not professional interest, there is no possibility of cover up with any alternate action. (ii) Wendy – Wendy is a partner in an audit firm. She has been assigned post of pany Secretary (CS) position in the same pany who is her audit client. This triggers Clause 290.142 of APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. Assignment of such staff is pointing to a self review threat which could have been absolved if it was for only a temporary period. But that not is the case, wherein Wendy has been given the post on a permanent basis. Her position is close to the pany triggering self-review and advocacy threats. Hence there is no way the threat can be brought to acceptable level. Per AUST290.148.1, a pany Secretary is an Officer under the Corporations Act. Wendy cannot act as a temporary partner in the client.   The only way is to resign from the audit engagement. (iii) Leo- Leo is a close member of the audit group and his elative prepares the financials and statements in the firm. The opinion to be expressed on such cash flows has a conflict for Leo. The threat therefore can be minimised to Acceptable level if Leo is replaced and he is restricted from working on such assignments where his relative has an influence in making the base documents to be audited. Per APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, it is r mended that Leo to be removed from the audit since his father has a more than significant influence (iv) Chan & Associates – If Chan holds stake, such stake will not create an independence threat if the business relationship is insignificant to Chan, his audit form and the pany where he holds stake. Such stake should also not create an ability to control the pany and it is immaterial to him. But here Chan has 25% equity in the entity which is high and can create two threats namely self interest/intimidation. Per APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, Chan has to relinquish his stake and resign from his audit engagement responsibility of Classic Reproductions. Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board, (2008).  APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants. Australia. Auasb.gov.au. (2016).  Australian Auditing Standards. [online] Available at: https://www.auasb.gov.au [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, (2013).  Auditing Standard ASA 570 Going Concern. Austlii.edu.au. (2016).  ASA 570 - Going Concern - April 2006. [online] Available at: https://www.austlii.edu.au/ [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Cpaaustralia .au. (2016).  Accounting professional and ethical standards. [online] Available at: https://www.cpaaustralia .au [Accessed 12 Dec. 2016]. Nguyen, V. and Rajapakse, P. (2008). An Analysis of the Auditors' Liability to Third Parties in Australia. mon Law World Review

UNIFEM's strategies on women in the Philippines Essay

UNIFEM's strategies on women in the Philippines - Essay Example We have seen throughout history the discrimination that women suffered all parts of the world. Women empowerment in America has come a long way now. However, in other parts of the world, there are still a disproportionate number of women living in poverty. In some countries, poverty has a feminine face.UNIFEM is the women's fund of the United Nations. It seeks to improve women empowerment and gender inequality in all countries by reducing feminized poverty, put an end to violence against women, reducing the spread of AIDS among women and to ensure gender equality in democratic governance.One of the core goals of UNIFEM is to end feminized poverty. To attain this, it has implemented strategies such as putting gender into trade and economic policies and expanding access to markets, goods and services. It also started to working with various countries such as Africa, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Ecuador and Brazil.In the Philippines, the bulk of UNIFEM's work is with migrant workers. They created savings and investment programs for those women returning from working abroad. There are also projects for home-based workers.This paper seeks to analyze how UNIFEM's strategies affect women in the Philippines. Will it work What could be made to improve the strategies Also, towards the end of the paper, I will discuss the impact of feminized poverty in the Philippines in my personal living in America and how it helped me become more aware of gender inequalities in the United States.Women shared an important role in the political history of the Philippines. They participated in the revolt against Spanish colonization in the 19th century. It was also a woman who led the fall of a dictatorship in the 1980's. And at present, the president of the country is a woman. It is safe to say that in the Philippines, woman are enjoy a greater equality with men as compared to its' neighboring countries. In fact, its' Constitution includes a clause imposing equal rights between men and women. And there is a number of anti-discrimination laws legislated. Women's participation in the Philippine economy is also significant. However, they dominate only on the low level jobs like factory work and domestic help. On the contrary, men are still preferred for high position jobs. In a way, the glass ceiling still exists. And this is the reason why feminized poverty still exists in the Philippines. Effect of Promotions for Women Migrant Workers The Philippines have been progressive with respect to women's rights compared to its neighboring countries. As mentioned earlier, equality between men and women are already embodied in their Constitution. They have also adopted gender budgeting already. As such, considering that a bulk of the migrant workers from the Philippines consists of women, the poverty reducing strategy that would have the most impact is the promotions for women migrant workers. Even though Philippine laws already protect women's rights, when women go to another country, they don't enjoy the same privilege. The host country may have a culture of discrimination against women. Their laws may still offer no protection for women. As such, by going to such country, they open themselves to the discrimination and gender biases in the foreign country. And since they are foreigners, the host country owes them less protection compared to its citizens. This is where the program of UNIFEM for migrant workers could be very helpful. UNIFEM could have an information dissemination campaign for women migrant workers so they would be more informed of their rights. If women are better informed of their rights, they would be less prone to abuses. UNIFEM can also establish offices to aid and assist these women migrant workers. Because these women are not in their own country, they do not have their own support group to help them out. If they experience abuse from a citizen of the host country, it is but understandable that they are hesitant to seek help from

Sensory Perception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Sensory Perception - Essay Example This means that whenever a certain sensation is perceived through the different senses of the body, information becomes processed as per what has already taken place in the past making it an issue of associating events. As a result, this is backed by the Pavlovian theory of reinforcement, and this makes information to be perceived as accurate provided a given stimulus is introduced every time to produced similar effects (Ban & Gantt, 2008). However, this pavlovian theory plays a significant role in labeling sensory information as inaccurate in events when experience contradicts sensory input. In most cases for sensory information to be perceived as inaccurate, a process termed as the construction of doubt takes place within an individual, whereby it creates a break down in the association between stimulus and expected results (Asratyan, 2001). The breakdown in belief takes place slowly and accounts for the largest factor that leads to inaccuracy of sensory information due to the pres ence of contradicting experiences from time to time leading to inconsistencies in perception of stimuli. In order to believe in sensory information, an individual’s intent also features in that it all depends on what the individual expects to perceive or gain from the sensory experience. This can be taken from the psychological situation of the individual making belief in sensory information to be accurate or inaccurate based on their state of being. For example, a fiercely hungry person perceives food on almost all instances including those that have nothing to do with relief from hunger. In addition, the external environment plays a key role in the accuracy, which is especially so in the case of cognitive impenetrability (Barth et al, 2012). The concept of cognitive impenetrability contributes to the inaccuracy of sensory information based on the environment in that the external environment may have objects and aspects that are not apparent to sensory organs, but these, bas ed on experiences are apparent to cognition. Consequently, cognitive impenetrability accounts for data inaccuracy in cases where one does not logically and critically process or analyze sensory information to make an immediate decision. This makes sensory data largely unreliable and invalid in spite of perceiving the immediate environment correctly as per available senses, but in the absence of cognition and experiences. Sensory information can further be made accurate or inaccurate based on confounding of different sensory organs and the data perceived. One sensory organ can pick information correctly, while another can take in information from a different angle making the information conflicting and interpretation becomes difficult. This also makes sensory information processed inaccurate by not following dynamics of the environment and the input of all the senses (Hwang, 2008). Besides the different factors mentioned in influencing the accuracy of sensory information, analysis an d assessment of sensory data, nature and nurture are involved. Nurture plays a large part in interpretation and evaluation of date through application of acquired information and experience in learning, also known as perceptual learning. Nurture allows interpretation of data as per active or passive cognition, in which case it serves to correct internal errors (Barth et al, 2012). These are errors emanating from nature in perception, as nature allows interp

Strategy,Strategic planning and the tradtional steps to build an Essay

Strategy,Strategic planning and the tradtional steps to build an organizational strategic plan,Strategic management and Competititve Strategy - Essay Example On the other hand, strategic planning is the process through which an organization defines the strategy to achieve major, as well as minor goals. In other words, strategic planning is the directing and the making of crucial decisions that concern the allocation of the available resource as per the institutions strategy. The strategic plan also involves the control process of management as a way of implementing the decisions that encompass the strategic plan. The traditional planning method of building an organizations strategy comprises several steps. However, the tradition style of strategy planning omits the step of innovative thinking which to some works of research is the most important aspect of strategic planning is innovative thinking. It is significant also to state that the approach to strategic planning varies given the unique features of every organization. The unique features may include the purpose of every institution, the culture of each organization, the environment and immediate surroundings and the history of other plans; whether they were successful or not. The first step in strategic planning is the identification of the purpose of the planning process. The procedure makes up the mission statement. The step tends to put forward the reason behind the existence of the firm. The needs of the client makeup the basic purpose of the organization and thus are an outline in the first step. The second step enumerates the vision of the organization. The step’s main focus is the description of the future state of the business entity and the state of the clients of the organization in the future. The third step is the establishment of mandatory goals that the institution must reach in an attempt to achieve the set down goals as per the organization’s mission and vision. The step also tries to give answers for the prevailing challenges that the organization is undergoing through in its operations. The

Strategic management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words - 1

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Reduce and Address the Issue on Gang Violence in Chicago - Research Paper Example From the report it is clear that  gang violence has reduced both in low and high crime areas, there remain regions where violent crime rate is stile unacceptably high. Some of the gangs specialize in expressive violence while others specialize in instrumental violence.  This discussion stresses that Chicago registered the most murders than any other city in America. The rising homicide rate is attributed to the influx of illegal guns and gang violence. Gang violence is connected to disputes and turf wars and it seems that the problem largely affects the geographically and socially isolated neighborhoods. The incidences of gang violence mainly affect those living in the West and the South sides of the city. Although incidences of gang violence have declined considerably, the city is faring badly compared to other gang-infested cities such as Los Angeles and New York. This paper examines the history, prevalence and the solutions to the problem of gang violence in the Chicago city. The paper also examines how gang violence can be reduced through follow-up re-entry programs and community prosecution strategies.  The origin of gangs can be traced to the East Coast in 1820s and thereafter, in the Midwestern regions including Chicago and Los Angeles. The problem of gang violence in the United States is as old as humanity itself. The New York City is considered as a haven of the gangs in the country, and the emergence of gang-like groups began in late 1700s.

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The Glass Menagerie Essay Example for Free

The Glass Menagerie Essay In reading literary pieces, we tend to compare one character to another that is similar on physical and mental characterization. Alice Walker’s story â€Å"Everyday Use† and Tennessee Williams’s play â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† have different attack, contextualization, plot, conflict, and resolution but they have the same idea of character – Laura in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† and Maggie in â€Å"Everyday Use. † Laura and Maggie are both physically handicapped. Laura ‘wears a brace on her leg’ while Maggie has scars all through her legs and arms. Both of these characters accept their situations as handicapped. That is why they are being oppressed by the society whether directly or indirectly. Therefore, being physically handicapped of the protagonists in the two stories defines their identity and uniqueness despite of their physical imperfection. Walker’s â€Å"Everyday Use† is a story about a mother having two daughters. Her daughters are opposite to one another. Maggie is a shy woman while Dee is very expressive with her emotions. Dee’s goals are too high to obtain. She leaves her family to acquire her personal goals in life. Ms. Johnson, which is Dee’s mother and Maggie are waiting for her return that is why they clean their house and beautify it so that Dee will become happy once she saw their home. When Dee arrives, Maggie and Ms. Johnson are speechless with her transformation. After lunch, Dee went to her mother’s room and asks for a hand-stitched quilt as a souvenir. Ms. Johnson is holding a ‘precious’ hand-stitched quilt that she will give to Maggie. Dee wants it so she grabs it to her mother’s hands. Maggie understands her sister’s action and even though she really likes the quilt, she let her sister obtain it. However, Ms. Johnson grabs the quilt to Dee’s hands and pulls Maggie into her room and put it to her lap and shows a happy face. Due to disappointment, Dee runs away from their house along with her friend using his friend’s car. William’s â€Å"The Glass of Menagerie† on the other hand is about a woman named Laura. Tom is the narrator of the story. Laura is a shy woman because of her appearance – having her leg being braced. She does not want to enter school because of this. Another reason for this is that she does not want people to look at her and being humiliated by her surroundings. Because of this issue, Amanda whom to be Laura’s mother asks Tom to find a man that will suit Laura despite of her physical situation. Tom found Jim, his co-worker. He asks him to have dinner in their house. When Jim went to the dinner, Laura is afraid to see him because she is attracted to Jim even before. After the dinner, Jim starts talking to Laura. In the beginning, Laura is aloof but as the conversation went on, she becomes comfortable with Jim. â€Å"LAURA: I was out of school a little while with pleurosis. When I came back you asked me what was the matter. I said I had pleurosis you thought I said Blue Roses Thats what you always called me after that I / JIM: I hope you didnt mind. / LAURA: Oh, no I liked it. You see, I wasnt acquainted with many people. (Williams, Chapter 7)† Jim becomes attracted to Laura’s uniqueness that led him in kissing her. After the kiss, Jim says sorry to Laura and tells her that he has a fiance and soon will get married. Even if Laura is upset, she accepts it. Amanda blames Tom for being insensitive by not choosing the right man for Laura. Tom leaves for this reason but even if he tries to begin his life again, Laura’s image emerges within his mind, thinking his offense against her. Laura and Maggie view themselves as weak and incapacitated. They accept their situation in a worst-case-scenario. They do not fight against the common norm of the society towards them. As long as their family accepts them, everything would be fine. However, problems occurred because they admit that they are handicapped and could not obtain things that a usual woman should have. That is why people around them took advantage against them in different cases and issues. In the case of Laura, her mother wants to make her happy and would like her to find a man that will fit her capability as a woman but Amanda did not think of Laura’s feelings towards her action. As she (Amanda) pushes Laura towards Jim, it is clear she has never paused to find out who her daughter really is, nor what her aspirations might be, nor has she ever considered modes of living other than her own (Debusscher, 60). Maggie’s situation is also the same through her relationship with Dee. Because she accepts that Dee should have better life than her, she lets her sister obtain everything that should be rewarded to her. Because of this, she needs to cope up with the demand of others to satisfy them. â€Å"Maggie will be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. She thinks her sister has held life always in the palm of one hand, that no is a word the world never learned to say to her (Walker 47). † However, at the end of the plot of these two stories, the supporting characters realized the manifestations and effects of their actions in the lives of the protagonists. That is why they resolve their conflicts by way of recognizing the identity of Laura and Maggie as individuals with own uniqueness and sense of womanhood. â€Å"When Maggie spoke and suggested that the quilt be given to her older sister Dee, she (Ms. Johnson) began to see Maggie in a different light. She also learned to appreciate Maggie’s simplicity and goodness as compared to Dee’s sophistication and ambitions (Cuizon). † Like what happened to Maggie’s mother, Tom also accepts the realization that Laura needs sensibility from the people around her and she should experience it through her family. In the end, both the protagonists and the supporting characters reconcile and acquire the realization of reality and live a better life. Works Cited Cuizon, Gwen. â€Å"A Review on Alice Walkers Everyday Use. † HubPages. (2008). 23 November 2008. http://hubpages. com/hub/Alice-Walkers-Everyday-Use Debusscher, Gilbert. â€Å"Tennessee Williams’s Dramatic Charade: Secrets and Lies in The Glass Menagerie. † (2000; pp. 57-68). 23 November 2008. http://www. tennesseewilliamsstudies. org/archives/2000/4debusscher. pdf Walker, Alice. â€Å"Everyday Use. † In Love and Trouble. New York: Harcourt, 1973. 47-59. Williams, Tennessee. â€Å"The Glass Menagerie. † (1944). 23 November 2008. http://pagesperso-orange. fr/absolutenglish-972/notes/uscivi/glassmenagerie/scene_by_scene. htm

Tourism And Regional Development In Romania Tourism Essay

Tourism And Regional Development In Romania Tourism Essay 1. Introduction Considering its largely acknowledged economic and social effects, tourism represents a sector of great interest to many countries development strategies (Zanina, 2011), (Egan 2003). The positive impact of tourism development is usually addressed in connection with the balance of payments, regional development, diversification of the economy, income levels, state revenue, employment opportunities (Pearce, 1991). The tourist life cycle, the local tourist strategies and policies, the use of information and communication technologies in promotion campaigns, etc. have an important influence in this context (Quian, 2010), (Hu, 1996). As far as regional development is concerned, tourism is seen as a driver able to turn to good account the less developed regions potential and, thus, to contribute to a more balanced distribution of economic activities over time and space as well as to the co-ordination of various policies in an inter-sectorial perspective (Nijkamp, 1999), (Constantin and Mitrut, 2008). It can also bring about encouraging responses to the question of regional competitiveness, based on the positive influence on regional employment and income. As a result of the indirect and induced effects, tourism generates jobs not only in its own sector, but also in connected sectors such as financial services, retailing, telecommunications, etc. However, the regional multipliers record significant variations, depending on the characteristics of each region, locality, project, etc. so that careful analyses are recommended in order to promote those projects able to generate the most important benefits to the region. Highly beneficial are the coastal, mountainous, urban and historic regions as well as those with exquisite natural resources. On the other hand, regions with different profile such as rural regions promoting green tourism, leisure and nature activities, the remote ones or undergoing industrial restructuring can also benefit from tourism growth (OECD, 1999) A focus on the factors that influence tourism development is also required in this respect, considering that, depending on the regional profile in terms of tourist attractions and economic situation, they might have a different significance within the corresponding strategies (Aghdaie and Momeni, 2011; Fletcher and Cooper, 1996). Thus, Crutch and Ritchie (2005) quoted by Koufodontis et al. (2007) place a special emphasis on the physical, economic and social factors embedded in the so-called regions image. Among them, the supporting factors and resources such as infrastructure, accessibility, facilitating resources (human, knowledge and financial capital), hospitality, and factors political will seem to play a special role. Only infrastructure alone, to mention one of them, is a multifaceted factor, with manifold implications. It is considered a component of the regional tourist product, comprising basic devices, buildings and service institutions of a major importance for economy and society. The main defining elements relating to a certain destination refer to accommodation facilities, gastronomy facilities, transport to destination, services for active leisure (e.g. ski resorts, sailing schools, golf clubs, etc.), retail network, other services (e.g. information, equipment rental companies, etc.) (Panasiuk, 2007). From a broader perspective, the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report prepared by the World Economic Forum (2011) has developed a complex, overall competitiveness index made of three main subindexes, namely regulatory framework, business environment and infrastructure and human, cultural and natural resources. Again, if reference is made to the business environment and infrastructure component, the corresponding subindex takes into consideration the following pillars: air transport infrastructure, ground transport infrastructure, tourism infrastructure, information and communication technical infrastructure, price competitiveness in travel and tourism industry. Consequently, the regional policy measures meant to improve the frame conditions for tourism development at regional and local level play a key role: they should constitute a coherent package, including economic, legal, institutional, infrastructure, cultural and social elements. The aim of the package must be the definition of a regional profile, stressing and taking advantage of specific feature of each local area (Funck and Kowalski, 1997). Based on these overall considerations our paper aims to discuss the tourism development factors proposing Romania as a relevant case study from two complementary perspectives: on the one hand, it displays an uneven regional development, which requires appropriate solutions in terms of regional strategies and policies; on the other hand the less developed regions have an important tourist potential, which might and should be turned to good account in order to reduce the gap separating them from the developed ones. Though, despite this potential the results are far behind the expectations, so that the study of the factors that still need a special consideration is highly required. In line with the results provided by the World Tourism Organization via the country ranking in terms of Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (Blanke and Chiesa, 2011), which indicate the weak infrastructure as one of the major obstacles for the development of the tourism in Romania, we have proposed and tested a model able to quantify and shed light on the regional disparities in this respect. Accordingly, the paper is organized as follows. First, a review on the tourism development in Romania is provided, emphasizing the disparities between its eight NUTS 2 regions. Second, a couple of econometric models are elaborated and tested in order to evaluate the impact of infrastructure on tourism activity, revealing the specific bottlenecks at regional level. Third, various solutions for tourism support, focusing on those able to surmount the infrastructure hurdle are discussed. 2. General discussion on tourism development in Romania The evaluation of Romanias tourist patrimony relies on a comprehensive activity of tourist zoning that was first developed in 1975-1977 and then periodically updated. Considering tourism as a system at national scale it has aimed at establishing a model for evaluating, constructing a hierarchy and proposing the most suitable ways of turning the tourist patrimony to good account. Multiple criteria have been used in order to delimit the tourist zones and to propose the priority actions in each specific case. As a result, a wide range of tourist zones have been identified, some of them of a particular importance to the European and worlds natural and cultural heritage. Thus, the natural patrimony includes the Delta of Danube as biosphere reservation, the Romanian shore of the Black Sea, the Romanian Carpathians, North Oltenia, Banat area, the Danube Valley, and so on. The most representative areas for the cultural heritage are North Moldova (with monasteries and churches declared worlds heritage by UNESCO), the medieval core of Brasov and Sibiu cities in Transylvania, the medieval fortress of Sighisoara also in Transylvania (the only one still inhabited in Europe), Bucharest and its surroundings, the Greek, Dacian and Roman archaeological sites in Dobrogea and Transylvania, the Neolithic archaeological sites in Moldova most of them located in extremely attractive areas from natural beauty viewpoint as well. More recently, the Spatial Planning of the National Territory has structured the zones of a major tourist potential into two categories, namely: (1) zones of a highly valuable and complex tourist potential (24% of the national territory), which includes national parks and biosphere reservations, protected national areas, cultural patrimony of national and international interest, museums and memorial houses, spa resources  [i]  ; (2) zones of a high tourist potential (34% of the national territory), with natural and cultural patrimony resources of especially national interest. An important characteristic of Romanias natural and cultural-historic patrimony is its relatively well-balanced territorial distribution that has a particular significance especially for the lagging regions, with other economic activities less developed. Based on its potential contribution to the general economic recovery, competitiveness and reduction of interregional disparities tourism is approached by all significant actors population included as one of the priority sectors of the Romanian economy. All governments after 1990 have included tourism development in their strategies, this interest being reflected by its privatization prior to other sectors  [ii]  . Though, the results recorded in the last fifteen years are far below the expectations: the rate of tourism growth is under the economic growth rate and the contribution of tourism to GDP is pretty low (2.3% in 2005 and approx. 2.0% in 2009 according to the methodology of the National Institute of Statistics  [iii]  .). According to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index launched by the World Economic Forum in March 2007 Romania was ranked the 76th among 124 countries in 2006, with a score of 3.91 on a scale from 1 to 7. In 2011 the overall rank of Romania is 63, with a score of 4.17. With its three pillars referring to travel and tourism regulatory framework, business environment and infrastructure and human, cultural and natural resources, the index reveals relatively good results in terms of policy rules and regulations, price competitiveness in travel and tourism industry, human resources (education and training, workforce wellness), natural and cultural resources and quite poor results in terms of environmental regulation, air transport infrastructure, ICT infrastructure, availability of qualified labour. As a result, about Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index Romania is behind almost all former or current EU candidate countries such as Estonia (score 4.88 and rank 28), Czech Republic (4.77 and 35) , Slovakia (4.68 and 37), Hungary (4.54 and 40), Slovenia (4.64 and 44), Bulgaria (4.39 and 54), Poland 4.38 and 63), etc. and, respectively, Croatia (4.61 and 38), Turkey (4.37 and 52) (Source: The Travel Tourism Competitiveness Report 2011, World Economic Forum, Geneva, 2011). 3. Some comments on the number of departures and arrivals of international tourists in Romania Romanian tourism has seen important changes during the transition from planned economy to market economy. Table 1 presents a series of indicators calculated in order to characterize arrivals and departures of tourists in Romania during the period 1990 to 2010, and also during the political cycles in this period. Statistical indicators are computed on the total number of tourists and transport categories. Table 1. The dynamic of the arrivals and departures of tourists for Romania (%) Indicator Index/rhythm Time period for the indicator 1990-2010 1990-1992 1993-1996 1997-2000 2001-2004 2005-2010 Arrivals of tourists in Romania Total Index change 114.8 98.0 90.0 102.2 133.7 128.4 The average annual rate of change 0.7 -1.0 -3.5 0.7 10.2 5.1 Road transport Index change 161.0 131.5 94.5 98.9 149.1 133.4 The average annual rate of change 2.4 14.7 -1.9 -0.4 14.2 5.9 Railway transport Index change 9.5 48.0 49.0 110.6 64.7 72.8 The average annual rate of change -11.1 -30.7 -21.2 3.4 -13.5 -6.2 Air transport Index change 448.0 113.7 147.2 122.9 100.0 132.1 The average annual rate of change 7.8 6.6 13.8 7.1 0.0 5.7 Ship transport Index change 63.6 57.4 110.3 82.5 137.8 82.4 The average annual rate of change -2.2 -24.2 3.3 -6.2 11.3 -3.8 Tourists departures from Romania Total Index change 96.7 96.7 53.4 102.3 108.8 152.7 The average annual rate of change -0.2 -1.7 -18.9 0.8 2.9 8.8 Road transport Index change 98.6 114.4 46.5 107.6 118.2 137.9 The average annual rate of change -0.1 6.9 -22.5 2.5 5.7 6.6 Railway transport Index change 7.8 44.1 74.3 69.0 34.6 87.8 The average annual rate of change -12.0 -33.6 -9.4 -11.6 -29.8 -2.6 Air transport Index change 911.3 57.4 184.1 132.1 127.0 274.1 The average annual rate of change 11.7 -24.3 22.6 9.7 8.3 22.3 Ship transport Index change 16.8 24.8 144.0 82.7 38.3 51.4 The average annual rate of change -8.5 -50.2 12.9 -6.1 -27.3 -12.5 Figure 1. The ratio between the number of arrivals and departures of tourists in Romania during 1990 2010 During the period 1990 2010 the two indicators, departures and arrivals of tourists have evolved quite different. Over the period 1990 2010 the number of arrivals of tourists in Romania recorded an increase of 14.8% with an average annual rate of 0.7%. For the same period, departures of tourists fell by 3.3% with an average annual rate of -0.2%. Figure 1 shows the evolution of ration between the annual number of arrivals and departures of tourists for Romania in the period 1990 to 2010. The values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of this ratio for the entire period are subunit which shows that throughout the analyzed period, the annual number of tourist arrivals in Romania was lower than the number of tourists departures from Romania. During the analyzed period, the data series of the number of departures and arrivals of foreign tourists in Romania are non-stationary, and they are integrated of order 1. Table 2 presents the results of applying the ADF (Dickey and Fuller, 1979) and Philips-Peron (Philips and Peron, 1988) tests used to determine the properties of stationarity and to determine the order of integration of the two data sets. Table 2. Unit root tests Variables Dickey-Fuller Philips-Perron L trend trend 1 Yes Yes 0 No No 3 Yes Yes 2 Yes Yes The null hypothesis H0 is non-stationarity of the variable. For each case the statistics value is specified and statistical probability of a type I error in given between brackets. Here, N_DEP_T means the number of departures during a time period and N_ARRIV_T designates the number of tourist arrivals during the same period. The two tests indicate non-stationarity of the data series of the number of departures and arrivals of foreign tourists in Romania. These series are non-stationary in levels but are stationary in first difference which shows that the two series are I(1). Furthermore, arrivals are stationary around a deterministic trend, while departures dont have this property. These properties are confirmed by applying two statistical tests: ADF and PP. In the following we mention some of the most plausible explanation of these evolutions. Firstly, political changes in 1989 caused an increase in the number of Romanian tourists who went abroad in the first years that followed. Secondly, the accession to the European Union caused a considerable increase in the number of Romanian tourists who went abroad, this being an immediate consequence of the free movement within the European Union. The largest growth of Romanian tourists who went abroad occurred in the 2005-2010 period of time. During this period the average annual growth rate was 8.8%, this growth being the immediate result of the accession to EU starting on January 1, 2007. The number of Romanian tourists who went abroad in the first three years of accession was 23.8%, 46.78% and 31.6% higher compared with 2006. Thirdly, the evolution of the number of Romanian tourists went abroad was caused by an increase in the average wage in the economy. During the period 1990 2010 the average annual growth rate of the average wage in the economy was 0.82%. The most significant increase occurred in the periods 2001 2004 and 2005 2010 for which the annual average increases were 7.85% and 11.37%. Table 3 presents the results of the Granger test applied to determine if there is a Granger causal relationship between the number of departures and the evolution of the average wage in the economy (N_NAW). The results confirm that the evolution of the average wage in the economy Granger causally determined the number of Romanian tourists who went abroad. By applying this statistical test we also established that there is no Granger causality between the number of tourists departures and arrivals. Table 3. Granger causality analysis between the number of departures, number of arrivals, and average net wage in the economy. Hypothesis F statistics Decision N_DEP_T does not Granger Cause N_NAW 0.09994 N_NAW does not Granger Cause N_DEP_T 5.68426 N_DEP_T does not Granger Cause N_ARRIV_T 0.32140 There is no causal relationship between variables N_ARRIV_T does not Granger Cause N_DEP_T 0.57462 4. Features of regional tourism development One of the main reasons of this unsatisfactory overall image is the insufficiency and bad state of both general and tourism-specific infrastructure, unable to meet the requirements of a modern, internationally competitive tourism. Other disfavouring factors in the last fifteen years have envisaged the rigidity of tourism administrative structures, the social instability, the poverty which the majority of population is confronted with, the deficient supply of food, fuel and other goods absolutely necessary to a proper tourism, the low managerial competence and tourism personnels behaviour, the image of Romania abroad, various environmental damages. Some of these drawbacks have been partially alleviated as a result of including tourism development as one of the priorities of the National Development Plan since 1999 (when the first plan was launched) and, consequently, of supporting it via national budget as well as EU pre-accession instruments (e.g. Phare). The investment and management efforts in tourism made it possible to stop the decrease in the total activity volume of this sector recorded between 1990 and 2000 and an upward trend has been recorded starting from 2001. Table 4 shows the average annual rates of three important economic indicators used to characterize the tourism activity at national level and each of the eight development regions: accommodation capacity (AC), staying over night (SON) and arrivals (A). The annual average rates are calculated for 1990 2010 period of time, and the electoral cycles of this period: 1990-1996, 1997 2000, 2001 2004 and 2005 to 2010. Table 4. The evolution of the main indicators of tourism between 1990 and 2010 Region Accommodation Capacity (AC) (number of beds) 2010 Staying over night (SON) 2009 Arrivals (A) 2009 Indicator Average annual growth rate 1990-2010 1990-1996 1997-2000 2001-2004 2005-2010 North-East 21279 1509550 1509550 AC -0.80 -4.62 -2.42 0.41 2.60 SON -4.45 -10.88 -6.43 4.96 1.38 A -4.77 -11.05 -3.15 1.94 1.26 South-East 13687 4423728 4423728 AC -0.86 -3.13 0.20 -0.30 0.58 SON -3.65 -9.43 -4.59 4.45 1.09 A -5.92 -10.79 -3.66 -1.23 -3.68 South 22625 1674366 1674366 AC -0.86 -2.13 -1.88 1.80 0.30 SON -4.32 -9.95 -6.08 1.79 0.76 A -4.73 -10.19 -6.59 0.44 -1.89 South-West 16410 1441604 1441604 AC -2.34 -7.05 -3.68 -3.12 2.26 SON -5.27 -11.09 -8.98 2.24 2.31 A -5.29 -12.69 -1.84 -1.90 -2.60 West 23257 1676496 1676496 AC -0.56 -2.73 -0.85 -1.88 1.78 SON -4.48 -12.46 3.32 -0.33 1.82 A -4.58 -12.05 3.13 0.10 -2.24 North-West 26103 2098589 2098589 AC -0.54 -1.55 -1.18 -0.83 0.06 SON -3.72 -10.36 -3.32 5.40 -0.03 A -4.38 -12.56 0.16 1.61 -2.16 Centre 42029 2665298 2665298 AC -0.26 -3.15 -1.61 -0.27 3.45 SON -3.23 -7.74 -3.97 5.64 0.11 A -4.46 -10.14 -5.36 0.94 -1.07 Bucharest-Ilfov 23120 1835779 1835779 AC 2.99 -5.35 -3.84 7.49 15.55 SON -0.65 -8.67 -10.23 14.37 4.46 A -2.59 -11.97 -10.67 12.00 5.51 Romania 188510 17325410 17325410 AC -0.61 -3.20 -0.83 -0.30 1.92 SON -3.59 -9.86 -4.94 4.97 1.42 A -4.85 -11.20 -3.46 0.69 -1.46 Data source: NIS TEMPO 2011 and the authors processing of data; for SON and A the rhythms are calculated for the period 1990 to 2009. We highlighted the following aspects of the evolution of the considered indicators on national level and for the eight development regions on the 1990-201 period: the average annual growth rate of the accommodation capacity of 2.99%, was recorded only in the Bucharest Ilfov region, in all other regions it have declined between -0.26% annual average in the Central region and -2.34% in the South West region; at national level the decline was -0.61% on average each year; in all developing regions there has been an annual average decrease in the number of overnight stays over the whole period 1990 2009. The annual average decrease of this index value among regions ranged between -5.27% in South-West and -0.65% in the Bucharest-Ilfov region. Nationally there was a decrease in the annual average number of overnight stays of -3.59%; the number of arrivals over the 1990-2010 period decreased every year with an average of -4.85%. The annual average rate for the eight regions ranged from -5.92% in the South East region to 2.59% in the Bucharest Ilfov region; the most significant decrease for the three indicators in most regions were recorded during the first two election cycles between 1990 to 2000. Since the period 2001 2004 there is a noticeable stabilization and a relative increase of values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹for the three indicators both at national and regional level. This tendency is correlated with the overall evolution of the Romanian economy, which has recorded an important economic growth during 2000-2008 period (annual growth rates were above 5%). During the 2001 2004 period the annual average GDP growth was 6.0% and for the period 2005 to 2010 it was 3.9%. The economic growth rate during 2005 2010 has been reduced significantly due to economic crisis that affected the Romanian economy in 2009 and 2010. In the period following the political changes of 1989 a reduction of the values à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹of above mentioned three indicators has been recorded at both national and regional levels because of the following reasons: the number of employees in the economy has significantly decreased and thus the number of employees who requested a ticket for rest and treatment by union decreased. In the planned economy era unions distributed a considerable number of tickets for rest and treatment to its members. Many times the employees right to such a ticket turns into an obligation to accept it. Under these conditions a large number of spa resorts have completely closed their accommodation capacities; a significant number of Romanians have preferred spending the holiday in other countries, mostly in Greece and Turkey; public road infrastructure and railways has not developed to the level required by Romanian and foreign tourists. The average annual increase in length of public roads during 1990 2010 was only 0.62%, and the length of railways was reduced on average by -0.25% annually. The accommodation capacity in use increased by 8.39% at national level as a result of the major increase in Bucharest-Ilfov region. Most of the other regions recorded smaller or bigger increases and only in the South region the accommodation capacity in use decreased. This is a result of the restructuring and modernization of the tourism capacity inherited from the communist period. The progress is visible in term of increase in the share of higher quality standard capacities (3-5 star capacities), especially after 2000 (Baleanu et. al., 2008) (Olteanu, 2011). As far as the distribution by region of the accommodation capacity is concerned, an important disequilibrium can be easily noticed between the South-East region and the rest of the country, which is explained by the high concentration in the Black Sea area (Secara, 2010). However, the use of the accommodation capacity in this area is characterized by a big seasonality. The number of arrivals and staying over night has recorded different evolutions: the number of arrivals increased whereas the number of staying over night decreased, especially in the seashore area. These figures not only reflect the increase of the weekend tourism but also the increase in the number of tourists who chose as seashore destinations other countries such as Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece (Olteanu, 2011). The index of using the accommodation capacity has a slightly increasing overall trend, as a result of combining important decreases (especially in the Black Sea area and Bucharest), but it has a relatively low overall level: only approximately one third of the accommodation capacity is used (Table 5). Table 5. The index of using the accommodation capacity in function in 2007 compared with 2000 (percentage) Region 2000 2008 North-East 31.7 29.3 South-East 44.8 42.5 South 28.9 32.8 South-West 42.6 41.2 West 36.3 35.1 North-West 29.9 32.7 Centre 28.0 30.0 Bucharest-Ilfov 36.3 24.6 Romania 35.2 36.0 Source: Territorial Statistical Yearbook of Romania, 2009 Romanian tourism in general is still confronted with the outdated and insufficient infrastructure, unable to offer proper access to architecture monuments, archaeological sites, to meet the demand of parking lots, information points for cultural sites, belvedere points for defence walls, medieval fortresses, churches, monasteries, camping lots for pilgrims, etc. Also the connected facilities hotels, motels, restaurants, gas stations, car rental firms are still behind the demand. The transportation infrastructure is particularly weak in all its forms road, rail, naval and air, with an emphasis on road infrastructure: the highways are almost inexistent while the modernized roads are insufficient and concentrated especially around the Capital city (Table 6). Table 6. The density of public roads and modernized public roads (Km/100sq Km) in 2008 Region PR/100kmp MPR /100kmp North-East 36.6 9.34 South-East 30.7 6.64 South 36.5 11.79 South-West 36.5 12.56 West 32.1 9.17 North-West 35.4 8.39 Centre 31.4 8.17 Bucharest-Ilfov 48.9 36.37 Source: Territorial Statistical Yearbook of Romania, 2010 In almost all regions the public roads have a low density, whereas the modernized public roads represent less than one third out of total. The exception is the Bucharest-Ilfov region, where the density is higher than in the rest of Romania and the modernized public roads represent approximately 60% of the total length at country level. For comparison, in 1998, the density of public roads was 165.45 in Denmark, 64.75 in Germany, 51.29 in Sweden (referinta). The importance of public roads is explained by the fact that a big share of tourist activity in Romania is supported by road transportation. Thus, according to NIS da

Tv vs Reading: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451 :: Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451

If you admit that it’s easier to watch television/ movies then what is the difference between you and Mildred?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I definitely think that it is much easier to watch television and movies then it is to read books. When you watch TV and movies, the characters actually act out their roles instead of you having to make it up yourself, which is harder than just watching it. I am a lot different from Mildred though. She doesn’t even know if it would be easier to read books or watch TV because she doesn’t read them because they are forbidden of course. If anyone is caught with books in their house, their house is burnt down to a crisp. She is afraid of even picking up a book. I guess that you can say that Mildred is â€Å"obsessed† with watching television and movies. I feel that she feels like she absolutely has to watch it to survive. At least that is what she makes me think when I read this book. I think that it is not only odd that she thinks of the people on television as family, but I also think that it is crazy. When I first read that she thought that that about those people and did call them family, I literally thought that there was something wrong with her†¦mentally. Don’t get me wrong†¦I love to watch TV and movies, but I would never in a million years consider anyone on there my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. That is just one big difference between Mildred and I. I really don’t know of any normal person who acts like her. Like I said, television and movies are very easy to watch and there is not much thinking that you have to do because you can almost say that the thinking, in a sense, is done for you. It is easier to see something visually than have to visualize it for yourself. When you read a book, you have to concentrate on who is speaking, but on television and movies you don’t have to because the people in the TV/movie act out their own parts. Another big difference between Mildred and I is that first of all I read a lot of books and even though I think that watching television and movies is much more easier, I would much rather read a book. I am the type of person who doesn’t like things given to me, but I like to figure them out on my own.

Explication of Emily Dickinsons I Felt a Funeral in My Brain Essay

Explication of Emily Dickinson's "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Works Cited Not Included In the poem "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" Emily Dickinson exposes a person's intense anguish and suffering as they sink into a state of extreme madness. The poem is a carefully constructed analysis of the speaker's own mental experience. Dickinson uses the image of a funeral-service to symbolize the death of the speaker's sanity. The poem is terrifying for the reader as it depicts a realization of the collapse of one's mental stability, which is horrifying for most. The reader experiences the horror of the speaker's descending madness as the speaker's mind disintegrates and loses its grasp on reality. "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain," by Emily Dickinson creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable by expressing the speaker's pain, describing her irrationality, and the speaker tragically ending her existence. The first major reason that "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain" creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable is by expressing the speaker's pain. It is obvious through the first and second stanza that the speaker is aware that she is losing her sense of stability. The speaker is fighting to keep her sanity as the pressure of her "sense was breaking through" (line 4). The "Mourners" that are "treading - treading" represent the pain that she is feeling while battling her fight to keep her mental state (line 2-3). The repetition of the word "treading - treading" only emphasizes the fact that she is losing her battle and it has become apparent to her (line 3). Finally, she gives up her fight, which is why "they were all seated," indicating that she is accepting that her sanity is leaving her. Her sanity... ...mind will be peaceful once more as it has all of eternity to rest. In conclusion, "I Felt a Funeral in My Brain," by Emily Dickinson creates an illusion of a mind becoming unstable by expressing the speaker's pain, describing her irrationality, and the speaker tragically ending her existence. Throughout the poem, the speaker's feelings of grief and pain are evident. As a result of her pain and grief, it becomes obvious that the speaker must choose between a state of madness or a state of solitude. Due to her irrational state of mind, the speaker chooses to commit suicide as she feels that it is the only method for her to control her own destiny. The poem truly expresses a person's loss of connection with reality. The poem not only gives an intense examination of insanity, but it also reflects a person's soul as it moves towards its final breakdown.

Missionaries Are to Blame in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay

Missionaries Are to Blame in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart      Ã‚   The burden and calling to reach out and help others, enfold many people in society throughout the world. Rich or poor, young or old, black, red or white, the motive is helping those with a need. As Chinua Achebe points out in his book, Things Fall Apart, though there is the aspiration to lend a hand, it can sometimes become deadly, and even fatal to the lives of people. Although the missionaries try help convert the Ibo village of Umuofia to Christianity, their presence in Africa is harmful to the lives and culture of the Ibo.    The men that come to Umuofia destroy the cultural balance of faith and religion that encompasses the native people in Africa. People in Umuofia depend strongly on the ancestors and gods in their culture. It is their tradition and their beginning, from which they govern their lives. Even the priestess that serves the god Agbala, "...was full of the power of her god, and she was greatly feared" (16). Without the stronghold of customs and traditions, only chaos exists. Peace, trust, and knowledge are thrown off when the new religion of Christianity is introduced. When the missionary explains that:    "All the gods you have named are not gods at all. They are gods of deceit who tell you to kill your fellows and destroy innocent children. There is only one true God and He has the earth, the sky, you and me and all of us" (121).    Decisions, opinions, and beliefs become uncertain and doubt appears. Cultural values, that ware held for generations, are pitted against the missionary's sermons. Although the missionaries come with the desire and intention to help the underdeveloped Ibo village reach its pote... ...e senseless and heartless government, which ruthlessly destroys the peaceful atmosphere in the villages. Africa will only reach its potential when everybody realizes the importance of preserving the cultural traditions.    Works Cited and Consulted: Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart.   London: Heinemann, 1958. Decheta, Buchi. European Imperialism. London: Heinemann, 1980. Evans, Jennifer. "Cultures and Resistance." African Literature Today.   Trenton, New Jersey: African World Press, 1987. pages  Ã‚   Hidoo, Rose.   Culture in Chains: Abandonment in the Work of Selected West African Writers.   Owerri, Nigeria: Black Academy, 1994. Nnolim, Charles E.   "The Missionaries." Approaches To the African People: Essays in Analysis. London: Saros International, 1992. Okonkwo, Juliet.   "The Cultural Rape of Africa." African Quarterly 15.1-2: pages.   

The History of the Boston Massacre

I was interested in the Boston Massacre and found many testimonies and other primary resources there. However, as I read through I was intrigued by a comment in my readings about Captain Thomas Preston’s â€Å"London Letter†. In Preston’s letter to London, he intended only Londoners to read it and when the article was later published in the Boston Gazette it added annoyance to the already frustrated public in Boston. I was now, intrigued and determined to find Captain Preston’s newspaper article. I, then, asked for help from the research and technology desk.They guided me through the library database to find a website called American Historical Newspapers. They had many articles from 1700-1850 and I was able to find the actual article, with Captain Preston’s recollection of the â€Å"unhappy affair† (Preston’s quote), posted in the Boston Gazette from June 25th 1770, as well as, the original letter to London first published, in April 2 8th, in the London newspaper the Essex Gazette. Originally this article was a letter sent by Captain Thomas Preston, to London intended for â€Å"His Majesty† the king. The letter was delivered to the Essex Gazette, a London newspaper, and printed in April 28th 1770.Captain Preston produced this account of what came to be known as the Boston Massacre, after being jailed and accused of ordering his men to â€Å"fire on a crowd of angry townspeople†. Two months later, (the amount of time it takes to get to America from London by ship) the Boston Gazette published Captain Preston’s article under the headline, â€Å"A Narrative of the Late Transactions at Boston. † During the trial of Captain Preston and his soldiers, copies of â€Å"A Narrative of the Late Transactions at Boston† began to circulate around Boston and surrounding areas.Captain Preston’s descriptions of the events were biased and unsympathetic to the townspeople, painting a pictur e of the soldiers trying to do their job and the townspeople not abiding and being â€Å"unruly† and â€Å"abusive†. Captain Preston declares that leading up to the incident the townspeople had increasingly â€Å"provoked and abused the soldiers†. Furthermore, Preston explains that an informant had warned him that there was a â€Å"mob† of angry townspeople that were planning to storm his soldier’s barracks â€Å"carry off a soldier and murder him†.Preston goes so far as to pin the guilt of giving the order to shoot by yelling â€Å"fire, fire† on members of the â€Å"unruly mob† and assures the reader that he was yelling â€Å"don’t fire†. Captain Preston never deviates from the staunch defense of his innocence and the threat to himself and his soldier’s lives throughout his entire narrative. Preston’s article being published in the Essex Gazette reveals that he is attempting to rally support for hi s innocence, from not only the king but all of London too. When the Boston Gazette printed the article they did not change the words of Captain Preston’s letter to London.They instead must have realized their audience, the Boston public, would receive Captain Preston’s description of the events much differently than the king or the people of London did. However, the Boston Gazette editor does put a negative introduction of the article at the top of Captain Preston’s letter to London, stating â€Å"how greatly the conduct of the town has been misrepresented. † This quote reveals the stark contrast of interpretation of the letter between the king of England and the Boston public.Both newspapers print the same article but have two completely different audiences with two completely different opinions of the need for British troops in Boston. The American Promise text, uses a more comprehensive approach when explaining the events of the Boston Massacre. The te xt gives more information about the transactions between the Bostonians and the soldiers leading up to the bloodshed on March 5th, 1770. For example, the soldiers are explained as â€Å"grating on the nerves of the Bostonians† by conducting drills on the town Common and â€Å"playing loud music on the Sabbath†, a day of rest and contemplation for the townspeople.Furthermore, during this time, colonists were beginning to assert their independence from England by boycotting trade with the Nonconsumption Agreements in 1768 and the Virginia Resolves in 1765. This period of time in the colonies is glutted with conflict between the uncompromising rule of the monarchy of England and the desire for representation and independence of the colonies. These two aforementioned Captain Preston’s recollection of the events were, like all peoples point of view, biased and sympathetic to oneself. The Bostonians had a contrasting interpretation of the events.And the textbook seems to collect all of these opinions and present them the best that it can. By reading Captain Preston’s primary document about the Boston Massacre, one can get a deeper understanding of what his emotional response was to the events. Reading someone’s opinion of an event draws the reader into the author’s point of view for a few moments and allows one to begin to understand what it must have felt like for the author. Primary documents have are a great way to step back in time and look at the world through someone else’s eyes. Someone who has grown up in a different place with different rules and standards.

Advantages and Disadvantages of A Single Sex Education

Why would anyone want to go to an all girls' school? This is a question I have often pondered. Can you imagine school without the obnoxious comments from boys, football games, and gossiping about boys? This doesn't sound like a lot of fun, does it? You girls may think about this and decide there are no advantages to an all girls' school, but in reality, all girls' schools have many. Believe it or not, having boys around is not the most important factor in our education. In fact, boys in the classroom are actually a setback. All girls' schools are more advantageous than coeducational schools because there are fewer distractions, you will have a higher self esteem socially and academically, and you will be more successful academically. Let's face it, we are obsessed with boys. We act and dress with only a boy's opinion in mind. Boys not only preoccupy our minds in a social setting, but in the classroom as well. We know that we know the answers to the questions in school, but we often avoid raising our hand in class. Why? We are afraid that the answer might be wrong, and the boys will laugh at us. Even worse, we might be right, and then they will think we are nerds! We also must confess that we tend to space out during lessons and daydream about the star quarterback two seats over. These distractions could be eliminated if boys are removed from the setting. Without them, we could focus on education rather than what they think of us. Self-esteem is another issue that will improve with the absence of the male species in the classroom. In high school, there is an extreme amount of pressure to fit in. Some may not fit in, and some prey on others in order to fit in and increase their own self esteem. Usually it is the boys who will tease us, whether it's because they like us or they want to get a laugh out of their friends. This teasing can crush our confidence and cause us to become very self-conscious. Without boys, we can confidently walk down the hallway without dodging annoying boys who relentlessly torture us. Some may say, â€Å"What about other girls? † Girls can definitely be cruel and catty, but usually this bitterness towards another girl sprouts from a boy, whether she stole your boyfriend or he likes her better. How many times have you found yourself gossiping with your friends about how you are much prettier than the girl your crush likes? Girls would get along better if there were no boys around to fight about. Boys will not get in the way of friendships, which are far more important than relationships, making the high school experience much better for a girl. A single sex atmosphere will also increase our self-esteem academically. Studies prove that women do better in single sex schools and have higher self-esteems (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman 90). In coed classrooms, boys receive more attention, whether it is criticism or praise, than we do (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman 91). How often does a teacher stop a class to yell at a typically obnoxious boy? We therefore feel ignored by our teachers. This has a dramatic effect on our confidence in the classroom. In an all girls' school we can receive our teacher's attention more frequently and ask questions without feeling embarrassed. More attention means more praise, which we clearly deserve. The increase in attention from our teachers will help to increase our academic self-esteem. The most important advantage of an all girls' school, however, is academic success. Did you know that coed schools are structured around the development of male students? Writing, reading, and math concepts, such as long division, are introduced to us when a boy's mind is ready to process and understand the information (Cooner, Knight, and Wiseman, 90). The fact that we were developmentally ready to understand this information a few years ago is ignored. I find that completely unfair and I'm sure that you can agree. Girls develop math and verbal skills faster than boys do, so we rarely experience any challenges in the classroom. No wonder we are so bored! Our boredom can negatively affect our achievement. I reiterate the fact that the teachers often ignore female students, even high achieving females. This discourages us from exerting ourselves in their schoolwork. Why bother pulling an all-nighter preparing for a presentation when a boy is going to receive more attention for his presentation anyway? An all girls' school is structured around our development, which poses an academic challenge to us. We will then strive to succeed and in turn receive praise from our teachers. Our increased interest in our schoolwork improves our attitudes as well as our grades, which will help us in the future. Better grades will increase our opportunities to attend good colleges and get good jobs. Our increase in confidence will prepare us for these jobs that we will be able to get with a good education. You still may not be convinced that an all girls' school is better than a coeducational school because you are wondering how it's possible to meet boys if they are not in school. Don't worry girls! There are tons of places to meet boys. There are boys everywhere (except in all girls' schools of course) including the mall and your neighborhood. Let's consider another fact. If an all girls' school exists in your town or nearby, chances are an all boys' school is not far off. If not, where would all of the boys go? Trust me, the boys are looking for us girls as much as we are looking for them. Clearly, this issue is not an obstacle in your social life. Life without boys? It sounds worse than it really is. You can now see that having boys in the classroom is a setback for us girls. Without them around, we can focus on our valuable education. We will have all attention focused on our work and our needs, which is very beneficial to receiving an effective education. We can also focus on forming friendships with other girls in the school without worrying about them stealing our boyfriends. Catty gossip can be eliminated from everyday school life, allowing us to fully concentrate on our education. Our education should be our first priority in life, and an all girls school in turn makes us their first priority, improving the quality of our education.