Fahrenheit 451 Essay

Fahrenheit 451 Synthesis Essay In the book Fahrenheit 451, author Ray Bradbury describes a futuristic society in which it is normal for an average individual to shun and absolutely loathe books. The main character, Guy Montag, works as a fireman, and his job description consists of burning books instead of preventing fires. Television is a major topic in this book, and for the most part, is portrayed as an extremely obsessive and deleterious item.Today, in American society however, television is a much more positive thing, and has a lot to contribute to a healthy, connected, and well informed society. In American society, television can save lives instead of destroying them. Tim Leberecht, a well-reputed blogger and columnist, proclaims, â€Å"studies indicate enormous potential for TV to serve as a health educator† (Leberecht). Television provides us with information about how to keep better health in an interesting and effective way. By using drama and popular culture refere nces, TV educates us about health concerns and ways to prevent them.Bradbury obviously does not realize this aspect of television when he states on page 21, â€Å"If we had a fourth wall, why it’d be like this room wasn’t ours at all, but all kind of exotic people’s rooms† (Bradbury 21). Montag’s wife, Mildred, tries to convince Guy to get her a fourth TV wall, which would completely enclose her in a fake TV world. In reality, however, people make much more out of TV than in this fake, futuristic society. Television today has transformed into a machine that can make us grasp and learn difficult items with ease. TV can make us smarter (as it) contains multi threaded storylines featuring fifteen or more characters,† states www. designmind. com (Leberecht). These complexities in plot make us think extensively and outside the box, and push our minds to the limits of our computing ability. Unfortunately for the natives of the futuristic society in Fahrenheit 451, television only contains useless information that drives viewers to forget information about their families. â€Å"When did we meet? And where? † Montag asks his wife (Bradbury 42).TV has driven them to forget about the people that live in their own homes, as it depicted as a very negative concept. In our modern day television, however, we have the ability to understand and comprehend complicated ideas as a family, and serves to unite rather than disperse families through the art of learning. Television breaks down barriers and taps into our better selves. Tim Leberecht pronounces that â€Å"After the 1965 Watts Riots, CBS Journalist Joe Saltzman produced Black on Black, a documentary about what it means to be black in Los Angeles† (Leberecht).Television series, documentaries, and movies help to break down barriers and restrictions between race, gender, color, and creed, and make us knowledgeable about the fact that everyone is created equally in these measures. Without the aid of TV, many important movements around the world would not have taken place. A study conducted by Hollywood, Health & Society, shows that â€Å"viewers of the episode (of CBS show Numb3rs on an organ donation storyline) were more likely to become registered organ donors† (Leberecht). Television informs us about ways that we can better ourselves as well as help others.On page 20 of Fahrenheit 451, Mildred memorizes the simplistic and useless storylines of the television shows she watches (Bradbury 20). On the other hand, in the real world we have many TV programs where we can learn and apply the right things to do in life, instead of committing to memory the ways to respond to a fake TV family and life. Television brings family and friends together in ways that make everyone feel comfortable and entertained. â€Å"Televised events like the Super Bowl, the Olympics and the World Cup give us a rare opportunity to share a moment in time with the world, † proclaims Tim Leberecht of www. esignmind. com (Leberecht). With our busy lives, we almost never take out time to spend with our loved ones, and these televised events are when the majority of people meet up and have fun. â€Å"Millie? Does the White Clown love you? Does your ‘family’ love you, love you with all their heart and soul, Millie? † Montag asks Mildred (Bradbury 77). Guy Montag is questioning his wife out of desperation, and is extremely curious to know if she believes that her fake TV family really loves her. From this we can see that he is truly disappointed with life and his wife’s immoral addiction to television.We must keep in mind that our society today is not as dumbed down and obsessed with fake parlor shows that spread real, tangible people apart as Mildred is. TV today is a source of knowledge and learning, and creates the perfect circumstances and settings for the getting together of the people that really matter the most. One of the most important aspects of television is its ability to strengthen democracy and teach the law. â€Å"Seventy-two percent (of the US population) learn about elections and candidates from TV news,† states www. designmind. om (Leberecht). TV brings us information that is essential to maintaining our freedom and our guaranteed rights. It also provides us with news about the world, and of countries that have strayed off the path of democracy and the consequences that they are forced to endure through because of that. â€Å"The search is over, Montag is dead; a crime against society has been avenged,† claims the TV news anchor in Fahrenheit 451 (Bradbury 149). In reality, Guy is still alive and on the loose, but the news gives out fake information to the population.The news in Montag’s society is just a source of propaganda, instead of the true, insightful, informative, un-biased news we have broadcasting 24/7 in the modern day United States. Television saves lives, empowers health, makes us smarter, breaks down barriers, makes us better people, brings loved ones together, and strengthens democracy. TV is clearly a force that informs, entertains, and makes us the best that we can possibly be every single day. Works Cited Leberecht, Tim. â€Å"10 Reasons Why TV Is Good For You. † Design Mind. 27 July 2010. Web. 11 Mar. 2013. Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1967. Print.

Housing & Development Board Analysis Essay

This is the highest rate of increase this year compared to the 0. 1-per cent drop in the first quarter and the 0. 4-per cent increase in the second quarter. It was also higher than the flash estimate of 0. 5 per cent released earlier this month. Meanwhile, resale prices of Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats in Singapore hit a record high. HDB’s Resale Price Index (RPI) rose from 194 in the second quarter of this year to 197. 9 in the third quarter. This represents an increase of two per cent over the previous quarter, the same as that of the flash estimate released on October 1. – Evidence for an increase demand for resale flats  But with a bumper crop of 27,000 Build-to-Order flats being rolled out this year, analysts said the resale market may be showing signs of moderating. Growth for the first three-quarters of this year is 3. 9 per cent. This is lower than the annual RPI growth of 14. 1 per cent in 2010, and 10. 7 per cent last year. Donald Han, special advisor at HSR Property Consultants, said: â€Å"Buyers who are able to wait for the product to be completed in 24 to 36 months are getting better value proposition in terms of cheaper prices, and perhaps better amenities compared to one who’s buying a resale flat. The volume of resale transactions also fell for the first time in 12 months. Resale transactions also fell by about six per cent from 7,011 cases in second quarter to 6,560 cases in the third. – Number of buyers dropped The last fall in resale transactions was in the third quarter of last year when transactions fell from 6,581 in the second quarter, to 5,903 in the third. Analysts said that this might not be because buyers are staying away, but because there is a short supply of resale flats in the market. – Reason for the decrease in the demand (Isnt this is for supply? The number of sellers in market. ) They added that this has pushed the median cash-over-valuation (COV) up by S$4,000 to S$5,000 compared to the last quarter. According to real estate firm Propnex, COVs hovered between S$25,000 and $28,000 in the first two quarters, before rising to $30,000 in Q3. This means a 20 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter. Chris Koh, director of Chris International, said: â€Å"Regardless of whether there are BTO flats, if private property prices are too high, many are unable to afford private property. So they turn to a resale market to buy a flat instead. So you still see a strong demand from those not eligible to buy brand new flats, those who can’t afford private property and have to buy a resale flat. – Reason for the increase in the demand. (Price of related good) â€Å"There’s one more group, I call them the ‘downgraders’. They have cashed out their private property, that’s why they don’t mind paying a premium for some of these resale flats. † In the rental market, subletting transactions rose by about four per cent. The number of cases increased from 6,891 in the second quarter to 7,142 cases in the third quarter. The total number of HDB flats approved for subletting also rose to 42,920 units in the third quarter, compared to 41,814 units in the second. Mr Han said: â€Å"In the last five years, prices have not gone south. In fact, prices have grown by 92 to 93 per cent since five years ago†¦ So, a lot of the able sellers are keeping it for hopefully higher capital returns for the next 12 months. (supply) If you look into a rental proposition, HDB rental flats – if you look at average four-room or five-room, you’re looking at roughly about S$2,000 to S$2,500 per month. It provides a very good fertile ground support for tenants out in the market looking for cheap accommodation. â€Å"The yield coming from HDB apartments is fairly attractive as well, compared to other classes of residential property. We’re looking at yields of 4. 5 to five per cent, compared to private properties which would be about 2. 5 to about 3. 5 per cent. â€Å" Mr Koh added: â€Å"I’m not sure if there’s a co-relation, but I won’t deny that if prices of resale flats are too high, some would not be able to afford it. So the next best option will be to rent and wait for prices to come down. â€Å"- Reason for decrease in demand when price rise. (Taste and preference? ) The HDB said it introduced a new e-service on Monday to enable the public to search for the market rentals of entire HDB flats rented out by owners. It is hoped that this will allow better transparency in the subletting market, and help potential tenants and flat owners make informed decisions.

Question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Question - Assignment Example He also said that death is nothing compared to injustice (48b6-7) Socrates perceive the â€Å"Laws† from the point of gratitude that Athens provided him the birthplace, raised and took care of him. He was also educated in Athens and protected him and his fellow citizens. It is therefore incumbent upon him to obey the state as it raised and took care of him. This tacit contract is enforceable for as long as one stays in Athens. If one is not amenable to follow the laws of Athens or state, one is free to leave Athens and go somewhere else. But if they chose to stay, they must submit to the laws of the state. and if they do not like what they see, they are free to take their property and go wherever they please. However, if they choose to stay in Athens, they are actively submitting themselves to the Laws of Athens, and must abide by them no matter what.   Gadfly is a harsh critic of the status quo who is already contented with how things are done even if they are in slumber. The term was used in one of the most inflammatory arguments in the Apology was when Socrates described himself as a gadfly who is stinging a lazy horse which is a state. The personalities I can think of in history that is appropriate to be called a gadfly are Luther Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Martin Luther King is a gadfly because he went against the status quo of discrimination and removed the injustice against African American. Rosa Parks on the other hand went against the patriarchal society and asserted the equal rights of

Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 11

Germany - Essay Example As per Benjamin Freedman, the Zionists which consisted of the Jews from Germany were the main people, who wanted America to enter the Second World War, to fight against Germany and help Britain. Hence the Zimmermann telegram could have been just a pretext. Till then America had been very much neutral in the war and was having trading ties with Great Britain. 2. Woodrow Wilson pointed out that, the entry of US in its war against Germany would automatically pull them into the Second World War, which would mark the beginning of a new era of bloodshed and arrogance on the part of the US. Thus if the US had remained out of the war, it would have made Germany become a superpower and dominate the world affairs. ( www.eyewitnesstohistory.com ) Thus history had changed its course due to the US participation in the war, which made it much powerful due its military might and a superpower of the world. Thus US would have been a much peaceful nation and would not have made many countries its enemy, if it had kept out of the Second World

Reasons for doing volunteer work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reasons for doing volunteer work - Essay Example Nupur (2008) stated that volunteers possess great energy, optimistic attitude and big hearts. Working with such people and witnessing less fortunate lives gives one the opportunity to improve one’s perception and attitude towards life. This opportunity makes one appreciate small things in life, rather than complaining over petty problems. According to i to i Volunteering (n.d.) stated that alongside changing one’s perception of life, individuals gain experience in different professions and management areas; for example, working for a shelter home may give one the experience of making meals for hundreds of people or managing a fund raising event may give the opportunity to improve management skills. Volunteer work may demand occasional travelling to foreign countries that gives one the chance of learning about the traditions and customs of another culture. Therefore, it can be stated that volunteer work has many personal, as well as communal reasons for attracting people towards

Business and Ethic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business and Ethic - Essay Example Members of different groups traditionally have been underrepresented and disadvantaged socially, politically, and economically. Also, critics distinguish social categorization processes; the nature of evaluative, conscious, and affective issues that are elicited; and the sign of stereotypes and differentiated emotional changes (Gilbert et al 2001). Discrimination and prejudices are unethical because they violate constitutional rights and freedoms, they are illegal and unlawful. Social and individual differences have a great impact on human relations and discrimination issues and lead to such problems as low motivation and poor communication, unequal treatment, unfair labor relations and aggression. Thus, the constitution and modern society is based on freedom of expression and freedom of speech. every individual has a right to express different attitudes and opinions, have certain religious beliefs and belong to a particular culture. In spite of these issues, the main cause of discrimination is different attitudes caused by social variations and backgrounds. Complicating the interpersonal dimensions of dealing with competence, of course, is the competitive atmosphere, both within and among firms. In order to avoid discrimination and prejudices, definitions and descriptions of competent work must be clear, consistent, and fairly applied.

Article Critique Union Labor Relations Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Critique Union Labor Relations - Article Example The increase in employees who join labor unions results in a subsequent rise in, their average income and a rise in the wage flow into the economical domain (Madland, 2009). His conclusion is that by all means, employees should join labor unions as it serves both economic and moral purposes. A couple of points in the author’s argument cannot be debated. They are logical, accurate, and reasonable. The assertion that sustainability can only occur if workers receive adequate rewards and get the freedom to buy their goods is correct. In a situation where the reverse occurs, workers feel cheated resulting in constant strikes, boycotts and go slows. This stalls economic development in the long term. Furthermore, the moral aspect of working ought to be fulfilled; it is not fair for those that build an economy to receive the least of its profits (Madland, 2009). The assertion that should the Employee Free Choice Act become legalized, union membership will have an increase is also of certainty. This validates union membership and strengthens their function, hence attracting membership. However, the author makes a point that cannot be validated. The assumption that unions always work to the good of an economy is the most doubtful of them all. If an economy becomes corrupted, then every sector in it malfunctions. Unions cannot be set aside from the malfunction that is within the United States economy. Unions in the modern day have become less accountable to the employees. There are certain moves and strategies made by labor unions that union members are not aware of and yet they are meant to protect their interests. The reason the number of unionized workers is much lower in the 21st century than it was in the 1950s is the lack of transparency. Union membership can be beneficial, but the author has exaggerated the impact it has on an economy. While unions benefit individual growth, their impact on the economy

Web Accessibility Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web Accessibility Standards - Essay Example These standards provide the parameter, to make a place, website etc more easily accessible to people with disabilities. However, the standards are not same for every aspect of life that is to be made more accessible. The accessibility standards are different for physical structure and for the electronic structure like websites because the accessibility need for both is different. The focus of web accessibility is primarily on two issues first being the means of assessing electronic information by disabled users and the second being the good collaborative function of assistive devices on the web pages (Moss, pp. 23-25). In this regard, â€Å"Web Accessibility Initiative† provides guidelines known as â€Å"Web Content Accessibility Guidelines† (Moss, pp. 22-23). To date, two guidelines have been published known as â€Å"WCAG 1.0† in 1999 and â€Å"WCAG 2.0† in 2008 (Moss, pp. 24-26). The latest set of guidelines i.e. â€Å"WCAG 2.0† is an improved version, which unlike the previous version uses simple language and real-world examples so that the guidelines are simple to understand. This document has eliminated some previous out of date version guidelines like: Although no development has been made in term of accessibility, considerations and they represent old issues. However, the five most important accessibility considerations, which the web developer is to keep in his mind while designing and modifying any website are: Rich media content accessibility: Rich media like audio and video content is to be made accessible to all. Addition of transcripts and separate narrative track to the rich media help in it to be more accessible. Navigation: As mostly navigation system is based on graphics, making the image accessible will make navigation assessable right away. Use of access key and table index helps improve keyboard navigation.

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) Essay

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) - Essay Example He battered down government regulations and interference to make banking far more global than before, but he had to face immense criticism for raising voice for laissez-faire Capitalism. Some blamed Walter for bringing excessive loans to third world countries by contraindicating with government regulations for charging interest. According to his biographer Phillip Zweig: â€Å"he was a shy, insecure, and trembling personality† as a rising executive but he revolutionized the old systems in a magnificent way. Huey Peirce Long was the former governor of Louisiana and a Democrat politician, reputed as the champion of common people. He was remnant of Populist ideology and criticized Federal Reserve Bank intensely. He believed that its policies were responsible for Great Depression; so he launched Share Our Wealth Plan but failed to elaborate how he will institute it. He was known for extremist mannerism against his opponents, preoccupation with presidential ambitions and flamboyant lifestyle. Long was successful as Louisiana governor in 1928 elections by winning enough support by his enormous campaigns, criticizing corporate sector and depicting the wealthy as parasites. It is also to be noted that he worked more for his state Louisiana, compared to the nation (Brinkley, 1983). His life has enjoyed fascination in literature, movies, and music Just when he started gaining more fame, he was assassinated and this has left his story, headstrong, charismatic yet unaccomplished. William Allen White (1868- 1944); was an influential American journalist, â€Å"the Emporia Gazette† former editor, a liberal Republican politician and the leader of Progressive movement in Kansas. He emerged as the spokesperson for the Middle America in his time. White gained attention all over the country because of his undaunted editorials in the Emporia Gazette, against the

Program Development and Evaluation Essay Example for Free

Program Development and Evaluation Essay Early Childhood Education focuses on the education, language, culture, development and care of young children. As a profession, Early Childhood Education has emerged as one of the major vehicles for child-advocacy in the provision of accessible, high-quality child care and pre-school education. Child care, in this society of increasingly busy working couples, is an important service in the community. Whether it is called child care, kindergarten, preschool, a developmental learning center, a child development center, or one of many other names, they are all providing the important service of caring for our precious children. The increased demand for early childhood education services is partly due to the increased recognition of the crucial importance of experiences during the earliest years of life. Children’s experiences during early childhood not only influence their later functioning in school but can have effects throughout life. For example, current research demonstrates the early and lasting effects of children’s environments and experiences on brain development and cognition (Chugani, Phelps, Mazziotta, 1987). Positive, supportive relationships, important during the earliest years of life, appear essential not only for cognitive development but also for healthy emotional development and social attachment (Stern, 1985). The preschool years are an optimum time for development of fundamental motor skills, language development (Dyson Genishi, 1993), and other key foundational aspects of development that have lifelong implications. In Australia, early childhood educational programs cover a 0-8 years age range. In the state of New South Wales, Kindergarten is the first year of compulsory schooling thus it is governed by the NSW Department of Education and Training and the curriculum content governed by the NSW Board of studies. Child care, on the other hand refers to the care of infants (ages 0-5) by other people during specific periods when the parents are at work. With this set-up, different programming methods are employed. The difference between child care and kindergarten is that kindergarten is an educational experience while child care tends to be care giving so that both parents can work. Good child care programs offer experienced, well-educated teachers who promote childrens cognitive and social development. Kindergarten programs, on the other hand, have set programming standards that are based on the curriculum content governed by the NSW Board of studies. However, in the light that infants and up to kindergarten age belong to the early childhood category, it is best that programming should be the same. It should be able to provide the necessary resources to ensure that every student is offered a high-quality learning environment that prepares a child for further schooling. The purpose of this paper is to present the basis that programming for all early childhood educational programs in NSW should, for the most part, be the same regardless of the setting in which the program exists. Main Body Programming is the process of setting an order and time for planned events or activities. It is the designing, scheduling, or planning of a program. In a formal education setting, syllabus is prepared to outline the set of activities or programs. In NSW schools, teaching and learning programs and the assessing and reporting of student achievement relate directly to the learning outcomes and curriculum content provided in the NSW Board of Studies K-6 syllabuses. As clearly stated in the K-6, programming for kindergarten falls under this curriculum. These syllabuses are grouped into six key learning areas (KLAs). Creative and Practical Arts English Human Society and Its Environment Mathematics Personal Development, Health and Physical Education Science and Technology (Retrived Aug. 31,2006 from http://www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/primary/index. htm) The Board of Studies develops a syllabus for each of the learning areas. Along with a defined aim, each syllabus has a set of objectives and outcomes, expressed in terms of knowledge and understandings, skills, values and attitudes. On the other hand, mostly day care in NSW are managed by community organizations, local councils or private operators. These day care and other childrens services are licensed by the Department of Community Services. NSW Department of Education and Training employs an early childhood trained teacher and a teachers aide in each preschool class. Teachers plan an educational program, which nurtures each childs self esteem, well being and development. The preschool or day care program is designed to stimulate childrens thinking, communicating, investigating, exploring and problem solving skills. Children are encouraged to join in physical activities and to develop good health and safety habits. The program includes play based activities that help children learn how to interact positively with other children and to recognize and accept their own feelings and those of others. The program also supports the development of early language, literacy and numerical skills. In terms of child upbringing however, it is always advocated that child care is inherently inferior to parental care. However, independent studies suggest that good child care for non-infants is not harmful. In some cases, good child care can provide different experiences than parental care does, especially when children reach two and are ready to interact with other children. A study appearing in Child Development in July/August 2003 found that the amount of time spent in child care before four-and-a-half tended to correspond with the childs tendency to be less likely to get along with others, to be disobedient, and to be aggressive, although still within the normal. On the other hand, bad child care puts the children at physical, emotional and attachment risk. As a matter of social policy, child care should also be regulated by the government so as to ensure quality early childhood education. A good early childhood education program should instruct children in different skill areas that they would need in further schooling. Such skill areas include learning to read, to do math, to progress in science, and to understand the world and how it works. Through early childhood education programs, children are able to become familiar with books, words, language use, numbers and problem solving, as well as important social skills (paying attention in class and peer relationships). Through all these activities, teachers should create positive relationships through warm, sensitive, and responsive care, which will help children feel valued and gain more from their learning experiences. Children need positive relationships so that they feel comfortable and learn how to cooperate with others. This is where skilled early childhood educators should come in. Early childhood care and kindergarten education need teachers who are educated enough to handle young children from infancy through age six. Relationships between teachers and families are also important, and help build environments that nurture childrens growth and development. Children observe the interactions between caregivers and their parents, and what they observe in these interactions is used to build their own relationship with these new adults in their lives. This is a process called social referencing (Hutchins Sims, 1999). There are many ways that quality early childhood programs build relationships with children and among teachers and adults. In visiting a program, how teachers interact with the children fostering positive relationships is clearly seen. Classrooms are welcoming to all children, and children are encouraged to join the group. Teachers communicate with children in a warm manner, including laughing and showing affection, and responding to their needs. Teachers use a gentle tone of voice with children, and bend down to speak with them at eye level. Teachers provide a balance of group activities and one-on-one activities, to encourage children to develop both group and individual relationships. Children in turn have opportunities to play and interact with other children, who help them build friendships and develop social skills, such as working together and taking turns. In good child care program, infants get individual attention from teachers, who communicate with smiles and other nonverbal behavior, and also talk with them, so that infants start to recognize and understand words. Quality early childhood programs foster positive relationships among the children, between children and adults, and among teachers and families to help children get a great start on learning. In view of the need to acquire good educators, the development of professional standards for teachers has grown in importance in the field of education in Australia and overseas. At the national level, development of the National Framework for Professional Standards for Teaching is a key initiative. The Competency Framework for Teachers was created and standards were developed by national teaching associations for English, Mathematics and Science. This Framework is the product of a comprehensive consultation process involving teachers, professional associations, tertiary institutions, the Australian Education Union and other key stakeholders. The Competency Framework for Teachers articulates the complex nature of teaching by describing three professional elements of teachers’ work: attributes, practice and knowledge. These elements work in an interrelated way as they are put into practice in classrooms. Early childhood professionals working in diverse situations and resources are responsible for implementing practices that are developmentally appropriate for the children they serve. These teachers have an ethical responsibility to practice, to the best of their ability, according to the standards of their profession. They are required to acquire the knowledge and practical skills needed to practice through college-level specialized preparation in early childhood education/child development. Moreover, aside from teachers, administrators of early childhood programs are also encouraged to acquire necessary skills in maintaining good practices in their field. In addition to management and supervision skills, administrators have appropriate professional qualifications, including training specific to the education and development of young children, and they provide teachers time and opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues and parents. Providing appropriate curriculums or programs to meet the desires of individual children who learn at different rates and in different ways needs much skill and knowledge from the educator or teacher. In planning the everyday program a wide range of teaching strategies will be needed that involve individual, and large and small group activities. Not simply should the provision offer children opportunities for a broad range of creative and ingenious play activities, but there must be sufficient time and space to permit children to develop and extend their play, sometimes alone and at times in the company of other children or an adult. Programs have changed in response to social, economic, and political forces. However, these changes have not always taken into account the basic developmental needs of young children, which have remained constant. Programs should be tailored to meet the needs of children, rather than expecting children to adjust to the demands of a specific program. In the Hyson, Hirsh-Pasek, and Rescorla study (1990), pre-school children enrolled in child-initiated programs displayed lower levels of test anxiety than children enrolled in academic programs, regardless of parental preferences for classroom approaches. In the second study (Burts et al. , 1990), children in inappropriate classrooms exhibited more total stress behaviors throughout the day and more stress behaviors during group times and workbook/worksheet activities. Early childhood teaching is simply and completely about children and their well being. The tenet that each child is unique is basic in early childhood philosophy. It is very important therefore that early childhood educators should plan flexible programs that accommodate individual growth. Additionally, an early childhood perspective acknowledges the importance of providing children with opportunities to interact, understand and cooperate in groups (Day Drake, 1986). In view of these arguments, the principle of programming in the framework of the KLA and in the context of a formal academic education should not yet be employed in the early childhood education, in particular, kindergarten class. The Curriculum for early childhood education must be subjected to vigilant evaluation. The program should see children as active learners, supporting them to become self-determining, being problem solvers and decision makers. It should not be a stiff program but offers a framework for childrens learning. Though it has much in common with usual nursery practice, it places greater accountability upon children for planning and executing their own actions. Working on an idea of the plan, do and review, the environment is arranged so that it optimizes childrens learning, using key experiences to examine and plan for the individual needs of children, for instance adult-child communication strategies, partnership with parents, observation and record keeping. The key experiences embedded concept of active learning are: †¢ Using language such as depicting objects, events and relations; †¢ Active learning such as controlling, transforming and mixing materials; †¢ Characterizing ideas and experiences such as role playing, pretending; †¢ Developing rational reasoning such as learning to label, match and sort objects; †¢ Understanding time and space such as evoking and anticipating events, learning to get things in the classroom. (Curtis, A. , 1999) These key experiences not only offer the framework for planning and evaluating activities but also facilitate the staff to guide children from one learning incident to another. They suggest questions to put to the children and facilitate staff to assess childrens development and offer a basis for discussion with the parents. To achieve individually appropriate programs for young children, early childhood teachers must work in partnership with families and communicate regularly with the childrens parents. During early childhood, children are largely dependent on their families for identity, security, care, and a general sense of well being. Communication between families and teachers helps build mutual understanding and guidance, and provides greater consistency for children. Joint planning between families and teachers facilitates major socialization processes, such as toilet learning, developing peer relationships, and entering school. Mutual sharing of information and insights about the individual childs needs and developmental strides help both the family and the program. Regular communication and understanding about child development form a basis for mutual problem solving about concerns regarding behavior and growth. Teachers seek information from parents about individual children. Teachers promote mutual respect by recognizing and acknowledging different points of view to help minimize confusion for children. The positive attributes of parent/teacher relationships are relatively easy to develop when teachers and parents have the same backgrounds, speak the same languages, share values and goals for children, and, in general, like one another. Parents are also more likely to relate to their childrens caregivers and teachers in positive ways, and are aware of the conditions under which the staff is working. For both parents and teachers, continuity of the children’s educational experience is critical to their development. Such continuity results from communication both horizontally, as children change programs within a given year, and vertically, as children move on to other settings. As such, programming of early childhood education should be based more on creative learning and not on rigid academic programs and they should be the same from child care to kindergarten. Lastly, the community and the society at large also have a stake in the quality of early childhood programs. Early childhood education entails an informed community willing to act upon the idea that high quality early education is necessary for future generations (Pascall, C. and Bertram, T. , 1997). When early childhood programs succeed in getting children off to a good start, families, schools, and communities will be strengthened. Children will grow up to be responsible, law abiding and productive citizens who will contribute to the country’s progress. In this sense, posterity itself eventually reaps the benefits of high-quality early educational experiences. Conclusion Curriculums and programs are frequently viewed only in terms of the product or the content to be taught. It is far more encompassing than this, though. The curriculum should also be considered in terms of the processes linking to learning and teaching, the objectives that both teachers and learners hold, the contradictory social and cultural experiences’ learners and teachers bring, and the realities that occur from classroom interactions and situations. In early childhood education, set programming standards that are based on academic formal structure and being practiced in classrooms should not be employed. Teaching and learning programs and the assessing and reporting of student achievement that relates directly to the learning outcomes and curriculum content provided in the NSW Board of Studies K-6 syllabuses is not yet applicable and favorable for very young minds. Instead, programs and teaching practices in early childhood settings should be more responsive to the needs and interests of the children. Programs should include a plan of activities that matches the childrens needs and promotes their independence. The plan should contain activities and exercises that help children to develop social, motor, language, and thinking skills. Programs should also provide a variety of experiences designed to encourage exploration and problem-solving, and an awareness of how diverse the world is beyond the home. Daily morning schedule for kindergarten as well as child care should be very similar. The only difference between the two settings is that kindergarten school children tend to arrive all at once while children arrive at child care centers according to their parents work schedules. Early childhood education in both kindergarten and child care settings must actively work to provide learning in a nurturing environment that matches the needs of the children. Parents also have active role in this endeavor. Children learn much from the adults around them, not simply from the planned learning opportunities but also from the customs and routines of daily living. The attitudes of the adults and other children and the shared relationships that are formed are as vital to childrens development as the activities in which they are engaged. The goals of the entire child care community, then, must be to encourage and support early childhood professionals to raise standards in our young children’s education. In providing an effective and successful program for early childhood education, our society and our country will reap the rewards of raising disciplined and productive children who will contribute greatly in our communities. References: †¢ Burts, Diane C. ; Hart, Craig H. ; Charlesworth, Rosalind; DeWolf, D. Michele; Ray, Jeanette; Manuel, Karen; Fleege, Pamela O. (1993). Developmental appropriateness of kindergarten programs and academic outcomes in first grade. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. Vol 8(1), 23-31. †¢ Bredekamp, S. and Copple, S. (eds) (1997). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (revised edition). Washington DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. †¢ Bredekamp, Sue (ed) (1998). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8. Retrieved from http://www. newhorizons. org/lifelong/childhood/naeyc. html. †¢ Chugani, H. , M. E. Phelps, J. C. Mazziotta. (1987). Positron emission tomography study of human brain functional development. Annals of Neurology 22 (4): 495 †¢ Curtis, A. (1998). Curriculum for the Pre-School Child, second edition, London and New York:Routledge. †¢ Curtis, A. (1999). Evaluating Early Childhood Programmes: Are we asking the right questions? Paper presented at Early Childhood Conference, Santiago, March 1999. †¢ Edwards, C. , Gandini, L. and Forman, G. (eds) (1998). The Hundred Languages of Children, second edition, London: Ablex Publishing Corporation. †¢ Glascot, Kathleen. (1994). A Problem Theory for Early Childhood Professional. Childhood Education. Proofquest Education Journal, Vol. 70,3,131. †¢ Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Hyson, Marion; Rescorla, Leslie. (1990). Academic environments in preschool: Do they pressure or challenge young children? Early Education and Development, Vol. 1(6), 401-423. †¢ Hutchins, T. Sims, M. (1999). Program Planning for Infants and Toddlers: An Ecological Approach. Sydney: Prentice Hall. †¢ University of Illinois, Children’s Research Center. DAP:What Does Research Tell Us?. Retrieved Aug 31 from http://ceep. crc. uiue. edu. †¢ Website of NSW Dept . of Education and Training. Retrieved Aug, 31, 2006 from http://www. curriculumsupport. education. nsw. gov. au/primary/index. html

Universalism and Relativism in Human Rights

Universalism and Relativism in Human Rights One of the most pertinent issues of the past twenty years has been the conflict between two different ideologies of human rights on a national scale, universalism, and cultural relativism. Universalism holds that more primitive cultures will eventually evolve to have the same system of law and rights as Western cultures. Cultural relativists hold an opposite, but similarly rigid viewpoint, that a traditional culture is unchangeable. Much like the question whether a tolerant society should tolerate intolerance, the debate between universalism and cultural relativism is more convoluted than it appears. In universalism, an individual is a social unit, possessing inalienable rights, and driven by the pursuit of self interest. In the cultural relativist model, a community is the basic social unit. Concepts such as individualism, freedom of choice, and equality are absent. It is recognized that the community always comes first. This doctrine has been exploited by many states, which decry any impositions of western rights as cultural imperialism. These states ignore that they have adopted the western nation state, and the goal of modernization and economic prosperity. Cultural relativism is in itself a very arbitrary idea, cultures are rarely unified in their viewpoints on different issues, it is always those who hold the microphone [that] do not agree (http://www.aasianst.org/Viewpoints/Nathan.htm). This discourse begs the question that in precisely what way are human rights Western. And even if they were Western in 1948, are they still Western today? Cultural relativism continues to problematize the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since it was adopted in 1948 . In fact, the problem of what universality might mean in a multicultural world haunted the United Nations Human Rights project from the beginning. As soon as news of the project became known, the American Anthropological Association, through the groups executive board, warned the Human Rights Commission through a letter against drafting a statement of rights only in terms of the values prevalent in the countries of Western Europe and America. However, while the anthropologists working from within a framework of cultural relativism issued a warning, the UNESCO Committee on the The Theoretical Bases of Human Rights offered hope by pointing out that even people who seem to be far apart in theory can agree that certain things are so terrible in practice that no one will publicly approve them and that certain things are so good in practice that no one will publicly oppose them. Whenever one group denies rights to another group within a culture, it is usually for their own benefit. Therefore human rights cannot be truly universal unless they are not bound to cultural decisions that are often not made unanimously, and thus cannot represent every individual that these rights apply to. Even though cultural relativism has great problems and a potential for abuse, universalism in its current state is not the ideal solution. Universalism is used by many Western states to negate the validity of more traditional systems of law. For example, if a tribe in Africa is ruled by a chieftain and advised by the twelve most senior villagers, is this system any less representative than the more liberal societies of the West? Is it possible to impose a universal system of human rights if the effects of social change stemming from modernization are not understood or worse yet, ignored? In non-Western societies, industrialization, capitalism, and democracy might not have been the eventual outcome of the process of cultural evolution. These ideologies have been shaped and created by Western imperialism, the slave trade, colonialism, modernization, and consumerism. Todays world shows signs of positive progress towards the universal system of human rights. The declaration of human rights occurred immediately after the atrocities committed during WWII. The globalization of human rights began when the world was awakened to the crimes committed under one government (Hitler), and the need for a more universal system of accountability and responsibility. Through a forum such as the United Nations, cultural differences are better able to be resolved, thereby paving the way for universalism while at the same time recognizing and compromising on the needs of certain cultures. The recent adoption of the International criminal court in June 1998 is an important step in enforcing and promoting the values agreed upon by the member nations. As the world becomes a smaller place with the advent of globalization, universalism makes more sense as a philosophy of human rights. In a world where many people might not be governed by national borders, having fundamen tal human rights instead of ones bound to certain cultures provides the best solution. The question of Westernness versus the universality of human rights remained a live issue throughout the process that led to the framing of the UDHR. In the 1950s the UDHR came under criticism as being Western at the hands of the newly independent states of Asia and Africa. And in the heat of the Cold War, its perceived emphasis on political and civil rights also allowed the countries of the Soviet Bloc to skewer it as such, with the Third World looking on in wonder if the white mans burden was being explouted once again to secure the white mans gain. In 1996, Prime Minister Mohammad Mahathir of Singapore famously declared: Asian values are universal values. European values are European values. (p. xi): Kishore Madhubani writes that any Asian thinker who challenged the prevailing Western ideas in contemporary social and political theory must be advocating the superiority of Asian values. Actually, the only point that most Asians were trying to make was that Asian values were not inferior. They were trying to say that there was a need for a level playing field in the new intellectual debate of the 1990s. With the advantage of historical hindsight, we can now look at those years and see that Asians were not marching out in that period to proselytize to the West, They are only reacting to Western proselytization. The Boston Sunday Globe on 29th April 2001 carried a spread entitled the BIG IDEA followed by the title: Are Human Rights Universal? Or is the West imposing its philosophy on the Rest of the World. It also carried two pieces elaborating divergent perspectives, one by Makau Mutua and the other by John Shattuck, Boston Sunday Globe, 29 April 2001, p. D8. Perhaps it is the intuition of Makau Mutua on this point which finds fuller expression in the following remarks by Upendra Baxi : The more human rights are hailed as the patrimony of the West, the greated is the inclination in most Euroamerican societies towards world hegemony. Also keener, as a result, is the intergovernmental desire in some non-Euroamerican societies to reject the underlying aspiration affirming equal worth of all human beings. not merely repressive regimes but also progressive intellectuals in these societies remain ambivalent towards contemporary human enunciations. And (as Chapter 6 illustrates) progressive Eurocentrism inclines us all towards a postmodernist crtitique of notions of human rights. Authentic intercultural, or even inter-faith, dialogue remains a casualty of warped approaches to histories of human rights ideas and practices. (p. vi of The Future of Human Rights): The principal msg of this work is that the originary authors of human rights are people in struggle and communities of resistance, which standard scholarship demotes to a lowly status Once claims to authorship stand thus pluralized, it follows simply that human rights are not the gifts of the West to the Rest; the dominant discourse is diversionary when it locates the origins of human rights in the Euroamerican tradition and experience and when it pursues endless debates over universality and relativism of human rights. (p. xiv): There is no unified Asian view in human rights and freedom of the press. These are Western concepts. Asians are obliged to react to them An understanding of the Asian reactions is clouded by the fact that many Asians feel obliged to pay at least lip service to Western values. The universalist theory of Human Rights is indeed largely based on Western philosophy and the value it places on the individual. Product of Greek philosophy, Christianity and the Enlightenment thinkers, the universalist approach to Human Rights contends that one can use nature, God, or reason to identify basic rights, inherent to every human, which pre-exist society. Jack Donnelly best summarizes the contemporary doctrine of the universalist approach by putting forward the following conclusions: 1. All humans have rights by virtue of their humanity; 2. A persons rights cannot be conditioned by gender or national or ethnic origin; 3. Human Rights exist universally as the highest moral rights, so no rights can be subordinated to another person (e.g. a husband) or an institution (e.g. the state) By contrast, cultural relativism is based on the idea that there are no objective standards by which others can be judged. The debate between universalism and relativism is as old as the history of philosophy itself and its discussion of truth. Relativism was introduced by, among others, the sophist Protagoras. He rejected objective truth by saying in so many words, later quoted by Plato: The way things appear to me, in that way they exist for me and the way things appear to you, in that way they exist for you. It is a perfect reflection of the European Enlightenment: Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau are its spiritual founding fathers. Indeed the Covenant insists on negative rights, those that limit the role of government and prevent its intrusion in ones life, privacy, and freedom of speech, religion, opinion and association. Political liberalism thus defined has been the force underlying the US Constitution and the US Bill of Rights, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and the French Constitution. It is also the emphasis of the International Human Rights legislation and thus legitimizes the efforts by the West to spread-some say impose-Western models of democracy. This is a first level of contention brought forward by cultural relativism proponents. To limit the role of government and its treatment of nationals is an interference with domestic affairs and a violation of state sovereignty, which for most of them is newly acquired and still fragile. The debate in very simple terms could read as follows: As soon as we (usually Third World countries) are granted independence and sovereignty, you (the West) introduce Human Rights and your style of government as a limit or as a condition. Indeed, the old mission civilisatrice is now replaced by the spread of multiparty democracy. Christianization, civilization, democratization: the rhetoric has changed, the interference has not. Furthermore, there is still the underlying concept that Western culture, because it legitimizes itself behind its pretension to universality, also positions itself as superior to non-western culture. Universalism becomes Westernization. A question remains, if it is westernization, then westernization for what purpose? Once again we need to look back at the history of political liberalism and its expression in the modern Human Rights doctrine. Locke cannot be separated from Adam Smith. Central to a western definition of fundamental freedoms is the right to property. Economic liberalism and political liberalism are brothers and in Western philosophy they are Siamese twins. The freedom to vote is often translated in the freedom to consume and/or the freedom to invest. It is very important that one billion Chinese be free to vote and express their opinion as long as they also choose to buy Motorolas and Marlboros. The link between Western-defined Human Rights and globalization of the economies explains the virulence of the West on the issues of fundamental freedoms. In other terms, critics agree that the universalist discourse barely hides a Western attempt to give a moral legitimization to an economic agenda. The ultimate contradiction lies in the fact that political liberalism has supported the same economic liberalism that has legitimized, for example, the Structural Adjustment Programs of the IMF. The SAPs in turn have been the catalyst for the curtailment of political freedoms and human rights in many developing countries. That the universal Human Rights discourse can disguise a hidden agenda is certainly undeniable. But does this mean by contrast that the cultural relativist discourse is agenda-free? Lets place it under scrutiny. The first level of criticism of the use of cultural relativism as an exception to universal norms, lies in the fact that bringing forward culture at a given time is to fundamentally ignore the dynamic and fluid nature of culture. Cultural relativism adopts a static definition of culture: a snapshot of a group of people and their system of meaning at a given time with the underlying assumption that they will not change. It introduces in the paradigm an element of determinism that has no factual or historical relevance. Static definitions of culture also lead to such statement as traditional ancestral ethnic hatred, which explain conflict in terms of culture, obliterating in the process all other determining parameters such as political economy. However, cultural relativisms most fundamental weakness in the work towards Human Rights lies in the conflict of interest between the people who articulate the argument and those they represent. More often than not, cultural relativism is claimed by repressive regimes whose practices have nothing to do with local or indigenous cultures but more with their own self-preservation.4 Cultural policymakers are those who can speak for the group and articulate the group values to the outside world. Such spokesmen are likely to only stress the elements insuring their position. This is especially important in multi-ethnic or multi-cultural states where not only would it be difficult to establish a national identity based on cultural values but also where one group dominates the others at best, blatantly discriminates at worst. Would someone attempt to define what is the culture in Bosnia-Herzegovina? Or in Rwanda? Culture is a construct much more so than a reality and people can always find di fferent levels of allegiance. Indeed, one critique of cultural relativism is that it leads to fragmentation. Cultural relativism as a tool is a legitimization of a behavior designed to preserve a structure of powers. In a study on Iranian women, Karen Miller illustrates that in rejecting the aspirational character if universalism, relativism merely perpetuates traditional practice. Miller insists notably on the fact that generally women have not taken a large part in determining the culture because traditionally, male activities have set the standards. In fact, violence against women seems to be common in many cultures.5 IV. Reconcilability of the Two Approaches. Neither universalism nor cultural relativism is exempt of political manipulations. Does that mean that neither view carries some validity? Furthermore, if they each carry some validity, are they mutually exclusive? To answer the first question by the affirmative-neither is valid, Human Rights paradigms are tools, therefore they do not have intrinsic values-would be reducing critical thinking to syllogism. Letas more importantly see if both notions can and should be reconciled in theory and in practice. That there exist profound differences of perceptions among cultures or groups of people according to their history, language, and economic circumstances might be true. Does that mean that there exist among them no common points? Not necessarily. It is actually quite remarkable to do a comparative textual analysis between Confucius and Locke and to see how both at different times, insist on the centrality of the concept of Humanity in defining individuals.6 4 Donnelly, Jack. 5 Miller, K. Human Rights of Women in Iran: the Universalist Approach and the Relativist Response. http://www.law.emory.edu/EILR/volumes/win96/miller.html 6 Nicoll, N. Confucianism and Human Rights, unpublished paper. Secondly, disagreeing with the content of what is now presented as universal does not have to mean that there are no values or norms universally agreed upon. Western values may not be universal but it does not mean that universal values do not exist. This leads us to a level of conciliation that would embody a true cross-cultural search of what can be universally agreed upon. Universal standards should be the goals while cultural legitimacy would offer a method. This would be made that much more relevant if those defining the culture were not those in power. The search of commonalties would (in theory) bypass the structures of power. It could forge a necessary dialectic between external attempts to build a universal system and the internal assistance of various civil societies. V. The Obstacle of Law It is precisely at this juncture that we see how the debate between universalism and relativism has contributed to perpetuate a situation that has actually hindered, more than benefited, the cause of Human Rights. The defense of Human Rights has been presented as a legal endeavor among state actors. The debate is essentially a legal debate when texts of international law are being drafted. Discussions then follow on what understanding to give to the term degrading treatment or what reservations can a domestic legislation make in the name of religion, culture or constitution (in the case of the US). The debate concentrates on the content of the legislation or its interpretation or application in domestic law, never on the means itself: the fact that there is an over reliance on law to address Human Rights issues. Actually if there is a western influence, it is to be found in that domain. Law as an absolute value is permeating the international realm. In international law nation-states are both creators and parties. In Human Rights, like in any other domain, states are not going to create universal or local structures that bypass their level of control. The western idea that a good litigation can solve all problems is also present in Human Rights doctrine. The fact is that the Human Rights legislation, which by nature of the international system lacks serious mechanism of enforcement, has acted as a smokescreen and has often diverted efforts and resources from other venues. Victory is claimed when a given country finally adopts an international treaty or adequately adapts its dom estic law, i.e. China signs the ICCPR or Kenya outlaws female circumcision. Efforts can then stop or more realistically, MFN status can be renewed. The issue of course is that most people whose rights are violated do not have equal access to the law-especially true for women in many countries. What difference would a change in the legislation make when you cannot drive or go to an urban center, or for that matter, even read? In addition, the nature itself of the existing legislation on Human Rights has indeed under western influence, favored such rights as privacy and property. The legislation has erected a wall between the public sphere and the private sphere to better protect those rights. This has been ultimately catastrophic for womens rights for most violations of women happen in the private sphere. This is really a domain where one can witness how both theories, universalism and relativism, have had a negative impact by creating a double standard. Men readily accepting western norms of respect for privacy and property and women made to bare the brunt of cultural authenticity within a private sphere made untouchable by virtue of respect for fundamental freedoms. Conclusion The debate between universalism and relativism should be a non-issue. Universal goals and cultural sensitivities can be reconciled in the establishment of realistic strategies. However the debate in its present form contributes to divert attention from more important issues. Is International Law, made by states, the right venue to improve human rights? The effective protection of Human Rights requires a transformation not only of government and laws but of the non-state institutions and practices that the present Human Rights doctrine-universal or relative-does not touch.

Character, Values and Morals in Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Adventures H

Character, Values and Morals in Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚   Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most controversial novels the North American Continent has ever produced.   Since its publication more than a hundred years ago controversy has surrounded the book.   The most basic debate surrounding Twain's masterpiece is whether the book's language and the character of Jim are presented in a racist manner.   Many have called for the book to be banned from our nation's schools and libraries.   Mark Twain's novel is about a young boy who was raised in the south before slavery was abolished, a place where racism and bigotry were the fabric of every day life.   The novel is the account of how Huck Finn, who is a product of these times, transcended the morals and values of these times through his relationship with the escaped slave Jim.   Huckleberry Finn is a mixture of satire and adventure story.   It is a novel about growing up in a time and place that still haunts the living, the American past.   It is about a past, and the origins of that past, that still lie heavy on the American conscience.   This paper will examine the character, morals and values of Huckleberry Finn.   It will discuss his relationship to the values of his society and the conflict that is produced between those values and the relationship that grows between him and Jim during their adventure.       The character of Huck Finn has become a kind of an American folk hero.   He is a kid who knows how to live by his wits.   Perhaps he is a younger American version of the wily Odysseus.   He knows how and when to act and impersonate other people and perhaps most important for a boy in his situation, he knows how to lie.   One must never lose sight of the fact that... ...out a boy trying to find his own way in the days of the South before slavery had ended.   Huck Finn finds adventure and friendship with a runaway slave on a raft headed down the Mississippi River.   And like Odysseus on his adventures, Huck learns much about himself and subsequently we learn more about ourselves.   We learn that what an individual often believes to be right is not always in congruence with the official religion of the city or the values and mores of the times.   One must have the courage to stand up for what one believes in even if, as in the mind of Huck, it means suffering eternal damnation.    WORKS   CITED Beaver, H.   Huckleberry Finn.   London:   Allen & Unwin, 1987. Egan, M.   Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn:   Race, Class and Society.   Toronto:   Sussex UP, 1977. Twain, M.   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.   New York:   Signet, 1959. Character, Values and Morals in Huckleberry Finn Essay -- Adventures H Character, Values and Morals in Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚   Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is perhaps one of the most controversial novels the North American Continent has ever produced.   Since its publication more than a hundred years ago controversy has surrounded the book.   The most basic debate surrounding Twain's masterpiece is whether the book's language and the character of Jim are presented in a racist manner.   Many have called for the book to be banned from our nation's schools and libraries.   Mark Twain's novel is about a young boy who was raised in the south before slavery was abolished, a place where racism and bigotry were the fabric of every day life.   The novel is the account of how Huck Finn, who is a product of these times, transcended the morals and values of these times through his relationship with the escaped slave Jim.   Huckleberry Finn is a mixture of satire and adventure story.   It is a novel about growing up in a time and place that still haunts the living, the American past.   It is about a past, and the origins of that past, that still lie heavy on the American conscience.   This paper will examine the character, morals and values of Huckleberry Finn.   It will discuss his relationship to the values of his society and the conflict that is produced between those values and the relationship that grows between him and Jim during their adventure.       The character of Huck Finn has become a kind of an American folk hero.   He is a kid who knows how to live by his wits.   Perhaps he is a younger American version of the wily Odysseus.   He knows how and when to act and impersonate other people and perhaps most important for a boy in his situation, he knows how to lie.   One must never lose sight of the fact that... ...out a boy trying to find his own way in the days of the South before slavery had ended.   Huck Finn finds adventure and friendship with a runaway slave on a raft headed down the Mississippi River.   And like Odysseus on his adventures, Huck learns much about himself and subsequently we learn more about ourselves.   We learn that what an individual often believes to be right is not always in congruence with the official religion of the city or the values and mores of the times.   One must have the courage to stand up for what one believes in even if, as in the mind of Huck, it means suffering eternal damnation.    WORKS   CITED Beaver, H.   Huckleberry Finn.   London:   Allen & Unwin, 1987. Egan, M.   Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn:   Race, Class and Society.   Toronto:   Sussex UP, 1977. Twain, M.   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.   New York:   Signet, 1959.

First Day at University :: Autobiography Essay, Personal Narrative

My First Day at University My University is an educational institution which is widely recognized all over the world. It originated from Philippines and collaborates with PSBA (Philippine School of Business Administration). It has 2 branches in Jakarta which is located in Hayam Wuruk and the other one in Kelapa Gading. My University has been my first choice because I believe that it as the ability to provide me with quality education. I got up early that morning due to an improper sleep during the previous night. It was due to the anxiety to start fresh with my new life. I was determined to be the best in whatever it is that I do, so that I would have something to be proud of in the pages of my life. Due to the fear of reaching late during my first day, I reached one hour earlier than necessary and decided to spend some time at KTC (Kelapa gading Trade Center) which is located right beside the University. I was hoping that time would move a lot faster because I wanted to find out about what was going to happen next. But it is a common fact that if we are anxiously waiting for something, time would seem to crawl a lot slower. When it was finally the time to head back to the campus, I hoped for everything to go on smoothly, just as how I expected it. I braced myself and went to meet Sofia, who was responsible for the new students, to inquire about my classroom. After being instructed on which room to go to, I started walking towards the class, the mixture of excitement and nervousness start to fill within me. I started to feel like standard 1 all over again where I was a little kid who didn’,t know where to go. I didn’,t know anyone in the class except for Diksha who is my childhood friend. The unique thing about this campus is that each classroom is named after a quality. For example, the classroom names are Unity, Humanity, and Innovation and so on. Just like the classroom name, a confident teacher entered our classroom.

Symbol and Symbolism of Water in Toni Morrisons Beloved Essay

The Powerful Symbol of Water in Beloved Water. It expresses its’ power in the form of hurricanes and flash floods. It displays its gentleness, washing dirt off a child's scabbed knee. Water has been used to quench the thirst of many longing throats; and it has been the cause of death to those who unfavorably crossed its path. It possesses the power of total destruction, yet it holds the bases of all life. Generally, water has symbolized cleanliness and renewal. In the Bible, water was used in Baptism, cleansing the soul of original sin and offering a new life in the light of God. Water in itself is a natural purifier, washing the dirt from our bodies. Water is a symbol of transition-from dirty to clean. In Beloved, Morrison uses water to introduce a transition between stages in a character's life. Water separates one stage of a character's life from another. Paul D.'s escape from Alfred, Georgia was directly helped and represented by the rain that had fallen in the past weeks. Paul D. was sent to Alfred, George because he tried to kill Brandywine, his master after the schoolteacher. In Alfred, he worked on a chain gang with forty-five other captured slaves. They worked all day long with "the best hand-forged chain in Georgia" threading them together. They slept in a cell dug out of the earth. A man's breaking point was challenged everyday. It was hell for Paul D. Then it rained. Water gave Paul D. his freedom. The rain raised the water level in the in-ground cell so they could dive, "down through the mud under the bars, blind groping," in search of the other side (p. 110). One by one each of the forty-s... ...d that Beloved was Sethe's child. Sethe broke water to represent Beloved's second birth. Sethe was now whole again. She had found the child that she had lost. The water symbolized the beginning of her life with Beloved. Sethe could now begin sharing her life with Beloved again. She could Ice-skate, take walks, or just begin to love her child again. Beloved describes the struggle and challenge of former slaves trying to deal with an unforgettable past. Their brave journey carries them through tragic times full of torment and torture, and joyful times full of love and tenderness. Beloved teaches the lesson of never giving up. Water denotes a change for the better--from dirty to clean--where a person rebounds from life's tragedies. It symbolizes hope and reassurance that life will improve.

Islamic fund structure Essay

Introduction The concept of Islamic fund and banking system is developing over a period of couple of decades now. It could be mentioned that Islamic banking is a different approach to conventional banking and financial institutions. This is because the fundamentals of the Islamic fund, banking and financial specifications that based on the religious norms and regulations. It could also be mentioned that behind the formulation of Islamic banking and financial institutions the major reasons were instrumented by demography, historical and political influences. The major financial instrument of the Islamic funds and banking along with financial institutions could be enumerated as Sukuks. The term Sukuk is an Arabic word that is identical to the aspects of a financial instrument and is an equivalent instrument such as a bond under Islamic perspective of banking. But contrary to the usual financial instrument Sukuk is different as there are no fixed incomes as under the laws of Islam interests are seen as a crime. Therefore as an alternative it has been instrumented to use such non tangible or tangible assets that are could be classified according to the basic non tradability or tradability. But once again, under the principals of Islam these formulations could only be used in the secondary market. According to the estimation of the ‘Islamic Banking and Financial Institutions: The Progress and Probability’ published in 2005, there are around $521 billion worth of financial assets that are circulating in the fiscal market as per year ending March 2005. The entire amount of this investment regulated by principals of Islamic investment plans it could be enumerated that the entire procedure is regulated by the moral and spiritual obligations of the ‘Shari’ah’. Therefore it is seen that the Islamic financials instruments traded on GCC financials markets are huge and there are a number of countries who regularly uses this form of banking. The countries can be enumerated as USA, UK, Yemen, UAE, Turkey, Tunisia, Switzerland, Sudan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Qatar, Palestine, Pakistan and around 150 countries all over the world. Malaysia is one of the key player of this form of banking. Dallah Al Baraka (Malaysia) Holding Sdn Bhd, Malayan Banking Berhad (Maybank), Kuala Lumpur, Islamic banking & Takaful Dept, Bank Negara Malaysia, United Malayan Banking Corp. Berhad, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan Offshore Financial Services Authority (LOFSA) and Lembaga Urusan Dan Tabung Haji (Fund), Kuala Lumpur are the few most important financial institutions of the country. The financial institutions that that deal with the instruments can be enumerated as International Islamic Financial Markets, Mudaraba Companies, Takaful Companies (These are basically insurance companies), Islamic Mortgage Companies, Islamic Windows, Islamic Investment Funds and Banks and Islamic Banks. Under these institutions there are different plans such as Mudaraba which are basically Capital trust financing where the basic implementation is the contact which accumulates the capital along with the cost. However there are also other schemes that are marked up. Then there are also other plans under which leasing comes into consideration. This called Ijara. There is also another technique that is defined Ijara wa Iktin wa which is basically the contract of hire purchase. The basic limitations of these plans are based on the contracts between the parties but the over all scenarios are based on the principals of Islam where a financial instrument like Musharaka is treated as long termed investment under the parameters of equity arrangement. The capital supplied in this case is the bank and the clients. The profit in this case is shared among the concerned parties in according to prior agreement whereas the loss is shared in accordance to the capital invested. On the other hand another financial instrument like Mudaraba is treated as a financial credit on a short termed basis. Here the capital is supplied by the bank and the investor. The profit in this case is shared among the concerned parties in accordance to the agreed ratio and the loss is bearded by the investor alone. Therefore it could be termed that the advantages and the disadvantages along with the limitations of the market are based on different aspect of the Islamic law but in an over all sense this system is working quite well and the turn over and the volume of the entire formulation seems to develop over time. Further more it can be enumerated that the success of the GCC market is not only based on the religious beliefs but it has its financial values too that enables the uses to enjoy certain notion of tax free up to a limit and it works fine under controlled environment of the finance sector. However, the parameters of Establishing Islamic Fund to issue Islamic Bonds for Infrastructure Projects lies in the feasibility section of the economic aspects that are juxtaposed with social and international image. Aim The focal point of this research proposal is Establishing Islamic Fund to issue Islamic Bonds for Infrastructure Projects. There have been numerous research papers that have discussed other impacts such as financial, social, political and economic impact of Infrastructure Projects. Methodology and literature review in this regard would be carried out in order to evaluate the strategies from different parameters and they will be compared with each other. The strategy evaluation will vary in size, audience and theme. To analyse the strategies and their success and failure realisation, questionnaires will be used to gather key primary data amongst participants. The questionnaire will be used to measure the perception of the participants and the residents of the communities in which these events are being held. Administrators, managers and customers will also be interviewed to determine the results and objectives that were achieved by the implementation of the strategy. Objective The objective of the paper would be specific yet wide spread. Out of the several related itineraries of the paper it would be specifically noted that stress is given towards identifying potential Infrastructure Projects by Islamic Funds analysis of their successes and failures of their strategy. Alongside it would also be formulated to identify Key Consultants within the establishments and their effects as a whole. Market trends and growth would be analyzed closely and evaluated accordingly to estimate the overall potential of the events. It would also be seen that proper emphasis is provided about the research entry barriers to English and international market and how to penetrate. Lastly, the compilations of database of market sector would be made along with proper notes that would identify head of events and its financial fall outs and provide the estimated details. In this context it would be relevant to mention that marketing is one of the most important aspects for a business to grow and from a managerial point of view it is the most involved factor in the aspect of business development. This is a market research and business development along with feasibility project where the research would be able to contribute based on the experience and learns from the process. The objective would be based on the opportunity of primary research on the market and obtain real world information through interfacing directly with the client organization and its customers. Background There are several aspects behind the motion of Establishing Islamic Fund to issue Islamic Bonds for Infrastructure Projects. This should be thoroughly dealt in this section. The insects of racial discrimination, the curse of civilization, are gradually eating up out society, dissolving harmony and affection, transforming human being in weapons of carnage. Thus the society no longer remains a better place to live in. Islamophobe is a contentious neologism distinct by some as a chauvinism in opposition to, or demonization of, Muslims. The expression is documented in use as early as 1976, but came into greater prevalence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The expression’s use has become greater than before since the September 11, 2001 attacks. It can be mentioned that this is an irrational paranoia that needs to be eradicated from the face of the earth in order to make life a bit peaceful. British authors and intellectuals like Kenan Malik have condemned the perception, calling it an allegory. According to Malik this concept bamboozles prejudice in opposition to Muslims with denigration of Islam, and is applied to silence detractors of the religion, as well as Muslims who intend to reform it. Novelist Salman Rushdie and many others signed a proclamation in March 2006, which deemed Islamophobe a desolate perception that perplexes disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Danish politician Bashy Quraishy has mentioned that islamophobe and anti-Semitism are two faces of the same coin. In the yrar1996 the Runnymede Trust, an autonomous anti-racist think tank in the United Kingdoms, recognized the assignment on British Muslims and Islamophobe, headed by Professor Gordon Conway, the vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex. According to the report launched in November 1997 by the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, Islamophobe can be considered as a challenge for the society as a whole. It portrayed Islamophobe as concerning eight idiosyncratic characteristics such as Islam is considered as a monolithic bloc, static and insensitive to alterations. It is observed as separate and other. It does not have principles in familiar with other ethnicities, is not pretentious by them and even does not influence them. It is perceived as substandard to the West. It is observed as barbaric, unreasonable, primordial, and sexist. It is seen as brutal, violent, intimidating, encouraging of terrorism, and affianced in a clash of civilizations. It is observed as a political philosophy, designed for political or military benefit. Condemnations made of the West by Islam are discarded out of hand. Antagonism towards Islam is used to give explanation for prejudiced practices in the direction of Muslims and segregation of Muslims from conventional society. Anti-Muslim resentment is seen as usual and normal. In 1997 the British Runnymede Trust made it clear that Islamophobe as the observation that Islam has no ethics in common with other cultures, is substandard to the West, is an aggressive political ideology instead of being a religion, that its disparagement of the West have no essence, and that prejudiced practices against Muslims are justified as such. Despite the fact that Muslims do not comprise a race in isolation, the submission is that many Europeans and North Americans have an inaccurate discernment of Muslims as composing a separate a race, which in he words of Khyati Joshi is radicalization of religion. On the other hand, Muslims may be perplexed with Arabs, even though the mainstream of the world’s Muslims are not Arabs. There are several causes behind Islamophobe the prime among them is to perplex disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Sociologists have time and again argued that there was a swing in forms of chauvinism in the 1990s from race-based discrimination to inequity based on culture and religion. In 2004, Anja Rudiger, Executive director of the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia, made it clear in an Oxford conference on Muslims in Europe that, ever since the 9/11 attacks, religion had outshined race as the most important focal point of divergence, and that an individual’s religion was now looked upon as one and the same with their background. In the case of Muslims, this showed the way to another dimension of chauvinism, Rudiger argued, in that European Muslims were observed as signifying an amalgamated culture relatively different from European society, one that is strappingly correlated to certain non-European states. From Rudiger’s perspective, such observations are element of the course of action of classifying Islam as Europe’s other. Due to Islamophobe instead of engaging Muslims in debate, non-Muslims are hypothetical to sneak around them, for fear of causing felony. There are several alleged acts of Islamophobia, such as Dr Amanda Wise and Ghali Hassan from GlobalResearch. ca have assumed that the 2005 Cronulla insurrection were the consequence of an atmosphere of Islamophobe in Australia. Dalil Boubakeur, a director of a Paris mosque illustrated the wreckage on a Mosque, referred to the burning of a Muslim Sanctuaries, attacks on hijabi Muslim women all over the world as Islamophobic. Muslim activists alleged that the Forest Gate anti terror raid in London was Islamophobic. France, which has a strong secular institution separating church from State, was accused of Islamophobe when the decree on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools was approved, which prohibits the wearing of conspicuous religious symbols in public schools. In a February 10, 2004 accounted by Al Jazeera the head of the Party of France’s Muslims, Muhammad Latreche in analysing the French decree on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools was referenced as mentioning that the legislation would, institutionalise Islamophobe. In Germany, the state of Baden-Wurttemberg has anticipated set of laws that necessitate citizenship applicants from the member states of the Organization of the Islamic Conference to answer enquiries concerning their outlook on domestic aggression and other religious subjects. A BBC assessment taken in the summer of 2004 estimated that employment applicants with Muslim names were far less probable to be called for an interview than applicants whose names did not appear to be Muslim. There have been efforts in opposition to supposed Islamophobe by several organizations in various countries through out the globe. In 2006 the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) was set up as an observatory body on Islamophobe. This will keep an eye on and document activities professed as Islamophobic around the planet. Throughout the attainment talks on the subject of Turkey’s probable entry to the EU, then Prime Minister of Holland, Jan Peter Balkenende, made it clear that Islamophobe must not have an effect on the possibility of Turkey’s access to the European Union. 50,000 people signed an appeal urging French President Jacques Chirac to deem Islamophobe as a new form of racism, punishable by decree. In the UK several methods directed towards limiting Islamophobe have been set up. In Tower Hamlets, a heavily populated area in London, a misdemeanour reporting system called â€Å"Islamophobe† has been set up which police expect will increase consciousness of Islamophobe and facilitate them to recognize the extent of the dilemma. The British National Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued guidelines to teachers and recommending them to Challenge Islamophobe, as they have a fundamental character to play in helping to dismiss myths about Muslim communities. In 2006 the Catholic Mission Austria and the Islamic Denomination Austria formed a platform called Christians and Muslims, which endeavours against stereotypes and antagonism and intends to augment lenience and admiration. In 1991 the Islamic Culture Foundation (FUNCI) prepared, in association with UNESCO and the Institut du Monde Arabe of Paris, a worldwide symposium concerning the involvement of Islamic Civilization in European Culture. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan issued a call in 1999 to world influential to fight Islamophobe. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) organized a colloquium on how to fight Islamophobe. History helps out us to identify ourselves, recognize who we are and be acquainted with the origin where we come from. We over and over again shrink back from hearing about our chronological times of yore for the reason that so much of it is excruciating. Islamophobe is a dejected perception that perplexes disapproval of Islam as a religion and stigmatization of those who have faith in it. Islamophobe, a myth or a kind of racism, obfuscates bias in opposition to Muslims with disparagement of Islam and that it is used to quieten detractors and Muslim reformers. But the best and fast method of assimilation into the world mainstream is economy and if the Islamic institutions are able to indulge itself in the main stream of the global economy then the possibility becomes quite high that these unwanted trends would end. Thus it is important for Establishing Islamic Fund to issue Islamic Bonds for Infrastructure Projects. But why Infrastructure Projects? The answer is simple. Once the finance runs into the parameters of infrastructure the entire influence becomes relevant to overall development as it is seen in the case of Dubai. According to a report from the Washington Times (2006), Dubai’s economy grew at around 16 per cent in the year 2005. Dubai Department of Economic Development estimated that the economy is worth $ 37 billion. The growth rate of the emirate had beaten the growth rate of China which is 8. 5 per cent. Mohammed Ali Alabhar had stated in the Washington Times The dominating industry in the emirate is the Petroleum. The wealth gained from the industry is invested in capital improvements and social services in the whole seven emirates. Production of Petroleum is concentrated in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The Industrial Development is associated with the petroleum gains and is limited by the trained manpower that the country has and the raw materials. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the UAE grew by 5. 7% in 2004 having a value of $ 63. 67 Billion. The oil industry had contributed 38 percent up from 34 percent in the year 2002. Other areas that Dubai is concentrated on are the tourism and its real estate properties. Mohammed Ali Alabbar, the director of the Department of Economic Development (DED), stated that the economy of Dubai will be sustained over the long term. He further noted that as compared to the $17 billion value in the year the 2000, the accumulated growth in the last decade is among the highest rate of growth in the world. Alabbar associated this economic growth to the diversification policy of the emirate. The establishment of transparent policies that had supported and encouraged private enterprises has given the economy further confidence. The government initiatives had also enabled a continuous inflow of foreign capital, it is expected that this inflow would be maintained. Since Dubai is located in between Africa and the Middle East and also between the Far East and Europe, it had created a gateway for the 1. 5 Million consumers in the countries surrounding the Red sea and the Gulf. Its infrastructure had become an important factor in the global transport and distribution system. The emirate has 170 shipping lines inside its emirates and more than 86 airlines offers links to over 100 cities worldwide. This shows a strong shipping and transporting sector in the emirate. The sector is mostly composed of leading regional and international freight forwarders, insurers and shipping agents. The emirate also boasts its rapidly developing high quality manufacturing sector and a prosperous domestic market. All its infrastructures and services can match with the international standards. Thus like Dubai the entire Islamic world can emerge from alleged fundamentalist mode with Establishment of Islamic Fund to issue Islamic Bonds for Infrastructure Projects.

Compare and Contrast the Speakers Essay

The Road Not Taken and Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening are both very good poems. I feel The Road Not Taken is one that reminds me of myself. I will tell you how they differ but at the same time are so much alike. In The Road Not Taken he lets us know that he has to make a decision. In order to make that decision he looks as far as he can to see what road he wants to take. He talks about how the path he took may have been the better on for him. It had been the one less traveled on. In Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening he also has a decision to make. He is walking with his horse in the woods. There are no other people around on this snowy night. He stops in the woods to watch them feel up with the snow. Even his horse thinks this is a strange thing that he is doing. It’s cold and dark, plus he knows he has miles to go before he can get any sleep. Now both speakers have a conflict to handle. One has to decide which path he will take while the other has to decide if he will stop in his path. They both are on a path and they both have to get to the end of their path. In The Road Not Taken he makes is decision by taking the path less traveled. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening know he has miles to go in order to sleep so he can’t stop now. As you can see we all have choices to make and paths to travel. There will be things that come in your way that will get you off track, but you have to make sure you get on the path till the end.

Graffiti and vandalism acts in our community Essay

Introduction Graffiti and vandalism are a major blight on communities. Vandalism can lead to important services, such as public telephones, being damaged so that they don’t work, or removed, for example bus shelters, to protect from further harm. Vandalism can make the environment untidy, and graffiti can be offensive. All of these things contribute to an air of decline, and can lead to people fearing crime more. Acts of vandalism can include breaking windows, smashing up payphones, and graffiti. Many incidents of vandalism and graffiti are not reported. This is often because it is against private property and the victims do not consider it serious enough to tell the police, or think that the police won’t be able to do anything about it, or find the culprit. Sometimes, the people who own the property (for example, the gas board) are based a long way away, and never see the damage to complain about it. Vandalism and graffiti are a criminal offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. The penalty for vandalism and graffiti is a maximum fine of 500 and/ or 3 months in prison if the value of damage is less than 000. The court can also make a compensation order. Possessing equipment with intent to cause damage is also an offence, and, if intent can be proven to the court, spray paint would be included as such equipment. Types of graffiti There are many different types of graffiti: Tagging: this is perhaps the most frequent type of graffiti. People have their own signs, or ‘tags’, which identify them. These are put in as many places as possible to show that the writer has been there, to mark out their territory. ‘Pieces’ are the larger pictures, more traditionally associated with graffiti. These can have some artistic merit in the correct context. Glass etching: sometimes also called ‘Dutch graffiti’. This is where people scratch into glass, for example on a bus or train, with a sharp implement like a stone or bottle top. Writing slogans: these are often just sprayed onto large walls, and are often designed to be offensive. They may be racist, sexist or homophobic. Other slogans may be political. Who vandalises or graffitis? Young people are associated with a great many incidents of vandalism and graffiti. The scribbling of names and more simple ‘tags’ are known to come from children and young people. Many use felt-tips, or other commonly available materials. Other people are also involved – telephone boxes may be vandalised by people trying to get money out of them; political activists may write their slogans on blank walls or conventional artists may use graffiti in their art. Why do people do it? Here are some of the reasons why people graffiti: Offenders gain pleasure from finishing a piece of graffiti without getting caught and then afterwards from the permanence of their work. The problem grows as other vandals follow and what started as a single ‘tag’ ends up as a wall covered in graffiti. Young people’s eagerness to mark their territory. This can take on a more sinister form when gangs use it to stake out a claim to an area or to intimidate the local community and potential rivals. It can be because people see nothing better to do, or they want to be daring. Peer pressure can lead to people, especially younger people, doing things they would not normally do. This is made worse by the use of graffiti in youth culture, for example in advertising and music. Spaces are built with little consideration for design, so that large blank walls become enormous ‘canvases’. Problems caused by vandalism and graffiti The problems of vandalism and graffiti go much further than the obvious costs of repairs and cleaning. It causes fear of crime and a sense of insecurity. There is evidence that people’s fear of crime is influenced by their impression of public spaces which are dingy and run down because of vandalism, litter and graffiti. Graffiti can make people feel threatened and vulnerable, particularly if it is racist, sexist or homophobic. The ‘Broken Windows Theory’, developed in America, suggests that if a broken window is not repaired, other windows will soon be broken in response to the message that no one cares. It is argued that more broken windows or greater vandalism will influence the way people perceive crime in the area and will assume that other crime is also on the increase. What can I do about it? Investment to tackle graffiti and vandalism has to be long-term. If it is cut back when the problem starts to improve, the problem will come back. What can we do about vandalism? As with graffiti, repairing the damage as soon as it is done can deter vandals from causing further damage. When the vandalism is to property, securing empty houses with metal screens over the doors and windows can be effective, but this does advertise the fact that the house is empty and can encourage vandals. It also adds to the  air of disrepair in an area, and makes people feel less safe. Video recordings of incidents can be used to alert parents and can be used as evidence in court. What can we do about graffiti? Research shows that the best way to deal with graffiti and stop it coming back is to clear it up immediately. However, there are a great many websites for displaying photos of graffiti so the perpetrators may not be that worried about their graffiti being removed, as they get recognition this way. Cleaning up graffiti is something your community could get involved in. Tenants’ and residents’ groups often have volunteer ‘graffiti squads’. If yours doesn’t, why not suggest it at the next meeting? Some councils offer free paint to people who want to paint over graffiti in their neighbourhood. You could suggest your council does this. Another idea is providing a legal site where people are allowed to graffiti. There are mixed views on such graffiti walls or zones. There is some evidence that they bring their own problems, as graffiti tends to spread out to surrounding walls. Also, it is unlikely to stop users doing illegal graffiti elsewhere. Young people are attracted to legal graffiti zones because they don’t have to rush and don’t have to constantly be afraid of being caught. They have time to produce a good piece of work. However, most young people prefer to tag whereas the owners of the wall or site usually prefer pictures. Another problem is young people graffiti-ing on their way to or from the legal graffiti site. One project got round this by providing all the paint on site. Innovative designs of walls, with more windows or unusual materials may help, as it reduces the amount of ‘blank canvas’ available. Even better is to have railings instead of walls where possible, as this not only limits the possibility of graffiti, but also increases natural surveillance, making people feel safer. Where large walls are inevitable, for example around an industrial site, using murals to decorate the walls may stop people putting their own ‘pictures’ there. If public art is not a possibility, using vegetation, for example ivies and creepers, can help with stopping people graffiti. It also makes the area look more attractive. Other ways to limit graffiti and vandalism in your neighbourhood include: Educating young people about the impact which graffiti and vandalism have on the wider community (e.g. making people feel unsafe, costing millions of pounds a year to fix and clean up) Young people are often unaware of the cost of cleaning up graffiti or repairing criminal damage. They need to know that it is unacceptable and is taken seriously. Helping find other things for young people to do [link to yp section] What can schools and youth services do? Schools or youth groups can ‘adopt’ badly vandalised areas, such as subways or playgrounds, keeping them clean and well looked-after. These schemes work best where young people can get involved in the design or creation of the area themselves, for example by creating a mural or planting trees. The same approach has been used successfully by targeting groups of young people who are thought to be responsible for some of the damage. Detached youth workers can make contact with the young people and establish what they would like to do instead. A practical construction project often appeals. There are many examples of successful projects where young people have taken pride in what they have created and ensured that it stays vandal-free. What can others do to help? Agencies owning buildings or utilities which are prone to vandalism can assess the location and design of these to see if vandalism can be reduced. Measures might include: Demolishing unused buildings, or finding a temporary use for them (such as a youth centre). Relocating services, e.g. phone boxes and bus stops, so that they are closer to other facilities where they may be less prone to vandalism. Better damage-reporting procedures and quicker repair. Target-hardening, e.g. better lighting, toughened glass, graffiti-resistant paint. Authorising graffiti in some areas, e.g. graffiti walls. Probation service community service schemes may be able to help with repairs and graffiti removal. Under the Crime & Disorder Act, the court can require offenders to repair damage done by imposing a Reparation Order.