The Legalization of Marijuana in the USA Essay - 1063 Words

Legalization of marijuana is one of the most controversial topics in American society today. Surveys done by the US Government’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Data Archive showed that 95 million Americans have used marijuana. There are two opposing sides that have strong stances on whether it should become legal or should remain illegal. We have one side that is anti-marijuana and the other is pro-marijuana. Each side provides valid and strong arguments supporting their views. The purpose of this paper is to carefully examine each opposing side and try to find some way to come to a compromise. First, let’s carefully look at the views of the anti-marijuana groups. There are several groups that are against marijuana legalization. To†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, anti-marijuana supporters feel smoking marijuana is just as harmful as having a cigarette. Smoking three marijuana cigarettes is equal to having twenty cigarettes. They also declare smoking cannab is can cause cancer just like smoking a cigarette. There is also a complaint that not only is it harmful for the users, but harmful to anybody else who is around breathing in the secondhand smoke. Next, let’s examine groups that support marijuana becoming officially authorized. These groups dispute that it has medical benefits for patients that have cancer or AIDS. It helps relieve pain, relaxes, and may help the patients get their appetites back. Marijuana is also known to help slow down the progression of the disease in Glaucoma patients. People suffering from epilepsy use marijuana to prevent the epileptic seizures. It’s also known that marijuana helps with the treatment of people who maybe clinically depressed. However, supporters sense that the prohibition laws are ineffective ways to control the use of the substance. It didn’t work with alcohol and it isn’t working for keeping marijuana illegal. They feel that the prohibition increases drug use among America’s youth because there is no age regulation. This makes it highly available due to the fact drug dealers don’t care how old you are as long as you are buying it. If it was made legal theShow MoreRelatedThe Legalization of Marijuana Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesThere has been a debate over the legalization of marijuana since it was made illegal in the 1920s. There are opponents on both sides of the issue. There are many benefits to the legalization of marijuana, but there are also detrimental effects to society that are caused by marijuana use. These issues need to be debated to determine if the legalization of marijuana would benefit the United States. According to a 2003 Zogby poll, â€Å"the government should treat marijuana more or less the same way it treatsRead MoreThe Origns of Marijuana726 Words   |  3 Pages Coca, and Poppy). Therefore, Marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system. Legalizing and regulation marijuana can bring cash crop under the criminal justice law, bring in jobs, medical use, and overall create economic opportunities to The United States of America. There has been reports of marijuana being less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. According to the British research foundation two deaths worldwide can be directly caused by marijuana, yet 150,000 people die from alcoholRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1208 Words   |  5 Pagesknown as marijuana, and by various other names is a composition of the cannabis plant intended for utilization as a psychoactive medication and physiological effects. People usually think that marijuana is unhealthy drug that needs to be avoided, but is it harmful than alcohol and tobacco? In modern days, cannabis is used as a recreational or medical drug, depending on the laws provided by different states in the USA. Although marijuana faces a strong opposition, a force for its legalization is extendingRead MoreProposal of Marijuana Legalization Essay1528 Words   |  7 PagesMarijuana has a greater beneficial impact on society then many people realize. Marijuana should be legalized for medical as well as recreational purposes. This is a highly controversial issue that is being debated throughout the country. In essence marijuana is evaluated by the effectiveness of the drug. It is defined as the dried flowered clusters and leaves of a hemp plant smoked for the intoxicating effect. Whether it should be legalized or not is the real question. Many could argue that marijuanaRead MoreSoc 3311200 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ State and Federal Marijuana Legalization University of Ashford Soc. 331 Instructor Risa Garelick April 22, 2014 State and Federal Marijuana Legalization This paper will focus on the State and Federal marijuana legalization from three scenarios and analyze the retributive, commutative, and distributive justice of these three scenarios complex situations. First scenario will be a â€Å"recreational pot smoker, who lives in a state that recently legalized growing, possessing, sellingRead MoreLegalization of Marijuana1498 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿Legalization of Marijuana Thesis Statement Marijuana use should not be legalized and must be discouraged as it is harmful and creates problems for the society Introduction Marijuana, also known as marihuana, is a drug that is taken from Cannabis sativa, a hemp plant. It is one of the most frequently used and popular drugs in the world along with caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol. The United States of America is one of the worlds leading producers of marijuana where it is generally smoked andRead MoreLegalization of Drugs Essay1305 Words   |  6 Pages The current hot-topic debate about the legalization of marijuana for medical exposes the long lasting debate about the economic viability of prohibiting certain kind of drugs considered illicit. Many social costs to society are attributable to illicit drugs, along with tobacco, alcohol, and guns. In fact, each of these vices is allegedly responsible for $200 billion annual expenditure in social costs of the USA (Donohue, 2010). Interestingly, all these commodities mentioned above have common characteristics:Read MoreWhy Is Marijuana Illegal?882 Words   |  4 Pages Guither, Pete. Why Is Marijuana Illegal? Drug WarRant. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Sept. 2015. In the article, Why Is Marijuana Illegal?, speaks on the topic of marijuana legalization and the history behind it all. Marijuana goes all the way back to 7,000 B.C. and over centuries it was used as a household product; uses such woven fabric, food, incense, cloth and rope. In 1910 this drug entered the United States from the country of Mexico. Many Mexicans smoked marijuana and had brought the home grownRead MoreLegalize Marijuana; Annotated Bibliography Essay1381 Words   |  6 PagesAnnotated Bibliography on the Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in United States and in many other countries; this is a statement that seems to be in each article that is written about the legalization of marijuana. This is a subject that has been up for debate for quite a few years now. There are many people who support the legalization of this drug and are strongly convinced that marijuana is not a drug in which one should be punished for, but ratherRead MoreSpeech on Marijuana Legalization1123 Words   |  5 Pagesright now, in the USA is that of the legalization of marijuana. This controversial topic is on the minds of our entire country. Whether or not to legalize marijuana has been a nation wide debate for years. In this informative speech I will be discussing only facts and opinions. Opinions and facts will come from organizations such as The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Marijuana Legalization Organization and the Drug Policy Alliance. Marijuana Legalization is an issue because

Erroneus Assumptions in The Trial and Death of Socrates...

Erroneus Assumptions in The Trial and Death of Socrates In Platos Crito, Socrates explains to his old friend Crito his reasons for refusing an offer to help him escape execution. One of the tools Socrates uses to convince Crito of the righteousness of his decision is a hypothetical argument concerning the state and laws of Athens. Central to this argument is the congeniality that Socrates had always found in Athens, reflected by the fact that Socrates chose to remain in Athens for most of his life. Such a choice, the laws insist, implies a tacit agreement between Socrates and the state of Athens, stipulating that Socrates either obey the laws or, when he deems the laws unjust, persuade the city to act in a more suitable fashion. It†¦show more content†¦I will then argue that its impiety makes upholding the agreement unacceptable in the eyes of the gods and that it is the opinion of the gods that must direct Socrates decision. Socrates first step is to establish that one must never do wrong (not even in retaliation for a wrong done against oneself) and that one must fulfill any just agreement into which one enters (49B).[1] Crito offers his consent to this claim, but cannot agree with Socrates assertion that fleeing Athens in defiance of the law would injure the city. He believes that Socrates would not be doing anything wrong by avoiding execution. Here Socrates makes a hypothetical argument on behalf of the Athenian state, although he makes it clear that their argument is also his own. Athens, Socrates believes, is correct in asserting that an attempt to escape his death sentence would also constitute an attempt to destroy the city by undermining its laws. It is worth noting that harming Athens is explicitly described as impious in Socrates argument. Crito stands by the defense that Socrates has a right to destroy Athens because its decision to execute him was unjust. Socrates, again speaking on behalf o f the Athenian state, responds by explaining that he is bound by a just agreement either to obey the decisions of the state or to convince it to do better; he cannot simply subvert its orders whenever he so chooses (51E). This is the agreement Socrates himself made with Athens when he

Current State of Education in Nigeria Free Essays

string(23) " in Nigeria are to: i\." CURRENT STATE OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Education can be referred to as an act or process of developing and cultivating, whether physically, mentally or mortally, ones mental activities or senses; the expansion, strengthening and discipline of ones mind, faculty etc; the forming and regulation of principles and character in order to prepare and fit for any calling or business by systematic instruction. The result of these is determine by the knowledge/’skill acquired, the discipline of character acquired, the act/process of training by a prescribed or customary course of study discipline. Education is also seen as a means towards understanding, awareness creation, enlightenment, controlling, altering and re-designing human destiny and environment with a view to achieving and sustaining a better quality of life for the individual and towards the full integration of the individual into his environment in particular and then his nation in general; making reasonable contributions towards national developments. We will write a custom essay sample on Current State of Education in Nigeria or any similar topic only for you Order Now The nation’s view on education is government’s way of realizing that part of the national goals that can be achieved by using education as a tool. No views on education can however be formulated without first identifying the overall philosophy and goals of the nation viz: I. To live in unity and harmony as one indivisible, indissoluble, democratic and Sovereign nation founded on the principles of understanding. Freedom, equality and justice. II. To promote inter-African solidarity and world peace through mutual understandings and interactions. The main goals of education in Nigeria which have even been endorsed As the necessary foundation for the National policy on education are towards the building of: i. A fair, equitable and democratic society ii. A just and egalitarian society iii. A united, strong and self- reliant nation iv. A great and dynamic economy and v. A land full of bright opportunities for all citizens. In Nigeria’s own philosophy of education, we collectively believe that: i. Education is an instrument for national development and to this end, the formulation f ideas, their integration for national development and the interaction of persons and ideas are all aspects of education. ii. Education fosters the worth and development of the individual, for each individuals sake and for the general development of the society/nation iii. Every Nigerian child shall have a right to equal educational opportunities irrespective of any real or imagined disabilities and each according to his/her own ability. iv. Th ere is the need for functional education for the promotion of a progressive and United Nigeria. To this end therefore, school programmes need to be relevant, practical, comprehensive and research oriented while interests and ability should determine the individual’s direction in education, which is an aspect of sustainability. STAGES OF EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: EARLY CHILDHOOD/ PRE PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: Early childhood/Pre-primary education refers to the education given in an educational refers to the education given in an educational institution to children prior to their entering the primary school. It includes: the creche, the nursery and the kindergarten stages. In Nigeria, the purpose of pre-primary education shall be to: i. Effect a smooth transition from the home to the school. ii. Prepare the child for the primary level of education. iii. Provide adequate care and supervision for the children while their parents are at work iv. Inculcate social norms into the children even from the earliest stages v. Inculcate into the child, the spirit of enquiry and creativity through the exploration of nature, the environment, art, music and playing with toys etc. vi. Develop a sense of co-operation and team spirit ii. Learn good habits, especially good health habits and viii. Teach the rudiments of numbers, letter, colours, shapes, forms etc through play. The responsibilities of government and other stakeholders for pre-primary education in Nigeria shall be to promote the training of qualified pre-primary school teachers in adequate number; contribute to the development of suitable curriculum, supervise and control the quality of such institutions as well as establish pre-primary sections in all existing public schools. In specific terms therefore, government shall: i. Establish pre-primary sections in all existing public schools and encourage both community and private/corporate efforts in the provision of pre-primary education. ii. Make provision in teacher education programmes for specialization in early childhood education. iii. Ensure that the medium of instruction is principally the mother-tongue or the language of the immediate community. And to this end, develop the orthography of many more Nigerians languages and produce textbooks in Nigerian languages. v. Ensure that the main methods/medium of teaching play and that the curriculum of teacher education is oriented to achieve thuis. v. Regulate and control the operation of pre-primary education in Nigeria by setting and monitoring minimum standards for early childcare centres in the country. vi. Ensure full participation of government corporate organizations, entrepreneurs communities and teachers associations in the running and maintenance of early childhood education and educational facilities throughout the country BASIC EDUCATION: In Nigeria, basi education shall be of 9- years duration comprising 6-years of primary education and 3-years of junior secondary education. It shall be free and compulsory. It shall also include adult and non-formal education programmes at primary and junior secondary education levels for the adults and out-of-school youths. The specific objectives of basic education in Nigeria shall be the same as the goals of the levels of education to which it applies (ie primary education, junior secondary education and adult /non – formal education). 1) PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA Primary education in nigeria as referred to on this document is the education given in institutions for children between the ages of 6 – 11 years and above. Pupils spend six years in the primary school level in Nigeria and graduate with a school-leaving certificate. And since the rest of the education system is built upon it, primary level is the key to the success or failure of the whole system. This being the case, the goals and objectives of primary education in Nigeria are to: i. You read "Current State of Education in Nigeria" in category "Essay examples" Inculcate permanent literacy and numeracy as well as the ability to communicate effectively. i. Lay a sound foundation for scientific and reflective thinking iii. Give citizenship education as a basis for effective participation in and contribution to the life of the people in the society. iv. Mould the character and develop sounds attitude as well as morals in the child. v. Develop in the child, the ability to adopt the child’s changing environment. vi. Give the child opportunities foe developing manipulative skills that will enable the child function effectively in the society within the limits of his capacity and capability. vii. Provide the child with basic tools for further educational advancement, including preparation for trades and crafts of the locality. these goals from the basis of primary education in all the states of the federation and, in pursuance of the above goals, primary education in Nigeria shall be tuition free and compulsory. The curriculum for primary education therefore include: language (language of the environment, English, French and Health Education, Religious Knowledge, Agriculture/Home Economics, Social Studies/citizenship Education, Culture and Creative arts (ie Drawing, Handicraft, music and cultural activities), Computer Education etc. Teaching at the primary level shall be by practical, explanatory and experimental methods and the following educational services are expected to be provided: school library, basic health scheme, counseling, educational resource centre, specialist teachers of particular subjects like: mathematics, science, physical Education, language Arts (in relation to English, French, Sign language and Nigerian languages), librarians, music, Fine Arts and Home Economics. Primary school students are required to take a Common Entrance Examination to qualify for admission into the Federal and State Government Secondary Schools. The UBE came as a replacement for Nigeria’s universal primary education scheme of the 6-3-3-4 system of primary Education. The 9 – 3 – 3 – 4 system of primary education. The 9 – 3 – 4 system of education was designed in conformity with the MDG’s and education for all. The UBE involves 6years of primary school and 3 years of junior secondary school. Culminating into 9 years of uninterrupted schooling. Transition from one class to another is automatic but assessed through continuous assessment. This scheme is however monitored by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and has been made free as well as a right of every child in Nigeria. To law stipulates a 9 –years formal schooling, adult literacy and non-formal education, skill acquisition programmes as well as the education of special groups such as: nomads and migrants, girl-child and women, Al-majiri, street children and the physically challenged. SUSTAINABILITY OF PRIMARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: To these effects, i. Special efforts shall be made by all appropriate agencies to encourage parents to send their children, especially, their daughters to school ii. Everything possible shall be done to discourage the incidence of dropping out at the primary level of education. But where this occurs, provisions shall be made in the context of adult and non-formal education to enable such early leavers to continue with their education. iii. Government therefore welcomes the contributions of voluntary agencies, communities and private individuals in the establishment and management of primary schools alongside those provided by the states and local governments as long as they meet the minimum standards laid down by the federal government. v. In recognition of the prominent role of Information and Communication Technology in advancing knowledge and skills necessary for effective functioning in the modern world, there is therefore urgent needs to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into education in Nigeria even at the primary level. v. Government shall therefore strive to provide basic infrastructure enabling environment and tra ining facilities for the realization of all these goals at the primary school level. SECONDARY EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: Secondary education in Nigeria is the education children receive after primary education but before the tertiary stage. The Federal Republic of Nigeria is made up of thirty six states and the federal capital territory. There are about two federal government colleges in each state and these schools are funded and managed directly by the Federal Government through the ministry of Education. Teachers and staff of these schools are Federal Government employees and they possess at least, a bachelors degree in Education and/or in any particular subject area such as mathematics, physics etc. hese schools are supposed to be model schools carrying and maintaining the ideals of secondary education for Nigerian students. Admission is based on merit and determined by the national Common Entrance Examination taken by all final year elementary school pupils tuition and fees are very low, appropriately one hundred dollars ($100. ), because funding comes from the Federal Government State owned ceson dary schools are funded by each state government and are not comparable to the Federal Government colleges. Although education Is supposed to be free in the majority of the state owned institutions, students are required to purchase books and uniforms costing them an average of two hundred dollars ($200). Teachers in state owned institutions usually have a National Certificate if Education or a Bachelor’s degree. Often, these schools are understaffed due to low state budgets, lack of incentives and irregularities in the payment of staff salaries Private secondary schools in Nigeria tend to be more expensive with average annual fees averaging from one to two thousand dollars ($100 – $200). These schools however have smaller classes, modern equipment cand better environments. Teachers n these schools all posses at least, a Bachelors degree in specific course areas and are sent for workshops or short – term programmes on a regular basis. The broad include the preparation of the student for: i. Useful living within the society ii. Higher education IN SPECIFIC TERMS HOWEVER, SECONDARY EDUCATION SHALL: i. Provide all primary school leavers with the opportunity fo education of a higher level, irrespective of sex, social states religious and /or ethnic background. i. Offer diversified curriculum to cater for the differences in talents, opportunities and future roles. iii. Provide trained manpower in the applied science, technology and commerce at sub-professional grades. iv. Develop and promote Nigerian languages, art and culture in the content of world’s cultural heritage. v. Inspire students with a desire for self improvement and achievement of excellence. vi. Foster National unity with an emphasis on the common things that unite us in our diversity. vii. Raise a generation og people who can think for themselves, respect the views and feelings of others, respect the dignity of labour, appreciate those values specified under our THE PLANNING AND GUIDING EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. Educational research and development in this context refers to all efforts aimed at facilitating the implementation of educational polices in the country, the attainment of policy goals the promotion of effectiveness as well as the broadening of the entire educational system. STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY OF PLANNING AND GUIDING EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA. The strategies for the planning and guiding of educational research will include the following: i. Develop, assess, improve and expand educational programmes in line with what is obtained in the developed economies. ii. Enhancement of the teaching and then, improve the competence of teachers with state of the art equipments. iii. Making education more cost-effective. iv. Promoting in-service education v. Development and promoting effective use of innovative materials in schools and vi. Making learning experience more pragmatic and more meaningful for students so that the entire economy will be served with a more focused and committed labour force. In terms of sustainability, we suggest the following: i. State and local governments shall establish Teacher’s Resource centres where teachers will meet for discussions, investigations, study workshops, short courses and conferences. ii. Federal and state governments shall establish Educational Resource cntres whose activities would be multi-disciplinary. iii. Federal, state and local governments hall set aside a pre-determined percentage of their allocations to support research and development in line with UN resolutions. iv. Federal, state and local governments shall establish more public/mobile libraries as well as actively promote readership. v. Private establishments and proprietors shall also support research and development efforts in education especially in the establishment of state of the art libraries wi th established standards. They shall also provide for the training of librarians and library assistants for this service. i. MONITORING PROGRESS IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AMONG THE INDUSTRIAL AND EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITIES/ESTABLISHMENTS. This concerns itself with all efforts by the concerned authorities in the education ministries in ensuring that R/D efforts are strictly adhered to by educational establishments and even industrial organizations. STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY: All educational authorities in the country from the local to the federal levels should be held responsible for: I. Enunciating a National Policy on Education II. Setting-up and maintaining uniform standards III. Co-ordinating sound educational practices in Nigeria IV. Establishing a federal Inspectorate services would responsibities amongst others would include: to encourage the dissemination of information on innovations and progressive educational and research principles practices in the school system through publications, workshops, meetings, seminars, conferences and other means of interactions between and among the industrial and educational communities. V. Planning and organizing educational research on a national scale. VI. Acquiring storing and disseminating national educational data and agencies research finding to communities, and industrial organizations. VII. Co –ordinating non-formal education including adult education, vocational improvement centres, correspondence cources etc etc. VIII. Co-ordinationg international co-operation in educational researches. For all the above strategies to be sustained, I. Special and adequate inducement shall be provided for all teachers and researchers even in the rural areas so as to make them stay on their jobs. II. Government must establish efficient services at federal, state and local government levels for the monitoring and maintaining standards at all levels of education and research III. Government must also establish an efficient research control and monitoring body to ensure that the findings of quality researches are dessimated to all desening communities agencies institutes and industrial organizations ii. ENSURING THAT PUBLIC AND EDUCATIONAL (R/D) EFFORTS WITH THE OVERALL DEVELOPMENTAL PLANNING OF THE NATION. It has already been stated that Nigeria’s philosophy of education believes that education is an instrument for national development. And to this end, the formulation of researches towards the development of ideas, their integration for national development and the interaction of persons/ideas are all aspects of effective education. STRATEGIES AND SUSTAINABILITY: The recommended strategies here would be to align our educational system so as to: i. Foster the worth and development of the individual for each individual’s sake and for the general development of our society. i. Ensure that every Nigerian child has a right to equal educational opportunities irrespective of any real or imagined disabilities, hindrances and shortcomings, each according to his/her ability. iii. Foster functional education for the promotion of a progressive and united Nigeria. And, to this end, school programmes need to be made relevant, practical and comprehensive while interest and ability shou ld determine the individual’s direction in his/her educational pursuit. For the above aim/objective to be sustainable in view with proper alignment with the overall development al planning of the nation as well as to be in harmony with Nigeria’s national goals, educational research and development has to be geared towards self realization of the students, better human relationship, individual and national efficiency, effective citizenship, national consciousness, national unity as well as towards social, cultural, economic, political, scientific and technological progress. All these will involve the following: i. Thorough inculcation of national consciousness and national unity into the students. ii. Through the inculcation of the right type of values and attitudes for the survival of the individual and the Nigerian society. iii. Through the training and re- training of the mind in the understanding of the world around and iv. Through the acquisition of appropriate and requisite skills as well as the development of mental, physical and social abilities and competencies as equipment for the individual to live in and contribute to the development of the society. iii. LINKING RESEARCHERS WITH ENTREPRENEURS FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF R/D RESULTS. Academic institutions the world over, are set up to provide an environment for teaching, research, community participation and the moulding of characters. Unfortunately, they have failed, in the case of Nigeria to meet the needs of the individuals in the promotion of economic self-reliance and self sufficiency. The starting point of research here would be on such educational services that would offer a range of educational experiences which would depend on the needs of the individual and the requirements of potential work places. Also, it must emphasize on the development of the job skills and work behaviours directed towards specific occupational requirements. Having done the above, a rapport would have been established between researchers , their finding/ results and industrialists/entrepreneurs with a view towards the commercialization of RD results. It is however expected that the concept of entrepreneurial skill development recently introduced by the NUC will be imbibed by all institutions of learning in Nigeria. Some of the mandates of the entrepreneurship section of the NUC is to: i. Promote linkage between academic institutions researches on the one hand and industrial/financial institutions on the other hand. ii. Promote the exhibitions of commercialized researches in Nigerian institutions of learning and. iii. Promote Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) between Nigerian Universities and the individual, manufacturing and service sectors etc. For sustainability, the following are proposed: i. A serious partnership between our institutions of learning industrialists, entrepreneurs etc so that the findings of the volumes of researches conducted in our institutions will definitely get to the end users. i. Findings/results of researches in our institutions should be collected and published periodically so that individuals, organizations and the government at all its tiers, levels and agencies would study and where necessary adopt such findings in their policy making processes iii. Our institutions of learning should be upgraded to become more research oriented. And to the effect, government and the organized private sector should advance more funds in upgrading our libraries, laboratories and research institutions across the country. iv. NURTURING PROJECTS BY THE USE OF FACILITIES OF TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION AND EDUCATIONAL PARKS. A project by definition is an optimum set of investment oriented activates by means of which a defined combination of human and material resources are expected to bring about a determined amount of economic and developmental benefits. It is also, an agreed fact in both private and government/public circles that a project involves the use of one or more scare resources within a specific period of time snd for the purpose of yielding some economic and social benefits/returns at a much later time. Projects are usually classified into: i. Current and/or capital projects ii. Private sector and /or public sector projects Men invest for the purpose of profit maximization, share holders wealth maximization, stock value maximization, market share maximization, capital gains and other intrinsic ownership/personal reason. Government on the other hand invests so as to improve peoples standard of living, provision of security, protection, social welfare, employment provision, health, education etc. No matter the type or form of a project, it involves the covering of several tages, each involving a different set of decisional processes too. While the starting point of any project is known as its â€Å"operation stage†. However, the entire series of activities that must be covered for the idea to the operation stage is referred to as the â€Å"project Cycle†. Projects, either of the private or of the public sector type are most inevitable for the growth and development of an y nation. It is also said that ideas rule the world, and this is the reason why our educational institutions are veritable breeding grounds for fresh ideas via technology incubation and educational parks. Technology education however incorporates post secondary education in technology offered in polytechnics, Monotechnics and Colleges of Education Technical. And the strategy here shall include: i. The provision of full-time and part time courses of instruction and training in engineering, other technologies, applied sciences business and management, leading to the production of trained manpower. ii. The provision of technical knowledge and skills necessary for agricultural, industrial, commercial and economic development in Nigeria. iii. Giving training and imparting the necessary skills for the production of technicians, technologists and other skilled personnel who shall be enterprising and self – reliant. iv. Training people who can apply scientific knowledge to solve environment problems for the convenience of man and v. Giving exposure on professional studies in the technologies. In the pursuance of the above goals and for the purpose of sustainability, Government shall adopt the following measures: In the pursuance of the above goals and for the purposes of sustainability, government shall adopt the following measures: i. Develop and encourage the ideas of polytechnic education through student’s industrial work experiences. ii. Improve upon immediate and long term prospects of polytechnic graduates and other professionals with respect to their status and remuneration. iii. At the very early phase of the education system, efforts shall be made to include an attitude of respect for and appreciation of the role of technology in society iv. Students shall be made to appreciate the dignity of labour by using their hands in making repairing and assembling things. v. Polytechnics shall be encourage to conduct applied research relevant to the needs and aspirations of the nation. vi. polytechnics shall continue to maintain a two-tier programme of the National Diploma (ND) and the Higher National Diploma (HND) with one year period of Industrial experience. Serving as one of the pre-requisites for entry into the HND programmes. vii. Polytechnics that meet the requirement above shall be allowed to run post professional HND programmes. viii. The modes and operations of polytechnics shall be the same as in the monotechnics 6. PROMOTING STRATEGIC PROJECTS THROUGH DIRECT INTERVENTION WOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BODIES: INTERACTION We had previously and comprehensively explained what public and private projects are. However, Strategic projects are those that expected to have far reaching effects on the life of the ordinary man, Corporate organizations and even the government. These projects are also those that are expected to impart positively on the development processes of the nation. Some of them would include: health educational, Transport, Aviation, Military and para-military, Information, Telecommunication and even space related projects. The importance of these projects permeated both the private and public sectprs of any nation and the need to promote and facilitate such projects require the simultaneous interation of our educational/research –based institutions with both the organized private sector and appropriate government agencies. Strategies for the achievement of the above would include the following: i. The government to understand that the success of any system of education research institute is hinged upon proper planning, efficient administration and adequate financing. ii. That administration is a function of organization and structure, proprietorship and control as well as inspection/ supervision. iii. School systems and research institutes as well as their management and administration shall grow out of the life and social ethos of the communities which they serve. iv. Shared responsibility for the funding and management of all educational research facilities by the three tires of government. v. Close participation and corporate organization at even he local levels in the administration and management of all educational research facilities. vi. Effective line of ommunication between local communities and government on the one hand and then educational/ research institutes and corporate organizations on the other hand vii. The integration of educational and research development policies with national objectives and programmes especially, as it concerns the evolution of strategic national projects. Sustainability here will require the following: i. Ens uring adequate and effective planning management and monitoring of educational/research services ii. Provide efficient administrative and management control for the maintenance and improvement of the entire systems. ii. Ensuring quality control through regular and continuous of supervision of instructional and other research related services. iv. Providing adequate and balanced financial support for all educational/research related services. v. Ensuring that the findings of all these research instituted are disseminated to the necessary public and private institutes that would need them. vi. The organized private sector to be more responsible to the needs of our academic/research institutes in partnership with government. 7. ADVISING THE GOVERNMENT ON EDUCATIONAL MATTERS AND IMPLEMENTING THESE POLICIES AND PROJECTS Education all over the world is an expensive social services that require adequate financial provision from all tiers of government and even the private sector for the successful implementation of all the educational programmes and for the expected end results to be achieved. Government ultimate goal is to make education free at all levels and for the dividends of education to permeate across the strata of the entire society. The financing of education should be a joint responsibility of the faderal, state and local governments on the one hand, and the organized private sector, communities and even religious organizations on the other. In this vain and while government welcomes and encourages the participation of local communities, individuals and other organization. She must be adviced along the following lines: I. That the curricula of all the academic programmes taught in all our educational institutions need to be updated in order to reposition Nigeria’s manpower requirements to be able to keep-up with the constant dynamics of technological advances globally. II. There hould be an inclusion of a course on â€Å"entrepreneurship development† in allour institutions of higher learning so as to encourage corporate sector participation, encourage corporate sector participation, encourage corporate sector participation, encourage self-employment and boost the ability of graduates to create jobs. III. Institutions should adhere to the quaota assigned to them for admission so as to portray national policy prescription with regards to the science/Arts ratio of 60% for science and 40% for Arts. IV. Youths and fresh graduates should be empowered primarily through the development of new government and corporate development of new governmental and corporate strategies/policies to teach, mentor, monitor and create new platforms for adequate self-expression and socio-economic mental alertness. V. Higher institution should strengthen their practical training programmes and skills acquisition through industrial attachment, field/practical training, university – industry interaction forum and adequate supervision of students on industrial attachment. VI. There should be a strong linkage between entrepreneurship and technology so that entrepreneurs can benefits form research and development (R/D) outputs of our educational and research institutes VII. Research must be intensified on the various aspects of entrepreneurship such as educational, training, new ventures, finance, marketing, organizational strategies, technology, entrepreneurship characteristics and behavior, citizenship education etc. VIII. The public and private sectors should establish an effective feedback mechanism with graduates and their prospective employers so as to monitor graduate performance at work/industrial attachments in terms of knowledge, skills and adaptability that are needed in addition to the provision of adequate funding for institutions so as to enable them revitalize their academic and physical facilities/laboratories and equipments on a continuous basis in order to maintain high academic/research standards. IX. Finally and for all the above to be both possible and feasible, government should adhere strictly to the 25% of annual budgetary allocation to the educational sector of the economy. This however is in line with the UN budgetary prescription for educational. The will ensure adequate availability of funds for education at all levels and will also ensure that our educational institutions would bounce back to the days of glory when they were the veritable centres for urturing private and public projects with the use of the facilities of improved facilities of technology incubation and educational parks. This is exactly how it is in the developed countries of the world. Government must stop destroying itself will inconsequential issues of tenure elongation and financial indiscipline/corruption and set the pace for our technological breakthrough via spiritual ad serious improvements in our educational sector in all ramifications. How to cite Current State of Education in Nigeria, Essay examples

I Am All Of Me free essay sample

For as long as can remember, I have always known who I am; it wasnt until recently that I learned what I am. Since my earlier years as a child, I had always dreamt that the fairy tales my mother spoke of were real. Had hoped that I, too, was living in a surreal world surrounded by the mythological creatures of my fantasies. I gave up that dream when I turned thirteen, when my father ordered me to leave childish thoughts behind, in order to better prepare for becoming a man.Ironic was the fact that was indeed not a man, s I would later discover on my eighteenth birthday. Reminiscing that dreadful day, I woke up, ready for whatever the day could possibly throw at me Well, almost anything. What awaited me on my dining room table was something that I could never have prepared for-?a letter that would forever change the way I thought of myself, and more so, the way I viewed the world around me. We will write a custom essay sample on I Am All Of Me or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I had received letters before, but this one was differentBy the looks of it, I could tell it was old; how old, I will never know.. . UT I did know that the letter was important, enticing me to uncover the secrets it held, hidden beneath its eerie exterior. What had discovered was a note in my mothers handwriting. A note that would forever change the course of my life: Son, if you are reading this letter, then it is your eighteenth birthday, and I am no longer with you. I regret not being able to tell you this face-to-face, but hope youll learn to forgive me There are so many things that I wish I could tell you, but time is of the essence, so I will try to help you understand to the est. of my abilities. I can still remember reading you fairytale when you were very young. Do you remember the tale of the war between angels and demons, constantly fighting with one another for supremacy? Im sure you do; I recall it being one of your favorites, as you had me reading it to you almost every night before going to bed. Remember you telling me how much you believed life to be one enormous fairytale, filled with mythological creatures and supernatural beings.Your father never liked the idea of putting false thoughts into your dead, and we often quarreled about the inevitability of you learning the truth about yourself. Long before you were born, knew you would be different. .. Thou would be special. You were born into an unforgiving world where, indeed, demon fought against angel, and angel fought against demon, each fighting for control over the three kingdoms: Heaven, the blessed kingdom of the angels; Hell, the cursed kingdom of the demons; Earth, the Creators gift to mankind. I am of the angels, and your father, of the demons.

Effectiveness of Non

Introduction Effective leadership plays a vital role to develop the company; therefore, business organizations have leaders to protect the organizational culture and concentrate on the mission of the companies. However, the leadership problem arises in the family business in most of the cases, for instance, unresolved conflict, mismanagement, and different views are the key problems in this field.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effectiveness of Non-Family Member Leaders in Family Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Business owners can deal with these issues successfully when good relationship among the members create and ensure flexible and secure business environment. However, family business environment can change at any time for different reasons, such as, divorce, financial crises, health issues, obscure leadership approach and clear strategies, succession, ineffective remuneration policy, fav ouritism, no unified objective, unskilled human resource, and so on (â€Å"EMyth: The Challenges of a Family Business† par.2). Research Aims and Questions How non-family member leaders can contribute for the development of family business and national economy; The extent to which family members accept the decisions of the leaders of non-family members; Assess the impact of non-family member leaders on the stakeholders; Contributions of research to business organizations The proposed research will enhance and broaden present theoretical perceptions on the effectiveness of non-family member leaders in family business; in addition, it will encourage other researchers to use the result of proposed research for the future research. In addition, the proposed dissertation will assist the family members of the family business in the UK and other nations in order to identify the loopholes of the business and restructure organizations considering the outcome of this result regarding the effectiveness of non-family member leaders. Reason for Study Cable (6) reported that there were more than 3 million family businesses in the United Kingdom, and these firms provided about 9.2 million jobs (40% of total private sector employment), and generated revenues of  £1.1 trillion in 2010 (35% of private sector turnover). Moreover, Cable (6) further addressed that family businesses have significant role to shape the national economy (in 2010, it contributed  £81.7bn in tax receipts or 14% of total government revenues) for which it is essential to manage such business by improving leadership quality and increasing labour productivity; as a result, this is one of the most important area of research.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Literature Review Klein (1) explored that it is very important to investigate the function of non-family leaders in the famil y business; however, it is also essential to compare their role with the leaders appear from the family orientation; such comparison would provide a greater understanding to develop a business model that ultimately resolve the theoretic debate regarding the role of non-family leaders. In order to conduct literature search, this study would consider three areas, which raised by the research questions; on the other hand, it would look for the shared deliberation of the family owner and non-family leader to come into a close relationship, associated recruitment process of the non-family leader and his behaviour all through the employment. The European Commission (4) mentioned that due to the economic contribution of family business and its long-term substantiality during the financial crisis and recessionary economy, continuous efforts to the local community development and their ethical standard turned them essential for the national development; moreover, the states needed to provide special concern for them. The corporate data illustrated that 60% of the European firms are under family business category and they are working in different sectors with successful record of accomplishment; most of the SMEs are under this category. The most acceptable and agreed definition provided by the EC is that a firm would be considered a family business if the founder or owner or ‘majority of decision-making rights’ or acquired share capital are concentrated within the family members such as spouses, children, parents, or direct heirs and at least a single delegate of them who officially represent them. For listed companies, the company has considered a family business if 25% of share capital of decision-making rights concentrate to any founder or owner of his family members; furthermore, the EC has just guided the definitions and urged to implement them in the individual national context of the member states with improved choice. The Ernst Young (1-36) conduct ed a landmark study with 280 family businesses with joint efforts of the FBNI, and Credit Suisse in order to identify the greater insight with the procedure of conducting such business; furthermore, its core competences, strategies, and professionalism to sustain under the hard economic condition.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Effectiveness of Non-Family Member Leaders in Family Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Among them, ten business leaders were executives (family members) among more than 1000 executives, who became most prominent and gained awards from the academia for their contribution to the family business arena within the surveyed respondents; however, the performance of the family executives were more exciting and remarkable than the non-family business leaders. Under the present economic reality, the findings of the research identifies that although there are some disadvantageous a ttributes of family business, the performance of family business leaders even new family members are superior than the non-family leaders while 30% new family members are coming into the business with business degrees and perfect skills. On the other hand, Birchall Ketilson (15) advocated with the non-family leadership arguing that the family leadership in the family business could be aligned with nepotistic; they could develop widespread paternalistic exercise that a non-family leader would never put into practice where family members would not be privileged to influence unethically. Moreover, enterprises single ownership and self-employed people could consider, as the family business in many countries where unattractive representation of labour markets looks very worse in such small companies; moreover, the most common dilemmas of them is lower wages with less career opportunities that could not attract potential non-family leaders. As the non-family leader are standing apart and composed with business skills and committed to the family, they could provide exceptional control over the business that lets the non-family leader to strongly handle emotional and soft issues rise from family leadership. At the same time, the non-family leaders have to face tremendous threats from the family members who are most likely habituated to integrate emotional blackmailing in the business. This proposed literature review would search the most neglected research direction aligned with gaps with existing direction of non-family leaders with the aim to identify function of business leaders to strengthen the prospective of modern family business pointing to the success and failure of them.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Thesis Statement Amanna and Jacques (204) pointed out that the academic literature of family business has evidenced with better performance than non-family business during the global financial meltdown although the conventional wisdom regarding contribution of non-family leaders prolong confusing idea and required to have further research to identifying the actual truth. Under the present global financial crisis and its long-term recessionary impact, the rate of recovery in the family business is greater than the non-family business, but this data does not evidenced to any positive role or optimistic contribution from the non-family executives. Thus, the role of non-family executives in the family business remain unclean and grounded with huge conceptual gap; so, this literature has aimed to look for most resent studies based on the concurrent recessionary economy in order to enrich the area with better understanding and to provide direction for further research non-family leaders. Research Methodology and Methods Research philosophy Williams (1) stated that research philosophy is a significant aspect of research methodology to collect data in useful and correct way considering time limitation and budget constraints; however, three philosophies include positivism (highly structured methodology to quantify and assess the outcome), interpretive (applicable when business is too complex) and realism philosophy (interdependency of human values and beliefs). However, Williams (1) argued that researcher could collect all the data when it considers positivism, interpretive philosophy based on the critical thinking about positivism philosophy and realism philosophy depend on the fact that human are not the objects for research; therefore, proposed research will consider positivism and interpretive philosophy to discuss the effectiveness of non-family member leaders in family business. The strategy (induction/deduction) Burney (5) stated that Induction method (also know n as â€Å"bottom up† approach) is more widely used in the scientific research field to formulate some tentative hypotheses to explore and to develop the theory and measurement. On the other hand, Burney (4) argued that deduction methods commonly used in the social research and it starts with theory; however, the next graph demonstrates the distinction between the deductive and inductive method – Figure 1: Deductive Versus Inductive Approach Source: Self generated from Burney (5) However, the proposed research will consider deductive approach because this is appropriate with the research field â€Å"Effectiveness of non-family member leaders in family business† while it is beyond the knowledge of the researcher to introduce a theory from observation. Research Design The proposed research will consider both qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze the importance of non-family member leaders in family business, for instance, qualitative research will pl ay vital role to gather border opinion of the family business owners and quantitative research approach will help the researcher to identify the behavioural attributes with statistical representation. However, the proposed research will contain six major steps or chapters considering both primary and secondary research, for instance – Problem statement: This chapter will to identify core principles of leadership styles in family business, objectives of different stockholders, and different perspectives regarding organizational challenges; Development of a research approach to the problem; Research design formulation: the proposed research will provide methodological framework to illustrate the effectiveness of non-family member leaders in family business and it will contain overall process to organise the paper; Fieldwork or Data Collection: Semi structured questionnaire will be prepared for the data collection from the owners and members of family business; Data preparation and analysis: Effective measurement tools will be used; Report preparation and presentation; Sample Size The researcher of the proposed study will conduct face-to-face interview as the owners and employees of family business are too cooperative to participate in the interview; therefore, researcher will prepare a questionnaire to interview on specific factors to reach conclusion in this regard. At least, 200 respondents will participate in the interview process; however, the following table gives more information about interviewees – Personal Background and sample size Frequency a Gender Male 112 Female 88 b Total Respondents 200 Quantitative data size 180 Qualitative data size 20 c Age 18 – 30 64 31 – 40 76 41 – 50 28 51 – 60 22 61 =/+ 10 d Experience in the family business 01 – 05 30 06 – 12 95 13 – 20 52 20 + 23 e Educational level Below senior school 42 A level 24 Bachelor 62 Master 70 PhD or other professional qualification 2 f Social network or Internet user Facebook users 130 LinkedIn members 32 Google members Other Table 1: Profiles of family business members and owners Source: Self generated Data Collection Strategy: The strategies for the data collection programmes will be based on the traditional process along with questionnaire, such as, the researcher will apply personal or face-to-face interview, telephone interview, and web survey through semi-structured questionnaire to analyse the effectiveness of the leaders of non-family member in the family business. However, the rationale for considering traditional approach for data collection is to have sufficient time and budget to conduct field survey using questionnaire, the family business stakeholders, and owners are responsive to share their views to contribute to conduct research on leadership approach in family business. Data Analysis Process The qualit ative data regarding the effectiveness of non-family member leaders on family business will be analysed in descriptive manner, for instance, the research will carefully read the text or lessen the tape records in order to shape the quality data; after filtering process, the data will be presented in the main text. The descriptive and interpretive analysis of qualitative research approach will focus mainly on the difference between leaders of family business and leaders of corporate company leaders in decision-making process to solve conflicts and dilemmas since the human resource are not skilled enough in case of family business. On the other hand, quantitative data regarding leadership style in the family business will be graphically presented using statistical software, such as, Microsoft excel, Matlab or others; however, selection of software will be based on the questionnaire (number of variables) of the proposed research. However, the next figure shows data analysis process â⠂¬â€œ Figure 1: Data analysis process Source: Self generated Potential threats to validity and reliability The researcher can be biased at the time of questionnaire design and data analysis process; as a result, the researcher of the proposed study will check the instrument considering both external and internal validity to make the data reliable to all range of business employees and owners of family business. Ethical issues As the research involved human participation, the proposed will collect data after getting consent from the business owners and members of the family business; in addition, the proposed study will treat personal information of family business holders as confidential data (respect for anonymity and privacy) following Data Protection Act 1998 in the perspective of the UK. Participant Information Sheet Title: Effectiveness of Non Family Member Leaders in Family Business By signing below, signatory are assenting that he/she has read and understood this sheet, t he aim of the research to meet problem related with leadership crisis in the family business along with the family attachment and emotions; in addition, signatory will assess the risk factors (no potential risk incur in this case), and taking part in this survey voluntarily Name of the respondent Signature of the respondent Date Name of person obtaining consent Signature of the individual Table 2: Participant Information Sheet Source: Self generated Resources It should require a laptop, statistical software, tape recorder, mobile phone and some other tools; on the other hand, it needs at least $2500 to conduct research on the effectiveness of non-family member leaders in family business; however, this cost associated with transportation costs for field survey, preparation of documents, collect secondary data sources (purchase books), and additional overhead costs. Timetable Task Date Time Submit this proposal for approval 03 May 2013 May be approved within 15 days of submission Prepare problem statement with research gap, research question and objectives 16 May 2013 to 31 May 2013 At least 15 days require to complete first chapter Prepare first draft of literature review with theoretical analysis 01 June 2013 to 30 June 2013 30 days require as it is largest chapter and need deep concentration Confirm sample, design instruments for methodology chapter 01 July 2013 to 14 July 2013 At least 14 days require to research design for data collection It will conduct field survey to assemble primary data 16 July 2013 to 31 August 2013 It should minimum 45 days as it is lengthy process Analyse data and resent report format 01 September 2013 to 30 September 2013 30 days for editing, coding and presenting Conclusion and recommendation 02 October 2013 to 15 October 2013 Minimum 15 days require Finish the entire draft of the proposed dissertation and begin revisions 16 October 2013 to 30 October 2013 14 days reserve for revisions Submit final p aper 01 November 2013 Table 3: Research schedule Source: Self generated Conclusion The proposed research with non-family members in the family businesses and its direction to the literature review has aimed to support the relevant research questions for this study while main objective of this paper is to generate literature adequately demonstrates the significance of non-family leaders in family businesses. The outcomes of the research would enhance the family business with new findings and show the future direction for further research with non-family business leaders comparing with the family leaders in context of their origin, performance, and professionalism. The potential strengths of the proposed research include available secondary data sources along with primary data to shape literature review and develop a strategic framework to develop leadership approach in the family business with non-family member CEO to cover in detail all areas related to this field. At the same t ime, key strengths will be the outcomes of survey report to analyse qualitative and quantitative data, the result of the overall research on problematic dynamic particularly in the family firm, comparison with non-family businesses and family businesses, importance of the family attachment and emotions, evaluate the advantage and disadvantage of non-family leadership, and the market advantage. The proposed study will not contain major weaknesses, as the research will take appropriate measure on time; however, some possible weaknesses include time and budget constraints since it will consider large participants for field survey. Works Cited Amanna, Bruno. Jacques Jaussaudb. â€Å"Family and non-family business resilience in an economic downturn†. Asia Pacific Business Review. 18.2 (2012): 203-223. Web. https://www.emeraldinsight.com/bibliographic_databases.htm?id=17029973. Birchall, Johnston. Ketilson, Lou Hammond. Resilience of the Cooperative Business Model in Times of Cri sis. 2009. Web. http://www.ilo.org/empent/Publications/WCMS_108416/lang–en/. Burney, Aqil 2008, Inductive Deductive Research Approach. PDF file. 02 May 2013. www.drburney.net/INDUCTIVE%20%20DEDUCTIVE%20RESEARCH%20APPROACH%2006032008.pdf. Cable, Vince 2011, The UK Family Business Sector: Working to grow the UK economy. PDF file. 02 May 2013. http://www.ifb.org.uk/media/44219/theukfamilybusinesssectorreportnov2011_final.pdf. EMyth: The Challenges of a Family Business 2010. Web. http://www.e-myth.com/cs/user/print/post/the-challenges-of-a-family-business. Ernst Young 2012, Built to last Family businesses lead the way to sustainable growth. 2012. PDF file. 2 May 2013. http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/Built_to_Last/$FILE/Built_to_Last.pdf. Klein, Sabine. â€Å"Non-Family Executives In Family Businesses – A Literature Review.† Electronic Journal of Family Business Studies (EJFBS). 1.1 (2007): 1-2. Web. https://jyx.jyu.fi/dspace/bitstream/handle/123456789/202 48/EJBFS_2007_v01_n01_p19-37.pdf?sequence=1. The European Commission 2007, Final Report of the Expert Group: Overview of Family–Business–Relevant Issues: Research, Networks, Policy Measures and Existing Studies. PDF file. 2 May 2013. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/sme/promoting-entrepreneurship/family-business/family_business_expert_group_report_en.pdf. Williams, Jennifer. Research Paradigm and Philosophy. 2011. Web. http://www.howtodo.dissertationhelpservice.com/research-paradigm-and-philosophy. List of Abbreviations FBNI = Family Business Network International SMEs = Small and Medium Enterprises This research paper on Effectiveness of Non-Family Member Leaders in Family Business was written and submitted by user Deon Perez to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Joy

Joy JoyThroughout our journeys, we can expect the road of life to be paved with many experiences of both joys and sorrows drawn in. The joy that life brings creates a wonderful encounter with the world and all it's people. Joy is described as an especially intense period of happiness that results with contentment, pleasure, and delight. Although our life is a so-called "rollercoaster ride," and is filled with so many different dispositions or vibes, our joyful moments are the ones to be treasured and remembered forever. These moments are the ones that render a person to feel at the summit or highest point of the world and in humankind, but since life has so many different adventures and never occurs in the same fashion all the time, other temperaments are considered as well. Joy is a source or perhaps an object that grounds a feeling of enjoyment, cheerfulness, or satisfaction.Jeff Woloson in Thailand. The birds atop Jeff's he..."Their only child was their pride and joy."Joy can be illus trated by the passion or emotion that is energized by the gaining or anticipation of good. Joyful thoughts and manners are the pleasurable feelings or emotions caused by success, good fortune, and fondness, or by a normal prospect of possessing what we love or desire. Joy is gladness and indulgence as well as an exhilaration of a person's spirits.Many people have distinct sources that cause them happiness or joy as for it differs and fluctuates from person to person. Learning to live in the present moment is a part of the path to joy. As Shakespeare said, "Things won are done; joy's soul lies in the doing." Another great aspect of this quote that demonstrates the world's values (joys) and a real explanation of joy comes from a quote by Cesare Pavese, "The only joy...

Comparing difference essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparing difference - Essay Example While Ms. Gilman portrayed the development of postpartum depression and its aftermath in her main character Jane, who is also the narrator of the story, during an era when men ruled the world and women were expected to merely bear children and ensure that their husband was a success in life. It is because of this difference in the way that the topic of developing madness was dealt with and the complex issues surrounding it that made â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† the more prominent fictional study of the development of madness. " The Black Cat," and "The Yellow Wall Paper," display aspects of psychological issues; however, the complexity of these issues are more prominent in " The Yellow Wall Paper." In â€Å"The Black Cat†, Poe continues his tradition of recalling the spiral into madness of his lead characters through flashbacks detailing the events that led to the protagonists descent into madness. This is a trend that we can clearly see in his previous works such as â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart†. In â€Å"The Black Cat†, the only driving factor for the madness of the unnamed narrator seems to be the fact that he is alcoholic and as such, has delusions and suspicions about anything and everyone around him. Including, the black cat that was their family pet. As we can see in the following passage, the madness of the narrator was not brought about by any traumatic experience or frustration in life, but rather, because of his love of alcohol. He narrates: ..my disease grew upon me--for what disease is like Alcohol!--and at length even Pluto, who was now becoming old, and consequently somewhat peevish--even Pluto began to experience the effects of my ill temper. (Poe 2) This where the weakness of the development of the mental illness lies in Poes story. For just like in all his previous works, the reason for the onset of madness stems from the love of drink and th

Social Media Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Social Media Project - Assignment Example The topics circled to address customer trust issues are wide ranging from the employees, product launch and customer service. However, the core problem identified is the customer care and after sales services as highlighted by the selected posts below. The negative perception by customers makes one wonder why Wal-Mart is still the largest retail chain in the world. A key profit determinant would be improvement in the public relationship area for it would multiply their current earnings based on the obviously large number of dissatisfied customers which must be the fraction enjoyed by its competitors. No. Date Feedback 1 12th 04/2012 Webersouza Flamengo: Always admired Wal-Mart till it came to Brazil and got hired. Disappointed because it segregates customers and employees according to its own preference. He was fired. 2 11th 04/2012 Kimberly Smith Higashi: Wal-Mart had a grand opening in San Jose L.A and totally forgot it’s all about customers who were neglected and felt disap pointed for attention was reserved to Wal-Mart executives and Employees. 3 11th 04/2012 Sandy H. Parker: Disappointed by Wal-Mart Online order services because her order was delayed and moved to a later delivery date and the customer care did not have courtesy to inform her. 4 10th 04/2012 Ben R. Dazzle: He claims Wal-Mart is the worst thing to ever happen in USA because it uses child labor from immigrants as well as chokes down small family retail businesses. 5 9th 04/2012 The worst store to buy a computer: Wal-Mart only cares before it gets your money then changes. Their goods do not reflect the warranties thus when defective, consumers end up suffering. Wal-Mart does not investigate the sources of its products. The above 5 posts represent a summary of 30 posts evaluated from the start of March this year to the current day. The main issues of concern can be diagrammatically represented in a pie chart as follows. The leading was dissatisfied customers from poor after sales services which included purchase of faulty products that were not accepted back in exchange by warranties and guarantees. The employees were not effective in advising the customers on how to service and maintain some of the purchased products. No one really cared after money was exchanged for a product reason being they had many more people to serve. Poor customer care was also an issue especially with regards to low effectiveness and efficiency in the customer service department. Delays and inconveniences highlighted this segment, many a times causing embarrassment to the customers. Majority vowed never to come back in these incidences. Misplaced marketing vision is best defined at new outlet launches where the attention seemed to be given to the executives and staff members thus making consumers feeling unwanted. The store also pays more attention in marketing themselves rather than what they offer to the consumers. Adverts should show a substantial content of what brings people into the stores; the products and services, rather than magnificent buildings and smiling employees. Weak employment policies refers to the child labor issues with focus on foreigners, low pay packages to employees, poor working conditions which make employees tired and thus impacting on customer interactions in a negative way. It is evident from the site that Wal-Mart has done little to explore social media options as well as collect electronic

Pleasures and Perils in the US Marshals Service Essay

Pleasures and Perils in the US Marshals Service - Essay Example Online data and statistics are utilized to justify the points stated. Pleasures and Perils in the US Marshals Service The pursuit of a career is not easy; nor is its continuance. In most cases, years of education and some amount of rigorous training will have to be completed before anyone can get a hold of the title desired. Certain positions may even necessitate a passing grade in civil examinations or landing ahead of the class. Moreover, while there is no profession that is entirely hazard-free, many pose a risk to life and present links to a range of adversities that will take real dedication to cope with. The life of a federal law enforcer, particularly a United States Marshal, is a clear depiction of a career that is both hard-earned and gruellingly preserved. Being the enforcement arm of the United States federal courts, the duties of these officers typically involves protection of judicial officers, transport of prisoners, handing out arrest warrants, and apprehending law off enders. According to John Gibbons, US Marshal for Massachusetts, the marshal’s service weighs many issues when moving prisoners and regularly changes travel routes based on factors such as weather, threat levels, traffic patterns or other significant events that may be happening in the area (Ring, 2011). In other words, blunders, accidents, and natural disasters are among the perils marshals come face to face with on a regular basis, and are not to be taken too lightly. On the worst scenario, casualties are probable. U.S. Marshals Director Stacia A. Hylton said in a statement, "our deputies and law enforcement partners face danger every day in the pursuit of justice for the citizens of this great nation. Our people and our partners are well-trained and prepared, but it is impossible to predict when a wanted individual will make a fateful choice that results in the loss of life or injury†.   A statistic imparted by the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) reveals that for the year 2011 alone, line of duty deaths totalled to 117, with gunfire as the most recurrent culprit (See Figure 1.0 for a more detailed presentation). An even appalling fact is that, the number is a 7 percent increase from last year; and we are just on the 8th month. Officers of the federal law enforcement agency are usually the last targeted for national budget cuts, and the rationale behind this is apparent. Unfortunately, they are also beginning to feel the impact of economic downturn. As per the ABC world news released on January 2009, a report by Thomas, Date and Cook, 27 percent of departments have implemented a hiring freeze for police officers, 12 percent are considering layoffs or forced retirements, 49 percent have reduced or eliminated funding for technology updates, and 61 percent have cut overtime, which is often used to boost police presence in high crime areas. At present, the USMS is not hiring, and the date for the next recruiting process is still unidentified. Wh ile the USMS, and other law enforcement agencies should be expected to sign up more candidates owing to the increasing crime rates, there is not enough resources to sustain the costs entailed. However, many are still eyeing for a place in the US Marshals Service as indicated by applications received by United States US Marshal district offices. This paper will closely examine all basic information related

Importance of Youth Sports | Essay

Importance of Youth Sports | Essay Sports as an activity can be traced back to the earliest existence of human beings, for as long as they have been active and sportive. It is a great way for people to master the benefits of nature and their surrounding or environment for that matter. By studying the history of sports, we can learn about the social changes that man has gone through in the past as well as the transformations that sports in itself has undergone. These changes are mostly evidenced in the changes of the rules that govern the various sporting activities as well as in the manner in which they are played. It involves the development and exercise of natural human talents and skills as opposed to exercising them for their importance. Sports has mainly been a preserve of those in their youth as that is the point at which one still has the strength, agility, mindset and the motivation to be actively involved in it. In most sporting activities, one is said to be at their prime in their youth. Sports can be broadly categorized as either team sports or individual sports. Team sports include soccer, basketball, netball, hockey, baseball, volleyball among others. Individual sports include games like badminton, tennis, squash, table tennis, darts, scrabble, and chess among others. The other classification of sporting activities can be physical or non-physical. The physical sports are those that require movement of the body muscles for which fitness is of the essence. Majority of sports fall in this category. Non-physical sports include board games like chess, draft, scrabble among others; these are mostly played in the mind but nevertheless are still sports. All over the world, sporting activities have provided great entertainment for audiences. The 2006 FIFA football world cup in Germany alone had a cumulative television audience of 26.29 billion in-home and 2.1 billion out –of-home viewers (fifa.com). Football is not in this category alone, sports like basketball, baseball and other mainstream sports have been known to have a lot of their tournaments declared sold out due to over subscription by fans intent on going to watch their favorite players thrash their opponents. The entertainment provided by these sporting activities ensures people spend their free time progressively instead of wasting it on activities that will in the end not add any value to their lives. Sports among the youth is a key factor that has been noted to promote prosocial characteristic traits among individuals. According to Bar-Tal, (1976) and Bierhoff, (2002), prosocial are positive forms of social behavior that are not motivated by personal obligations, rather they are voluntary and they have positive results. These include; cooperation, sharing, respect, altruism and many others (Larrieu Mussen, 1986). Sports among the youth is therefore a very important tool through which individuals, especially the antisocial ones can hone their social skills through interaction with their team mates as well as the opposing players. Through this interaction, ones communication skills are also enhanced and developed and these are acquisitions that will benefit the individual later on in life. Obesity has reached worrying proportions and this is a particular concern to health experts especially since this is caused by an increased rate of inactivity among the youth (National Institute of Health, n.d.; World Health Organization, 2000). According to Storm Jenkins, (2002), the childhood obesity rates which currently stand at approximately 15% are an increase of over 40% through the past 40 years. Childhood obesity is not only a cause of health problems at the present in the form of Type II diabetes but due to its relation to adult obesity, these individuals are likely to become struggling adults with obesity if they do not change their sedentary lifestyles. By engaging in sports activities especially for the purposes of having fun, these children will not only enjoy themselves but they will also have the added advantage of working their way to a better lifestyle that will improve their health. Youths who engage in sporting activities are encouraged to learn good sportsmanship qualities and by learning these they also get to familiarize with the five Cs of positive youth development. These five Cs are; competence, confidence, connection, compassion caring, and character. These are important life tools and skills that any growing and developing youth need in order to be able to relate with his juniors, peers as well as seniors well. They enable the individual to grow into a respectable adult capable of making wise decisions that will positively influence not only himself but also those around him. Through sports, one acquires the confidence to tackle the obstacles that life throws at him having become accustomed to challenges from various types of opponents. Sports among the youth are a good way of passing free time. According to health organizations, there is a growing trend of moral decadence among the youth which is leading to very promising lives being wasted due to drugs. Most of these drug activities are carried out due to individuals having a lot of idle time in which they do not participate in any physical activities, as a result, they resort to destructive drug habits. Case studies have shown that most of the youth who engage in sporting activities have a much lower likelihood to engage in drug activities as it interferes with their performance on the fields and at the same time, especially for those interested in pursuing sports as careers, it us likely to cut short their dreams. Sports therefore acts as a deterrent from drugs. Careers have been developed through sports. In the early 90s, one of the most popular individuals all over the world was Michael Jordan, and it was not because of his ever shining bald head. Jordan possessed dribbling skills that mad non-sports enthusiasts feel like they should get off their couches and go â€Å"shoot some hoops†. Basketball was Michael Jordans career, and he enjoyed it because later in an interview, he calmly stated that he was having fun since he was getting paid to do his hobby. Currently there are millions of athletes who have turned into millionaires simply by engaging in activities that they once considered hobbies. They are earning even more than some of the employees on Wall Street. Sports can therefore end up providing the youth with a way of fending for themselves in this world where white collar jobs have become scarce and the manual jobs are being constantly replaced by technology. Careers can therefore be created through sports. Sports does not only create employment opportunities for the participants, off the field, there are team managers, tacticians, fitness experts, dietary advisors and a whole lot of other experts who benefit from the youths involvement in sports. Jobs are created for grounds men who have to ensure football pitches have been watered to the required standards, the referees, umpires and other officials whose duty it is to ensure that the rules and regulations governing the various games are followed, and to ensure that order is maintained. Psychologists are also at hand to provide in depth analysis of the reasons why various actions are taken by various individuals. Medical practitioners make killings by bringing in products, albeit illegal, that can help athletes to improve their performances in their various sports. These are just a few of the beneficiaries of youth engaging in sports, but it is therefore true to say youth and sports are employers to very many individuals all over the w orld. Some individuals, especially the introverts have problems associating with people, they would rather stay within their shells and remain alone. When these people engage in sports, they may end up being so excellent in them and that would provide them with a sort of an identity which they can be proud of. These individuals will have a common ground with which they can socialize and that helps them open up to the rest. It is not unusual to find people for whom when they have problems, they run, not to their families first, but to their teammates. They get a sense of belonging there and that makes sports a big player in fostering relations and creating environments in which people can socialize. This is also true for people who may not have anything in common, except love for a particular team or sports and they form friendship since they meet at the venue of the game on regular basis. Many life long friendships have been formed in football stands. Having the youth participate in sports provides them with the necessary experiences that they can apply to great benefit later in life. In sports, one comes face to face with the realities of life that includes success and victory, shame, failure and defeat. Disappointments are common and these are important things that one has to get used to. Life is not a one way street to success and these experiences provide one with the foundation on which to base future decisions. One learns important lessons like how to react to failure and how to survive without giving up in the face of adversity, how to celebrate victories without making opponents feel like they are worthless, how to hang on and give your best to your team even though they may not be having a great day, and how to console teammates after losing an emotional game. These and others make people bond together into a tight knit unit that appreciates every individuals strengths and weaknesses. Sports makes people to appreciate the fact that not all humans are perfect and people make errors, the important thing is how to put those errors in the pat and move on without getting scarred for life, and those are lessons learnt from sports. Sports therefore touch the lives of people, spectators and players alike and create bonds among them that are impenetrable even in difficult times. It is common to see players cry when a teammate gets injured or is no longer going to continue playing with them, the outside world may know the players strengths on the field, but it is the teammates who train daily with him who know his contribution both on and off the field. Playing in sports involves taking risks and being able to live with the consequences. One will have to make certain decisions without knowing how the opponent will react, but he shall go forward nevertheless with the decision and hope the opponent swallows his bait. This makes individuals better prepared for the situations that they will be involved in later on in life that may require them to make decisions without being aware of the consequences. Athletes are also usually under the advice of their coaches and managers who have a say in the decisions they make. Sports therefore makes individuals obey authority and this moulds them into responsible adults who have fear and respect to authority. This makes the society a better place to live in as people are surrounded by individuals who are not self serving, but care how the outcome of their actions will impact on the society around them. When engaging in sports that are physical in nature, an individual has to be in shape and physical fitness will be a quality that will determine winners and losers. The fitness expectations will make an individual to live a healthy lifestyle, eating healthy foods, doing physical activities that will better make them able to compete well. Sport s therefore encourages healthy lifestyles among the youth and leads to the development of a better society of healthy people. Games also need individuals to analyze their opponents and develop tactics with which to beat them having discovered their weaknesses. At the same time one will know how to use their strength to their advantage and how to use it to cover their weaknesses. Therefore individuals will learn how to strategize and overpower opponents, skills that are necessary for survival not only in the competition but in the world as well. Sports is a great way of bringing people together and spreading the messages of goodwill. The world is currently faced with a situation where no single race is social or dominant in a given sport, many other individuals are coming up to challenge the status quo and this may not go right with certain individuals who are of the opinion that their races are superior. Therefore sports is increasingly being used as a way of encouraging people to live and associate together in harmony and to shun evils such as racism. Sports is also being used to pass messages of peace among humans. These make it important among the youth as it makes them understand the issues that are unfolding before them in a language they can relate to. Among the youth, sports is also being used as a tool for reaching out to the less fortunate. It is very common to hear of tournaments organized to raise funds towards certain causes like helping victims of hurricane disasters, tsunamis among others. Sports therefore acts as a way in which the youth can use what they have in the form of their talents to give back to the society that has helped mould them into who they are. Very many children are growing up and are in need of role models to give them something to look forward to. Outstanding sports personalities are usually great role models for such children in that from most of them come stories of winning a struggle. Most successful athletes either came from very humble backgrounds or had to struggle in the face of adversity in order to make it to where they are. There are also others who may not have had it so rough in the beginning, but still had to go through experiences in their lives which would have made them give up their dreams. Instead they took the bull by the horn and confronted their fears and are today great in whatever they do, providing an inspiration to the billions in need of it in the world. Sports thus provide the role models to give the motivation for others to pursue their dreams and ambitions. References Bierhoff, H.W. (2002). Prosocial behavior. New York: Taylor Francis. Bar-Tal, D. (1976). Prosociabehavior: Theory and research. Washington, D.C.: Hemsphere. Larrieu, J., Mussen, P. (1986). Some personality and motivational correlates of childrens prosocial behavior. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 147(4), 529-542. World Health Organization. (2000). Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Geneva: Author. About Fifa; TV Data. Retrieved on 10th October 2009 From http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/marketing/factsfigures/tvdata.html Storm, H., Jenkins, M. (2002). Go girl: Raising healthy, confident, and successful girls through sports. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks. Mary Sara Wells, Skye G. Arthur-Banning, Karen P. Paisley, Gary D. Ellis, Mark F. Roark and Sara Fisher Journal of Park and Recreation Administration Spring 2008 Volume 26, Number 1 pp. 1-21; Good (Youth) Sports: Using Benefits-Based Programming to Increase Sportsmanship Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1996). Physical activity and health: A report of the surgeon general. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Perkins, D. F., Jacobs, J. E., Barber, B. L., Eccles, J. S. (2004). Childhood and adolescent sports participation as predictors of participation in sports and physical fitness activities during young adulthood. Youth and Society, 35(4), 495–520. Escobedo, Stryer, B. K., Tofler, I. R., Lapchick, R. (1998). A developmental overview of child and youth sports in society. Sports Psychiatry, 7, 697–711. Smith, R.E., SmoU, F.L. (1996). Way to go, Coach!: A scientifically validated approach to, coaching effectimness. Portola Valley, CA: Warde Publishers. Smoll, F.L., : Smith, R.E. (1989). Leadership behaviors in sport: A conceptual model and Research paradigm. Journal of Applied Sodal Psychology, 19, 1522-1551. SmoU, F.L., Smith, R.E. (Eds.). (1996). Children and youth in sport: A biopsychosocini perspective. Dubuque, lA: McGraw-Hill

Black And White Women Of The Old South Essay -- essays research papers

Minrose Gwin‘s book, Black and White Women of the Old South, argues that history has problems with objectiveness. Her book brings to life interesting interpretations on the view of the women of the old south and chattel slavery in historical American fiction and autobiography. Gwin’s main arguments discussed how the white women of the south in no way wanted to display any kind of compassion for a fellow woman of African descent. Gwin described the "sisterhood" between black and white women as a "violent connection"(pg 4). Not only that, Gwin’s book discusses the idea that for most of the eighteenth and nineteenth century, a black woman usually got subjected to displacement of sexual and mental frustration of white women. Gwin discusses how these black women, because of the sexual and mental abuse, felt looked down on more by whites and therefore reduced to even a lower level than that of white women‘s status of being a woman. . A southern white female slave owner only saw black women as another slave, or worse. White women needed to do this in order to keep themselves from feeling that they were of higher status than every one else except for their husband. White women as, Gwin describes, always proved that they had complete control and black women needed to bow to them. Gwin’s book discusses that the white male slave owners brought this onto the black women on the plantation. They would rape black women, and then instead of the white women dealing with their husbands. They would go after the black women only since the wives had no power over the husbands, but they maintained total control of the slaves, the white women would attack the black women and make their lives very diffucult. The white women would make sure that the black women understood that the white women completely hated the black women for being raped and wanted only pain for the them. This is how the black women of that time got t he stereotypes of being very sexual beings and hated by there oppressors. You can see evidence of this when Gwin discussed the realities of such hatred in the book Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner. The main character, Clytie, sexual assaults by her male master upsets her because she doesn’t desire to be involved with him, but her female master feels that she should be punished for it. So the white female slave owner... ...man keeps her from ever getting past the dark skin, and makes the white women feel more like the Africans were more of an animal then an actual person. The white women always feels that the slave must understand that the man may rank higher than her but even if her husband wants to mess around then fault goes to the slave not the husbands. And the slave will never be to her level, because the black slave will never be a lady. And in the book you can see how the white women lost there power in the house and that their system of life that they received didn’t prove to work out anymore for them so they had to attempt to adjust to a way life took would take them. I feel that Gwin argues that the main reason for the confrontations for the struggle of power became evident in that it had gotten to point that certain black women would not let their own female owners hit them. This is an example of how not only how the whites women challenged the system, but also how the slave women started to make changes in how they willed to be treated. Bibliographical citation Gwin, Minrose. Black And White Women Of The Old South. Knoxville: Tennessee Press, 1985.

Death of a Salesman and A Raisin in the Sun

â€Å"May I never wake up from the American dream. † Carrie Latet describes the most sought after dream: the dream of a house surrounded by a white picket fence, the dream people work their entire lives for, the dream people fight wars for: the American dream. However, America’s rise to industrialism in the 19th and 20th centuries replaced this dream with the desire to get rich fast. This change led people to believe that it is possible, common even, to obtain wealth rapidly; yet this is not the case. Sometimes, when an individual is unable to acquire such extreme wealth, he create a sense of false reality for himself, his common sense is blurred, and he sees opportunities where there are none. Characters Walter Lee Younger and Willy Loman are prime examples of this, both pinning their hopes on unattainable dreams to hide the feelings of failure. The theme of illusion versus reality is present in both Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun and Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman through the portrayal of main characters Walter and Willy in their struggles for happiness and prosperity. Although the two characters have similar dreams, Walter, a dynamic character, breaks through the fantasy while Willy, a static character, remains trapped in his illusion. Willy Loman has a very specific dream, a contorted version of the American dream. Willy dreams of being successful and providing for his family, but also to be popular and well liked: a spin off the classic American dream, which is generally just to have a happy life. Driven by his need for success and popularity, Willy ignores his calling for nature and throws all his heart into becoming a salesman. Willy is enthralled by the story of Dave Singleman, his inspiration and idol. â€Å"I realized that selling was the greatest career a man could want. ‘Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people† (Miller 81). This story is the sole reason for Willy’s desire to be a successful salesman, but what he does not realize is that Singleman’s case is one in a million. Although he doggedly pursues a career in selling, Willy also recognizes his need and desire for nature in his retirement plans. As he tells Linda, â€Å"Before it’s all over we’re gonna get a little place out in the country, and I’ll raise some vegetables, a couple of chickens . . . † (72). However, his failure to acknowledge nature as his true passion fuels his failure in the business world as well. Denis Diderot concludes, â€Å"Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things. † Tempted by success and money, Willy veers from his passion for the outdoors towards business, for which he has little passion. The theme of nature is prevalent from the play’s beginning as, â€Å"A melody is heard, played upon a flute. It is small and fine, telling of grass and trees and the horizon. †(11). This specific tune is often associated with Willy’s character, distancing him from the environment, but emphasizing the connection Willy has to it. Many would argue, Willy has set himself up for failure by choosing the business career. In order to escape the feeling of dejection, Willy reverts to his falsely joyful past and creates multiple illusions for himself, seeing the world through a glass clouded with desire and failure. One of Willy’s greatest regrets is refusing to accompany Ben to Alaska. â€Å"If I’d gone with him to Alaska that time, everything would’ve been totally different† (45). Ben’s success in Alaska not only presents Willy with the possibility of money, but it would also satisfy his connection with nature. Ben’s voice in the play continually represents Willy’s resentment of his decision to stay, and his longing for a second chance to take the opportunity. Next, Willy fondly retreats to his past, a past glossed over in gold. Willy imagines a happy and cheerful history with his family, including his father, whom he never actually knew. Ben! Please tell about Dad. I want my boys to hear. I want them to know the kind of stock they spring from. † (48). This is ironic, because Willy doesn’t remember his father aside from his beard and his flute, so he would not know if his father would be someone to admire. Even though Willy does not have a job, he wants so badly to continue being a salesman that he still drives out to Boston and other cities, deluding his faithful wife, Linda Loman, and in part, himself, to think that he is going on important selling missions. Willy lies so convincingly that, when Ben proposes the idea of going to Alaska, a shocked Linda exclaims, â€Å"You’re well liked, and the boys love you, and someday – why, old man Wagner told him just the other day that if he keeps it up he’ll be a member of the firm . . . † (85). Linda is clearly oblivious to the fact that Willy is crestfallen and miserable. Willy even tries to prove to himself that he is happy, but the only true reason he remains a salesman is to gain the money he believes accompanies the job. Throughout Willy’s struggle, Charley, a FOIL to Willy, is constantly at Willy’s side helping him. Charley is Willy’s crutch, his reality check, and basically his only friend. While Willy fights to keep his family afloat, Charley has a steady job; while Willy manages his children’s lives, Charley leaves his only son, Bernard, to find his own path; while Willy loses his grip on reality, Charley has a firm grasp and a level head. Charley is the true example of the hard working, happy man achieving the American dream. Willy’s failure to recognize his own despondent state is primarily what causes his tragic downfall. As the play nears the end, Willy is faced with a decision. He knows that he will not be able to work much longer, and that at some point, he will have to rely on his sons. Willy also realizes that he has nothing to pass down to his sons. The solution he comes up with is suicide. Willy determines that this proposition is legitimate because it benefits his whole family. While talking with Ben, Willy justifies his decision by saying, â€Å"[Linda’s] suffered. . . Remember, it’s a guaranteed twenty-thousand-dollar proposition† (125-126). When Biff confronts him, Willy comes to an astonishing realization: â€Å"Biff – he likes me! (133). This only further deepens Willy’s desire to commit suicide, which would allow his family to collect the insurance money. However, the real reason for Willy’s tragic end is his static personality. His refusal to see the world as it is and his refusal to change means that he is veiled by his distorted vision of life forever. Willy is never able to break through his illusio n, truly believing that he is more valuable dead than alive. Finally, the decision is made and Willy commits suicide. â€Å"The car speeds off . . . moving away at full speed. . . The music crashes down in a frenzy of sound, which becomes the soft pulsation of a single cello string† (136). The rest of the Loman family is left alone, without the insurance money. As Charley sums up at the funeral, â€Å"He had the wrong dreams. All, all, wrong† (138). Willy died because he didn’t know how to forge his own path. Although he had the chance to turn back, he remained a salesman because he was in it for the money. Had he changed his mind and followed his heart, he would certainly have had an entirely different end. But that was his predicament: Willy Loman did not have the ability to change, something that Walter Lee Younger does have. Walter Lee Younger has dreams that are very similar to Willy’s: to provide for his family and to be successful. Unlike Willy Loman, though, Walter’s dreams of happiness for his family in addition to success. As an African American man, Walter constantly struggles against racial boundaries. The pressure to support his struggling family, including his sister and mother is a constant weight on his back. Walter informs Mama, â€Å"I want so many things that they are driving me crazy . . Sometimes it’s like I can see the future stretched out in front of me . . . Just waiting for me – a big, looming blank space – full of nothing† (73). Like any father or husband, Walter desperately wants a comfortable and content life. The tension between Walter and his wife, Ruth, partially stems from Walter’s inability to deal with his low income, low class job. â€Å"I open and close doors all day long. I drive a man around in a limousine and I say ‘Yes, sir; no, sir; very good, sir . . . that ain’t no kind of job . . . that ain’t nothing at all† (73). Not only is Walter dissatisfied with his job as a limousine driver, but he is embarrassed by it. Walter is desperate, but as a black man, his options for a new occupation are limited to those of a similar caliber to his current job. However, Walter finds an opportunity that could turn his life around. â€Å"I been out talking with people who understand me. People who care about what I got on my mind. † (87), â€Å". . . we got it figured out, me and Willy and Bobo† (33). Inspired by this new hope, Walter envisions a future of prosperity and happiness. This is mostly fueled by Walter’s idol: Charlie Atkins. Similar to Willy’s infatuation with Dave Singleman, Walter believes that Atkins, who owns a dry cleaning business which grosses $100,000 per year, is success incarnate. Atkins is Walter’s inspiration for his own dream of buying liquor store with Bobo and Willy Harris, which could be made possible by the insurance money from his father’s death. In addition to his dreams for himself, Walter also has dreams for his son. Like most fathers, he wants a better life for his son, â€Å"Just tell me where you want to go to school and you’ll go. Just tell me, what it is you want to be – and you’ll be it . . . Whatever you want to be – Yessir! You just name it, son . . . and I hand you the world! † (109). Although Walter has all the same dreams as a white man of his age, they are harder to obtain due to racial boundaries, and Walter must find a way to overcome these limitations. With so many things unperfected in his life, Walter sees money as a solution to his problems. For the Youngers, the symbol of money represents a new house, new clothing and shoes for everyone, especially forWalter’s son, Travis, more food for their table, education for Travis and Walter’s sister, Beneatha, as well as the down payment on Walter’s liquor store. When Mama questions Walter â€Å"How come you talk so much ‘bout money† (74), Walter responds, â€Å"it is life, Mama! . . . it was always about money, Mama. We just didn’t know about it† (74). It is ironic that Walter comments that money is life, because the most significant money in the Younger family comes from Big Walter’s $10,000 life insurance check. As Asagai explains to Beneatha, â€Å"Isn’t there something wrong in a house – in a world – where all dreams, good or bad, must depend on the death of a man? † (135). The illusion Walter holds that money is life contrasts with the reality that the money comes from death. Later, Walter becomes very frustrated as he realizes how unfair the world is, â€Å"Somebody tell me – tell me, who decides which woman is suppose to wear pearls in this world. I tell you I am a man – and I think my wife should wear some pearls in this world† (143). Because of all this pent-up regret and disappointment, Walter reverts to Willy Harris and Bobo’s plan for a source of comfort and hope. His desperation clouds his common sense, and when Mama entrusts him with the remaining insurance money, Walter invests all of it in the liquor store, even that intended for Beneatha’s education. Despite his poor decision, Walter has a â€Å"newfound exuberance† (112). He truly believes that this new deal will turn his family around in a new direction, â€Å"I got wings! You got wings! All God’s children got wings! † (125). However, things take a spin when Bobo arrives with the despairing news that Willy Harris, revealed as a con man, has disappeared with the money. Walter’s incredulity is clear as he realizes that all of the hope he has built up over the liquor store has disappeared like a flash of lightening. Now that all of the insurance money is gone on Walter’s watch, he is even more responsible for his family’s desperate state. Luckily, he is presented with a chance to redeem himself. Before the disheartening news that Willy Harris stole the Younger’s insurance money arrives, Walter is extremely confident. He is even willing to cooperate with Mama’s plan to move into their new house in Clybourne Park, a plan Walter had previously opposed. When Karl Lindner arrives to persuade the Youngers not to move into their new house, Walter confronts him. â€Å"We told him to get out! . . . Oh, we was some proud folks this afternoon . . † (142). However, after the terrible news of the lost insurance money is disclosed, Walter is not so sure-footed. He realizes the difficult financial situation, not to mention the peril that this move will put them in. Ruth, who desperately wants to move, reads her husband’s hesitation and questions him, â€Å"You talking ‘bout taking them people’s money to keep us from moving in that house? † (142) and Walter replies, â€Å"I’m telling you that’s what’s going to happen! † (142). Despite his strong opinion about not moving, Walter experiences a change of heart when Lindner returns. He realizes how much the chance to live is really worth as he sees the potential for Travis, Beneatha, and even for himself and Ruth, and how much the new house will help each of them to grow and flourish. Counter to Willy Loman, Walter learns to value life, learning that money does not necessarily give you a blissful, carefree life. Walter asserts to Lindner, â€Å"We have all thought about your offer . . . and we have decided to move into our house because my father – my father – he earned it for us brick by brick. . . . Travis . . . my son . . . he makes the sixth generation of our family in this country . . And that’s my sister over there and she’s going to be a doctor – and we are very proud . . . we are very proud people† (148). Walter’s dynamic character allows him to emerge from his black hole of despair, a trait that Willy Loman lacked, therefore triggering his own tragic downfall. Now that he is able to accept his mistake of losing all of the insurance money and has shattered the illusion that it is possible for everyone to be as successful and rich as Charlie Atkins, and that excessive wealth does not equate to happiness, Walter can fully appreciate his life, especially his loving family. From a first look, the Younger and Loman families could not be more different. Through careful analysis, though, one finds that they are astoundingly similar. Both working class families, they consistently struggle to maintain their current standards of living, a struggle made much more difficult by the expectant illusions Walter Lee and Willy cling to. The theme of illusion versus reality is vital in both A Raisin in the Sun and Death of a Salesman, demonstrating the harsh reality that a person’s life will never be perfect, and that some people will use heir imagination to fill in the gaps. The sad truth is that some people, like Willy Loman, are never able to break through the illusion. Bent on success and popularity, Willy renders himself victim to his mind forever, ending in death for him, and tragedy for his family. Others, such as Walter Lee Younger, possess the inner strength necessary to break free from this perfect, imaginary world to see that all they want, all they need, and all they seek, is right before them.